“Get to the point.” Leylin raised his eyebrows.
The voice on the other end hesitated, but still presented the news. “According to the order of the Elder Committee, Marquis Leylin is to head to Robin’s family immediately, and send Marquis Robin back to headquarters.”
“They want me to capture Robin? Do you know that he’s Mentor Gilbert’s student and my senior?” Leylin’s expression became serious.
“I know. This is Duke Gilbert’s order!” The voice was silent for a while, and then transmitted a black runic imprint.
This was similar to a person’s signature and could not be forged. This black rune was Gilbert’s own symbol, and Leylin definitely would not misidentify it.
“I understand.”
Feeling jittery, Leylin ended communications and fell into silence.
“Mentor, what are you thinking?” A long while later, a low voice was sounded in the tent.
WMW Chapter 480
Tease
Leylin didn’t feel good the entire night due to the orders to capture Robin. Regardless of how things would unfold, it would still be disadvantageous to the Ouroboros Clan.
The disciple of a Morning Star Magus had shown signs of betrayal, which would be a fatal blow to the emotions of the Warlocks that had just settled down. But since it was Gilbert’s wish, Leylin could only carry it out.
However, he somehow felt that things weren’t so simple.
……
“Leylin! Welcome!” Robin hugged Leylin and laughed heartily. He was full of smiles, and looked as though he wasn’t affected by the news.
Robin still had the appearance of a very young male, if one ignored the numerous runes imprinted on his face.
Compared to the last time they met, the imprints on Robin’s forehead were even more terrifying, and practically occupied more than half of his face. It made Robin’s original facial features seem immensely sinister and horrifying.
“Senior Robin!” Leylin put on a stiff smile.
After making brief bodily contact with him earlier on, a quiver had run through his entire being and he’d felt every pore on his body contract.
Such a feeling was an indication of what a ferocious beast Robin had become, automatically putting Leylin on guard.
Leylin peered past Robin, and he scanned the members of his family behind him.
The family that Robin belonged to was known as the Parble Family. In the entire Ouroboros Clan, their bloodline lineage was one of the purest, and they were a long-standing noble family that possessed great influence.
On previous adventures, Robin could have dispatched fifty rank 3 Warlocks as he wished, and he even brought along a pure-blooded nephew, which went to show how much of a standing their family had.
But now, the teenagers that followed behind Robin had gloomy expressions… Or more accurately, they had an air of death around them.
What made Leylin even more shocked was that behind Robin, there wasn’t a single family elder to be seen, and there weren’t many Warlocks who were at rank 3 and above. Even Noah was nowhere to be found.
“Such a situation must definitely mean that something huge has happened!”
Leylin’s hunch was getting clearer, but his facial expression only became more sincere, and he said slightly apologetically, “I’m sorry, senior, according to Mentor’s orders…”
“Oh! Rest assured, it’s a total misunderstanding! I’ll go to headquarters with you tomorrow to explain!” Robin seemed honest.
He then enthusiastically invited Leylin, “You haven’t been to my castle and laboratory before, right? Stay here for the night. Your vassals are also my guests. I have prepared a sumptuous banquet for them, and I believe you’ll like it here…”
What else could Leylin say when Robin was being so cordial? He could only check into the vacant room that Robin had specially left for him, just as his vassals that had rushed here with him did into theirs.
The oaken floor had an oily layer of gloss on it. The smell of incense filled the room, and the four walls were filled with portraits, armour and swords.
Although Parker had never specifically learned about assessments in this aspect, he also knew that this was surely one of the best rooms in the castle.
“It’s just that… My Lord, you…” Parker didn’t have the slightest interest in examining the helmet that was said to have been adorned with the feathers of multicoloured birds, but instead stood in front of Leylin with a worried look on his face.
“I know. You mean to say that I had received orders to apprehend Robin, but yet I’m now associating with him, and this will inevitably make people suspicious and cause them to attack…” Leylin lay on an armchair embedded with huge rubies, and interrupted Parker with a wave of his hand, brushing him off.
“But what else can we do? Robin is my senior after all, and before this matter has been fully investigated, we cannot make any rash conclusions!”
“Anyway, he has already agreed to return with us tomorrow, so we don’t have to demand anything else…”
Even upon hearing Leylin’s words, Parker’s smile remained bitter. This was, of course, the most normal scenario, but from his point of view, Robin seemed to be showing symptoms of insanity., and it was impossible to deduce his next course of action using logic.
Furthermore, it was hard to guarantee that he didn’t have plans to first numb them and then get rid of all his problems at once.
Among all the bloodline nobility of the land, they were undoubtedly the best, and even orders from the headquarters would sometimes be boycotted by them, openly or secretly.
*Knock! Knock! Knock!* Just as Parker was about to say something, a steady and rhythmic knocking sound came from the door.
A tender voice sounded from behind the door, “Respected Marquis! The banquet has begun!”
“You may enter!” Leylin nodded.
The door was promptly opened, and a girl dressed as a servant, whose face still had baby fat, appeared in front of Leylin and Parker.
The female servant’s face flushed with nervousness as though it was her first time seeing such high-ranking guests.
