The Earl's Meeting

In the afternoon, I restocked at the logistics warehouse, picking up more copper-cased rounds and holy water.

On my way back, I saw Bo Er leading Dunn and Jurgen around the backyard through the window. He was explaining something while Dunn followed half a step behind, nodding occasionally.

Lu Yuan sat by the window, eyes closed as he meditated on Guard. As his consciousness descended into the river of Sanity, the symbiotic link suddenly flared with activity.

The Knowledge Worm poked its sensory feelers out from deep within his left eye, pausing for less than a second in a certain direction before retracting them.

Lu Yuan had never seen it react like this.

Subconsciously, he looked at the Knowledge Worm. Half its body was now emerging from his left eye, scanning the surroundings as if searching for something.

“What did you feel?” Lu Yuan asked the Knowledge Worm through their symbiotic link.

The Knowledge Worm drifted out from his left eye and circled twice in the air, letting out an incomprehensible chittering sound.

It seemed to mean that it had sensed the aura of the Sea of Knowledge, but the sensation had vanished in an instant.

Lu Yuan looked in the direction the Knowledge Worm had indicated. It was toward the inner city.

Lu Yuan understood. He hoped tomorrow’s meeting wouldn't go too sideways. He could only hope the Count and Kraus had prepared sufficiently.

After all, if the people at the meeting were wiped out in one go, the Bronze City would effectively exist in name only.

Lu Yuan stared into the distance, then silently withdrew his gaze. After circling a few more times, the Knowledge Worm retracted back into his eye.

Early the next morning.

Grey-white text surfaced at the edge of his vision.

【Sanity: 140/140】

Excellent. His Sanity was fully restored.

Lu Yuan packed his gear and headed to the branch. Kraus was already there.

His complexion looked significantly better than it had the previous night, but his wrist was still wrapped in layer upon layer of gauze. He rested his right hand on the armrest, his pace a few beats slower than usual.

If it hadn't been for the grey-white text's prompt, Lu Yuan might have doubted whether he had actually healed Kraus at all.

Kraus smiled at Lu Yuan’s look of surprise; it was clear he intended to play along with the situation.

The carriage set off toward the inner city.

As the carriage rattled along, Kraus leaned back in the corner of his seat, his right hand resting on his knee. That "injured" wrist was positioned quite naturally.

“Headquarters sent more than one person,” Kraus said, his gaze fixed out the carriage window rather than on Lu Yuan. “The empire is dead set on continuing the Sea of Knowledge harvesting. The people coming this time have significant authority and power. Once we arrive, remember not to wander off.”

“Understood.”

“You’ll sit next to me,” Kraus continued. “Just use your ability to sweep the room once. Don’t make it too obvious. If you find anything, just let me know.”

“No problem. But since the Polymath Tower leak happened, is there really a need to keep increasing the investment?”

Lu Yuan nodded, finally asking the question that had been weighing on him.

“You might not know exactly what was gained from the operation you participated in...”

Kraus’s expression soured as if he had recalled something unpleasant.

“The empire gained unprecedented knowledge from that harvest. The entire imperial center has gone mad for it. That’s why the second round of harvesting was carried out before preparations were fully complete, leading to the leak.”

“But too few people died in this leak...”

Kraus’s voice carried a hint of suppressed bitterness.

Lu Yuan understood.

So that was it. Because the empire felt the cost was acceptable?

Just because the leak was only of this magnitude...

Lu Yuan found himself at a loss for words.

The carriage turned a corner, and the scenery outside changed. The patrol density had at least doubled. The Iron Guard stood at key intersections, fully armed, their armor glinting coldly in the morning light.

A Holy Armored Army patrol approached from the opposite direction. The leader exchanged a look with Kraus’s carriage but didn't stop, continuing on their way.

There were very few pedestrians on the streets, and half the shops were closed.

The entire city seemed to be waiting for something.

As the carriage entered the inner city core, the shops along the streets were replaced by stone mansions. The walls grew thicker, the windows narrower, and the family emblems above the doorways became increasingly elaborate.

The Count's Mansion appeared at the end of the street.

The main building was constructed of grey-white limestone, three stories high. Four thick stone pillars stood at the front, their capitals carved with the Helmut family emblem: a vertical sword on a copper shield, with two snakes coiled around the blade, their heads facing each other, each holding a copper coin in its mouth.

Wide stone steps stretched from the base to the porch, each step edged with copper strips that gave off a dull metallic sheen in the sunlight.

The Count's private guards stood on both sides of the entrance, wearing ceremonial armor with copper breastplates polished so brightly they reflected everything like mirrors. Judging by the aura they projected and the swords at their waists, they were clearly skilled fighters.

The real suppressive force, however, wasn't at the front door. As the carriage passed, Lu Yuan saw the glint of armor in the shadows of the side alleys. Iron Guard squads were hidden in the surrounding lanes, and the Holy Armored Army was stationed on the rooftops.

Inside the porch, the vaulted ceiling was higher than expected. Tapestries hung on the stone walls, depicting a hunt: nobles on horseback, a fleeing white stag, and a forest in the distance. Below the tapestries, copper lamp stands were placed every three steps. Even in the daylight, the flames were lit, bathing the corridor in brilliant light.

