Boundless Cultivation-Chapter 73 - The Inquisitor

When Alaric descended to the ground floor, the three church officials had already been invited inside the manor. The throng of houseguards had scattered back to their positions on Captain Aldric’s command.

The Church officials shadowed their leader as he trailed the Count, Edgar, and Sir Baldwin inside the mansion’s other wing — probably to the Count’s chamber.

Before Alaric could approach them, somebody grabbed his shoulders. It was the sergeant — Rennard. He pressed a finger to his lips to signal Alaric to remain quiet. Even the laid-back sergeant had a frown etched on his face.

It didn’t take Alaric any more convincing to realize that these Church officials were bad news.

“Who are they?” asked Alaric once the uninvited guests vanished inside the mansion. “Do you know what they want?”

“The man wearing the mask is an Inquisitor,” Rennard spat. “And his lackeys are Black Flame Hunters.”

Alaric had heard of these inquisitors — special units of witch-hunters, spies, and secret agents that investigated and rooted out heresy and treason.

But why are they here? Alaric frowned. Could it be that they have uncovered some connection between us and the witches? He shook his head when he realized it was highly unlikely.

His assumptions were proven correct when Rennard disclosed what he knew. Apparently, the inquisitor was conducting an investigation regarding the beastmen attack on The Sanctum of Radiance.

Since Alaric and Rennard had also been ambushed by the shapeshifters on the same day and in the same vicinity, he was here ‘just’ to document their experience so he could piece together the puzzle — so to speak.

That is a pretty good excuse. Even though the city had already conducted its investigation and closed the matter, it made sense for the Church to scrutinize this incident thoroughly since their establishment had suffered in the attack as well.

However, Alaric never believed for a second that it was the only reason the inquisitor had come knocking at their door. Moreover, inquisitors were masters at digging their claws into people’s minds and extracting secrets buried deep inside.

It was no wonder his father and every wise adult were frustrated at their presence. At the same time, it wasn’t possible to simply turn them away from the door. That would look even more suspicious and could escalate matters further than necessary.

“Young master, I was instructed by the lord to remind you to think before you say anything,” said Rennard. Alaric nodded and strode toward his father’s study, where he would have to face yet another test.

***

He wasn’t really surprised to note that George and Gareth had been called in for questioning as well. He approached them with a smile and nodded in a silent show of confidence. The message was clear — Be strong. Nothing bad will happen.

The Count settled into his seat with Edgar at his side. The inquisitor perched opposite him, discussing something in quiet whispers. The two black flame soldiers stood guard at one side of the room, while Captain Aldric and Sir Baldwin positioned themselves against the opposite wall.

Alaric sharpened his senses to catch what the count and the masked man were discussing.

“I don’t appreciate you arriving here without sending an official letter first,” the count leaned in, interlocking his fingers. “And, demanding to question my kid and subjects.”

“As I said, this is just a friendly visit.” The inquisitor tapped his fingers on the desk. ”But I can make this an official visit if you prefer.” He chuckled. “Although in that case, the investigation would have to be more exhaustive — more investigators, soldiers, and all that. And we both want to avoid that.”

The count warned him with a low growl but didn’t say anything.

“Don’t misunderstand me, Lord Vermond,” the inquisitor raised his hands in mock surrender. “I bear no hostility toward you or your subjects. I simply seek the truth.”

So, that’s how you want to play it? It was a good tactic. Arriving unannounced was the best way to ensure that nobody had a story set up. It also rattled people since they were caught off guard.

However, bringing only two guards signaled they really hadn’t uncovered anything incriminating about the Vermond family that could create friction between them and the Church.

They were just fishing for details. Alaric wasn’t sure the Church could interrogate them officially without proper justification. But it was better not to shake the hornet’s nest. Although they would have to deal with the power trip nonsense.

While the count deliberated his answer, the inquisitor swept his gaze across the room and stopped when his eyes landed on Alaric.

Alaric couldn’t decipher his reaction under the mask, but his intuition told him that the inquisitor was surprised for some reason.

“Fine, but you will question the kids and my subject in my presence, right here,” said the count. “And, rest assured, this friendly visit will end the moment your behavior turns unfriendly in the slightest.”

