The Young Master in the Shadows

“I am telling you, she is definitely up to no good…” Victor said for the 45th time that night as he ate his dinner. “Why else would she keep roofieing me?”

“Drop this subject already! It is super untasteful!” Ariana scolded him. “Was her lordship healed?” she asked Rosette.

“Yeah… But this is top secret,” Rosette said.

“I know…” Ariana nodded. “Did she have to erase his memories?”

“No idea…” she sighed. “But she might not want others to know something…” Somehow, she felt what Victor was going through, until she gained the Lord’s trust, her memories were erased each time she went to meet her.

“...” Victor also sighed as he looked at the death thread looming over his head. Although this thread meant that the Storm lord planned to kill him, it was clear that she was not going to do that while he was in this world, keeping up with the contract. She was going to wait until he left.

“Cheer up, guys… At least now, we can finally return home and leave this stupid primitive world!” Mirai commented. “Your master will send us back right…”

“Didn’t hear from him yet… He is probably waiting for the Storm lord to give him that piece of land to form that stupid Demon Hunting Sect…” Victor said.

“Ah, right…I forgot to tell you,” Rosette said. “The storm lord already issued a decree… Someone will come tomorrow to take you there!”

“Really?” Victor asked.

“Yeah… Will your master appear?”

“No idea, he told me to activate a summoning talisman as soon as I find a suitable place!” Victor shrugged. “I don’t know why; I am sure he is dodging that storm Lord for some reason… I bet there is something fishy between them!”

“Just drop it…” Rosette sighed as she rolled her eyes.

“Ok…” Victor sighed. “Where is Macil and Meril anyway?” he suddenly asked.

“I sent them with Lyra to grab a few things… If we are returning to Trilaria, I want to buy a few things that would be sold at a good price!” Ariana was the one who answered.

“Oh… Good point!” Victor nodded. He should do that too, but since yesterday, his mind has been too preoccupied with thinking about his next step.

It was perfectly clear that he needed to leave this world ASAP, but now he had three problems.

The first was him being worried about Rosette and Aerith. Victor suspected that the Storm lord might have parts of their souls. The reason for this was what happened with Lazarus. Victor used the soul poison to kill him, so his soul couldn’t have survived. Despite this, the Medium old woman managed to summon him successfully. This could only mean another part of his soul might have been preserved somewhere. Thankfully, due to the soul poison’s amazing properties, the moment the synchronization succeeded, that soul fragment also shattered!

For this, he planned to make sure that all of them would be unconscious and sealed in the cauldron during the trip. That way the lord would not be able to use them, and after that, she would have no incentive to kill them as they would be her window to spy on Trilaria!

The second problem was what to do with the girls in the cauldron. The moment he saved their lives, they really became his responsibility, whether they liked it or not. At first, he was really considering this Demon Hunting sect as a way to keep them safe here and build a base, but it was going to be tricky now. He was really worried that the lord might do something bad to them if he really managed to escape.

The solution for this was simple, too; he just needed to scam them into thinking that he was only doing Vic a favor and didn’t care about them. Maybe faking the killing of one of them would do the trick… After that, when the Storm lord interrogates them, she would find out that they meant nothing to the old man, and she would also be wary of Vic, whom she might suspect to be the Emperor of Trilaria!

The third problem was the trickiest, and it was the fact that the bitch wanted to kill him, or maybe kill his master. This must be because of his Authority, although he limited it using the disguise, there was a limit to what he could do if he wanted it to function, and that book was not something he expected!

That number must have made the storm lord begin to salivate like the rabid bitch she was. She might be planning to do something the moment he leaves this world, as he would no longer be protected by their agreement.

He still had no idea how to scam her. Although he might be able to use a fake gate to scam her and escape, she might have a way to wait for him outside this world when he leaves.

All he could think of at the moment was that he should probably devour that hammer. Its effect would allow him to safely escape after taking a hit from the Storm lord. And if he was lucky and the skill it gave him was greater, he might be able to do something more… Thinking about it for a moment, he remembered that thing that he didn’t get to use in the auction. It would be perfect now, but the timing should be very precise!

Thinking for a moment, he turned to Rosette. “I want to go to sleep… Don’t wake me up for dinner… I feel too exhausted…” he said as he walked to his room. Hopefully, he won't go into a coma this time!

***

“Let’s go inside! No matter what, keep your position and never panic!” Theta announced then walked into the large iron studded gate, followed by her men.

Right after them, Lily walked arrogantly with her sword, sheathed on her shoulder. It was as if she were some teacher supervising kids on a trip.

The moment they disappeared and the door automatically closed, a certain young man who was acting like he was injured in the camp between the women, the children walked out.

He waited 10 minutes.

