World of Terror

I sat in the chair, placing the report on the desk, and began reviewing it. It detailed a recent pirate attack on one of our cargo ships. Half of the crew had been killed, several injured, and most of the goods stolen. The incident was a major blow to Goldhart Trading, a company that had always been reliable and prosperous.

"That explains it," I muttered under my breath, the weight of the loss sinking in.

The seas were fraught with danger. There are three infamous Sea Warlords and five Sea Admirals who terrorized merchants and travelers alike. However, these groups typically targeted only high-value shipments and avoided Linberg's waters, fully aware that such actions could provoke Valeria into war—a conflict no one desired.

As I began taking notes on the problem, I muttered aloud, "I guess the church's agents will handle the pirates," hoping the matter would soon be under control.

The church's agents include powerful, highly trained individuals from different classes, tasked specifically with tracking and dealing with rogue awakened and supernatural cases.

Every creature possesses a hidden potential for power, though only a rare few can awaken it. The Awakening Ceremony is a primary method to unlock this power, and it is used by this kingdom to ensure safety by monitoring the process closely. Some Awakened risk falling into madness, transforming into dangerous abomination.

A Rogue Awakened is an individual who gains their abilities through illegal methods or outside the country's knowledge. These individuals are investigated or prosecuted without mercy.

Awakened individuals stand at the first stage of power, gaining abilities that surpass human limits. The next stage, Ascender, brings about profound transformations, granting immense strength and abilities that could rival entire battalions. At the pinnacle stand the Transcendent, beings capable of wielding unimaginable power, enough to reshape reality or bring destruction on a massive scale.

Although this information is limited, I consider myself fortunate to know it, as such knowledge is typically reserved for high-ranking officials and is not available to the general public.

As I finished writing down my thoughts, I moved on to the next report, which detailed a kidnapping case. It stated that twelve children had been abducted this month alone.

The report contained specifics about the kidnappings, with each child taken from different areas, making it seem like the work of a well-organized group. There was no pattern to the time or location of the abductions, but the authorities suspected that the culprits were targeting families of lower social standing. The report also mentioned that the local law enforcement was struggling to make progress, which caused my father to intervene directly.

"This case could be a disaster," I muttered to myself, the seriousness sinking in.

There's a high chance it's being orchestrated by a secret organization that sacrifices its victims, either for some ritual or for their cruel entertainment. These individuals are nothing more than lunatics that must be eradicated. If this kind of organization is involved, the scale of the threat could be far worse than just a few missing children.

I stood and walked over to the shelves, scanning the rows of books for anything relevant. I needed more information on Linberg's geography and recent events to find answers to the case and the potential involvement of dark organizations. I pulled out a few books related to geographical maps and historical records on secret organizations, hoping to find clues within their pages.

Among them, I found a detailed map of Linberg and the surrounding territories. The map was faded with age but still readable. I spread it out on the desk, tracing my finger over the major places and trade routes, noting the areas where the recent abductions had occurred. It was no coincidence that the disappearances seemed to happen near isolated and less-patrolled regions, which were perfect for secret activities to go unnoticed.

As I studied the evidence carefully, I identified five key areas that have a high chance of being potential hideouts. I wrote a report recommending that these areas be investigated immediately and listed potential strategies for each location, including a plan to send scouts to gather intelligence and monitor suspicious activity.

Once I finished, I leaned back and reviewed everything I'd written, going over the notes to ensure nothing was missing or overlooked. Satisfied, I called for a maid.

A soft knock came at the door, and the maid stepped in, bowing slightly. "You called, young master?"

"Please deliver this to my father," I said, handing her the neatly organized stack of notes.

She nodded with a polite smile. "Of course, young master."

As the door closed, I tidied the room, carefully putting away the books, maps, and scattered papers. Once everything was in its place, I headed to my bedroom, feeling exhausted but satisfied with the work I'd done.

...

Morning came quickly. After making my bed and getting dressed, I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, Sir Roswell stood there, his expression as calm and composed as ever.

"Good morning, young lord. Your father wants to see you."

"Okay," I replied.

We made our way to my father's office, where we greeted each other and sat on the couch.

"Did I interrupt your morning, Lucy?" my father asked.

"Not really. I was just planning to read some books," I replied.

He laughed softly. "You should prepare for tomorrow."

"Mother won't let me help. She said it's a surprise," I explained.

"You're right; I can't help either, not with this problem," he said, sighing deeply.

I tried to comfort him. "I think Mother will understand. Besides, she seems to be enjoying it."

He laughed again. "You're right."

Just then, a knock echoed from the door. Three tall men in red hoods, their faces hidden in shadow, entered. They exuded the aura of veteran soldiers. The tallest one, a muscular figure about six and a half feet tall, stepped forward and greeted us.

"It's an honor to meet you, Count Luke. My name is John, and we are here at your request," he said, bowing slightly.

"I'm surprised the Red Corps mobilized so quickly on my request," Father replied.

The Red Corps was one of the Church's elite agencies, specializing in hunting and investigating supernatural cases across the country. They were the first line of defense against rogue Awakened, dark cults, otherworldly entities, powerful items, and forbidden knowledge.

"We were near Linberg when we received your request, so we came here straight away," John explained.

"That's great," Father said, handing a stack of papers to each of the men. "This is the report and plan for this operation."

The thin man with a metallic red glow in his left eye glanced at me and asked quietly, "Is it all right for the Count's son to be here?" His gaze lingered on me for a moment.

Father replied with pride, "He may look young, but he contributed to this operation."

I stood up and introduced myself. "Greetings, my name is Lucian."

The man twitched slightly and nodded but didn't say anything else. "If you say so, Count."

As they read through the papers and discussed the operation for about an hour, we neared the end of the conversation.

Father spoke up, "Before the operation begins, you're welcome to stay here. I'll have rooms prepared and ensure you have everything needed for your preparations. If there is anything else we can provide, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Count Luke," John and his men said, following the maid as they left the room.

Father turned to Sir Roswell. "Tyrion, go to the knights and begin preparations."

"As you command, sir," Sir Roswell replied with a crisp bow before leaving the room, his steps purposeful and confident.

...

As they left, my father asked, pointing to the papers, "Do you know these three organizations?"

"I've only heard of two of them," I replied, pointing out the ones I recognized.

Father turned serious as he explained. "There are three notorious organizations operating in the dark: the Demon Faction, the Desire Lunatics, and the Sinners. Each of these factions has its own agenda, but they all share one common goal: chaos and destruction."

He paused for a moment, ensuring I was paying attention.

"The Demon Faction," he continued, "is said to have deep, dark ties to ancient history and forbidden knowledge. They worship evil entities and can summon and control demons. Their goal is to bring the power of their demon god into this world."

"The Desire Lunatics," he added, "are a group of deranged individuals driven by their insatiable lust for power and pleasure. They prey on the weak, using mind control, charm, and manipulation to satisfy their depraved desires. They take pleasure in the suffering they cause."

"And then there are the Sinners," he said. "They are perhaps the most dangerous of them all. They believe in a twisted form of redemption by the great ones. These individuals commit heinous acts, all in the name of their warped ideas. To them, there is no difference between good and evil. They are willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to further their cause."

As the conversation ended, the information stayed with me. It was clear I needed to get stronger if I wanted to handle what was coming. This world was much more dangerous than the Earth I once knew. I had to be ready for whatever lay ahead.