They reached the main hall.

The ceiling here was at least two or three times higher than the first floor of the branch. An iron chandelier hung overhead, its dozens of kerosene lamps all burning at once.

The lower part of the walls was lined with dark wood wainscoting, while the upper section was light grey stone inlaid with several inscription stone slabs.

The mansion itself was equipped with protective inscriptions.

The hall’s original layout had been altered. The long table had been replaced by a circular seating arrangement, leaving a large open space in the center.

The nobles had already begun to arrive—dozens of them, ranging from viscounts to barons. Some brought attendants, while others came alone.

Yet they all maintained their noble decorum. Some were conversing, but most were seated in order, eyes closed to rest or flipping through books they had brought with them.

Lu Yuan followed Kraus to a seat at the head of the circular arrangement, slightly to the left.

Kraus maintained the dignity befitting a Vice Director, but his complexion remained poor, and the bandages on his wrist were clearly visible. The gazes of several nobles noticeably lingered on Kraus’s wrist for a moment.

It seemed many people were keeping a close eye on Kraus’s injuries.

Lu Yuan scanned the room.

Seated at the head to the right was Agnes. Her black hood was down, her moon-white hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked calm. Standing behind her were two figures in deep grey monk robes, their hands clasped in front of them and their heads bowed.

She didn't seem to care whether any of the nobles present were problematic; her gaze was somewhat vacant, as if she were looking at something only she could see.

The Ascension Society was positioned against the wall on the right.

They also had only two representatives, but it wasn't the red-eyed man from before. It seemed the Ascension Society wasn't stupid; they knew which people to send for which occasion.

Lu Yuan sneered inwardly.

The Ascension Society representatives were a man and a woman in dark red coats. The man was in his forties, thin and silent, sitting bolt upright. The woman was younger, her gaze darting about with an unnatural smile playing on her lips.

Neither of them showed obvious signs of mechanical modification, which meant they were likely top-tier powerhouses within the Ascension Society.

The grey-white text scanned them.

【Target detected: Ascension Society member (mechanical augmenter)】

【A creation that preserves its human identity as much as possible, seemingly utilizing a completely new type of mechanical construct; a worthy addition to a collection.】

Lu Yuan scanned the grey-white prompt, but it didn't provide much information.

The Polymath Tower representatives were seated by the window on the left.

A familiar face was there: Calvin Morton. His expression was cold, though he looked more fatigued than the last time they had met.

He still wore his monocle, but only one of the three Polymath Tower seats was occupied. Apparently, he was the only one who had come.

Most importantly, the Special Inspector hadn't shown up.

The Special Inspector was the highest representative of the Polymath Tower headquarters stationed in the Bronze City. The Count had summoned all the city’s powers, yet the Special Inspector was absent.

Opposite Lu Yuan were the Iron Guard representatives, but the commander’s seat was occupied by someone new to Lu Yuan.

He was a middle-aged officer with a square, silent face, flanked by two lieutenants with sabers. The Iron Guard was the official imperial military force stationed in the Bronze City, and it seemed they had brought in reinforcements.

Near the door was Heinrich, the Holy Armored Army captain Lu Yuan had met during the joint pipe network operation. As Lu Yuan looked around, Heinrich noticed him and gave a slight nod in his direction.

His position near the door suggested he and his men had their own specific tasks and arrangements.

The last to arrive was the Count.

He carried a silver-plated cane and wore impeccable formal attire.

An aide followed behind him. He was in his thirties, wearing dark grey formal wear, with a clean-shaven face and average height. He wore the same flawless smile as before—a smile that never slipped, no matter the circumstances.

Lu Yuan glanced at him. He had seen this man before, and his intuition then had been that this person was far from simple.

Seeing him again now, he still gave off a dangerous vibe.

The moment the Count entered the hall, the volume of conversation dropped significantly.

The Count did not sit down.

He stood in the open space in the center of the circular seating, his silver-plated cane held upright before him with both hands folded over the head. His aide stood two steps behind him, his smile unchanging.

The cane tapped once against the stone floor.

The entire hall fell silent.

“During the time I was away from the Bronze City...”

The Count’s voice wasn't loud, but the stone walls of the hall carried every word to everyone’s ears.

“...it seems some rather unpleasant things have occurred.”

His gaze moved slowly from left to right, scanning the room. He didn't focus on any one individual, yet everyone felt as if he were looking directly at them.

“Some have forgotten the Auris Empire's regulations. Some have forgotten who granted them their titles. Some believe the walls of the Bronze City only keep out the things on the outside.”

The hall was now completely silent. Not even the creak of a chair could be heard.

The Count’s gaze fell on the Polymath Tower’s section, where only Calvin sat.

“Arthur Heinz did not come today.”

The Count’s expression didn't change, but his tone carried a clear note of displeasure.

Everyone in the hall could hear the weight behind those words.

Light glinted off Calvin’s monocle as he spoke calmly.

“The Special Inspector is currently handling the aftermath of the harvesting accident and cannot leave. He has authorized me to represent the Polymath Tower in full.”

The Count stared at him for two seconds.

He didn't respond, instead shifting his gaze away.

“I will not pursue that today,” the Count’s tone leveled out slightly.

“I have invited you all here today because of another matter.”

END