NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31 - Count Glasston's Estate 3
Chapter 31 – Count Glasston’s Estate 3
—–CROW—–
[Master, it seems the drone has stopped?]
Integra’s words were true. The drone, which had been gliding smoothly towards the bathroom exit, had come to a sudden halt.
“Well, that’s…”
How should he put it? A reflexive action? The thought that Lilia and Karen were inside the bathroom involuntarily stopped his hand.
[Master, it seems you’re digging your own grave?]
Integra’s voice turned strangely cold just then.
“I… also think it’s a shame.”
Karen’s voice came from beyond the white cloth. Apparently, the soundproofing wasn’t very effective.
“Right? Sigh… It’s a shame to part with Karen… and it’s also a shame to part with Luther.”
As Lilia spoke in a dejected voice, Karen suddenly chuckled and asked playfully,
“What about Max?”
“Huh? Oh, Max too. Hehe.”
Anyone could tell she had just remembered him.
‘Poor Max.’
But it was true that his presence was faint.
[Master, anyway, please remove the drone quickly? Please?]
“Alright… Wait, I think they’re talking about me.”
Luther was right. While he was briefly talking with Integra, Lilia had changed the subject and was speaking in her characteristic languid voice.
“Luther is… cool, handsome, competent… anyway, he seems really amazing.”
“He is amazing. He has a strong sense of justice, too.”
Karen also replied in a voice tinged with satisfaction, as if agreeing.
It was quite heartwarming, wasn’t it, the way they were praising him together?
[Your ears must be burning.]
[You look foolish.]
Despite Integra’s remark, Luther, instead of wiping the smile off his face, landed the drone on the wall and focused his attention on listening.
Along with Integra’s sigh, Lilia’s voice could be heard.
“Hey Karen, how did you end up traveling with Luther?”
“Hmm… Well, it was a fateful encounter… you could say?”
“A fateful encounter?”
“Yes, fateful.”
Karen spoke in a slightly proud voice, and Luther briefly recalled the day he first met Karen and Max.
‘…It was fateful.’
What would have happened if it had been other people at the campsite? Would he have formed the same cooperative relationship he had now?
Luther shook his head. If it hadn’t been the calm and thoughtful Karen there that day, a different story would probably have unfolded.
“It wasn’t anything that grand. Or was it? Luther saved Max and me in the Primeval Forest, and we decided to help him to repay the favor.”
[Seeing as she’s not mentioning the campsite encounter, that’s very Karen-like.]
[It’s not something to be spoken about lightly.]
As Integra nodded in approval, Lilia, unaware of the details, focused on the ‘Luther saved us, and we’re repaying the favor’ part, pursing her lips before speaking.
“Karen, could you tell me a little more detail?”
“That’s…”
Karen hesitated for a moment, then recounted the events of the day she first met Luther. However, since she omitted the part about Luther being an ‘angel,’ the story became simply that Luther, passing by, had saved her and Max from danger in the forest.
“Wow… That’s similar to me. I think it was a fateful encounter for me too.”
If you looked at the gist of it, ‘Luther, passing by, saved me’ was the same for both of them.
“Hmm… I suppose so.”
Karen’s voice sounded a little stiff.
“But Karen.”
“Yes, Lilia.”
“What will you do after you’ve finished helping Luther?”
The way the topic changed almost every minute was very Lilia-like. But since it was a rather important topic, Luther also waited for Karen’s answer.
And a brief silence.
After a short pause, Karen looked away and said,
“I’ll have to… do what I originally intended to do.”
“Adventuring work?”
At Lilia’s question, Karen smiled faintly and shook her head.
“There’s something more important. Something I must do.”
That was it.
Karen didn’t say any more, and Lilia didn’t ask any further. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say she couldn’t ask.
“Let’s talk about something else.”
“Okay, Karen. Have you ever heard of Balantur pork?”
As their conversation resumed softly, Luther quietly launched the drone and left the bathroom.
He could have searched the main building again and found the location where the Spirit Gem was hidden, but Luther temporarily disconnected the shared vision with the drone and closed his eyes, then opened them again.
Then, he saw Mini Integra sitting alone on his chest.
“Integra.”
[Yes, Master.]
Integra’s expression as she replied kindly was the same as usual. A slightly mature face, as if she had a rough idea of what Luther was going to say.
Therefore, Luther asked without hesitation,
“Is there no other way?”
[You mean other than stealing the Spirit Gem?]
“Yes, like buying the Spirit Gem from the Count, even if it’s just a possibility.”
