Inside of deep swamp,
Few lizardman carrying some large corpses somewhere. They have muscular bipedal structure with reptilian scales all over body.
What interesting about them was there eyes full, unfocused like lost their mind.
Aside from lizardmans a man standing on stable ground few metres away. It was Lawrence and this place is D rank gate called 'Serpent's lair '.
It's been over month to wolf's den incident. There are some rumours after Erik's death but no came looking trouble for him.
"We already completed our deal so I am leaving now."
[ Can you bring lots of poisonous plants seeds next time. ]
"Possible but what I get?"
[ Two dozen low grade and one medium grade mana cores. ]
Code speak without any hesitation as he is talking to pal.
"Make medium one two atleast. Seeds itself not problem but quantity. It is cost some fortune so understand."
[ Okay I will give two but if want more it will depends how much seeds you brought. ]
He nods in agreement.
After completing his business Lawrence discretely join a few groups resting on top a large cliff. Environment of this basically dense forests filled with endless swamps, mountains.
If Lawrence had compare this place akin to earth's amazon forest.
While this gate is various similarity to E rank one he visited before in unfavorable environment, scattered monsters and traps.
But it's clearing method is completely different. While in wolf's den one had eradicate mobs and boss but here condition for clearing is find a statue hidden in this vast terrain.
Statue itself around ten feets and snake carved on it.
Lawrence choose this gate for uniqueness. From when anomalies first appeared in city this gate still remains unclear. It mainly because this ever growing forest and statue.
Staue's size may not sound too small but finding it in vast forest is looking for needle in a haystack. Furthermore sheer size hunter's can't try to burn whole forest or destroy everything. If they do that not they'll cought themselves in like past cases. Also gate's origin code not even provide them slim chance to succeed.
Past governors invites various Master trackers to track down statue but all of them failed as statue was continuously moved sometimes above mountains or inside bottomless swamps to hundreds of meters underground.
It's not that trackers can't find moving object but with some tricks code always interfere their spells. Still those mages able find statue's description.
"Did you collect all roots?"
"How many lizardmans you encounter?"
Hunters chatting among themselves. It was nothing unusual despite gate never cleared but plants, monsters still too valuable to left as it is.
They'll resting within mile of entrance. As gate close irregular pattern. No one cleared it so doesn't needs to goes in restoration cycle ideally. It just gate's method to eat hunters.
It's D rank anomaly so mana, monsters, traps all are superior to E rank ones so as intelligence of origin code.
Lawrence doesn't mind others discretely slip towards entrance.
He come out of gate with large backpack on his back. Unlike his first day today he wears short sleeve tshirt and pants. Also some light armour over clothes.
"Let's sell all these plants and find those seeds." He muttered to himself and leave towards market area.
Suddenly just at entrance of market streets shivers run down his spine.
"Aah!!"
Lawrence start sweating profusely his heart rate increases and heavy breathing doesn't not stop.
He takes support of nearby wall but his condition only worsen.
Lawrence with ugly expressions try to think reasoning behind it. It was not his was first experiencing this. This all starts from last week suddenly he even put his mana core on full output to envelope himself with mana to protect.
But unusual pain pierced through his mana and gives chilling sensation of someone watching under his flesh.
After groaning few minutes his body returns to normal condition.
While Lawrence try to regain his composure somewhere above building a man intently watching at him.
Man's whole body cover in shadows only his silhouette visible. He opened his mouth speaks in cold, heavy voice.
"I expect something amusing but you're same as rest of kind(class) completely worthless." With those words his dilated pupils relax and figure vanish from building.
Somewhere in central region.
Three persons sitting on sofa inside a large room. Room itself filled with different artificats, books, maps, etc. It was look like someone's study.
Man with blonde hair and muscular build sits front of young man. Young guy's features similar to man only difference is he is looking in early twenties like Lawrence.
But man opposite to him like in late thirties or forties. Young man open his mouth and initiate conversation.
"Father let me handle it. That bastard compensate so governor not interfere. He is mere sector head try to target our people and allies." He speaks in full fury and disdain.
Hearing his son's reckless words he twitch his eyes in anger.
"Larry it's already month to incident and people you referring is just cannon fodders for guild. I already deal with issue so our allies also has no problem. So think before you speak." Man speak in authoritive tone.
This man is Nex guildmaster of hydra sector mentioned last time.
"But father mere officer try to challenge our authority. Even governor is respectful to us. How did you let it go so easily???"
Looking at his idiot son Nex sign in self pity.
"All you mention now authority, respect is people give to me not you. Moreover incident is not that simple so not meddle in it."
"Ah fath-
"Idiot do atleast acting of respecting my words. You don't stop without understanding it right?"
Larry nodded.
"Then tell me how many governors city has till now?" At this question Larry using all brain for answer.
He never care to learn for such trivial things before because of father.
He only knows last governor who retired decade ago and current one but saying two make him fool in front of his father.
While Larry thinking answer woman beside Nex let out light moan. Woman has jet black hair and looks in mid twenties. She was in formal suit must be his secretary.
He sometimes unbutton her shirt pounce her breasts or grab her butt and pull close to himself.
Ehhhh~~
Woman moan again and Larry who ignoring her present till now look at his father.
"Don't do front of me atleast. "
"Fool I didn't tell you to barrage in my office. Also don't change subject and answer my question." Nex snorted and scold him.
"Ten or fifteen." He spoke in low voice.
"That's why you're idiot. No matter how talentless hunter is if level up enough one can easily live over hundred years. Even with city's mining days added it's not much older than 700 years. So how will your number fit in it?"