“How great it must be to be young…” Leylin pinched her cheeks, hardly standing on courtesy. This made her blush all the way to her neck.
He felt the aura of a pure Kemoyin bloodline from the girl. It seemed that she shared blood with Robin, and they were probably weren’t far removed.
From the bloodline, it seemed that this girl had a bright future, and might even be in the direct line of descent in Robin’s family. But in order to greet Leylin, she naturally had to change into the clothes of a servant.
“What’s your name?” Leylin asked, smiling. Parker stood aside, expressionless, as though he hadn’t seen Leylin’s gesture.
As a high-ranking Warlock, who also once had authority over a Warlock clan, he had become completely immune to such matters.
Even if Leylin did anything in front of him, he would still be able to stand as straight as a pine tree.
“Ed… Edda, Sir! The female servant’s voice held a hint of a repressed sob, as though she was about to cry any moment.
At her age, she obviously knew a lot. If this high-ranking bloodline nobleman wanted her, there wouldn’t be any objections from anyone, regardless of if it was an elder or her parents. They might even send her over with great joy.
Hence, although she was on the verge of tears, Edda held them back, trying to stay strong.
Luckily for her, Leylin stopped teasing her. He gently asked Edda, whose face was turning fully red, “I also have another close friend in the Parble Family by the name of Noah, do you know him?”
“Uncle Noah?!” the little girl cried out, yet shortly after she seemed to have remembered something, and raised her guard against Leylin.
It was alright, though. From her behaviour earlier on, Leylin became aware of many things.
“No need to be afraid! He and I are good friends, if anything has happened to him, I wi
ll definitely help!” Leylin acutely discovered Edda’s hidden hostility, and plastered his kindest smile on his face.
“Uncle Noah… He has been locked up!” The little girl finally mumbled after a seemingly long struggle with herself, and her voice was practically so low that it couldn’t be heard.
“Got it, I will try rescuing him!” Leylin caressed her head and guaranteed.
“What do you think is the possibility of her telling the truth?” Leylin asked indifferently after sending the servant away.
“The possibility isn’t high; after all, she was sent by them!” Parker shook his head.
“I think so too, but it’s also possible that it’s information brought to us by the other powers in the Parble Family…” Leylin stroke his chin.
He had a premonition that this trip to the Parble Family Parble Family was perhaps not as simple, and it was possible that more unexpected things were slated to happen.
The atmosphere in the drawing room was tense, but a few seconds later, Leylin’s light laugh broke the silence. “Let’s not think too much about this right now, and just enjoy the banquet!”
“Yes, sir!” Parker nodded and followed behind Leylin. He was decked in a black tailcoat, and wore a beautiful tie around his collar, appearing as if he had made preparations long ago.
While Leylin and company were enjoying the wine and delicacies made by the Parble Family, and even the female Warlocks that were brimming with enthusiasm, somewhere in the depths of the ancient castle an invisible darkness spread endlessly.
“Divulging the information to him on purpose? Your plan is really badly done…” In a dim and narrow room, a blue secret imprint hovered in midair, and the voice of a middle-aged man faintly sounded.
“Rest assured! I know him very well, once he knows about this, he definitely will give chase!” A silhouette shrouded in black gas was conversing with the secret imprint. Numerous squirming veins emerged from the black gas from time to time, and were densely packed, making one’s scalp go numb.
“I don’t care about your plan, but Leylin has to be handed over to me!” The blue secret imprint spoke with gritted teeth, apparently harbouring an unforgettable hatred towards Leylin.
“We have been making deals and collaborating on many occasions, you don’t have to worry!”
The figure shrouded in the black gas was silent for a while, then continued asking, “Actually, these are all small matters. What I really wish to know is: when are you planning to take action?”
“Very soon… The elders in the Ouroboros Clan will soon become a thing of the past. Then, our plan can truly be launched. After all, the counterattack of three Morning Star Warlocks would be hard to bear even for a Radiant Moon Magus…”
The glow of the blue imprint completely dimmed down with the last words of the middle-aged Magus.
“Very soon…” The figure in the black gas muttered, and suddenly chanted a certain syllable. The gas dispersed, revealing a face all so familiar to Leylin.
Leylin, who was still at the banquet, naturally knew nothing about all of this. Now, he was like a huge butterfly, dancing gracefully among a cluster of flowers.
The enthusiasm of the female Warlocks of the Parble Family practically melted the many Warlocks, and those that Leylin had brought over were also immersed in delight.
“Feels like things won’t be that simple…”
Parker leaned against a pillar with a glass of wine in his hand, watching Leylin’s performance, yet a puzzled look flashed in his eyes.
WMW Chapter 481
Bloodline Detector
The excitement dissipated with distance from the banquet hall, and the sounds were inaudible from the castle’s dungeons.
Dim light shone against the murky walls and reflected numerous shadows that looked like talons. The place reeked.
“We’re getting there!” Leylin knitted his brows and sized up the rooms and walls of the castle.
The dungeons of Magus castles were, more often than not, laboratories or storage rooms. He had yet to discover anything of value.
