Chapter 160: Impregnable and Impressive

Chapter 160: Impregnable and Impressive

Presidential suite.

Beige tiles covered the walls of the bathroom. Above the sink hung an oval mirror with a large, clear reflective surface, its frame adorned with finely etched patterns. Under the light, the bathroom radiated a soft glow, creating a classy, romantic atmosphere.

From Wayne’s perspective, though, the bathroom combined the contemporary and classical styles, but it lacked the simplicity of the former and the elegance of the latter, making it a total failure. In his time, any chain hotel would have a better-designed bathroom.

“You call this a presidential suite? There’s not even diapers here...”

The finest bathroom Wayne had seen was in the Lando Estate. It was entirely classical in style and luxurious in every part. Although the bathroom at his residence was nice, too, it fell so far behind the Lando one that they shouldn’t even be discussed in the same conversation.

“Wait, why would it be mine against theirs? It’s all mine. I should avoid making it sound like I’m an outsider.”

Wayne lay in the large bathtub, letting the tap run. Amid the sound of slowly streaming water, he closed his eyes.

The large bathtub could fit three people without issue, satisfying the needs of the high society clients by allowing them to bathe in the company of two. The secretary would be on the left, and the lover would be on the right, the bae and the babe vying for attention while the wife was at home.

Five minutes later, Wayne opened his eyes and glanced at the door, shaking his head in displeasure. He had thought that his secretary would put on a maid outfit or swimsuit, offering to clean his back, but the scenario stayed a fantasy. Nothing happened.

Even if that did happen, he would harshly scold Mona and kick her out, telling her not to covet her boss’s pretty face. They would be bathing in their lonesome one way or another. However, it wasn’t the results that mattered, but the process. He could turn her away, but she was wrong to not even make the attempt.

“How dull...” he muttered. Putting on a bathrobe, he walked out of the bathroom after emptying the bathtub. Mona might just be a big enough pervert to drink his bathwater!

In the living room, Mona was watching television on the sofa. It was an antique of a home appliance to Wayne, and he absolutely could not stand it, but everyone else seemed to find it captivating.

“Are you done, Boss?” Mona grabbed her change of clothes and rushed toward the bathroom.

“Don’t rush,” Wayne said. “I’ve already drained the bathwater.”

Question marks filled Mona’s head, then swiftly replaced by exclamation marks. She had never even imagined that. Why had the possibility never occurred to her?

Wayne teased Mona with a straight face while he laughed inwardly. Once she walked into the bathroom with a frustrated look, he untied his robe to change into a shirt and a pair of suit pants, combing his hair back with his fingers.

Now that he had bathed, it was time for business!

Training!

There was a canyon running east and west in Luzerbourg, measuring a hundred meters in width. It was a natural divide in the city and was once an important military base.

In the beginning, castle walls were built with natural rocks along the canyon to make the base easy to defend and difficult to assault. With the development of firearms, the castle was turned into a fortress with gun ports. It looked impregnable and impressive. The people of Luzerbourg believed it capable of defending against a great legion, protecting the capital from falling.

However, it wasn’t that special. The word impregnable would be a better descriptor of another line of defense. The fortress in this canyon paled in comparison[1].

Perhaps those in charge had realized that fact, so they built an arched bridge in the canyon to ensure that the army could march smoothly to their escape while appreciating the landscapes of the canyon below. Picture the scene: the great army would be crossing the bridge in all its glory while looking down at the dense, prosperous forest below. Clear currents ran along the bottom of the valley and sang an upbeat tune, while the pleasant breeze took the heat away. It would be quite a pleasant march.

That had nothing to do with Wayne, of course. He wasn’t marching anywhere, only looking for an empty place to set up a meditation circle for his group date with his old friends. He hadn’t dared to try the Gold-rank circle in Londan. This was a good chance to do it.

He hadn’t brought his antique silver coin. Planck had returned the coin to him on one condition: do not take it out of Windsor.

Though Planck hadn’t explained the reason, it was likely a rule of the Free Mage Alliance. Or perhaps there was some kind of restriction applied to the coin, ensuring that it could never leave Windsor, even if it got stolen.

Wayne didn’t have the coin with him, but he didn’t want to waste the elements in his four rings. For better training efficiency, he had set his eyes on Luzerbourg. The canyon was a good place to train. A failure would just be a learning experience.

Even if he didn’t take in those elements, they would be plundered by the Franc and Prussian mages trespassing into Luzerbourg. And in two years, once Luzerbourg was annexed, the Prussian mages would be exploiting their power, exhausting the resources here with no concern about sustainability. This canyon would become useless for sure.

Therefore, Wayne believed that he wasn’t stealing anything but weakening the power of the Prussian military, which would constitute international humanitarian aid in a sense.

His reasoning freed him of guilt. He immediately headed out.

“Where are you going, Boss?” Mona popped her head out of the bathroom, her drenched hair blanketing her shoulders with only a towel wrapped around her body. She didn’t seem to care about her unclothed state.

