The Black Saint is My StalkerCh145 - A bit of convincing

Edited by dreamandwonder

Ironworks was an ominous place. From the outside, it seemed like a pleasant little Merrivian town; sprawling lots of white picket fences surrounded tall industrial buildings, where the DASR conducted their research. That area was barred off, reinforced with warded walls, electric fences, and armed patrols. 8icFRW

But the rest of Ironworks was rather quaint, pleasant even at first glance. Around the main residential areas were some farmlands and woods beyond even that. Everything that the townsfolk could need was readily provided for them within Ironworks.

However, the picturesque houses rarely featured comfortable family lives that would have benefited from such a lovely-looking neighborhood. Whoever the inhabitants truly were, they were often silent, not making much ruckus aside from making their dutiful commune from their homes, into the DASR research facility, and back.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Emilia Rose was quite a high-ranking researcher. With her status came privilege and she lived in a luxurious three-story home, the lawn impeccably kept thanks to hired workers.

It was hardly the first time Graham came to such a place. Years prior when Emilia first received her big promotion, Graham had been in town. She was extremely eager to show off her residence, and her skills with her tongue. MAfW1N

What had been an extremely short time on the long expanse of Graham’s life felt as though a lifetime ago. How strange.

But Graham didn’t have the time to ponder the intricacies of memories and experiences. Because he knew better than anything just the level of security that Emilia liked to enforce around her abode.

From afar, the house looked inconspicuous enough, though the property was gated, the gate itself was delicate-looking, with thin iron bars that looked as though they could be bent with some effort.

What wasn’t as obvious were all the hidden traps and the magical wards that were layered around the house at least three times over.

Despite Emilia’s ditzy disposition, she was a rather meticulous woman. Taking such a trait into consideration, it wasn’t hard to imagine her in the DASR lab.

Graham respected the speed limits for once, ambling his vehicle between the perfectly maintained roads of Ironworks and spotting Emilia’s house in the distance.

He alone sat in his car, or at least that was what appeared on the outside.

Franz hid in the shadows. With Graham’s dagger, Carnwennan, Franz was hidden from most methods of perception, both visual and magical so long as he remained within the shade and didn’t use any other forms of magic. Though he was hardly invulnerable, the various cameras and spells wouldn’t be able to pick up his presence. st8d0K

Originally, Graham had asked the corrupted blood to remain in the vehicle while would go to investigate Emilia’s home by himself, perhaps trying to gain access with her permission if she was present.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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“I’ll come.” Franz’s voice echoed in the air, as though coming from all directions.

The house stood eerily, lifeless. A cloudy sky rested overhead.

Graham noticed three fallen figures outside on the lawn. They were dressed in black attire, not dissimilar to bodyguards, each with a tall and stocky build.

When he approached them, he saw that they had evidently been in a fight, discarded weapons at their sides included rifles and daggers. But the injuries suffered seemed rather minor. When Graham knelt and checked for their pulse, he found that they were alive and well, merely unconscious. pxYgAy

Judging from the position they had fallen, Graham assumed that they were employed guards and were defending the house. However, it was nothing more than a mere assumption.

The front door, like the gate, was left a little ajar, scrapes marred the frame where the lock had been. The door had been forced open. Aside from the physical lock, all other forms of wards and electronics had been bypassed as well.

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Cautiously, Graham pushed the door open, revealing a modern, and relatively undisturbed interior. It was so silent that even a pin drop could be heard.

Before Graham stepped inside, he felt a breath against his ear. “Wait.” dWZRaA

“…What is it?” Graham kept his voice hushed, matching Franz’s volume.

“Someone is upstairs.” A vampire’s senses were naturally much sharper than a human being’s. Although Graham couldn’t sense the presence of another, he had no doubt in Franz’s words. “I will investigate first.”

Franz uncloaked himself and returned the magical dagger over to the Saint of Eternity. Though it might be troublesome if Franz’s presence was recorded by the surveillance within Ironworks, it was a little different within Dr. Rose’s home. Even if her private CCTV caught sight of him, the consequences weren’t as bad, especially if they could disable the security system and delete the footage if worse came to worst.

But that seemed unnecessary, for it seemed that the security systems in place had already been breached. mQ8Gla

Franz’s physical form shifted, and soon he turned into a bloody mist, gliding up the length of the stairs and disappearing along the curve of the hallway.

