Chapter 54 - 54
Nick followed Ogden through the shop, descending into a cool, stone-walled chamber below. This was the same space where the wyvern had once been held, whose skeletal remains would fuel Nick's growth. The room was empty except for a sturdy work table in the center.
On the table were a few objects—chunks of monster cores, a set of polished pencils, and what appeared to be a vial of green slime. Next to them sat a stack of papers, filled with intricate diagrams and dense annotations in a tidy hand that Nick recognized as Rhea's.
His eyes lingered on the notes as curiosity gnawed at him. The designs were for a wand—no surprise there—but there was an elegance and a level of detail that suggested a deeper understanding of the crafting process than Nick had anticipated. Rhea had clearly invested a lot of thought into this.
"Where is Rhea?" Nick asked, looking up at Ogden.
The old man turned, pinning Nick with an unsettling stare. "I sent her and the foxgirl on an errand," he said. He was outwardly calm, but his voice held a weight that made Nick's skin prickle. "They'll be back soon."
Nick nodded, and his unease grew as Ogden's eyes bore into him. The alchemist wasn't known for idle chatter, but the silence stretching between them now felt different. It was pointed and intentional, as though Ogden were waiting for something—or testing him.
Nick met the gaze without flinching, though the hairs on the back of his neck began to rise. The old man's expression was intense, not just curious or concerned. It was heavier, like the weight of a hammer poised to strike.
Seconds ticked by, then a minute. Two.
Nick kept his posture relaxed, his hands resting casually at his sides, though his pulse had quickened. He didn't know what game Ogden was playing, but he wasn't about to let the old man see him squirm. He might not be a full adult, not with the way his two personalities had melded, but he wasn't just a kid either. He was an old hand at power games, and he'd gone through much worse than this in an attempt to make him speak.
He's got the piercing glare down, but he lacks the madness of a cultist with nothing to lose. Those will make you crap your pants, alright.
Finally, Ogden nodded as though satisfied by something only he could measure. "Good," he said. "You didn't break."
Nick lifted an eyebrow. "Break?"
His question was answered when a system window popped up.
| [Trait: Blasphemy] has been activated to protect you from external mental influence. |