And she didn’t. She wanted to know why Wayne was leaving this late at night. She suspiciously scanned his shirt and suit pants, as well as his nice hairstyle. It didn’t seem like he was going to fight a demon or talk business. He looked more like he was ready for a date.

To her knowledge, this was Wayne’s first time in Luzerbourg. He didn’t know anyone here...

Gotcha!

Mona remembered the mysterious woman Wayne had run into at the restaurant. Asking him to give her a minute, she finished washing up as quickly as she could and put her long, drenched hair up. Then she threw a shirt on and went up to him.

“I’m done, Boss. Let’s go together!”

Wayne stared at Mona incredulously. Water was dripping down her neck and drenching her shirt.

“I’ll give you thirty seconds to dry your hair.”

“At once.”

Mona closed her eyes. A faint glow emitted from her body, drying the moisture of her hair and skin. Her mana control was so perfect that none leaked from her. Not even Wayne was able to detect any disturbance with his powerful senses.

No, it wasn’t magic...

He looked at the back of Mona’s hand. She had to have used the power of the stigma. He said sarcastically, “Using heaven’s power as a towel right in front of me? You sure are bold.”

Mona lowered her head, pretending to feel bad about it.

“Forget it. Follow me.”

***

Luzerbourg didn’t see any mist at night, and it wasn’t as prosperous as Londan. Even the capital city, as the center of economy, politics, and culture, seemed empty at night. It was a small nation with very few important cities. Its population was only three hundred thousand in total, fitting its small territory. Any of the districts in Londan would dwarf Luzerbourg.

It was a good thing! Having a small population made things easy for him.

Wayne took Mona away from the relatively populated urban area. The closer they were to the canyon, the fewer lights there were, and the dimmer the environment became. When they entered the canyon through the stairs, the moon had become the only source of light.

The moon was full tonight.

“What are we doing here, Boss?” Mona trailed after Wayne closely. She didn’t want to ask too many questions, but couldn’t help but overthink in this environment.

“Keep watch and warn me if anyone gets near.” Wayne planned to pull a quick heist and make a speedy retreat.

Instead of answering Mona’s question directly, he followed the stairs to a dense, uninhabited forest in the depths of the canyon. With one hand on the ground, he manipulated the shrubs and plants to create a clearing.

Mona watched him work. When it became clear what magic circle he was making, she said with a stiff expression, “Boss, this is against the rules... is it not?”

“That so? This is how angels train. Are you sure it’s illegal?” Wayne didn’t even look up, giving Mona a chance to rethink it.

Once she heard that it was a tradition of heaven, she no longer found it problematic. The regulations of the human world did not apply to angels. They had no jurisdiction over heavenly beings, so Wayne’s action wouldn’t be illegal.

Most importantly, her master could do no wrong.

Two minutes later, Wayne stood in the center of the magic circle. Once he injected it with mana, the magic circle lit up and gradually activated. Mana tides surged. As Wayne increased the input dramatically, an endless supply of earth, fire, water, and wind elements gathered. Like a black hole, the circle devoured everything and turned the canyon into a No Element Zone in the blink of an eye.

Such a large-scale elemental disturbance would surely attract attention. The Book of Greed

He hadn’t eaten much, but the result of the experiment was quite good. This was a viable method he could repeat.

After going up the stone stairs for three hundred meters, Wayne suddenly sensed footsteps approaching from the front. They hadn’t even gotten out of the canyon.

“Already? How are they so efficient?!”

Wayne couldn’t believe it. Franc was efficient. Luzerbourg was, too. If they were so good, why did they have to use that efficiency on surrendering rather than thwarting the enemy in the coming war?

“Are we going to fight, Boss?”

“No need. They don’t have evidence.”

Wayne huffed, beckoning Mona over. Once she came up to him, confused, he spun her by the shoulder and pinned her to the tree.

“Hands on the tree, bend down, and raise your hips.”

***

Two robed figures weaved through the forest, scanning carefully for anyone suspicious.

“What’s going on? Why is there suddenly a No Element Zone? Is a Silver-rank mage using magic?”

“There’s no mana disturbance. It’s most likely some sort of magical item...”

They looked hazy under the moon with their mana diverting light. It was impossible to make out their actual appearances. Judging by their silhouette, though, they were both female mages.

Suddenly, a rustle of the grass caught their attention. They popped their heads out to take a peek.

With shrubs providing insufficient cover, a man in a white shirt seemed to be thrusting. Due to the angle, they couldn’t get a clear look, but they could imagine a couple looking for thrills late at night when no one was around.

“Luzerbourgers are something else.”

“How shameless. They deserve the fate of not receiving divine blessings.”

“...”

“Stop staring. Let’s go. We have a mission to complete.”

“Let’s keep looking. I suspect that they are the culprits.”

“How can they be when they’re busy doing each other? Come on. Let’s patrol the area first. Then we’ll return so that you can enjoy the rest of the show, alright?”

“When we return, they will be done... Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not what I want.”

“As if I’ll believe you!”

Once the footsteps faded, Wayne patted Mona to get up. They should return to their hotel as soon as possible.

“Oh! Huh? Right...”

Mona stiffly followed Wayne, dazed. Her brain had short-circuited and hadn’t yet recovered.

