Chapter 398: 398
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Kyon knew that he would have to choose a side after he found the culprit in this sensational case. He could let nature take its course, hand over the evidence and ask the boss not to reveal his name as if it was done anonymously, but it would be too risky. Both Milan and the Valentines could share the information. Besides, Dick Baker was in charge of the case over the past two weeks.
Lovr decided to act tough, not relying on luck that always seemed to be against him. The risk wasn't justified this time. Blackmail would serve as a perfect deterrent! And when it was time to hand over the case… Well, he would act according to the circumstances.
…
The senior alchemist of the Clinton family received a call from patriarch Horace who ordered him to visit an old friend who was in bed with an unidentified illness. Albert was to determine the disease and prescribe medication.
He left his family territory and soon arrived at the spacious, luxurious mansion in the wealthy Dantes neighborhood. The alchemist had to leave the guards at the entrance to get inside. He went up to the top floor and opened the door to the patient's room. Suddenly, Albert felt an intense burning sensation in his throat. Everything went dark in his eyes.
Kyon appeared out of nowhere next to the dead man. He had killed the old man (a noble phaser in the middle stages) with such nonchalance as if taking out the trash. Kyon had lured the bastard out, faking his voice and giving an order in the strict patriarch's voice. Then all he had to do was to separate the target from the guards and quietly finish him off.
Lovr quickly absorbed Albert's soul, threw his body into the ring and quickly left the rented mansion before the death signal went off. He had killed the alchemist for a simple reason: to steal his identity! After all, the old man enjoyed great authority in Dantes, which would be a sin to waste when he died at Horace's hands.
In any other situation, this scheme would have failed as the alchemist's sudden disappearance would seem suspicious and unreasonable. However, Kyon had sent Horace the recording to justify Albert's escape by his desire to save his life.
…
«Patriarch, you have a message from the department.» – A servant reported, entering the office with a colorfully decorated box in his hands. Then he left with a bow.
Horace opened the box and found inside a nephrite with a letter: "Dear patriarch Horace, greetings from Dick Baker, the unsightly investigator that you completely ignored yesterday. I have solved the case concerning your daughter. The criminals are the ones who you trusted the most. They still commit their atrocities, using sleeping pills and oblivion medicine made with your family's resources. You will find the evidence in the nephrite. Now let's get to the point: at the moment, I am the only person in the world who knows the truth. You can call me anytime to talk about things." There was a sound transmitter frequency and a signature at the end of the letter.
The patriarch's eyes widened. The message seemed to be pure nonsense, but he felt uneasy for some reason. With a shaking hand, Horace activated the nephrite, hoping it was the damned investigator's bad joke.
He could immediately see that it was a copy. The next scene shocked him even more: his beloved daughter's private chambers! The fat investigator had somehow managed to record everything without being noticed!
Meanwhile, the video played on. When Andrew entered the room, put the collar and the bracelet on the young lady and woke her up, the patriarch instantly deactivated the recording. It wasn't a joke or a bad dream... It was a harsh reality!
Horace clutched his head and sat for a long time in silence, trembling as if he were freezing. Then he roared like a wounded animal, making anyone who could hear him feel anguish and compassion.
{My daughter's baby's father is… Andrew… the asshole! He… did it… every night?} – The mere thought of this drove the patriarch mad. He gritted his teeth in silent fury, his fists clenched so tight that blood trickled from the flesh pierced by his fingernails.
Horace could feel that he was about to lose a stage of cultivation. With one sharp movement, he took out a bottle of sedatives and swallowed a dozen pills at once. It took him a long time to recover and come to his senses.
Eventually, he called Albert and Andrew and asked them to come to his office, reminding himself to remain calm.
At the appointed hour, the tall knight entered the office.
When Horace didn't see Albert, he suspected that something was wrong and called the alchemist again. However, the absence of any signal suggested that Albert had destroyed his sound transmitter. Did he really figure it all out and run away?
«What can I do for you, patriarch?» – Andrew asked, feeling inexplicable anxiety.
Horace said in a quiet voice: «Did you think about the consequences when you were committing your crimes, each of them punishable by death?»
The knight tensed: «I don't understand…»
«You understand everything, dirty scum! You were like a son to me! I entrusted you with the most important things that I have! But you turned out to be a lying piece of shit, a parasite that got to my heart!»
It was like a bucket of ice water tipped over his head. Andrew turned pale and broke out in a cold sweat.
«You did unforgivable things to my beloved daughter every night, using medicine made with my own money! What will you say in your defense before you die?» – The patriarch could keep it together because he had overdosed on sedatives. But even that wouldn't have held him back if he had watched another second of the recording.
Andrew stood frozen to the spot. Then he looked up and desperately yelled: «I love your daughter! I WANT TO BE THE FATHER FOR HER BABY!»
