Rafel Uno went to the factories located in the third district. He got an order from the chief to bring the supply boxes of their products and sent them to the storage area, at the house of Camelia. It contained a variety of potions made from the herbs of the Dark Scily Forest, the raw material collected by the children of their leader.
There were different manufacturing factories within this district. The outside appearance was like a large apartment, and the front was small-time business-like cabins and clothing sectors where the tourists and customers could buy some.
Only a few selected and trusted people knew about these factories, an underground business from the eyes of the public.
This kind of business got permitted by the chief's orders without informing the lord of their territory. In other words, everything there was illegal from the start.
Any commoners within their Lord's territory were not allowed to do these activities unless they got his permission first.
Those people who were involved would be executed by the lord and they might be lost their chance for the council to pardon them.
"Sir Rafel, here's your order," the owner said, handing over the receipts. "Thanks, I'm going to put this in the storage area now," Rafel nodded and grabbed the paper. He put it inside his pocket chest and signaled his men to take the wagon.
Two men jumped in the driver seat and moved the horses. The animals walked slowly whilst Rafel and his other vacant men remained vigilant.
The first district representative sensed a powerful aura coming from the west, where the forest located. He turned his gaze in the direction with a grave face.
"I sense some disturbance. I wonder what the hell is going on out there," Rafel murmured.
"Sir, did you say something earlier?" his henchman asked. "No, forget about it. Let's bring the stuff to the location. I'm going to report this matter after we deliver the packages," Rafel shook his head and answered politely.
"If you say so, sir," his henchman lowered his head and moved forward.
'Two powerful presences were releasing a lot of mana from that direction. Those auras were stronger than my own, and I don't think I can win in terms of mana capacity and stamina. I wonder who are fighting right now,' Rafel's face grimed, lips pursed.
*Spank*
A small hand spanked his back and out of anger, he turned around to scold the culprit.
"Who's that?" Rafel asked, angrily. His eyes opened wide when he saw a young servant of the church in front of him. "Me," Ylla pointed herself. "Oi, don't get too sad about it. You're so pessimistic, stupid."
'I totally forgot. She's with me,' Rafel frowned. He placed a hand on his face and heaved a sigh.
"Geez, it's the bitch," he murmured.
"B, bitch? You bastard," Ylla pouted and hit his back three times.
"Ouch, ouch," Rafel yelped. "That's really hurt, you goddamn lunatic!"
He was about to hit her but he halted.
"What? You're going to hit me? Do it," Ylla challenged. "W, why you're a piece of..., every single time. Gosh, why the chief appointed you as a fellow district representative," Rafel covered his face in dismay.
"That's because I belong to the church. Not only that, I'm more powerful than you, asshole," Ylla pumped a fist on her chest with a proud face. "Church again. I wonder where the hell is the servant of God went to? You're not even worthy of that job," Rafel placed a hand on his forehead and heaved a disappointing sigh.
"Just shut your fuckin' mouth, trash. Just accept the fact that I'm no longer a simple girl from this village with no authority or whatsoever. Anyhow, we need to make haste," Ylla pointed it out.
"I wonder where that village girl went to. You're cute back then," Rafel murmured and sighed.
Ylla fumed when she heard it, lips retracted.
She hit his back with a hand covered with ice.
"Gaaah, what is it now?" Rafel jumped in surprised and faced her with a glowered face. "You're spacing out, so I give you a little punch to wake you up," she simpered, playing innocent.
"Gaaagh, whatever," Rafel gave in.
"I'm going to check the children in the restaurant of Emorial Inn, so we need to move quickly, okay," Ylla reminded.
"Oi, lady, I am not your escort. Why do you even come with me every afternoon every Monday?" asked Rafel, glowering. "Oh, well," Ylla placed a finger on her chin and rolled her eyes on the left. "Duuh, your group is heading in the same direction as mine, so you don't have to think this a lot. It's just coincidence," Ylla explained.
