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Somewhere, at night, the bell that hanging on the door rings as the hint of the visitor, makes the one sitting in the bar turned her head.
“President, here I come~” Ophelia waved her hand to say hello to an old acquaintance, though they are no close enough to call a friend.
“Ophelia? What’s a rare visitor, you are usually the spectator.” The only one sitting in the bar answered with a welcome smile.
“This is interesting people I found, one of whom calls himself Sorey.” Ophelia said with a confident smile, she has expected the person will care about this.
“Interesting. Did the feeling 2 months ago really because of the Maotelus awaken…... Why would you tell me?” The ‘president’ calmly responded and said in a carefree tone.
“Eh? I thought you would be interested in this, you obviously working so hard for him.”
“That's what happened in my human time, and I did it for myself too..... For the guy who doesn't know if he is a fake, I will ask you to help me observe it for a while.”
“Do you think I will help you?” Ophelia doubted, she should know she is always neutral.
“Because you won’t do anything but watch.” The ‘ president’ taunted.
“This is really the best compliment, ok, I will observe it for you.”
“By the way, how is Beta now?”
“She is still missing, but recently there seems to be another news that she has appeared somewhere, Zaveid is going to check it out.”
“In this way, I pray for her to be safe, after all, she is also an important member of our alliance.”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHqC6jKcko
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Velvet pov
Approaching the center of the tower, the building appearance becomes more modern with metal panel facade, the building material in this district obviously more expensive than the outer ring, indicating the importance in this place.
Without any sign of action, we are attacked by a gang with a steel bar as their weapon.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBzOPA76hS
No matter where you go, a lot of troubles come. Is the one who call Beta in here so famous?
“Get out from here……..Wait….How did you get out?! Catch them!” Shouted the gang which in charge of protecting the district and they are only human, I have the confidence to defeat them quickly. Also, from his message, I can sure we are approaching the actual location for the capture of Beta.
“Get out of my way! or I will kill you!” I warn them and rushed into the groups of people and fight like a berserker.
“Velvet?! We don’t need to kill!” Sorey does not agree to my words but I don’t care, I never expect a Shepherd agree with the credo of a Lord of Calamity.
I leave no limit of power to hit 2 of them in a coma with the rod I obtained from the guild and kick down the enemies one by one with the blade in my shoe to draw out from the fight and move on. I don’t want to stop, so it is unnecessary for me to keep attacking a target until dead and it is not good to be recognized or wanted in this region, so it may be better to not kill anyone.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZCbyQ4OoD
Soon, we break out from the gang and arrive at the central tower entrance.
“Thank you,” Sorey said while running after me.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BIQkaCkV7
“For what?” I confused.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOv8FqKf48
“For not killing them.” He watched behind, obviously referring the gang.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ109YA2dVWD
“..........I only do for my own good.” I responded honestly and sighed. This ex-shepherd is really a doormat, he even says thanks for the one just attacked him for their good, guess he will accept all the request from others if he is asked.
“Still, I will thank you for that. What’s the next plan?”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUOEsTbeng
“Heading straight into the tower….with violence.” I kicked open the door.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOLAYy7GkV
There is apparently empty. No one here, not like having any trace of living, it is a warehouse.
The door behind us automatically closed.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AsOc6Taxs
There isthe possibility that another gang lied low here, we are their target.
The place remains dark, the lights are not turned on, we can no longer rely on our sense of sight but our hearing.
Footsteps come from all sides, I can’t ensure the number of enemies or the approaching attack with the sound now, as my sense is much weaker than when I was a daemon.
“Sorey…...It seems that we are surrounded again.”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXXEiiOtoP
“Right, I am ready for it.” I heard Sorey draw his sword out.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85I31qIe1a
Good to hear that, because I have no spare time to notice his side in such case.
Too bad that I don’t know if they are hellions or not, but it doesn’t matter, we will have to defeat them.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LWOHhkL9D
I increase my alertness to the enemy and sharpen my sense as far as possible.
Let my heart peace like the water, feel the air surrounding me.
I catch the wind.
BANG!17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVNVXc7Hrl
The impact sound of the weapon to the ground caused when I just doubt it by a side step.
So my body didn’t drop my battle sense, it is a good start to ‘see’ where’ the enemy is now.
As soon as I sidestepped, I hit in the direction that I hear the sound.
“Damn it!” Bingo.
I continue to attack with an upper kick and low sweep, the blade in my shoe should increase the given damage of a kick.
“Discord” I used the claw arte unconsciously when I don’t have a claw anymore.
