Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 509 - 345: Fate (Part 1)

Chapter 509: Chapter 345: Fate (Part 1)

Alice and Malin had met a different kind of vampire before, one who likely obtained her abilities from the Transcendent Sequence. Because of this, the few drops of Malin’s blood had only caused her some discomfort.

If it were the kind of vampire from Parol City, they wouldn’t even need fresh blood; a mere direct gaze from Malin would force them to undergo a deadly judgment.

Any vampire that failed to withstand Malin’s direct gaze would be ignited by holy flames — having slain that Evil God, these mere riffraff were nothing but chickens and dogs in Malin’s eyes.

Even those unafraid of direct gazing, the four World Tree Saplings were enough to teach them what judgment meant.

It was for this reason that Malin tolerated Alice’s provocation with a more indulgent attitude — sixteen years old, merely the age a half-blood elf child ought to be.

Considering the girl’s nature wasn’t bad, a light punishment would suffice.

After the banquet ended, Malin took the girls and the old lady to say their goodbyes, declining her offer to see them out. Malin and the girls prepared to walk back to the train station — the room suitable for Malin’s use was still being prepared, and the old lady from the Church of the Goddess of Harvest said it would take another two days to get ready.

Malin Gaiate had long since ceased to be the little apprentice he once was; he was now the Church’s red-robed Assistant Priest stationed in Carterburg — the highest position Malin could attain at present, an extraordinary promotion like Colin’s.

Of course, everyone in the Church understood that with Malin’s strength, becoming a Bishop was only a matter of time. Hence, everything Malin deserved could not be lacking. The Church couldn’t find a suitable large room for Malin and others to use, not wanting to cram the eight of them into the Church’s tiny rooms — the kind with just a single bed and a small table.

And since Malin was to continue traveling south by train in two days, it was better not to disturb everyone and just stay in the train carriages instead.

The Church only had one carriage available today. Malin had his own transport and mount, and naturally wouldn’t let the old lady walk back on her own. With people added to the group, all that was needed was to place Rewo and Maya on the back of the spare provisions, and Malin would walk ahead.

The spare provisions had become much more docile nowadays, perhaps because of witnessing Malin hunting with his spear and the sonic booms it created. The bear had learned to jump down from the carriage to bite the prey and then catch up with the train and jump back on.

For the sake of a meal, even spare provisions worked very hard.

Thinking about it, Malin casually tossed an acorn. The spare provisions caught it in one bite and chewed, looking blissfully content.

"Isn’t this too extravagant?" Rewo noticed Malin’s action. In her eyes, those nuts were simply as valuable as Arcane Crystals, and even more expensive and rare.

"Here, have one," Malin said with a smile, tossing an acorn to the little girl, who caught the ascending fruit, "Almost dropped Maya there!"

My sister’s hands are ready. Of course, Malin wouldn’t come; he just smiled. "This is for you to eat."

"Why would I eat this? I want to make it into a potion," Rewo snorted.

Malin tossed another acorn to her: "Eat one, you’ll get two more for the week. You should know better than I do how your body is doing."

"I am not your spare provisions to be fed." The little thing frowned and grumbled.

The bear beneath her groaned.

Malin stopped walking.

"Why did we stop?" Rewo was puzzled, but before she could turn her confusion into curiosity, Maya had already helped her off the bear’s back, protecting her in her arms as they looked toward the alley by the road.

"Maya, what is it?" Rewo asked, vigilant as she scanned their surroundings, unable to detect danger.

"We have guests," Malin spoke while reaching out, and from the saddlebag beside the bear’s harness, several books responded to their master’s call, flying out and circling around Malin.

A dark figure emerged from the alley’s shadows.

Mischael?

For some reason, that name was the first to spring to Malin’s mind.

Perhaps it was the impact of the figure’s presence on that summer afternoon.

But the next second, he realized it wasn’t Mr. Mischael; it must be a being with the same Transcendent abilities as him.

"Leave the child in your arms, and you can go," the figure ’said’. It wasn’t spoken aloud, but a soul’s whisper reverberating in Malin’s ears.

"Sorry, but that’s my pet, and a responsible owner wouldn’t just give away their pet to anyone," Malin smiled, his staff Fio arising at his feet.

"Your so-called prideful power is worthless to me, and you have too many targets needing protection behind you. Why not choose to compromise?" it asked.

Then Malin felt it, numerous entities emerging from subspace rifts in alleys beside the streets.

An assassin organization? Coming for Rewo’s life?

Why not strike in Carterburg? Why dare to act here?

