Chapter 1088 (1/2)
Randidly fought to keep a scowl off of his face as he looked at the painted-on smile on Lord Miln’s face. “What do you mean, I should expect some ‘temporal variations,’ while participating in the mission?”
Zagnal, who was standing behind Randidly with Zauna and Salazar, flinched like he was struck at Randidly’s words. Considering how Lord Miln’s smile sharpened with malicious glee, some part of Randidly realized that Zagnal’s shock was likely due to the tone that Randidly had chosen to take.
But the smug fucking look in this bastard’s eye when he said it… Randidly purposefully didn’t let his gaze stray from Lord Miln, leaning over his desk, to the pods covered in Engravings behind him. In one of them, Randidly’s own body currently floated.
The only reason that Randidly managed it was that the Grim Chimera refused to give this fuck the satisfaction of being the one to break eye contact and look away. So his gaze remained fixed on the jailer of his main body.
There was a small temptation to take Randidly’s newfound Nether capability as a sign that he should strike and try and free himself, but even the Grim Chimera’s aggression abated somewhat when faced with the serene aura that Lord Miln threw off as he held Randidly’s gaze. He didn’t want to admit it, but this guy was powerful. Likely just as powerful as what Randidly had seen from Lady Iellaya and Commander Terith.
And considering he was their boss, likely a little bit more on top of that.
“As I explained, we are currently under constant siege from the forces of Nether,” Lord Miln said smoothly. For all that his expression seemed to scream that he wanted to murder Randidly in his sleep, Lord Miln’s tone was cool and professional. “Our normal missions involving Aether Keys have had to have been scrapped in order to keep abreast with the developing situation on the frontlines. Therefore, we have spent extra resources to significantly empower Aether Keys and send them to strategically critical areas.
“As such… not only will your missions tend to last a small degree longer so that the Aether Key can accomplish its mission, but it has been noted by respected scholars that the collision of powerful Aether and Nether often result in small deviations to normal temporal proceedings. So it might feel like even more time has passed during your mission that has actually occurred. I offered it as a well-meaning warning, soldier.”
Randidly’s claw tightened into a fist with such force that Randidly felt his own talons beginning to dig into the toughened skin of his hands. “This hardly seems like the sort of mission you would give to an image then. Especially not when I know there are plenty of soldiers who possess bodies that could serve more aptly.”
Again, Lord Miln’s smile grew exponentially sharper. But this time, an accompanying chill followed the curling of Lord Miln’s lips that smashed into Randidly with a physical force. Frost began to form on Randidly’s limbs, creeping in toward his torso.
“Don’t think that your accomplishments thus far mean anything,” Lord Miln said quietly. “All you have managed to do is survive. A cockroach can routinely claim as much. If you disrespect me one more time, I’ll show you why such tenacity has earned cockroaches no dominion over the world, and why people like me still rule it.”
A shallow and pathetic rule you have, here on the frontlines, Randidly thought acidically. But he held his tongue.
Lord Miln’s smile shifted to something more genuinely cheery. “But of course, you are right; you are vastly under-qualified to serve as Captain for this mission. Yet now one of your subordinates possess a physical body… Which barely qualifies you as a suitable choice, in the eyes of my superior. And you know, you and I have a personal relationship. We were connected intimately before you even came to the front lines. Considering our history, it would be heartless of me to not do you this one favor.”
Randidly frowned. This drivel again? But then Lord Miln raised his hand and conjured a golden hammer covered in extremely familiar runes and Randidly was left speechless.
“Do you know how much trouble you caused for my nephew?” Lord Miln mused as he looked down at the golden hammer he held, a hammer identical to the hammers that Randidly’s Judgement had used against him. “He has his own dominion, you know. Only Tier 2 Citizenship, but still respectable enough. He possesses a realm that requires Aether to function, which is why he serves as the Judgment underneath the Patron of Frostbite. Allowing a Heretic to reach the final conscription Path is not a death sentence… but it certainly makes him look incompetent. His people have suffered immensely due to your actions. Thousands have died from Aether Deprivation while he struggled to cope with your growth while he was limited by the System.”
Again that cold came, this time freezing Randidly’s feet to the ground. Then the ice continued to creep upward, covering Randidly’s raptor-like legs and reaching his waist. Randidly simply stood with gritted teeth, careful to not reflexively use the Nether bubbles to negate a portion of the image that Lord Miln was radiating.