Vol 3 - Chapter 3 - Finding evil intentions

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With things settling down on the plaza, and now Robin getting off the stage holding Blackys leash and the grocery bags, she was approached by the middle-aged man that welcomed her on the stage.

"Lady Volclain, a minute, please."

Stopping in place and turning toward this man, she put a curious expression as she heard the man say to her while handing her a piece of paper that looked like a poster.

"You have been invited by His Excellency Silveo Vespucci to a meeting at the Theatre tomorrow at 18:00. Here is also the additional information for you, my lady."

Taken by surprise by what the middle-aged man said, she looked down at the poster, now in her hands, and asked the man.

"If I don't sound offensive, who could this person that wants to meet me be?"

"Freet not my lady, His Excellency Silveo is the president of Artist Guild. You wIll most likely be part of the guild if you sign the contract. That's how I joined. By the way, I am Pietro, so you don't refer to me as mister. It makes me feel old."

*Woof* Barked Blacky, growling a tiny bit at this man as he moved his hand toward Robin for a possible handshake.

Robin replied to the gesture, and using only her fingers, she shook his hand before taking her hand back, saying. "Rose. I will for sure meet the president, tell him my greetings if you meet him today. Let's go Blacky."

The black dog looked sharply at Pietro before following Robin, who began walking toward her residence.

Pietro, who remained alone, clicked his tongue and looked with evil eyes at Robin's backside, admiring her assets, before saying to himself.

"You play hard to get with me, peasant girl? There are so many girls wanting to go in bed with me, and you barely used your fingers to shake my hand? It's a bit insulting, but no problem.

With the old man having you join the guild, I will be able to force myself on you and ravish you."

Saying that, as he licked his lips, he then continued. "As for that dog, I will make some barbeque from him."

However, what he didn't know was that on his back was an ear that suddenly turned into a flower petal that scattered with the wind.

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At that moment, she overheard Pietro and what plans he had for her. Visible, not pleased with what she heard, she looked down at Blacky and said to the dog.

"Thanks, Blacky. If it wasn't for you signaling out that something might be off with this person, I would have missed the chance to hear what he just said."

"It is energy consuming if I don't take my stance when using my powers."

*Woof* With that bark, Blacky moved, following her legs.

"It is fine. I am not that weak as I look. I can protect myself in the face of such mongrels and minstrels with ease. I have a deep history with bad people trying to hurt me, so it can't be helped. Maybe I am truly a cursed child."

Ended Robin saying with a confident tone before slowly turning her gentle voice into a sad one.

Blacky could only stay close to Robin and try to protect her, and only after the two arrived back at the residence that he began sprinting around the courtyard.

"What? Have you gotten bored walking with me already?"

Shaking his head after stopping in place, he dashed back arrived next to her. He moved his snout to grab with his teeth one of the grocery bags Robin held and dragged a bit for her to release her hold.

"Wait, can you even do that?" inquired Robin, watching the black dog with her brown eyes before she smiled, opening her hand and letting the dog carry one bag.

Surprisingly the dog managed himself quite well, without dropping any food on the floor, safely getting them inside, placing down the bag on his snout in the kitchen.

"Good boy." said Robin, ruffling his head, starting to get out of the bags of the food she bought.

From veggies to fruits and even meats, she managed to buy enough to last her for about one week.

"I hope you are fine with my cooking. I am not the best cook ever, but I can tell you Blacky, we will not starve by ourselves, haha." giggled Robin at the dog that was wiggling his tail and who began drooling at the sight of the meat.

Walking toward a cabinet, she opened it up, taking an apron, and followed that, moving to wash her vegetables and rice, removing any possible dirt before cooking.

Then using her devil fruit power, she rapidly chops in cubs the vegetables and place them in the fireplace to cook while the rice was also cooking.

Blacky was sitting by the fireplace, sniffing on the food cooking, but then when Robin took the piece of resistance from her arsenal, he instantly got by her side.

She held a big smile while cutting the meat alone. Without the support of her devil powers, she later placed the cube pieces of chicken meat to fry while tossing the black dog some raw chicken pieces, with the bones and other things she chose to discard that was eatable.

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With all her rice with vegetables and chicken meat finishing cooking, Robin left it cool down while she went to write something in her private room.

Taking the sheets of paper hidden in the library, she walked to her office and started to write some of her ideas, like she was doing a journal.

