Chapter 102 – Gerhart’s Origins. Interrogating an Echo.

Chapter 102 – Gerhart’s Origins. Interrogating an Echo.

In the almost empty orphanage-

Gerhart, who was in the temple, praying to Brigva with Mother Roysa, received a message.

[My Lord, the Echo has been secured. She wouldn't bother you.] Havre said.

"Thank you. Keep the Echo on a tight leash. I will come over when I finish." Gerhart replied.

[Understood.] Havre replied.

Gerhart stopped praying. The orphanage was currently empty. All the children and most of the nuns left for the festival, with the children especially attracted to getting their status appraised. Only Mother Roysa remained, devoted as ever to her goddess. That gave Gerhart much-needed privacy.

"Mother Roysa," Gerhart spoke, his appearance unconcealed.

He was now a 2.3m giant with golden tattoos covering his masculine and honest face. At least, he wanted to show her how much he grew.

"Yes, son." Mother Roysa spoke, still praying.

"I have many questions. Who was my birth mother? Why did she leave me here? Did she say anything before she left? What did she look like? And what did you want to show me?" Gerhart curiously asked.

Mother Roysa took a deep breath before she started narrating.

"Your mother came here when you were still a day old. She was a pretty, heroic, honest-looking woman, albeit weary due to her recent birth and months of pursuit and travel. She privately met me, entrusting you to me while giving me a detailed letter that explained everything before vanishing, leaving only an amulet and a valuable item worth 300 Gold Coins, enough to raise you.

Your birth mother was Princess Lucile Cain Batteux of the Batteux Empire and was a mighty S-rank warrior. She married your father, the Emperor of the great Kerus Dynasty, as one of his concubines. Before you were born, the Kerus Dynasty suffered a series of assassinations, targeting the Emperor's children and pregnant wives. To give you a chance to live, the Kerus Emperor issued an order, secretly sending off his pregnant wives and concubines to give birth in faraway lands, hoping that some of you survive and perhaps awaken the Tyrant Bloodline and continue the Kerus Dynasty.

In that letter, she wrote that she would likely die but that the assassins would not find us. She kidnapped another child from a serf woman, compensating her with money before vanishing. She would use that other child as a decoy. In the letter, she pitied the child and serf woman but knew that she had to do it so you could live. If she survived the ordeal, she would raise the child as her own and live in the nearby Osora Kingdom as a Dungeon Explorer under the alias of Iron Maiden.

Only when you were strong enough to defend yourself am I to reveal anything. If you never reached A-rank, you are to live a simple life until the day you die. But, should you become A-rank, I must tell you about this. The amulet she gave me is the proof of your bloodline, a tool to communicate with the Kerus Emperor. It is a bloodline amulet given to those of the Tyrant Bloodline, the longest-lasting Divine Bloodline since the olden ages."

Reaching this point, Mother Roysa turned to Gerhart with a gentle smile, "Gerhart, I am unsure how you grew so strong. And I don't need to know. However, with your current strength, I can rest easy."

"Thank you, Mother Roysa. For everything. I know you took a great risk upon yourself for housing me." Gerhart said with much gratitude.

He didn't take her kindness for granted. He knew that others would have kept the gold and threw him, a young baby, to the gutters, ridding themselves of the troubles he might cause.

As for his biological mother's survival- He didn't have any expectations. It would be nice if she lived, but he already accepted her likely death.

"I only followed Brigva's commandments. Children are treasures to be protected and nurtured." Mother Roysa said and slowly got up. "Now, I believe it is time you received your birthright."

Gerhart nodded and followed her to her bedroom. Mother Roysa knelt, raising one of the floor planks under her bed, revealing an unassuming jewelry box. Taking it out, Mother Roysa carefully handed it over.

"This is it." She said.

"Thank you. I shall open it later." Gerhart said as he stored the box in his Space Storage.

Although surprised, Mother Roysa didn't say anything. Instead, she asked, "What will you do now, son?"

"I have a great responsibility, mother. I have done some evil things and will likely do many more for the greater good. I am sorry I am not the kind son you raised, Mylo and Hazel's brother." Gerhart said with melancholy.

To achieve world unification, stop the Echos and defeat that- thing. He needed to steel himself and do evil. He came to terms with it but wasn't happy with it. Especially so when faced with Mother Roysa.

"Do what you must, son. Just don't regret what you do." Mother Roysa answered.

Gerhart closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and offered, "Mother Roysa, I can give you many things. I can make you powerful, wealthy, youthful, healthy, and long-living. All you need is to ask."

Mother Roysa gave Gerhart a warm hug before letting go. "Thank you, son. But I have all I need. I was born and raised under Brigva's mercy. I lived by her commandments to this day and shall continue until my last breath. When I die, I shall join her in her divine domain. That is the fate I chose for myself."

A small smile was on Gerhart's lips as he turned around, "I know. I merely asked. Until we meet again, mother."

With that, Gerhart left after changing his form again and put on his hood, not looking back.

As he left the orphanage, Gerhart's eyes turned cold.

"Now... Let's meet a certain Echo." Gerhart thought and was about to head to meet the Echo, but at the last second, he changed his mind.

"No. First, I should fetch a few items." Gerhart thought as he headed to the dungeon.

