Chapter 33: Threat Obliterated

After the amazing game of Cross Catch, the palace maids helped Adrian, Marylyn and Ralph settle in the guest rooms of the palace. The maids prepared 2 rooms one had two beds for Adrian and Marylyn and the other is for Ralph. Even the guest rooms are extravagant.

"Mary, do you want to sleep with your big sister?" Chelsea trying to keep Marylyn close to her as she promised to Adrian.

"Yes, yes. Can I?" Marylyn becomes more excited. She is quite sad losing the game but Chelsea's timely invite, she becomes so excited.

"Of course. Let's take a bath together as well." Chelsea nodded her head while smiling seeing the adorable Marylyn.

"Here is your luggage, young miss." Ralph hands over Marylyn's briefcase to her.

"Ralph will be in the same room as me please. We don't need the other room." Adrian said to the maid and she nodded in understanding.

Adrian looks at Chelsea and Marylyn he nodded in satisfaction. The plan is going smoothly. He can bring Ralph as back up because he is the only one that knows Adrian's true strength. Even though he is not as strong as a royal guard, they can still work together to escape cleanly if things go bad.

"Mary, go have fun with the princess all you want." Adrian adds more fuel to Marylyn's excitement.

"Yeay… Let's go big sis Chelsea." Marylyn jumped for joy and run through the halls not knowing she is going the wrong way.

"Wait, Mary. Not that way." Chelsea chased after Marylyn.

"Okay Ralph. You can go take a bath first then please prepare the bath for me. Don't worry, no need to rush, there is still time until dinner is served." Adrian trying to delay Ralph.

"Okay, young master. Excuse me." Ralph nodded and went to bath first.

Adrian sits on the luxurious sofa resting his chin on his hand while staring at a holographic screen showing a 'Map'. He is actually searching the location where he detected the unknown element. With the help of 'Parallel thought' the search took 5 minutes to scan through the forest path he flew through when coming here. Then he saw it. It was almost at the half way point to the capital.

A 4-meter-tall red wolf. It is gnawing on a corpse of an Armoured Stag tearing its metal covered flesh effortlessly.

"What is that? That wolf had 2 lines of black marks on its tail. Only a Moon Wolf had those features. Why is it red? It was supposed to be white. Its fur is… dripping? Is it a mutation?" Adrian is surprise to see a ferocious mutated wolf. A lot of questions popped out of his head.

[Notice. A clue had been found. Conclusion had been reached.]

"You already know about it, Aria? Tell me what you found." Adrian finally heard Aria.

[Responding. The 'dripping fur' showing on the Subject: Moon Wolf is a characteristic of a demonic beast. Subject: Moon Wolf had been mutated to a demonic beast after a prolonged exposure to miasma.]

"Demonic beast? I didn't find anything about demonic beast. Also, what is this 'miasma'? How can it turn something in to a strong thing like that?" Adrian never heard about demonic beast and miasma after researching Etterra.

[Responding. Demonic beast are creatures of the underworld that had been sealed away by the joined efforts of the 7 gods. Miasma are the negative energy that are similar to mana but at the same time they are different as mana symbolizes power while miasma symbolizes 'emotions'.]

"By 'emotions'… it must mean negative emotions such as greed and despair. Those emotions are dangerous. Why is there no written history about this?" Adrian made his deduction on miasma.

[Responding. The event occurred before the establishment of Etterra.]

"I see. Tell me what happen before the establishment of Etterra." Adrian need more answers as he was about to fight a demonic beast that suddenly appear in current time.

[Responding. Etterra was establish by the 7 gods after their victory against the demonic forces. No further details are recorded. Only simplified summary existed.]

"Hmm? Looks like it is either hidden or deleted by the gods." Adrian begins to think on how to kill the wolf then suddenly Ralph comes out of the bath.

"Young master, I'm done, and I have prepared your bath as well." Ralph voice knocks him out of his trance. Adrian nodded and get into the bath while still thinking.

The king and the queen couldn't join us during dinner as they are in an important meeting. Adrian also predicted this. They must be talking about Cross Catch. It does attract others attention. Adrian looks at Chelsea and Marylyn are close. Charles seems like he is… studying?

"Charles? Are you studying?" Adrian curiously asked.

"Yes… Sigh. I haven't finished my homework and studies for today." Charles sighs while showing a redden face.

"It's because you are fooling around before Adrian came here." Chelsea tells the reason why.

"Humph… I won't waste my time with you. Adrian come help me. Please." Charles uses the opportunity to grab Adrian to make his sister jealous.

"Nope." Adrian immediately rejects and goes to Ralph whispering something in his ear. Ralph just nodded.

"Aww…" Charles droops his shoulders felling disappointed.

After dinner, Marylyn and Chelsea are have a girl's sleepover and Charles continues his studying. It is a perfect opportunity for Adrian and Ralph to go out during the night.

Passing through the palace gate, Adrian told the palace guards that he will be having a stroll in the capital. The palace guards nodded and tells Adrian to return before midnight as the guards' changes shift and security becomes tighter.

Adrian and Ralph purchase a robe to cover their expensive clothing and stop by a crowded tavern in the commoner's district. Ralph didn't ask any questions and just follow Adrian along. Adrian was actually hesitating to attack the demonic beast after observing it through 'Map' all this time. That thing is stronger and faster than he expected. It crushes all the monsters in the forest effortlessly.

"Ralph, order some drinks. Anything you prefer." Adrian wants to make the two of them look like a regular customer.

While waiting for Ralph, Adrian keeps observing through the map. He needs to study it to find its weakness or waiting for it to encounter its match.

Suddenly, a small purple figure appeared out of the dark forest. Adrian could not see the details clearly but he knows the figure is small and it is covered by purple robe with a pointy top. The small figure confronts the demonic beast. The beast pounce on the figure. The figure lifted its hand. Adrian saw it, runes arranging itself in to a magic circle forming on the figures hand.

*POOF*

The demonic beast turns to dust. Disappeared into nothingness. Obliterated.

"Young master, I brought the drinks." Ralph came back with the drinks but sees Adrian's jaw are wide open while he is starring towards the wall.

In a small antique bookstore at the market district, a bear man is sleeping on a sofa after cleaning and closing the shop.

*BANG*

The door of the shop slams open, waking the bear man up who was searching for his glasses. A small girl with pointed ears wearing purple robe and purple witch hat enters.

"Emilio! Are there customers today?" Veronica asked while coming into the store like a storm.

"No boss." Emilio replies while grumbling inside, "Of course there are no customers, look at this place and look at the price."

"Sigh… there are still no customers after 5 years huh? Emilio, pack up everything, we are moving to Solstice City." Veronica smiles and confident that there will be more customer there.

"You mean Academy City? Why are we…" Emilio about to asked questions but stopped mid-sentence.

"No more questions and get those paws moving!" Veronica raised her voice and the mana around her begin to respond to her like it's a natural phenomenon.

"YES, BOSS." Emilio started to fear for his life.