"Oh my northern star! Young master!"
Vivian run immediately after seeing her young master unconscious on the ground.
"F@UK! Ivan isn't there any healing maid? Are they all unconscious!"
Vivian shouted while tearing off her young masters clothes to inspect him.
"H…he looks fine there's no bruises or burn marks on his skin his physical body doesn't seem to be damaged"
Vivian said while looking at her young masters thin body.
His body was almost only skin and bones his face was drained of colour and there was dark circles under his eyes his hair was dark purple.
"Can't you examine his aether body, you hunters are better at manipulating aura than most aura users factions"
Ivan said while unleashing his dark red aura engulfing the lap room except for the spot Vivian and the young were on.
"No I f@cking can't! Even doctor Simon needs specialised methods to inspect the young master and he's one of the highest ranking alchemists in the entire empire"
Ivan became quite after hearing her words then he closed his eyes restoring his rational thinking tgen After ten seconds Ivan dark red aura returned to his body as if time was rewinding.
"Did you find anything?"
Vivian asked her voice filled with seriousness and firmness.
"No…..damnt it, this doesn't make sense how could he come up all the way here even we needed fifteen seconds to reach all the way up and we were running at almost 73 kilometres an hour….he can barley stand most days and he can be considered energetic if he took a small walk around the garden some days…at his speed he should reach up her in…I don't know four months if he is hard working, I thought that he had a special method we didn't know about like the illusion magic he used on you but my aura dedication found nothing abnormal in this room…"
Vivian looked at him surprised.
"Nothing abnormal….but that's impossible the lap was activated right in front of us. there should be at least some rune energy left"
Ivan looked wary and suspicious as he looked at his surroundings.
"I know what you mean, something is obviously off. none of this is normal, we need to protect the young master until the head maid returns don't let your guard down something abnormal could happen again just like the things that happened today"
Ivan said then he took out his long wide sword stabbing it in the ground then a red and blue aura emitted from the sword turning into a coloured fog of red and blue soon it condensed into four wolves that had foggy bodies coloured in red and two shiny dots of blue light in the place of their eyes, three of the wolves were normal wolf size but the fourth was three times the size and was emitting much stronger and fierce aura.
"Wow…..is that beast summoning but your an aura user!"
Vivian said astonished not expecting knight commander Ivan to have such a method.
"It's not beast summoning I'm not a mage or a warlock, I can only do it because of this sword, when I became a four fang knight I was given the permission to choose one rank three artefact from the treasury and I choose this sword after a lot of thinking it's name is…..the dead pack defends once more sword. it can take on the aura of the user and the remnant soul of a dead animal the user had raised before and combined them to make a hypred of both aura and soul strength making the new beast. aura soul beast."
Ivan said while stroking the head of the giant wolf with care as Vivian eyes grow even wider now.
"That's…..that's amazing! I mean I knew that there's all kinds of artefacts out there but an artefact that can combine both aura path and soul path…like I heard from some crazy alchemists from back in the day that there's a chance in the future to combine these two paths since both of them originate from the same self core gate but I always thought that it was some science fantasy….how many beasts can you make? Does it deepened on the amount of aura you have or there's a limit but you can increase the strength of the limited number by injecting more dense aura…oh! how much aura reserve can they have and what rank can they be considered at…."
Vivian asked a lot of questions seemingly very curious about the sword treat's but Ivan gave her a slight shake of his head saying.
"Any information regarding rank three artefacts and above can only be known by the current owner and the knights higher in rank than them."
Vivian frowned at his words, she is clearly not someone who likes to follow the rules when they are not to her interest and she is not someone to back down easily.
"Come on Ivan were in a special situation here I mean what if something happens or if suddenly we got attacked or….you know other things... anyway you know what I mean, giving me a little information here would be harmless and even beneficial if the worst case scenario happened it could help me to cooperate better with you….pleeeeeeease"
Ivan looked at her he surly would not fall for her pethitc acting or reasons he could tell without even looking at her that she didn't care about any of that and that she only wanted to satisfy her curiosity but being a knight for so many years had toughit him to always consider the worst case scenario first and second and third so he give a deep sigh and told her the minimum.