“I need to go relieve myself…” he told one of the men who was guarding the camp.

“Do you need help?” the guard said, noting the guy’s grave injury in the knee.

“I will manage…” the young man said as he limped away, straightening up his step as soon as he was out of sight, then turning and heading to Lily's camp at the other side of the door.

It was built out of 4 tents. 3 surrounding a middle one that had Yulian tied within.

“????????…” he uttered as he pointed to the tents one by one and activated a talisman for each.

He waited 1 more minute then sneaked into the central tent.

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There, he found Yulian sleeping while being tied in a very erotic way. Damn that Lily was some real shit!

It didn’t matter.

He walked to Yulian, then slapped his face.

“Ah…. amo-mumu-uuuu-uuu....” Yulian was startled up and began to look around frantically and mumble incomprehensibly. He wanted to say something, but his mouth was gagged.

The young man made a gesture for him to stay silent before unblocking his mouth.

“You are…. Cousin Will!” Yulian exclaimed in shock. “You are here to save me from that crazy bitch?”

“Yes… Didn’t expect you to remember me…. The family sent me to help you…” Will smiled softly.

“Quick untie me…. We need to run!” Yulian hissed fanatically.

“Don’t worry, she is off to fight the boss and will not come back any time soon…” Will said as he began to untie Yulian.

“A boss too? First players, then a dungeon… what’s wrong with this world ....” Yulian asked in shock.

“The family will tell you everything if we make it back,” Will said. “But before that, we will need to survive this place… What’s your class and Authority?”

“I am something called Soul Paladin… My Authority is 10…” Yulian replied truthfully.

“Now really….” Will said, his eyes flashing with greed momentarily.

“Is that good?” Yulian asked as his eyes sparkled like a puppy.

“Yes… But you really shouldn’t tell people that…” Will said.

“Oh… Why would….” Yulian paused as a dagger pierced right through his chest from the back.

“That's why!” Will smirked.

“Ah….” Yulian lifted his head and looked at Will. His expression was not that of shock, but of remorse. “Lily was right, you are really a piece of shit….”

“What…” Will didn’t get to continue as the next moment, the dagger in his hand turned into three crows, flowed out of Yulian’s chest and drilled into his mouth and nostrils.” AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH……………….”

He fell to the ground and began screaming and flashing as if being electrocuted.

Moments later, the crow flew out of him and into Yulian’s hand, turning back into a dagger at the same time he disappeared, turning into a metallic card that fell onto the ground.

“Using a bloodline artifact or a skill against someone with a purer bloodline is beyond stupid, you know…” Yulian, as he grabbed the card and looked at it, felt some remorse.

What Lily said was all true, his uncle was really a piece of shit! If you had asked him a month ago, he would have never believed that his own cousin would come to kill him!

Using this card, he would be able to summon Will as a Puppet Avatar or use his skills using order points. This dagger was one of the family’s top SSS class artifacts, and if it were not for its limitations of needing to know the opponent’s Name, Authority, and Class, it would have never found its way into Will’s hand. It was just that he had a Hypnosis master Class that allowed him to find out those things very easily.

He sighed.

“Now it is for you to keep it!” He turned and threw the daggers at the two twins who walked from the shadows in the tent. They had always been here in case Will decided to kill Yulian immediately.

“Can’t we use it?” Mona asked, looking at the dagger with interest.

“No, it is bloodline locked…” Yulian sighed. “Lily or I will come get it after the family ends their investigation!”

“Understood…” Mana said as she put it in her storage ring. “Will you be ok if they investigate you?”

“My soul, Paladin class makes sure I can’t be affected by any lie detection… And I will have to use this guy's hypnosis skill to alter some of my superficial memories just in case!” he shrugged. This was why Lily proposed this plan when she discovered that Will was here. She told him that she would have her own way of dodging the interrogation.

“Oh…” The twins nodded,” Let’s hope all goes well….” They sighed. He could see they were worried about Mona, but he truly had nothing to say to reassure them.

Like them, he could only wait for Lily to end this dungeon. The moment they walk out, it would be time to face his damn family again and meet his second sister… Tulip! He couldn’t wait. Hopefully, she would be the nice and cute younger sister he had always wanted!

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION

1# QUEST HAS BEEN COMPLETED

9255809 RATS WERE KILLED

2# QUEST HAS BEEN COMPLETED

ZIMBOBO THE RAT KING WAS KILLED

Finally… That was quick though…

“We just telepathically told her that Will was dead…” Mina said, feeling as surprised as Yulian. That was really fast, it was as if the Boss was only waiting to be killed by her!

“I see…” Yulian nodded. That rat kings must have tasted NutSlicer…. That sword was not something his crazy sister should have!

