Chapter 18: Three Consecutive Victories

The morning after, at the Marquis of Hyde’s residence.

"Useless! Absolutely useless!"

The Marquis of Hyde glared intensely at the regiment commander and a shame-faced Vincent. "Were you two raised on British wolf-fish canned goods?"

It is common knowledge that Britain is a culinary wasteland, and wolf-fish canned goods are the biochemical weapons of that desert. Combining the two results in a potency far more offensive than "swill."

The Marquis never imagined that what should have been a simple affair—one meant to bolster Vincent’s prestige in the military and deal a blow to Grand Duke Benito’s forces—could be botched so thoroughly by his son.

The newspapers had already been distributed; did they not think for a moment that Grand Duke Benito might try to snatch the prisoner? It was a situation that could have been resolved simply by dispatching reinforcements, which would have simultaneously checked the Grand Duke’s secret agents. Instead, it had spiraled into this disaster.

Vincent had thought to issue newspapers and issue challenges, yet he hadn’t thought to send more men! The opportunity to train his son had been provided, but the result was clear: he was not fit for duty. Never mind being a captain or a company commander; he was barely fit to be a lowly private charging into the fray.

"Father..." Vincent kept his head bowed. His father’s scolding was more painful to him than being slashed with a blade. He had wanted to prove himself, and yet, it had ended like this. "There were so many superhumans in the hospital. If they had lifted a finger, they could have solved it, but they just stood by and watched, doing nothing..."

"Go to hell!"

The Marquis rose and kicked Vincent squarely in the chest.

*Bang!*

Vincent was sent flying three meters, crashing onto the high-end wool carpet. It was now clear exactly who Vincent had inherited his savage nature from.

The regiment commander winced, his heart aching for the carpet. The Marquis’s mansion was incredibly opulent, blending ancient European architectural style with a new, modern aesthetic of steam and gears. It featured steam-powered elevators, archaic-looking bronze clocks, elegant phonographs with rare records, and various steam-driven devices. Beyond the standard furnishings, the luxury items in the Marquis’s home were staggering; that very rug was a masterpiece by two grandmasters, valued at half a million federal credits. And in his house, such a rug didn't even count as high-end.

"Can you not even foresee such a simple detail? Why would they help you?" the Marquis barked, pointing at Vincent.

"I... I thought they would help out of respect for you..." Vincent climbed up cautiously.

"I will settle accounts with those bastards later, but for now, the problem is yours!" The Marquis pointed at the commander and Vincent, his rage mounting. "What did you say just now? One of them was taken alive?"

"The one captured is a shareholder of Masato Wine and a partner of Count Gulagas..." Vincent stood straight, offering a bitter smile. "He was there to cause trouble for someone else and just happened to bump into them."

"Ha! A partner of that scoundrel Gulagas?" A sharp glint appeared in the Marquis’s eyes. Gulagas’s men appearing at the hospital at a time like this? *Heh.* A coincidence? Only a fool would believe that. Was that bastard wavering between the Kingdom and Grand Duke Benito? Regardless of whose side he was on, if his men were there and had killed his soldiers, they wouldn't be walking away without giving a proper account.

"You, demoted to battalion commander!" The Marquis sat back down on his leather sofa and stomped his cane forcefully. "If you fail again, you can go work in the factory weaving clothes!"

"Yes, Your Grace..." The commander’s spirit was crushed. This was the side of the Marquis that the regimental staff never saw. Sometimes, high rank was not a blessing. When things went wrong, in the eyes of the Grand Duke, it was always his fault, never the fault of the company commander guarding the hospital.

"Father, what about me..." Seeing the commander punished, Vincent quickly asked about his own fate.

"I really want to kill you!" The Marquis lunged up, brandishing his cane.

"Marquis, stay your hand!" The Marquis’s adjutant turned pale and rushed to restrain him.

"Get out of my way!" The Marquis yanked his cane back, sending the adjutant stumbling.

"Marquis, he is your son, and a self-awakened superhuman at that..." The adjutant, seeing the Marquis hadn't used his full strength, urged him to calm down. "This was just a lack of experience. He will improve in the future!"

"Hmph." The Marquis sat back down. "What do you suggest we do now?"

"Actually, Robin Rommel being rescued by them may not be a bad thing," the adjutant said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Oh?"

The adjutant leaned in and whispered a suggestion into the Marquis’s ear. The Marquis’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

***

At the same time.

"Quick, Talim has been captured, we must go save him!" Upon returning to the base, Mary rushed immediately to the basement. Dunn and the others were there.

"The mission failed?" Dunn frowned slightly.

"How can you talk about the mission? I said Talim was captured! They will surely torture him for information, or even kill him! He did all of this just to complete the task you gave him—"

*Bang!*

Dunn flashed behind Mary and delivered a precise strike to the neck, knocking her unconscious.

"Useless. I am not your man, and I won't indulge you," Dunn said with a look of disgust. Were all the people working in this country such idiots? Such a simple assassination mission, and it failed? And they hadn't even sent reinforcements!

***

Robin didn't know how long he had slept. As usual, he jolted awake from a nightmare. When he opened his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

"You're awake?"

A female voice echoed in his ears. Robin paused and looked over; it was the young nurse who had saved him yesterday. It wasn't an auditory hallucination. She had changed her clothes and was now wearing a white coat. Her appearance was completely different; her long, golden ponytail rested behind her, and her face was dotted with faint freckles, making her refined, influencer-like beauty seem much more ordinary.

She had clearly been wearing makeup yesterday. Having seen too many "before and after" makeup comparisons online before he transmigrated, Robin barely recognized her.

"Whew, what happened? Why did I pass out?" Robin muttered. "Where is Matthew?"

"The team leader is fine; he is reporting to headquarters," the nurse said calmly. "You exhausted your mental energy yesterday. Combined with old injuries, a sedative, and inhaling poisonous smoke, you simply collapsed from exhaustion."

As she spoke, she pulled out a newspaper and handed it to him. "Take a look at this first."