"This sword is rank three but due to the special runs on it it can only be used by a rank four aura user further more the first time you use it to summon it will summon a rank one beast no matter how strong your aura is or how much reserves of it you have the result will be the same even if a rank five uses it. Second I can't tell you the method to rise their rank but all I can say is that these three wolves are rank two beasts and this big one is rank three"
Vivian sighed internally but showed a faint smile on the outside and thanked him.
She understood what he did, the first information was to satisfy her curiosity about the sword, it will give her something to think about even though it was somewhat a useless information considering the sword other treat's it's the best she can hope for right now and the second information was to satisfy her reason of a better cooperation in case of a sudden battle it gave her no room to ask or use this excuse again.
"Sigh…he is very good at directing the conversation and he's not easy to fool! he's not like those sword barbarians from back in the guild if he was one of them all it would take is a seductive glance and he would even blur out his true soul name brag about even the sword handle let alone major details….but a knight at a high noble family is different I would have been even more suspicious if he gave more after all reaching rank four does not only need immense strength and talent but a brain too and an incredible one at it"
Ivan turned around facing the wide entrance then he sent two wolves at rank two to guard it.
"Smart move your thinking that one of them is a culprit and faking being unconscious"
"Yes they may have been an intruder among the five healing maids even though the chance's of breaking into the main castle is nearly impossible and would need an army normally there's no harm in taking caution we just have to wait until the head maid arrives"
Vivian at hearing the mention of the head maid shuddered intensively thinking what her punishment will be Ivan didn't even turn to look at her instead his eyes were shining blue light through the red helmet he was wearing he was using one of the sword treats to see through the eyes of his soul aura wolves to expand his vision, his rank three wolf was looking at Vivian instead it was a silent way of saying "don't think that your out of my suspicious suspects circle I'm ready for any surprise attack"
So the satuion was like this two rank two soul aura wolves guarding the door the third one staying beside the unconscious young master and the fourth wolf a rank three soul aura beast seemingly staying beside the young master but his back was facing the door looking Vivian calmly but she knew that she can't trust this calmness after all even though it was a beast made from a remnant weak soul and a small amount of aura the wolf was still at the same rank as her and she didn't have any information about what hidden cards these wolves might have after all when she asked him playfully about the sword treats she was not just being curious she also had her own suspicions "what if this Ivan was the intruder and created this situation to gather us all here because he wanted to attempt some dark ritual after all in my past line of work it is not weird for a high rank four to go mad trying to break through to rank five and gain a path rune and considering the situation there's five rank three healing specialist and two rank three aura knights and not to forget the young master over here despite being extremely weak he would be an incredible special material since the blood of the strong drevoisken family run through his veins adding to all that were in one of the most advanced alchemy laps in all of the empire….he'll even I started to get tempted thinking about this….anyway I should not let my guard down until the head maid arrives he might be just putting on a facade to make me lower my guard"
Vivian thoughts were as fast as lightning she is used to think of all possibilities in these dangerous situations.
Thus both of them stood still not talking or making any move even though on the surface both of them we're talking normally their cautiousness was at hundred and ten percent.
"Uggh"
David was starting to open his eyes which had already returned to their pitch black state. He stood up and saw his commander and two soul aura wolves standing at the enterence of the already opened doors and his hand instinctively moved to his sword as he assumed a fighting posture but a half second later his hands and posture relaxed a bit at recognising the two soul aura wolves.
"Captain Ivan have you found any danger in the lap room! Is the young master unharmed!"
Ivan heard David loud voice but he didn't reply, after all if Vivian was not the traitor and the real one was among the group outside they may use a form and sound changing methods to deceive him and make him lower his guard so they can make a surprise attack.
