Chapter 44: Arc III Chapter 10

III

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Arc III Chapter 10

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Aurora surveyed the surroundings, looking for an opening mechanism.

 

A nearby lever, two wheels combined with an axle, looked promising. The emphasis was on looked as the lever refused to cooperate.

 

The lever didn't merely appear to have ceased working. The lever had indeed ceased working, and not the stubborn kind of not working, but rather the impossible kind of not working.

 

The wheels were stuck, not moving at all despite several attempts on her part.

 

Aurora reconsidered her strategy. There must be a reason why the wheels wouldn't move. Something must be blocking the axle. Reality would prove her right.

 

Aurora expanded her search before eventually identifying the culprit behind a series of half-rotten wooden boards. They protected an antique apparatus of gears and weights, ropes and chains, pulleys and shafts.

 

No wonder that she met with little success. The lever was sabotaged on purpose. The saboteurs inserted metal rods and other junk between the gears, blocking them completely. Fortunately, they refrained from destroying any essential components. The machinery was salvageable.

 

Removing all the junk was a hassle, but possible. Nothing that would stop her and her improvised plasma cutter.

 

A dance of sparks illuminated the air as her flame cut rod after rod in half before extracting them. Her purple cut through steel like butter.  

 

“Three.“ Rod number three was defeated. A few remained.

 

“Five.“

 

“Seven.“

 

The last rod fell. Her work was done. A good kick and a gentle touch of brute force did the rest. A tiny bit of brute force never hurt to get things working.

 

Aurora was steering the wheel slowly but surely, before the axle suddenly started spinning out of control. The ancient machinery moved on its own. Gears turned, weights and ropes budged, hoists chains rattled. The antique gate reawakened from its slumber.

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Lambert fumed. His blood was boiling, approaching a critical state. Enough was enough! He was seriously tempted to fucking kill her!

 

Once again, the lass had ignored his orders! Once again, the little rascal was causing nothing but trouble.

 

No more! Times were about to change pretty drastically. No mercy anymore! No pardon! She was going to learn her lesson. She was going to suffer her due punishment!

 

Lambert clenched his fist. Evil plans formed in his mind.

 

Reducing her daily rations, that was the only language the voracious glutton would understand. The girl wouldn't understand, but her empty stomach would for sure. Only stale bread and water for her for the rest of the journey. Food deprivation would certainly teach her a lesson, and help them to conserve supplies.

 

Lambert grumbled, visibly annoyed about her persistent absence. “Damn it, where the fuck has she gone? She must be somewhere.“

 

They were looking for her all over the place. They surveyed the entire area, yet no trace of their doll loving mystery girl. She must have somehow slipped away in a moment of carelessness, and ventured deeper into the ruins, which was troublesome.

 

The guild only issued a safety guarantee for the upper floors ...

 

The earth trembled and the enormous gate, thought forever immovable, budged.

 

The gate opened its arms and a familiar face greeted them from beyond. A certain girl armed with a certain unmistakable doll waved at them from afar, happy to see them.

 

Aurora hopped down the stairs in their direction. “Sister Iris, Uncle Lambert, look what I found!! I found a secret passage ...“

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Lambert greeted her with a prompt head smack.

 

“Ouchie, what was this for?“ Aurora rubbed her headsie.

 

Lambert narrowed his eyes. His eyebrow twitched in anger. “You little rascal, you know perfectly well what was this for. Don't play dumb with me! I am not an idiot!“

 

“... “

 

“Listen, I am tired of your endless excuses! You have abused and betrayed my trust far too often! Your entire behaviour is unacceptable!

 

We are a party. We are a collective. We stand together. We fall together. Even you can't do as you please! Your actions carry consequences for all of us! I won't allow you to endanger the lives of all of us in your pursuit of trifling amusement! Do you understand?“

 

“...“ Aurora cast her look downwards.

 

Lambert ire intensified. “I said, do you understand?“

 

“I do.“ Aurora ceased her resistance, as she wasn't exactly blameless throughout this entire affair. Lambert had a point.

 

“I strongly hope so.“ Lambert's anger hadn't subsided yet. Hopefully, a little token of her appreciation would improve his mood.

 

Aurora rummaged through her pockets until producing her lucky charm.

 

“What?“ Lambert barked at her.

 

“Uncle Lambert, I know you are angry, but I think I have got something that might interest you.“ Aurora presented a single gold coin to him.

 

Lambert's eyes widened. “This is ... This is ... “ Gold ... Pure high carat gold

 

His eyes switched to the girl. “This coin ... Where did you get it from?“

 

Aurora deployed an innocent smile. “My doll told me there was an ancient treasure hidden somewhere deeper into the ruins. So we went on a treasure hunt, right?“

 

Aurora and her doll both nodded in perfect synchrony.

 

“We stumbled over a secret passage and discovered a room full of treasures. Shiny coins and sparkly things everywhere. There are many many many more of them.“

 

Lambert blinked. His mouth hung agape. “...“

 

“Uncle Lambert ... Uncle Lambert ...“ Aurora poked uncle Lambert. He showed no reaction, as if petrified.

 

“Ahaha! Ahahahaha! Hahahaha!“ Lambert broke out in mad laughter with all of his anger blown away.

 

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't tell whether the girl was a lucky charm, or a curse incarnated. Riches and fortune awaited them. It was them who unlocked the gate so many thought impassable.

 

Lambert nearly hugged their cursed lucky charm, their cuddly girl with her innocent purple eyes and her cute doll.

 

They were rich! Rich! Rich! Rich!!!

 

Aurora and her doll tilted their heads in confusion. For some reason, uncle Lambert appeared like changed. He even stopped being angry at her. Definitely, a development she approved of.

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