Chapter 46 – Before the Storm
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Chapter 46 – Before the Storm
The next morning, someone knocked on the door.
“The Duke has just left the mansion.”
The one who knocked was none other than the old butler.
I lay on the bed, only turning my head towards the door to ask.
“And Luna?”
“The Young Lady went out to see the Duke off for a moment.”
The butler replied in a calm voice.
I gestured briefly and said.
“Alright, you may leave.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
With a respectful bow, the butler left.
I lay back, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The Duke had left the mansion.
The implication was clear.
‘Has the time finally come?’
Yes, indeed, the time had finally come.
The time to infiltrate the underground vault of the mansion and steal the Holy Blood.
But…
‘How am I going to breach the security?’
The Duke’s underground vault was divided into three main sections.
The first section displayed various antiques and artworks, merely for show.
It was a space one could ignore as it held no significance.
The real importance lied in the second section.
In this world, items were classified into four grades: common, artifact, legendary, and unique.
Among them, the items displayed in the second section were only selected items that fall into the artifact category.
Then, there was the third section.
It was, quite literally…
‘The epitome of bonanza.’
The third section housed treasures overflowing with legendary-grade rarities.
Among them, the Holy Blood, an item of unique grade, was stored in the deepest part of the third section.
Only the Duke, the owner of the mansion, had access to it.
With knights rotating for 24-hour surveillance and specially crafted traps for thorough security, breaching this area was the real challenge.
So, could Luna retrieve the Holy Blood without being detected?
‘It’s entirely possible.’
Accessing the vault itself wouldn’t be an issue for Luna.
Even though Kyle, the illegitimate child, might not have access, Luna, being a direct descendant of the family, can freely move around up to the second section.
The real problem lied in bypassing the knights guarding the third section.
Ding—
I placed a hefty glass bottle on the table.
Inside the bottle, shimmering white powder filled it to the brim.
— A specially made powder that induces powerful hallucinations and sleep upon inhalation.
— Even formidable monsters wouldn’t be able to keep their wits after inhaling this, right?
Hypnosis powder.
A top-tier consumable item that induced powerful states of altered consciousness.
Once, Merlin had given it to me to use when kidnapping Rudine, but what could I do?
If I couldn’t obtain the Holy Blood soon, all efforts would be in vain.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
With this much quantity, what harm could a little usage do?
I absentmindedly tapped the glass bottle with my fingertips, lost in thought once more.
At that moment, a familiar knock resounded once again.
It was obvious who would knock on my door at this hour.
“Young Master.”
Sure enough, the one knocking was the predictable butler.
“What’s the matter now?”
“Young Lady Luna has just returned to the mansion.”
“And?”
“She… she requested…”
The butler hesitated for a moment, and then carefully revealed what he had come for.
“The Young Lady requested that only the two of you have lunch together.”
“Lunch? Now?”
“Yes, she insisted that there’s something important she needs to discuss and requested your presence at lunch.”
I blinked slowly.
As soon as the Duke left, it was obvious why I was being summoned.
It was probably to brief me on the operation before we actually raided the vault.
Perfect timing.
The hypnosis powder and the forged Holy Blood, which would serve as a substitute.
I was planning to hand all of these over to Luna today anyway.
“Got it.”
I nodded in affirmation, and the butler’s face momentarily brightened. “I’ll get ready and meet you downstairs at the appointed time. You go ahead.”
“Alright. When you’re ready, please ring the bell.”
“The bell in your hand?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The butler handed me a bell, sporting a kind smile.
I didn’t quite understand.
“Why give me a bell? I know the way to the dining hall.”
“The lunch will be served in the greenhouse in the garden.”
The greenhouse in the garden.
Kyle had never dined in the greenhouse before, so perhaps the butler wanted to personally guide me to prevent any confusion.
A brief silence settled.
I parted my lips slowly.
“I’ll be out shortly, so wait for me at the door.”
“Understood.”
With a respectful bow, the butler cautiously closed the door.
****
Following the butler, I headed towards the mansion’s garden.
After a few minutes, we finally arrived at the warm and bright greenhouse.
Vines and lush greenery adorned the ceiling and pillars, while the sweet fragrance of blossoming flowers filled the air.
The table in the center of the greenhouse was already laden with prepared food.
Bread, salad, sandwiches, steak…
The menu was diverse.
Luna, seated at the head of the table, greeted me with a smile as I approached.
Luckily, she was dressed normally today.
“Over here, Kyle.”
With a resigned expression, I took my seat on Luna’s right.
After ensuring I was seated, Luna elegantly tucked a napkin into her collar.
Then, in a gentle tone, she spoke.
“Everyone, you may leave now.”
At Luna’s words, the servants promptly bowed their heads and left the greenhouse.
