BXBX NOVEL Chapter 67: Null and Babel 1
"I was in the area, so…" Eliana trailed off, her usual confident demeanor dimmed.
The man, Conor Rutherford, smiled warmly. "My father\'s been expecting you."
Eliana nodded, a flicker of worry crossing her features. Conor led the way through the dimly lit mansion, the silence broken only by the soft tap of their footsteps on the polished marble floors. They reached a large oak door, and Conor gestured for her to open it.
Eliana pushed the door open, revealing a scene that stole the breath from her lungs. A frail figure lay on a massive bed, a network of black veins spiderwebbing across his pallid skin. His eyes, once full of life, were now hollowed pits, except for the two brown pupils that gleamed with a faint light.
"Cough… Cough. You\'re here, little brat," the figure rasped, a weak smile playing on his lips. He gestured towards a nearby nurse, dismissing her with a nod.
Eliana rushed to his side, her voice thick with emotion. "I\'m not a … Haah whatever… How are you doing, old man?"
A raspy chuckle escaped his lips. "Just peachy," he said, raising a trembling hand for a thumbs up. "Just kidding, I feel like a dried prune."
Eliana squeezed his hand gently. "Sorry we couldn\'t visit sooner. With the drama at the capital, family matters, and this invasion with the Blessed and the Academy… things have been annoying, to say the least. But mother and Grandfather will visit soon."
Graham Rutherford, the head of the Rutherford family, coughed weakly. "It\'s alright, child. We understand. But tell me, is the Church still causing problems? Just know, the Rutherfords will always stand by the Royal Family."
"For now, they\'ve calmed down," Eliana replied, a hint of frustration in her voice. "But I appreciate the support."
Graham chuckled, his voice weak but full of warmth. "I heard you\'re a teacher now. You with your fiery temper – I never saw you as the patient type."
"It was a political move, more than anything," Eliana conceded, her lips curling into a wry smile. "And yes, teaching is… annoying. Those students are about as moody as a pack of overfed squirrels."
"Just like you were at that age," Graham countered with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "But speaking of young people… did you and the Empress manage to find young Raven?"
Eliana\'s smile faltered. "No… We\'re still searching. I don\'t know if he\'s even alive anymore…"
Graham coughed again, his voice strained. "Cough… Cough… Anyway, you\'ve grown so much. When are you going to find yourself a nice husband, eh?"
Eliana rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I don\'t have time for such things." Despite her attempt at defiance, a flicker of longing crossed her features.
The conversation flowed back and forth, filled with playful banter and veiled concern. They reminisced about old times, exchanged worried glances over the current state of the world, and bickered like an old man and his granddaughter until the first rays of dawn peeked through the windows.
Finally, it was time for Eliana to leave. As she hugged Graham goodbye, she leaned closer and whispered, "Be careful, something is happening in Stonegate. Keep your guard up."
Graham nodded solemnly, a worried crease appearing on his forehead. With one last wave, Princess Eliana launched herself into the sky, a crimson streak vanishing into the horizon.
The red blur of Eliana streaked through the sky before coming to a sudden halt. A message flickered on her communicator, a chilling report from the Shadow Weavers. The Gremory Region specifically a place in it , bordering the Rutherfords\' lands, had been ravaged. A massacre, the landscape marred by destruction, and a single, ominous symbol left behind: a barred zero, the mark of Null.
Eliana inhaled sharply, frustration tightening her grip on her chest. "Can\'t I get a single day of peace?" she muttered under her breath. Null. This new organization was proving resourceful, their displays of power undeniable. But they were an enigma, their motives and capabilities shrouded in secrecy.
Landing on a grassy plain, Eliana paced, her brow furrowed in thought. Could Null be the answer to her problem? Raven, the missing prince, remained a gnawing worry. Yet, how could she approach them? The knowledge of the Empress\'s secret son was tightly guarded, a truth known only to a select few. Commissioning Null might arouse suspicion, even hostility.
Perhaps a more cautious approach was needed – a test, a carefully orchestrated meeting. But first, she had some unfinished business with her \'dear\' uncle.
Meanwhile, within the cold confines of Null\'s headquarters, a different drama unfolded. Agent 002, captured by Mavis, was chained like a beast. The tattoos marking her as Gorgon\'s member were stark reminders of her predicament.
Mavis, a predatory gleam in her eyes, studied the woman. "Sir," she addressed Ray, who stood lost in thought, a frown etched on his face. "What are your plans for her?"
