Dungeon of Niflheim

Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Baron Adam Furano

Leo gave Frost a thankful nod before continuing to lead the group down the large walkway towards the manor. He’d been to this compound a several times when he was younger and knew the way.

‘Did uncle always have this attitude, if not when did it begin?’ Leo ignored the vicious looks he was receiving from the dozens of goons that were watching his every move. He didn’t even see them as he reminisced about the past.

He remembered having meals with his uncle when he was younger, sitting on his lap as Adam regaled him with stories about his deceased grandfather and grandmother. Another memory sprung to mind when they passed a marble statue in the shape of a large lion. The memory was so vivid that he stopped in place and stared.

‘This is where I hid nearly every time.’ He remembered playing hide and seek with his uncle and always choosing to hide in the same spot, underneath the lion’s mouth. He subconsciously smiled, he obviously didn’t understand the aim of the game choosing the same spot over and over.

“Haaaaaaaa” He sighed as he recalled the innocent reason, he gave his uncle every time he was found.

‘Where else is better than hiding under the lion’s nose.’ The reason being that it’d be the last place they’d look but it wasn’t the lion he was supposed to be hiding from.

With his eyes full of nostalgia, Luna moved in close and held his hand. She too could remember a time when Adam was loving and gentle but that was then, and this was now.

.....

“Leo, he’s no longer the same.” Luna whispered into his ear, understanding his sorrow.

“Haaaaaa” Leo sighed once again as his face changed to a more stoic expression.

“I know, I won’t falter, I was just reminiscing one last time.” Locking away those happy childhood memories the goons came back into his purview. They were all still surrounding them as they walked, not initiating any form of attack just lying in wait.

By the time they reached the manor’s front door, dozens upon dozens of goons surrounded them from every angle, each of them armed with simple equipment and a slight madness in their eyes. They just needed the go ahead to start tearing the intruders apart.

Leo stood at the forefront with Luna at his side, Frost was directly behind whereas Bastion and Ryuu covered his flanks. If they wanted to get to Luna and Leo, they’d need to pass those three first.

Dongggggg

Atop the balcony directly in front of them, a loud noise was heard as the doors swung open with force. This drew everyone’s attention; the boss had arrived.

A young middle-aged man with sharp features and thin eyes, dressed in a lavish white coat came onto the balcony, this was Adam, Leo’s uncle. He had little resemblance to his brother who had a masculine and strong appearance, his was more of a shifty scholar look. His eyes especially made him look as if he was always up to no good.

Following behind were three men far different from the goons in the courtyard. They gave of an intimidating aura as they moved with Adam, as though they were attached at the hip.

‘They must be the elite guards Leo spoke of.’ Frost ignored Adam for the moment and focused on the three men surrounding him. They were all human and gave off the scent of blood. Frost frowned as he analysed each of them the best he could.

‘Fuck! I’m probably not a match for any of them.’ He felt a tinge of fear as he looked at them. His strength was roughly early stages of C-rank whereas even the weakest one of the three was probably almost B-rank. He was severely outmatched, his body started to tense up and his excitement began to grow.

‘Perfect, it wouldn’t be a challenge if they weren’t at least this strong.’ His hands had begun to tremble not from fear but anticipation. Bastion was right, he and Ryuu were similar, he was just a tad crazy, but could you blame him, take a look at his teacher a vicious Fenrir who was just as much a battle junkie as he if not more so. An evil smile grew on his face as he started to lick his lips as though eyeing fine prey.

‘They’ll make some fine DP.’ Not only was this a night to test his battle prowess and fully engage in the joy of battle, it was also a gathering of DP. Effectively killing three birds with one stone. His intense stare seemed to attract the three as they all faced Frost with interest, they could feel his fighting spirit and killing intent. The three of them smiled evilly at one another before the strongest of the three mouthed a response.

‘Weakling,’ unlike Frost the three of them could more accurately tell Frost’s capabilities. They could see he was weaker than them and not by a small amount.

“Just a cocky brat in over his head.” One of the three bodyguards commented to his colleagues. The group didn’t spare Frost another glance instead focusing their vison on Ryuu and Bastion, they were the real threat.

Annoyed at being looked down upon and ignored, Frost’s expression became incredibly vicious, and he took a heavy step forward preparing to leap up and attack.

Pat

He was stopped by Ryuu and Bastion placing their hands on his shoulders and whispering from his side.

“Those three are our targets young Frost.” Bastion and Ryuu sent provocative gazes at the three bodyguards on the balcony as they pulled Frost back. Frost wasn’t brought in to deal with them, they were.

“I like your spirit but they’re a bit too much for you to handle.” Ryuu commented at the side appreciating Frost more and more.

“You need to deal with the goons as well as any hidden opponents, leave those three to the two of us.” Ryuu gently reminded Frost that there may be more opponents hidden within the manor for him to go all out on.

Frost was momentarily speechless, his mouth hung open, but he couldn’t say anything.

“......Fair point,” he nodded after accepting that Ryuu and Bastion were correct. His gaze once more returned to Adam, the main target of tonight’s activities.