«My daughter doesn't need your DEGENERATED LOVE!» – Horace barked, turning crimson red.
«You don't understand... It's love at first sight and it has been driving me crazy! I wanted Lindia at any cost, but how was it possible for an ugly nameless forty-year-old man to make his dream come true? Lindia would have never looked at me! And you would have never allowed me to be with her unless she liked me! I had no choice but to do what I had to, no matter how despicable it was... Now that she is carrying my child, I have no regrets... I am ready for death.» – The knight's voice dropped to a humble whisper. He knelt, awaiting the verdict.
«If you really loved her, you wouldn't have pounced on her like a hungry dog who grabbed a delicious bone. You would have told everything to me, and I would have come up with something…» – Horace said with tears in his eyes.
Any imperial phaser was the elite among the elite in Rosarrio. Even if Andrew was a 40-year-old man with no status, he still had a tiny chance of becoming Lindia's husband, but the bastard needed more than maybes and ruined Lindia's life. Insane egoist… Horace couldn't even think about it without tears.
The knight looked up with hope.
Horace got up, walked over to Andrew and hugged him like a father, totally confusing the knight: «I screwed up… big time. I am a bad father.»
~crack~
With a loud crack of breaking neck, the patriarch took his daughter's rapist's life.
Andrew's fading eye stared at Horace in shock and disbelief. Did he really kill him? Was it all for nothing?
Horace took the sound transmitter and dialed the frequency of a 2nd rank investigator.
«How can I help you, patriarch?» – Simon Clinton asked courteously.
«Simon, do you know the fat, ugly investigator named Dick Baker who works in your department?»
«Of course, I do. Everyone knows him. Do you need something from him?»
«I do. I need his life! Kill him at once! You can explain it to Milan later, say, you hit him a bit too hard! Do you understand?»
«Kill… The Dick Baker?..» – Simon couldn't believe what he heard.
«Yes, kill him! I will make sure that you don't get fired. Call me as soon as it's over. Now go for it!»
«I am at your command, patriarch.» – Simon said meekly and ended the call.
If the letter was true, Dick Baker was the only one who knew the truth. That's why he had to disappear at any cost! His daughter's honor should not be tarnished any more! If everything went well, no one could deny that the child belonged to Stein, and the intrigue would remain until the end of his life. Stein looked a bit like Andrew anyway. Lady Fortune seemed to give the Clintons a chance not to hit rock bottom this time.
Twenty minutes lasted forever for Horace. He couldn't wait any longer and called the investigator again: «Why is there no news?»
«Dick Baker isn't in the department, sir…»
«Then go and find him! You're an investigator, not a trash collector, after all!» – The patriarch ended the call, turned the sound transmitter in his hand, and finally dialed the frequency written in the letter. – «Dick Baker?»
«Greetings, patriarch. I am glad to hear from you.» – Kyon said.
«Dick, my boy, you have solved the case that no one could solve before you!»
«Why are you so calm? Shouldn't you be heartbroken?» – Kyon asked incredulously.
Horace ignored him: «I have so many questions for you, my boy! How did you suspect it was the knight? How did you do the recording? And also... I also want to reward you for relieving me of this pain in the neck! When can you come here?»
«I guess never...» – Kyon said uncertainly.
«Why do you say that? Are you worried about your safety? I am the head of the great Clinton family, and I will never stoop to hurting my well-wisher. You have nothing to worry about, I swear on my honor!»
«You treated me like I was nothing not so long ago, patriarch Horace and then suddenly, you've changed your attitude…»
«I didn't know you were so talented! Everyone makes mistakes! I'm endlessly sorry that I judged the book by its.. ahem... cover… So, when are you coming?»
«I am not coming.» – Kyon said resolutely.
«What do you mean you are not coming?» – Horace protested. – «Do you want to hand in this case jeopardizing my family's reputation? Do you understand what will happen to the Clintons if the public finds out the truth? Think about the consequences!»
Kyon rolled his eyes: «Alright, I won't beat around the bush. Let me get this straight. I'm not going to give you the recording for nothing.»
«Do you have a death wish, Dick? Blackmailing the head of the second rank family? You might as well order the king around! Come to your senses, fool! I can forget everything you said!»
Kyon ignored his words: «I have five demands.»
«Son of a bitch! Do you have any idea who you are messing with? I will destroy you in a blink of an eye! I have my people in the department where you are just a third rank investigator! It's your last chance!»
«I've talked to my family and decided to protect myself. In the VIP cell of the Golden Pig guild, there is one original recording and one hundred copies. If I don't arrive there every three days or I fail the check for the subjugating formations or injuries, then the express delivery will automatically send the recordings to the elders of top ten families, including the Valentines, as well as the Russells, directly to the media center. Even if you somehow capture and torture me, trying to bring me under control, it won't change a thing.»