“Hmm, get you.” One grabbed my arm tightly from the other side and I can’t break free from it.
“?!” How can I forget that I am not just fighting one people?!17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3fcDWoLRR
He swings my entire body with my arm and hit to the ground. With such strength, no surprise that he is a hellion.
“...urgh!”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDx362dO8XP
“Velvet, you ok there?” Sorey asked with worry as he heard me cry out at the moment I got hit to the ground.
“I……….gu(Wham)…” I try to swing and hit his head with my rod in hand with the momentum he swings me but I fail and the rod flies out of my right hand. The man didn’t release his hands and swing me to another side. I can feel my head is hit to a hard object like a column at a high speed.
SHIT! My head feels a heavy daze after the impact and I start to have the temporary deafness, it is not long to the time I may lose my consciousness. I am not used to be a human again with such a weak body.
“Velvet! I am coming!”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGMGR01gBw
“Kid, Do you have leisure time to pay attention to the other side? I don’t think so.”
“Lion’s howl!” I can’t get exactly how is the battle in Sorey side but he is still fighting.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAf0nIAiv7
A shame that I am too careless to use the claw arte and give the chance them to grab my arm.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErA29i3PcQ
“This woman has a nice body, guess we can sell her at a fine price.” I wonder why they can see us clearly in such a dark place.
“Fix her feet!” The man ordered, now the other people approach me, clearly, he noticed that I have the trend to attack with kicks combo. I didn’t give up and bite in a random direction hope to bite someone.
“Argh, yike?!” Out of natural response, the one who has my bite at his arm just throw me away with a great swing.
I am thrown and hit my back against the wall then slide down on the ground.
“Shit! What are you doing?!”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ro0zAa4BV
“She bites me!”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkkqs5gykU
“You let her escape! Now, where is she?”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9CUIQGonB
Good, seems that they haven’t found me yet.
I gingerly to stand up and embracing the wall, walking slowly forward with one hand on the wall pester, making the footsteps as light as possible.
It is hard to maintain my balance in dizziness, each step becomes heavy.
Light….I need the light turn on, maybe the switch is somewhere on the wall.
The fighting is still continuing, I can know this by the sound.
Finally, I catch something like a pull rod on the wall and I pull it down, all lights are turned on.
“Ah?!’17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHASJH9i0Q
“There she is!”
“No way you go! Wolfwind Fang!” Sorey stabs his sword into one of the enemies, then switches hands and, in reverse, grip-slashes the sword upward diagonally, throwing the enemy into the air. He then grabbed back his sword to his main hand and performing a full spin while kicking with his left foot downward diagonally.
“Earth Dragon Fang!” Just after the Wolfwind Fang, Sorey makes a diagonal slash downward another enemy, following it with an upward diagonal slash, a horizontal slash, a kick, and one final horizontal slash. His opponent is stunned.
I go to pick my rod that flew away at the moment. One of them is trying to approach me, I slash him with a whirling cartwheel kick and then pick up the rod. I perform a lep sweep to the left then that generates momentum for a rightward kick that picks up downed the enemy.
“Vengeant Fangs!” Suddenly the enemies are mauled in a wide horizontal area to shred with fangs of wind. It is a higher seraphic arte in wind element, that means another seraph present.
“So you are here Beta….Hmm?! Are you...Velvet?! How is that possible…….” A man just entered from the door greets and his voice is familiar to me.
“Zaveid?! Long time no see!” Sorey greeted back despite he is not greeted.
“Sorey? You are here too?! Nice one!” Zaveid said like he knew Sorey, I guess things change a lot in the millennium.
“Velvet, you Ok? You don’t look great.” Sorey asked in concern.
“I am ……..fine……..” I felt dizziness in my head that I nearly lose my balance in a stand.
Sorey hurried forward and held my neck with the other hand holding my hand to stabilize my posture.
“Huh? It is wet……..? You are bleeding!..... Velvet!” He noticed that when he sees the blood on his hand that held my neck.
I suddenly felt blackout in front of me, lost consciousness and fell down. I guess I lost my sense gradually since the moment I got and head-bang by the swing that I didn’t notice I am bleeding.
“Urgh…..” Don’t know how long I am out, but I suppose I am healed by the seraph next to me.
“You wake,” Sorey stated gladly.
“....How long am I out?”
“Half an hour….Lucky that is not a serious wound to heal by my seraphic arte.”
“Thanks, Zaveid….Why are you half naked?” I asked the question after stating my gratitude. The conversation just started too naturally and suddenly between Sorey and Zaveid when he came, I almost forget to taunt Zaveid about his clothing at that time.