.

.

.

In the festival-

Havre and the Echo enjoyed their time while eating festival food, drinking ale, listening to bards, and seeing street performers.

However, they both knew this was just a facade. By this time, the Echo's tainted servants have encircled the area, wanting to save their mistress. However, their mistress gave a clear signal.

"Do not approach."

She was now in a hostage situation she had never experienced, and her loyal servants were in a bind. All Echos had a fatal weakness, and that was themselves. The older they got, the more they valued their lives. While a 60-year-old rookie like Ianuarius valued his life, it wasn't on the same level as herself, a 300-year-old veteran over five times his age.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Havre asked with a friendly smile.

When she saw this, the Echo's expression immediately turned ashen.

"Are you going to deny your identity now, old hag?" Gerhart lightly smiled.

"..." The Echo maintained her right to remain silent.

"So, Miss Echo. Let's talk a bit. You can at least tell me your name, right? Or even a pseudonym? Calling you Echo this and Echo that is stupid." Gerhart said as he pulled a fancy chair from his Space Storage and sat on it.

"... Laverne." The Echo spat.

"Okay, Laverne. First question. Why did you follow us?" Gerhart asked.

"You killed Ianuarius. Although he is just a youngster who courted death, you still killed an Echo. Anyone who kills an Echo enters our kill list, where you can only survive if you join us as one of our servants. I was gathering information." The Echo explained.

That wasn't new information, so she didn't have a problem to reveal it.

"And you would have killed me if I showed a sufficient opportunity, right?" Gerhart kindly smiled.

"As if you wouldn't do the same," Laverne replied.

"Fine. Third question- Why did you approach the orphanage?" Gerhart asked.

"I was an orphan myself once. I have some sentimentality toward such places. And wouldn't you agree that orphans make the best recruits?" Laverne smiled.

"No, I wouldn't deny it. What did you plan on doing inside? Did you plan on harming it?" Gerhart asked.

"Nothing. I would look around before leaving. Orphanages are one of the places I cherish, and they are prime grounds for recruitment. I would never harm them or the orphans. At least, not especially." Laverne said.

"... I believe you." Gerhart nodded, lowering his hostility toward her, even if slightly.

"How do you produce the Corrupted?" Gerhart asked.

"We give them crystals that contain our power. The stronger we get, the faster we can produce them and the more potent the crystals can be." Laverne said.

It wasn't a secret, either. Many knew about this.

Gerhart narrowed his eyes as he approached Laverne's clothes again and rummaged inside before pulling out three bottles. One had dozens of black crystals. One had half a dozen black crystals. And the last one had only one black crystal. As Gerhart looked at them, he felt that the bottle with only one crystal had the most energy.

"I suppose these crystals have different qualities?" Gerhart asked.

"Yes. The one with many crystals is for cannon fodder. The one with fewer crystals is for enforcers. And the last bottle is for my Champions. I wanted to make you my new champion. Are you interested?" Laverne smiled.

"Not particularly, no," Gerhart said as he put the bottles in his Storage Space.

"Are you sure? If you are my champion, the older Echos won't hunt you, and you will become much stronger." Laverne tempted.

"And become your insane, short-lived, and glorified puppet? No, thank you." Gerhart replied.

"The older Echos are Divine Experts. Are you sure?" Laverne asked again.

"It would take them time until they act. It might take months or even years, right?" Gerhart asked.

"..." Laverne remained silent, confirming his suspicions.

"What would happen if I kill you?" Gerhart suddenly asked.

"My Corrupted would lose control and kill everyone in a berserk rampage. Thousands will die. And you will be targeted by the older Echos, who will hunt you personally. And they are not as nice as I am." Laverne replied.

"Hm. So far, everything you said is accurate." Gerhart nodded.

That was why he didn't kill her, an Echo, despite having the ability to do so. Killing one Echo would put you on their killing list, but the hunt would be leisurely. They might even try recruiting him. But if he killed a second Echo, things would be different. They would remove all stops to try and kill him.

"Do you have a method to track me even if I change my identity and appearance?" Gerhart curiously asked.

"I am unsure. But I don't remember anyone who crossed us surviving." Laverne explained.

Gerhart remained silent as he rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

"It isn't too late to convert to our side. You can still live." Laverne tried to persuade.

However, Gerhart suddenly had a eureka moment. A crazy thought emerged.

Walking up to her, Gerhart placed a hand on her head.

"What are you doing?" Laverne asked.

But Gerhart didn't reply. He focused on something else.

"Relic, can I convert her?" Gerhart asked.

Analyzing- Malevolent Energy Detected.Cannot Convert until Stage 3 Ascension.Instead, the Host may influence the entity through energy infusion, gradually subduing it.The entity has a strong resistance. The resistance must be weakened or removed for efficient energy infusion.Recommended Methods: Persuasion. Torture. Intense Pleasure. Mental Magic. Psychedelics. Bodily Fluids. Sex.

"..." Gerhart turned silent as he looked at the woman. Although she was a shitty Echo and was likely an old hag inside, he had to admit she had a great body.

"W-What. Why are you looking at me like that?" Suddenly, Laverne had a chill.

"Oh, I just thought about a great idea," Gerhart smirked as he removed his cloak and started undoing his belt.