"David you have thirty seconds to report the date of your birth and your full name and your current age now and your age when you were recruited into the order and how many years and months has it been and how much it took you to reach from one fang to two fang then to three fang's and report how many missions was assigned to you by the order and how many were completed and how many training sessions we had and how many meals you eat a day and how many red and purple mana pills has been given to you by the order and how many swords has been broken in our training and how many swords have been broken with your training with your comrades then you tell me the names of the knights in your unit and their age's and ranking and their specialty and if you are so to stutter or hesitate or even blink while answering I will immediately labour you as the traitor and attack you"
After hearing his commanders words he only took two seconds to reply.
"I was born on the year 1955 according to the northern star calendar and my full name is David Cromwell, I'm currently 22 years and four months old, I was 19 years and seven months when I was recruited into the order I've been in service for two years and seven months, it took me four months to reach two fangs and two years and three months to reach three fangs, I was assigned twenty seven missions the first seven were a common soldier level then I was assigned ten berserker level missions and after that I was assigned three saint level missions and six holy knight level missions and right now this is my twenty seventh mission a level 8 imperial mission protecting the future archduke of the Dreviosken grand house the young master Divon, I had a total of 97 training sessions with you commander and as a fang one soldier I ate three meals a day and as a fang two I ate two meals a day then as a fang three I eat one meal a day, I had a total of thirty eight red mana pill and a total of nine purple mana pills, there's a total of fifty two swords that has been broken in our training and five in my training with my comrades, the names of the knights in my unit are: Calvin, Theodore, Ark, prseadain, suraivone, Valeras, and Dived. Sir Calvin and sir Theodore are rank two fangs soldiers and are twenty six years old and sir Ark is rank three fang soldier and is twenty eight years old and sir prseadain and sir suraivon are rank two fang healing soldiers the first one is twenty four years old and the latter is twenty five and lastly sir valeras is a rank one mechanic fang soldier he is twenty nine years old"
David finished his report in less than thirty seconds without stuttering his voice was clean and not nervous consedring he is now aware of his state of being a suspect.
"You've answered all the questions correctly and for that you will not be attacked instead you are to watch the other's once they wake up the traitor might be one of them"
Ivan said with an iron commanding voice and David responded affirmatively turning his back to the wolves and watching over the unconscious group like a still statue that was already there from the beginning.
"Ummm…. don't you think that your questions were half good and half…..I don't know, silly… I mean really you asked him how many meals he had and the name of the knights in his unit?"
Vivian said in a common voice it was not low as before because she knew that now Ivan aura field was activated so unless there was a rank four outside the lap room there would not be anyone who could hear them talk they could even shout and no one would be able to hear anything.
"Sigh…are asking this because you seriously don't understand or because your testing me"
Ivan said in a disappointing voice and all Vivian could do is look around dumbfounded because she felt that she asked something dumb but she doesn't know why.
"Ummm…ahhh…y…yeah of course I'm testing you to see how good you are at investigating questions af…after all your the one who does the questioning here so I just wanted to make sure that your as qualified in mind as you are qualified in strength…sooo… can you explain…please"
Ivan gave a deeper sigh now, he thought to himself "this air headed maid might not be the traitor after all… still this stupidity can be all an act" he did turn around but he was able to look at her through the eyes of his wolf that was facing her.
"There's no way I could ever confirm if David was the traitor or not even if I asked ten thousand questions because if a faction or force was able to intrude into the archduke main castle the third most powerfull defended place after the imperial castle and the mage tower that only means they have the ability to gather information and enough recourses which is not something even a higher force can do so I asked him these questions to confirm that if he was the traitor for how long was he here was he a traitor since the very start who was able to buy pass the orders heavy investigations or was he a double ganger who killed the original David Cromwell and took his identity not long ago it's very important to know the time as to know the way we were infiltrated so that we can guard against it in the future and possibly find the hidden force behind and of course he could be innocent and the real intruder is one of the five maids or my other knight but don't let your guard down for all you know I could be the intruder and all this is just my ploy to trick all of you and to me too you could be the intruder.."
