“Here, here, and here.”

After entering Marvin’s quarters Arsène poked around to open the secret room where the prince hid his deepest secrets. The defenses in place were opened as easily as if the rightful owner himself were doing it. Almost nothing could escape Viers’ soul search, not when their soul was completely in his grasp.

After walking down a dark staircase, he reached his destination. In the darkness, he beheld all using his Euryale Sight.

“Lord, I’ve gathered the things upstairs,” Farley came from behind.

Arsène directed her to get the valuables, especially the cultivation-related books and scriptures. Marvin got a lot from the duke. However, because of the Arrogant Young Master’s lazy nature, he didn't make full use of the opportunity that would make the less fortunate green with envy.

Marvin didn't bother to learn techniques that seemed lame or things that he deemed beneath him, failing to see the true value inside. A few simply gathered dust on the floor. Viers gratefully took them all. Even if he didn't learn all of them, there were things that his followers and allies could use.

“Lord?” Farley was confused as to why Arsène simply looked to the darkness. Unlike him, she didn't have eyes that could see in the dark.

Not ones that she could control anyway.

Silently, Arsène lit up the lights and illuminated the room. Farley gasped at the sight.

“Dragons…”

Dead dragons, torsos split open, skulls, fangs, wings, dragonets in tubes, this was a laboratory where Marvin experimented on dragons. Nearby, there was a dragon’s egg. Unlike Croix’s, this one seemed to have turned to stone. Since Marvin’s partner didn't hatch when he became a Pathseeker, this was the normal result. Still, it seemed the man wasn't ready to give up just yet.

“All these high-grade dragons… to hatch a dragon he couldn't have,” Farley sighed.

“Marvin’s life was almost free of obstacles. Talent, wealth, status, he had it all. But when his dragon egg didn't hatch, it became a single black spot in his history and turned into an obsession,” Arsène said as he walked to a table with alchemical equipment.

“He managed to create something, at least.”

Something good enough that Arsène went all his way to take it.

Arsène took a small vial of golden tincture. This was an elixir containing the purest essence of 109 dragons. Some of those dragons were at the same tier as Viers’ dragon form. With this, his dragon form would become even more perfect.

Then he also bagged bottles of beautifying oil nearby. Marvin’s unexpected side product from his project. This would make women more beautiful, Dragon’s Grace he called it. He liked the women he took to bed to be pretty so he dispensed the oil to the ones he favored.

This would make a fitting gift for Farley and the others at least.

“Let’s go.”

“Lord, what about all these dragon materials?” Farley asked.

“Useless husk bereft of any essence. Leave it.” All the draconic essence was distilled into the elixir which he already got. “This way.”

Arsène led her to a side room. This one was pitch black. Even the light from the lab seemed to be blocked from entering.

“I feel something… What is it?” Farley asked.

“You can't see it but it is an armor of shade. Shadow armor. Has to be nurtured in special environments like this one. One of Marvin’s greatest gear. Taking it is a bit tricky, but let's just-”

Arsène stopped.

“The duke’s here! Bail bail bail!”

Arsène and Farley dashed upstairs using their movement Artes. The happy shopping hour was up.

“INSOLENT CURS!”

The wrathful shout came from the sky, along with overwhelming pressure. Arsène and Farley emerged from the underground and went to the closest teleportation point.

“We’re here!” Farley took her battle stance and surveyed her surroundings. At the edge of her eye she saw Dia’s portal was already forming. Just a few seconds more and it would be complete, but those few seconds felt incredibly long with a hostile Level 5 around.

A gigantic phantom wolf head came crashing down somewhere else. Farley surmised that was where the Blood Church’s forces were.

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“The cults? You people are bold. I’ll teach you how to fear my anger!”

Another explosion, even bigger than the last one. The shockwave swept over to where Farley and Arsène were.

Then what Farley feared happened. The duke’s attention was on their location.

“Go!”

Arsène pulled her shoulder and shoved her into the portal, along with the loot he’d gotten. He prioritized Farley first because he could respawn. Then he stepped into the portal.

The duke flew towards him like a meteor.

“Marvin? What are you-”

“Thanks for everything, father-in-law,” Arsène-Marvin said smugly. From his face to the Victa signature, Viers’ disguise arts were great enough to fool a Level 5. “But I’ve outgrown you. I'll be going with the Gardeners of Perfection to reach the heights that you aren't able to touch.”

“Marvin!!”

The portal was closed and the bridged space returned to normal. The duke missed Arsène by a split second and his hands grasped only air.

The duke was swimming in questions and the seeming betrayal made him quake in anger. He inflicted that anger on the cultists too late to escape.