The patriarch's chest heaved with anger: «Do you don't understand who you are trying to blackmail, snot-nosed brat? I will send to hell not only your life but also the lives of your relatives and your whole family! There must be people who are dear to you!»
«You are going to send the Bakers to hell? Good luck. I'd like to see an ant fighting with an elephant.»
Horace suddenly realized that Dick was a Baker, the third-ranking family in Saturn. The Clintons were indeed like ants in front of an elephant compared to them. It became clear to him how the boy had become an investigator: he had paid a bribe to get the job! The Bakers were known for their avarice. They were a family obsessed with money, so it wasn't surprising that they had been helping Dick get some money blackmailing the Clintons.
«As for me,» – Kyon added, – «if I fail to make you cooperate, I will have to go home. I risk losing my job but, on the other hand, I can benefit from blackmail. A profitable scam, isn't it?»
Desperately thinking of options, Horace said the first thing that came to his mind: «Even if your family is untouchable, even if you run away, Elsa will stay here! She's your friend, isn't she? How else could you record what was happening in Lindia's chambers and remain undetected! You value her life, don't you?»
Kyon snorted in disdain: «Pure despair. My ears are bleeding. How can Rose's girlfriend and the most promising student of the Order be a friend of a fat freak like me? It's obvious: I have bribed her, and for a good reason. Without her, you would have kicked me out at once. You can do whatever you want with her. The problems in your family are none of my concern. As for the recording, I did it with a trained pigeon and a trick. You can even see some feathers recorded a couple of times.»
«You… You are bluffing…» – Horace hissed.
«Maybe I am, maybe I am not. Maybe you should send me to hell and reveal the truth to everyone: the family knight has raped Lady Lindia, using medicine made by his father, the best family alchemist! I'll give you half an hour to think about it.» – Kyon ended the call. Everything went according to his plan. The patriarch would have to dance to his tune if he hadn't lost his head. The honor of his family and his daughter was more important to him. Patriarch Horace would swallow his pride and submit to the "snot-nosed brat."
The sound transmitter rang incessantly for half an hour until, finally, Kyon answered the call.
«What are your demands?» – Horace barked.
Kyon was right: «I have five demands. First, you will soon receive a message with some names. All those investigators must write their resignations by tomorrow night. Second, you will give up all attempts to capture me or find any information about me. I will cancel the deal immediately if I spot anyone outside of the department waiting for me, but I won't tell you anything, of course. Third, I will give you the original recording and all the copies of the incident in Lindia's chambers in seven months after she gives birth. Fourth, you will transfer one million superior phase keys of the beginning stages to my account in the guild within a month. Fifth, I will get a ring with Andrew's body to my account in the guild by tomorrow night.»
Lovr wanted to demand one more thing: to annul the wedding agreement between Roman and Juno that the Valentines had bought with Tokens, but it would be too suspicious and unreasonable. He had a year to come up with something else.
The patriarch almost choked with rage after he heard the first demand. When he heard the rest, he fell into a sort of stupor and could not utter a word. Horace heard a ringing noise in his head as if a huge bell was ringing in the temple of the goddess Danna.
For example, the dismissal of all high-ranking investigators would hit the family hard. The Clintons will lose their influence and an important information source. The fulfillment of this condition would cost Horace even more than a million superior phase keys!
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Kyon knew that he would have to choose a side after he found the culprit in this sensational case. He could let nature take its course, hand over the evidence and ask the boss not to reveal his name as if it was done anonymously, but it would be too risky. Both Milan and the Valentines could share the information. Besides, Dick Baker was in charge of the case over the past two weeks.
Lovr decided to act tough, not relying on luck that always seemed to be against him. The risk wasn't justified this time. Blackmail would serve as a perfect deterrent! And when it was time to hand over the case… Well, he would act according to the circumstances.
…
The senior alchemist of the Clinton family received a call from patriarch Horace who ordered him to visit an old friend who was in bed with an unidentified illness. Albert was to determine the disease and prescribe medication.
He left his family territory and soon arrived at the spacious, luxurious mansion in the wealthy Dantes neighborhood. The alchemist had to leave the guards at the entrance to get inside. He went up to the top floor and opened the door to the patient's room. Suddenly, Albert felt an intense burning sensation in his throat. Everything went dark in his eyes.
Kyon appeared out of nowhere next to the dead man. He had killed the old man (a noble phaser in the middle stages) with such nonchalance as if taking out the trash. Kyon had lured the bastard out, faking his voice and giving an order in the strict patriarch's voice. Then all he had to do was to separate the target from the guards and quietly finish him off.