“Why will he wear clothes?” Sorey asked me like I asked a ridiculous question, how ironic.
“So that I can feel the wind~” He is not trying to answer it seriously.
“Ugh…...Maybe we talk later. We came here for another thing, to find a girl call Beta.”
“What’s a coincidence. I am doing the exact same thing. Now I get it, the news of the recent activities of Beta is because of you, Velvet.”
“Yes, I heard that she has a very similar look to me, so I borrow her identity in this place but I have no idea where she is apart from being in the central district.”
“We want to leave here but we can’t find an exit,” Sorey added.
“So now we are a partnership, I am sure she is in this building,” Zaveid suggested.
“Why? There are so many buildings.” Sorey asked.
“I have investigated each of them and this is the last one I haven’t check.”
“Is she an important person to you that you search her out so badly?” Sorey is surprised that he went to every building to find a person.
“Sort of…….a family maybe.”
“I see, then quickly find her and bring her back.” It is difficult to imagine how will he be with a family when he is always a loafer to me.
“Right. Let's find it separately. The even number for you two, the odd number for me.” Zaveid points at the floor numbers on the escalator of this building.
“Ok.”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FvsW5JiaZ
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We found many floors in ascending order of the building but still not finding a hint until we reach the top level, there is a floor fully covered with metal.
“Intruder detected.”
Some mechanical arm attached with some kind of weapon suddenly extended out from the wall, I have a bad feeling about it.
Those devices shoot out the bullet automatically towards me.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20PEvbx81n
Shouldn’t this place a poor place?! This seems high-tech!
“Sorey, hide!” I ordered while dodging the shooting towards and rushed to interpose the rod between the arm and the wall.
“What about you?” He worried but can’t care much and hide under a table.
“I don’t know.” I disassembled the metallic extension attached with metal panel and the shooting devices. However, there is not only one mechanical arm with those shooting devices, but I should also seek a solution to take down all the devices.
I took away the disassembled part and rush to hide with Sorey. The metal panel attached on the extension and my mechanic prosthesis may be the temporary shield to me.
“I have no idea how those things work……” I sighed.
The table is breaking after taking up great damage from those devices’ attack, it is not a safe place forever.
“Let me try!” I gave the disassembled part to Sorey.
Sorey is trying to understand how the weapon functioning and he managed to half master it in such a short time. He targeted one of the machines and press the trigger of the devices.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODQPzXvC5F
Something shooted out from it and bread down a mechanical arm with the shooting device.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTH8J0hM90o
Really lucky, we managed to pass the room with the devices we picked from the place.
A girl is captured in the room behind the trap room, her hands are tied behind the chair, wounds appear on her everywhere. Her black hair hangs down her head and covers her face.
“What are you planning to work on me?” The girl asked when she noticed we entered the place, she has a higher tone than my voice that just like my younger version of voice. I noticed the flat tone hides her anger to the one trap her here, she has fought back but fails. Seems that she mistook that we are her enemy, she even doesn’t spend time to see who came in.
She slowly looked up from her sullen head and let me see her face gradually. She glared at me.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZVt4an7Sh
I am really shocked, it is not a face very similar to me, it is a face that nearly identical to me, with her hate glare, I almost think that I am looking in a mirror. The only differences between us are the eyes color and her height, she is shorter and possessed an orange iris.
There is a feeling of vomiting coming up from the stomach. How is it possible that there is someone so similar to me in the world?
“No, we are here to rescue you, are you Beta?” Sorey tried to clarify our identity.
Then she looked at us with a disgusted face after seeing me, I can understand while I have the same feeling about it.
“Who are you? Why are you look so similar to me?” Beta continued looking at me with disgusted sight.
“I am Velvet, just a person look alike you. I am born to be that and I have no idea why there is someone who looks nearly identical to me.” I answered.
“Any proof?” Her doubt is not solved.
“No, but we will free you, then do whatever you want.”
“I will, needless to say.”
I free Beta from her shackle, then she immediately grabbed my left arm and attack my elbow.
Pow!
No good deed goes unpunished.
“?!” She is in shock at that moment when she hit my aluminum arm, but she didn’t hesitate, smoothly give a swift and violent knee attack after that.
I block her attack with the metal Gauntlet on my right arm.
“Tch!”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyotgWSWNs
“Hard? is it? Of course, it is metal.”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU4KMNdp6H
Even if she just has her bare hands and feet, she still doesn’t give up to attack, I see a survivor in her eyes of red-orange, burning like a flame. Just like seeing myself, she must have something to do, like I had to take revenge at that time.
