豆豆小说阅读

The rest of the week in the mansion was peaceful. Quite weirdly so. Apart from a few minor skirmishes, the atmosphere around the estate was hushed.

The guards had religiously thrown themselves into training, and the mercenaries were having a time of their living bossing them around. The guards had formed various factions within themselves and supported several mercenaries.

The most popular among these factions was the one led by Laihud. His feminine looks, coupled with his shy and kind demeanour, had both males and females flocking toward him.

The most vulgar faction amongst the groups had to have been Vimur\'s. Within five days, Vimur had turned his faction of guards into complete warmongers.

It didn\'t matter if the enemy was weak or not. They headed straight into fights and returned with the enemy\'s crushed skulls. Maybe calling them a cult of warmongering drunkards was more suitable.

There were a lot of people who wanted to join Ashton\'s faction as well. But they failed. Why? Because Ashton wasn\'t interested in having a faction.

If he wanted an army, his summons and skellies were more than enough for him. Not to mention, with them around, he did not have to worry about being stabbed in the back.

However, much to Ashton\'s annoyance, even his harshness could not discourage the guards from trying over and over. That\'s why he had been holed up inside Vulcan\'s forge for most of the time. After all, it was the only place people could not force their way into, even if they wanted to.

Vulcan didn\'t mind it at all. After all, he had found someone to yell at 24x7. Not to mention all the free labour he got from Ashton.

As for his training, it was going smoothly. Ashton could create some primary weapons with his hammer and the gauntlet made by Vulcan.

Most prominent of which was a sword. At least it was supposed to be one by Vulcan liked to call it the Hammer of Worthlessness.

It might have been the first blade created by Ashton, but Vulcan did not show him any mercy once he began critiquing his work. Vulcan simply couldn\'t hold back once he began bashing Ashton.

"You can\'t even forge basic weapons. How the hell will you make sophisticated beings automatons?" Vulcan barked at the top of his lungs.

"...shouldn\'t we take it slow-" Ashton barely managed to get a word in but got reprimanded almost instantly.

"Slow? SLOW?" Vulcan shook his head, dismayed, "It\'ll take seven generations of dwarves to teach you if we take things slow! I don\'t know about you, but I\'m sure as hell not sticking around this dastardly place for such an absurdly long period."

Before Ashton could get bashed anymore, there was a knock on the door. Earlier, no one wanted to disturb Vulcan. But since Ashton turned the workshop into his residence, guards and mercenaries have often visited the place.

"I swear... If It\'s those guards again, I might as well break my oath of non-violence!" Vulcan angrily muttered before walking towards the gates, "Melt the blade and remake the sword from scratch."

Ashton sighed and got to work. He grabbed onto the sword, and within moments the blade turned into molten Nyx metal once again.

[Tsk tsk, bet you didn\'t expect to be treated like this after leaving earth.]

Recently, Astaroth had been taking advantage of Ashton\'s docile state. He would bicker with him like usual, especially when Ashton was busy creating his own way of forging. Ashton would usually ignore him, but this time, he chose violence.

"Bet you didn\'t think you\'d end up without a body when you left your homeworld?" Ashton mimicked Astaroth, "You want me to create automatons, then shut the fck up and let me learn!"

[The way you\'re going about it, I\'ll be the one doing the learning.]

"Don\'t you already know about it?"

[Ahem. I try not to remember the past.]

"If I had a brother who slept with my girlfriend, I wouldn\'t want to either."

[...go back to forging.]

Ashton chuckled and picked up his hammer. Although he still preferred using his hands, he had no intention of testing the limits of Vulcan\'s anger.

"Brat, you\'re off training for the day." Vulcan returned with a not-so-pleased expression, "The matriarch has summoned you."

"I already told her I\'m not the head of security. If she needs something, she can call Laihud."

"Whatever it is, go and tell her yourself."

After saying that, Vulcan grabbed Ashton by the collar and threw him out of the workshop. Everything happened so fast that Ashton did not even get time to argue or fight back. But more than that, he was surprised how easily Vulcan tossed him out like a ragdoll.

"Damn, what\'s the deal with the old man? He\'s going senile or what?"

[Maybe he found out you have no talent in forging.]

"Bitch please, if I have the talent to tolerate you, I have the talent to conquer the galaxy."

[Firstly, ouch. Secondly, that\'s not going to happen.]

While having back and forth with Astaroth, Ashton entered the mansion. The guards and the servants, everyone acknowledged him in one way or the other.

One of them escorted Ashton to the meeting room. The room was nothing but extravagant. The antiques and decorations spread across the room made Ashton wonder how much money Eula\'s family had.

\'With the shitty amount they are paying us, I didn\'t think they\'ll be this rich.\' Ashton thought, "I should ask them to double the pay or something.

[Apparently, they have a business of antiques. Apart from that, Vulcan said he works for them, and we both know how valuable the things he created are.]

Ashton nodded as he sat down. A minute later, the chamber doors were opened again, and Eula walked in with her mother and a... Human.

"What\'s going on here?" Ashton asked.

"This gentleman arrived from Kernel tower this morning and asked for you," Eula answered, "Association Vice President Mazton sent him with some crucial intel."