Dark King

Gold opened his mouth and spoke in a low tone: “Geez! Inferno family member. We are lucky to see one. They are really extraordinary. Look at their dresses, even that is totally different from our. By the way, I have heard that there is a powerful force which shelters their family and backs them up from the shadows.”

“Naturally, we can’t be compared to their family. Their legacy is out of this world.” Rose’s eyes were full of envy and glory as she looked at the person.

Nightingale whispered: “I would love to see Inferno family’s original inflammation research thesis!”

Dudian heard their chat and was curious: “What is their research?” He hasn’t read anything about this family on Rosyard’s alchemy notes. Does a three-star alchemist had no way to contact them?

Nightingale lowered her voice and answered to Dudian. “It is literally forbidden. I mean they are forbidden to use alchemy. Historically, there are many great alchemists who had come up with experiments which ended in unimaginable power. The legend is that there were some which could boil a lake while the others could blow off ground or turn the land into desert. These alchemy research thesises, due to their excessive mass destruction capabilities, hav been forbidden by the dark church. So the research papers wouldn’t be available at all.”

Dudian was startled.

Make lake boil? Is it about usage of sodium and calcium oxide?

Turn a normal land into desert?

The last part was no news to him. He had heard that Ryan family had once provoked such an alchemist. As a result the family’s fiefdom was burned down and turned into desert. Since then Ryan family was on decline.

“The founder of the family had come up with a method called ‘Inferno burst’. It is said that the method could raze a small town into ground as a result of big explosion.” Gold whispered.: “That’s why it is banned by the dark church. If a person comes into contact with their research results, no matter what you do but you will explode. Every time I think that such a great result could be achieved, I do nothing but concentrate on my research!”

“Me too,” Rose said as she nodded in approval.

Nightingale said: “You will be awarded with a lifetime medal as long as you can come up with a research reserved for a bad by the dark church. You could even participate in the discussions held by the parliament of the dark church. It is something out of our reach thou. Moreover, the dark church would restrict the usage of the thesis but would compensate through other aspects. The Inferno family has come up with their ‘Inferno burst’ about two hundred years ago but they still exists as the dark church helping them out too… ”

The trio looked at the youth from Inferno family with full of longing.

Dudian thought about the explosion pattern engraved on youth’s badge. Later on he thought of trio’s words and after a bit of speculation in his mind Dudian asked: “Is it possible to glance at the research?”

Nightingale shook his head: “Its been sealed by the dark church. It will never be leaked. Even the family members are forbidden from the research information. If they somehow leak the information that’s passed down by the ancestors they will be subject of strict penalties!”

Dudian nodded: “What if unexpectedly someone else comes up with the same research? ”

“This is easy.” Gold replied: “Throughout the history there have been several such things. Dark church will repeated investigate the person who has invented the method. They will make sure that it is not result of plagiarism casued by the leakage. If they are sure that the method is original to the inventor they will give him alchemy points as incentive but no other medal.”

Dudian nodded slightly, did not say anything.

The queue in front of them gradually decreased. Soon it was their turn to go in. The person who came out from the door sighed as it seems his theory was dejected.

The youth from the Inferno family came out from the room and left. Trio’s eyes were on him and watched him until he left the hall.

After few people it was finally their turn.

“Go in.” A man wearing a white mask who stood by the counter said in an indifferent tone.

Four of them went through the door.

The room was dark but looked like an old office. There were three or four desks. Several people wearing the same masks were sitting by the desks going through some information. A slim figure wearing black silk skirt which was sitting behind the desk close to the door looked at them.

“All of you sit down. Who will be the first?” The sound echoed out from the masked person.

Nightingale and the other looked at each other. Rose said: “I’ll be first”. She took out folder from under her robe and respectfully handed to the woman.

The ghost mask wearing woman opened up the folder and quietly checked the research.

Nightingale pulled Dudian and pointed to an empty table. She leaned over and whispered: “Write over here.”

Dudian’s body instinctively slightly bent backwards as he felt her breath. He nodded and took the pen from her habd. He began to write down his own ‘research’.

“The use of milti-layered network to filter the water has been used before. The key is to filter through the equipment that you have come up with. But there is no innovation. Charcoal and cotton have been in use for long time. There is nothing new. I think you should check out last ten years of research.” After few minutes the woman checking Rose’s folder looked up and spoke in cold tone.

Rose was stunned as she took the folder with her research data and head back in loss.

Gold patted her shoulder to show encouragement. He handed out his folder.: “It is my research.”

The woman checked out the information and shook her head: “The extraction of glue from plants. Although the formule seems feasible from your point of view but it is wrong. There is lack of information regarding temperature contrast. The decomposition process is not explained in your theory and the formula is flawed! There is no creativity. Its not fresh idea.” Then she gave back to the folder.

Gold picked it up in embarrassment.

The woman saw Dudian lying on the table writing down something through the gap as the trio weren’t standing close to each other: “Why are you doing temporary change right now?”