A lady with blonde hair and blue eyes was currently looking at the weird magic circle with rune characters around it and something that looks like blood.
'Is this the reason, a sudden dungeon gate suddenly broke out here without any sign whatsoever?' She thought.
She only managed to check the area in front of the dungeon gate after she finished off all the monsters. Fortunately, they were just low-level monsters but it's still dangerous since this is a public area and today is the weekend.
"Vice-leader!"
A coarse voice interrupted Daria Madrica's thought. Daria was slightly surprised.
The man who ran over quickly dropped a bombshell.
"A Djinn appeared at the Hargan National Museum!" He said while still on a call with someone
"… What?"
"You should head over immedi… What? What?" he suddenly stopped.
But soon, he tilted his head and focused his hearing on the transceiver in his ear.
"… Ah, yes."
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Um… Apparently, the Djinn has been taken care of. Four students from HGA happened to be at the museum…"
Before he could finish, a violent gale rose up, blinding him momentarily. By the time he opened his eyes back up, the Royal Corps member who had decimated dozens of monsters was gone.
Running at the speed of light, Daria arrived at the museum. She quickly entered the museum without much difficulty.
The inside of the museum was a mess. The tiled floors were full of signs of battle, and an ominous magic power still lingering in the air proved the existence of the Djinn.
There were Royal Corps members who can be seen doing an on-site investigation, healing people and taking people's statements on what had happened since the museum surveillance camera coincidentally have been tampered with just before the incident broke.
From a distance Daria saw four young men, giving testimonies to a few investigators while a few healers healing them. Unlike the other people, the healers seem more attentive in treating them than other people here.
"Ohh those were the ones who killed the Djinn. Everyone here gave the same testimony"
"Who is that kid?" Daria asked when seeing a 7-year old kid being surrounded by a group of healers.
"That kid seems to have quite a strong healing power thus the healers take interest in him"
The Royal Corps member went away after answering her questions and she continued walking toward the investigator's booth.
"Vice leader!"
"Let me take their testimony"
"Yes, vice leader," he said while giving me a chair for me to sit on.
"State your name one by one. Full name started from you"
"Theodore Von Hargan"
"Pftt wait, why are you imitating a prince? Whatever next" Daria chuckled after scrutinizing the haggard guy up and down.
"My name is Ares Zanuki"
This time she was stupefied and didn't feel like laughing anymore when she saw the red-haired guy in front of her. Then she looked back at the previous dark-skinned with a silver-grey hair guy. She looked at them both side by side.
"Is that hair naturally like that?" Daria asked the red hair guy when she saw some strands of silver-white hair on the right side of his hair. The white hair cover around 1/4 of his head.
"It's a genetic mutation since I was born so yes it's naturally like that." He answered calmly.
"So you're the prince," Daria asked the first guy.
"No one is crazy enough to imitate the royal family," he said seemingly exhausted.
'Damn, I'm screwed. No wonder these brats didn't faze even a bit after seeing me, even though I'm one of the well-known Pandemonium level knights in the empire.'
In this world, they differentiate the people with superpowers above normal human abilities by categorizing them into different levels like Abnormal, Pandemonium, Destructive and Supreme.
Whether that person is a knight, mage or warrior, they will be ranked the same way. This ranking level is only applicable to humans, elves, giants and dragons. Meanwhile, monsters and demons were categorized into low, intermediate or high ranks.
The freshly graduated students from academies like HGA which mainly trained people with special abilities will be automatically assigned to the Abnormal level.
Later, they could increase their level based on their contribution and achievement such as by catching criminals or demons and helping the government in certain doing special missions. There's also a special measuring device to accurately measure someone's level.
Currently, there are only around 100 humans, elves and giants being ranked as Supreme level.
All known dragons are automatically put in the Supreme level category.
"So next what's your name?" Daria asked acting like nothing was wrong.
"Shino Kiba"
'Damn, is this an outing of noble kids day or something?'
"Last one, what's your name?"
"Cedric Hel"
'Isn't this the kid that the Royal Corps and Sacred Corps fought to recruit?'
"So is the testimony given by those people true?" I asked after recalling their testimonies to them.
"Yes," they answered seemingly a bit cold.
"Hmm vice leader, the chief healer asked these young men to be brought to the hospital since they were completely exhausted. It's a miracle they are still able to stay conscious" one of the staff reminded me.
"Ok sure. Assist them into the ambulance" Daria said before watching the four guys walk away.
"Isn't it weird?" She said to her secretary.
"What is?"
"I don't care about the second prince since people said that he was kind of neglected since birth but that Zanuki, why didn't any of his Shadows showed up"
"Actually his Shadows did show up and they were the ones cleaning up monsters around the museum vicinity. Maybe they think their young master will be saved inside not knowing that a more dangerous creature like a Djinn was inside," her secretary explained clearly.
"Is that what they said?"
