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Chapter 27
🕑 Added 2025-07-06 11:45:14 +0000 UTCAfter such a grand invitation, and that over-the-top build-up to it, I was expecting something refined, majestic not... not this.
"Why are there so many damn insects?!"
As we treaded up the dirt path, my impotent protest was carried away by the cool September wind, echoing through the hauntingly empty forests of rotting oak and ash trees around us to be lost among the chitter of insects and small animals. The only thing pleasant about this whole trip was the scent of wild flowers, the wet earth and the mouldy smell of thick sap.
It didn't matter that we'd come here in a first-class train, the trip took almost ten hours! Ten hours of just sitting on my ass. It didn't matter that Luviagelita had arranged private transport to the foot of the path curling up the side of the hill. I had been assaulted by insects the whole damn way.
"Don't complain so much. It doesn't fit a man." Luviagelita chided softly, walking beside me. "I thought you'd feel at home here... the caveman that you are."
"Now you listen here." I grumbled. "You might be used to prowling the dark depths among muck and shit in search for lost souls to feed on but I'm a proper civilised person."
"Huh. I would never have guessed."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"My, I would never!"
She giggled, not looking the least bit winded even though we'd been walking uphill for a good few hours, navigating tattered paths surrounded by nothing but trees and shitty beetles that kept knocking themselves into my face for some blasted reason.
"You... I was promised an adventure. A mystery. A treasure quest. Not a glorified walk in the middle of nowhere."
The Edelfelt Princess innocently poked her cheek. "Much of treasure-hunting is walking, were you not aware of this? It's rather common knowledge. But then, I should expect as such from a barbaria-"
"Fuck you."
She laughed again.
"I'm going to toss all your stuff."
"You wouldn't dare."
Honestly, she should have known full-well that that was the absolute wrong choice of words when it came to dealing with me.
"Henry, no. Wait!"
...I hoisted her case (one of three) and... unceremoniously flung it down the side of the hill all as she watched with wide eyes. I grinned as it tumbled down in a perfect roll up until it hit a tree, spilling dresses onto the muck-covered forest floor.
Then, I hoisted the second.
Luviagelita grabbed onto my arms. "No wait, that one is important! I'll apologise. I'll apologise!"
"I accept. Was that so hard?" I grabbed the remaining two cases again and once again started our trek up the hill.
She had no choice but to follow with clenched fists and red cheeks.
"You're a real bastard. What kind of helper does this to their lady?!"
"Oh, so you're my girl now?"
"T-That's not what I said! S-Someone like me wouldn't say something so uncouth! An-And certainly not for you-! Even if-...Ugh..." Her eyes turned glassy and she tripped over her own words.
The trip here was cumbersome, the insects were annoying, and being in the middle of nowhere brought up bad camping memories from when I was attacked by a moose and had to climb a tree as William but... it was almost worth it because of her being there with me... almost.
Well... my idle complaints about the locale aside, I couldn't say I wasn't looking forward to the residence of this so-called Lord Ashborn. For people of Luviagelita and Waver's caliber to seek out my help, it had to be something considerable. Maybe his magecraft was something like saying 'Arise' and just aura farming while your friends died around you.
"You know, this thing stinks now that I think about it." I commented idly and no, I was not talking about the carcass of a mole lying beside the path.
Luviagelita gave a curious hum, not slowing her pace.
"This Lord of yours was a fairly established magus, right? I find it hard to believe that someone like that would just put up all he had for grabs."
"Lord Geryon Ashborn has no heir. With him, the lineage dies leaving any and all to plunder what he leaves behind. Even those damn members of the Policies Department. It stands to reason that he might want to leave it to someone who fits his own criteria."
...That made sense but still, something was fishy about this whole set-up.
"What did he have that's so important anyway?"
"He was a renowned Tuner, capable of restoring greatly damaged magic crests to perfection." She explained calmly, straightening the edges of her dress. "He could do what would take others generations in less than one-tenth of that time. Surely he'll have saved quite some treasure and wealth. Even then, the knowledge of his work itself is worth more than you could ever know..."
Tuners... Tuners... I narrowed my eyes, racking my brain for an explanation. It clicked a moment later. Waver had given a lecture about this. Tuners were magi specialised in maintaining and restoring magic crests. They were necessary because magic crests weren't perfect in their design. They were external organs, artificially made. They eroded with time so they needed maintenance every once in a while. Or, much like organs, they could get damaged or malfunction or some such.