Lovr quickly absorbed Albert's soul, threw his body into the ring and quickly left the rented mansion before the death signal went off. He had killed the alchemist for a simple reason: to steal his identity! After all, the old man enjoyed great authority in Dantes, which would be a sin to waste when he died at Horace's hands.
In any other situation, this scheme would have failed as the alchemist's sudden disappearance would seem suspicious and unreasonable. However, Kyon had sent Horace the recording to justify Albert's escape by his desire to save his life.
…
«Patriarch, you have a message from the department.» – A servant reported, entering the office with a colorfully decorated box in his hands. Then he left with a bow.
Horace opened the box and found inside a nephrite with a letter: "Dear patriarch Horace, greetings from Dick Baker, the unsightly investigator that you completely ignored yesterday. I have solved the case concerning your daughter. The criminals are the ones who you trusted the most. They still commit their atrocities, using sleeping pills and oblivion medicine made with your family's resources. You will find the evidence in the nephrite. Now let's get to the point: at the moment, I am the only person in the world who knows the truth. You can call me anytime to talk about things." There was a sound transmitter frequency and a signature at the end of the letter.
The patriarch's eyes widened. The message seemed to be pure nonsense, but he felt uneasy for some reason. With a shaking hand, Horace activated the nephrite, hoping it was the damned investigator's bad joke.
He could immediately see that it was a copy. The next scene shocked him even more: his beloved daughter's private chambers! The fat investigator had somehow managed to record everything without being noticed!
Meanwhile, the video played on. When Andrew entered the room, put the collar and the bracelet on the young lady and woke her up, the patriarch instantly deactivated the recording. It wasn't a joke or a bad dream... It was a harsh reality!
Horace clutched his head and sat for a long time in silence, trembling as if he were freezing. Then he roared like a wounded animal, making anyone who could hear him feel anguish and compassion.
{My daughter's baby's father is… Andrew… the asshole! He… did it… every night?} – The mere thought of this drove the patriarch mad. He gritted his teeth in silent fury, his fists clenched so tight that blood trickled from the flesh pierced by his fingernails.
Horace could feel that he was about to lose a stage of cultivation. With one sharp movement, he took out a bottle of sedatives and swallowed a dozen pills at once. It took him a long time to recover and come to his senses.
Eventually, he called Albert and Andrew and asked them to come to his office, reminding himself to remain calm.
At the appointed hour, the tall knight entered the office.
When Horace didn't see Albert, he suspected that something was wrong and called the alchemist again. However, the absence of any signal suggested that Albert had destroyed his sound transmitter. Did he really figure it all out and run away?
«What can I do for you, patriarch?» – Andrew asked, feeling inexplicable anxiety.
Horace said in a quiet voice: «Did you think about the consequences when you were committing your crimes, each of them punishable by death?»
The knight tensed: «I don't understand…»
«You understand everything, dirty scum! You were like a son to me! I entrusted you with the most important things that I have! But you turned out to be a lying piece of shit, a parasite that got to my heart!»
It was like a bucket of ice water tipped over his head. Andrew turned pale and broke out in a cold sweat.
«You did unforgivable things to my beloved daughter every night, using medicine made with my own money! What will you say in your defense before you die?» – The patriarch could keep it together because he had overdosed on sedatives. But even that wouldn't have held him back if he had watched another second of the recording.
Andrew stood frozen to the spot. Then he looked up and desperately yelled: «I love your daughter! I WANT TO BE THE FATHER FOR HER BABY!»
«My daughter doesn't need your DEGENERATED LOVE!» – Horace barked, turning crimson red.
«You don't understand... It's love at first sight and it has been driving me crazy! I wanted Lindia at any cost, but how was it possible for an ugly nameless forty-year-old man to make his dream come true? Lindia would have never looked at me! And you would have never allowed me to be with her unless she liked me! I had no choice but to do what I had to, no matter how despicable it was... Now that she is carrying my child, I have no regrets... I am ready for death.» – The knight's voice dropped to a humble whisper. He knelt, awaiting the verdict.
«If you really loved her, you wouldn't have pounced on her like a hungry dog who grabbed a delicious bone. You would have told everything to me, and I would have come up with something…» – Horace said with tears in his eyes.
Any imperial phaser was the elite among the elite in Rosarrio. Even if Andrew was a 40-year-old man with no status, he still had a tiny chance of becoming Lindia's husband, but the bastard needed more than maybes and ruined Lindia's life. Insane egoist… Horace couldn't even think about it without tears.
The knight looked up with hope.
Horace got up, walked over to Andrew and hugged him like a father, totally confusing the knight: «I screwed up… big time. I am a bad father.»
~crack~
With a loud crack of breaking neck, the patriarch took his daughter's rapist's life.
Andrew's fading eye stared at Horace in shock and disbelief. Did he really kill him? Was it all for nothing?
