Side Story: Missing Alper part 2
Olyver Rein POV
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The journey back to House Luminari unfolded in agonizing steps, each stride weighed down by an overwhelming sense of suffocation, urging me to flee from the unbearable reality. Eva trailed behind me, her presence marked by a quiet, palpable depression. She moved with a subdued demeanor, a reflection of the collective weight of sorrow that seemed to have drained the life from her eyes. Yet, I couldn't fault her; the shared tragedy we carried was a burden too heavy for words.
Gripping what remained of the young lord as evidence of his tragic end, I grappled with the task of delivering the news to our superiors. Questions tormented my thoughts—had we been too slow in our search? Was there anything more we could have done to save him? The young master's harrowing days trapped in an inescapable hole, only to meet a grisly fate at the hands of some monstrous entity, haunted my contemplations.
I looked ahead and finally saw the towering walls of House Luminari, it felt like ages had passed away. Contrary to initial assumptions, House Luminari wasn't just a big house; it stood as a clan, equipped with the full spectrum of facilities and infrastructure.
My responsibility now lay in presenting our report to our leader, knowing that an impending interview awaited us. The gravity of our failure loomed over us, with deadly consequences set to unfold once the consequences of our actions were laid bare.
As we reached the gates of our clan, an unexpected figure caught my attention—Erza Ironshaper. He strode purposefully into the clan, his back facing us, but his long red hair stood out unmistakably. Erza, one of the most formidable Metalweavers in the clan, held the crucial responsibility of training the young generation, including our young master. A man of few words, he possessed a keen intellect, strictness tempered with humility, and was universally respected by all who looked up to him.
"Sir Erza," it wasn't my voice but Eva's that called out. Glancing back at her, I witnessed a look of horror on her face, as if the sight of Sir Erza had caused her to reach a breaking point. Falling to her knees, she began to apologize profusely.
Fortunately, the cover of night shielded our vulnerable states from prying eyes. Erza, turning around to assess our condition, shifted from his usual stoicism to a more serious demeanor.
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Erza Ironshaper POV
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"...And then you immediately concluded that the Young Lord was dead?" I inquired, my tone laden with weariness.
"Yes, Sir," Olyver replied, his voice tinged with resignation.
Pinching my temples, I surveyed the sorry states of the rescue team before me. Alper's disappearance had thrown our entire clan into disarray, the chaos escalating with each passing day. Morale among the troops had plummeted, and the atmosphere within our clan was fraught with tension. If word of our vulnerability reached our rival clans, we would be attacked almost instantly.
I didn't have much of an opinion on Alper; he was a sweet child, and my role was merely that of his teacher in Metalweaving. Despite my attempts to impart the basics of the craft, he consistently veered towards Alchemy for reasons unknown. However, what truly irked me were these two hapless individuals before me.
"So, you discovered that not only was the cave intentionally concealed, implyingan assassination attempt, but you also came across Alper's shoes and immediately assumed he was dead?" I questioned, my frustration evident in my tone.
"I... the entire place was covered in blood," one of them stammered.
"Show me the shoes," I commanded, gesturing toward the muddy and bloodied footwear they held. As I inspected the familiar white shoes, a surge of anger overcame me. "You fools!" I shouted, unable to contain my frustration at their hasty and misguided conclusions.
The shoes appeared to be in perfect condition despite being covered in blood and mud. Typically, when one loses their shoes, there's some form of damage, whether it's to the threads or another issue. Yet, upon inspection, there was no visible damage, almost as if they had been removed intentionally.
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Could Alper have orchestrated this to deceive his would-be assassins into thinking he was dead? It was a clever ploy, one that spoke to his resourcefulness and quick thinking. I found myself impressed by Alper's ingenuity, and this revelation sparked a glimmer of hope within me. If he was capable of such cunning, then perhaps there was a chance he was still alive.
"Let's go back to the cave; he might still be alive!" I exclaimed, urging them to run back. Shock painted their faces before determination took over. The mere chance of hope breathed life back into their expressions, transforming them from despondent to the resolute faces of soldiers.
Any plans to collect materials for my other students could wait; our immediate priority was to return to the cave without wasting another moment. Upon reaching the site after a few minutes, we swiftly descended into the cave. I surveyed the surroundings, noting the empty box-shaped holes in the dirt and stone before reaching the pool of blood that had initially sparked despair.
