People and heavy machinery are constantly moving across the large halls of the headquarters. The military facility is vast with the equivalent of six airplane hangars with three storeys. It can hold over ten thousand personnel and is equipped with bunk beds, a training facility, and a firing range. If one is not careful, he or she may get trampled by a forklift.
If there is any combined arms training to be had, it will take place on a military airbase nearby or a sizable open field designated for special ops forces to train alongside the regular army just a few minutes down the road.
"Sir!" Once they notice Rhen walking with Felipe, the troops begin to stand and salute one after another.
Rhen acknowledges with a wave and a nod.
They proceed to the R&D division, where the explosions are being reported. Save for the soot and ash in the center of the room, the space is spotless and dust-free, full of computers and lab equipment.
Here, Rhen discovers Nikolai, an elderly dwarf who is utterly fixated on explosions and chemical reactions. His primary responsibility is to create new ammunition for the Luna Company and the state's armed forces.
His area of expertise is anti-magic, an ancient technology that was once utilized to overthrow Rhen's S-rank father.
This technology doesn't trigger any regret or resentment, for Rhen It's just another tool to be used on the battlefield. Depending on the user, it can be employed for good or bad so he believed.
Nikolai looks more like a crazy mad scientist than a dwarf because he is dressed in a lab coat and is wearing bifocal spectacles, unlike the generations of old who use to tinker metal.
On his Mpad tablet, he is taking notes on his recent experiments. A 155mm artillery shell with a container of Void powder next to it is on the side of the room near the servers.
Void powder is the primary ingredient used to make anti-magic munitions, it is a black crystalline powder that can be harvested from depleted Ether
Since depleted Ether is abundant at a nearby Etherite reactor, Rhen has a steady supply of it. They first arose in the early 7th century, when the Elves used it against your kingdom.
Due to the production and refinement processes involved, it is by no means inexpensive, but it is a better option than having to train a whole battalion of soldiers to S-rank.
All of Nikolai's students are busy getting ready for the upcoming experiment while donning their lab coats.
"Ehem!" Nikolai's attention is called to by Rhen.
"Oh, it's you, Young Master, how can I be of assistance?" He then approaches Rhen while grinning.
Rhen points out that the 155mm artillery round was precariously placed adjacent to the lab server. "Shouldn't we test that outside of the HQ?" He said, questioning Nikolai's lack of safety.
After all, the possibility of a 155mm shell detonating underground would be disastrous, not to mention the potential casualties.
"I was just using that to collect explosives to mix with some void powder." Then Nikolai glares at his clumsy student who is combining the explosives and void powder without supervision.
"Hey, you! Be careful with that, if you drop that, you will lose more than just a hand." Nikolai added.
"EEEEK!"
Although Nikolai is strict with his pupils, it makes sense when working with explosives. Then he assumes control of his pupil's duties and combines explosives with the void powder with precise measurements.
This makes the 155mm artillery shell pretty much effective against higher-ranked magical monsters and targets.
The S-rank monster carapace and a small mixture of anti-magic explosives are then placed in the center of the room's cylindrical blast glass by Nikolai.
"Young Master, come here." Quickly running behind a bulletproof glass screen, everyone in the room hides and watches the experiment unfold.
"With this, any S-rank monster will think twice about attacking our country!" Without hesitation, Nikolai presses the detonator.
*Boom!*
When the mixture explodes, black smoke and fire fill the cylindrical blast glass. The fire is immediately put out by an automatic fire extinguisher, exposing the results of the experiment.
The S-rank monster's carapace has been annihilated to the point of being totally destroyed.
"Yaaaay!" Nikolai and his explosion-fanatic students all clapped their hands and rejoiced.
After all their hard work, they finally found the right mixture for the powder to reach the detonation point.
Rhen is immediately amazed by his experiment and goes to a nearby computer to read the records. "(Well, I'll be damned. With this, you can kill an rank S monster with just JDAM's.)"
Satisfied with Nikolai's development, Rhen decides to recommend him for promotion. "Good job Nikolai, it looks like your promotion to Lead Designer 5 won't be a dream after all."
"T-thank you, Young master! With this, I can finally get back at those assholes at the academy. Wahahaha" Elated, Nikolai laughs maniacally, holding both sides of his hips.
Although he's quite a geek, he's very reliable when push comes to shove.
After spending time watching more explosions with the students, Rhen and Felipe head back up to the lobby.
However, as soon as Felipe enters the lobby, a staff calls for him because it appears there was a dispute between two diners in the restaurant.
"I shall take my leave, sir." Felipe bows, He's not just Rhen's head butler, but he is also the face of the high-end hotel. Due to the nature of Rhen's work, Felipe is the CEO of the hotel on paper while Rhen is his successor.
Without him, Rhen will have to deal with the problems of both running the hotel and running the underground military operations at the same time.
In a sense, Felipe is his right-hand man.
After Felipe departs, Rhen approaches the lovely High Elf receptionist in the well-lit lobby.
She is dressed in a black office miniskirt and a white polo inside a black receptionist coat.
Her golden, long hair reaches her waist and is combed to the side, hiding her face except when you are on her left side.
"Salve, signorina (Greetings, young lady)" Rhen leans over and stares the receptionist in the eye with a lovely smile.
If it weren't for the counter separating them, he would have kissed the back of her hand as a gentleman would.
"Hello, Young Master." In response, the receptionist gives a pretty smile as well.
Despite the fact that she doesn't comprehend what Rhen is saying, she can feel the seduction in his tone of voice. Not to mention that the language has a particularly attractive tune to it.
If no one told her that Rhen are the master of this place, she would've treated him like any other guest and offered him a room.
"Are there any problems today miss?" Rhen tries to ask for a name while concealing his intent with a question.
"Alaina sir, please call me Alaina, and no there are no problems with the hotel as of late. Your brother passed by though, he is waiting for you in your apartment with a Crimson-haired girl." Aliana's tone is soft and professional.
Despite Rhen's handsome features and well-mannered gestures. She doesn't seem that keen on his noble approach.
"(Scarlet? What's she doing here, isn't she supposed to be in Neocademy?)" Rhen thought. He remembers Scarlet as Azrel's bubbly girlfriend.
Rhen wanted to spend more time with Aliana. However, his brother takes precedence. He's probably here because of what the police chief said.
"I'll head to my room, just call me if you need me." He bids Aliana farewell with a sorrowful heart.
"Likewise, sir, I'll be here in the reception if you need me." Alaina smiles again, it wasn't anything special, and she has given it to the hundredth guest that passed by today.
Rhen departs from her and makes his way to his two-bedroom apartment, which is on the 50th story of the Victorian-themed hotel.
He ascends in the exquisite, fragrant elevator. The most expensive apartments and rooms are found on the hotel's roof.
The walls are embellished with paintings and rare works of art, while the floors are carpeted in a plush red color.
He hears a hushed voice on the other side of the door as he is ready to walk through to his flat at the end of the hallway.
"Mfffh! Mfffh!"
"Stop it! He's going to be here any moment." Said Azrel in a muffled voice.
"(It looks like those rabbits are at it again)" Rhen tries to make sense of what is happening, since it's his house, he enters without knocking.