Horace took the sound transmitter and dialed the frequency of a 2nd rank investigator.
«How can I help you, patriarch?» – Simon Clinton asked courteously.
«Simon, do you know the fat, ugly investigator named Dick Baker who works in your department?»
«Of course, I do. Everyone knows him. Do you need something from him?»
«I do. I need his life! Kill him at once! You can explain it to Milan later, say, you hit him a bit too hard! Do you understand?»
«Kill… The Dick Baker?..» – Simon couldn't believe what he heard.
«Yes, kill him! I will make sure that you don't get fired. Call me as soon as it's over. Now go for it!»
«I am at your command, patriarch.» – Simon said meekly and ended the call.
If the letter was true, Dick Baker was the only one who knew the truth. That's why he had to disappear at any cost! His daughter's honor should not be tarnished any more! If everything went well, no one could deny that the child belonged to Stein, and the intrigue would remain until the end of his life. Stein looked a bit like Andrew anyway. Lady Fortune seemed to give the Clintons a chance not to hit rock bottom this time.
Twenty minutes lasted forever for Horace. He couldn't wait any longer and called the investigator again: «Why is there no news?»
«Dick Baker isn't in the department, sir…»
«Then go and find him! You're an investigator, not a trash collector, after all!» – The patriarch ended the call, turned the sound transmitter in his hand, and finally dialed the frequency written in the letter. – «Dick Baker?»
«Greetings, patriarch. I am glad to hear from you.» – Kyon said.
«Dick, my boy, you have solved the case that no one could solve before you!»
«Why are you so calm? Shouldn't you be heartbroken?» – Kyon asked incredulously.
Horace ignored him: «I have so many questions for you, my boy! How did you suspect it was the knight? How did you do the recording? And also... I also want to reward you for relieving me of this pain in the neck! When can you come here?»
«I guess never...» – Kyon said uncertainly.
«Why do you say that? Are you worried about your safety? I am the head of the great Clinton family, and I will never stoop to hurting my well-wisher. You have nothing to worry about, I swear on my honor!»
«You treated me like I was nothing not so long ago, patriarch Horace and then suddenly, you've changed your attitude…»
«I didn't know you were so talented! Everyone makes mistakes! I'm endlessly sorry that I judged the book by its.. ahem... cover… So, when are you coming?»
«I am not coming.» – Kyon said resolutely.
«What do you mean you are not coming?» – Horace protested. – «Do you want to hand in this case jeopardizing my family's reputation? Do you understand what will happen to the Clintons if the public finds out the truth? Think about the consequences!»
Kyon rolled his eyes: «Alright, I won't beat around the bush. Let me get this straight. I'm not going to give you the recording for nothing.»
«Do you have a death wish, Dick? Blackmailing the head of the second rank family? You might as well order the king around! Come to your senses, fool! I can forget everything you said!»
Kyon ignored his words: «I have five demands.»
«Son of a bitch! Do you have any idea who you are messing with? I will destroy you in a blink of an eye! I have my people in the department where you are just a third rank investigator! It's your last chance!»
«I've talked to my family and decided to protect myself. In the VIP cell of the Golden Pig guild, there is one original recording and one hundred copies. If I don't arrive there every three days or I fail the check for the subjugating formations or injuries, then the express delivery will automatically send the recordings to the elders of top ten families, including the Valentines, as well as the Russells, directly to the media center. Even if you somehow capture and torture me, trying to bring me under control, it won't change a thing.»
The patriarch's chest heaved with anger: «Do you don't understand who you are trying to blackmail, snot-nosed brat? I will send to hell not only your life but also the lives of your relatives and your whole family! There must be people who are dear to you!»
«You are going to send the Bakers to hell? Good luck. I'd like to see an ant fighting with an elephant.»
Horace suddenly realized that Dick was a Baker, the third-ranking family in Saturn. The Clintons were indeed like ants in front of an elephant compared to them. It became clear to him how the boy had become an investigator: he had paid a bribe to get the job! The Bakers were known for their avarice. They were a family obsessed with money, so it wasn't surprising that they had been helping Dick get some money blackmailing the Clintons.
«As for me,» – Kyon added, – «if I fail to make you cooperate, I will have to go home. I risk losing my job but, on the other hand, I can benefit from blackmail. A profitable scam, isn't it?»
Desperately thinking of options, Horace said the first thing that came to his mind: «Even if your family is untouchable, even if you run away, Elsa will stay here! She's your friend, isn't she? How else could you record what was happening in Lindia's chambers and remain undetected! You value her life, don't you?»
Kyon snorted in disdain: «Pure despair. My ears are bleeding. How can Rose's girlfriend and the most promising student of the Order be a friend of a fat freak like me? It's obvious: I have bribed her, and for a good reason. Without her, you would have kicked me out at once. You can do whatever you want with her. The problems in your family are none of my concern. As for the recording, I did it with a trained pigeon and a trick. You can even see some feathers recorded a couple of times.»
