The scent of the torn cloth leads us to the west of the city. There, we're greeted by a big iron gate, its bars towering above us. Looking up the sloping hills, a grand mansion comes into view, its silhouette imposing against the blue sky. The crest emblazoned on the gate is an eagle in mid-flight. Beneath it, the letters spell out 'Hawksmoor Estate, the residence of Duke Eldridge’.
“Damn it, so we are against a Duke!?” I curse.
Ideally, I wouldn’t want to position myself against such a formidable enemy. But, as Lyon looks at me with his wolf-like eyes, I make up my mind.
“Fuck, I’m going in,” I mutter.
I take a few steps back, gathering momentum to jump right over the iron gate.
“Wait, take me with you!” Lyon says, grasping the bars.
“No, you stay here. Go hide in the bushes,” I instruct firmly.
“But-”
“I will likely have to fight them, Lyon. And when that happens, I can’t afford to be worried about you.”
With that, the young wolf boy understands.
“Then, I’ll be waiting. Please, be careful.”
“I will.”
I say, then proceed to sneak my way in.
---------------------------
Moments later, I've located the enemies. From my vantage point atop a tall tree, I observe five men wearing hooded cloaks. They are gathered in the estate’s garden, apparently waiting for their master to come out. One of the men is missing a piece from his cloak. So, they must be the perpetrators. I activate my enhanced hearing and, through their conversation, I learn all their names.
The first, a burly bald man with an unmistakable scar across his cheek, is known as Brack. He carries a hefty axe and a giant shield.
“Ha, poor guy,” Brack says, shaking his head. “I feel kinda bad for him. Not only did we take his item, but we also beat him to a pulp.”
Beside him stands a slender, quick-eyed fellow with black hair, named Sylas. He twirls a dagger between his fingers, his voice laced with mockery. “Well, if he hadn’t been an absolute idiot who resisted and punched Rafe, we wouldn’t have gone that far.”
Carmien, the third man, wears a thoughtful expression. With a healer's bag slung over his shoulder and blond hair, he seems out of place among the rougher men. “But still… beating him like that was a bit too much…” he mutters, more to himself than to the others.
“Ha? What are you saying, Carmien?” The fourth man, Rafe, has a sardonic grin and is missing a front tooth. He leans against a tree, his swords in hand. “Tsk, and he really thought that disguise would shake us off? What a joke,” Rafe sneers, swinging his sword to slash the air, venting his frustration. “He should feel lucky that we left him still breathing!”
Finally, the last of the group, Eldin, stands apart. He's older, with streaks of grey in his hair, his gaze fixed on a golden box in his hand. “So, why does the master want this item again? He isn’t a mage, nor is Duke Eldridge. I don’t see the point of him getting it,” Eldin questions. From the look of it, the Etherbloom must be inside that box.
“Isn’t it obvious, old man?” Rafe responds.
“Ha?” Eldin’s face scrunches. “Then tell me, who is it for?”
“For Lady Harrow, of course!” Rafe exclaims, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Sylas, smirking, adds, “Oh, you mean that beautiful lady from the Harrow family? The one our master is head over heels for?”
“Yeah,” Brack joins in. “Apparently, her twentieth birthday is coming up next month, so the master has been searching for the perfect present.”
Carmien, shaking his head, interjects, “Honestly, to think that he would steal an innocent man’s item for a present,” he says. “I wonder how Lady Harrow would react if she finds out.”
Hearing that, Eldin sighs deeply. “Come on, Carmien, they are nobles. We commoners are nothing but livestock in their eyes. It’s not considered stealing if we take the item from, let's say, a dog or a chicken, right?”
“Haizz… you guys are all rotten,” Carmien sighs, his disappointment evident.
Rafe chuckles. “It’s the world we live in, Carmien.”
And with that, the conversation has really shed some light. So, if I’m not mistaken, the 'master' should be the Duke’s son, who’s deeply in love with Ariella. Despite his high position and wealth, he still didn't want to pay for the Etherbloom and ended up robbing an innocent man who only wanted to save his daughter. This is indeed the lowest of the low.
Thus, the question now is, how do I get the item back from them before the 'master' arrives? Can I really take down all five of them?
I can shoot them all from here with my guns. However, Chameleon Earring can only store one alternative appearance. I’m Edward right now, and I don’t want to risk being seen using weapons associated with the wanted man, Jack. I don’t want to appear as Jack either. That’s a terrible idea.