“Of course…you hold all the power here,” said the inquisitor sarcastically. Then he turned around and jabbed a finger at Alaric. “I would like to start with your son...Alaric, was it?”

He sauntered over to the empty chair opposite the inquisitor, sank into his seat, and crossed one leg over the other. “Yes, ask what you want, lord inquisitor.”

For a moment, the inquisitor remained silent, then broke into a burst of laughter. “Good, good, you’re eager to get this over with.” He said. “Care to explain how you and,” he nodded to Rennard, “the sergeant survived the attack by the powerful beastmen that day?”

Alaric chuckled inwardly. The inquisitor had started off the questioning with the most suspicious event. “Both of us were defeated and left unconscious,” he shrugged. “When he came to, the city guards had already arrived and apprehended the criminals.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Quite the fortunate event, I must say.” The inquisitor pulled out some documents and leafed through the pages. Then he extracted a sheet and began jotting down the responses with a pen.

Alaric opted to remain quiet.

“And you didn’t spot anybody else at the scene of the crime?” He lifted his gaze to Alaric and continued, “Say, for instance, a city guard, townsfolk, or…a witch?”

Alaric kept casual. “I didn’t see anybody.” Hah..nice try. Suddenly, he felt goosebumps prickle his skin and an intense urge to confess the truth. The masked man simply stared at him, his hollow eyes boring deep into his soul.

Is he using some kind of mental compulsion skill? Alaric considered channeling a drop of sacral chakra but instead chose to steady his breath. No…I’m simply in the presence of somebody with a strong bloodline.

If it had been a skill or an ability, his father would've noticed it and put an end to the show. The fear of dread and anxiety stemming inside his heart was akin to what a mouse felt when it was in front of a cat.

People with strong bloodlines could have that effect on people with unrefined bloodlines - unless they restrained their aura. He had felt a much more subdued version of this feeling from his father and Edgar - they always kept their aura under control.

The inquisitor, however, was pushing to the limits of what he was allowed to do in the presence of the count. Alaric simply smiled and broke through the compulsion through sheer force of will.

A child his age shouldn’t be able to break out of such a strong compulsion. However, Alaric had been purifying his heart chakra for a long while and he was already used to dealing with people with strong bloodlines in his previous life.

I really have to partially awaken my heart chakra soon. His heart throbbed, and sweat beaded his head. Clashing with the bloodline aura had disturbed his heart chakra and at that moment, he felt a lot more vulnerable.

The inquisitor leaned back in his chair, clearly not expecting him to do what he did. When Alaric didn’t say anything out loud, he continued, “Do you have any idea why you were attacked that day?”

Of course, you already know the answer to that question. Alaric had no doubt that the church official had conducted a meticulous investigation and was fully aware that the werewolf alpha had sought revenge.

The man simply wanted to hear his version of the story, so he relayed exactly what had transpired that day — including how Captain Fernandes’ callousness had nearly cost the lives of the children.

The inquisitor assured him that he would ensure everyone received their due punishment. There wasn’t much to say anymore. After all was said and done, Alaric returned to his spot.

Then, Rennard went in to be questioned, followed by George and Gareth. They all recounted more or less what Alaric had stated previously.

Once the informal questioning concluded, the inquisitor thanked the count and rose from his seat to leave.

Just when Alaric thought the worst was over, the masked man paused at the exit, then turned to face him. After a brief silence, he remarked, “That’s a nice bracelet you’ve got there.”

Alaric felt a chill run down his spine. He clicked his tongue. It wouldn’t link him to witches in any way, but his intuition told him that the masked man was more intelligent than he let on.

I should’ve taken this off today.

But what was done was done, and it didn’t do good to dwell on mistakes. Outwardly, he maintained a calm expression and brushed his fingers over the runic bracelet. “I know… it was a gift from my father.”

“If that is all, you have my permission to leave.” the count interjected. He wanted to prevent the inquisitor from probing further. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room got tense.

The masked man didn’t budge. Instead, he fully turned around and said, “I couldn’t help but notice that your child has green eyes and black hair, Lord Vermond.” he snickered. “Quite unusual for the Vermond lineage. Must’ve come from his maternal side—a strong bloodline at that, to overshadow your own.”