«You… You are bluffing…» – Horace hissed.
«Maybe I am, maybe I am not. Maybe you should send me to hell and reveal the truth to everyone: the family knight has raped Lady Lindia, using medicine made by his father, the best family alchemist! I'll give you half an hour to think about it.» – Kyon ended the call. Everything went according to his plan. The patriarch would have to dance to his tune if he hadn't lost his head. The honor of his family and his daughter was more important to him. Patriarch Horace would swallow his pride and submit to the "snot-nosed brat."
The sound transmitter rang incessantly for half an hour until, finally, Kyon answered the call.
«What are your demands?» – Horace barked.
Kyon was right: «I have five demands. First, you will soon receive a message with some names. All those investigators must write their resignations by tomorrow night. Second, you will give up all attempts to capture me or find any information about me. I will cancel the deal immediately if I spot anyone outside of the department waiting for me, but I won't tell you anything, of course. Third, I will give you the original recording and all the copies of the incident in Lindia's chambers in seven months after she gives birth. Fourth, you will transfer one million superior phase keys of the beginning stages to my account in the guild within a month. Fifth, I will get a ring with Andrew's body to my account in the guild by tomorrow night.»
Lovr wanted to demand one more thing: to annul the wedding agreement between Roman and Juno that the Valentines had bought with Tokens, but it would be too suspicious and unreasonable. He had a year to come up with something else.
The patriarch almost choked with rage after he heard the first demand. When he heard the rest, he fell into a sort of stupor and could not utter a word. Horace heard a ringing noise in his head as if a huge bell was ringing in the temple of the goddess Danna.
For example, the dismissal of all high-ranking investigators would hit the family hard. The Clintons will lose their influence and an important information source. The fulfillment of this condition would cost Horace even more than a million superior phase keys!
Kyon knew that he would have to choose a side after he found the culprit in this sensational case. He could let nature take its course, hand over the evidence and ask the boss not to reveal his name as if it was done anonymously, but it would be too risky. Both Milan and the Valentines could share the information. Besides, Dick Baker was in charge of the case over the past two weeks. Lovr decided to act tough, not relying on luck that always seemed to be against him. The risk wasn't justified this time. Blackmail would serve as a perfect deterrent! And when it was time to hand over the case Well, he would act according to the circumstances. The senior alchemist of the Clinton family received a call from patriarch Horace who ordered him to visit an old friend who was in bed with an unidentified illness. Albert was to determine the disease and prescribe medication. He left his family territory and soon arrived at the spacious, luxurious mansion in the wealthy Dantes neighborhood. The alchemist had to leave the guards at the entrance to get inside. He went up to the top floor and opened the door to the patient's room. Suddenly, Albert felt an intense burning sensation in his throat. Everything went dark in his eyes. Kyon appeared out of nowhere next to the dead man. He had killed the old man a noble phaser in the middle stages with such nonchalance as if taking out the trash. Kyon had lured the bastard out, faking his voice and giving an order in the strict patriarch's voice. Then all he had to do was to separate the target from the guards and quietly finish him off. Lovr quickly absorbed Albert's soul, threw his body into the ring and quickly left the rented mansion before the death signal went off. He had killed the alchemist for a simple reason: to steal his identity! After all, the old man enjoyed great authority in Dantes, which would be a sin to waste when he died at Horace's hands. In any other situation, this scheme would have failed as the alchemist's sudden disappearance would seem suspicious and unreasonable. However, Kyon had sent Horace the recording to justify Albert's escape by his desire to save his life. Patriarch, you have a message from the department. A servant reported, entering the office with a colorfully decorated box in his hands. Then he left with a bow. Horace opened the box and found inside a nephrite with a letter: "Dear patriarch Horace, greetings from Dick Baker, the unsightly investigator that you completely ignored yesterday. I have solved the case concerning your daughter. The criminals are the ones who you trusted the most. They still commit their atrocities, using sleeping pills and oblivion medicine made with your family's resources. You will find the evidence in the nephrite. Now let's get to the point: at the moment, I am the only person in the world who knows the truth. You can call me anytime to talk about things." There was a sound transmitter frequency and a signature at the end of the letter. The patriarch's eyes widened. The message seemed to be pure nonsense, but he felt uneasy for some reason. With a shaking hand, Horace activated the nephrite, hoping it was the damned investigator's bad joke. He could immediately see that it was a copy. The next scene shocked him even more: his beloved daughter's private chambers! The fat investigator had somehow managed to record everything without being noticed! Meanwhile, the video played on. When Andrew entered the room, put the collar and the bracelet on the young lady and woke her up, the patriarch instantly deactivated the recording. It wasn't a joke or a bad dream... It was a harsh reality! Horace clutched his head and sat for a long time in silence, trembling as if he were freezing. Then he roared like a wounded animal, making anyone who could hear him feel anguish and compassion. {My daughter's baby's father is Andrew the asshole! He did it every night?