Siren’s Cry [A LITRPG Adventure]-Ch. 37
Closing the primer, I immediately begin to attempt the improvements mentioned. The random part about Az'Tereth feels very suspiciously timed, but it's also just a damn book so I'm not entirely sure how it would actually be suspicious. The mention of the author's class is interesting, with the boss of the dungeon I found the books in being a Runepriest Lich. I can only guess as to what went so wrong that he ended up as a lich. The first attempt turns out easy enough, with the elemental imbuement taking only a handful of minutes to manage successfully and a skill quickly appears to confirm that I did it.
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Skill Learned: Elemental Conjuration (Active)
Assists imbuement of elemental affinities into conjured mana constructs. Only one affinity may be applied via this skill at a time.
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And a quick test confirms that that's exactly what it does, applies a single affinity to a construct as I make it. The condensated improvement is already what I do to make mage quartz anyway, so all that's left is the infusion method. This one is… strange, to say the least. At first I simply try to impress the concept of ‘autonomy’ into the construct, and it nearly drains my entire mana pool to just make it capable of more complex standing orders. Before, I could only give basic orders such as ‘attack that thing’ or ‘defend me from this’, but I can order this specific sword construct to ‘defend this area from these people’ and it will understand. It's still not that smart, and the mana cost is absurd, but it's a start.
A knock on the door startles me from my practice, and a voice very different from the servant's calls out to me from outside.
“Pardon the intrusion, Lady Siris, but I have matters I wish to discuss with you.”
“Enter, Lord Bereth.”
The door clicks open… and no one steps inside. Raising an eyebrow in annoyance, I call out again. “Is something the matter? Do you require a handwritten invitation, or maybe a password?”
Bereth clears his throat before stepping into the room at last, removing his helmet with an awkward expression.
“I apologize, Lady Siris. Normally there is more… decorum, to entering a lady's room. I was simply surprised that you called me in so easily.”
“Yes yes, I'm full of surprises aren't I. Now, what brings you to my room while our peers are picked off one by one?”
He grimaces at the callousness, but I'm tired after dealing with two meetings and a murder in the few hours I've been here, and was looking forward to simply taking a well-deserved rest with my lovely kitten. I can't be bothered right now to pretend to care about people that may or may not be real.
“Yes, I understand the timing is a bit… odd, however I wish to speak with you about these events.” He takes a deep breath before exhaling heavily. “You see, I have reason to believe I know who is next.”
That gets my attention. I motion for him to continue, leaning back against the headboard from my spot on the bed. He closes the door behind himself as he sits in the simple chair that is the only other seat in the room other than a massive armchair in the corner.
“So far, the two lords that have died have been… less-than-just, shall we say. Discriminatory, in a word. Ferin despised humans and elves due to his vampiric ‘superiority’, and Erik despised all ‘impure’ non-humans. There is a pattern here, and the next one that fits the puzzle is Hulo. He dislikes all races, regardless of type or prejudice. Those three are the only such people amongst our ranks, and the killer seems to be targeting them. And this brings me to my request; would you be willing to have your blackguard shadow behind Hulo for a while? She is the only person in the Court capable of avoiding even Lord Az'Tereth's senses, and as such is the only one who is guaranteed to be able to hide from the traitor should they show up.”
I pause for a moment, thinking it over. On the one hand, it may solve this dungeon long before I ever get in any danger. On the other hand, it would expose Keira to a killer who has managed to savagely murder two powerful lords while leaving no trace beyond the bodies. Waving at the area where Keira vanished when Bereth knocked, she steps out of her skill and approaches, dropping to a knee to keep up the charade.
“What do you think? Would this be viable, or a waste of time and resources?” I ask her, and thankfully she seems to understand the actual meaning behind my words. That the choice is up to her, and I won't force her to do it if she doesn't want to or feel safe doing it. She bows a bit more, nodding up to me.
“It appears to be a sound strategy, milady. It would be prudent to follow up on this theory, no matter how thin the possible link is.”
In other words, she wants to help and thinks it's at least worth a shot to try. I nod and wave her off.
“See to it, then.”
Gods this is already getting tiring and I haven't even been here for a full day.
With double meanings giving me a headache and a promise to contact Bereth if anything changes or information is found, I send him away, flopping face first into my pillows and screaming into them. It's shockingly therapeutic, and is definitely cheaper than actual therapy! Luckily, the room is entirely empty so no one hears me, and I drift off to sleep while waiting for Keira to return.
—
A thunderous crash wakes me up as the doors are practically knocked off of their hinges, and I'm on my feet in an instant with a dozen blades half-formed before I realize who it is. Keira stands there, panting heavily with Fenrith unsheathed and dripping shadows at her side. Her wild gaze meets my concerned look, and she says the words I least wanted to hear.
“I… I saw the killer. And I… I think they saw
me
.”
.
!
Ch. 37
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