"I am not your bodyguard or anything else. But whatever, that explains a lot. No matter, I won't anymore," said Rafel, calmly.
Ylla grinned.
"Oh, boy. I guess, this Mr. Asshole ain't happy to be walking around with a beautiful girl. Are you perhaps gay?" inquired Ylla in a foxy tone. "What the fuc-, heck? I ain't gay. Stop accusing me. I'm a straight man. Gosh, let's stop this. Look, my men are laughing at us," Rafel blushed as he explained it.
Ylla bent her body, waved a hand in an insulting way, and covered her mouth with a mocking face.
"Oh, silly. Nevermind, I believe you," Ylla simpered, standing straight up.
'This bitch. I'm going to challenge you later,' Rafel grimaced.
"Anyway, how's the autopsy of the child you've found earlier this morning?" she asked, doleful. "Umm," Rafel blinked his eyes as he flinched. "Well, I don't know yet. What I heard from the investigation team was nothing but a disgusting report, so you better stay out of this, okay," he pointed out.
Ylla's hand trembled and he got surprised by her reaction. She's showing signs of fear-based on her action.
"I hope the children that died in the canal will be accepted in heaven. God only knows who the culprit is. I feel really bad for the parents who raised them all," said Ylla with her hands grasped together, praying form.
"Oh, what if the child was an abandon child? I don't think his/her parents will feel the same feeling like that," Rafel shrugged off. "Indeed, but no matter what they did, the child is still the by-product of those people. Abandon or not, they are still the same," said Ylla as she lifted her index and waved it, left and right.
Rafel shut his mouth and walked away.
"Man, let's forget about this topic," Rafel grumbled.
Ylla tugged his sleeve and stopped him.
"Oi, asshole. Am I not allowed to see the child's face?" asked Ylla, lips pursed. "No," Rafel answered.
'Wait, did she call me a bastard?' Rafel tilted his head with a glowering face.
"Oi, asshole, may I request your permission to see the child?" asked Ylla. "No, I won't let you," Rafel shook his head and refused.
"Come on, please. I just want to check if the child is one of the orphans that disappeared last week," Ylla tugged his sleeves twice.
Rafel grabbed her hand and removed it from his sleeve gently.
"You can call me an asshole or think of me as a complete bastard. Hate me or not, I won't," Rafel answered.
"Why? Do I have to ask for the chief's permission?" she asked. "Even you ask his permission, I won't let you. I have to protect something" Rafel sighed.
"Why are you so annoying, asshole? Just give me permission then. What are you trying to protect then?" Ylla demanded as she stomped her foot on the ground.
'Because I don't want a girl like you to get traumatized,' Rafel clicked his tongue and walked away.
"Geez, you're really an asshole," Ylla folded her arms around her chest and fumed.
"By the way, where is the priestess anyway?" asked Rafel, trying to change the subject. "She might be in the forest right now," Ylla answered.
"Oh, why a former victim of kidnapping is in the forest then? Is she alone?" Rafel inquired. "That girl needs a day off, though. She ain't alone. She's with her attendant named Mambo, and the man of the hustle called Aljen the merchant," she responded.
"Aljen, again. I wonder who the hell is that man. Ever since he came here, everything is moving out of order. A lot of criminal activities are popping out and we're forced to fix the problem that occurred everywhere," Rafel rubbed his neck as he said it.
"Duuuh, it's not the man's fault if those bizarre happened out of the blue, though. It's just coincidence," Ylla spanked his back. "Ouch," he yelped.
"Oi, asshole, don't blame him for everything. The world is controlled by the wrong people and we're living together with those people at the wrong time. Despite he looks dangerous and he has large money to invest in here, we shouldn't think bad for this man," she corrected. "All he did is part of God's plan too. He's a blessing to all of us and doesn't forget that he saved our high priestess. Without him, we're no longer protected by the Pope," she added as she pointed her thumb in the direction of the capital of Italia, Romue.