While each group’s trump cards were scoping out one another, Leo and Adam looked at on in silence. Adam was incredibly surprised to hear that the one causing such a commotion at this time of the night was his nephew. Although he had received reports that Cassandra had been clearing out all his men and women planted in the Furano manor, he didn’t expect his nephew to walk straight into the lion’s den. That was why he was speechless; he didn’t know what to say.

‘He can’t be that na?ve, can he?’ Leo should have known or had some inkling of the events of several days ago with Alex and the red hawk bandits.

‘Then why is he here?’ He saw Ryuu and Bastion by his nephew’s side as well as Luna and a masked man. He struggled to understand their purpose.

‘They can’t possibly be here to take me in, Ryuu and Bastion certainly aren’t clueless enough to think this is enough firepower.’ Adam’s gaze then drifted over his dozens of low-level goons and then the three elite bodyguards by his side. He received no suspicious reports about any movements in relation to the local guards or high-ranking adventurers, and he couldn’t see anyone else present bar these five standing in his courtyard.

‘Am I missing something?’ Adam was confident in his strategic abilities; he could feel that something wasn’t quite right but even so.

‘Would I ever get such a unique chance to take care of all my enemies in one single movement?’ He was aware that the masked man was probably the adventurer named Frost who took care of his loyal subordinate Alex and ruined his perfectly laid plans. His expression became vicious as he looked down, not even trying to hide his intentions.

“Haaaaaa” Leo sighed as he saw the change in his uncle’s expression. He really was beyond redemption.

Hearing his nephew sigh irked him, so Adam responded with pompous.

“Ah my dear nephew what brings you to my manor so late at night, should you not be with my brother in his time of need?” Adam smiled proudly, knowing that he caused his brother’s illness. He knew that he had very little time left, in fact if it wasn’t because his brother was so stubborn, he would have passed on months ago.

Hearing his sarcasm, Bastion was infuriated and took a step forward and shouted “Bastard!” while spitting on the ground. This filled Adam with joy.

‘So, they suspect or even know that I’m the cause...but what does it matter at this point, they can’t prove it.’ Adam grew cocky, he felt as though everything was being handed to him on a silver platter, he struggled to contain his laughter.

Bastion and Ryuu wanted to immediately take action, but they were stopped by Leo who had remained calm despite his uncle’s words however, his eyes were spitting flames.

“That’s actually one of the reasons why I’m here uncle, no Baron Adam Furano.” Leo spoke coldly and loudly so everyone could hear.

Adam frowned not expecting his nephew to be so calm and address him by his title.

‘He’s changed’ his nephew was not like this several days ago, he was nothing more than a na?ve boy.

“Baron Adam I’m here on official business on behalf of the ruling viscount Douglas Furano.” Leo reached into his armour to withdraw the official document written and signed by Douglas.

Adam twitched at Leo’s words, ‘official business’ meant that it was Douglas’s decision and not Leo’s. He then looked once more at this small group of five people standing in his courtyard.

‘They’re all heavily armed, especially Leo...wait isn’t that.’ Adam suddenly noticed the armour and sword that Leo was wearing and felt a sudden rush of panic. Although he shouldn’t be worried given the amount of men currently surrounding them it was his instincts that were warning him.

‘Something is really wrong.’ His eyes darted back and forth across the compound, but he couldn’t see anything unusual, it was too dark.

Ignoring his panic, Leo continued to speak in a formal and official capacity.

“Baron Adam Furano on behalf of the ruling viscount of this territory and as your master, as a vassal you are hereby charged with the crimes of treason, illegal smuggling, attempted murder, embezzlement and many more crimes. The verdict for your heinous crimes is.... execution, signed by Douglas Furano viscount of the Furano territory, Lady Cassandra, Viscountess of the territory and Leonardo Furano heir to the territory and stamped with the viscount’s royal seal. How do you plead.” Leo read the entire document in a loud voice without a single change in expression.

Leo and his group waited silently for Adam’s response, of course it didn’t matter since the verdict was final.

The goons surrounding them were at first nervous and even shocked but as the silence continued, they began to smile and some even laughed out loud as if Leo was an idiot. What did they care about the rulings of some dying old man, Adam would be in charge shortly anyway so what did it matter. The goons looked at Leo and the rest time to attack and kill.

The three bodyguards beside Adam couldn’t help but silently snigger and smile unreserved, they weren’t fazed in the slightest, it was just the final act of a dying man without any power.

Adam however was more than a little shocked, something was eating away at him. He stared down at the official document held in his nephew’s hands.

‘Why now?’ He was confused, if anything he expected this action shortly after Leo returned but that was several days ago, his brother was anything but patient. Once again, he scoured the landscape but saw no sign of reinforcements. He a had puzzled expression as he looked down at his nephew.

“Are you an idiot?” He asked without reservation and was fully expecting an answer. Couldn’t Leo see the dozens of people surrounding them, did he really believe two old, retired adventurers could deal with everyone here.

Leo let out another sigh before replying.

“So that’s your response. No uncle, I’m not an idiot, now will you come willingly or am I going to have to drag you down from that balcony!” Leo spoke with anger at the end, fully intending to do just that.