“Gardeners… Tch! Cursed pest!”

***

The Gardeners of Perfection was what the devil cult of Teorph called themselves. They were most certainly different from the cult of Yasterah, the Blood Church. They were even more like enemies than friends.

Viers put the blame on the Gardeners as a red herring. If the duke bought his ruse and took action against them then all the better, if not, no skin off his nose. Let the Blood Church deal with it. This was also a strike launched at a certain someone, a cockroach cultist that he wasn't able to kill during the Book World. He wondered what the guy was doing now.

Arsène and Farley’s foray to the duchy for gathering loot went well. They didn't cross everything on their shopping list such as the shadow armor, but they got enough benefits with no losses starting from the top three priorities. All in all, it was an absolute win.

Arsène still had things to do so no merging with Viers for now. Viers only got a report of success and the loot summary.

Less than thirty minutes passed since the duke’s arrival to interrogate Croix to his return to the duchy. He must have gotten word from back home. The distance involved was not insignificant even for a Level 5. For the duke to be back so quickly he must have exerted quite a bit of effort.

In a mere thirty minutes, Arsène and the Blood Church had done a lot, yet the duke’s speedy return prevented him from suffering even more losses.

The Shore got hit quite badly when the duke visited. After Croix regained composure, he immediately tended to the villagers. Those who were healthy only got shaken but some of the injured had their conditions worsened. These people needed help, bad.

Some wouldn't survive without Viers’ help, including the elderly disabled chief. Viers dispensed a tiny portion of cures he hoarded from various places and people. As a result, there were no deaths and further tragedies were prevented.

Viers did not do this out of the kindness of his heart like a better person would. Croix was on the verge of going to the next city in search of healers or potions, which meant Viers would have to accompany him since the road was not safe for the Level 0 princeling with a baby dragon. Since he didn't want to deal with such chores, the villagers were saved. By doing that, he garnered quite a bit of rep and goodwill from his younger lord and the smallfolk of the Shore.

Plus, he was in a good mood after Arsène’s fruitful raid. Spreading the cheer, as the saying went. Santa was coming to Shore.

Or close enough.

“Well, that’s another crisis averted. Let us hope there are no more setbacks. With your permission, I wish to investigate the feasibility of the seaweed farm and the surrounding waters after the tidal wave. The sooner the venture is up and running again, the better. Boram will stay here to guard the village from danger.”

As a water Pathseeker, naturally, he was the man for the job. Although, Croix did not know about that yet.

Croix’s leave came almost immediately, with his employer's be careful as a parting gift.

Viers dived into the sea shortly, mostly driven by the enticement of the potentially precious material of the meteor from beyond the sky.

No rest for the wicked.

***

“Greetings. It warms my heart to see you’re well,” Arsène said with the most professional business smile he could make.

“Is that sarcasm? Can I hit you?”

Iz had bandages that covered half of her face.

“Ahaha, considering the opponent is a Level 5, of course, you look great with only that degree of injury.”

“I’m so tempted to ask the price to hit your face. You would agree, as long as the price is high enough. This I know.”

“Ahh, you know me so well. I’m flattered.”

“Hmph… Speaking pains me so keep it brief, if you would be so kind.”

“I’ll try. So, how much did you lose and how much did you gain?”

“We lost some people, but the gains are more than enough to write it as a profitable venture. The higher-ups are pleased. Personally, my gains are also substantial.”

“As the leader of the raid, even leading multiple Level 4s, you must have gained a lot of accolades. Congratulations are in order, Vice-Vicar.”

“You were there too! We’ve heard. Who else but you can masquerade as Marvin and enter the main palace at that exact time? I feel like I’ve been made Arte fodder to soak up the duke’s wrath. It is a really unpleasant feeling, Tanael.”

Usually, Izabella was more reserved towards Viers, but she was in a heightened emotional state now so she became more frank with her feelings.

We are all chess pieces in the board game of life. Only if you’re strong enough can you become a chess player.

“Hm,” Arsène scratched his chin. “Guess whoever this Marvin impersonator is, he’s quite crafty, yes? What’s Marvin doing anyway? Is he dead?”

Marvin didn't even know the circumstances that led to his capture. Viers scrubbed memories that might implicate him thoroughly. This was not a simple amnesia; there was no chance of him remembering it because part of his soul was gouged out. Then there were two other hidden kill switches that would activate if he acted with hostility to Viers. Viers had to go at least this far for enemies that he let live; he wasn't an idiot.

Yet what of the proud prince’s fate? Arsène did not know.