A Story of Evil

Chapter 190: Cain Bloodbourne

The day finally ended for Sol's team. Just like yesterday, everyone went back to the comfort of their own beds. Surrendering their tired bodies to the sweet allure of slumber. And this didn't even take long. They were out cold. Resting properly for what was to come. That is, except for one person who got up as soon as he found out that everyone was fast asleep Cain.

Like a thief in the night and, with careful and measured steps he got out of his bed. The boy then reached for his pocket. Taking out a crystal and shattering it. Releasing a thin mist that begun covering the entirety of the room.

It wasn't poison or anything dangerous. It was simply a sleeping gas, ensuring that the others won't be waking up anytime soon. Cain himself covered his face with his mask. Preventing any of the gas to enter through his nostrils.

"This is just for safe measure. Don't take it against me guys." He said as he made his way out of the room.

After living for five months inside Pentagon, Cain was pretty well versed with how to move quietly and covertly around the facility. He is also well versed with all the rooms in Pentagon. All the details on the walls. The number of lights that are around the place. The number of steps needed in order to reach each room. He has been thought all of this and, Cain memorized them as time passed by. He knew how to enter every room and, knew of ones which even Sol and Alice have yet to find out.

Carefully, the boy proceeded to the same place that only the most trusted of King Jubilee could go. The same place which Sol and Alice were only able to access after they unlocked their seeds. That is, Pandora's Core.

"I shouldn't keep him waiting for long." Cain murmured as he brought out the crystal kept on a hidden pocket in his pants.

He then placed it on the dead end wall and, just like Sol's and Alice's crystal, his was able to open up the pathway. Cain walked with hurried steps but not with panic because, he knew that the king would not be impatient. And he was right.

He saw the king looking at a large pile of mana crystal. With shadows enveloping it. But as soon as Jubilee noticed Cain's presence, he stopped from whatever it was that he was doing. Turning his head and releasing the shadow.

"Oh there you are Cain."

"Forgive me for taking long my liege. Solomon has kept you preoccupied that it was hard for me to report."

"Don't sweat it too much." The king simply said because, what Cain said was true.

It had only been two days since they returned but, Sol had already surprised the king with two things. The first being the inquiry on micro casting gravity and, the second being Sol's request for his own team. The same one discussed by Sol to his group earlier on that night.

"Please wait there for a while. I'm just gonna fix all this mess." The king snapped his fingers again and, the king's own shadow began to spread around the room. This made all of the crystals sink inside them. And, in merely ten seconds, all traces of King Jubilee's activity has been taken away.

With this, Jubilee finally focused his attention on Cain. He motioned for the boy to come close which was quickly followed.

"So, got any news for me?" King Jubilee began as soon as Cain was within talking distance.

"There is. Actually...I believe this is something which Sol himself will omit in his report."

"Oh? Now this should be interesting." The king said, snapping his fingers and creating two shadow chairs. One for him and one for Cain.

"Now tell me. What kind of interesting thing is it that even Sol would keep it to himself?"

King Jubilee knew where Sol's loyalty lay. He knew that the boy would never betray him, not until he finds anything that could blemish the king's image. That's why Cain's words sparked a kind of genuine interest to Jubilee. 

"We've found a treasure room." Was Cain's short response.

"A treasure room?"

"Yes, there are seemingly unused silver and gold accessories as well as weaponries inside it. However we were not able to bring these with us because, the sheer amount of mana crystals we collected already used up all the powers of the teleportation."

"Now this seems worth my time."

Jubilee knew that Sol had no interest in worldly things. With the two of them sharing the same powers, he knew that the only thing which Sol would greed for is knowledge and, the quest for the unknown. That's why the king was sure that, there was something special with the said treasure. And he already had an idea why.

"Were you able to map out this location?"

"I was my liege. It is here." He said, offering a small crystal like object to the king. Jubilee opened this and, sure enough, what appeared before him was the virtual map. With a red line leading to where the location is.

"Does he plan on going back there?"

"I'm not quite sure my liege."

"Can you tell me what you made of those treasures then?"

"I'm not quite sure what to make of them actually. They looked like normal accessories, items, and weaponry to me when we arrived there. But then, something dawned upon me on our way back."

"And what is that?"

"My liege...those things looked too new. Like the goblins have recently acquired them. I believe this is the same oddity which Sol was able to see."

"Good. You're at least capable of following Sol's thinking if given some time to ponder."

"So I'm right?"

"I'll simply refrain from answering that." The king said, standing up and motioning for Cain to do the same.

"You may take your leave. I'll handle the rest." Was all that the king said.

"Understood my liege." Was Cain's polite reply.

"Oh and, I'll leave the guarding of both Sol and Alice in your care."

"You can count on me my liege."

"I know I can Cain." Was the king's simple reply as the boy made his way out of the room. 

As soon as the door to the core was closed, Cain stretched his neck a bit. He then looked around and let out one yawn. Telling him the state of his body at the moment as he thought:

"I should probably sleep now."

Cain has been serving the king in secret for quite some time already. In fact, within the five months that he was under Jubilee's direct care, Cain has learned the truths of the world little by little. All because the king took interest in him and, this was something which the king explained to him.

He explained that Cain had a gift with his tongue. That he was a master of playing a role even without trying. In fact, the king has remembered him way back during the titan selection. How the boy brazenly stepped out of line along with Sol and, announced the same lie as him. But there was a sharp difference between Sol's and Cain's lie that day.

That is, Cain's lie was more believable. Even without King Jubilee having to use his [Analysis] on everyone present there, he knew right away that a considerable part as to why Sol's bluff worked was because of him. That's why he was glad when Cain approached him all on his own.

The king trained him largely because of this skill. He knew that Cain had no chance to awaken a SEED but, this didn't mean he wasn't trainable on other forms of combat. That's why Cain became a specialist on gears and equipment. And, this wasn't done by the king without any purpose. He did this in preparation for Cain to join Sol. 

He did this for Cain to be by the side of this boy. To serve as the king's eyes and ears whenever Sol was away. After all, Sol would never doubt his own best friend. He would never use [Analysis] on a person he already knew well. King Jubilee made use of this weakness all for him to be assured that, Sol would not do any dangerous. And should it come to this, Cain was given the order to protect both Sol and Alice...even if it means throwing away his own life.

Cain Bloodbourne gladly accepted this burden placed on his shoulders. He accepted the role as well as the possible fate that awaited him. He pretended to still be the same Cain despite all of this. And he had no problems acting out the part. With Sol unable to even notice it because, as King Jubilee himself assured, even he could be fooled by Cain's acting.

This same person went back to the bedroom where everyone was still fast asleep. There was not even an ounce of guilt on Cain's head for saying something to the king that Sol asked to be kept in secret. He knew what he was doing and, he knew where his loyalty lay.

That's why the boy was able to sleep soundly that night. Without any care or worry in the world.