At Luther’s words, Integra suddenly crossed her arms and smiled with a mixture of emotions.
The reason why Luther suddenly wanted to change his approach…
‘You’re concerned about Karen and Lilia, right?’
The various things that would happen after stealing the Spirit Gem from the Count. If he didn’t consider interpersonal relationships, he could just steal it, run away, and disappear, but that would put Karen and Max in a very difficult position. Lilia would also be very disappointed.
[Well, besides that, various other troublesome things could happen… so it would be best to receive it voluntarily from the Count.]
“Right?”
[Yes, Master.]
As Luther’s face brightened, Integra, smiling brightly involuntarily, floated into the air, crossed her arms, and said,
[But just in case, I think it’s best to continue analyzing the structure of the mansion.]
[Let’s talk to Karen and Max sometime tomorrow.]
“Yes, I think that would be best.”
Nodding, Luther closed his eyes again and shared vision with the drone.
And the next morning.
Luther called Karen and Max to his room and got straight to the point.
“Hekatonchires is after the Spirit Gem that Count Glasston possesses.”
[That seems too direct.]
But come to think of it, Luther had always been like this. When he told them he had entered the game world, he had also gone straight to the main point.
And surprisingly, Luther’s way of speaking often yielded good results.
“You said the organization that tried to kidnap Princess Pelialu was called Hekatonchires? Did you learn that then?”
“Yes, I found out then.”
Riding on Karen’s assumption, Luther continued speaking.
“I don’t know why Hekatonchires is after the Spirit Gem. But it’s a fact that they’re obsessed with it. If things continue like this, Count Glasston could be attacked, so I want to retrieve the Spirit Gem.”
The best course of action would be to receive the Spirit Gem from Count Glasston and then spread a rumor that ‘the gem was stolen.’ If the whereabouts of the gem became unknown, not only would Count Glasston’s estate be safe, but it would also hinder Hekatonchires’ plan to summon the demonic beast Valakia to the West.
“I see… Alright. Then I think it would be best to speak with Count Glasston directly.”
Being direct with the Count as well.
As Karen said, it was the most direct solution, but it was also a dangerous method. If persuasion failed, the Count would surely become wary of them.
However, Karen spoke in a clear voice, as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“The Count himself will have to bear the consequences of refusing Luther’s proposal.”
In other words, if he ignored Luther’s warning and was attacked by Hekatonchires, it would be the Count’s own fault, and there would be nothing they could do about it.
“But… if he receives a warning from us, the Count himself is likely to strengthen his defenses. Well… if necessary, we can just take the gem by force. If it comes to forceful retrieval, I will assist you.”
As Karen spoke with a faint smile, Max also nodded as if to express his agreement.
It was certainly reliable, and the conversation progressed quickly, which was good, but somehow… it was a little strange how they accepted Luther’s story without a shred of doubt.
[That’s not true, Master.]
[To Karen and Max, Master is an angel f-from heaven.]
[They’ll see confronting Hekatonchires itself as justice, so their reaction is understandable.]
‘Yeah, but didn’t you just laugh?’
[Oh, come on, there’s no way I would l-laugh.]
Even as she feigned innocence, her leaking laughter was quite charming.
Luther lightly tapped the bracelet on his right arm as if flicking Integra on the head, then spoke to Karen and Max again.
“Thank you so much for your support.”
“It’s for you, Luther.”
“And for the world.”
Nodding again at Karen and Max’s replies, Luther looked at Mini Integra standing on the table, and Integra, sensing the meaning in his gaze, displayed the time in the air.
A little over 10 hours remained until the nanosuit was completed.
Since a situation might arise where he would have to seize the gem during the conversation with the Count, it seemed best to have the conversation after the nanosuit was finished.
“I was able to enhance the armor with the last battle. But I still need a little more time… It would be best to talk to the Count after the armor is complete – that is, after dinner.”
“Understood. If we request a meeting through Lilia, we should be able to talk to the Count even at night.”
Karen replied clearly once again. Considering yesterday’s conversation as well, perhaps Karen really was from a fallen noble family?
In any case, with the matter settled, they began discussing their plans for the following days: the location of the second fragment, the route to get there, and so on. Depending on the outcome of tonight’s conversation, they might have to depart immediately.
“Then I’ll prepare our luggage in advance.”
“I’ll talk to Lilia.”
“Okay, I’ll leave it to you.”
As Max and Karen left the room, Luther lay down on the bed again and closed his eyes.
