Chapter 154 Envy’s Gift & Koyuki True Lineage
Chapter 154 Envy’s Gift & Koyuki True Lineage
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Upon catching sight of Daniel's face, the man launched into his rant.
"Five minutes!" The man shouted, emphasizing his point by showing five fingers. Saliva sprayed on Daniel's face as he spoke.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, man?" Daniel stepped back, quickly wiping the saliva from his face in disgust. He felt the immediate urge to find a bottle of sanitizer and thoroughly cleanse himself.
However, the man with dark bags under his eyes continued his tirade as if he had suffered a great injustice.
"My dream vacation just got crushed because of you! Whyyyy? Couldn't you have waited for at least five minutes! Just five freaking minutes! Before deciding to waltz into this damn church!" Gregor exclaimed, completely disregarding the numerous guns pointed at him by the hulking power-armored soldiers the moment he shouted at Daniel.
Gregor lamented how his long-awaited vacation plans, finally approved by their boss, Ms. Envy, were utterly shattered at the last possible moment – just as they were about to board the plane – due to Daniel's abrupt actions, forcing them to abandon their leisure and resume their duty of observing him once again.
"Err… Do I know you?" Daniel asked in utter confusion, trying to make sense of this weirdo.
"Stop making a fool of yourself, Greg. This is the first time you've met him," the beautiful woman lightly smacked the man's back, helping him regain his composure.
"Cough... Pardon my manners," the man quickly readjusted his posture, feigning a cough.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Gregor Kovalenko, and this is Amy Brooks. We work for Ms. Envy. We observe and report on you, ensuring that she can provide support in case things get messy... like this," Gregor pointed his thumb towards the ruined church, where a group of demon corpses lay scattered.
"Okay, Mr. Kovalenko, why are you here?" Daniel asked, still puzzled as to why this man had come to confront him instead of observing from a distance.
"You!" Gregor was about to launch into another rant, but a light smack on his head from Amy immediately silenced him.
"Sigh... Here, this is a gift from Ms. Envy. She hopes you've done what you needed to do after receiving it," Gregor handed Daniel a small data storage device, leaving him perplexed as to its contents.
"Okay... Thanks, I guess," Daniel responded, unaware of Gregor's slight annoyance at his lackluster reaction. Gregor clicked his tongue, slightly annoyed, before he retreated, continuing his rant all the way to the taxi parked at a distance. The taxi driver, being a normal person, couldn't enter the area protected by the magic array, which deterred normal individuals from entering due to a sudden loss of interest or an overwhelming sense of dread.
Daniel paid no mind to Gregor's ongoing rant, finding it amusing in its own way. He simply shrugged it off, considering Gregor to be an entertaining eccentric, and proceeded to walk towards a nearby house where Maria had established her observation post.
Upon entering the house, Daniel greeted Maria and handed her the small data storage device, which she promptly inserted into her notebook to access its contents.
As the file loaded, Maria discovered a meticulously detailed blueprint of the Sector Alpha City underground sewer system, which was interconnected beneath the Sacred Unity Church. The blueprint provided extensive details, including exits that avoided public surveillance and the speculated location of a safety room where Lucian could potentially hide.
"Indeed... this is truly a gift," Daniel uttered with a malicious smile.
"Maria, use this blueprint and go to Penthesilea. Smoke that bastard out, purges the entire sewage system. Leave no stone unturned," Daniel commanded, his tone filled with dominance and authority.
— Meanwhile - Hong Kong - Repulse Bay Beach —
Under the radiant midday sun, Repulse Bay Beach in Hong Kong thrived with activity and vibrancy. The sandy shore stretched out like a golden ribbon, inviting beachgoers to bask in the warmth and beauty of the day. Families and friends dotted the coastline, enjoying their leisurely afternoon.
Koyuki stood at the water's edge, gazing out at the sparkling sea. The waves danced and shimmered under the sun's rays, reflecting a kaleidoscope of colors. She took in the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing gently, creating a melodic symphony that complemented the bustling beach atmosphere.
Her daughter, Sylvana, ran along the shoreline, her laughter harmonizing with the playful cries of seagulls above. Michaela, the ever-watchful bodyguard and archangel, was not far behind, keeping a vigilant eye on the young girl while also sharing in her joy. The sight of Sylvana's carefree spirit brought a smile to Koyuki's face, a moment of respite from the guilt and the feeling of uselessness that weighed upon her.