"Oh, woman. You don't know the world is filled with liars, though. What if this man named Aljen is a wolf in a sheep's flesh. Even his money helps the village to get developed, it isn't impossible that he's a bad guy. He must be scheming something and right now, his plan is moving closer to his objective," Rafel objected.
"But still, my view of him won't change even you criticize his action. But still, the Church will stay neutral unless he commits a sin against the Goddess' people. Let's just pray his plan won't bring a large disaster like what happened five years ago. The high priestess has high regard to that man, so I'll stand with her until the end. If she said he's a good man, then I will believe her words," Ylla restated. "So, be it," Rafel gave in.
In the sky, the two powerful mages were fighting without a single break.
When one of them cast a forbidden spell, the one would counter it with the same spell.
Believe it or not, both of them used only a small portion of their power. None of them were taking their battle too seriously.
It must why their fight was taking too long.
"Oh, c'mon, man. Take this seriously," chattered Justin as he ready to shoot him with dark magic.
Seraph countered it with one shot of his rifle and he dodged the others with full speed. Then, he locked his eyes at his position and shot him with three bullets.
However, none of it managed to leave a scratch on the butler because of his barrier.
"Man, this is taking too long. You should be the one who needs to take this battle seriously," Seraph smirk as he rested his rifle on his shoulder.
The butler realized he's going to fall, so he cast a fortification spell on the clouds to rest his feet.
"Y'know this is not going to end, so let's just call it off again, Seraph," asked Justin, smiling. He tucked his pinky finger into his ears and removed the small portion of earwax. "I'm gettin' bored of this fight, and I don't want to kill you either. Be thankful that you're still alive and return to hell after what I did last time," he added as he opened his eyes with a grave expression.
Seraph grimaced at first when he wanted the fight to end like this, but he remembered that he had a weapon to stop this man.
He took a deep breath and exhaled. Then, he looked at his old friend with a determined face.
"No matter how it ends and what kind of bad omen will come, I won't yield to your sweet talk and request. Oh, man, please open your eyes from the truth. We've been known each other before the destruction of the old Empire, the coronation of Queen Victoria, and the liberation of the Unified States of Amerigo from the hands of the Anglo-Saxons, old friend. Why are you so stubborn?" Seraph stormed as he raised one finger of his hand.
"Old friend, you don't understand at all. The true lord is inside Hermes Archnemesis. You're making a big mistake in your life. We've been waiting for his return and I want to prevent you to kill him once again. The grand lord isn't trustworthy and he ain't the previous Emperor we've loved and protected against the odds," Justin explained, saddened face.
His eyes frowned as he looked at his old pal.
"Uh, uh, no, you're completely wrong. He's the true re- Gosh, man," Justin jumped away before powerful artillery shot destroyed his clouds. "What the fuck? You're cheatin' man. Tell me first before you shot me, I'm not ready for that though."
The two exchanged a powerful lost ark and the mana released from each side created a large crater on the ground. The cause of their destructive spells burned the grass and turned the rocks into ashes.
"[Tenebris Flamma]" Justin cast, a dark flaming orbs absorbed all of the flames around the surface and formed spherical bullets. Then, he locked his eyes at his target and shot every single particle coming from his opponent.
"Oh, no you don't, [Tenebrosa Aqua]" Seraph activated his trap card and used his arm to destroy the bullets aiming at his life. Then, it dispersed into the air like nothing.
'Weak,' Seraph smirked after he succeeded to counter it.
"Seraph!"
"What the fu― Gaaaah"
The assassin was almost lost his life, but the butler chose to spare him by switching the angle of his weapon. Only his face got hit by the edge of his sword.
The impact pushed him back four meters away from the air. Then, the butler stood his feet on the clouds again.
"Be grateful that I didn't kill you, man," said Justin, folded his arm across his chest. "Shut the hell up, pal. It ain't funny," Seraph sput out some blood from his mouth and wiped the blood from his lips.
