~*~
Diego furrowed his brows as he looked at the boy.
''You already knew, didn't you?''
''Of course I do. This is just to test your ability to gather classified information. You might be a traitorous subject of this rotten kingdom, but your skills are not to be underestimated.'' Rosh said.
Diego's eye twitched. He didn't know if he'd take that as a compliment or an insult. 'The only reason I'm a traitor is because of you.' He thought, clenching his fists.
''What else would you report?'' Rosh asked.
Diego thought for a moment before looking at him, eyes narrowed.
''A news was issued earlier.''
''And?''
''...''
''Well, continue?'' Rosh said, furrowing his brows.
Diego looked at him with an unreadable expression.
''Young master.''
Rosh arched a brow. ''What?''
The man looked at the boy's eyes, trying to find any signs of lie, but he couldn't read him at all. Diego doesn't know if Rosh was truly confused, or just pretending to be ignorant. Eitherway..
''Do you have anything to do with the disappearance of the Aphen's young master?''
A few seconds of silence took over them.
''...??''
Permitus Aphen..disappeared?
Rosh had a blank expression, but deep inside, he was actually confused. He was truly clueless this time.
''The young master of Aphen disappeared a few days ago, but the marquis only reported this after they are sure that it wasn't just his son's little prank.'' Diego explained and stared at him suspiciously. ''Are you sure you have nothing to do with this?''
Rosh didn't see that coming. He had never heard of Permitus Aphen disappearing in his past life.
''He was said to be kidnapped by an unidentified person as chaos was found in his room.''
''...'' Rosh stared at him and blinked. ''Oh.'' He said flatly.
'I went away for one night and this happened? Seriously. What's with nobles and kidnapping?' He sweatdropped. There are a lot of additional situations that never happened before, this must be what they call a butterfly effect.
He's not saying anything, Diego thought and decided to push the matter even more. ''How about the what happened to the second son of the Elbeck family?'' He asked.
The corner of Rosh's mouth flinched. Vincent Elbeck? So Amros scared him enough for it to become quite a deal to the noble news?
''Elbeck..'' He mumbled.
Diego smiled slightly, thinking he has succeeded in sqeezing some information from the boy's actions in the shadows.
''That's right. Vincent Elbeck is found shaking at the corner of his room yesterday morning. It was as if he saw a demon, yet he wouldn't say anything about it.'' The older man said, emphasizing 'demon' as a reference to the very person he's talking to.
''Hmm..''
''So, young master?''
Rosh looked back at Diego who gave him a pointed look.
''So. So what? It has nothing to do with me.'' He said.
''How could I be certain you're not lying?'' Diego still cannot believe his words. It's too good to be true.
''How could you be certain I am lying?'' Rosh countered in retort. ''Do you think I'm stupid? Neither Vincent Elbeck or Permitus Aphen are important enough for me to care. And since when did you have any relation to my business?''
Rosh leaned towards him and smiled, one as a bad sign. ''Whatever I do, it has nothing to do with you. Our partnership is as easy as one sentence, Diego. You follow or die, you don't follow and die. That's it.''
Diego's breath hitched. He had always forgotten his place. Infront of such a young appearance, he had always left the thought that he was a slave at the back of his mind.
''...I-''
''Alright, that's enough. You have nothing else to tell me, right?'' Diego nodded at his question. Rosh shrugged and waved his hand. ''Good, then I'm leaving. I'm busy.''
Rosh stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Diego looking at the door with a strange expression. 'Busy? What, busy killing for fun?' He thought sarcastically before shaking his head. It has nothing to do with him, no matter how selfish it is, he doesn't want to die. For him, it is better for other people to die than himself.
The instinct of selfishness only comes out when survival is leashed.
***
Rosh appeared from the shadows inside a large, filled room. He looked around as every corner blinded his eyes with shine.
He is inside the Razon treasury, with fortune hauled from tens of generations, now owned by the current duke, his father.
The walls and the only entrance and exit were made of pure iron for the greatest defense. Golden bars, ingots and silver, gold and bronze coins were piled and scattered on the floor. Gems, shiny stones, and jewelries weren't an exception as they filled and overflowed multiple chests, openly bragging the riches of his family.
He had left Luar to transform as another guarding knight outside for look-out.
Rosh started looking around, digging through the piles of treasures. His eyes were narrowed, not missing a single piece with his enhanced vision. He even used his blessing to try and trace that object over everything inside the room.
After hours of searching, Rosh almost flipped the treasury upside down.
It's not here! Where is it? Why couldn't he find it! Rosh punched the wall, controlling his strength, careful not to break anything.
''Where the fvck is it?'' He muttered under his breath. ''That stupid.... hm?''
With his enhanced auditory, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the outside.
''The fvck are you saying you lowly rascal? Do you not know who I am?''
''Please leave at once.''
''I am the duchess' vassal, she has sent me to gather a few bags of gold!''
''Without a direct order from his or her graces, the duke and the duchess, nobody is allowed to enter the treasury as said to the dukedom's rules.''
