Black Sword and Fragments [Vol. 1: Unforeseen Conspiracy]

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Allastor's new sword

To the west side of the Kreo Kingdom's capital, inside the room of a wooden house, a man that is already in his middle age can be seen sitting on a rather dusty chair. His mustache and beard are well-trimmed, making them fit on his brown hair. The pair of his eyes are also brown, and it can be said that he is almost close to the description of handsomeness. 

Using the tip of his fingers, he keeps on tapping his desk while reading the content on the piece of paper. 

Honestly, there is another pile of papers sitting on his desk from side to side, even so, those piles of papers are only a small portion of the hordes of papers from the shelf on his back.

Not long after, the man stops reading the paper when a maiden wearing shining metal armor appeared.

The maiden then knelt while her violet hair is being rippled by the weak wind.

There is an X mark scar on the right side of his forehead and it gives a masculine presence—contrary to the beautiful face and body of the maiden.

“Oh, am I seeing what I am seeing? What query does ms. Knight Commander Lorine Blacksword has to come to this place?”

“Guild Master Haxus Dariuvus of Adventurer's gui—”

“No, no.” Haxus shook his head as he cut her word. “It's not necessary to be formal, don't kneel on me. I'm just the master of adventurer's guild, I couldn't be compared to the knight commanders.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he smirked as he put his thumb up. “I'll be much more comfortable if you will just call me by my name alone.” 

Lorine Blacksword stood as she nodded in response. “Okay, Haxus.”

“That's it. See, it sounds better.” Simultaneously when he was saying those words, Haxus immediately appeared like a ghost in front of the maiden. He is currently brushing off the dust from her knees. “You shouldn't kneel on me, I'm not our noble Lord King Leonardo.”

When he returned from his sit, again, he spoke full of energy. “Now, now. I want to hear your query much better.”

Lorine nodded. She sighed. “So yeah, sir Haxus, I came here due to the order of General Ayanno Nightangel and our Lord. We are really sorry for the delay in the news.”

“Delayed of the news?...” His eyebrows jumped at what he heard. He is wondering what could be this news that the very King of the Kreo Kingdom is involved. Let alone General Ayanno. It is really unusual for one of the Platinum ranks to get involved.

Still, he didn't ask. Instead, he waited for the maiden to finish what she is saying. 

“The palace didn't wait anymore for the action of adventurer's guild because of the sudden change in circumstances. General Ayanno who's supposed to be just peeking inside the Kurnell Forest's disturbance, oddly discovered that the green cougars were owned by Ballion Ibzaar's group. The truth is, he just accidentally saw the group of sleeping young men with their green cougars. And when they woke up, General Ayanno started collecting them information about the Green Cougar's invasion.”

When he heard that, he became dazed for a moment. It was almost a week has passed, but his people aren't starting the investigation of the Kurnell forest yet. Though, he couldn't blame them either for the Adventurer's Guild's Government having no total control over their adventurers. 

The green cougars that used to roam inside the Kurnell Forest are very aggressive, causing the novice rankers to be deprived to train inside. But, now that he heard that this case has been solved, the heaviness he felt has been lifted. Be that as it may, on the other side of what the maiden had said, the man can't help but ask.

“Ballion Ibzaar owned those magicule beasts? Then, he might have a King Leopard bonded beast that can control those monsters.”

As a response, Lorine shook her head. “That's what I would like to believe either. But General Ayanno said that there are no bonded beast's presence he felt in that area, let alone a King Leopard's presence. That crazy brother of General stallion is directly controlling a magicule beasts without any help from a bonded beast.”

Haxus Dariuvus' eyes popped out. “What? directly controlling a wild magicule beasts?! That's broken! How could he do it?!”

Lorine shook her head again. “We don't have any idea either. Still, the investigation about this has already begun.”

“I see... Still...” Whispered by haxus.

He doesn't know how he could respond to the maiden commander. The truth is, not only his novice adventurers have been affected by the loss of balance in the echo system of the Kurnell Forest, even the novice royal soldiers have been affected either. Just like the adventurers, novice soldiers are also training there.

“So Ballion was the one behind that another perversion again.” Earnestly said Haxus. He clenched his fist, in spite of that, not long after, his hands relaxed as he sighed.

“I really feel sorry for what happened. Even I don't even know what to do to Ballion Ibzaar anymore. When I tried to discipline him before, General Stallion Ibzaar threatened me...”

“This world isn't fair... Only a man with heavy influence and strong power has the freedom to express their thoughts unrestrictedly.”

It was as if the looks of the Guild Master has aged more when his forehead wrinkled. “If only I have enough strength that is beyond platinum rankers...”

Lorine felt a little sadness about what Haxus has expressed. Both of them had the strength of a Gold Rank ranker, but they know that it isn't enough for their thoughts to express in the whole kingdom. They needed much more strength.

In truth, she feels empathy for what Haxus have felt. Knight commander Lorine also dreamed to become stronger. However, it has another reason behind it. She wanted to become much stronger to make the status of all the people even and balanced. In addition, there are people she wanted to pay.

“Tsahahahaha!” Haxus' expression changed when he laughed loudly. “Oh men, I've gone dramatic again. I'm really sorry, Ms. Lorine.”

Seeing the ridiculous expression of the man, Lorine smiled. She accompanied the laugh of the Guild Master. After a moment, the silence between them returned. “I'll get to the point, sir Haxus Dariuvus. With regards to Ballion Ibzaar, the king requested the expulsion of Ballion Ibzaar, including the termination of all his rights as an adventurer.”