} The mere thought of this drove the patriarch mad. He gritted his teeth in silent fury, his fists clenched so tight that blood trickled from the flesh pierced by his fingernails. Horace could feel that he was about to lose a stage of cultivation. With one sharp movement, he took out a bottle of sedatives and swallowed a dozen pills at once. It took him a long time to recover and come to his senses. Eventually, he called Albert and Andrew and asked them to come to his office, reminding himself to remain calm. At the appointed hour, the tall knight entered the office. When Horace didn't see Albert, he suspected that something was wrong and called the alchemist again. However, the absence of any signal suggested that Albert had destroyed his sound transmitter. Did he really figure it all out and run away? What can I do for you, patriarch? Andrew asked, feeling inexplicable anxiety. Horace said in a quiet voice: Did you think about the consequences when you were committing your crimes, each of them punishable by death? The knight tensed: I don't understand You understand everything, dirty scum! You were like a son to me! I entrusted you with the most important things that I have! But you turned out to be a lying piece of shit, a parasite that got to my heart! It was like a bucket of ice water tipped over his head. Andrew turned pale and broke out in a cold sweat. You did unforgivable things to my beloved daughter every night, using medicine made with my own money! What will you say in your defense before you die? The patriarch could keep it together because he had overdosed on sedatives. But even that wouldn't have held him back if he had watched another second of the recording. Andrew stood frozen to the spot. Then he looked up and desperately yelled: I love your daughter! I WANT TO BE THE FATHER FOR HER BABY! My daughter doesn't need your DEGENERATED LOVE! Horace barked, turning crimson red. You don't understand... It's love at first sight and it has been driving me crazy! I wanted Lindia at any cost, but how was it possible for an ugly nameless forty-year-old man to make his dream come true? Lindia would have never looked at me! And you would have never allowed me to be with her unless she liked me! I had no choice but to do what I had to, no matter how despicable it was... Now that she is carrying my child, I have no regrets... I am ready for death. The knight's voice dropped to a humble whisper. He knelt, awaiting the verdict. If you really loved her, you wouldn't have pounced on her like a hungry dog who grabbed a delicious bone. You would have told everything to me, and I would have come up with something Horace said with tears in his eyes. Any imperial phaser was the elite among the elite in Rosarrio. Even if Andrew was a 40-year-old man with no status, he still had a tiny chance of becoming Lindia's husband, but the bastard needed more than maybes and ruined Lindia's life. Insane egoist Horace couldn't even think about it without tears. The knight looked up with hope. Horace got up, walked over to Andrew and hugged him like a father, totally confusing the knight: I screwed up big time. I am a bad father. ~crack~ With a loud crack of breaking neck, the patriarch took his daughter's rapist's life. Andrew's fading eye stared at Horace in shock and disbelief. Did he really kill him? Was it all for nothing? Horace took the sound transmitter and dialed the frequency of a 2nd rank investigator. How can I help you, patriarch? Simon Clinton asked courteously. Simon, do you know the fat, ugly investigator named Dick Baker who works in your department? Of course, I do. Everyone knows him. Do you need something from him? I do. I need his life! Kill him at once! You can explain it to Milan later, say, you hit him a bit too hard! Do you understand? Kill The Dick Baker?.. Simon couldn't believe what he heard. Yes, kill him! I will make sure that you don't get fired. Call me as soon as it's over. Now go for it! I am at your command, patriarch. Simon said meekly and ended the call. If the letter was true, Dick Baker was the only one who knew the truth. That's why he had to disappear at any cost! His daughter's honor should not be tarnished any more! If everything went well, no one could deny that the child belonged to Stein, and the intrigue would remain until the end of his life. Stein looked a bit like Andrew anyway. Lady Fortune seemed to give the Clintons a chance not to hit rock bottom this time. Twenty minutes lasted forever for Horace. He couldn't wait any longer and called the investigator again: Why is there no news? Dick Baker isn't in the department, sir Then go and find him! You're an investigator, not a trash collector, after all! The patriarch ended the call, turned the sound transmitter in his hand, and finally dialed the frequency written in the letter. Dick Baker? Greetings, patriarch. I am glad to hear from you. Kyon said. Dick, my boy, you have solved the case that no one could solve before you! Why are you so calm? Shouldn't you be heartbroken? Kyon asked incredulously. Horace ignored him: I have so many questions for you, my boy! How did you suspect it was the knight? How did you do the recording? And also... I also want to reward you for relieving me of this pain in the neck! When can you come here? I guess never... Kyon said uncertainly. Why do you say that? Are you worried about your safety? I am the head of