So, he had suspected my connection to a witch from the start. Black hair and green eyes were rare but not unheard of among people. However, they were quite common among powerful witches too.

The fact that the inquisitor had specifically pointed out his features confirmed that he harbored suspicions, even though he lacked conclusive proof. Still, if word of this spread, it could stir up trouble for them.

Of course, even though his father was a lord, he couldn’t simply attack an inquisitor without valid justification. Fortunately, he had one. What the inquisitor said could be interpreted as an insult since Alaric was a bastard.

To question the count’s lineage and bloodline was an affront, and he could impose severe punishment or at least demand a duel if the offending party was a noble.

The count and Edgar both remained calm. However, Alaric could sense that they were on the verge of attacking the inquisitor. The Black Flame soldiers rested their hands on the pommels of their swords, a motion mirrored by Captain Aldric and Sir Baldwin.

“You have no authority or right to question my lineage,” the count said grimly. “I suggest you be on your way, now that all confusion has been resolved.”

“Of course, as I said before,” the inquisitor chuckled and lifted his hands in mock surrender, “I bear no ill will towards you, and this visit is unofficial. Thank you for your time.”

Suddenly, something beeped, and the inquisitor retrieved an artifact from inside his clothes. It was some sort of encrypted communication device. All Alaric could hear was garbled gibberish, but judging by the inquisitor’s reaction, he had received bad news.

For some reason, Alaric was greatly amused and was certain his friends shared the same sentiment.

“What bad luck,” spat the inquisitor. “The moment I’m not there to guard the Sanctum, the witches attack again.”

With one last bow, the Inquisitor and his entourage left the estate in a sour mood. The count’s and everybody else’s mood uplifted a notch. However, once the initial thrill was over, Alaric, his father, and Edgar locked eyes.

They all had the same thought —this had to be handled before it spiraled out of control.

***

A Few Days After - Inside The Black Pyramid

Alaric demolished another group of skeletal soldiers, smashing their heads with his mana gauntlets. His [Mana Empowerment] skill was much more potent than [Mana Strengthening] and allowed him to efficiently boost his strength during physical combat.

Anu-Khepra-Ra observed the sparring session with a lazy expression, inhaling Hookah, savoring wine, and tossing grapes into his mouth. A few female servants kneaded his arms and legs while male servants cooled him with fans.

Ferocious soldiers stood guard around him. Of course, all of it was just an illusion, a simple spell woven by the powerful ancient being.

Alaric had continued to map The Howling Expanse with his [Mana Pulse] skill to no avail. He had yet to find any clue to the location of the three remaining key fragments. Frustrated, he decided to take a different approach.

For the past few days, he had been visiting the king after his usual exploration sessions in an attempt to gather more clues. It was surprisingly easy to talk with the king - him being the only entity in this new world who knew his secret identity.

The freedom to discuss anything without worrying about repercussions was addictive. In fact, he immensely enjoyed discussing various subjects - from philosophy and cultivation arts to monsters and stories about bygone eras.

Anu-Khepra-Ra was truly a treasure trove of wisdom. It was only a shame that the system censored many things that the ancient being discussed freely.

Of course, he knew full well that the king wasn’t his friend, no matter his friendly nature and charm. He was just probing for clues to defeat him and uncover the locations of the keys.

That’s why he came up with a plan to take up the king’s offer to spar with his soldiers. When Alaric had shown the first key fragment to him, the king’s eyes nearly popped out of their eye sockets.

But the greed was apparent for mere seconds before he masked it all under a calm facade. A single key wasn’t of any use to anybody.

Alaric claimed his strength was insufficient to defeat the most powerful monsters of The Howling Expanse as an excuse to train with the soldiers. He had been lucky to defeat that solar automaton. That was the truth.

However, he didn’t really have any difficulty defeating these skeletal soldiers. The king still defeated Alaric pretty easily when he got serious. And Alaric had yet to fight with one of the generals of the king. But that wasn’t the point.

Anu-Khepra-Ra had easily accepted Alaric’s excuse for spending more time inside the black pyramid. Little did he know that Alaric’s true goal was to inspect that sealed chamber and figure out a way to open it.

And, as it turned out, today, an opportunity had emerged.

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