“You must be extremely careful when using these two 【Blades of Hunger】!”
Leon warned Alicia after explaining the dangerous power contained within the daggers in detail.
He had been affected by the power of 【Hunger】 just by glancing at the blades.
If Alicia accidentally cut herself, or if she habitually licked the blood off her blades like the rogues in stories after a kill...
He estimated that even if she didn't end up in a coffin immediately, she would be so tormented by 【Hunger】 that even lollipops wouldn't taste sweet anymore.
Alicia tilted her head as she looked at Leon. She felt like he was looking at her as if she were a giant lollipop while he was giving his warning.
However, Alicia still nodded obediently.
“I... understand.”
Leon ruffled her hair. Although it was just a change in color, for some reason, the pink hair felt different to the touch than her black hair had.
“Gurgle~”
At that moment, a sound came from Alicia’s stomach.
“Hungry?”
“Mm, mm.”
“I’ll have someone send some food to tide you over. The cook will have lunch ready soon.”
“Mm-hmm.”
...
After lunch, Leon went to the temporary shed set up in the backyard of the Rose Cathedral.
Inside the shed, a greyish-blue monster with a long tube-like mouth was firmly confined in an iron cage.
It was the turret monster they had captured earlier.
Beside the iron cage, a Falcon warrior reported:
“Young Master, since this monster woke up, it has been acting like it’s brain-dead. it doesn't resist or move. However, I was worried this might be a deliberate ploy, so I’ve been drawing its blood every three hours to weaken it.”
Leon nodded slightly and looked at the turret monster.
Previously, this turret monster had given him the impression that it would flee, possessed decent intelligence, and could even feel schadenfreude.
However, at this moment, the turret monster felt even more vacant than Alicia, possessing not a shred of intelligence.
If Leon had to describe it, the turret monster right now was like a mobile game that had lost its connection and was lagging at 460ms; the image was there, but it was completely unresponsive.
Leon raised his priest's scepter and lit a Light Prayer Orb. The radiance of the orb shone on the turret monster, and the burning pain made the creature tremble.
Leon’s eyes flickered as he looked at the text on his panel:
【Divine Art Casting Grade: Poor】
【Light Prayer EXP +1】
【...】
“It’s not an act...” Leon’s brow furrowed.
If it were a normal turret monster, he should have gained +30 experience. But this monster only gave +1 with a 【Poor】 rating, indicating that something was indeed wrong with it that he didn't know about.
‘The plan to farm experience has failed.’
Leon shook his head. He didn't feel too much regret and remained calm.
“Have the scholars from Stormveil City seen it yet? What did they say?” Leon turned and asked.
The Falcon warrior beside him replied, “Reporting to the Young Master, the scholars from the Society for the Study of Abnormal Creatures have already been here. They said it’s the first time they’ve ever seen a monster like this.”
“Furthermore, those scholars said its form of existence is very strange—”
“This creature is highly specialized for long-range attacks. Such characteristics don't seem like something that would form through natural evolution; it looks more like a product of artificial creation.”
A product of artificial creation...
Leon’s eyes darkened; this was somewhat similar to his own guess.
“Additionally, the scholars showed great interest in this monster and requested to perform a dissection. However, since I didn't have your permission, I didn't dare take it upon myself to agree and have temporarily refused them,” the Falcon warrior continued.
Upon hearing this, Leon looked at the Falcon warrior with a hint of approval. This man was quite meticulous in his work.
“I remember... your name is Ratahn?”
Ratahn nodded. “Yes, Young Master.”
“It’s a good name. It sounds like someone who could shatter stars,” Leon said. “Ratahn, I’m in need of a guard and assistant. Are you interested in taking the role?”
Ratahn was momentarily overwhelmed by the favor, but he quickly suppressed it and said with poise, “I am willing to serve you, Young Master!”
“Very well,” Leon instructed. “Deliver this monster to the scholars in Stormveil City for dissection. Tell them that once the dissection is complete, I expect to receive a detailed intelligence report on this creature.”
“Yes!” After receiving his orders, Ratahn immediately drew another tube of the turret monster’s blood to weaken it further before gathering a few other Falcon warriors to set off.
“Travel light. We’ll go and return quickly so as not to delay tomorrow’s punitive expedition.”
“Understood.”
Watching them leave, Leon returned to the cathedral and immersed himself in meditation.
They would officially set out to subjugate the Mad Shark King tomorrow. Leon decided to offer a last-minute prayer to the... no, to the God of Sacred Light.
...
A day passed.
In front of the gates of Stormveil City, squad after squad of guards from various towns, villages, and fortresses gathered, drawing the attention of many citizens.
Among those gazes were curiosity, awe, excitement, and even scrutiny hidden in the corners.
On the other side of the city gate stood a group of nobles and mayors dressed in somewhat lavish clothing, their faces filled with tension.
These nobles and mayors had originally thought that this campaign against the Mad Shark King only required them to send their town guards and private soldiers.
Who would have thought that Young Master Leon would actually demand their personal presence to participate in the subjugation of the Mad Shark King together?
At the time, some nobles were cursing under their breath: ‘I agreed to participate in the campaign, but that doesn't mean I’m going to participate in person!’
However, cursing was useless.
Faced with the labels Leon’s guards were throwing around—‘Don't want to participate? I suppose you’re in league with the Mad Shark King then’—these nobles had to participate whether they wanted to or not!
Some nobles had tried to be stubborn, huddling in their manors and feigning illness. However, even they had their doors kicked in by those guards and were carried directly to the gates of Stormveil City.
After the meeting ended and they returned home, these nobles looked into the cathedral where Leon served and learned about the purge of nobles that had occurred in Eldenborg.
Facing these guards who broke into their manors, they cursed fiercely in their hearts but didn't dare utter a single word out loud. They could only be “escorted” all the way to Stormveil City.
Among the crowd of nobles and mayors was Zachary, the mayor of Jellyfish Town, which had been attacked by mermen three times.
He hadn't originally held much hope for this campaign.
After all, the impression Young Master Leon had left in the meeting hall could be summarized in a few words: headstrong, eager for quick success, and quick to frame others.
However, seeing that Young Master Leon had forced all the nobles and mayors to gather at Stormveil City, Zachary suddenly had a feeling—
This Leon seemed to have other plans!
“The Viscount has arrived!”
Just as Zachary felt something was off, a powerful figure suddenly stepped out from within the city gates. It was the lord of Stormveil City, Seth Finn.
This Viscount Finn had changed his usual image. He no longer had bandages wrapped around his chest, and his previously pale complexion was completely gone, replaced by a healthy, vibrant glow.
It truly seemed as though he had recovered from his old injuries, just as the rumors suggested.
The citizens in the city erupted in cheers upon seeing their lord fully recovered.
A recovered lord meant he had regained his Gold rank power and could better protect Stormveil City.
However, Seth Finn’s appearance served as a different kind of signal to those hidden, scrutinizing eyes.
A figure with a watchful gaze quietly left the crowd and headed into the city, finally ducking into an underground passage.
“Quickly report to the Boss: Just as expected, Seth Finn has appeared fully recovered!”
Rate on N.U.
