Chapter 122: Collusion with the Smile
Cain sat quietly in his luxurious seat inside the armored limousine, crossing one leg over the other with complete aura and majesty, gazing with calm composure at the two men sitting on the sofa opposite him.
Cain had certainly anticipated this—that old man Vincent would ask him about his identity and true nature; for it was by no means improbable that the old man had secretly wondered whether he belonged to an alien race or an entity from beyond the borders!
Cain decided to introduce himself regardless...
In a fleeting moment, Cain flicked his hand lightly through the air, as though reaching into void and nothingness! From his magical system inventory, he extracted the crest of the duchy in a manner utterly miraculous to them, revealing before them the noble seal crafted specifically for him, forged from a metal of the Noble Level.
The seal gleamed with a breathtaking radiance, engraved with bold, prominent lettering:
"THE DUKE"
Old man Vincent flinched, his mouth agape in utter shock, his eyes fixed upon this seal cast from a dazzlingly bright, exceedingly dense metal... Its color was an eye-stealing golden yellow, yet Vincent’s long, extensive experience in evaluating metals and gemstones assured him that even if this metal were classified as "gold," it was by no means ordinary terrestrial gold! Rather, it was a far grander raw material, one Vincent did not even know existed within the scope of this miserable world!
Cain spoke in a decisive, exceptionally calm voice: "I am Duke Cain Ostar... of the Holy Kingdom."
Not the slightest trace of joking or mockery crossed Cain’s face; instead, an aura of aristocratic dignity and sovereignty began to ebb and radiate from his entity in a manner impossible to fake or feign by any means!
Old man Vincent was a seasoned man who had risen through his own efforts to advanced, high ranks within civilized and commercial society... Yet he could not boast of that openly under these circumstances; he felt a profound sense of shame deep inside... for he stood in the presence of those who were truly and actually the highest of society and the great figures of this world! Those genuine nobles whose authority could be felt merely from the posture of their seat and the tone of their silence!
Vincent realized with bitter regret that he had been an absolute fool, blinded by anger and suspicion to the point that he had failed to notice that majestic aura immediately upon his arrival!
Despite his ignorance regarding this "Holy Kingdom" to which Master Cain belonged, he knew in his heart that this man was by no means lying... And if this was the true reality, and he was the one who had been on the verge of antagonizing and targeting an entity of this caliber with the utmost degree of foolishness... then he ought to spit on himself and his own senility!
Old man Vincent bowed in submissiveness, speaking in a remorseful voice: "Lord Duke... I was blind in foresight and ignorant, failing to perceive Your Grace’s high stature! I pray you forgive the shortsightedness and advanced age of this senile old man..."
Cain paid little mind to apologies or titles of veneration in any case; rather, what truly occupied his mind and focused his attention was whether this old man possessed the capacity or authority to assist him in issuing official personal identification documents for himself and his wife, Lucy... so they could reside and exist in this world without facing any future legal complications, enabling him to formally register his marriage and finally complete his mission in this world!
Amidst the thoughts in which Cain was submerged, old man Vincent spoke with fluster and embarrassment: "Lord Duke... I am sorry to pry, but I cannot help but wonder: what is the compelling reason that brought Your Grace to this miserable world?"
When Cain heard this question from the old man, he felt it would be entirely absurd and embarrassing to declare that he had come here merely to document a marriage certificate! It would be pathetic and embarrassing even for him, the great Duke... not because he cared for their opinions, of course, but because he did not want anyone to discover the mundane objective behind his journey to this dimension; no sane person would believe that a supremely powerful and sovereign entity had come to their planet merely to obtain an official marriage certificate from the government!
It was a surreal scenario that might generate a deeper misunderstanding, so Cain avoided delving into it entirely and decided to fabricate a coherent narrative:
Cain spoke in a stern tone, narrowing his eyes: "In truth... I was tracking the trail of an extremely dangerous individual who fled our world and came to hide on your planet... He is a malevolent entity, and thus I decided to come personally to apprehend him and return him bound to our dimension."