Too many questions awaited, yet Malin snapped his fingers. Lorrin appeared atop the carriage the next second, reinforcing it completely.

Mana appeared in Maya’s hands, transforming into a longsword as branches began to lift the flagstones at her feet.

Melo emerged from the rift and arrived in Malin’s hand, transforming into a staff.

"I say, let there be light." Malin tapped the staff, and the entire street lit up in an instant as bright as day.

Crossbow arrows flew at him, blocked by books floating automatically in the air. In this moment, the pages as hard as steel mercilessly halted the arrows’ flight and smacked them down.

Dark figures appeared in an instant by Malin’s side. His longsword was blocked by Malin’s staff, and the shock from the staff gave Malin his first real sense of a numbness that came from a forceful match.

Malin took a step back, and a book named "The Sea of Death: Exploring the Dark Zone" fanned open in a blink and became a huge blade, slashing through both the dark figure and the ground beneath it.

·You can’t hurt us at all—the power of the True God protects us.

He spoke thus, while the cloven figure split into two dark shadows.

·Cutting us only makes us stronger.

"Is that so?" Malin questioned, pushing away the charging figure with the right hand holding the staff, and made the tip of the staff burst out with Holy Light, inflicting no harm whatsoever.

No evil faction?

It was the first time Malin furrowed his brow.

Or could it be that their avatars avoid damage based on faction?

In any case, they seemed like a tough opponent to face.

Thinking so, two manuscripts belonging to Malin came together, splitting and merging, and charged at another figure that was arming a crossbow. By the time they neared their target, the manuscripts had become a net, then sliced the figure into tiny pieces.

This time, it failed to split anymore.

The dark figure did not speak this time; it appeared at the entrance of the alley, glanced at Malin, and eventually retreated back into the darkness.

The figures surrounding the carriage and Maya also withdrew.

"Lies will always be lies," Malin spoke, looking at the pieces, which began to self-ignite and emit the stench of burning flesh.

A creature that, unable to split due to being cut too finely, self-destructs... That fellow might have been seriously injured, and could even potentially die from those wounds. It seemed worth checking if anyone in this city had recently died.

Mulling this over, Malin turned his head to Rewo, "You might explain to us why these things, neither human nor ghost, are hunting you."

"...How would I know." Rewo frowned, his response tinged with impatience.

Malin did not use lie detection, since he instinctively did not believe Rewo was telling the truth.

She seemed to be hiding something, but as for specifics, it was certain Malin would never know. He hoped she would live to tell the tale.

With that thought, Malin looked back to the alley, "Get on the bear’s back, my sister, I will keep watch tonight."

One must be prepared for the unforeseen. After tonight, if anyone in the city were to die, they could not blame Malin for coming uninvited.

The trip back was safe, and shortly after settling in the carriage, Malin saw two carriages from the Church of Justice appear on the platform, with two teams of Paladins crawling out of them, along with a middle-aged Bishop.

Upon entering the carriage, the Bishop immediately offered apologies to Malin and expressed confusion over the attack—they knew of no Transcendent in this city with such power, let alone the ability to evade detection in Subspace.

He could only promise that they would keep investigating the assassin, and that the teams of Paladins would do their utmost to protect Malin and his companions.

Considering that, right now, the Paladins from the Church of Justice were the only ones capable of putting up a fight, Malin didn’t reject the offer, for fear that it would look bad if the Goddess of Harvest’s church sent someone over later—if one were to compare, the Goddess of Harvest’s combat force was no match for the Church of Justice.

Malin did not wish for those weaker than himself to protect him.

In their profession, Paladins were level ten native classes, at least on paper stronger than Malin, and certainly more so than anyone from the Goddess of Harvest’s strike team.

Thus, after sending the Bishop away, Malin arranged patrolling positions and routes for the Paladins, then returned to the carriage to find the girls hadn’t slept but instead were wearing soft armor, sitting on the seats in a light slumber. Hearing Malin’s almost silent door movement, they immediately awoke, with Matilda, Jessica, and Maya being the first to open their eyes.

"Get some sleep. The Paladins are on patrol, I’m in the carriage. If the assassin goes mad, they might come," Malin reassured them.

"It’s alright, I’ll keep watch with Brother," Maya said, stepping closer to Malin.

Noticing the expression on Maya’s face, Malin nodded and took her out of the carriage.

"Did you find out anything about Rewo?"

"She said nothing, showed no signs, but I heard her sighing, saying that it was destiny."

"Destiny?" Malin paused.

What destiny? What destiny does she have?