"Today, 5 may 1516, I could say it was the best day of my life after being allowed to join with Professor Clover agreement, the Ohara Archaeologists. However, I will not get soft thinking that I am safe.

As long the World Government exists, they will hunt me down, as if I am their worst enemy.

Anyway, along my journey to Fiorenze, I contemplated some ideas about "Legends of Atlas".

Great Sun King, this mythical king who ruled in a region called Gallia, where Atlas spanned from the Mountainous region where only snow and ice could be seen insight to the dense forests that offer all sorts of exotic fruits, such as one that has a sweet taste that turns into a tar colour.

The book calls them the Sweet Tooth of the Sun, but I absolutely have no idea what this fruit could be.

Apart from this, Atlas was said to have many temples dedicated to different gods."

Placing her thoughts on the sheet paper, she laid on the support of the chair and placing her glasses down, later massaging her temple a bit, she said with uncertainty.

"I know Atlas exists because that Poneglyph I discovered two years ago was mentioning the great powers of that past era. Shandora, just like Atlas, also holds fantasy books such as "City of Gold" that could be viewed simply as stories for children, but the hidden information is there for the ones looking deeper into the stories.

Meaning, I should keep reading the book more times. For now, I have the leads of the regions such as the parts where the kingdom could be, the fantasy fruits that could be a lead to the kingdom if I figure them out from the description."

Finishing her thought, she smiled, moving to place her notes in a hidden place. She continued while walking to the kitchen.

"I have plenty of time to put the puzzle pieces together. I can't let Atlas and Shandora get away from my fingers so easily, after all these years of work, finding the book in some thrown away location for books."

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In another part of the world, the Capital of Kaysang Kingdom, Sagletius, with the war being over, citizens began to relax from the tense atmosphere of war.

It was when they heard Aldenis' voice coming from the dialing snails modified by Faust to transmit his voice around the city, with those snails being linked with each other.

"My dear brethren, I hope you can listen to my voice inside the safety of your houses. We lived in difficult moments for about 4 years since we overthrew the nobles inside Sol, however, this ends with this final roar of war staged in this blessed kingdom.

This shall be the last moment in our lives that we citizens of Kaysang will be subjected to such tyranny and fear. The fear of not knowing if you could live to see the next day, the fear of not being able to eat properly, starving, war, the corrupted nobles who infringed their so-called privileges upon us. IT IS OVER, MY FRIENDS! WE HAVE WON!"

"WE WON BECAUSE OF OUR LEADER, PRINCE VERMILION ZAGREUS VLAD! THE ONE WHO KEPT US TOGETHER AND PROTECTED US FROM THE SHADOWS! THIS DAY SHALL BE RECORDED IN HISTORY AS THE FIRST STEP TAKEN BY KAYSANG TO PROSPERITY!" screamed Aldenis with full emotions in his voice while looking from the Administrative Palace balcony as the citizens of Sol started to shyly make their way outside of their house safety.

Kavos, Faust, Johan, and Aldenis personal bodyguards were also starting to celebrate in a fit of ecstasy. It was still uncertain for them what was the situation in Sagletius, but when old Aldenis received a call that instantly changed his expression into a happy one, they couldn't keep their excitement while Aldenis was addressing Sol citizens.

Ending his transmission, Aldenis started shedding some tears in his eyes while looking at his close friends.

"We have won, you fucking bastards! My dream of seeing the nobles and their corrupted ways is finally achieved. For so many years, I kept dreaming of this, 24 years of my life, spent on this, and now is all done." said Aldenis with tears on his face. That was a first even for the rest, knowing the old man as a ruthless one who would do everything in his power to see his enemy dead.

"Gramps, stop crying like an idiot. Do you want me to cry too?" said the blonde young man, Faust, while going to hug the old man, celebrating their victory.

"For fuck sake, little shit, I kept too much on me. All emotions since then kept boiling inside of me." said Aldenis as he hugged the young man tightly at his chest.

"Old man, you better give me money for my new projects. I'll make Kaysang into the leader of this world using my inventions." added Faust, trying to milk the old man of some money with good intentions.

"You know what, kid, you have a high chance to get your money if cleaning the nobles gets as planned."

"Haha, finally! Don't worry, gramps, I promise you I will not eat too much from your money."

The old man started laughing, accompanied by the rest of his entourage, where soon they could hear the sound of people celebrating in the streets.

After Aldenis speech, the citizens of Sol exited from their houses and started celebrating, roaring, and singing of this achievement.

