Awakening the Divine Spark
Chapter 227: When everything goes wrong.

Chapter 227: When everything goes wrong.

"Yes, your Lordship, please tell me!" Lee said, faking despair.

"Alright!" Duvant went back to his throne with all the items, and spoke while playing with the ring, "Far, far away in the east, across endless forests and marshes, there are three tall mountains. It’s been said that you can sometimes meet the overlord on the eastern slopes of the mountains."

At first Lee actually became excited, but the moment Lucien Duvant mentioned the three mountains he felt his heart skipping few beats.

Misinterpreting Lee’s expression, Duvant continued, "You’ll probably need half a year to get there, but I can’t see how you could survive the dangers on the way. The forests are full of ferocious beasts and wetlands swarm with poisonous insects. Even if you do make it, there’s only a slim chance you’ll find the overlord."

Duvant glanced at Lee, and said, "And then there are the guardians. Deadly creatures. They live in caves around the mountains in large families. According to the records the overlord has the ability to command them from the distance and they attack the travelers in flocks, killing them without directly attacking with their deadly claws. Even elemental lords don’t dare to go there, why do you think you’ll be capable of getting past them?"

’Because I have fucking killed them before!’ Lee inwardly shouted, but managed to keep himself together.

He asked, "Why does the overlord need guardians? Isn’t he omnipotent?"

"She." Duvant corrected, "Seris, the Overlord of Whispers. Obviously she has godly powers and obviously she doesn’t need anyone to fight for her. My guess is she loves the strange flying creatures, and you can pass them only if she’s letting you."

"She?" If Lee was upset at himself earlier, now he was starting to get a bad premonition.

"Yes, she. According to our records she has the appearance of an old lady." Duvant said, "Don’t ask me, I don’t know why. But she’s a little peculi ... I mean, she’s amazing. And she has the incredible ability to hear everything in the world. That’s why she’s titled the Overlord of Whispers."

’So that’s why Qin clan had records of her!’ Lee realized, ’The overlord is probably a master of wind element and the Qin clan are either her descendants or some kind of fans. And Qin Yujian is trying to walk in the footsteps of the overlord!’

"Now then." Lucien Duvant seriously said, "I completed my part of the bargain. I told you the overlord’s location and the method of passing her guardians. But I’d like you to do something for me!"

"Sure!" Lee pulled himself together, and pretended to become excited again. The part of Duvant revealing the method of passing guardians was questionable, but it didn’t matter. Lee heard all he needed to know and was ready to leave.

He said, "Do tell, your Lordship!"

"I’m glad you agree to my proposal!" Lucien Duvant said, "From now on you can work for me!"

"Proposal? Work?" Lee was trying to process his words, but the amused laughter from the rest of the present, even the guards, told him things haven’t went the way he planned at all.

"Of course!" Duvant said with a cheerful smile, "It’ll be much safer for you than wandering off to search for the lost master and dying in the forest. It would be a pity for a talented boy like you to meet such a tragic end. Just a thought breaks my heart. So I’ve decided to become your new master, and I’m glad you accepted my proposal. Bastil, take our young friend to his new quarters. Lee, was it? You may go now! I look forward to seeing the results of your work!"

"Your Lordship!" Lee tried to politely object, still not believing his ears, "I believe there’s a misunderstanding ..."

"No misunderstanding! Let’s go!" Bastil said, the man who brought Lee here.

To Lee’s great horror, he suddenly appeared beside him, grabbed him by the neck, and carried away, followed by laughter from the others. The person who Lee previously considered to be some kind of a butler, turned out to be an elemental lord, and his tight grip was a clear proof that any form of squirming could end Lee’s life in an instant.

Everything had gone wrong. More importantly, it went wrong long before Lee stepped into the hall. Turns out it was the worst place in the world to pretend to be an artificer, even an artificer’s apprentice.

He should’ve inquired more about the ruler of the castle. Moreover, he knew how treacherous the Dominion was, why did he assume he could bargain with these people?

In fact, who were they? Now that Lee thought about it, they seemed like a group of friends hanging out. But that wasn’t important.

The important part was that he failed, and miserably at that. He failed even before coming to the castle. He failed to recognize when the overlord stood right in front of him and he was telling her a dirty joke! And now he was in deep shit.

His quarters turned out to be a large room, basically a hall on the top floor of the castle. It was filled with crafting equipment and even had a small smithy, with a forge, an anvil and a rack of tools.

Against one wall stood a carpenter’s bench, scattered with saws, chisels and wooden planks. In the corner was a leatherworker’s setup – stitching tools and a small rack for drying treated leather.

The place clearly looked more like a workshop than a bedroom, and the barred opening in the ceiling above the smithy only proved that.

This was a jail cell, a jail for an artificer.

Even before Lee had the first thought how to get out of here?, Bastil said, "Don’t get any stupid ideas. Including the window and the hatch, even the walls have bars made of Nullite inside. Even an elemental lord can’t break through them without anyone noticing, much less a shrimp like you."

This part didn’t scare Lee. No matter how well guarded the prison was, one could think of ways to escape. The incident in the Nethermoon sect proved it. The next part made him pale, though.

Bastil said, "For the first offense you’ll lose a finger. For the second – leg up to a knee, and so on. We have a couple of legless and even penis-less artificers here. It’s your choice how to craft for Lord Duvant."

To Bastil’s great surprise the youth in front of him wasn’t as terrified as he expected. In fact, Lee appeared completely calm.

He glanced around the room, and asked, "What are my duties?"

"What do you think?" Bastil grinned in return, "Craft artifacts for the lord’s collection – he’s a collector after all."

"So nothing specific?" Lee asked, "I’m only an apprentice. I’m afraid I can’t craft as good as my master."

"From now on your master is Lord Duvant." Bastil corrected, "But yes, you can craft what you choose. You’ll provide the list of materials, and then craft in peace. Isn’t it something you like? Hahaha!"

"I’d like to make a deal with the lord ..." Lee had a sudden idea, but it was immediately stomped on.

"No need. The lord owes you now." Bastil said, "I’ll come back in a few days. Meanwhile you figure out what are you going to craft and give me a list of needed materials. You’ll get one meal a day. That’s it."

Then he left, loudly laughing about Lee’s attempt to make another deal. Only now Lee realized that all the talk about deals earlier was only a play. The lord of the castle was entertaining himself, and, probably, the other elemental lords in the throne room.

"Nullite, huh?" Lee said, walking over to the door, and lightly kicking it, "What the fuck is that?"

The door didn’t have a lock or an eye slit. The thick planks were reinforced with metal bands – apparently made of the same Nullite Bastil mentioned. It was likely the same material that was used for the shackles in the Nethermoon sect, and if that was true, any attempt to saw through would be pointless.

"That means you’re a bird in a cage!" Lee heard a distant voice answer the question he voiced out loud, but addressed to no one.