Old man Vincent swallowed hard in terror as he analyzed the matter internally... An individual so extremely dangerous that the great Duke moved in person to track him down in such a catastrophic manner?! Was their planet teetering under the threat of total destruction without his knowledge?! He certainly had to report this critical information to his mistress as quickly as possible!
Cain continued his direct words to the old man: "In this regard... I wonder whether you possess sufficient authority to issue an official personal identification card for myself and my wife, so that we may move and exist here freely without raising future obstacles?"
Old man Vincent felt immensely embarrassed before this direct request from the Duke; for in reality, he possessed no influential political or governmental authority... He was merely an influential merchant subject to the control and service of one of the leaders of the underworld—the one known as the "Queen of the Underworld"!
Vincent replied in a low, embarrassed tone: "Lord Duke... I do not possess actual governmental authority to issue documents of such caliber... All I can serve you with effectively is transporting you and coordinating a meeting with my mistress, for she is the one who possesses the influence and authority capable of assisting you immediately."
Cain glanced at the old man with sharp eyes, asking in a knowing tone: "Is this mistress of yours called the Queen of the Underworld?"
Old man Vincent nodded his head in immense shock and surprise, wondering internally how Cain knew his mistress’s identity and power so quickly!
Here, Nathan, who had remained silent and trembling since entering the vehicle, spoke up: "In truth, Grandfather... I struck a major commercial deal with Master Cain regarding this exact matter! The diamond he presented to me at the shop was rare, possessing an invaluable, miraculous energy... I informed him that if he sold this diamond to our mistress, it would earn him a vast fortune, and he would consequently gain the honor of knowing the Lady and her influence."
Cain nodded his head, confirming Nathan’s words...
Old man Vincent said with relief: "Very well then! This is an excellent, profitable transaction... We can present you to our mistress in a fitting manner, and she will certainly appreciate the value of this treasure and your immense worth."
Cain nodded in agreement, shaking hands with old man Vincent to formally seal this understanding.
Cain withdrew his hand and placed it quietly over his knees, resting his broad back against the plush leather seat: "I now wish to set the precise appointment for this meeting... If the meeting is established between myself and your mistress, you may select the appropriate means and method of communication."
Cain said this to both men with complete calm and stability...
He secretly thought that this was the end and the smooth exit for this initial gathering; he felt that rather than going individually to Nathan’s shop, it was a great gain to settle matters with such direct speed...
While Cain was conjuring the image of Lucy in his mind, wondering what he ought to do upon returning to her in the room...
Suddenly and out of nowhere!
Wail! Wail!
Terrifyingly loud siren alarms echoed in the street around them, emanating from dozens of police cars and security armored vehicles that rushed in, immediately imposing a heavy blockade around Vincent’s motorcade from every direction and exit!
The police vehicles screeched to a halt along the road, and within moments, dozens of police officers and heavily armed guards stepped out, aiming their weapons toward the cars inside which sat Cain, Nathan, and Vincent!
Scarcely a few seconds passed before the sky was split by the heavy beat of a massive security helicopter hovering over the motorcade in the street sky. Descending from it via a specialized rappelling rope was a man of a suspicious, cold demeanor, possessing a cybernetic prosthetic limb and half a robotic face gleaming with a faint red light!
The man landed firmly on the asphalt stretching before the main armored vehicle containing the three...
He then advanced with slow, harsh steps toward the primary door of the limousine!
The man extended his powerful cybernetic hand and opened the wide vehicle door with brute force, staring with sharp, robotic eyes at the three seated inside, speaking in a dry voice and a decisive tone:
"You are officially under arrest on charges of collusion with the Smile Gang! Please step out immediately, calmly, and without demonstrating any resistance!"
Nathan’s and old man Vincent’s eyes widened in total shock and astonishment!
Would you like to continue with the next Chapter, or is there any specific twist or dialogue you’d like to adjust for Cain’s reaction to this cybernetic officer and the "Smile" charge?