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"I knew it, I just knew that our boys couldn't be beaten by some noble bastards!" roared to the sky some enthusiastic man

"Long Live the Prince!!" shouted another man, who gathered most people's attention, and in doing so, they followed along, chanting Vlad's name.

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Meanwhile, after Aldenis speak, inside a house at the periphery of Sol, a woman that was around 20 years old with golden hair and blue eyes raised from where she was hiding, moving toward her window.

"Minerva, is everything fine outside? The voice of that gentleman, could it be Mayor Aldenis?" asked the man that was in his mid-early 50s, him being able to hear the message transmitted along with the entire family placed at a safe place.

The house had some dropped furniture and marks of an earthquake, but they were safe, without being harmed. Only Minerva had a bruise on her arm, a mark of the furniture hitting her.

"Yes, father, we are safe now. I can feel it."

"Big sister, can we go outside and sign along with the rest of people?" asked two boys around 11 years old that looked to be twins.

"Sure, I also want to go out. My legs hurt from standing crouched all day."

The family of 5 exited the house and instantly felt the city's atmosphere that roared back to life.

They walked toward the Grand Plaza that had the giant statue of the Sun King standing proudly at the center of this square, and along the way, they encountered more people going in the same direction, as if it was eastern and Jesus Christ was being reborned.

"Wow, Minerva, I didn't know Sol had so many people." said the mother of the young lady, with surprise in her voice.

On the square, about 200.000 people gathered, staying closely with one another and singing, creating an atmosphere that would last forever in their hearts and minds.

'This feeling of being part of the victorious side isn't that bad. Should I also try to join the Black Army? I heard they are paid well, enough to maintain my family. There I could also meet the Prince more often.'

"Big sister, did something happen?" asked one of her brothers when he looked at Minerva's face.

"Hmm? Ahh, yes, I was thinking of something."

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As the citizens of Sol were celebrating, the ones that suffered the most from this war, the citizens of Dawn City were also making their way to the surface accompanied by the Black Army soldiers.

When seeing the collapsed buildings and the marks of war, with the dead bodies of the Dark Union assassins, they felt the fear and subconsciously backed away toward the underground safety.

"Don't back away now. The war is over. Now it is up to us to reconstruct the city back to its former splendor." said a small of statured middle-aged guy, with short hair, clean shaved face, and a monocle over his eyes,  while wearing some simple clothes.

"Lord Lucil, are you sure everything will be okay? I've seen it with my eyes how those silver masked people started slaughtering innocent people."

One soldier who looked at Dawn citizens said to them.

"The war is over. I got the report from the higher-ups. You have no reason to fear for your safety. This part of the city is controlled by us Black Army."

"See guys, now calm down, don't make a commotion, and start grouping up. We will move around the city to see if we could find any person stuck in their houses or under their houses. We will clean up and start the reconstructions, correct Willhem?"

"Sigh, I hope so, but we will need the Prince fundings and materials because all my logistics went down to shit." said a middle-aged man that was 1,77 meters tall.

His hair is held slit back, with a well-groomed beard, that puts his sharp but still decent looking nose into the spotlight while his eyes were black in color that was followed by his black slit back hair, assorted with a dark blue suit.

"Argh, stop reminding me. I also have to regroup my guild and start helping around even though our business is to build ships. However, in such times, we have to support each other and get rid of the arrogance." reminded another middle-aged man that came out of the underground shelter.

He was a decently tall middle-aged person, with a full beard, bushy eyebrows, whose nose was full enough to look decent, while he was wearing a white buttoned shirt and black trousers of good material, assorted with a pair of black shoes.

"That is good to hear Blass, I need to see if the Bank is still on its feet and take the money. Soon, I will contact my people to also buy our part of materials. I need to also enter in contact with Lord Aldenis and His Highness."

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More people started grouping up and beginning to search for those who weren't lucky enough to escape and enter the underground shelter, while the guild leaders of Dawn City were working too at full capacity from the sideline, calling out people using their available dial snails.

Not long after they started working on ordering their city, a group of 13 gorgeous women wearing black clothes decorated with silver sewing appeared in front of the 3 guild leaders that were taken aback by the appearance of those women.

Especially when a woman that was 1,82 walked out from the group of women, with a bloody sword strapped at her hip, with a raven long hair cascading over her clothes.

"Lady Felicia, you are safe! Tell me, is everything all right with Dawn, any more assassins?"

Felicia, who still had bloodstains on her clothes, walked to sit next to those guild leaders, and looking at Blass, she said to him.

