Disciple of Madness

[A/N: 1 chapter only for the next 3 days]

A crescent moon appeared on the sky as though hanging through its celestial powers and claiming its right on her beloved sky. All rays of light dropped down in a vibrant colour of hue as if shying away from the marvelous deity, as if worshipping her, as ...as if ...knowing their own place. The sovereign of the darkness has risen and the mundane structures of the mortal world bore witness to it.

The vivid imagery of the night sky painted itself in Adrian's memory as he reached his location or that's what it should have been.

But in contrast to his expectations, there was a long metal track-like thing that stretched endlessly. On the hooves if it, lay a elongated snake like structure, divided into smaller parts.

No,on closer look the smaller divisions or the compartments looked to be joined through nuts and bolts.

"So, this is the Joint Carriage. I have never seen anything like this...just what happened in this past one year for such creative things to come into existence?"

[Mind the intrusion?]

"Not exactly...I wasn't doing anything much."

Indeed, he wasn't doing anything important. He was simply standing, dressed in a set of armor with a spear in his hand and watching over three people hurling the goods into one of the compartments in the Joint Carriage.

[So this Joint Carriage you are talking about... it's already present in our world.]

"Ohh?" Now he was interested. Something that happened to be made here and that already exists in thEra. A coincidence?

[We call it a train. We even have more advanced designs of it. The one you see is quite an older version of it.]

Something struck him at that moment. Maybe...just maybe he was forming another pattern?

He quickly asked Evelyn, "I know this is out of topic but when did you first get hints of the existence of corruption in this city?"

[Hmm...around 2 and a half years ago]

"I see..." He chewed his insides lightly, trying to hold his smile as he finally found the answer to something that had been nagging him for some time.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted when a small commotion broke out behind them.

Turning around, he saw few guards making way and rushing over to a man who had suddenly appeared on the scene.

The man looked to be around 1.8 metres and was wearing a trench coat, a cashmere sweater tucked within and denim pants. Few loosely locks of hairs showed through the fedora hat that snuggled comfortably on top his head.

He held a sceptre in his right wrist which glowed softly with a metallic lustre. Pointing it to random spots, he seemed to be analysing something with the guards and few employees of his company.

Seeing the guy, Adrian recognised him almost immediately.

Matthew Colde. Older brother of Jeffrey Colde and the heir to the Colde Family.

[Do you know this guy?]

"Unfortunately yes. I had once made a deal with him."

[So he is all good...I mean like he won't fall under the requirements to clear your quest?]

"You seem to have a fair opinion about me. But about him...well it depends on what he is on about since the last time I met him." He only shrugged away her doubt.

Matthew's eyes flickered here and there. Eventually landing on Adrian.

His eyes even seemed a bit curious. And Adrian couldn't exactly blame him.

How could he when he was literally standing in front of someone who was currently at Elite lvl 1 and could easily see his true level. And as if that was not enough, Matthew was also the older brother of Jeffrey.

Adrian was sure that this older brother was probably thinking something along the lines of 'What was my younger brother thinking that he sent someone with such a low lvl as a guard for safekeeping the items?'

Adrian even felt the sting of those thoughts.

'Hah, I really need to increase my level as soon as possible.'

The rest of the arrangements didn't take much time given that the presence of Matthew somehow managed to increase the pace of all the workers.

Tucking the spear in his armpit, Adrian wore a set of gloves, checking their feel around his fingers. Satisfied, he climbed the pedestal to the inner chambers of the compartment reserved by the restaurant.

Looking inside, he wasn't at all impressed. It looked more like a prison with one small window at one of the top walls facing the door. And a small chair attached to the floor at a corner.

The rest of the space was mainly occupied by numbers of sacks of substances.

Looking at few of them, Adrian snickered. They were smuggling aetherite dust mixed with the vegetables and spices.

Aetherite dust had many useful applications in this world...in medicines, in the production of magical containments etc.

He wasn't at all surprised by this since he knew how to read facades, even the nervous one that Jeffrey usually wore around him and his employees.

He already knew from his one time interaction with Matthew that his younger brother was also his partner in almost everything he ventured in.

[This is quite the dull design they have made. Maybe someday you should visit thEra...you shall see wonders you could never have imagined off.]

"Trust me I could end up taking that offer seriously. Maybe I would even show up at your place, uninvited."

[E-eh? Oh right! You forgot that I can see everything you do. Meaning you won't be able to surprise me.]

He slightly coughed, embarrassment creeping up in him on not noticing the obvious fact.

Ignoring it as if the conversation never took place he said, "Well this area even if quite dull is just the perfect fit for me. No need to worry about anyone sneaking on this place while I would be 'busy'".

Sighing he sat down on the chair, his gaze outside as the slight wind blew at his face. His eyes instinctively closed from the pleasant feel of the blowing air.