Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 411: Section 274: Confrontation (Part 1)

Chapter 411: Section 274: Confrontation (Part 1)

Margaret sat on the bench, her gaze filled with sorrow as she looked toward the end of the corridor. Ever since she learned of Mason Wyman’s death in battle, she felt as if the sky had collapsed—Old Hoffman had many apprentices, but most of them died on the northern frontline, and some even defected to Chaos.

Mason Wyman was originally Old Hoffman’s heir, the new vessel. Margaret broke out in a cold sweat when she first heard about the mission of Colin’s sect, the Secret Keepers; fortunately, Colin no longer had to inherit anything.

But when the news of Mason’s death arrived, Margaret felt Colin change.

He no longer laughed, nor did he tell jokes to her or anyone else.

She would often see Colin in the hallway, always staring at Mason’s portrait. The man with a melancholic expression seemed to have a magical power, as if he was going to snatch Colin away from her.

Without Mason Wyman, Old Hoffman had lost his heir. The last time Margaret heard from Mother Anna, she said that the Secret Keepers were charged with the duty of sealing, and each generation’s Secret Keeper must not marry, have children, and live a lonely life, just like Old Hoffman doing, raising a group of eligible apprentices until one of them was chosen to continue the legacy.

Colin was not a coward. Margaret, having grown up with him, knew her lover was a man who feared nothing. At such a time, he would surely step forward.

Margaret bowed her head, knowing there was nothing she could do. Colin would surely choose to replace Mason Wyman and become the new Secret Keeper.

Because he was the last eligible one.

Malin? Malin was never an eligible candidate, and either way, Margaret couldn’t let her sister’s lover make such a sacrifice just to fulfill her dream.

Not only she wouldn’t, but Colin wouldn’t agree either. Mother Anna was very fond of him, saying he had endless potential. No one would let him become a Secret Keeper.

A condemned vessel was not the path for a child like him.

But... could Colin?

Could he sacrifice himself, sacrifice her love for him?

Margaret hugged her face.

She tugged at her hair, and gradually, as she raised her head and looked toward the end of the corridor again, she had made up her mind.

Don’t cry, Margaret, tears are a coward’s poison.

I will not betray you, Colin... Even if the world turns against you, I will not.

I will be your shield, your sword, your haven, your salvation.

.........

"The Teleportation Array... I feel like throwing up..." Big-eared Fox Matilda followed Malin out of the Teleportation Array and immediately covered her mouth, running to the side.

"Wait till you feel better, then come over. I’m going back to the Church first." Malin had no choice but to leave her behind, coming up to Faye and leaving the Array area with her.

Early this morning, Malin returned to Carterburg through the Teleportation Array because Faye told him she hadn’t received any communication from her sister for two days, so he didn’t have the chance to gather the girls before returning with Faye and Matilda.

This touched Faye, as Malin was willing to take a risk for her.

Stepping out of the square, Malin called a carriage. The coachman recognized Malin and didn’t want to charge him. In the end, Malin still left the fare: "Tell your child to work hard."

Then, amid the coachman’s thanks, Malin led Faye through the Church gate opened by the Church guards.

Upon entering, Malin looked to the apprentice responsible for reception: "Where is Colin?"

"In the inner hall, they’re in a meeting, Malin! Don’t go over there! You can’t get in!" The apprentice said as Malin came to the entrance of the inner hall, facing two guards standing before the door: "Aren’t you going to let me pass?"

"Lord Hoffman has ordered us to stop you."

Malin sighed, walked to the entrance of the hallway, and kicked the door open, then tightly grabbed Faye’s hand: "There’s no problem with me going in, but if you enter, you might see some past you don’t want to remember, and it could be dangerous."

"With you here, I’m not afraid, and my sister is on the other side. I have to see her." Faye nodded, then followed behind Malin into the corridor.

Upon the first step, Faye heard crying, a young version of herself seated on the bench by the corridor, weeping from the pain in her body.

Faye didn’t attend to her younger self but stepped forward again.

Someone was waiting for her ahead, she reminded herself as Mowish’s daughter.

With the second step, Faye noticed the palace in front of her. It was The Capital’s grand hall, where her younger self stood, subjected to the... covetous gazes of the Nobles.

Such an unpleasant moment, thought Faye as she took another step forward because she knew someone was waiting for her there.

The third step, the palace had become a Church school, where Faye stood alone, helpless, because in the eyes of the people of Carterburg, she was a Northerner, also a half-blood.