Ivan said considering every possibility and Vivian couldn't help but smirk at his words thinking to herself.
"Hahahaha worthy of a rank four holly knight of the grand archduke order he even doubt himself considering if he was unconsciously under someone's mind control or if there was a hidden white spirit hiding in his aether body waiting for the time to take control…though that could be the case for me too…ugggh! That's so exhausting why did lady Selleni take the two wisdom wizards with her only one is enough though….if there was truly an intruder doesn't that mean I will not be held accountable for everything hmmm nothing about this is normal first how could a nine year old kid with a body as weak as an autumn leaf and was watched since birth be able to perform an illusion magic that was able to deceive a rank three experienced isper like me and on top of that he was able to reach the top op this tower to the alchemy lap room even a rank one with enhanced speed would need an hour at the least to reach here let alone a child who is weaker ten times than those his age and was able to activate the alchemy circle in the lap room even a rank three alchemist would need twenty minutes to do that something is one hundred percent fishy about this….its not my fault entirely so I won't be punished heavily"
Vivian mood cheered up at realising that then she thought again and wanted to smack her forehead.
"Fu@k, that David must have realised that from the start otherwise why would he not charge here the second he woke up and saw that his commander's guard wolves were out, he must have already had his suspicions that's why he kept away from everyone in silence yet he threatened me that I will get most of the punishment even though he knew to that something was not right….sigh good play tainted creature I never expected that a blood creature could be that intelligent so I put my mental guard down this one is on me now I'm sure that everyone outside was laughing their asses out on me"
Vivian mood darkened again but not as intensely as before though now her guard had risen up to it at most, this situation was not as simple as she thought after all three years of serving at the archduke castle had weakened her sharp senses and because of the peaceful environment her hunter state of mind had been watered down.
But now that she has realized how dangerous the situation is her hunter instinct had awakened once more, in this state her intelligence would not be raisn and her battle strength would not be upgraded but she will be like a wild beast who survived it's whole life in the jangel with no pack to protect it, surviving purely on raw instinct to survive and kill whatever that threatens it's existence.
Now even the rank four Ivan who is a rank and three stages higher than her could feel the dangerous aura emitting from her.
"hmmm...so she has awakened her hunter instincts again..... at least right now I know that her class is really a hunter and not a shape shifter so the possibility of Vivian being dead and a shape shifter taking her identity is low.... There's still a possibility of her having an ancient artifact that can fabricate another class aura but such artifacts are extremely rare but under these circumstances everything is possible so I will leave it at 20%...for now"
"hey redhead I can hear your thoughts from a mile away so how about this none of us can trust any of us right now until head maid Selleni arrives so how about we both take six steps away from the young master and keep watching him this way if you were the intruder I Will at least be able to use my method to hold you back until the others come and if I was the intruder we'll.... do you really believe that a rank three like me would be able to defeat a rank four like especially that you specialize in close combat and have two rank two and one rank three spiritual aura bests I mean even if I was a rank four disguised as a rank three we would be evenly matched at best and you'd still have reinforcement and if you refused my suggestion and don't offer a better one I will treat you as the real intruder and act at it right now even if my story will end in this lap room"
Vivian said her posture becoming more firm as she awaits Ivan's reply and after six seconds Ivan made a move, he silently walked six steps away from the young master's body and Vivian did the same as they both stand in complete silence.
"phew if he didn't move and attacked me I would have been dead before the reinforcement arrives.... Now we just have to wait until she arrives"
(hey everyone ☺️ sorry for the late update I had a lot of things to do lately since it's my first year at college but now I'm free..... For now at least 😬.... Anyways I've worked hard on this chapter and I would really appreciate it if some of you left their comments and opinions even if they are harsh ones I will treat them as lessons to grow my writing even more and thanks for reading this chapter I'll await you in the next one🤗.