So, I'll have to use my other weapons.
With this in mind, I proceed to make some more observations and strategize.
Brack is probably a dedicated tank, wearing heavy armor and wielding a giant axe. He’s quite tough, but he should be slower than the others.
That leaves Rafe, the dagger-wielding rogue, and Sylas, the swordsman, as my biggest threats. To win, I need to take them down first, without giving them any chance to retaliate.
Meanwhile, Carmien doesn't pose much of a threat, as he’s a healer. He’s the lowest priority, but I know I still shouldn’t be careless.
The last one, Eldin, is a mage. I wonder how fast he can chant Arcanum.
Judging from their attire and equipment, I can somewhat estimate their levels. They are probably just above average, perhaps level 60-70.
If all five of them attack me simultaneously and use proper teamwork, I may find myself at a slight disadvantage.
However, I have the element of surprise on my side. Not wanting to wait any longer and risk more people arriving, especially the 'master', I make my move.
Thud!
The moment my feet touch the ground, I swing my knife in a wide arc. Wind Cutter activates!
Rafe and Sylas turn around at the sound of my landing.
But that’s all they can do before their heads fly off! The human's weak points are the head and neck. They do wear some good armor, but not having anything to protect their neck was a big mistake.
With that, the swordsman and the rogue are taken out. I quickly move to my next target.
“AAAA! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?” Brack shouts as he notices me. “GUARDS!!! GUARDS!!!”
He’s calling for help, but there’s nothing I can do about that. I just need to eliminate them all before the guards arrive.
Thus, I dash forward, aiming my palm towards Carmien, the healer, and chanting a fireball spell in Arcanum.
“WHAT? A MAGE!?” Brack exclaims.
He's shocked, but he reacts quickly.
“BLINK GUARD!” he yells.
Instantly, Brack teleports in front of Carmien, trying to block my path and shield him from me.
However, can I even cast fireballs in the first place?
It’s just a ruse, to draw his attention away from my main target!
As my hand touches his shield, I use it as a platform to change direction.
Eldin is chanting something in Arcanum, but too bad.
Throwing a knife is faster than casting a spell!
A knife to the face cancels the spell. Eldin’s body collapses to the ground. I quickly retrieve the box containing the flower.
Now, it's just me and the tank.
“AAAAA! YOU BASTARD!!” Brack, enraged by his teammate's sudden demise, roars and charges at me. He swings his axe down with utmost fury.
What power! Rocks fly, and the ground splits, leaving a deep gash.
But, of course, it didn't hit me!
I have already leaped to a distance, preparing to unleash my next attack, another Wind Cutter, aimed at his exposed neck.
This is it, checkmate.
After all, people tend to leave deadly openings when they get too emotional and act recklessly. And once Brack falls, I will go for the last one, Carmien the healer.
My hit lands.
However...
“What!?” I exclaim in shock.
The attack connected, but... there's only a scratch?
Brack's body is much sturdier than I anticipated!
I do prefer them all dead, as they have seen my Edward form. But that doesn’t seem possible now.
So, it's time for plan B: Retreat.
As I turn around, I suddenly feel a slight pull.
“YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!!” Brack's furious voice echoes behind me.
However, unfortunately for him too...
His attempt to hold me in place has been negated!
I leap onto a tree and bolt away.
As I distance myself, I hear the sound of guards shouting behind me. But of course, neither Brack nor the guards are quick enough to catch me.
—---------------------
Later, at the front gate.
“I got it!” I shout, jumping out. “Quick, morph into your wolf form!”
From a nearby bush, the wolf, Lyon, rushes out, and we run back in the direction of Curtis’ house. Yet, on our way, I suddenly realize something important.
“Alright, here’s a job for you,” I tell Lyon. “You know the Great Library of Vera, right?”
Lyon answers with a 'wuf.' It means yes.
“Good. Now go there and find two fox girls named Evelyne and Helena. They should be with a flying cabbage. Tell them I need their help, and I will be meeting all of you at your house to save Lumi.”
“Wuf!” Lyon replies, understanding the order. He instantly changes his path, heading towards the Library.
Meanwhile, I head back to Curtis’ house.
We have been out for two hours.
I hope the ring can hold up until I arrive.