***

Meanwhile, the two patrollers had finished their inspection and returned to the other side of the canyon, having found nothing. The moonlight shifted. More than ten figures were hiding in the shadows.

Their leader was the veiled woman Wayne had encountered at the hotel restaurant. She and her companions seemed to be preparing a ritual in the canyon.

“Have you found them?”

“No. Outside of a few tourists and couples, only patrolling officers and guards are around.”

The veiled woman seemed dissatisfied. She ordered, “This is an important meeting. Even though we’re permitted to enter Londan, it doesn’t mean that the Ministry of Magic trusts us. The No Element Zone had to be their warning for us not to get any ideas.”

“I understand all that, High Reverend, but why Luzerbourg? Isn’t Franc a better choice?” an old man asked. He didn’t trust the competent authority in Londan.

“The Windsor Ministry of Magic isn’t allowed to enter Franc, and we have too great an influence in Franc. Luzerbourg is the best option. That is the worth of a small nation...”

The woman frowned. It was a reason she didn’t much believe in. She changed the subject. “Anyway, the deal is crucial and will determine the church’s future development in Windsor. Be watchful.”

“Are we still going to set up a magic circle? They have already drained the four elements in this area.”

“Set it up with elemental gems. We have to demonstrate our power for them to respect us,” the veiled woman said slowly, her tone concerned. “The Ministry of Magic allowing the church to develop in Windsor seems too good to be true, and I don’t believe it to be a good thing. After all... once we move in, the Life Alliance in Windsor will lose its precarious balance, and the established dynamic will be disrupted. Only outsiders will benefit from that.”

“High Reverend, do you mean that the royal family of Windsor wants to use us to divide the Life Alliance?”

“The alliance won’t be so easily divided since we share common enemies. However, conflicts will accumulate until the churches eventually come to blows.”

The veiled woman sighed. Windsor wasn’t friendly territory to the churches. The tempting promises were nothing but lures. She didn’t believe they should expand their influence in Windsor, but the headquarters had made its decision. She had no choice but to carry it out.

She didn’t expect a lot. As the High Reverend of Windsor appointed by the headquarters of the Church of Moonlight, she only hoped to move steadily to stick the landing, rather than soaring high but getting used by the royal family.

Based on Windsor’s strong desire for control, she had a feeling that the meeting and deal today would go wrong somehow.

***

October twentieth, the next day.

The day after Wayne arrived at Luzerbourg City, he washed up in high spirits. Then he saw Mona blanking out on the sofa.

“Wake up. The sun’s out and shining on your ass.” Wayne pointed outside the window. It was a cloudy day with layers of grey covering the sky. Dim light only occasionally shone through.

“Oh, Master. You’re awake!”

Mona rose to her feet. Her mind was still hazy, but the moment she heard ‘ass’, she became wide awake.

Look at you. Did you not sleep at all? Wayne patted her on the shoulder. “Physical intimacy is sometimes inevitable in undercover work. You seem quite used to it before. Why would last night shake you so much?”

Mona smiled awkwardly. She asked, “Ma—Boss, when you were undercover, have you gotten intimate with other women?”

“Not really. You were my first.”

Mona sighed in relief. Before she could say anything else, Wayne waved at her and made for the door.

“I’m going to scout out the venue for the tender. In the afternoon, I’m meeting a few partners. Then, in the evening, there are the Pope’s envoys to meet with. It’s going to be a busy day. Don’t make a mistake.” He glanced at Mona and made her an empty promise, “If you do well, I’ll reward you afterward.”

“What’s the reward? May I ask?”

“You’ll know. It’s something you like the most.”

The two of them left the suite, meeting Nicholas and the others in the lobby on the first floor. When Nicholas noticed that his new boss seemed in good spirits while the secretary looked tired, he threw Wayne an admiring look.

Been there, done that. He knew how difficult it was.

Wayne suspected that Nicholas had misunderstood something, but he didn’t find it necessary to clarify anything. He kept his head high and pretended not to notice Nicholas’s reaction.

“Mr. Wayne, the partner we’re meeting in the afternoon has arranged a gathering with a few friendly businesses, including Boswell Mining,” Nicholas said, checking the schedule while walking. “Boswell Mining values this tender a lot and negotiated with the ruler of Luzerbourg and Grand Duchess Charlotte beforehand. I suspect that they have resorted to bribery.”

That wasn’t important since bribery was a standard business operation. What mattered was the advantage that Boswell Mining enjoyed. The Lando family’s partner in Franc hoped that by forming an alliance, they would be able to drive Prussia out of the tender with absolute advantage.

“Who’s representing the Boswell family?” Wayne asked.

“Owen Boswell, the heir apparent of the family.”

“...”

Wayne thought of the young man’s prim and proper appearance. Due to Auston’s machination, he had a terrible impression of the stranger.

“Mr. Wayne?”

“Deliver a barrel of cement to Mr. Owen in my name.”

1. May be a reference to Fort Ében-Émael in Belgium, reputed to be impregnable. However, it failed to defend against Germany in WWII. ☜