Ray remained silent for a moment, his gaze distant.
Ray drummed his fingers on the cold metal table, his gaze fixed on Agent 002. The woman, strung up like a marionette with her chains, met his scrutiny with a defiant glare. This unexpected capture presented a tangled web of complications.
"Seraphina," he muttered, the name tasting like bitter ash on his tongue. The woman was a viper, unforgiving and ruthless. That 002 was working for the Human Church Saintess wasn\'t a surprise. It was clear Seraphina had been watching Keller\'s every move, even infiltrating her organization with this very agent.
But Ray\'s forceful intervention, the dismantling of Gorgon, had thrown a wrench into those plans.
He scowled. How would Seraphina react? Retaliation was practically guaranteed, the form it took remaining a chilling unknown. His gaze flickered back to 0002, pondering her fate.
Turning to Mavis, a predator sizing up its prey, Ray spoke. "This woman... she\'s loyal to Seraphina. A pawn used to keep an eye on Keller." He paused, the weight of his next words hanging heavy in the air. "Seraphina doesn\'t let her enemies live... If they do she supervises them."
Mavis, ever the loyal lieutenant, simply nodded, her crimson eyes reflecting Ray\'s grim assessment.
"Two options," Ray continued, pacing a tight circuit. "Double agent. Use her to spy on Seraphina\'s machinations. But..." He trailed off, a humorless chuckle escaping his lips. "Although the woman\'s fanaticism for the Church runs deep. Seraphina wouldn\'t share her secrets with a mere pawn."
He slammed his fist on the table, the metallic clang echoing through the cold chamber. "Then there\'s the other option. Eliminate the loose end."
But the thought of simply discarding the woman left a sour taste in his mouth. Agent 002, he knew, possessed a unique ability, a dormant power that blossomed into a formidable "law" upon reaching eight stars. That power, whatever it may be, was the real reason Ray hesitated. Here was a potentially valuable weapon, but only if he could cultivate it. And that he would.
"No," he finally declared, the decision made. "Keep her alive. Confine her. No contact with anyone, no leaving this cell."
Mavis\' lips curved into a predatory smile. "Understood, sir."
Ray dismissed her with a curt nod, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon him. This unexpected capture had added another layer of complexity to his already intricate game. Manipulating Keller, dealing with the princess, and now navigating the treacherous waters of Seraphina\'s wrath. Ray sighed, a single word escaping his lips. "Tiresome."
But as he turned away, a flicker of a different emotion crossed his face – a spark of morbid curiosity. This world, this strange deviation from the novel he vaguely remembered( mainly his faul), was proving to be a dangerous, unpredictable game. And Ray, for all his weariness, couldn\'t help but feel a thrill at the challenge,"this is gonna be fun. But was I always like this?
Strange as Rei I wanted \'peace\' but now... Well it doesn\'t matter anyways." He shrugged.
Ray exited the holding cell, the heavy metal door clanging shut behind him with a finality that mirrored the weight of his decision. He strode down the cold, sterile corridor, his mind already calculating his next move. This unexpected turn of events had him yearning for a return to his original plan, the simpler days before princesses and a vengeful Saintess.
A wry smile touched his lips as he entered the lab. The sight that greeted him was a testament to their unconventional team. Mordecai, the ape-kin, sprawled across a desk, his sleep-tousled fur creating a halo around his head. Papers littered the surface, covered in a labyrinth of diagrams, numbers, and arcane equations.
His spectacles, perched precariously on his nose, were askew, their lenses reflecting the dim overhead lights. Harvey, the dwarf engineer, occupied a nearby chair, his rhythmic snores the only sound besides the low hum of machinery in the background.
As Ray entered, he clapped his hands together, the sound echoing through the lab like a gunshot, jolting both Mordecai and Harvey awake.
Mordecai startled, his fur bristling as he fumbled for his glasses, his sleep-addled brain struggling to decipher the scene before him. Harvey, on the other hand, simply blinked a few times, the transition from sleep to semi-consciousness seemingly effortless.
"Wake up, boys!" Ray declared, his voice laced with amusement. "We\'re going to use our recent… fame… to promote our platform. Today\'s the day – the app launches!"
The announcement was met with a beat of confused silence before a spark of excitement ignited in both men\'s eyes. Mordecai, fully awake now, grinned, his sharp canines glinting. Harvey simply offered a gruff, "Okay," but the energy in his voice betrayed his outward stoicism.
Ray watched the exchange, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. Yes, they were an unusual team.