He felt sorry for those guys who were going to oppose her from now on!

Beep…

CONGRATULATIONS!

THE DUNGEON HAS BEEN CLEARED!

FINALIZE IN 1 HOUR

***

“WHAT? You are a lord?” her grandma asked.

“Really?” her great grandma asked.

“Are you sure?” the great-great-grandma asked.

“That’s what the notification said!” Alpha, who sat on the couch in the old wooden house, said as she eyed the new 105-inch OLED display in the corner. Her grandma must have bought it on her trip. There was also a long, thick cable going out of the TV through the corridor and toward the door.

“... Did you tell Ni…Ehm… Victor?”

“No, why would I?” Alpha spat.

“You girl…. He was the one who gave you the spark!”

“He had no idea how precious that thing was….!” Alpha spat.

“You… what if he knew?”

“Ah… I am sure he doesn’t…”

“100% sure?”

“Not exactly…”

“Girl, never betray that guy for now, no matter what… And if you do, the family shall have nothing to do with it!” her great grandma warned.

“Grandma… You guys are too cautious!”

“We learnt to be like this the hard way…” her great-great-grandma said with a grim face. “You should keep that in mind all the time, too…”

“Fine… What does being a lord imply anyway? How does it work? There is nothing in the system about it, my status screen is perfectly normal!” she interrupted.

“Well…” the grandma hesitated. “We don’t know…”

“Give it to her…” finally, the great-great-grandma decided.

“You mean…”

“Yes!”

“Mom…”

“She fits the bill… And this might be our chance!”

“Ok…” the great-grandma stood up and walked to another room, returning 5 minutes later with a box in her hand.

“This is?”

“Your great-great-great-grandma left it…” the great grandma said. “She left instructions that only if someone can be a lord or a lord disciple would they get to open it and see what is inside…”

“Oh… “Alpha frowned as she took the box.

“It is said that it contains a great secret that if revealed to anyone but a suitable one, he would be cursed!” the grandma warned. “About 100 years ago, when my aunt Talma was still the Matriarch, an arrogant young man from the family, he was my cousin Quano’s third son from his fifth wife, the one he married because she had big boobs… Her mother was a fine woman, but due to her being from a low background, the family didn’t approve, and he ended up having to also marry cousin Suzan's daughter Tatila to appease them. The lad had some nice fire-controlling skills, the family thought highly of him, even pulling some strings to send him to study in the hidden Fire Temple …”

“Grandma…”

“DON’T INTERRUPT ME… I am telling you something important here!” the grandma said angrily, using her cane to strike Alpha’s head.

“OUCH… Grandma… Sorry… Can you keep to the subject, please?” Alpha asked politely as she rubbed her head. She didn’t want to taste that again. “What did he do to the box?

“Fine, young people these days are always in a hurry….” She shook her head, and so did the other grandmas. “His poor mother was devastated… He forcefully stole, thinking it contained some secret that would grant him great power,” she sighed. “After looking inside, he began screaming that it was all a lie before going crazy… The poor lad could not remember his own name afterwards… He needed to use diapers for the rest of his life…”

“Ah….” Alpha hesitated.

“It is your choice!”

“I will open it…” Alpha said, “Can I get a private room?”

“Sure… The third one after the stairs has a movable bed in case we need to take you to the hospital…”

“...” Alpha glared for a moment at her grandmother, then turned and left toward the room.

It was mostly empty except for a hospital bed and a metallic hospital potty. She didn’t even want to know what her grandma used that for!

She closed the door, sat on the bed, then turned to the box, opening it.

It didn’t open…

“Eh… Wait…” she finally noticed the antique mechanism locking it, so she unlocked it and tried again. This time it opened.

Inside, there was a blue pulsating gem and a green Skeleton jade key.

That gem was something she knew from her family's implanted memories; it was a memory transfer artifact.

She hesitated for a moment, then touched it.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHh….” she screamed in pain as she fell onto the bed, holding her head.

45 minutes later, she sat up with a shocked expression. “I see... It is all a lie… The bastards!” she gasped, then moments later she felt something begin to rot in her brain.

Instinctively, she knew what to do as her eyes shone with a strange white light. Moments later, the rotting feeling disappeared, and at the same time, the bump caused by her grandma’s stick also healed.

“Eternal lord... Ha.... Amazing…” She said as she began to smirk as she made a signal with her hand, making the status screen change to screen that showed her the things she wanted. She smiled, then as if remembering something she paused and focused on a certain part of her very soul where a small mark that sat silently suddenly shook and then dispersed. “I am free at last… JUST YOU WAIT, VICTOR VON WEISS… I WILL MAKE SURE TO SMACK THAT BUTT OF YOURS INTO OBLIVION!”