Chapter 1295 Gold <TOC> Chapter 1297 Rolando
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Translator: SumTLMan
“Have you ventured to the Old Land Continent in search of me?” The words from Gold took Angel aback, leaving him perplexed. “How did you come to know I was on the Old Land Continent?”
“Discovering your whereabouts, my lord, is achieved through various means. Yet, each method might unsettle you. To prevent any misunderstandings from magnifying, I must kindly keep my cards close to my chest for now.” Gold replied, bowing slightly, exemplifying the manners of an aristocratic gentleman.
Angel cast an incredulous gaze upon Gold. It was unexpected for Gold to openly admit that his methods of tracking weren’t exactly honorable. Such candor, if expressed by another, might’ve elevated their stature in Angel’s eyes. But coming from Gold, it left no impression. There was a palpable inconsistency about him; a feeling that he wore two faces.
While Angel discreetly scrutinized Gold, his peripheral vision was surveying their surroundings.
The natural cavern was amply lit with several lighting fixtures, preventing any shadows from darkening the space. The expansive cave featured a deep pool behind Gold, its depths unknown. Surrounding it were various experimental tools, with the most prominent being tall, clear chambers scattered across the floor.
At first glance, there seemed to be nearly a hundred of these glass chambers, arranged in a grand and imposing manner.
Close to where Angel stood was one of these chambers. A hazy white mist obscured its contents, revealing only a vague silhouette within. As Angel reached out, swiping the mist away, a pallid and ghastly skull came into focus.
Inside lay a naked, preserved human corpse.
Angel’s brow furrowed. Death, in itself, didn’t perturb him much. But preserving the deceased in a solution that prevents decomposition and encasing them in these glass coffins, well, that was decidedly odd.
If one were to imagine, nearly a hundred glass chambers here filled with the remains of humanity, then it’s not a matter of a particular lineage, but rather an acquired taste… Angel cast a fleeting glance at Gold, the gleam in his eyes shimmering, giving nothing away, leaving one to ponder.
“These culprits all initiated attacks on Lord Gold. They aren’t innocent,” came the voice of a lady in red beside him, who had keenly observed Angel’s subtle change in expression. In haste, she explained, “Lord Gold is benevolent; he doesn’t kill without provocation.”
As to whether Gold was virtuous or not, Angel remained non-committal. He turned and softly inquired, “These glass chamber bodies are for experiments, are they not? Have you also dabbled in human studies?”
Gold responded with a sly grin, “Indeed. Humans are such pitiable creatures. My research aims at finding ways to obliterate them all.”
Hearing this, Angel’s gaze remained unchanged, while the expression of the lady in red darkened.
Gold, sensing the tension, smoothly changed tack: “Of course, I jest. I am human too. Why would I research ways to annihilate my own kind? That would be the same as suicide, wouldn’t it?”
After a brief pause, Gold addressed the lady in red, “Silver Star, it’s time you returned to your true form. Lingering in your current state too long, you might morph into something else.”
The lady known as ‘Silver Star’ hesitated, “But…”
“I understand the intention behind your spirit,” Gold interjected.
“However, remember this: unbridled human curiosity is a cardinal sin. If they can’t curb their inquisitiveness and insist on barging into my laboratory, then they deserve their fate. Scaring them away only fuels their curiosity about this place,” Gold continued, gesturing towards Angel, “Moreover, with such a distinguished guest present, don’t you think appearing in your ghost form is a tad impolite?”
Silver Star contemplated for a moment, responding with a hint of resignation, “Alright, then.”
Subsequently, Silver Star transformed into a streak of red light, darting towards a pool behind Gold, vanishing into the abyss.
With a playful grin, Gold snapped his fingers, gesturing toward a table and chair beside the pool. “Since you’ve sought me out, I presume you have business with me. Coincidentally, I too wish to discuss certain matters. Shall we sit and converse?”
As Angel took his seat, the center of the pool began to ripple mysteriously.
Beneath the ripples, a shadow swiftly rose, expanding in size. At the height of these watery disturbances, eyes glowing with a spectral green light, emerged from the pool’s center.
It was a sleek, elongated snake. Triangular-headed with fangs exuding a poisonous green mist.
Yet, the scene didn’t end there. More serpents began to rise from the depths, each pair of eyes flashing a chilling green, sending a shiver down the spine of any onlooker.
With the soft sound of a sigh, a flawless face surfaced above the water.
It belonged to a strikingly beautiful woman. Bare-chested, her modesty shielded only by dark, snake-like scales. Her lower half was a sea serpent’s tail, adorned with crimson circular patterns.
What truly astounded Angel was that this woman’s flowing locks were, in fact, the very serpents that had initially emerged from the water.
“Gorgon of the Sea,” Angel whispered in awe.
“Silver Star’s true form is the Gorgon of the Sea. She’s enchanting, isn’t she?” Gold remarked with a smile, gently caressing Silver Star’s serpentine hair. The snakes entwined around Gold’s arm, a sight unsettling for the ophidiophobic. Angel noted that although Gold’s expression remained consistently jovial, there was an undeniable sincerity emanating from him now.
He truly cherished Silver Star.
The corners of Angel’s mouth turned up subtly, finding the scene before him unexpectedly captivating.