"Now hear carefully, city was barony first but after Zenon discovery estate turn into tier three city and that baron's family awarded with governor position. Deposits itself not that much and excessive mining for next two generations of governors pass. During fourth governor's tenure Zenon deposits became empty and gates presence also discovered nearby. Greed blind him and he put all efforts for researching and calling hunters. Also Ottoman family also called around same period."
"You mean Michael Ottoman that bookworm. Putting this aside but father why did you call blinded by greedy?"
"So you still use brain for thinking. I thought it is only for womanizing." Nex mock his son.
"You also going do same with that chick father now so don't have right to lecture me about that." He try to talk back.
"Son problem is not what you do to womens but don't do or focus anything besides them. The girls I use are mere entertainment object nothing more or less. But for you all them at your villa are precious collections and you can't live without them. You're so obsessed with them like child with his toys."
Larry try retort his statement but before he could speak Nex tight his grip around woman's neck with left hand.
'Splash!!'
Her neck crush and her head roll over floor. Such sudden action startled Larry to soul.
"See don't I tell you. Answer of that question is total arcane gates he found was around forty something but he didn't report all to governor of our tier three district. His descendant fifth governor follow his step and he goes further try to contact different nation. Some spys caught wind about it then his whole lineage purge. This all happens in first four hundred years after mines discovered. After that I and your elder siblings also current governor assign here by head governor our state."
Seeing him pause Larry let out breath. It's his first seeing such cold-blooded murder. He was just womanizer not serial killer who goes around killing people.
"It means city had total seven till now-
"No it only six. Last old guy you aware of still holds office."
"But current one middle age guy like you hold on second." His brain start detail he missed before.
"Yes I am over 300 hundred years old and he also same. It is that old governor he just increases his lifespan so his age revert. Also your siblings is at least hundred years old."
"Why no one tell me??" He shouts in rage and disbelief.
"Did you have time anyone other than womens. Listen that sector head from that original governor's lineage who flee to another tier two district back then. His current position and action orchestrated by his backer. His name is Issac Norman. Remember it stay vigilant and call me if any hunter try to approach you. Now leave my study."
Larry wants to know more but seeing Nex's stern face he quietly leave room.
After Larry leave, Nex stared outside of glass window behind his desk. Nex never wants to reveal all those stuff him because his ignorant nature. But danger around corner now so decided give glimpse of this large world.
Now will he change or live same is upto him.
While Nex's goes goes in deep thoughts a woman's voice call him from behind.
"You gone quite hard on him."
"Yeah but I had to it or became pawn in this play."
"Still cautious as ever." Woman chukle and speak.
It was young woman he kill before but shockingly her neck intact and head on shoulders now. Nex doesn't even flinch at sight as his any other day.
Woman's formal suit change in purple two piece and her appearance start transforming. Her hairs still remain black but brown eyes change into red. Thin body turns voluptuous figure. Breasts where c cup before now become large g cup.
Moreover her youthful gazes replace deep meaningful eyes of mature lady.
"No matter how much I enjoy it but this magic is really creepy."
"Stick to topic. What Issac doing now?" She pout and question him.
"Observing kid under Ottoman. He is more like his disciple for more than five years now."
"He is fool so let's observe his pathetic tricks for now. Oh! do you wanna play and don't say no. You already told to Larry before. "
Lady smile and he facepalm on own stupidity.
After that lady approach him naked and they spend blissful time in study.
In Michael's bookstore.
"How many gates you deal with now?" Andrew question him.
"Five in total. Four E rank and one D rank."
Andrew Michael's butler and his second mentor.
"Oh teacher that tall lady came?" He questioned with hesitant eyes.
"You mean Elizabeth Margrave you meet years ago."
He nodded in agreement.
"Tell me honestly Lawrence. You are not a naive teenager fell in love and as far I know you dates a lot of womens. Also rationally it doesn't make sense to interested in someone you barely meets two or three times let alone proper interaction."
He is well aware this kid's personality. He would rather be fool, ignorant to world than blindly delve situations he not sure of handling it.
"Initially because I tired of dates who just calculate me as their profit or loss. So I want to her thoughts also same. But as try to find more about her fog starts cover everything. Even with official name no one knows her, no household with her surname and most importantly I get general data of last ten years but no one similar her enter, live or seen in city. Only in our shop she visited and vanish like ghost."
"Okay understand the point but in that case you would rather avoid such mysterious person. I can tell you hiding something so beating around bush."
Andrew is right. Why would he spend considerable amount time, money and connections behind trivial reason. Even he find her what he gonna say or do to her.
"I am seeing her for everywhere for last five years now. Everytime I take next big steps I saw around me looking intently with her golden eyes. When I started traning, launch business to my first gate clearance. I try to run after her countless times but always failed to catch up her. Ah, I treat her like my hallucinations till now but today like I mentioned before unusual things happening to from week occurred again and this time I see blurry figure staring at me same intese gazes at sector."
He drop unexpected bomb for Andrew who is light mood till now.
Extra Info :
1) Magic Nex during talk with unknown lady is ' hundreds illusion' spell speciality Master illusionist class.
2) Current nation Lawrence live in runs by mixed government. In which districts, cities level governors determine by elections but overall states and nation runs by nobelity in majority. More like amalgamation of democracy and aristocracy.
3) Atlantis governor appointed by head of state(head governor). Because his authority's interference their are no elections held for new governor.
4) Current order is tier 1(city) < tier 1 (District) < tier 1(state) < tier 0(capital). Except capital rest follows 3<2<1 subtier. Higher it better the authority and power one hold. This division mainly for aristocrats to maintain their power. As for better treatments governors needs solely depends on them.
5) Noble territories are independent of this system. They can take neighbouring cities, districts under their domain and vice versa but it's chances slim. Standard method under this case strip lord's title and domain became new city.