Creeping from the shadow, I cautiously peered at the intersection, anxiously awaiting the departure of the guards. Infiltrating an enemy base camp was no walk in the park, especially when I had a Lumina strapped to my back. Beads of cold sweat trickled down my forehead as I pondered how I ended up in this mess.
While the married couple explored the seventh floor, I was left to scour the eighth floor with Lumina. But the moment they vanished, Lumina collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. She chuckled nervously, uttering, "Oopsie! I'd never been an athletic person, soooo Celli, mind giving me a piggyback ride? Pretty please?"
"S-Seriously?"
Lumina nodded with a dumb smile and I foolishly obliged. As if sneaking into a heavily guarded enemy base wasn't challenging enough, now I had to navigate around with a human koala clinging to me.
Honestly, Lumina wasn't heavy. In fact, she was so thin and delicate. Her body was shrouded in bandages, hiding only bones, mottled skin, and atrophied muscles. It was like carrying a fragile porcelain doll that could shatter with the slightest misstep. Dammit, I wasn't confident enough to protect his frail girl if a fight broke out. I had to avoid fighting at all costs.
Yet, a nagging thought gnawed at me. The cold of her body and the eerie absence of a heartbeat—was she truly alive?
"Celli, you're being too considerate," Lumina chuckled when I rushed from one shadow to another, "Even in this frail body, I was once the esteemed Leader of The Order, you know"
"Ah, well, don't mind me. Just your friendly busybody," I replied half-heartedly as we arrived at the roof of the colossal archive room.
Arranged in a helical manner, the archive room held a massive collection of documents. Diving into the sea of books, I cautiously descended to the ground floor, treading softly as I made my way to the counter, moments before two guards swung open the door. Shit, why now? Lumina tugged me and pointed at the nearest desk. Bolting like lightning, we hid behind the desk, waiting for the guard to pass by.
The guards whispered in hushed tones, unaware of my presence.
"Have you heard about the Mad Dog?" one guard whispered.
"Yeah, they say he's been acting even more unpredictable lately," the other guard replied. "Escaped from his confinement weeks ago, that one did."
"Ah, the rampage on the sixth floor, right? He single-handedly wiped out an entire squad of guards. Not a soul survived, not even the prisoner. Yikes! I'm glad I choose to be boring and stay in the Grand Archive," the first guard added, his voice filled with relief.
"That day was a disaster. Our late General killed in his sleep, roots bursting from his stomach. I heard the other two were in the worst condition. Dammit, those Cultist is really despicable, releasing a monster like that to disrupt the peace," the second guard replied.
The first guard nodded enthusiastically, "At first, we suspected The Thundering Pulse, but Our Lady traced the magical remnants back to the Mad Dog himself. He was inches away from reaching The Fortress. Damn, if it weren't for Our Lady's intervention, he might have reached the surface. Who knows what would've happened then?"
My heart skipped a beat. Using root to kill the enemy, is similar to Ayunda's power. So, she might kill the Generals and release The Mad Dog. But why? Per Pater's order, her objective is to kill everyone in the orphanage. That massacre had nothing to do with that mission.
But then, I remembered. Lumina had one key to the Mad Dog. She should know what truly happened on that day. Perhaps, once we secured the key, I should ask about it.
As the guards continued their conversation, I strained to listen for any mention of the key we needed. The guards' conversation wavered between raunchy things and crude remarks, frustratingly devoid of useful information. Boys will be boys, I suppose.
But just as I was about to give up hope, a few keywords caught my attention. They spoke of a high-ranking officer named General Rendall, the holder of the key I targeted. Apparently, he flaunted it arrogantly around his neck, like some pompous peacock.
"Oh, that bastard! I can't stand him," grumbled the first guard, his voice seething with resentment. "He struts around like he owns the place, leaving all the work to us. Double shifts, pay cuts, you name it. And let's not forget how he forces the poor female recruits to 'entertain' him. I swear, if The Cultist does us all a favor and takes him out, I'll throw a celebration."
"Hey, keep your voice down, you idiot. You don't want to end up on the 9th floor, do you?" scolded the second guard.
A grin tugged at the corners of my lips. Well, well, well, how convenient. I now had a clear target for the key. When the guards finally departed from the room, Lumina unfurled her map, carefully studying it. Her finger danced across the parchment, ultimately landing on a room nestled in the southern part of the floor.
"According to my intel, that should be the General's quarters. The late General wasn't a good man too. He had a sick fascination. Every week, he would select a prisoner and confine them in his room. That place is far away from any place, even if you scream, no one could hear you. Who knows what he did to the prisoner, but no one got out alive," Lumina whispered, suppressing her anger and bitterness.
"Then why are we still sitting here? Let's move!" I exclaimed, impatient to retrieve the key. But before I could rise, Lumina grabbed my hand, forcing me back to sit down.
"Not so fast. We need a strategy." She said while checking out the perimeter, watching if guards were walking in the room. "You heard it, right? The general likes fooling around with girls. Maybe we could disguise ourselves as guards and seduces him? That way, we could steal his key without him noticing."
My eyes shot up in confusion. "Wait, you want me, the musclehead princess with zero charm, to seduce a man?"
Lumina chuckled, "Oh, don't be like that. You're beautiful, Celli. That's probably why Arthur treats you so well. Despite his cool demeanor, he's shallow at heart. He's into pretty, mature-looking women, just like you."
I stammered, flustered by her words. "H-Hey, flattery won't get us anywhere. And besides, I'm also worried about you. Who knows what he might do to you?"
Lumina simply smiled, radiating an air of confidence, "Oh, a delicate flower like me possesses a special allure, don't you think? Welp, I can still handle youngin' like him three times a day, no problem."
"W-What are you talking—N-no, that's not what I mean! Ugh, my head hurts," I grumbled, rubbing my temples in frustration.
"You're too kind, Celli, too kind for a goddess," Lumina remarked, tidying up her maps. "Let's focus on the mission. We'll tackle problems as they come, alright?"
Looking hopelessly at the girl, I sighed deeply. It seemed there was no brake for Lumina and her plans, huh? If only I could use my Divinity. I shook my head, there was no point dwelling on that.
Thanks to Lumina's map, securing the uniform was easy. But as I put on the uniform, I couldn't help but feel a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. The thought of Lumina confronting someone as vile as General Rendall made my skin crawl. Would she be safe? I worried for her well-being.
Finally, we arrived at the door of the general's room. Lumina glanced at me, "Remember, Celli, stay calm and confident. Act the part of a seductive guard, and keep him distracted while I search for the key. We have to make this work."
"What, you leave that part to me?!"
"Yes, of course. Can you really imagine me seducing him?"
"U-Ugh… fine! But make it quick, okay?"
Lumina asked me to put her down. With all her strength, she struggled to stand on her own. Finally, she locked eyes with me and nodded.
"Well, whatever happens, happens," she said.