Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 251: Chapter 239: Jon: What? Someone From My Hometown Is Here?

No matter what wild thoughts Jon was having, the Legend quest had brazenly ”moved in” to his quest panel, naturally pushing [The Scepter’s Strife] aside to claim the top spot.

After all, no matter how magnificent or grand a conflict between mortals was, it was ultimately a worldly affair, completely incomparable to the Deities who wielded the Laws of the world.

After fretting for a short while, he decided to set aside any worries about hidden conspiracies—it was on a level far too high for him; worrying about it was useless.

”Strength... In the end, it all comes down to strength...”

He stood up and, with a flick of his finger, used a telekinetic hand to push open the window, letting the cool air rush in to wash away his lingering emotions.

Once his head had cleared, the lord of the Giant God Workshop returned to his usual self, though a new, profound look now lingered in his eyes.

’As for now, I’ve chosen the Mage talent. It’s time to find Mr. Claudio.’

However, just as he was about to turn and leave the room, a clamor of carriages and horses from the manor’s entrance made him raise an eyebrow.

’Looks like I have guests.’

...

The entrance to Grent Manor was exceptionally lively today, with no fewer than three convoys having converged there at the same time.

Judging by the ornate and sturdy carriages, each bearing its own crest, all the visitors were of noble status.

Unfortunately, Grent Manor was not only Jon’s residence but also the headquarters of the Giant God Workshop. From its inception, it had maintained a strict security policy, controlling all entry and exit to prevent, as much as possible, bullshit incidents like technology leaks or corporate espionage.

Therefore, regardless of a visitor’s noble status or power, they had to stop at the gate until granted permission to enter.

And that was where the awkwardness began.

Unable to enter Grent Manor, the visitors could only crowd into the small, open area across the road from the main gate.

The space was limited, but the carriages and horses were numerous. With everyone trying to maintain their dignity, chaos was inevitable.

The smallest and earliest-arriving convoy, though the most disciplined, found itself boxed in and immobilized by the other two. The Knight leading its escort had no choice but to report the situation to the person in his charge.

”Master Wood, it seems we won’t be able to drive directly into the manor from here. Please exit the carriage; we will escort you inside.”

”Hmph... Understood.”

An old man replied sullenly and stepped out of the carriage.

His hair and beard were white, he wore long robes, and a pair of intricate Engineering goggles rested on the bridge of his nose, giving him the unmistakable air of a scholar.

He first glanced impatiently at the noisy convoys on either side, muttering something under his breath before looking up at the manor before him.

The moment he looked, his gaze was captured, unable to stray from the two special-model Gun Cavalry units guarding the gate.

”This... this... So such Mechanical Bodies actually exist!?”

Then, ignoring the fact that his Guard Knights had not yet fully assembled, Master Wood scrambled down from the carriage and dashed straight toward the two Gun Cavalry units.

His movements were so agile, he didn’t seem like an old man at all.

But the two Gun Cavalry units, sensing an unauthorized person approaching, couldn’t care less about his identity; they would only react according to their preset programming.

The indicator lights in the steel behemoths’ eyes switched from blue to red. With a SWISH, the heavy, sharp lances in their hands lowered into a horizontal position, and a cold, robotic warning tone echoed from their chests.

”Stand back! Otherwise, you will be considered an illegal intruder!”

This terrified the Guard Knights.

This Master Wood was their lord’s most respected teacher. If anything happened to him here, they wouldn’t have enough lives to atone for the failure!

The Knight leading the escort immediately charged forward, trying to stop the old man who was lost in a research-fueled fervor, shouting all the while.

”Stop! Stop! We are Envoys of Her Highness, the Third Princess, Belina Benest! Stop! Do not attack!”

Hearing the shouts, the Workshop apprentices on duty at the gate looked on with a mixture of surprise and helplessness.

The surprise, of course, was because these people had been sent by the renowned Third Princess.

After all, every single person in the Empire knew of the ”Steel Rose.”

And the helplessness was because they couldn’t control these two Mechanical Bodies either...

They could only run out frantically from a side door to help stop the reckless old man and prevent him from entering the attack range.

Amidst this chaos, a clear, cold voice suddenly rang out.

”Return to your posts.”

The Workshop apprentices froze. Then, it dawned on them: no matter what the visitors were doing, as gatekeepers, they should never have left their posts.

They all snapped to attention and bowed deeply in the direction the voice came from.

”Yes, Lady Rosadeline!”

The manor’s heavy gates, forged from fine iron and inlaid with the Giant God Workshop’s emblem, slid silently inward, opening a crack.

A figure stood quietly at the intersection of the shadow behind the gate and the snowy light outside.

Silver hair cascaded down like a frozen waterfall, framing an exquisitely beautiful face that seemed to have been carved from Ice Crystal. Her silver eyes were frigid, devoid of any warmth.

She simply stood there calmly, and the restless atmosphere stirred up by the chaotic convoys seemed to freeze solid, as if caught in an invisible, arctic current.

As for the two Gun Cavalry Mechanical Bodies—which just a moment ago had been flashing red, pointing their lances, and blaring alarms from their chests—the moment Rosalind appeared, their crimson warning lights extinguished, reverting to the faint blue that signified they were on standby.