'Damn it, this is not going as per the plan says. No matter, I have to buy some time before they arrive,' Seraph worried.
"Justin, let me tell you somethin'. Look, we're only wasting our time. You and I don't want to fight each other since we have a history between us. As an old friend and comrade in arms, let me ask again. Please join us," offered Seraph as he forwarded his right hand.
The butler clicked his tongue and chuckled.
"How many times do I have to spell this to you, I won't join that ridiculous organization of your fake master," Justin refused.
"He ain't a fake! Oh, the flame of the grand lord lends me your power. Let this heretic to be enlightened, [Redeem!]" Seraph shot powerful artillery, blasting the sky with a full burst of its power.
"Fuck," Seraph panted, "Why are you still standing? This is so unfair!"
On the small piece of reformed cloud, the butler was yawning alone.
"Oh, you finished? Man, your powers are getting weaker than before. Maybe, it because you serve the wrong master after all. Take a look, it didn't leave a single scratch around my body. But good job for reshaping the face of the stratosphere. Very impressive indeed," joshed Justin as congratulated him.
Seraph's vein on his forehead appeared and clenched his teeth, lips retracted.
"Shut up, [Dark Burst!]"
The butler used his barrier to counter it and launched a counteroffensive spell, "[Dark Cumunoe]"
"Shit, the forbidden lost art," Seraph jumped away before a small orb of dark aura launched on his former position. "Phew, that was close," he heaved a sigh of relief.
"Man, you should just let yourself go back to hell, Seraph. After all, the origin of your existence came from it," said Justin as he heaved a disappointing sigh.
"Shut the fuck, you demon. You're also one of us," Seraph pointed his index as he argued with his comment.
"Oh, well. Wanna give up already? I have a task to do," Justin yawned.
'Hmm?' Justin's eyes opened wide when someone tried to stab him from the back.
A black shadow appeared behind Seraph and whispered, "It is done, milord."
Seraph chuckled quietly, lips upturned.
"Good job, informant. Do your next task now, proceed to phase 2. Begone," he ordered. "Yes, sir," the black shadow transformed into a letter and disappeared from the battle zone.
"Wait a sec, is that 'informant'?" Justin pointed his thumb in the direction where it went to. "Surprise? Only the reincarnation of our lord has the authority to tame them all. The informant is one of the 'Twelve Great Lost Spirits' of our former Empire and one of the devoted and favorite pets of our master," said Seraph as he shrugged his arms off.
'What the hell? They got the [Informant]. This is bad. It is still weaker than those two spirits though. What if,' Justin worried with cold sweat.
"Don't tell me, that man tamed the [Paperus] and [Slime]?" asked Justin as he ready himself to attack him. "Sorry, talk to my hand. Even I know, I won't tell you," said Seraph, sticking out his tongue.
Slowly, a small letter went to the butler's blind spot.
"You bastard, only the rightful owner should tame those pets. Gaaah," Justin, surprised, was sealed by the shadow tentacles.
"Oh, my old friend. You completely forgot that the informant has a mission. And that mission is to seal you. Thanks to our deep companionship, I know exactly your very weakness. Specifically, that is the pets of the Emperor, though. You can't do shit against them because they belong to him. Man, you fall again into my trap," Seraph burst into laughter after he witnessed his capture.
"F, fuck, not again. This ain't funny, man, [Teneburus Fuuma!]" Justin cast a spell but it didn't work.
"C'mon, man. The informant is a great spirit that has a powerful passive skill. It only nullifies any offensive and defensive spell at once. In other words, it is futile to fight back.
"[Fuuma Imparte!]"
A mushroom-shaped atmosphere got formed after the large explosion.
Black flames swarmed the surface and turned the whole place into a dead zone.
"Fuck, I failed!" Justin yelped.
"Oh, Lord Justin, please restrain yourself. Stop resisting," the informant begged. "Shut the hell up, you stupid piece of letter!" Justin raged.