"Yes and it doesn't seem like they were lying since there's no reason to"
"Find at least one functional hidden camera. I want to see what exactly had happened"
"Yes vice leader"
*************************************
"I feel like dying" I muttered weakly.
"We're sorry young master. We failed to protect you" Ron said in a low tone. His face also looks pale.
It must have been caused by grandpa's anger since that guy is the only one in the capital currently. I purposely didn't tell them since I was confident Cedric could defeat the Djinn.
But why did he seem a bit weaker than described in the novel?
In the novel, Cedric saves the kid and that kid supplies him with healing power while he fought with the Djinn with Shino.
'It must be because I was there and that kid was focused on me instead. I shouldn't mess with the plot involving the protagonist too much but I feel I need to find that kid for my future survival.'
The male kid is a seven years old orphan. He went to the museum since his orphanage was taking them on an outing today.
He was supposed to be found by a healer from the church and then brought to meet the pope living in the Holy City. That was when his life become like living in hell.
"I already told grandpa that It's not anyone's fault since no one knew there's a Djinn in there. I'm still alive and that's what matters" I said trying to reassure him.
"Young master, I already put that young boy under the protection of the royal family. He will be trained to be a royal healer instead of being sent to the church as per your order" Ron reported to me seemingly having gotten back his motivation.
I ordered Ron to put that boy under a royal healer to be guided and Zanuki will grant him protection. The reason I helped him was so that he felt grateful for me and would do his best to treat me if I was to be gravely injured in the future.
"Sure thanks," I said to Ron.
The church in this world was not free from corruption especially the church in this country where the royal family put only minimum surveillance on them. Thus that kid who was originally put under the pope would be a human subject in multiple experiments since it was said that his blood and other body cells contained healing properties.
They tried to create something from his genetic cells. The church was also involved in a few more inhumane experiments that even black mages won't do like creating chimaera.
Creating foul creatures like chimaera was against the law and no country allowed it but certain countries did practice human sacrifice or created human weapons except for Hargan.
Fortunately, the new saint, that would assume the title in a few years had slowly started to clean up the church from the bottom.
The current saintess was kind of naive so they only used her as a puppet but the future saint was far from naive since he was also a paladin and a healer from a noble military family called the Bennett family, the vassal of the Heizt family.
"The people that you ordered us to check, have been found and what should I do with them?"
"I and Eris will be creating a game company so they will be my workers," I said while smiling mischievously.
"I like that smile, I mean that idea young master" Ron said with a playful tone since he knew what I'm actually going to do.
'An intelligence agency disguised behind a game and toys company'
Knock Knock
Ron quickly opened the door and step outside after grandpa enter the room. He took a seat beside my bedside.
"So how do you feel?" he asked me while smiling benignly.
"I just felt like I'm having cramp muscles all over my body but it's fine now" I answered honestly.
"Then that's good. Sorry for coming late since I have to do some cleanup."
"Please don't be too hard on them since it's not entirely their fault," I said guessing that the Shadows assigned to me might have been punished for not protecting me properly after seeing Ron just now.
Luckily, even though I have been stabbed by the Djinn's nails on my back, it was not so severe and the kid that I've saved continuously transmitted his healing power to me from time to time. That was also why I managed to maintain my aura until the end.
"Yes I know but punishment still has to be given lest they will not learn"
"Do what you think best" I said complying with his decision since he's the one paying the Shadows.
"After you get discharged, you have to go straight to Kazigare Valley and stay there for a week. We have already notified the academy about this. You can bring that prince with you if you want"
"How do you know I'm thinking of bringing him and why should I go to Grand's place?" I asked curiously.
"Because I sensed dark magic from him but don't worry since not everyone can sense it other than me. I can sense it since I've consumed dead mana before-"
"Why did you consume that?" I interrupted
"Haha, are you worried? It's because my aura has only purifying property and when compared to yours, you have both the sealing and purifying properties. How to know you have a sealing ability, a black mist will appear every time you use aura. The public didn't know that not every Zanuki can use the sealing technique but after practising for a long time, I can barely use that technique with the help of artifacts"
"So I consume dead mana after a black mage came up with a hypothesis saying that since I only have one property in my aura, the purifying power must be stronger than normal. We tried testing that hypothesis by making me consume dead mana like dark mages. It kind of working in some sense since the dead mana got neutralised and become regular mana inside my blood. But the process hurt so much like I'm dying so I'm not gonna do it again." He said and chuckled a bit at the end.
"Aren't you reckless? Dead mana can cause death to normal people" I commented.
"Yeah, I know. That's why don't follow my example. Your Grand will teach you the sealing technique during your one week time, there. So take a rest and enjoy your one-week school break." He said while patting my shoulder and walking out of the room after getting a call.
"Ron, you've given the hidden camera recording to my grandpa right?"