A few days before the main story of Dragon Hunter Origin began.
A situation where he was more deeply involved in the main scenario than simply rescuing Princess Pelialu from Balboa.
[Everything will be alright, Master.]
“Yes.”
Luther smiled, receiving Integra’s baseless, yet comforting encouragement.
* * *
Time passed.
After finishing dinner, Luther called Karen and Max to his room and made final checks on how to proceed with the conversation with the Count, while also discussing the route they had briefly talked about in the morning.
And another hour or so later…
[The second core of the core system has been fully activated.]
[Nanosuit Lv3 complete.]
[Drone Lv3 complete.]
[Energy Gun Lv3 complete.]
[Heavy Flamethrower complete.]
Integra’s voice continued.
The immediate outward change was only the addition of rings to his left arm, both legs, and waist, similar to the one on his right arm, but Luther could sense a change beyond that.
[Master, preparations are complete.]
“Okay.”
Luther replied briefly and looked at Karen and Max, and the two, quick to understand, realized that Luther’s preparations were complete.
And as if on cue, a knock came from outside the door.
“Luther, it’s Lilia.”
Lilia, who had arranged the meeting with Count Glasston.
Max stood and opened the door, and Lilia, entering the room, looked at Luther and nodded with a determined expression. Thanks to Karen, who had roughly explained the situation while asking for cooperation.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Yes, Luther.”
With Lilia in the lead, Luther, Karen, and Max left the room in a line. Max was carrying their luggage, prepared for any contingency.
[We’re going to persuade the Count, but it feels more like… we’re heading to a boss fight.]
‘I feel the same way, actually.’
Why was that? Was it because they were considering subduing the Count by force if the worst came to pass?
No, it wasn’t that.
The moment they entered the hallway leading to the main building, Luther realized what the strange feeling was.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
As if on cue, a loud noise erupted from outside the building, and screams followed from all directions.
“Y-Young dragons in the sky!”
“Kyaa!”
“Run!”
Hekatonchires.
A change triggered by Balboa’s death and failure.
“Luther?!”
Lilia looked at Luther with a frightened face, and Karen and Max reflexively drew their swords.
Luther quickly spoke, putting his arm around Lilia’s shoulders.
“Karen, I’ll leave Lilia to you. Escape outside the mansion. Let’s meet tomorrow morning at the place we talked about yesterday.”
The meeting point they had decided on in case they had to forcefully take the Spirit Gem from Count Glasston.
At Luther’s words, Karen’s face momentarily showed hesitation, but it was only for a moment. She pulled Lilia towards her and said in a suppressed voice,
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
As Luther managed a smile despite his grim expression, Karen did the same.
“Max! Let’s go!”
As Karen turned, Max hoisted Lilia onto his shoulder and started running.
Lilia, who ended up on Max’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes while stammering, looked at Luther with a mixture of bewilderment and fear, but all Luther could do now was smile reassuringly.
[Master, I’m detecting a strong life reaction from above.]
[Presumed to be at least equivalent to Balboa, or even stronger.]
He thought he knew who it was. An attack from the sky. Unlike Balboa, who used sleeping gas and assassins, this person’s personality was to immediately cause a scene, as if they didn’t care who saw.
“Astra.”
The Dragonmancer of Hekatonchires, the boss of Chapter 2. He was stronger than Balboa. He wasn’t the Chapter 2 boss for nothing.
But instead of trembling in fear and running away, Luther took a step forward.
[Nanosuit upgrade 100% complete.]
[Core system activated.]
[Compatibility check complete.]
[System all green.]
[Equipping nanosuit.]
Nanomachines poured out from the rings on his limbs and waist, covering his entire body. His clothes disappeared, replaced by a jet-black suit, and white armor formed with a blue light, equipping itself on both arms.
The transformation didn’t end there. Blue lines connected his shoulders from behind his back, and a backpack equipped with thrusters shot up, supporting Luther’s back.
And one more thing.
Blue lines covered Luther’s face. A white faceplate made of sharp lines, along with the blue light, enveloped his face, and Luther began to see more things with his eyes.
[Combat prediction program activated.]
[Weapon system compatible.]
[Link status with each core system: good.]
[Combat preparations complete.]
[Shall we shake things up?]
Mini Integra’s face, smiling faintly as she sat atop a white drone that had appeared near his head.
Smiling back from within the faceplate, Luther looked straight ahead.
With the pleasant, constricting sensation of the suit around his body, he kicked off the ground.
—–CROW—–