Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 172

As the Pirate Empress’s fury erupted, the very space around her began to tremble.

Aisha, sensing the gravity of the situation, hardened her expression and tried to withdraw her captured hand.

“…!”

But for some reason, no strength would come into her hand that was seized by the Pirate Empress.

A ferocious energy burst forth from the Empress.

In response, Aisha began to manifest her own presence, as if refusing to be outdone.

However, as time passed, a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of Aisha’s mouth.

It seemed she was no match for the Pirate Empress’s overwhelming force.

The Pirate Empress, with no intention of stopping, gripped the curved blade at her waist.

Presumably, she intended to sever at least Aisha’s filthy arm.

It was at that moment someone intervened between them.

“Let’s end it here, shall we, Pirate Empress?”

It was Yan.

The Pirate Empress glared at him with piercing eyes.

“…Step aside.”

“I cannot.”

At Yan’s firm response, the Pirate Empress’s eyebrows shot up.

In that instant, Yan’s whispered message flowed into her ear.

-If you advertise so blatantly, even Roman will catch on.

The Pirate Empress’s cheek twitched once.

But the oppressive aura she had been exuding had already cleanly dissipated.

“Hmph.”

With a look of dissatisfaction, she swiftly turned and headed towards the lodging she had been staying at.

Yan heaved a sigh of relief as the Pirate Empress retreated without further incident.

“Phew.”

It was good to have drawn such a powerful figure, but controlling her was an impossible task.

Yan looked at Aisha with furrowed brows.

“If you came to find me, you could have just called quietly. Why cause such a commotion?”

If only Aisha hadn’t done this, there would have been no need to incur the Pirate Empress’s displeasure.

Yan clicked his tongue, and Aisha lifted her head abruptly.

“I have no mercy for those who bare their fangs at me.”

“Well, aren’t you impressive.”

Yan smirked, and Aisha’s face crumpled as she opened her mouth to retort.

But Yan had no intention of listening to her protest.

“Let’s go to where I’m staying for now. There are too many eyes here, it would be uncomfortable to talk.”

At Yan’s words, Aisha started to say something but then simply shook her head.

“Lead the way.”

* * *

Upon seeing the manor Yan had led her to, Aisha clicked her tongue in disdain.

“So you claim to be the lord of this domain, yet you dwell in such an unremarkable abode.”

“It’s merely a temporary residence; there was no need for extravagance,” Yan replied, accepting a teacup from Lia and placing it on the table.

“It’s not expensive, but the aroma is quite pleasant.”

Yan invited her to tea, settling comfortably into his chair.

Aisha and Karam gazed at the teacups on the table for a while before delicately lifting them to savor the scent.

“Not bad at all.”

Silence followed their brief exchange.

Karam glanced at Aisha, who was simply fiddling with her teacup.

After about ten minutes had passed, Yan broke the silence.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“About what?”

“The reason you’ve come all this way.”

“Ahem.”

Aisha set down her teacup and straightened her back.

“I came to express my gratitude from Karam for sharing the details of Darkin’s, no, that traitor’s demise.”

She nodded slightly towards Yan.

“Thank you. You’ve saved me from a bothersome task.”

“It was nothing. I merely did what needed to be done.”

Yan was inwardly surprised by Aisha’s straightforward thanks, given her notorious reputation for being difficult, much like Electus among the revolutionaries.

“Well, I should be thankful. I almost got blindsided by something I hadn’t anticipated. And now I even know who the mastermind is.”

‘Is that how it turned out?’

Yan watched Aisha grinding her teeth with a faint smile.

Thanks to the seeds of conflict he had sown and Karam’s report, it seemed Aisha no longer intended to walk the same path as the leader.

Aisha cleared her mind of distractions and composed her expression.

Then she asked Yan.

“If there’s anything you need, tell me. I’ll help you just this once.”

Yan’s eyes sparkled.

He had already decided on the help he would ask from Aisha.

“Then… do you know anything about the whereabouts of the former supreme commander?”

“Argon?”

The name slipped from Aisha’s lips unconsciously, and Yan’s eyes lit up.

It was the first time he had learned his father’s name.

Aisha frowned, pondering deeply.

She was trying to recall anything about the former supreme commander’s whereabouts.

After a while, she spoke.

“I’ve never taken an interest in Argon’s location, so I’m not sure about that… but there is someone suspicious.”

“Someone suspicious?”

“Vulkan, one of the legion commanders the leader brought in before.”

“Why do you find him suspicious?”

“As far as I know, the current supreme commander is being held captive by the leader somewhere.”

Yan’s expression darkened. This was information he had already heard from Damian and Owen.

The real discussion was about to begin.

“Unlike other legion commanders who idle away when they have no tasks, Vulkan regularly leaves his post.”

