Chapter 12: Strange Creature
A partially open door seized my attention. Through the slender gap, faint rays of light managed to slip through. Stepping closer, I gently nudged the door, revealing the room concealed beyond. The chamber was far more spacious than an ordinary living room, dominated by a peculiar cage draped in black fabric at its center.
Inside the room, approximately seven individuals were present. They shared a common characteristic – a sense of refined elegance, dressed uniformly in fashionable black attire. There were four gentlemen and three ladies, with my entrance increasing the male count to five.
As I stepped into the room, a palpable tension gripped the atmosphere, freezing it in an instant. Nevertheless, I maintained a nonchalant demeanor, confidently advancing into the room, my sharp eyes meticulously surveying the environment.
The Lawyer was a man in his mid-twenties, distinguished by square-framed eyeglasses perched on his nose. His well-maintained black hair was neatly cut, and even his nails bore evidence of meticulous care.
In stark contrast, the Butcher, also garbed in formal attire, had a fuller frame, accentuated by a noticeable double chin. His robust appearance set him apart from the others in the room.
The Prophet, on the other hand, was a blonde woman in her twenties, adorned in opulent floor-length dresses, cinched by tight corsets that accentuated an hourglass silhouette. Her choice of black attire, rather unusual for women in this era, made her stand out in the gathering.
As my gaze roamed the room, it alighted on two figures who were notably distinct from the rest. Among the figures, one was enveloped in a black cloak, hood pulled low to obscure their features entirely. He wore black trousers, and a pocket watch dangled from his belt, a shadowy enigma known simply as The Unknown.
Beside this elusive presence stood a man, donned in the attire of a mature butler, graced by grey eyes that spoke of experience. He was The Old Man.
I couldn't help but exhale a silent sigh, bearing the weight of the unspoken hierarchy within this concealed assembly. The Unknown and The Old Man occupied a distinct echelon, exalted by their status. The Old Man held the prestigious rank of a Gate 1 wizard, while The Unknown's position remained ensconced in enigma.
From the book, I had only uncovered the code names of five individuals. Fortunately, among these five, three commanded reverence and authority.
The remaining code name was my own – Echo. With this realization, I approached the pair, their unique presence beckoning me closer. The others averted their gazes, acknowledging the distinction as I took my place alongside The Unknown and The Old Man.
As I positioned myself next to The Unknown and The Old Man, my focus shifted towards the last two members. Two women with raven-black hair stood before me, clad in elegant floor-length dresses accentuated by corsets. An uncanny resemblance indicated they were most likely twins. Their poised and dignified demeanor suggested a well-to-do upbringing. I yearned to uncover their code names, so I directed my gaze their way.
Upon feeling the weight of my attention, both women visibly shuddered, refusing to meet my eyes. I couldn't help but wonder, am I that scary? Pitying their unease, I chose to avert my gaze, providing the left twin with a sigh of relief.
A moment of silence engulfed the room, but it was thankfully broken before the awkwardness settled in.
Then, the voice...?
A familiar monotonous AI-like voice entered my ears, the same voice from the person who visited me last night, the one who gave me that mysterious book.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Once again, welcome to everyone. Now that The Echo has also appeared, let's not delay the meeting any longer. Who knows, the enforcers might suddenly pop out of thin air and exclaim 'Freeze!' This is a Raid!' and arrest us all. Haha."
I couldn't help but question if this was supposed to be funny. Perhaps it would have been humorous if there was a bit of emotion in it, but it was as monotonous as an AI voice. To visualize it better, it was like listening to a rock speaking these words, peculiar and devoid of life. And the "Haha" at the end only added to the creepiness.
This was a sick man, I say, a sick man.
"Well, let's not get off topic," he continued. "All of you must know by now that 'Sir' is in a dangerous situation. Since Mr. Clown has betrayed us, our order is in a tough situation. We can't even give our new member, The Doll, a grand warm welcome." He said as he looked towards the lady on the left.
"There's no need for that," The Doll replied, her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment. This made me raise an eyebrow. Wasn't she too innocent to join such an organization?
As an experienced reader, a story started to form in my mind as I observed her reaction. Could it be that her sister was the one who joined this organization first, and The Doll joined to ensure her sister's safety?
But it wasn't the time for such speculations. I focused all my attention on The Unknown's voice.
"Based on all the evidence provided by The Echo," he paused for a moment, looking at me before continuing, "it appears that Mr. Clown is collaborating with the Life Alchemist or the magical alchemist. We've already confirmed that the alchemist is associated with The Secret Society. Hence, it's safe to assume that Mr. Clown is now on the opposite end of the gun range."
We all listened attentively to his words. "Furthermore, he had been a part of the secret society for a considerable time, and none of us detected that he had already attained the rank of a Gate 1 wizard. It must be due to some sort of concealment artifact." The Butcher raised his hand to ask a question.
"Sir Unknown, doesn't that mean we're all in a pretty bad situation, except for you? Our identities are compromised."
"Indeed," Unknown confirmed. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy once more. This Mr. Clown was proving to be quite the nuisance.
"He is a clown, a troublemaker, after all. Hahahaha." He once again gave that monotonous laugh. Was that supposed to be funny? His laugh sounded uglier than a cry. It felt like someone was forcing him to laugh.
"Putting jokes aside, it's fortunate that none of our members have lost their lives." Jokes? I wondered where the humor came into play.
"Things are about to get extremely chaotic. The Devil's Day is approaching, and now that the masked ones' identities have been exposed, there's a constant threat looming over us.
On the brighter side, we may have the chance to operate more openly," he said. Quite the optimist, I thought to myself.
The Unknown then cast a glance at The Old Man, who promptly cleared his throat.
"Well, we've also managed to secure some advantages for our organization."
Finally, someone sounding like a regular human, I thought to myself. His tone had a subtle coldness to it, but at least there were emotions in his voice.
In the next moment, he produced a black card adorned with golden stripes, featuring the words "Dark Wizard Association" in the center. Four dark crystals adorned each corner of the card.
While I didn't recognize the card, judging from the expressions and reactions of the others, it was evidently a significant item.
"It's the association's VIP card. With this, you'll be granted VIP status at any illicit establishment in the city."
Hmm, quite convenient, I mused, my gaze fixed on the card. He proceeded to produce seven more of these cards, inviting the other members to collect them. Even The Unknown and I accepted one.
After handing out the cards, the Old Man's attention shifted to the cage. With a cigarette between his lips, he gestured toward a cigar case, offering it to me. Accepting the case, I took out a cigarette and lit it with my own lighter. The Old Man followed suit, allowing the tips of our cigarettes to catch fire in unison.
As we both took a drag, the Old Man began, "And, we possess something that can significantly increase our chances of eliminating the target." Stepping toward the cage, he grabbed the black cloth covering it and unveiled what lay inside.
The creature's grotesque appearance featured smoldering and smoky skin that covered its muscular head, riddled with cracks. Strangely, it lacked a nose, sporting instead two gaping holes.
Curiously, it appeared that most of its muscular mass was concentrated in its head, while the rest of its body appeared emaciated and disturbingly tall. It resembled a desiccated corpse, its unnaturally green eyes piercing through the horror. On its back, white thorns protruded from its spinal column.
Even its fingers terminated in bony, claw-like protrusions, mirroring its teeth.
What the F*ck?!
Was this being truly an abomination, or did it belong to an entirely different realm? My confusion deepened as I noticed the presence of slave chains adorned with runes that seemed to keep this creature in check.