The scent of the torn cloth leads us to the west of the city. There, we're greeted by a big iron gate, its bars towering above us. Looking up the sloping hills, a grand mansion comes into view, its silhouette imposing against the blue sky. The crest emblazoned on the gate is an eagle in mid-flight. Beneath it, the letters spell out 'Hawksmoor Estate, the residence of Duke Eldridge’.
“Damn it, so we are against a Duke!?” I curse.
Ideally, I wouldn’t want to position myself against such a formidable enemy. But, as Lyon looks at me with his wolf-like eyes, I make up my mind.
“Fuck, I’m going in,” I mutter.
I take a few steps back, gathering momentum to jump right over the iron gate.
“Wait, take me with you!” Lyon says, grasping the bars.
“No, you stay here. Go hide in the bushes,” I instruct firmly.
“But-”
“I will likely have to fight them, Lyon. And when that happens, I can’t afford to be worried about you.”
With that, the young wolf boy understands.
“Then, I’ll be waiting. Please, be careful.”
“I will.”
I say, then proceed to sneak my way in.
---------------------------
Moments later, I've located the enemies. From my vantage point atop a tall tree, I observe five men wearing hooded cloaks. They are gathered in the estate’s garden, apparently waiting for their master to come out. One of the men is missing a piece from his cloak. So, they must be the perpetrators. I activate my enhanced hearing and, through their conversation, I learn all their names.
The first, a burly bald man with an unmistakable scar across his cheek, is known as Brack. He carries a hefty axe and a giant shield.
“Ha, poor guy,” Brack says, shaking his head. “I feel kinda bad for him. Not only did we take his item, but we also beat him to a pulp.”
Beside him stands a slender, quick-eyed fellow with black hair, named Sylas. He twirls a dagger between his fingers, his voice laced with mockery. “Well, if he hadn’t been an absolute idiot who resisted and punched Rafe, we wouldn’t have gone that far.”
Carmien, the third man, wears a thoughtful expression. With a healer's bag slung over his shoulder and blond hair, he seems out of place among the rougher men. “But still… beating him like that was a bit too much…” he mutters, more to himself than to the others.
“Ha? What are you saying, Carmien?” The fourth man, Rafe, has a sardonic grin and is missing a front tooth. He leans against a tree, his swords in hand. “Tsk, and he really thought that disguise would shake us off? What a joke,” Rafe sneers, swinging his sword to slash the air, venting his frustration. “He should feel lucky that we left him still breathing!”
Finally, the last of the group, Eldin, stands apart. He's older, with streaks of grey in his hair, his gaze fixed on a golden box in his hand. “So, why does the master want this item again? He isn’t a mage, nor is Duke Eldridge. I don’t see the point of him getting it,” Eldin questions. From the look of it, the Etherbloom must be inside that box.
“Isn’t it obvious, old man?” Rafe responds.
“Ha?” Eldin’s face scrunches. “Then tell me, who is it for?”
“For Lady Harrow, of course!” Rafe exclaims, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Sylas, smirking, adds, “Oh, you mean that beautiful lady from the Harrow family? The one our master is head over heels for?”
“Yeah,” Brack joins in. “Apparently, her twentieth birthday is coming up next month, so the master has been searching for the perfect present.”
Carmien, shaking his head, interjects, “Honestly, to think that he would steal an innocent man’s item for a present,” he says. “I wonder how Lady Harrow would react if she finds out.”
Hearing that, Eldin sighs deeply. “Come on, Carmien, they are nobles. We commoners are nothing but livestock in their eyes. It’s not considered stealing if we take the item from, let's say, a dog or a chicken, right?”
“Haizz… you guys are all rotten,” Carmien sighs, his disappointment evident.
Rafe chuckles. “It’s the world we live in, Carmien.”
And with that, the conversation has really shed some light. So, if I’m not mistaken, the 'master' should be the Duke’s son, who’s deeply in love with Ariella. Despite his high position and wealth, he still didn't want to pay for the Etherbloom and ended up robbing an innocent man who only wanted to save his daughter. This is indeed the lowest of the low.
Thus, the question now is, how do I get the item back from them before the 'master' arrives? Can I really take down all five of them?
I can shoot them all from here with my guns. However, Chameleon Earring can only store one alternative appearance. I’m Edward right now, and I don’t want to risk being seen using weapons associated with the wanted man, Jack. I don’t want to appear as Jack either. That’s a terrible idea.