''B@stard. Let me enter! I am Count June of the Oder County. A knight like you shouldn't go against me!''
''Please refrain from using your status, lord vassal. As a proud knight of the Razon duchy, I am in no obligation nor authority to break the rules as to follow your orders.''
''You insolent peasant!''
Rosh licked his lips, finding it amusing how his dear, dear Luar is so into his 'knight in shining armor' role.
On the other hand, it seemed that even his parents' entourage are affected by the Pause. Most of the lower nobles are very much suffering out of the wave, so it isn't much ridiculous for them to resort to dirty means.
Count June is one of the members of his mother's vassals. He is a middle aged geezer who loves luxury, most-if not all of the vassals love luxury, but this man is one of the special cases.
He is sly, and with his gambling habit, he often knows the wins, losses, advantages and disadvantages of his games. He definitely knows what he's doing.
'Except, I don't know if he lost his intellect now that he doesn't have money to gamble.' He thought to himself. 'Now I have more reasons not to gamble in the future. I don't want to turn idiotic like him.'
Rosh knew ridiculous is normal, but not this ridiculous.
They're trying to take advantage of their connection to the duchy and shamelessly walk into an exclusive, authorized safe to steal money? Not only did he come here personally without any measures to hide his identity, he even lied straight to a guarding, though fake, knight and used his status.
Rosh doesn't know if this man is dumb, or just plain stupid.
Shaking his head, the boy stepped into the shadows, traveling towards the other side of the wall as he peeked through the situation outside.
The so called 'vassal' of his mother is now rudely pointing his finger into Luar's forehead, as the latter just looked at him coldly. Rosh rolled his eyes and also pointed his finger on the man. Tendrils appeared from under the man's feet and held onto his legs.
''Wah? W-what is this!?''
The tendrils snaked upwards, around his torso, until it reached his mouth, preventing the man from screaming. Rosh walked out of the shadows and towards the man who's now on his knees, shaking and sweating furiously. The boy had his hands inside his pocket, casually tapping his shoes as if there isn't anything happening infront of him.
''You're noisy, adding to my stress, tch.'' Rosh picked his ear.
His eyes contracted and trembled. He couldn't scream, he couldn't move, he doesn't know what to do. The first young master have such a power, how? Didn't the others say he was weak, timid? What will the supposedly stupid young master do to him?
Count June didn't want to imagine it, he might be a greedy piece of gambler, but he knows it, he could feel it. Everyone in his place will know, the winning result of this situation.
Luar bowed respectfully as he saw his master. Rosh gave him a subtle nod before looking back at the man. He lifted his leg and used the soles of his shoes, sharply stepping on the man's...
''Ughk!''
...thigh.
''I just realized, this must be why some people I meet see me as a crazy maniac who only likes violence.'' Though I can't say I'm not. Rosh mused.
''I truly appreciate your awareness, Master.'' Amros snickered.
'What. An. Insult.'
''...'' Amros cleared his 'throat' with a chuckled. ''I'm sorry, Master, I love you.....really.'' The incstrile whispered the final word.
Rosh didn't hear it and rolled his eyes internally before preparing to step on the man's thigh once again, not until a shriek paused his actions.
''ROSH EDWARD DEL RAZON! What are you doing!?''
He turned back and saw a very familiar blonde person wearing a glamorous forest green dress, hair on a clean bun, and a black fan with dark green designs on her hand. Rosh smiled and opened his arms with a clap.
''Mother, what a coincidence seeing you here.''
The blonde woman's face was red, still in the midst of anger, confusion and shock of the scene she was seeing. Her vassal is literally on his knees! Nonetheless, kneeling infront of her supposedly useless son who's personality seemed to flip!
''You, what are you doing to my subordinate? How dare you!''
The latter clicked his tongue.
Roxanna Iare-Del Razon feigned confidence despite the fear of seeing such threatening dark tendrils wrapped around her vassal's body. She wasn't assured that those things won't come for her, especially when the situation screams control from her 'son'.
''Let go of him this instant, Rosh. Such shameless actions towards your elders. Unmannered! Uneducated! Imbecile!''
Again, Rosh picked his ears in annoyance. He wonders if this woman is really his mother, even if people says he greatly resembles his father as an excuse, he highly doubts it. They had never been alike. She's so loud, so annoying.
If not for Amros' sound barrier attached on the area in advance, her shouts would have echoed all throughout the estate, alerting the knights training and the servants.
''Would you shut up?''
''Y-you brat, how dare you talk to your mother like that?'' She pointed.
Rosh scoffed. Counting the total years of both his past and present lifetimes, he will only be a few years younger than this woman. Of course, it's not as if she knows that.
Kicking the count aside, he faced his mother's direction. More tendrils slithered from the ground, taking the shape of insect limbs with sharp protruding thorns. The dark cirruses pointed at Roxanna who shuddered in shock and anxiety.
''What..what are those things? How-what, what kind of sorcery is this? Black magic? Demon blessing?'' Roxanna looked at her son with eyes dipped with loathe. With such power, he will have more strength to kick Josh out of the competition for the title of heir. ''Rosh, you are doing illegal practices while living in this house!''