"I'm sorry young master. I should've showed it to you first as you instructed"
"No, it's fine and don't need to show it to me. Did you find anyone suspicious around the museum vicinity during the attack?"
"Unfortunately no young master"
"Alright keep on surveying the area for a few days and report to me everything you find useful. I will go to Kazigare Valley tomorrow so go discuss with Prince Theodore's servant after you've finished packing my clothes"
"Yes young master"
'By the way, why do I feel like I'm forgetting about something?'
Meanwhile in HGA Magic Research Lab.
"Achoo!" Nikki sneezed loudly.
"Eww virus. Stay away from me" Kara Zanuki said bluntly while spraying a sanitiser all over the area.
"Tskk why I'm being treated like this. Even that cute Ares leave me alone huhu"
"Sigh here we go again"
Nikki started rambling about how Ares left him alone and never come back. She didn't even manage to get his contact number.
***********************************
"Your highness the second prince and young master Ares Zanuki please come inside. The lunch has been served. The two of you can enjoy them comfortably" said the head butler before leaving the two of us in the dining hall.
"The air is nice around here. Thanks" Prince Theo said to me before he started eating. He also didn't mention why the owner of the mansion, my great grandmother didn't even come and greeted him as if it was normal to be that way.
"Sure. I hope being here can help you recuperate properly. I've asked my great grandmother and he allowed you to come here with me a few times a year"
"Please send my regards and thanks for her generosity"
"Sure and I might be busy these next few days so please let yourself feel at home. As a compensation for not being able to entertain you, I will bring you here again during the study break before the first term evaluation"
"That's a nice offer and of course, I will gladly accept it," Prince Theo said seemingly didn't mind me leaving him alone starting tomorrow.
Later both Prince Theo and I didn't meet again until the last day of our stay in Kazigare Valley.
**************************************
"Again" Grand ordered me
I once again channelled my aura, forming it into metal chains and tried to capture the moving combat dummy. Even though it's not moving fast, I still can't catch it since my aura movement was quite slow. During the museum incident, I could tie up that Djinn easily since I caught him off guard.
"Slow. Move it faster" Grand said sternly ignoring me panting for air.
"Now stop trying to catch that dummy and just try moving your aura like you're moving your tails"
"....." But I don't naturally have tails.
Seeing me looking confused, she said, "Just move it however you want to like sometimes you like to swing your legs instinctively when you're sitting on a tree branch. Just try moving them instinctively, without any force or thoughts. Don't need to think where to move them"
Even though the explanations were kind of confusing, I think I know what she meant and just continue moving the metal chains that looked more like tentacles rather than tails, around without any particular direction.
"By the way Ares, can you make the size bigger?" she asked after a few moments.
"I think so" I replied after thinking for a while.
Later, I reduce the number of metal chains from nine metal chains to only five and increase its size to triple its previous size. I tried moving it around and there seems to be no problem except I couldn't produce more metal chains when the size increased.
"So the number decrease, when the size increased but I think this problem can be overcome when you're more proficient in wielding aura in the future. Maybe an artifact can also help"
'It's not easy to get an artifact right? You need to go into dungeons to find them.'
Grand said as if getting an artifact capable of helping you with aura is easy to find when there were a lot more artifacts that used mana instead of aura.
"So how is that Prince friend of yours" Grand asked after we finished our training that day.
I have to go back to HGA tomorrow thus, I would see Prince Theo then since we're going back together.
"He's fine" I answered simply.
"I think he's better than the crown prince but I don't think he is suitable to become the emperor, that's why I don't mind your grandpa making a deal about him. This is just an old lady's instinct, you don't have to dwell on it too much. Since you think he's ok then it's fine. You're not that naive to be easily cheated by someone. It's more believable if someone said you're the one cheating them"
"Hmm" I replied seemingly don't want to comment on any of her words.
"Don't feel pressured. Just practiced diligently and focus on your studies and your business. I heard you're making a game company with Eris and you're the one managing it while Eris just helping you if necessary. So tell me if you need anything later"
"Sure, thanks Grand"
"And it's a good decision to take away those camera recordings from the incidents since those Manic said that there were spies among their staff and its easier to deal with the reporters"
"There also must've been spies among the Royal staffs" I commented.
To be precise, there's indeed a traitor among the Royal Corps and it's the reason why I don't want them to get the recording. My life and those three will be in danger if those recordings got into the hands of the Djinn Association.
In the novel, Cedric was almost assassinated dozens of times and his system was the one saving him every single time. Since I was already involved in this case, I didn't want anyone to go after my head.
"Yes, it's obvious. The recording has been destroyed after your grandpa showed it directly to the emperor and the council members"
'So the recording was no more. There are only written testimonies left but they must've also edited those testimonies to be as ambiguous as they could. That must be why there's not much news coverage about the incident'
"Now go back to your room and rest up. See you again during your next break"
"Yes, Grand"