Acceleration (2)
Dumroad.
The chimera who had guarded this restricted area since 500 years ago.
It took on a human form, but in truth, it was a perfect artificial lifeform.
Its pallid, bloodless face and that voice, somehow wrong, were proof enough.
Born with that voice from the start. No wonder it hated speaking.
Anyway, Dumroad had lived here.
Even after the expedition party was wiped out.
Over time, it naturally became the manager of the restricted area, surviving for these long 500 years.
Any ordinary human would have gone mad, but Dumroad was a chimera.
Yonep, who remained in the Eternal Mansion, married Ulfric's youngest daughter Daylin. From them came Zahats and Besiria, and among them, Zahats would later become the great patriarch of the collateral bloodline...
Hiern, I know. But I don't want to think about it, so stay quiet.
Tch.
The history of the Kirchheis family, which had flourished for 500 years, was incredibly complex.
Even before the Allmaster, it had been one of the continent's premier great houses, so it was only natural that it had weathered twists and turns rivaling any royal house.
Anyway, one thing was enough to remember.
Yonep Silgrin had been the last person to know Dumroad's name.
"I happened to find a record left by Lord Yonep. Your name was in it. That's all."
"Ahh, Yonep's records... I didn't know any were left."
I gave a suitable excuse, and the chimera scratched its head, nodding in acceptance.
In truth, I could have given it my name too.
It wouldn't have forgotten Tiberian, who shared food with it.
It would have been overjoyed to see me reborn and returned.
But I didn't.
This guy has no idea Ulfric betrayed humanity.
Unlike Hierniorn.
Dumroad had never left this underground since birth and knew nothing of the expedition party's fate.
To it, Allmaster Ulfric was more than a creator.
No way it'd believe me without evidence.
No need to stir up needless trouble.
I decided to hide my identity and gloss over it.
"I'm more curious why you hide your name, Dumroad."
"Ahem..."
As I changed the subject, the chimera averted its gaze, pretending otherwise.
In truth, Hierniorn and I knew the reason.
A powerful spell tied to its overly grandiose name.
Dumroad hated it as much as its own voice.
Probably had someone erase it from the histories with their aid. Impossible otherwise.
Sure enough, scanning the Kirchheis family histories revealed traces.
Dumroad's name altered to something nonsensical or outright erased.
Deliberate, without doubt.
Yet it tried to talk around it.
"Just... it happened that way. A desire to hide myself, perhaps? You'll understand when you're older, boy. Oh, right—what was your name again? It was on the pass..."
"...Kirian."
"Right, Kirian. Follow me. I'll show you around."
Dumroad began acting as a tour guide, leading me through the lab.
Ancient bookshelves lining the walls, tables bearing even older traces.
Experiment tools, magical results.
Even Ulfric's favorite quill.
Endless verbose explanations of things utterly mundane to me.
"There—that's everything left by the Holy Hero Ulfric. Next are relics from the Kirchheis expedition heroes..."
"Hold on."
That was enough.
I cut it off and glanced aside.
Its white face followed my gaze.
Cabinets storing various materials.
"My professor said I could take something I need from here. What can I take?"
"Hmm? Ahh..."
My words shifted Dumroad's expression sharply.
Deep disappointment.
It smacked its lips, gesturing downward.
"Look at the floor. See the red and blue lines? Those are the boundaries. Inside red: can't take out. Inside blue: can take. Just one item. Can't enter again till next year—remember that."
"Got it."
"I'll sit over there. Pick what you want and bring it."
I nodded.
Of course, I had zero intention of following instructions.
Time to cheat and steal.
Should be around there.
I approached a worn desk inside the red line.
Meanwhile, Dumroad plopped into its usual seat.
Eyes gently closed, as if dozing.
But as an artificial lifeform made in this lab, it differed fundamentally from humans.
Sees without opening its eyes.
Dumroad had a superpower: perceiving space via mana.
Fitting for a sentinel.
And right now, that sense focused entirely on me.
If I took anything from the red zone, it'd react instantly.
Had to fool that hypersense.
Hiern.
Yea. This body shall act!
I called, and Hierniorn flapped its wings, rising.
Once Ulfric's guardian spirit, it knew every corner of this lab perfectly.