So, I'll have to use my other weapons.
With this in mind, I proceed to make some more observations and strategize.
Brack is probably a dedicated tank, wearing heavy armor and wielding a giant axe. He’s quite tough, but he should be slower than the others.
That leaves Rafe, the dagger-wielding rogue, and Sylas, the swordsman, as my biggest threats. To win, I need to take them down first, without giving them any chance to retaliate.
Meanwhile, Carmien doesn't pose much of a threat, as he’s a healer. He’s the lowest priority, but I know I still shouldn’t be careless.
The last one, Eldin, is a mage. I wonder how fast he can chant Arcanum.
Judging from their attire and equipment, I can somewhat estimate their levels. They are probably just above average, perhaps level 60-70.
If all five of them attack me simultaneously and use proper teamwork, I may find myself at a slight disadvantage.
However, I have the element of surprise on my side. Not wanting to wait any longer and risk more people arriving, especially the 'master', I make my move.
Thud!
The moment my feet touch the ground, I swing my knife in a wide arc. Wind Cutter activates!
Rafe and Sylas turn around at the sound of my landing.
But that’s all they can do before their heads fly off! The human's weak points are the head and neck. They do wear some good armor, but not having anything to protect their neck was a big mistake.
With that, the swordsman and the rogue are taken out. I quickly move to my next target.
“AAAA! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?” Brack shouts as he notices me. “GUARDS!!! GUARDS!!!”
He’s calling for help, but there’s nothing I can do about that. I just need to eliminate them all before the guards arrive.
Thus, I dash forward, aiming my palm towards Carmien, the healer, and chanting a fireball spell in Arcanum.
“WHAT? A MAGE!?” Brack exclaims.
He's shocked, but he reacts quickly.
“BLINK GUARD!” he yells.
Instantly, Brack teleports in front of Carmien, trying to block my path and shield him from me.
However, can I even cast fireballs in the first place?
It’s just a ruse, to draw his attention away from my main target!
As my hand touches his shield, I use it as a platform to change direction.
Eldin is chanting something in Arcanum, but too bad.
Throwing a knife is faster than casting a spell!
A knife to the face cancels the spell. Eldin’s body collapses to the ground. I quickly retrieve the box containing the flower.
Now, it's just me and the tank.
“AAAAA! YOU BASTARD!!” Brack, enraged by his teammate's sudden demise, roars and charges at me. He swings his axe down with utmost fury.
What power! Rocks fly, and the ground splits, leaving a deep gash.
But, of course, it didn't hit me!
I have already leaped to a distance, preparing to unleash my next attack, another Wind Cutter, aimed at his exposed neck.
This is it, checkmate.
After all, people tend to leave deadly openings when they get too emotional and act recklessly. And once Brack falls, I will go for the last one, Carmien the healer.
My hit lands.
However...
“What!?” I exclaim in shock.
The attack connected, but... there's only a scratch?
Brack's body is much sturdier than I anticipated!
I do prefer them all dead, as they have seen my Edward form. But that doesn’t seem possible now.
So, it's time for plan B: Retreat.
As I turn around, I suddenly feel a slight pull.
“YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!!” Brack's furious voice echoes behind me.
However, unfortunately for him too...
His attempt to hold me in place has been negated!
I leap onto a tree and bolt away.
As I distance myself, I hear the sound of guards shouting behind me. But of course, neither Brack nor the guards are quick enough to catch me.
—---------------------
Later, at the front gate.
“I got it!” I shout, jumping out. “Quick, morph into your wolf form!”
From a nearby bush, the wolf, Lyon, rushes out, and we run back in the direction of Curtis’ house. Yet, on our way, I suddenly realize something important.
“Alright, here’s a job for you,” I tell Lyon. “You know the Great Library of Vera, right?”
Lyon answers with a 'wuf.' It means yes.
“Good. Now go there and find two fox girls named Evelyne and Helena. They should be with a flying cabbage. Tell them I need their help, and I will be meeting all of you at your house to save Lumi.”
“Wuf!” Lyon replies, understanding the order. He instantly changes his path, heading towards the Library.
Meanwhile, I head back to Curtis’ house.
We have been out for two hours.
I hope the ring can hold up until I arrive.
