Chapter 48
Chapter 48
Isaac, with his imposing height, powerful build, and savagely handsome features, commanded attention, radiating an aura of dominance that overshadowed everyone present. None who saw him now could recall his former self. That shameful past was known only to one, Arietta, the prized captive of his glass-domed mansion.
“Marquis Tygra, Isaac. My loyal compatriot, a faithful servant of our King. It’s good to see you again!”
General Soluten forced a smile, extending his arms, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. Isaac didn’t reciprocate the gesture. His men, meanwhile, erupted in open mockery.
Marquis Tygra! What a ludicrous title. Isaac had conquered this lawless territory ten years ago, at the age of eighteen, through sheer force of will. What meaning did a title bestowed from above hold when he already possessed power earned through blood and sweat?
While his men continued to chuckle, Isaac remained impassive. He lit a cigarette, glancing at General Soluten.
“Let’s go.”
The Black Hound’s pack swarmed the airship, unloading its cargo with the ruthless efficiency of raiders. Bio-core engine vehicles and motorcycles roared to life in the alleyways, spraying black mud as they emerged.
The roar of engines, a sound unheard in Sky City, filled the air. Dirty and loud. The Sky City Survey Corps divided themselves among the ten vehicles. Benjamin, as befitting the son of the illustrious House of Lenota, had the ‘honor’ of riding with Isaac.
The air was thick with acrid smoke as they set off. Everything here was a stark contrast to the elegant world of Sky City. Benjamin, seated beside Isaac, openly displayed his disdain. Isaac was aware of the young marquis’s undisguised contempt. He simply smirked, lighting another cigarette.
After a twenty-minute drive, the vehicles stopped before the mansion Tygra had provided for the Survey Corps. The mansion was a strange hybrid. Clean and comfortable, yet where its original opulent features had crumbled or broken, they had been replaced with the crude, functional architecture of Downstream.
A sturdy patchwork. It was a reflection of Tygra himself, a being both animal and human, shifting between beast and man. There was no ‘glass dome’ here to shield them from the polluted air and soil.
The Survey Corps would only remain in Downstream for three weeks and would have to rely heavily on purifiers. If Tygra had hosted them in his glass-domed mansion, these precautions would be unnecessary. But he had never allowed it. The reason was an open secret.
The mansion’s canary. The ruler of Downstream refused to display his rarest acquisition. Even this felt like an insult to young Marquis Lenota. Why should they languish in this squalid place when they could be enjoying the technologically advanced comforts bestowed upon them by His Majesty?
But Tygra wouldn’t tolerate such posturing. He demanded the Survey Corps arrive unarmed, leaving them with no choice but to obey if they wished to return alive. Benjamin, his face carefully composed, avoided Isaac as he stepped out of the vehicle.
Isaac’s golden eyes flicked over the young nobleman, amused by his clumsy attempts to conceal his discomfort. A feast followed. The Black Hounds, boisterous and loud, unpacked the supplies brought by the Survey Corps, revealing delicacies unimaginable in this ‘lower’ world.
While his men were distracted by the food, Isaac extinguished his cigarette and turned to General Soluten.
“The goods?”
“…Of course, I brought them.”
General Soluten, his shoulders tense with a perpetual unease in Isaac’s presence, gestured to Benjamin. Benjamin, his gaze lowered, opened a bag before Isaac. It was filled with purifiers, crafted by Sky City alchemists.
Downstream’s equipment was inevitably susceptible to contamination, while Sky City’s facilities, operating in a cleaner environment, could produce purifiers of a higher purity. Isaac examined several capsules, holding them up to the light. Watching him, General Soluten asked, “Where’s your… companion?”
He was inquiring about Gamon.
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