Episode 49.9

"And that would be the end of my master's message."

"Yeah right, you're Yacklubend herself."

"I am not. I am equipped with my own individuality."

"Hmph? Well fine. I'm gonna get changed before we go. Turn around."

"Allow me to assist you."

"Halt. Don't touch me. Turn around."

"Yes."

Lecan took off his leather armor.

"Oy."

"Yes?"

"What's that thing in your right hand?"

"Eh? Huh? Why would there be a hand mirror here."

"Yeah you're Yacklubend alright."

"I am not."

"Put that thing away."

"Yes."

Even if she does look the other way, there's no guarantee this puppet isn't monitoring Lecan. But it's still better than being seen directly. There should be a limit to Yacklubend's ability and viewpoint, same with this puppet.

Lecan put on his own dragon leather armor. He got <Guardian Jewel of Zana> in his chest pocket. <Necklace of Intuador> hanging on his neck. Silver Ring in his finger, and <Dagger of Harut> hidden. He put on Sword of Rusk on his waist. No <Genesiac Grace Gear> on. He'd rather not let Yacklubend touch them.

He'd be wearing a different set of equipment from when he got in the royal palace so people might suspect him, but that's for another time to worry about.

"I'm done."

"Then if you would please follow me."

He tagged along the maid puppet. Everyone who came across the maid puppet opened ways for her with a surprised look along the way. Apparently this maid puppet has some influence in the royal palace.

The maid led Lecan to a wagon parked near the front gate.

He got on the four person capacity wagon with the maid. Then it departed.

"Is this your master's wagon?"

"No. This wagon belongs to the Prime Minister Office."

It's nighttime already, but magic tools installed on the sides of the road give off lights to illuminate the streets.

Lecan observed the maid puppet sitting with her legs dangling in front of him.

(I still can't believe this thing's a puppet.)

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

(The skin and how her eyes move are indistinguishable from human.)

(This Yacklubend is quite something.)

He discovered the powerful mana contained within this maid once they left the palace site. Magic stones, or some sort of object that preserve magic stone mana. It's the source of this maid puppet's power. If it's a magic stone, its rank rivals that of Dungeon Rotor's Petitfire Dragon. Roughly around the class of the enemies found on Grand Dungeons' Floor 100. He cannot let his guard down against this maid puppet.

They eventually arrived at a plot of land far spacious than Wazrof's.

The walls surrounding the site are extraordinary tall.

The wagon stopped in front of the gigantic iron gate, Lecan and the maid puppet got down.

"It is Rana here. I have brought Lecan-sama."

The iron gate opened.

A mansion stood ahead of them, surrounded by a thick grove of trees.

There are several buildings inside the forest, although they're hidden to naked eyes due to the tall trees covering them.

Led by the same maid puppet, Lecan entered the mansion.

Doors after doors got opened.

They got closed every time the two passed through one.

This mansion is enveloped by the same barrier as the royal palace, Lecan's <Mana Detection> doesn't work. <Life Detection> is hazy.

But even with that haziness, one thing is clear.

There's only one living human in this mansion.

The maid puppet is heading straight toward that sole living human.

Just when he thought he'd get led to that human, the puppet took him to the neighboring room instead.

It's a room choke full of magic tools installed on walls and ceiling.

(I don't like this room.)

(Can't calm down.)

(It's giving me bad vibes.)

"We finally met. Lecan-niichan."

The maid puppet spoke. Lecan felt something odd and turned around to look at the maid puppet, to his shock and horror.

<Life Detection> shows the maid puppet in a red colored dot.

(It wasn't human a moment ago.)

(Yet it is now?)

The maid puppet walked up and hugged Lecan's right leg.

"Lecan-niichan. I have one tiny request for you."

"What is it."

Still clinging to Lecan's right leg, the maid puppet looked up and laughed.

"Be my slave. KUKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKE."

Its mouth opened wide, the upper and lower jaws kept opening and shutting while producing a cackling sound.

Each its eyes moved around disorderly independently.

Lecan has never witnessed such a repulsive object in his life.

It kept on laughing. Sound eerily enough to send a chill down your spine.

Lecan tried to peel it off. Yet he failed to.

Yacklubend's clinging power proves stronger than Lecan's strength.

His leg got pricked by a needle-like object. Then some sort of liquid flowed from there.

He felt dizzy all of a sudden, his eyes lost focus.

It's poison or some sort of drug. His consciousness is falling.

(No!)

(All will be lost if I pass out now!)

Lecan put his right hand in <Storage>, took <Ring of Undying King> and slotted it in his left index finger. Then he grabbed a Bombshell out of his <Storage>.

"Huh? Lecan-niichan. You're still up? Weird~"

The <Ring of Rozan> in his left ring finger probably weakened the poison's effect. But it won't last long.

"<Tiri Walda Roa>."

Lecan's body turned dull white once he activated <Ring of Undying King> effect.

He pulled the safety plug off the bombshell.

"Huh? Maybe the anesthetic didn't enter right? Lecan-niichan, you've changed color?"

He still felt unwell, but the drowsiness was mild.

(Not even <Ring of Undying King>.)

(Completely removes the drowsiness and malaise.)

(Is it not just your ordinary poison?)

However, unlike his previous test, he got poisoned before activating <Ring of Undying King> this time. That might be why. Either way, the poison would take effect again once the Grace expired.

"Lecan-niichan? Knocked out already? But you're still standing and all, so weird. Gonna crush the leg just in case and"

A dazzling flash of light burst open and swallowed everything.