the great Clinton family, and I will never stoop to hurting my well-wisher. You have nothing to worry about, I swear on my honor! You treated me like I was nothing not so long ago, patriarch Horace and then suddenly, you've changed your attitude I didn't know you were so talented! Everyone makes mistakes! I'm endlessly sorry that I judged the book by its.. ahem... cover So, when are you coming? I am not coming. Kyon said resolutely. What do you mean you are not coming? Horace protested. Do you want to hand in this case jeopardizing my family's reputation? Do you understand what will happen to the Clintons if the public finds out the truth? Think about the consequences! Kyon rolled his eyes: Alright, I won't beat around the bush. Let me get this straight. I'm not going to give you the recording for nothing. Do you have a death wish, Dick? Blackmailing the head of the second rank family? You might as well order the king around! Come to your senses, fool! I can forget everything you said! Kyon ignored his words: I have five demands. Son of a bitch! Do you have any idea who you are messing with? I will destroy you in a blink of an eye! I have my people in the department where you are just a third rank investigator! It's your last chance! I've talked to my family and decided to protect myself. In the VIP cell of the Golden Pig guild, there is one original recording and one hundred copies. If I don't arrive there every three days or I fail the check for the subjugating formations or injuries, then the express delivery will automatically send the recordings to the elders of top ten families, including the Valentines, as well as the Russells, directly to the media center. Even if you somehow capture and torture me, trying to bring me under control, it won't change a thing. The patriarch's chest heaved with anger: Do you don't understand who you are trying to blackmail, snot-nosed brat? I will send to hell not only your life but also the lives of your relatives and your whole family! There must be people who are dear to you! You are going to send the Bakers to hell? Good luck. I'd like to see an ant fighting with an elephant. Horace suddenly realized that Dick was a Baker, the third-ranking family in Saturn. The Clintons were indeed like ants in front of an elephant compared to them. It became clear to him how the boy had become an investigator: he had paid a bribe to get the job! The Bakers were known for their avarice. They were a family obsessed with money, so it wasn't surprising that they had been helping Dick get some money blackmailing the Clintons. As for me, Kyon added, if I fail to make you cooperate, I will have to go home. I risk losing my job but, on the other hand, I can benefit from blackmail. A profitable scam, isn't it? Desperately thinking of options, Horace said the first thing that came to his mind: Even if your family is untouchable, even if you run away, Elsa will stay here! She's your friend, isn't she? How else could you record what was happening in Lindia's chambers and remain undetected! You value her life, don't you? Kyon snorted in disdain: Pure despair. My ears are bleeding. How can Rose's girlfriend and the most promising student of the Order be a friend of a fat freak like me? It's obvious: I have bribed her, and for a good reason. Without her, you would have kicked me out at once. You can do whatever you want with her. The problems in your family are none of my concern. As for the recording, I did it with a trained pigeon and a trick. You can even see some feathers recorded a couple of times. You You are bluffing Horace hissed. Maybe I am, maybe I am not. Maybe you should send me to hell and reveal the truth to everyone: the family knight has raped Lady Lindia, using medicine made by his father, the best family alchemist! I'll give you half an hour to think about it. Kyon ended the call. Everything went according to his plan. The patriarch would have to dance to his tune if he hadn't lost his head. The honor of his family and his daughter was more important to him. Patriarch Horace would swallow his pride and submit to the "snot-nosed brat." The sound transmitter rang incessantly for half an hour until, finally, Kyon answered the call. What are your demands? Horace barked. Kyon was right: I have five demands. First, you will soon receive a message with some names. All those investigators must write their resignations by tomorrow night. Second, you will give up all attempts to capture me or find any information about me. I will cancel the deal immediately if I spot anyone outside of the department waiting for me, but I won't tell you anything, of course. Third, I will give you the original recording and all the copies of the incident in Lindia's chambers in seven months after she gives birth. Fourth, you will transfer one million superior phase keys of the beginning stages to my account in the guild within a month. Fifth, I will get a ring with Andrew's body to my account in the guild by tomorrow night. Lovr wanted to demand one more thing: to annul the wedding agreement between Roman and Juno that the Valentines had bought with Tokens, but it would be too suspicious and unreasonable. He had a year to come up with something else. The patriarch almost choked with rage after he heard the first demand. When he heard the rest, he fell into a sort of stupor and could not utter a word. Horace heard a ringing noise in his head as if a huge bell was ringing in the temple of the goddess Danna. For example, the dismissal of all high-ranking investigators would hit the family hard. The Clintons will lose their influence and an important information source. The fulfillment of this condition would cost Horace even more than a million superior phase keys!