"Give me a cigarette. I am exhausted from all the killing I had to do. Never in my life, I would have imagined that those Dark Union zealots would be so crazy to attack until death would claim them."

Blass, the guild master of shipwrights, opened a pack of cigarettes and moved the package toward her.

"That's your worry, my lady? Can you see how our city turned? So much money is needed to reconstruct it."

While Blass was saying that Felicia tossed some three cigarettes toward the group of women who were taking their breath. "Thanks, my lady. I really needed one to calm myself." said three of the girls that looked to be around the same age as Felicia before also receiving Blass matchbox.

Lighting their cigarettes, they later tossed the box to Felicia as she also started puffing on the cigarette, later giving back the cigarette box and matchbox to Blass.

"Indeed, the situation inside Dawn looks terrible, but take the good news, we are finally safe from those rats that could always strike us down, unprepared for when death would come. For that, we need to thank His Highness Army along with Marshall Galleot, who fought against the Union leaders."

Taking her time to smoke the cigarette, Felicia turned to look at Lucil, who finished a call, asking the latter.

"There was a boy called Robert who should have arrived at the underground shelter. Did he got here safely?"

"Ohh, that boy, yes, don't worry, he is looking after those unfortunate guys that got almost killed by the assassins. They are alive and stable, from what my doctors told me. What scared me was when they told me with the wounds they received they should be dead by now, notably that person called Ramoth."

Shaking his head while remembering how Robert barged inside the shelter and made way for the three royal guards to rest in a place, and also grabbing the doctors away from the ones they were treating.

There were also the detached limbs of the one called Ramoth with him. The one called Gif also suffered from a nasty poison, while Vem, thanks to a crystalized shield on his stomach and chest area, had his blood stopped from gnashing.

"Don't worry, they will live to see the next day. With the Prince's little disciple, I doubt they will give their last breath in his presence." commented Felicia while looking at the sky that slowly began losing in light.

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Slowly as those 4 guildmasters stood, discussing their plans for the rebuilding of Dawn, they saw a man with jet-black hair followed by a glassed man with shoulder-length brown hair making their appearance, walking in their direction.

Felicia and the 12 girls, when seeing Oliver walking side by side with Vlad, raised up and took up their arms, dashing to apprehend Oliver appearing in seconds toward the assassin.

While having Felicia's sword and the others swords at his throat, Oliver said with a calm voice toward Vlad.

"I told you, Prince, that this is how they react when they see me. Can you do something with them? I don't want to hurt them."

"Quiet, assassin, who are you to ask for His Highness such things. You will be answered with death." said one of the 12 women after hearing Oliver's comment.

Felicia looked at Vlad's dark-green eyes that gazed back calmly at her. She later heard his impartial voice. "Have you girls back away. Oliver will serve me from now on."

"Little Zagreus, are you sure you know who you are allying with?" reminded Felicia, addressing him directly with his own name.

Hearing her address him as Zagreus, he gave her a smile before saying. "Felicia, I know what I am doing, have your women back off."

Sensing that he was dead serious, she gave a long sigh before signaling her girls to back off, something they were reluctant to do, but nevertheless listened to their leader.

Oliver, who saw them back off, looked at Felicia, and bowing to her, he said calmly. "My lady, don't put too much heart into the fact that I was with the Dark Union. Starting today, we will work together to train the assassins of the Kaysang."

"What?? I will not work with a betraying bastard like you." retorted Felicia before turning to look at Vlad.

"Felicia, I will summon the Council in two days from now. There I will inform you of all my plans that would lead Kaysang forward. For now, take a rest. I also instructed my soldiers to come to Dawn and assist the citizens in cleaning the rubbles and rescue the ones stuck inside their houses."

"Sigh, fine. You are the leader here, little Zagreus. But know that this is a bad choice, allying with a betrayer."

Nodding his head calmly at what Felicia reminded him, he moved toward the underground shelter.

There he noticed the other three guild leaders on his feet, later bowing their heads at him.

"We greet you, Your Highness."

"Raise your heads, only bow your heads to me when I am doing my Royal Attributes. For now, I am just Vlad, who is looking to save some loyal guards to the Crown. Right, the Crown will take in the burden of reconstructing Dawn. You guilds shall only pay me 30% of the rest of the cost."

"This… We understand, Your Highness." said the three guild leaders while bowing their heads with surprise in their voice, letting Vlad and Oliver pass, moving toward the underground shelter.