Fooling Dumroad's hypersense was simple.
Smash one of the mana lamps brightly lighting the room.
Causes momentary mana wave interference, disabling its sensitive sense.
Ulfric's disciples breaking lamps during experiments, Dumroad flailing—that scene from my past life, seen many times.
A brief window of free movement.
Steal Ulfric's training journal in that instant.
This one? Or that one?
Smash any.
Truthfully, shattering a mana lamp was hard for the once-formless Hierniorn.
But now it's possible.
Hierniorn soared high near the ceiling; its crest flickered, igniting true flame.
Manifesting substance without my mana—thanks to the vital energy absorbed from 'Ro's' tombstone and passed on.
This body is ready! Signal when thou art, and I shall smash the mana lamp forthwith!
Now.
Eh? Now? Ah, got it. Right away!
Thud—!
The phoenix solidified its head and rammed hard; the brilliantly glowing mana lamp shattered, losing its light source.
Mana waves rippled finely.
Dumroad, sitting with eyes closed across the room, twitched.
Its hypersense was offline.
I moved swiftly in that timing.
Ulfric's training journal was in my hand.
How's that? Smash another? Break more?
No. Good, Hiern. Got it—come back.
Excellent...!
The guardian spirit, gleeful from wielding physical force for once, returned.
I tucked the worn book, bearing my old master's touch, into my bosom.
Then idly skimmed other materials to buy time.
Glanced at Dumroad—it still had eyes closed.
Seems quiet?
Not a twitch.
This time, I went to a cabinet behind the blue line.
Opened one neatly ordered drawer, picked up a hefty chunk of gray meteorite iron.
Dumroad, legs crossed, merely scratched its temple—no other reaction.
Doesn't seem to notice.
Heh heh heh! This is fun! Got the prize—let's go. Stealing's got its own thrill, eh?
Hierniorn giggled on my shoulder.
I approached Dumroad, showed the gray meteorite iron, and spoke.
"Thinking of taking this."
"Gray meteorite iron?"
"Yeah."
"Fine, whatever. Permitted."
Procedure complete.
I calmly pocketed the iron and turned.
Now, exit as fast as possible.
Analyzing Ulfric's training journal should reveal the fastest path to awakening the Dominator Trait too.
About time.
Then more outside action. Breaking the seniors' spirits is inevitable...
Hierniorn's prattling cut off unnaturally.
A chill ran down my spine.
Sharp danger signal.
"...Hey, wait. What was your name again? Anyway, kid—stop right there."
Damn it all! It saw! Look—it's looking! It knows!
I glanced back with a sigh.
Dumroad was meticulously inspecting Ulfric's desk.
Fooled the eyes by disabling hypersense, but couldn't stop it checking for missing items.
Honestly, unexpected.
Was this guy always that thorough?
Well, 500 years could mean growth.
Or someone imprinted new orders.
Tiberian, what now? The 'usual method'...?
Let me think.
Confirming the journal gone, Dumroad whirled.
It stomped straight toward me.
"You didn't steal anything, right? If you did, punishment awaits..."
No tension in its tone.
Makes sense—Dumroad was formidable even 500 years ago.
Chimera crafted by Ulfric's disciples, its core component:
Vampire spine.
Source of near-immortal vitality and strength far beyond humans.
Subduing one young disciple? Child's play, it thought.
"Gotta inspect your belongings—strip. Oh, and subspace magic too, so bring your head here. Don't hide or you'll get hurt."
Indeed, it could steam a decent 7-star mage.
Fighting now? Certain loss.
Yet I merely stared blankly at its pale face.
The chimera, reaching out, frowned.
"What're you staring at? Gonna resist? Getting suspicious. Strip."
"Dumroad."
"...?"
I didn't want to, but no choice.
Time to use what it hated most.
The decisive reason it laundered itself as the 'nameless one'.
"As one who knows thy name, I command: Hands off. Step back."
"...!"
The Blind Loyalty instinct: absolute obedience to any who knew 'Dumroad'.
Despite power to crush me easily, the chimera trembled, retreating.
Killing intent flared, yet it couldn't defy.
Blind Loyalty was hardcoded at its core.
"What are you...? Even Yonep didn't know this..."