32 Chapter32-Taking Action
A hoarse voice replied from the darkness,
"I've had it confirmed, it's definitely the Crimson Key. Unfortunately, it has already been taken, and the Ghost Wizard has respawned without leaving any trace."
The man in the darkness, named Theodore, was a transcendent-tier expert from House Carter.
He had initially come to assist Lucas in tracking down the cloaked figure, but unexpectedly stumbled upon the astonishing surprise of the Crimson Demon's legacy.
Now, the matter of the cloaked figure could be temporarily set aside, as the Crimson Demon's legacy had become their top priority.
Lucas felt a tinge of regret.
Had he inspected the Ghost Wizard himself, perhaps these subsequent issues could have been avoided.
But how could he have known that a mere low-level beginner's dungeon could be connected to the Crimson Demon?
Lucas, unwilling to give up, asked, "Is there still a chance to find it?"
He was acutely aware of his precarious position.
The incident with the cloaked figure had nearly ruined him, but if he could secure the long-sought legacy here, not only could he reclaim his status as the heir of his family, but he might even ascend further.
A glint of ambition sparkled in Lucas's eyes.
Theodore sighed in the darkness, "It's difficult. Without any leads, we don't know who took the item. The investigation faces too much resistance. Eldritch, the headmaster of StellarSea Academy, and Theodore Winters, the son-in-law of House Harris, are already pressuring us."
Hearing Theodore's words, Lucas's pupils slowly reddened.
Clenching his wine glass tightly, he said with a hint of madness, "Ignore them. Keep searching! At any cost, we must retrieve it!"
The Crimson Demon's legacy was of utmost importance to him.
He would not give up on this heaven-sent opportunity; Lucas was determined to seize it.
Theodore paused before responding, "Understood. I'll try to use [Bloodmirror Chase] to locate the person, but the chances of finding them are slim."
[Bloodmirror Chase] is a skill of the Crimson Count, akin to divination, but it requires the subject's blood for an accurate reading.
Theodore, devoid of the other's blood, could only attempt to use objects the person had touched in his search.
Regardless of success, forcibly divining would inevitably inflict great harm upon him.
But Theodore could no longer concern himself with such matters; having reached the transcendent-tier, he faintly sensed he was on the brink of losing control.
If he could find the legacy of the Crimson Demon, it would undoubtedly be of immense aid to him.
Lucas was well aware of what Theodore needed and immediately promised, "Rest assured, whether we find that person or not, I will have someone alleviate your condition."
Theodore nodded in agreement.
With Lucas's promise, he felt somewhat more confident.
Though Lucas was no longer as influential as before, the foundation of a former family heir still remained, and extending the life of an ordinary member of House Carter was hardly a challenge for him.
Silence soon enveloped the darkness; preparing for the Bloodmirror Chase required significant effort, and time was of the essence.
The two promptly set into motion.
Time swiftly passed, and John slept straight through to the afternoon of the next day.
Upon waking, he felt refreshingly invigorated.
Despite the exhaustion that plagued him the day before, a day's rest had completely rejuvenated him.
After awakening, an awakener's body is enhanced, possessing far greater energy and physical strength than an ordinary person, and their recovery rate is several times faster—this was to be expected.
After a shower and a hasty meal, John noticed his phone was flooded with missed calls, easily dozens of them.
Having set his phone to silent, he hadn't noticed them until now.
Upon checking, he saw calls from Daniel, Benjamin, Scarlett Monroe, several classmates from Year 3 Class 1, and some numbers he didn't recognize, all of whom had tried to reach him multiple times.
John was perplexed, unsure of what had transpired.
Just then, Daniel's call came through again.
As John answered, Daniel's booming voice immediately filled the line, shouting, "John, when did you manage to charm Seraphina?"
John was completely baffled, retorting, "What are you raving about? Since when did I charm Seraphina... No, wait, I never did!"
Daniel, with a tone suggesting he knew John would respond this way, pressed on, "Don't play dumb with me. Who at StellarSea Academy doesn't know that you got into Seraphina's car yesterday? Come on, spill it, how far have things progressed between you two?"
John fell silent for a moment before abruptly hanging up on Daniel.
What madness!
Was hitching a ride such a big deal to cause this uproar?
Returning the other calls one by one, John discovered that most were fueled by gossip about him and Seraphina.
Even Benjamin had called specifically to caution him against straying from the right path, given his lesser awakened talents, and resorting to living off a woman.
It then dawned on John that the incident of Seraphina giving him 500 million federal coins had been witnessed and spread around.
Speechless, John couldn't fathom the absurdity of the situation.
Although he had a hunch about the identity behind the unknown number, John dialed it anyway.
The call was answered, and as expected, a cool voice soon inquired, "John?"
Rubbing his temples, John apologized, "Miss Seraphina, I'm really sorry. I had no idea they would make such a fuss about it. I hope you won't take it to heart."
Seraphina was indeed beautiful, but John dared not entertain any notions about this woman, let alone provoke her.
After all, Theodore Winters was a bona fide transcendent-tier magus, and not yet forty years old.
Who could say if he might not become a grand magus capable of casting forbidden spells in the future?
A titan's daughter was not someone just anyone could consider.
Seraphina didn't respond to that but brought up another matter, saying, "Stellarburg is restless these days. The Goldworth conglomerate and House Foster are preparing to enter a high-level secret realm, and the situation with House Carter is making quite the stir, showing a very tough stance. My father mentioned something seems off, and something might happen in the next few days. It's best if you stay indoors for a while."
John paused before responding, "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."
After hanging up with Seraphina, John gazed out the window at the twilight artificially created by an awakener's skill, his eyes reflecting a depth of thought.
He could sense the undercurrents swirling through Stellarburg but had no inkling of what was to come.
At his level, many things remained beyond his reach.
If only he had enough power, perhaps he wouldn't feel so helpless...
Contemplating, John stepped out to catch a ride from one of the unlicensed taxis that operated in the outer districts, heading for the Dark Forest bar.
He planned to seek out Scarlett Monroe for information.
As the big sister of the area, she was likely in the know.
By the time John arrived at the Dark Forest bar, night had fallen.
In this land, there were no true days or nights.
Ever since the virtual descended into reality over a hundred and twenty years ago, the sky had always been a consistent shade of grey, much like the sky John had seen outside Stellarburg.
The blue skies and white clouds by day, and the starry night sky over Stellarburg, were all artificially created through the supernatural powers of awakeners.
The neon lights of the bar illuminated the pedestrians in the night, men and women who only emerged after dark, already embarking on their nocturnal lives.
John pushed open the soundproof door of the bar, greeted by the familiar scent of smoke and liquor.
The bar wasn't crowded yet, still some time away from its peak hours.
John made his way straight to the second floor.
The bartender at the front desk on the second floor had changed to a new face, now a man with a full beard and a somewhat weathered face.
John wasn't surprised; Scarlett Monroe seemed to change bartenders every few days.
He had asked her about it once, but Scarlett Monroe had not explained, so he didn't press further.
Taking a seat at the high stool by the counter, John looked towards the bearded man and asked, "Where's your boss?"
While speaking, John's gaze remained fixed on the man.
He noticed that since his arrival, the man's eyes had been sizing him up continuously.
This scrutiny was different from what John had experienced with other bartenders; the man's gaze was evaluative, as if looking at a criminal, which was quite unsettling.
Although John had always had a vague feeling that Seraphina's identity might be somewhat special, it was only now that he began to form a somewhat hazy answer in his mind.
The federal government, perhaps...