"See, my friend. You can't escape from the powers of the Grandlord. Man, now we're even. Do you know that you got defeated again by an informant? After we received a call from one of our spies last week. I immediately went into trouble to separate you from that fraud. I can't believe you forgot that he exists," said Seraph, smiling.
He placed a hand on the butler's chest and cast a spell.
"Gaaaagh. This is... is... [Ignito]. Where the fuck did you learn this forbidden spell, Seraph?" Justin demanded. "From the Grandlord," Seraph answered.
'Fuck him!' Justin raged.
Seraph showed a small hand with a mirror on its palm. Then, the eyes of the butler scorched like a burning boat in the sea. He raged in severe pain.
"My eyes, goddamn it. Another lost relic of the past. Aaaagh," he denounced as he covered his eyes with his hands. Then, he lost his balance and fell from the sky.
"Say your regards to the world, my friend. Your life is now in our true lord's hands. Be grateful that I still think of you as my friend, so I won't kill you. You're a very valuable asset for my next plan," Seraph smirk as he kicked his face to the ground.
"Gaagh," Justin coughed blood after he severely got hurt after the fall.
Seraph stomped his feet on the badly hurt butler and pointed the barrel of his weapon at his face.
"Goddamn it, Grandlord's hand of despair. Why do you possess one of his fleshes? Don't tell me, that bastard has already succeeded in making a clone of his body? I, Impossible," Justin complained as he sput out some blood from his mouth.
"C'mon, man. I told you, he's the one. No man could hurt us except him. He's the one who created us after all. No matter, you'll be enlightened after the great plan of our master begun," Seraph chuckled.
'Fuckin' devotee. You're blinded too real!' Justin chided inside his mind.
"W, what are you all planning, bastards?" inquired Justin as he tried to open his eyes. "Oh, my gosh, man. You're truly a stupid man. Do you really think I will tell you everything after what happened today? Oh, well. When you wake up, you're going to work with us anyway so there's nothing will be lost anyway. I'll make it short, the plan is simple and almost ready to begin, though. It is to create a conflict that will unite this island under one rule," Seraph answered with a confident face.
"Hold on, please I'm beggin' you. Y' can do anything from me, but don't you dare touch my master. He's truly the chosen vessel of the true Emperor. He's the real one, Seraph!"
"Shut it, Justin. I'm trying to tell you. He's not even worthy of our servitude. He's a pathetic and shameful existence for our race. Remember, we are demons. The only race that still exists in this world. We shared the same bloodline and we're the proud member of the former loyal eunuch of the Great Empire. Nevermind, you're an idiot to swear your loyalty to that child, so you wouldn't understand yet," Seraph explained as he heaved a disappointing sigh.
"Seraph, listen buddy! Informant, release me. Don't cover my mouth. Informant, if you truly love our beloved master. Go and meet Don Hermes Archnemesis. Go find him, I'm beggin' you. Cancel your oath of loyalty to the faker, informant."
"Hermes? But Grand lord said he's a fake," the informant hesitated. "I won't believe you, Lord Justin. Just stay still."
"Hayayay," Seraph placed a hand on his forehead and heaved a sigh. "When you can understand that I'm trying to open your eyes to the truth, he's the true reincarnation of our late Emperor. The leader of all races that got erased from the last war. All of the races except humanity perish because of that dumb Goddess."
"Seraph, please. I'm beggin' you. Open your eyes. He's the one!"
He clicked his tongue with a wrinkling face.
"You don't have to worry, I'll wake up after I kill him. Do it, informant. Seal his mind and let him take a rest. Send him to the dungeon. Sleep well, old friend," Seraph commanded. "Yes, milord," the informant nodded and cast a forbidden lost art to the captured butler.
The butler's body got swallowed by the dark shadow and disappeared.
'Fuck, what a power.'
Seraph raised his head up and closed his eyes.
"It is done, master. All hail the Grandlord," he said.