Graham quieted his steps, slowly stalking up the stairs. The house featured long windows, letting in plenty of sunlight. But the sky was clouded and thus the house as well was doused with an eerie grey dimness that made the long shadows crowding hallways even darker.

The floor seemed to creak ever so slightly beneath his feet and atop the staircase was a dark hallway, flanked with closed doors. However, at the very end, there was one door left open.

Just as he was about to stalk down the hallway, a loud thud could be heard coming from the last room down the hall. XbLd2Q

Graham quickened his pace, no longer caring about silence. He felt it then; a flare of spiritual energy and what sounded like something heavy toppling over, items clattering and rolling over polished wood.

With a sword being too clunky to use in a house, Graham pulled out the Archivist. Turning the corner, he had his gun raised— only to click his tongue and withdraw the weapon immediately, because their opponent wasn’t someone he wished to injure too terribly.

Duan Jiayu held his hand up in a hand seal, summoning a stream of water from the talisman he had unleashed. The water wound around a spear made of crimson.

Franz snarled, flashing a pointed fang. 4NdT62

While the Eastern man was busy focusing on Franz, Graham dashed into the room, expertly hopping over a fallen bookshelf with a variety of items scattered all over the floor.

Duan Jiayu flinched, suddenly noticing the additional person that joined the fray.

The floating blobs of water that originally restricted Franz’s movements suddenly turned into a giant puff of vapor, clouding vision.

“Oh, don’t even think about escape—“ the vampire hissed with annoyance, his hearing, and nose still sharp despite the lack of sight. However, when he tried to lunge, he was ruefully met with a divine barrier that seared his skin upon touch. M6UPdd

Duan Jiayu made for the window. And though he had just enough time and power to erect a spiritual barrier to block the vampire, underestimating the Saint of Eternity was his oversight.

Because just when he managed to reach the window to make a hasty escape, Duan Jiayu was grabbed by the collar and tossed to the ground.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Oof!

All breath was knocked right out of him. Before he could get up a knee was driven into his back, pinning him to the cold floor. RZlkFY

Graham drove his knee into Duan Jiayu’s spine without much mercy, pressing the air out of the Eastern man. He used this opportunity to grab Duan Jiayu’s hands.

Conveniently, Franz had found duct tape among the spilled items over the floor and handed it over.

“…” Duan Jiayu laid there motionless, already knowing that he had lost the fight and thus did not waste his energy to retaliate.

“What are you doing here?” the Saint of Eternity asked coldly as he glared down at the person beneath him. A part of him festered with unknown impatience. But Graham, being as steady as he was, conducted his business with sterile iciness, never with too much force, never with too little. 9MHmYQ

Duan Jiayu knew this about Graham Astley. He had heard the stories from his uncle. Though they were few and far in between, ever dutiful Duan Jiayu committed such tales to memory.

Thus, he did not feel particularly alarmed about being caught. For his life was in no real danger. The Saint of Eternity, who was an ally to the Association above all else, would not kill him without sound reasoning.

He was pulled up by the collar, his hands taped securely behind his back. Duan Jiayu’s expression was impassive as the Saint of Eternity stared.

Without warning, he received a slap across the face. Ok8a3P

A sharp cracking sound echoed. Duan Jiayu’s face throbbed, his tooth cut his inner cheek, and blood pooled in his mouth.

Again, the Saint of Eternity asked, “What are you doing here?”

“…” Duan Jiayu looked up at Graham with what could only be described as a bored expression.

“…It seems that our friend needs a bit of convincing,” Franz hummed sinisterly from behind. hY2Hro

Graham stared into those dark eyes, and what he saw reflected was soul-deep devotion and loyalty. A dog who wouldn’t ever turn on its master.

Absently, the Saint of Eternity wondered if he was the same. (He was, was he not? Graham knew this. Han Ruyan had fought him over this.)

Without another word to their new hostage, Graham stood and turned away. “Do not kill him or damage him permanently.” Those were the only instructions that he gave the vampire; cold, unfeeling, and cruel.

Author: What the heck is this guy doing here e__e ermmm. Extra chapter update for completing inksgiving goals on tapas, thank you to everyone who donated! My finally stretch goal still hasn’t been reached so…if you’re interested in a comic made by yours truly, go find me on tapas and donate some ink <3 <3 mgTWjr