“Isn’t that a bit weak to consider him suspicious?”

“No, it’s definitely suspicious. Unlike the other commanders, no one knows where he lives except for the leader.”

Yan nodded, convinced by Aisha’s certainty.

Indeed, it did seem suspicious when put that way.

As Yan fell into thought, Aisha looked at him with renewed curiosity.

“…?”

“But why the former supreme commander? Do you have some connection to Argon?”

Yan gave a sly smile.

“No comment.”

* * *

After her conversation with Yan, Aisha promptly took Karam and returned to their stronghold, leaving behind a remark about the futility of letting others know their movements.

Yan agreed with her sentiment and did not hold her back.

Instead, he summoned Damian, Owen, and Theo, knowing that their insight into the revolutionaries’ internal affairs might shed light on Aisha’s words.

A day passed, and they arrived at Yan’s manor discreetly, unnoticed by others.

Theo, in particular, was heavily disguised with a muffler wrapped around his face.

“You’ve arrived earlier than expected?”

Yan asked, blinking in surprise.

“It’s an important matter, isn’t it obvious?”

“But why is Lord Theo in such a state…?”

Owen shook his head at Yan’s question.

Though no answer was given, Yan had an inkling of the reason, likely due to Lorena, who was playing the role of a knight commander in this domain.

Damian cut straight to the point.

“So, why have you called us?”

Yan opened up.

“I have my suspicions about the 5th Legion Commander, Vulkan.”

Damian and Owen both let out a thoughtful hum.

“Hmm, Vulkan…”

“Indeed, that fellow has often missed meetings, claiming to be on the leader’s orders.”

Owen and Theo chimed in, their expressions hardening.

Damian continued with a troubled look.

“However, no one knows where he resides. Perhaps the leader does, but that’s it.”

Even within Yan’s extensive knowledge, the whereabouts of the legion commander named Vulkan were unknown.

Yan turned to Damian and asked.

“Why did uncle say our father was in Armenia?”

“The last mana signature of the supreme commander was cut off in Armenia. After scouring the area with my people, there was no trace of him leaving this place.”

Damian’s reputation in tracking and investigation was well-regarded, so his words held weight.

But still.

“There’s no way a legion commander like Vulkan would have a place to stay in Armenia. If there were, it would have certainly caught someone’s eye.”

Having become the lord of Armenia and using the knights to investigate, three months had passed.

If they had established a base in the Forest of Beasts or Armenia, it would have been discovered somehow.

Yet, no knight or resident had seen them.

Yan closed his eyes, pondering a solution.

Then, as if struck by a brilliant idea, his eyes snapped open.

“Isn’t there a way to trace the severed mana signature?”

Owen spoke with a look of consternation.

“To track a specific person’s mana signature, we’d need an object that person used for a long time. But all of the supreme commander’s belongings disappeared during the attack…”

Owen’s voice trailed off, growing fainter.

Yan grinned, taking out a silver pendant.

“Perhaps this could do the trick?”

* * *

After Yan took out the pendant, Owen departed to retrieve an artifact capable of detecting mana signatures.

In the meantime, Yan made his way to Isaac’s workshop.

“Lord?”

“How far has the research progressed?”

Isaac scratched his head.

“It’s somewhat complete, but it hasn’t been tested yet.”

“So it’s finished, at least?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Isaac’s voice lacked confidence.

Yan, however, was undeterred.

“Momom, what do you think?”

[A bit more refinement is needed, but it’s usable.]

“Then it’s settled.”

Yan took the item from Isaac and tucked it away.

He also made sure to take Momom.

[What are you doing!]

“You promised to help once before. I’m calling in that favor now.”

[…Tch.]

Resigned, Momom quietly crawled into Yan’s pocket.

With everything in hand, Yan returned to his manor.

Shortly after, Owen returned as well, bearing a strange artifact.

It resembled a compass, but with a dish on top for placing something.

Yan, having never seen such a device, guessed it might be of Dwarven make.

“Place the pendant here.”

Following Owen’s instruction, Yan removed the pendant from his neck and dropped it onto the artifact.

Then…

Whirring.

A peculiar mechanical sound emanated from the artifact as the compass needle began to spin wildly.

Finally, it pointed north.

Yan’s eyes sparkled, and Owen explained the artifact.

“It uses the subject’s belongings to track similar mana signatures. With this, we can pinpoint the supreme commander’s location.”

Yan nodded enthusiastically.

Thus, they began to track Yan’s father using the pendant and artifact.

From the village to the Forest of Beasts, and even into the deepest parts of the forest.

They had no choice but to halt as the artifact’s compass, which had been guiding them, started to spin again.

There was only one explanation for this.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Here?”

Theo frowned, questioning.

Before them stood nothing but a steep, jagged cliff.