I glanced around the greenhouse, observing its interior.
‘Well decorated.’
As I leisurely surveyed the greenhouse, my eyes met Luna’s azure blue eyes.
Sipping her tea, Luna smiled softly and spoke.
“Shall we start with lunch?”
“Sure.”
My stomach was already growling from hunger.
[Translator – Peptobismol]
I picked up the fork and spoon on the table and slowly began to taste the food.
The bread was soft and flavorful, the salad crisp and fresh.
The steak, when bitten into, released a burst of savory juices that tantalized my taste buds.
The sound of cutlery clinking gently filled the air.
The surroundings, the refreshing scent of spring…
It was indeed an unusual meal in many ways.
After a while, Luna gently set down her utensils on the table.
“We’ll enter the vault tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah, there’s no need to postpone it.”
Fair enough.
I nodded briefly and retrieved a leather case I had brought along.
“What’s that?”
Thud—
Instead of answering, I placed the velvet box containing the hypnosis powder on the table.
“Hypnosis powder.”
“…Hypnosis powder? This?”
“That’s right. All of this.”
Luna’s eyes widened in surprise.
Even though I had transferred over ninety percent to another container, the remaining ten percent amounted to quite a bit.
It felt regrettable to hand Luna the hypnosis powder, no matter how small of an amount, but it was an inevitable choice for the sake of obtaining the Holy Blood.
There wouldn’t be any issues.
It was easy to fabricate with sleep-inducing substances.
“Where did you manage to get such a large quantity?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
I dismissed her inquiry with a cold voice, but a faint smile played on her lips.
I then proceeded to retrieve a small glass bottle.
Placing the bottle on the desk, Luna carefully examined its contents with admiration as the pale yellow liquid emitted a dazzling light.
“Ho.”
Luna exclaimed in amazement.
“It looks authentic for an imitation.”
“Keep it safe. There’s only one of those.”
Luna calmly placed the items I handed her into the leather case and spoke in a composed tone,
“This should be sufficient.”
“Can we expect the desired results?”
“Results?”
A gentle smile graced Luna’s lips.
The follow-up answer was obvious.
“Just trust your big sister.”
****
Meanwhile…
“…Ah.”
Sip.
Isabel sat back, taking a sip of her steaming cup of tea.
Isabel Yustia, the Saintess of the Empire.
She had been tirelessly busy ever since she began her activities at the Papal See.
Purifying the tainted lands with the Black Mist, dealing with sporadic outbreaks of monsters, and periodically revealing herself to stimulate the faith of the imperial citizens.
As a result, Isabel’s standing had soared to the point where it rivaled that of the Pope himself… if not surpassing it.
As Isabel’s influence grew, the relationship between the Papal See and the Empire subtly began to change, and the Empress’s claim as Isabel’s benefactor gradually gained more weight.
Isabel on the other hand, still harbored thoughts of Kyle, reminiscing about the past and indulging in fantasies of a future with him.
Today was no different.
As Isabel savored the aroma of her tea, thoughts of Kyle filled her mind.
“…Kyle.”
At that moment.
“Lady Isabel.”
The Pope approached from across the room.
Isabel’s brow furrowed at the interruption of her tea time.
“What is it?”
Her irritated tone sharpened.
The Pope, seemingly indifferent, proceeded with his message.
“I have procured the item you requested earlier.”
“…The item?”
“It’s the hypnosis powder.”
The Pope cautiously handed Isabel a glass bottle containing the hypnosis powder, its white powder shimmering in the sunlight.
Isabel meticulously examined the glass bottle containing the hypnosis powder before expressing her dissatisfaction.
“…Isn’t the quantity too small?”
“It couldn’t be helped. There’s a scarcity of such items, and acquiring them is quite difficult.”
“Is that so?”
The Pope let out a sigh and nodded his head.
He then added an explanation.
“The usage is simple. Once the hypnosis powder is absorbed into the body through any means, the entire body gradually becomes paralyzed, and the person falls into a deep sleep.”
“It won’t strain the body, will it?”
“Of course not.”
Ah, finally, it’s been acquired.
Isabel handled the glass bottle containing the hypnosis powder as if it were a precious treasure.
With this, all preparations were complete.
Now, all that remained was execution.
“What’s our next destination?”
“It’s yet to be decided.”
Is that so?
In that case…
“Let’s go to the Duke Winfred’s estate.”
“Pardon? The Duke Winfred’s estate?”
The Pope’s astonished eyes widened.
His mouth seemed to freeze shut at Isabel’s sudden declaration, and he stiffened in place.
A smile tugged at the corners of Isabel’s lips.
After a moment, a soft voice echoed through the air.
“We’ll leave as soon as the sun rises, so prepare to depart.”
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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