We had to circumvent her with the premise of not hurting her as much as possible, Sorey managed to grab her wrists while I block her way to kick to prevent her further struggle or attack.
“Calm down! We don’t want to hurt you!” Sorey tried to persuade.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhE834kX94
“Lie!”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsY4N5hr6Ul
“If we want to hurt you, we don’t need to remove your constraints,” I stated.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopKfA1ccbb
“.......” She glared at me with anger, still doesn’t want to believe, she can’t listen to a logical explanation when she is filled with anger and fear.
She keeps trying to pull her hands from him, but she fails, the battle is in a stable state until the arrival of the lift.
Ding.
The lift door open, Zaveid comes out from it.
“Hey, hey, what’s going on here?”
“.....Za..veid?” Beta started to calm down when she sees Zaveid.
“Beta, how did you get hurt? Where have you been? You left for a whole week without leaving a message, I am worried about you.” Zaveid hugged the girl looks nearly identical to me. This should be obviously a touching reunion. The person he is desperately looking for is finally found, but this scene has caused me a great sense of disharmony and nausea as if it was an unacceptable thing. I turned my head and moved my eyes away.
“.............” She didn’t respond.
“...Talk later then, we go back together.” Zaveid saw her hesitant and scared eyes. He held her hand in both hands, looked at her, wanted to give her a sense of security, and did not rush to remind her to answer.
On the way, I can still feel her glare, she does not believe in us, particularly not believe in me. Still, she followed Zaveid and us to back her guild silently all the way. Zaveid left her this way until she finally calmed down from it.
“Now, we are back. Time to have a talk. What’s happened?”
Beta is silent until this moment, she looked at us, hesitate to answer while we are here.
“Don’t worry, they are my friends, but if you mind, I may tell them to stay away for a while.” Zaveid calmed Beta and solved her distrust to us.
“Friend…..fine.” She turned her gaze away from us.
“The Mafia side runs more and more rampant recently, they started to kidnap people here, and even the children I usually know with me began to suffer from them. I can't stand it... I want to do something for the kids... but the result is that the people who followed me were caught together....the bastards took them away in front of me, taking the internal organs from their bodies one by one....” She tried to remain a calm voice, but at last, her voice trembled.
“Sorry. It is my fault......Now that we are stimulating them, there may be a big fight soon.” She calmed herself again to say the last sentence.
“Sorry, let you bring up the sad things.” Zaveid patted Beta on the head tenderly.
“Just can’t remain the peace………. so you two heard it, help us,” Zaveid said as if he knows we will agree to help.
“...........Fine, I help and you help us leave here after, what about you, Sorey?” I agreed to help after hearing what Beta said and also to get an offer from them but I am not sure if Sorey will agree or not, he has shown disagreeing attitude towards hurting other in this several fights and I knew he hates to hurt other.
“I will go with you if it is to protect people. Glad to be in help but we are not quite familiar with the modern weapons……” Sorey surprisingly agrees with the request, he is not that naive as I saw.
“No problem, Beta will teach you guys,” Zaveid said no problem while giving the job to one just back from danger. I know both of them not in deep, but I suppose he has his consideration in this.
“........ I will go prepare. Meet at the lobby after an hour.” Beta helplessly agreed and leave.
And with Zaveid as the leader, I can imagine sometimes he will let you feel helpless, just like how many times he brought me trouble.
“So, Velvet, you are alive?”Zaveid asked until now.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu3SipGy9x
“Yes, I can’t believe in it too.”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZwbFNlBqV
“And you…..are a human now?!” He doubted.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5U00kKaYdL
“Yes….don’t be surprised in every word.” I taunted.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqqtMANNtd
“Well, Eizen didn’t tell me how you ended up in the journey, I thought you were dead.” I wonder how is Eizen now after he mentioned him.
“Doesn’t matter to me.”
“ So Sorey, this is the one I told you who fight the dragon with me.” Zaveid introduced me to Sorey with a smile.
“No, you fight me with the dragon!” This is a thing I must declare and complain, he was just being a troublemaker most of the time in my journey.
“Oh, you fight a dragon too?” Sorey asked.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteODLDFZlV
“.For power, you fight them too?”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbHprx8LTY
“Yes, maybe I will tell you later. You knew Zaveid?”
