Chapter 70: Meeting |
Clang!
With the final hammer strike falling, O’Brien finally completed today’s forging. He picked up a towel beside him, wiped the sweat from his brow, then walked into the courtyard and lay down wearily on the bench.
The moonlight was cold and clear, spilling over the quiet yard. Only the occasional chirping of insects adorned the stillness of the night. He closed his eyes, feeling the cool breeze brush against his skin.
“Oh? So leisurely?”
A familiar voice, tinged with teasing amusement, suddenly sounded by his ear.
O’Brien’s eyes snapped open. He turned toward the other side of the wooden table.
There sat Alvaro’s metal-armored body at some unknown time, poised elegantly like an ancient noble—utterly out of place in this humble courtyard.
“Kyle?”
“It’s me.”
This method resembled Divine Descent, but that was something only gods could accomplish. And yet today, he witnessed it in a vampire.
“You’re looking for me about something?”
“Wasn’t it you who wanted to see me?”
“Me? When did I—”
O’Brien paused mid-sentence, suddenly realizing. “You mean the blood bank matter?”
“Exactly.”
Kyle originally had not intended to interfere. He planned to deal with everything after awakening and returning to Coral Thorn City.
But Montoya’s comment about wanting to eat Baruk had suddenly reminded him of something he had forgotten.
“Can you resume blood purchases? Or do you have another solution?”
O’Brien’s mood lifted noticeably.
Though he had not intervened further in the matter, he had continued secretly aiding those truly driven to desperation—the sick and the orphans.
These past days had left him quite exhausted.
“In a way. But I can’t guarantee the results. It’s all an experiment.”
“What’s the method? Is there anything you need my help with?”
O’Brien knew Kyle must require something from him; otherwise, he would have simply assigned a task. There would have been no need to contact him personally.
“You’ve changed quite a bit~”
Kyle chuckled lightly, surprise lacing his tone. He had expected the paladin to question him first.
“Indeed. These past months have made me understand many things.”
“I hope you can maintain that calm after hearing what I’m about to say.”
A faint tension tightened in O’Brien’s chest. Kyle did not give him a chance to ask further.
“I’m going to recall all my subordinates who were sent out. I don’t need you to help. Just don’t interfere.”
For a moment, even the insect chirps in the courtyard seemed to fall silent.
O’Brien’s brows knitted together. He had nearly forgotten—this vampire was among the highest-tier purebloods.
Such a being would undoubtedly have a large following. Not only dark creatures, but likely many humans as well.
“What do you plan to do after recalling them?”
He suppressed the urge to question harshly and chose to clarify first.
Kyle inwardly sighed. The other party had indeed matured.
“The main economy of Coral Thorn City revolves around the vast number of Transcendents. If commoners want to improve their treatment, they must create value of their own, rather than constantly depending on others.”
“Say something we don’t already know.” O’Brien could not help but nearly roll his eyes. “And what does that have to do with recalling your subordinates?”
“Be patient.” Kyle’s voice remained steady. “If commoners wish to create value, they must leverage their greatest advantage—numbers.”
“But human Transcendents’ demand for commoners is limited to cleaning the city and handling miscellaneous tasks. That traps them forever in repetitive, low-level labor.”
“My subordinates, however, are different. Their demand for humans spans all aspects. It’s not merely a food-chain issue.”
O’Brien’s expression began to cool. “What do you mean?”
“There you go again—so impatient.”
Kyle considered himself remarkably tolerant. If it had been someone more hot-tempered, constant unwarranted suspicion might have already resulted in a punch.
O’Brien pressed his lips together and fell silent, watching coldly.
“My subordinates are, for the most part, dark creatures. And yes, they feed primarily on flesh and soul. That is their nature. But that does not mean they must harm intelligent life to satisfy their needs.”
“If the situation were truly that extreme, I wouldn’t be dreaming about building some beautiful new world. We might as well fight until the heavens grow dark.”
Ignoring O’Brien’s furrowed brow, he continued:
“Many dark creatures originate from the convergence of negative energy and dark forces. Their very existence is a nebulous state. The most common examples are wraiths and resentful spirits, formed from obsession or grievance under specific conditions.”
“If they wish to sustain their existence, they must strengthen their sense of presence. Killing and seizing intelligent souls is the easiest way to draw attention and enhance themselves.”
O’Brien began to feel irritated again. He knew all this—he was a paladin, after all, well-versed in dark creatures.
To him, Kyle’s explanation sounded like an attempt to excuse and whitewash them—something he deeply despised.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Interrupted again, Kyle’s temper finally frayed. After finishing this discussion, he would definitely give this bastard a solid beating!
“Shut up! Let me finish! If you interrupt me one more damn time, I won’t mind beating you right now!”
Kyle no longer suppressed his irritation and snapped outright.
Sensing Kyle’s sharp anger and the restrained pressure beneath it, O’Brien’s mind cleared somewhat.
Once again, he had unconsciously allowed prejudice against dark creatures to color his emotions.
He exhaled deeply. “My apologies. Continue. I won’t interrupt again.”
“Hmph. I hope you remember that.”
Kyle snorted before resuming.
“The behaviors of wraiths and resentful spirits are instinctual. From birth, they are like infants who know nothing—acting purely according to the instinct to ‘feed.’”
“But that behavior, like that of bandits, benefits themselves at others’ expense. In truth, they do not need such violent methods to sustain or elevate themselves.”
“If there is a way to fulfill their obsessions or dispel their grievances, they can return to the Underworld—or continue existing in a far gentler manner.”
“My subordinates are dark creatures I have already screened and guided onto the right path.”
“My current idea is to establish venues and competitions capable of generating large amounts of positive emotional energy from commoners, along with large-scale livestock farming.”
“These can provide the spiritual will of intelligent life, as well as sufficient flesh and soul essence derived from animals, to substitute for intelligent souls.”
“At the same time, blood purchasing can resume—on an even larger scale than before.”
“But the optimal solution is for your academy to be established as soon as possible, cultivating a steady stream of talent. Only you can accomplish that. I cannot intervene—otherwise, if a group of dark creatures were to educate them, these commoners wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Kyle finished in one breath, feeling greatly relieved.
Just then, the night wind stirred the ancient tree in the courtyard, its leaves rustling softly—as though awaiting an answer.
He raised a hand slightly, signaling.
“Now, you may speak.”