Most Tuner families were terribly wealthy for the very fact that those crests which had generations of research and circuits in them were, beyond a doubt, a lineage's most prized possession. Then, beyond a doubt, they would be willing to pay fortunes to maintain them.
"I must have it in my collection."
"Luviagelita, your real nature is showing."
"Hmph. I don't care to hide it. Unlike you."
"I'm the most genuine person you'll ever meet. A bonafide saint."
Even after we climbed the hill, it took a good hour of trekking through a forest until we finally arrived before a clearing. What I saw then really drove home the sort of wealth these old families possessed.
Walls of white marble reached to the sky, with ramparts dominated by statues of humanoid angels standing vigil, staring down at would-be guests or intruders with a judging gaze. It wasn't magnificent. No, I was certain that these were built specifically to be unsettling through misdirection or some other trick on the human psyche.
A rugged drawbridge led to the massive open main gate which opened into a spacious garden that... was barebones. The assortment of roses and lilies and other flowers had no order to it, even if the garden was well-kept.
Even there, statues of angels were scattered atop high marble pedestals, brandishing scales and swords, some hooded, others youthful, all unnerving.
If each and every single one of these were to manifest as a daemon... I shuddered at the thought, not with fear, but with excitement.
The main castle itself was a double-floor building curled to look a kind of C with a sloped roof, made of white marble that shimmered gently in the soft sunlight. Even here, atop the curled spires and the warped ramparts, stood angels with great wings spread. They watched the empty forests around the castle with white eyes. Since the castle was built against the back wall, it even looked like the surroundings walls were unfurled wings.
Opposite the main entrance was a tall tower, carrying... you guessed it... another angel with crossed arms. This one was much larger than all the others, and cast a somber gaze that seemed to lock onto me.
Adra Castle. The Castle of Separation. The legacy of the late Geryon Ashborn.
"Luviagelita, I think this guy liked angels."
She let out a small chuckle as I raised my aviators. As expected, there was a spell on each and every single one of them. A monitoring one. Someone was watching us through them, though I couldn't tell just who... maybe if I hijacked-... later.
"I don't know we could be mistaken. Maybe he doesn't like them. We'll find out inside, won't we?"
Before we could continue however, a distinct sound cut through the air. One I recognised. The sound of helicopter rotors, not one but two. I all but spun around like a princess to see where it was coming from and...
"Is that a fucking Chinook?"
"Indeed." Luviagelita crossed her arms with a smirk.
A tandem-rotor heavy duty cargo helicopter capable of carrying ten thousand kilograms of cargo belonging to the US of A. It wasn't mounted with any weaponry but really, who the hell did that belong to-... wait. I eyed Luviagelita suspiciously.
That smirk...
"Don't tell me-"
"Indeed. That one is mine. I told them to bring over the rest of my luggage."
Honestly... impressive. Impressive... but...
"You mean we could have just flown here instead of walking?! You shitty employer!"
"Walking is good for you." She rebuked with a casual wave of her hand.
"And why did you need me to carry these?!"
"Exercise. You need more muscle if you are to learn wrestling."
"I have enough! I don't want to be a gorilla like you!"
"Who're you calling a gorilla?!"
She punched me. I dodged. I punched her back.
"These hands are rated E for everyone." I grinned.
"Er... milady." The pilot spoke over the comms, still hovering in the air. "Do we just..."
In a flash, servants carried out a dozen travel cases while Luviagelita rubbed her shoulder and then, after a polite bow, they were gone as quickly as they'd come in, leaving us standing outside. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Luviagelita turned around and pointed at the elderly butler with the impressive moustache who'd opened the door in the meantime.
"You. Have these carried inside."
Quietly, I wondered just what awaited us in this weird castle that promised too much for nothing. I wondered why Waver was interested… and if we’d butt heads.
After all, it was well-known that Luviagelita Edelfelt did not get along with the Second Lord El-Melloi. She’d called him a talentless hack many times while we were out and about… and that was about the politest words she’d used.
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Thus begins the Adra Castle arc. I hope you enjoyed, and be sure to leave a comment (plz). I can't know it's going well if I get no feedback.
Comments
Donovan
Love the interactions at the moment and I have the uncanny feeling things are gonna go sideways immediately when they go inside