“Yes, he brought a lot of trouble for me,” I complained.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi826Npd9C5
“Oh, come on, don’t be so mean~” Zaveid said and clearly doesn’t feel it is a problem.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AzSEYms3A
“Every time I meet you, trouble comes from you. Did you remember that you revived a wyvern and a dragon? Don’t you know how hard to defeat them even for a group?” I am angry when I memorize the memory and I am going to give him a punch.
“Look, I am sorry…I have helped you sometimes too.....Please help me….Sorey!” He escaped behind Sorey.
Did he think himself as cute to behave like this?!
“Well…..it is the past now...and I suppose this made you stronger isn’t it?” Sorey felt helpless and say the word for Zaveid.
“....True.” I helplessly agreed since Sorey has his point.
“Anyway, I’m glad that you both are alive,” Zaveid said in longing.
“Let’s have my big hug! You two!” Suddenly there are powerful arms that embrace us from behind, and I can feel his body temperature directly. I am very surprised since when I was so close to him? ah, I suppose he somehow misses old faces, I just want to kick him off, but this will hit Sorey.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMpteZCsBp
“How did you know Sorey?” I am curious that how is he end up with Sorey and seems Sorey didn’t get affected.
“That should be the question I ask. Well, I knew him as a Shepherd and I aid him to defeat the lord of Calamity.” Zaveid answered really briefly.
“Oh, hard to think that you will help someone throughout the process. For your inquiries, Sorey saved me when I am unconscious.” Since he answered me in very brief, I answered in the same way. I don't bother to give a detail explanation.
“Well, actually, Zaveid is my enemy when we first met,” Sorey confessed with a helpless smile.
“Oh, so he brought trouble to you too huh?” I teased at Zaveid.
“Sorey?? I thought we were friend?!” Zaveid made a reaction of shocking.
“Yes, we are.” Sorey blinked his eyes innocently as he said nothing wrong.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8NeGiKF11
“Okok, let off this topic, how are you end up in this place? and met Beta?... You said she is your family.” I will get annoyed if the conversation continues like that.
“Well, I come to Ladylake to see dear Lailah but she is not here. I then had sightseeing in the city. This ‘Lost Tower’ interested me the most. Thus I came in. I saw a boy with a similar appearance as Artorius but in younger age and he was carrying a girl looked just like you but in a younger age in his back. He sought help everywhere in the tower district but no one response, until he saw me. I was interested in them as they have near identical face to you and the first Shepherd. The boy said his sister Beta had a similar illness to Twelve Year Sickness. He wanted to find the cure for it as he had read it from somewhere. He begged me to take care of Beta, so I promised to take care of her for some years…….I must say she is just like you in some characteristic.” Zaveid told us his story here.
“She built her characteristic from every effect from the external, you are one of them.” Zaveid’s story reminded me of the things Zaveid did in my time, he had taken care of some children in that time, but when it came like he takes care of a child who just looks like me, I can’t help but feel disgusted.
“Twelve Year Sickness?”Sorey asked in a tone that he doesn’t know it. Maybe the illness is disappeared a long time.
“It is once an incurable illness in the ancient time, but we find the cure that is the Omega Elixir. Still, the cure may not pass down and across generations with such chaos stage.” I explained and feel sorry to the children who have Twelve Year Sickness.
“Well, we had Elixir but it may not have the real effect but a fake portion. They are mostly produced by the church, I was told that the church owned the formula.” Sorey responded.
“So is she cured?” I asked.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDgZ4Bhycv
“Yes, and continue to live with the guild. She is like the big sister in the guild, all the members here like her.” Zaveid answered.
“How about her brother?”Sorey asked.
“That boy became a Shepherd later, we have written letters to each other, but we lost the contact in recent.”
“Became a Shepherd…..with the face similar to Artorius………….” I am worrying things like my era will happen again at this time. To leave a despair Shepherd be alone is equal to leave the world to be destroyed by the Shepherd.
“Such a horrible manner to talk about others behind them, Zaveid.” Beta went down and see us after her preparation. We almost forget we should meet in the lobby after an hour.
“Well, as I said, they are friends, and there is no harm to you at all if I told them about you.” Zaveid didn’t think this is a problem.
“At least, please tell after asking me, and you two.”
“Velvet.”17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklQuy11tXl
“I am Sorey.”
“Velvet, Sorey, follow me.”
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A.N.
The chapter already relatively long because of the conversation, then I added more fight to practice( with some of the artes description copy from Aselia) when I am still not good at writing it. Maybe still pretty empty in the description in place and fight. Zaveid is one of the main character linking TOZ & TOB…….hope he is not OOC.
ns18.226.52.76da2