Drawing on my knowledge of Alchemy, I employed the Blood extraction technique. As I analyzed the extracted blood, a revelation dawned on me.
This is the blood of a muck worm.
“Oh my god, Alper, you're a genius." I whispered to myself, a mixture of admiration and relief coursing through me.
"Sir Erza?" Eva questioned, her expression filled with concern.
"Let me quickly explain what's happening. Somebody threw Alper down here; I don't know their reasons, but it's definitely an assassination attempt. Alper was probably hurt, but he knows Alchemical emergency aid, so he should be fine," I explained, pausing briefly to gather my thoughts. "He then encountered a muck worm and killed it using dirt and stone materials, as evidenced by the missing cube-shaped holes in this cave. While I don't know the method he used to defeat the worm, after that, just to throw off his pursuers, he left behind his pair of shoes as a decoy. Unfortunately, you two were the ones who got tricked."
"B-But how are you sure that you're correct, and Alper is still alive?" Olyver interjected.
"That's very simple. If we press on, we should see more signs of Metalweaving or any other activity, so let's move," I asserted, urging them to continue.
As we hurried ahead, descending into the hole, my expectations were confirmed. The cave showed signs of activity—glowing flora was missing, the small pond had been disturbed, and scattered glowing mushrooms indicated a cautious assessment for potential threats. Notably, a chunk of glowing ore farther away displayed similar cube-shaped holes.
"Congratulations, soldier. Not only is the young master alive, but he's an absolute genius," I declared, allowing a rare smile to grace my face.
Alper's Metalweaving mastery sat at a mere 2 points, equivalent to that of a newborn, yet he had managed to navigate his way through challenges using his limited skills and a touch of alchemy. It was akin to a two-year-old surviving an encounter with a monster—a feat that defied all logical expectations.
Regret surged within me for underestimating Alper to such an extent. Determined to rectify this oversight, I made a silent vow to advocate for his potential. Once we retrieved him, I planned to engage in discussions with the other teachers, urging them to permit me to guide Alper in his training. With proper mentorship, there was no doubt in my mind that Alper had the potential to master Metalweaving, surpassing his current limitations and achieving remarkable progress with just a few stat points in MV mastery.
I retrieved a transmission tablet, a sleek black stone adorned with a 3x3 grid of buttons, and entered a combination. Moments later, it blinked to life with a white and blue light, signaling a successful connection. I waited patiently until I heard the voice of a familiar man emanating from the device.
"Hello?" the voice of Lord Alaric greeted me.
"Lord Alaric?" I responded.
"Erza. What do you want now?" His tone was gruff, understandably so given the circumstances. The uncertainty surrounding his child's disappearance would understandably fray anyone's nerves.
“It’s about your son, Lord Alper.”
“… What did you find out?” He sounded scared.
"Firstly, I must commend your child's ingenuity. I owe you an apology—" I began, intending to offer praise for Alper's resourcefulness, but I was abruptly cut off.
"IF YOU HAVE BAD NEWS, THEN SPIT IT OUT! STOP BEATING AROUND THE BUSH!" Lord Alaric's interruption was sharp and direct, revealing the raw emotions he was grappling with.
My attempt to offer a compliment to Alper might have been misconstrued as an attempt to soften the blow of delivering unfortunate news regarding his well-being. I realized my mistake and vowed to be more direct in my communication moving forward.
"Our young lord Alper is alive," I announced swiftly, and a stunned silence followed on the other end of the transmission tablet.
"Erza, are you speaking the truth?" Lord Alaric's voice wavered, laden with disbelief.
"That's precisely why I'm contacting you. While I can confirm Alper's current state as alive, I cannot ascertain for how long," I explained.
"W-What do you mean!?" Lord Alaric's urgency was palpable.
"Prepare a scout team of 20 individuals skilled in cave navigation. I will send two members of the rescue team, Eva and Olyver, back to the barracks to brief you on the situation. In essence, someone attempted to assassinate Alper, but he outsmarted them and is now lost in a cave. That's what I was attempting to convey earlier, but it seems you misunderstood. Regardless, I am on my way to search for him before he falls victim to some monster. Hurry, time is of the essence," I instructed, concluding the call abruptly.
Turning to the remaining members of the rescue team, I ordered them to ascend while I prepared to embark on the mission to locate Alper.