Most of the preventive and detective spell formations were unable to discover Leylin, allowing him to strut through the castle without being realised.
And the Leylin that everyone perceived in the banquet hall was obviously just a clone. Anyway, nobody would want to provoke him, and with a clone and the abilities of the A.I. Chip, a double was no problem.
On top of everything, Leylin could move freely without obstruction in the castle due to his Crystal Phase abilities. He could weaken the effects of many detective spell formations, stopping them from locating him.
‘Robin’s sudden emotional outburst wasn’t all that it seemed to be…’ Leylin rubbed his chin in deep thought. ‘Moreover, if the situation outside and this were linked, it would spell even more trouble…’
Robin, despite everything, was still his senior and cared a lot for Leylin when they first met. So it’d be unwise of Leylin to make a move before finding concrete evidence.
And Robin’s attitude was upright. If Leylin continued to be so unwilling to spare him, his reputation would likely go down the drain. ‘Biting the hand that feeds him’ would probably top the list of derogatory comments that would be made against him.
‘A.I. Chip! How’s the progress of the scan going?’ Leylin’s figure was engulfed by the pitch black as he looked at the walls and questioned in his heart.
[Blueprint of the castle established, spell array formation analysed: 58%, simulation in progress…] The A.I. Chip intoned.
A three-dimensional image was projected in front of Leylin, showcasing the structures of many castles.
The castle of Robin’s family was comparable to Freya’s impressive Ancient Blood Serpent Castle and there were countless spell formations and bizarre phenomena caused by radiation.
Robin himself might not even know all the secrets within the castle.
The scanning of the A.I. Chip undoubtedly took a while but if Leylin stepped in to explore himself, he would be pretty much familiar with the whole internal layout after walking around so many times.
As for those sections which were yet to be analysed, it was unfortunate that the current capability of the A.I Chip was unable to compute them.
But all this was enough for him.
Under the gigantic projection, Leylin saw another empty construction buried deep underground. And its outer layer was the most Leylin’s A.I. Chip could reach.
The blank spaces were marked out by crimson symbols that prevented any forms of peeping, which surprised Leylin.
The core secret of the ancient castle must have been located there. Leylin followed the directions of the map and came face to face with a huge mural.
The mural depicted a grand historical scene—a horned demon skull was guillotined by armoured cavalry and robed Magi, bloodstains and burn marks painted all over their bodies as evidence of war.
It was realism at its best with a distinct sense of style. The 18 eyes of the demon were wide open and glaring at him, as if it was still alive.
‘The existence of this cellar is barely brushing the surface of Robin’s family’s secret. The true secret is hidden behind this mural…’ Leylin’s eyes lit up as he stroked the mural.
He felt like he could smell the stench of blood and fire as he moved close to the painting. It was as if he was facing the remains of an actual war, where the blood had yet to dry.
[Beep! Ahead is a rank 1 bloodline detector. After thorough scanning, it has been identified to be one that requires a specific incantation and bloodline to pass through.]
The database of the A.I. Chip as of now was as vast as the ocean, just a mere scan could send detailed information to Leylin’s memory.
‘Bloodline detector?’ Leylin touched his chin in deep thought. Since they’d chosen such a defensive measure, it definitely required the bloodline of Robin’s family, or even Robin himself, in order to get past it.
But, of course, Leylin was ahead of
Robin in terms of his knowledge on bloodlines for he had dedicated more than one century towards the study of the bloodline experiments of Quicksand. His current situation might have been an unsolvable problem for other Magi, but it was a piece of cake for him.
[Beep! Data is being collected, probing for removal measures]
The A.I. Chip operated at Leylin’s command, and numerous blue symbols floated before him, forming countless dots before entering the mural.
The whole mural began to quiver and buzz as layers of dust collapsed, distinguishing the characters and making them appear more realistic than ever.
Especially the skull of the demon; an eerie green light seemed to be projecting from its eyes.
“Under the ultraviolet rays, the approaching descendant bloodline will come together and return to its origins…”
Leylin chanted a medieval incantation and a strand of black hair flew from his hand.
It was something that Leylin had stolen from the maid, Edda, when they fooled around, and was specially saved for situations like these.
Warlocks possess the most in-depth knowledge with regards to the power of bloodlines and were thus the most confident as well. So, when they set up traps or other preventive measures, all this would be taken into consideration.
Leylin had thus collected a strand of hair from a direct line of Robin’s family for his use.
*Hiss!* A ball of scarlet light wrapped the strand within itself under Leylin’s incantation.
The hair disappeared as the light dispersed, leaving behind a droplet of purplish-red blood that possessed a savage aura unique to Giant Kemoyin Serpents.
“That’s not enough!” Leylin shook his head vigorously and threw out a handful of crimson rocks. These rocks turned into a fine powder in midair and congregated with the droplet.
The powder transformed into a bright silver liquid upon contact with the droplet, helping it expand even as it diluted the colour of the blood to a washed-out red.
Leylin’s eyes glistened all the more as he watched this.
The incantation sounded more mournful with time and the faded red had agglutinated to a dark red blood clot, emitting a dangerously powerful aura.
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