''Haa. Mother. It's truly unfortunate for you.'' Rosh chuckled sarcastically. ''No matter what kind of 'sorcery' this is, that doesn't really matter now, does it? What matters is your current circumstance.''
He twirled his finger as a tendril shot towards Roxanna, snaking through the air and teased the edges of her neck.
''Be careful with your words, mother.''
''Y-you! I-I will tell your father about this!'' She threatened weakly.
Rosh raised a brow. Okay, surely, that wasn't scary enough to make a strand of his hair flinch.
''Do you think you will get away for treating me, your mother, as such? This preposterous thing you are doing is enough to strip you off of your position, Rosh!''
''Oh, so~scary.'' Rosh wiggled his hips jokingly before huffing. Position? Since when did he have a position in this house?
''Was that supposed to be a threat? Well, I'm telling you, it's not working.'' He said.
A position is supposed to make everyone give him an ounce of acknowledgement. Did he receive it? No. Never before, and not yet in this life either.
''Okay. This is enough, I'm tired of your face already.'' Rosh said and controlled his magic.
At a blink of an eye, the tendrils moved in an unexpected pace. Fast, agile and versatile movements showered towards his mother.
''Aargh! Brat! You insolent ingrate! I've always regretted giving birth to you. You will never be as good as my Josh, do you hear me? Engrave that to your mind!''
''...''
Rosh went quiet as he watched his mother struggle helplessly against his display of blessing. His hair shadowed over his eyes, keeping them away from visibility.
Suddenly, he stepped towards his mother with clenched fists. The tendrils softened but firm and constricted enough to hold Roxanna off, just as it did to her vassal.
Rosh raised his hand, causing the latter to close her eyes, waiting for the impact of a hit, but it never came.
Just as Roxanna was about to heave a sigh of relief, her hair was grabbed with force by her son. The strength used was harsh, as if someone who built and trained his body for years, yet from a child who's barely nine years old.
Her eyes looked straight into her son's bloody red eyes, a shiver trembled into her spine. He was smirking and grinning at the same time, he was thrilled.
''Don't worry, mother. I won't kill you.'' Yet. Rosh assured, swallowing a growl of distaste. ''After all, you are my mother, and I love you. I just have three words for you, is all.''
He leaned his head forward and into the side of her head, his lips steadied near her ears. His warm breath tickled her ears and pulled her goosebumps up.
''Fvck you, b*tch.''
Amros inside him immediately acted as a magic circle appeared on Roxanna's and Count June's forehead. Slowly, their eyes blurred, their visions faded, and both blacked out in unison.
Just as before, her memories of what had just happened has been erased by Amros. Rosh straightened his back and combed his hair back. Chuckling, he heaved a deep breath, smiling in satisfaction.
''Ha! I've always wanted to do that. Now..''
Rosh then snapped his fingers, summoning two figures of dark shadows kneeling not far from him. ''Carry my mother back to her room.'' He ordered.
One of the shadows was immediately swallowed by the shadows along with Roxanna's body, instantly disappearing from sight. Meanwhile, the other shadow tilted its head, as if truly conscious, in question and pointed at Count June's knocked out body, asking for orders.
''Throw that man infront of his home, make sure nobody sees you.'' When the dark shadow received its order, it touched the said man's body and also disappeared.
Rosh turned his back and looked at Luar. The latter bowed his head and transformed to being in Hugo's appearance.
''Let's go.'' He said.
''Why leave all those riches here, Master? Don't you want to clean the place as a revenge to your family?''
'I don't lack money, Amros, especially having a living bank like you. Besides, my objective isn't here.'
''You don't really have to complete everything as said in the contract with that woman, Master. I'm pretty sure you are powerful enough to hold her neck.''
'And here I thought I am sadistic enough. Not everything needs to be done by abusing my power, times like this needs a trusted cooperation with useful allies.'
''I don't think it's the same when you're trying to find a nonexistent item from an urban legend.''
'It is not an urban legend, Amros. That woman, Hyacinth, won't speak of lies infront of superior power. She knows I'll kill her, if not then her beloved Anya, if she does.'
''Not that I'm questioning you, Master, but how are you certain she's not just acting?''
'If my guess is right, that item will truly and clearly validate my contract with the Wesyls. Although I'm not certain, I have a feeling it is true.'
One of the conditions in his contract with the Wesyl stated one odd thing, which Hyacinth considered as the most 'important' part of their deal. She even challenged Rosh with a limited time to find that specific object, or their contract will be forfeited.
Rosh looked forward with a determined gaze. For the sake of the suffering he will unleash over this kingdom, he can risk an alliance with the people with similar objectives. All he has to do is find out.
''And I'll find out when I find the Spring's Eye.''
He stepped into the shade, vanishing into the body of gloom.
***
A/N:
Late. I know. But this is longer than the normal length of my chapters so I guess it's a compensation..? Sorry, everyone.
Please be patient for this little sister and continue loving this story.
Lovelots!
-Author chan.