Death Ascension - Chapter 112

“Sir… Now my brother knows about our skills. Would that really be alright?” Prince Deon anxiously asked Mikael who had returned to the Medium after they drained their Mana Pool.

“We can just chalk it up to you inheriting Kariyah’s unknown bestowed powers from Heinken I. Just like before.” The exhausted Mikael lounged on his couch in the white world, “We can’t keep our skills hidden forever, kid.”

“Right. As long as the church doesn’t find out about you, sir, revealing some skills wouldn’t hurt…Probably” Deon convinced himself.

The young prince walked out of the Hellebore Maze with a complicated expression.

Thirty minutes later.

“My liege, where do you plan to go today?” Dame Nora met with Deon as he was on his way back from treating his wound.

His hazel eyes on the floor, the boy held his neck with an embarrassed expression.

“I’m stuck, Dame.” The boy admitted, “That’s why I plan to ask Sir Finn for advice.”

Deon and Mikael both agreed to halt their home visitations, thinking it was counterproductive to hope for more information from the requests of the dead.

‘When in doubt, ask Sir Finn.’—this was the conclusion that they came to.

Dame Nora looked at the prince in pity. As a former criminal herself, she knew that this kingdom’s Royal Investigations Bureau was full of incompetent people. That was how she got away with all her killings.

‘I want to help my liege, but I don’t know anything aside from fighting.’ Seemingly affected by Deon’s gloomy atmosphere, the Dame trudged along with her master toward Finn’s laboratory.

Minutes later, they arrived at the domed building that served as Finn’s lab and abode.

“Huh? Why are there so many blocks of dirt here?” the confused Nora kicked a block of dirt out of her liege’s path. “Ack! Hot!”

The Dame sucked her breath as she frowned at the blocks scattered across the Laboratory’s vicinity. She crouched to inspect the dirt block and found it faintly smoking.

‘What’s that crazy Almagi doing while we left him unattended?’ she wondered.

Nora’s gaze swept the area as she and her master walked onward. She noted the numerous spots within the ankle-deep grass where gray smoke rose.

“AAAAHHHHH!!!!”

An ear-piercing scream brought their attention back to the ground.

“MY HAND!! AHHH!!!! STEP OFF MY HAND!!”

Nora jumped off the grass in shock and she found their Combat Almagi lying face down with his hand stretched on her path.

Whether he just casually slept or plainly collapsed right there, Nora didn’t ask.

Sir Finn glared at her as he rubbed his aching hand, “What are you two doing here?” he asked as he stood from the ground, brushed the grass and dirt off his robes, and wobbled toward his laboratory.

Dame Nora and Deon shared a glance.

Sir Finn looked like a ghost—even more than the certified ghost Mikael.

The dark eye circles that rimmed his icy blue eyes had grown to the point where anyone who saw him would think they were black eyes. Sir Finn was so gaunt and pale as if he had been sucked dry of his blood.

Nora and Deon followed the lethargic Finn into his lab.

Clang. Clang!

Finn kicked away the glass tubes and spatulas that littered the floor.

“Haaah…” he sighed, laying down the couch without even feigning hospitality to his guests.

“Y-you look terrible, Sir Finn.” Prince Deon said by way of greeting his disrespectful subordinate.

“Ah.. yes. I haven’t slept much for… uhh…” Finn paused as if trying to remember what day it was, “Ten days? I think?”

‘Wha?! Ten days?! No wonder he looks worse than me!’ Mikael went out of the Medium and hovered over Finn, carefully inspecting the latter’s face.

“What exactly have you been doing, sir? To sacrifice your sleep like that…” Deon frowned at Finn’s state. He felt bad that he came here to bother such a pitiful man.

To their surprise, Finn abruptly sat up, his face lit with unbridled excitement.

“Actually! I was able to move up to Tier-2 with my ground-type spell! Then I came up with this fantastic idea two weeks ago!” Finn smiled maniacally. He showed them a pile of papers filled with indecipherable scribbles and stained with blood ink, “I thought: what if I reconfigure the tier-2 ground type mana circle to include a fire element? So, I studied like crazy for a week! Then, I tried out my theory, and voila! It was a success! AHAHAHAHA!”

‘Tsk. Tsk. I knew it. He’s lost his marbles.’ Mikael clicked his tongue as he watched Finn.

“Well, I almost died several times but…” Finn ecstatically grinned, “It was worth it.”

Silence reigned over Finn’s lab visitors.

Seeing them look at him with an indescribable expression, Finn cleared his throat and changed the topic.

“So? What brings you to my lab, Prince?”

Deon twirled his fingers in embarrassment, “I-I was hoping you could give me some advice regarding the kidnapping case, sir.”

“Ah… that?” Finn weakly nodded, “Tell me the details.”

Everyone in the kingdom was now aware that the third prince, renowned for his uselessness, was trying to solve an impossible case, earning him a major reputation boost from the citizens.

When Finn heard of this, he had been mildly interested in the case as well. As a man who took pride in his intelligence, the kidnapping case was like a tough nut waiting to be cracked; a riddle to tickle the mind.

Still, he cared more about perfecting his new spell, so he never joined Deon in his investigations.

Deon produced a paper from his coat pocket and handed it to Sir Finn.

The Combat Almagi unfolded a single piece of paper that contained all the known information.

Finn’s blue eyes ran across the document like a metronome, “Hmm… I see… Right. That could be possible. Yes, yes…”

Hearing his positive mumblings gave Mikael and Deon hope.

‘Ahh… Finn, you handsome and reliable man… You are an angel sent from above! I’m sincerely sorry for saying you’ve gone insane.’

‘I’m so glad that we have a genius like Sir Finn!’—they thought, respectively.

Even Dame Nora weakly smiled as she gazed fondly at her comrade.

After reading the document, Finn returned it to the prince who inched closer in response, sitting almost at the edge of his seat.

“So? What do you think I should do, Sir Finn?” Deon, eyes gleaming in anticipation, eagerly asked.

Finn crossed his arms and raised his nose.

A suspenseful moment passed before the Almagi opened his lips.

“Your highness.”

“Yes?”

“…”

“What is it, Sir Finn?”

“Get yourself kidnapped.”

–Chapter end–