Chapter 131 - Eternal Stone Slate (2/2)

It was a pity that this lackey had already fled. Before the evil cult follower had gotten the initial control of the castle, the butler had already vanished.

According to the fragments of information, Gawain guessed that the ‘butler’ might be an ‘external member’ that was specially nurtured by the Oblivion Association. They didn’t possess extraordinary talent but had knowledge of the mysteries. It would allow them to obtain the trust of nobles easily, and the nobles would be less vigilant toward them. Once the followers of the Oblivion Association made their move, these external members would flee rapidly. They might change their faces to infiltrate other nobles or might be switched over to deeper ranks within the association…

Gawain was truly worried that such a scenario wasn’t a special case.

Viscount Andrew wasn’t from a prestigious noble clan that could affect the kingdom’s situation, but the Oblivion Association had developed to such a massive scale that it spread throughout the kingdom. This evil cult wouldn’t specially plant a spy at the borders of the Anzu Kingdom for decades. The only explanation would be that planting spies in noble clans was a norm.

What kind of monster had this corrupted druid faction developed into since ancient times?!

Soon enough, Gawain found out why the evil cult follower had controlled Viscount Andrew — to proclaim martial law.

“I told him that the Eternal Stone Slate had been delivered to the King as a tribute and had already been transported out of the castle.” As Viscount Andrew spoke slowly, he revealed a pleased smile and said, “His sorcery could control my body and my tongue, but he couldn’t control my mind. He could make me read the speech he had arranged, but he didn’t have any method to make me say what I knew in my heart. Therefore, he didn’t know where I hid the stone slate and had no choice but to proclaim martial law and make use of my name to search through all the houses. However, before finding the stone slate, he didn’t dare to let me die…”

So that was the reason… Gawain nodded as he understood what had happened. The corrupted druid indeed had sorcery to control people’s movements and words, but it wasn’t the spirit control spell but the superficial nervous-system control spell. It was a variant of the druids’ animal control spell. When facing such a spell, as long as one had a tenacious willpower and resisted it, the evil cult follower wouldn’t be able to extract any information.

Gawain just didn’t expect Viscount Andrew who looked like an overdosed sick person would possess such tenacious willpower.

“So that evil cult follower had buried everyone in the castle at the central courtyard to extract their thoughts and also to find out the location of the stone slate shard…” Amber had also reacted and looked at the sickly viscount with astonishment. “But those people didn’t know where the shard was, and you were the only person who knew about this matter, meaning that… Did you not send out that thing at all?”

“Of course I didn’t send it out.” Viscount Andrew struggled to laugh. Even though he was weak, he still raised his head and said, “I am the heir of the Leslie Clan. Even if I starve to death, die in a foreign place, or am thrown out of this place, I will not yield to an evil cult follower!”

Although this statement had a subtle familiar feeling, Gawain still looked at this weak traditional noble with respect. This was a noble of this era. He was indeed cliché and lagging behind and acted foolishly in the eyes of his god, but at the same time, he possessed the so-called ‘noble spirit’. This spirit supported a near unreasonable pride, and the pride didn’t allow him to lower his head to the evil cult follower even if he was afraid of death.

“Where exactly did you hide the shard of the Eternal Stone Slate?” Gawain couldn’t help but ask curiously.

“Ha… Haha…” Viscount Andrew laughed delightedly, so much so that he coughed violently. “It had always been under the eyes of that fellow! Right underneath his eyes!”

While speaking, the viscount struggled to stand from the chair and lifted the thick seat cushion.

“That fool had opened up my treasure vault, rummaged through my magical material room, searched my bedroom and attic, pried open every single locked chest and cupboard, but he never ever expected me to just put it under my ass and sit on it!!”

When the thick seat cushion was lifted, Gawain immediately saw it.

It laid quietly on the seat and was only the size of a palm. The thickness was less than half a centimeter… and it was completely different from Gawain’s imagination. This so-called Eternal ‘Stone Slate’ wasn’t a piece of stone slate at all.

It was an extremely flat, smooth, light-golden metallic plate that had mysterious patterns on it.

[1] collection walnuts – Chinese collection walnuts are like things to play around that are said to improve blood circulation