Southerners did not like half-bloods, especially those who had a trace of elven blood in their veins.

In the Middle Ages, humans and elves had fought many battles, and the relationship between the two races definitely couldn’t be described as friendly.

Even now, it was the same.

Faye watched her helpless self, wanting to stay and comfort her, but for some reason, she still walked on.

Why, why not stay and help herself.

A voice in Faye’s mind asked herself this.

Because, because someone was leading the way ahead.

With another step forward, Faye was suddenly shocked to find that she had left the corridor, with Malin standing in front of her, his face full of tense and worried expressions. Faye smiled, reaching out to embrace him, then kissed his face gently, "I have returned from my dream."

"...Welcome back, let’s go."

"Yes."

Picking up the pace, Malin led the way running ahead, with Faye trying hard to keep up behind him. Despite being a little out of breath, the current Faye was no longer the sickly person she had been years ago, and the food made from acorn powder by Malin was more effective than those potions.

Rushing through the garden, passing statues, they finally stopped in the front of the corridor.

"Sister." Faye looked at the Margaret in front of her, hardly recognizing her, because this woman with a full head of white hair didn’t look like her sister.

"You, why have you come?" She lifted her head, somewhat surprised.

"I haven’t received a message from you in two days, sister, your hair..." "You two chat, I’ll go take a look around."

After Malin finished speaking, he walked to the end of the corridor.

Standing in place, Faye watched him knock on the door at the end, then enter the opened room, "Sister, your hair has gone white."

"Ah... Really? That’s strange, I was just thinking about some things..."

Listening to her sister’s murmur, Faye walked up to her, knelt down to look at her, "Sister, did Colin ever say what to do?"

"...He’s been in there for a long time and hasn’t come out." Sister Margaret said this with a smile still on her face.

This made Faye even sadder. She reached out to grab Sister Margaret’s hand, "Don’t worry, Malin will think of something. Everyone says he’s wise, my sister, don’t worry too much."

"No, I’m not overthinking, I just made an oath... I won’t leave Colin."

"No one can make you leave him, I swear, even if our enemies are my mother or Manli’s mom, they can’t!" At that moment, Faye tightly gripped her sister’s hand as if she wanted to crush something, "When I left the Capital, it was because I didn’t want to become the so-called prey, and now that I have achieved my wish, I naturally want to help you achieve yours. Don’t worry, sister, even if you and Colin have to run away, Malin and I will definitely take you with us."

"Colin won’t leave, and neither will I. It’s just that nobody can separate us." After speaking, Margaret patted the hand that was grabbing hers pale, "Colin and I have been together since we were children, through thick and thin... He shouldn’t be thinking of sending me away. I won’t leave him, just like you wouldn’t leave Malin."

Faye nodded, her sister wasn’t wrong. She wouldn’t leave Colin, just as she wouldn’t leave Malin, "Alright, we’ll wait for Malin. He will surely find a way."

Her sister nodded, "I believe... not in Malin, but I feel that fate brought me and Colin together, and it wasn’t to separate us one day."

.........

Malin entered the room and saw those sitting inside, smoking so much that the entire room was clouded with smoke, "I always thought that when I opened the door, you all would be arguing about how to solve this problem."

With that, Malin turned to Ferrero, the empty-nester old-timer puffing on a cigar, "Mentor Ferrero, what are your thoughts?"

"What thoughts could I have? I can only tell them that currently, Colin is the only eligible person, and your old Hoffman mentor can live at most another six months. In six months, I can’t possibly find another eligible person," he said.

"So, who can explain to me what the hell this eligible person is?" Malin looked at Old Hoffman, "And old man, you’ve only got half a year to live, so stop smoking."

"You meddling kid! Mind your own business! You’re not my mother! My mother’s been cremated for who knows how long now!" Old Hoffman retorted and then took a few drags of his cigarette, after which the old sod started to cry.

Malin saw the old man cry for the first time, and after a thought, he took out Mason’s skull, "I personally gave Mason a swift end, thinking of finding someone to return it to you, but since I came myself today, I don’t need to bother others... Here, this apprentice of yours, my fellow apprentice, would rather be killed by his own people than complete his perversion and fall. He was a tough nut."

When the old man hugged Mason’s skull, Malin took out two more skulls, "These are the murderers who drove Mason to his death. One was killed by me at the front line, and the other came to kill me but was killed by me instead."

Having said that, Malin threw them to Old Ferrero, "Now, you all explain to me."