Nearby, Greed lounged under a colorful beach umbrella, soaking in the energy of the afternoon. Her spirit seemed momentarily calmed as she lay back in a beach chair, content to relish the simple pleasures of the beach while sipping an orange punch on the short table beside her.
The atmosphere was alive with laughter and chatter, as families built sandcastles, friends played beach volleyball, and others indulged in refreshing dips in the cool waters. The occasional burst of laughter and splashes of water filled the air, adding to the lively ambiance of the beach.
Tropical palm trees provided spots of shade along the shoreline, offering shelter for those seeking to escape the intensity of the sun. Colorful beach towels and umbrellas adorned the sand, creating a vibrant mosaic of relaxation and enjoyment.
"Sweetie! That's enough! Let's go back to our room and pack up our things! We need to leave today!" Koyuki shouted at her daughter, who was still enjoying herself with Michaela, the archangel now dressed in a white two-piece swimsuit.
"Booooo," the mischievous little Sylvana booed at her mother before being caught by Michaela. She was swiftly lifted up and brought back to the shore, heading straight for the nearby beach bathroom to wash off the sand and sea water.
Everyone except Koyuki, who decided to stay on the shore as she couldn't swim, went to the bathroom. Greed also joined them as she had played with Sylvana from time to time. Meanwhile, Koyuki remained on the spot, waiting for everyone. She took the opportunity to clean up and pick up any trash around their spot, getting everything ready before they returned to their room.
At that moment, a group of formally dressed men approached Koyuki. All of them were wearing black suits, giving off an air of tradition as if they belonged to old noble European houses, but their demeanor seemed even stricter. Additionally, they all appeared to be of East Asian descent.
"Yes? How may I help you?" Koyuki asked in English.
After hearing her question, one of the men spoke, but they were conversing among themselves in Japanese, a language that had become somewhat popular after Japan eased up on its strict isolationist policy ten years ago, though not widely known to people outside of translation or diplomatic fields.
"Greetings, Ms. Wrath," one of the men said, bowing to her. He had sharp, eagle-like eyes, and his face displayed a demeanor of tradition and determination, with no room for nonsense.
"I am Matsudaira Takayuki... oh no, it should be Takayuki Matsudaira as Matsudaira is my clan name," the man continued to introduce himself with a heavy Japanese accent.
"Okay... Mr. Matsudaira... how may I help you?" Koyuki smiled wryly at the man's overly polite gesture.
"It is like this, Ms. Wrath: your mother, Princess Mayumi Mori No Tokugawa, is alive and well. Right now, she is living with us, and she implored you to visit her if you have time," Takayuki politely said while still bowing toward Koyuki.
"Mom is still alive!? But... didn't she die in that car accident!?" Wrath exclaimed in disbelief.
"The news of her death is nothing but a mask to hide her from the assassins who are after her life, Ms. Wrath," Takayuki explained.
Koyuki was surprised at the revelation. She had never thought that her mother would still be alive all this time.
"Then, if she's well, why didn't she try to contact me?" Koyuki inquired.
"No, Ms. Wrath. When Mayumi-Sama woke up from her coma 5 years ago, she tried to contact you. However, the Shogunate decreed that we cannot bring anything out from our country, including these letters, except for some basic knowledge such as language, arts, and aspects of our culture," Takayuki explained before presenting Koyuki with a large wooden box that one of his men brought forward.
Within that wooden box were more than 500 letters that had been intercepted by Koyuki's people and her servants.
"Mayumi-sama's letters should be more than this if we include the ones that got destroyed the moment they were intercepted," Takayuki said with a tinge of sadness.
The number of letters indicated that her mother had never forgotten her. Koyuki wanted to meet her mother very much; she even wanted to follow these people back to Japan right away, but she held herself back as she thought about Daniel and Sylvana.
"Give me some time... Let's meet again in Tessia Kingdom, and I'll give you my answer. I promise," Koyuki said before returning to her seat at the beach with the wooden box in hand.
Takayuki bowed respectfully before returning to where they came from. Little did anyone know, everything that was going on was being observed by Michaela, the archangel.