The maiden then took a rolled paper beside her sword sheath and he gently placed it on the Adventurer's Guild Master's desk. “You also don't need to worry about the reaction of General Stallion anymore. Along with the Lord and the other generals, he is one of the people who signed and agree to the expulsion of Ballion Ibzaar to the Adventurer's Guild.”

“In addition, you are invited by the Lord to join the discussion that will be held inside his majesty's chamber.” The maiden smiled when she continued. “Your presence, sir, is needed as one of the ears and eyes of the discussion.”

*   *   *   *

Another month has passed since Allastor Frauzz became an adventurer. Aside from Roderick Flameberg, one of the lookout officers and officials of The Adventurer's Guild, some of the adventurers from the government became close to Allastor as well. These adventurers are of the children he grew up with within the orphanage. Aside from Allastor, the other two children choose the profession of Adventurer.

Currently, Allastor is now Level four Bronze ranker. His strength can now be compared to a newborn green cougar. In Allastor's mind, if only his cursed sword wasn't absorbing the larger portion of the magicules he is trying to absorb, might be, he isn't only a level four right now.

Allastor's effort to strengthen his body is double the effort of the other rankers. Nonetheless, compared to the normal rankers, increasing his level is still much slower. Aside from the violent suction power of his cursed sword to the supposed to be his magicules, in those days that passed, the young man realized that there are wrong with his body; Even if the fact that his sword steal his supposed to be magicule energy to be removed, compared to the normal rankers, his body needed to consume more magicules to increase his level.

In those days that passed as well, the increase in his level became good news for Allastor Frauzz. While on the other hand, the return of peacefulness from the Kurnell Forest became good news for the novice rankers. The news about the green cougars' disappearance from the forest of Kurnell has spread. Thus, a lot of novice rankers have started training in that forest again.

Currently, now that a month has passed, Allastor's attention isn't focused on the ways he could increase his level. 

His mind is only focused on the challenge of the old man merchant, the old man who gave “Black Requiem” or the cursed to Allastor.

Allastor fulfilled his promise that he will give his cursed sword a proper name if he can leave the dangerous situation he had in the Kurnell Forest. He named his sword “Black Requiem”. But now, he is expecting a certain person to fulfill his promise to Allastor. The old man merchant promised that he will let Allastor pick any weapon he would like for free. Only if Allastor can come back alive after a month. And now that a month has passed, Allastor is now ready to face the old man.

*   *   *   *

From the wide and noisy place, in Kreo Kingdom's Capital, hordes of Kreo Kingdom's citizens spread on this place as their simultaneous shouts mixed on each other. Their voices mixed as if creating an unusual language. This is the wide place where every merchant's tent could be seen. There are tents in the hallways, as well as in the sidewalks. There are also carriages passing by as they are waiting for the call of a potential passenger. Each of them is doing their everyday work to survive the other day to come.

On the other side of the queued merchant's tents, an old man is currently wrapping a pair of tomahawks in an old newspaper. The rising of his white mustache can be seen when his customer hand over his payment. 

“Aha? Hmm, yep-yep.” The nodding old man said as he count the coins in his hand. He smiled widely and it is as if his looks became younger when the wrinkles on his forehead stretched out. “One gold coin and thirty silver coins, just exactly the price I'm asking. Hohoho.”

The old man hand over the wrapped tomahawk from his customer. “Thank you so much. I hope that you will come and visit my little shop again, young mister!”

“Thank you too, old man.” Sarcastically said the man before he walked his way away from the merchant's tent. 

The old man was dazed when he heard the word “old man”. He knows that he is already old, but it isn't good for him to hear that he was being called “Old man”.

The old man shook his head and frowned. “Snappy children these days...Next time, I'll tell my customer about my good name before entertaining them.”

The old man sighed. He observed the group of gold and silver coins in his hands. He separated the gold coin from them and lifted it—causing it to shine in the ray of the sun king.

After a moment, while loving the noble looks of the gold coin...

“Hey, old man!”

His nose smoked and it is as if a pair of horns sprouted on his forehead. “Brando! My name is Brando Greya!”

Allastor immediately covered his ears. They also got the attention of other people, still, they didn't dare to notice the observing eyes on them. Allastor awkwardly scratched his head. “Okay. I got ya. You don't need to shout. I didn't even know that your name is Brando, old sir.”

Brando greya became calmed the moment he heard those words. “Hohoho. So what is this you are looking for in my little shop, young s—”

The old man was dumbfounded. He blinked multiple times and he as well rubbed both his eyes. 

“Wait a minute. Holy moly...” The old man paused as he stepped back for a bit. “Kid, you are alive!”

Allastor shrugged his shoulder confidently. “Heh. I told you, old sir, if it is my time to perish, then I couldn't do anything with it. That cursed sword couldn't be able to fight the fate I have if the fate didn't want me to die.”

Silence enveloped the two. The young man is expecting something from the old man.

Allastor smirked widely. “Oh come on. You sure that it is the only thing you wanted to say to me?”

“What do you mean?” the confused old man said. 

Allastor tsk as he continued. He sighed. “You sure are forgetful, huh, old sir. How could you not remember your promise last month.” 

As soon as he heard that, sweats dripped down on his forehead. However, while looking at the confident expression of the young man, Brando Greya let out a calm smile.

He couldn't help but whisper in his mind. “Amazing. He survived using that cursed sword for a month. He has also changed. He has now some confidence on his sleeves.”