From the past discourse between Silver Star and Gold, one can astutely deduce that Silver Star seems to harbor a protective stance toward humankind. In fact, she went to the lengths of masquerading as a ghost just to deter humans from mistakenly stepping into Gold’s experimental glass chambers.
However, Gold’s disposition is a Stark Contrast. Since Angel’s arrival here, he has sensed an incongruence in Gold. Though Gold often greets Angel with a seemingly congenial smile, the distaste lurking in his eyes is hard to mask.
Initially, Angel was perplexed about what could have possibly provoked such aversion from Gold. Yet, as he became privy to Gold’s sentiments, clarity dawned upon him.
Gold’s contempt isn’t solely directed at Angel, but is rather a sweeping disdain for the entirety of the human race. His words brim with scorn for humanity, even though he himself belongs to the very same species.
Of note is the fact that the Gorgon, a creature known to feast on humans to sate its hunger, lists humans on its menu. Silver Star, being a Gorgon by nature, surprisingly extends her safeguarding demeanor towards humans.
On the flip side, Gold, being a human himself, harbors animosity towards his own kind.
From a naturalistic perspective, Gold and Silver Star should be at opposing ends of the spectrum, representing positivity and negativity respectively. Yet, in their current state, these polarities seem to have swapped. The one expected to despise humanity doesn’t, while the one anticipated to identify with humans harbors resentment.
What tickles Angel’s curiosity further is the palpable tension between Gold and Silver Star. Could there be a budding affection between the two?
Their dynamics hint at an intriguing narrative. It reminds Angel of a tale from Earth narrated by Jon — a poignant love story between a snake and a human.
Lost in these ruminations, Angel barely noticed Silver Star emerging from the pool. Despite her half-serpent form, her movements were deft and nimble. In a swift motion, she brewed tea for both Angel and Gold.
“Dear guest, please enjoy,” Silver Star murmured, her head bowed gracefully.
After Silver Star had delicately poured the tea, she gracefully seated herself behind Gold, her serpentine tail languidly draped into the pond. It seemed that upon reverting to her true form, Silver Star became somewhat coy, avoiding direct eye contact with others.
Angel was indeed curious about Silver Star and Gold’s narrative, but he had a specific purpose for his visit today. Setting aside the gossip bubbling within him, he broached the primary subject with Gold:
“I’ve heard that your search for energy fluctuations on the Old Land Continent was to find me. Is that true?”
“Yes,” Gold responded, nodding subtly. “Not many know of my search for energy fluctuations on the Old Land Continent, let alone that I’ve settled here. I presume Feilin and Henry informed you? As far as my memory serves, they probably arrived in Grud Town about a week ago.”
“Does Pat Mansion in Grud Town indeed belong to your esteemed family?”
When Angel sought out Gold, he was well aware that his venture to Pat Mansion would undoubtedly attract Gold’s attention. Hence, Gold’s statement didn’t stir any discernible reaction from Angel, who probed further, “Why? What is your purpose in seeking me out?”
Gold countered, “If I had taken the initiative to approach you, I would have certainly declared my intentions first. However, since you’ve come to me, may I first understand why you’ve sought me out?”
Angel looked deeply into Gold’s eyes, not masking his intent, “Feilin mentioned that you are quite familiar with the crew of the White Headed Gull. Is that so?”
Gold nodded, his gaze unwavering, “Indeed. In my eyes, they are all pristine subjects for research.”
As Gold’s words settled, a splash echoed from the pond behind, Silver Star, evidently displeased, was slapping the water with her serpentine tail.
Without a change in his composure, Gold clarified, “Just a jest on my part.”
Angel inquired further, “So, are Feilin and Henry merely ‘subjects’ in your eyes?”
“Nature has its course, but it seemed Silver Star took a particular fancy to Twin Serpents Feilin. Hence, I felt my hands were tied and had no choice but to let them go,” said Gold, his shoulders raised in a gesture that spoke of reluctant compromise.
Angel’s mind wandered back to a recent incident. When Suis had interrogated Feilin, even though her mind seemed to be under some control, a flicker of resentment could still be discerned when Gold’s name was mentioned. Drawing from that, it seemed likely there was some deep-seated animosity between Feilin and Gold. Considering Gold’s overt disdain for humans, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume Feilin had become a target. However, perhaps swayed by Silver Star’s sentiments, Gold had let them go.
Angel voiced, “I sought you out simply to find out who amongst the transcendents is on the ‘White Headed Gull’ vessel?”
Gold’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, “Is that the sole reason for this unexpected visit?”
“Indeed,” Angel nodded in affirmation, “But if you choose to withhold such information, it’s your prerogative. I’m confident that the White Shell Shipping Company should have their records.”
Gold broke into an enigmatic smile, “True, the White Shell Shipping Company might have records. But do you really think they’d pinpoint exactly who you’re after? Moreover, what if someone intentionally conceals their identity or sneaks aboard? Would you still expect there to be any record?”
“Judging by your tone,” Angel queried, “You seem to know who I’m searching for?”
Gold replied in a tantalizingly mysterious manner, “Shall I venture a guess?”
“Are you suggesting… someone tied to the shadows of the Guman Kingdom?”