Iron Blooded Hound

Chapter 109: Family Matters

It hadn't been long on the grounds that Vikir's return.

Hugo Les Baskervilles, the head of the iron-blooded Baskervilles family, made his flow without delay upon hearing the news of Vikir's go back.

His reaction turned into so excessive that even Vikir himself hadn't not waiting for it.

Hugo traveled to the Underdog's metropolis hall, followed with the aid of his butler, John Barrymore.

He got here straight to the office and asked for Vikir first.

"wherein is my son?"

Hugo asked, and the Chihuahua quick led him into the office.

Vikir slightly had time to greet him. Hugo burst through the workplace door and faced Vikir, who became just stepping out.

"...!"

Hugo's eyes widened.

Vikir's eyes widened slightly as well.

"You're again."

"I'm back."

"well carried out."

"thanks."

The communication is reasonably dry and brief for a father-son reunion.

but, Barrymore, standing in the back of them, watched the communication with amusement and pleasure.

"It's been a long term for the reason that I've seen my lord so satisfied."

No marvel Barrymore notion this.

Hugo hadn't smiled as soon as within the two years due to the fact that Vikir's disappearance.

not even the slightest smile.

but now Hugo changed into looking at Vikir and smiling.

Of direction, it become nearly impossible to tell, due to the fact his face was so cold and stoic.

in the meantime.

Vikir glanced cautiously at the door to the next room.

Hugo had come in this sort of hurry that he hadn't hidden the Pomeranian properly.

He'd gotten her into the subsequent room in a hurry, so she must be excellent.

Then.

...Jaw!

Hugo clapped Vikir at the shoulder.

"So, how have you ever been?"

Vikir tensed for a second.

He'd spent all this time building up his electricity inside the depht to avoid revealing his true capabilities to Hugo.

As a survivor of a age of destruction, Vikir used his skillful mana-hiding techniques to preserve his power in test.

but.

"...?"

fantastically, he felt no stress from Hugo's hand on his shoulder.

there was no indication that he was scanning the mana internal, or looking to get a study on it.

there has been even a faint warm temperature to his voice that seemed out of place.

"what is it?"

Vikir is a touch taken aback.

turned into he just asking, in reality curious?

Vikir searched Hugo's gaze once more.

but he couldn't read some thing in it. surprise, pleasure, curiosity, remedy?

It became like....

'seems like an ordinary father.'

Vikir furrowed his forehead.

'It's one or the alternative.'

both Hugo's mind had grown deeper and more sinister than even he may want to understand, or his personal thoughts had turned stupid.

The night earlier than the regression, when the rain was pouring down in torrents.

He can't forget about the texture of so many enamel piercing his body.

How can he forget about the person who accused him of being in league with demons and done him?

A grasp of hounds, and king of all hounds.

That was Hugo Les Baskerville.

Vikir sharpened his fangs, which were almost dull, once more.

And the greater he did so, the softer his tone have become.

"I've been targeting getting better from the wounds I suffered on the arms of monsters at the same time as adrift within the depths, and i've controlled to set up pleasant members of the family with a number of the natives."

Hugo's complexion brightened a piece.

"I see. You installed pleasant family members with the barbarians?"

"sure."

"That's a great component."

Hugo nodded. It became a rather sudden response, given his morbid dislike of the natives of Depht.

but at Hugo's subsequent phrases, Vikir could only nod in settlement.

"You must have gotten to recognize the barbarians nicely sufficient to recognize their location and power, which would make it simpler if you want to wipe them out."

Hugo nevertheless appeared the natives as something similar to demons.

Vikir concealed a sigh.

"What I've discovered from my time with them is that... their strength is greater than I notion."

"Hmm. That's actual, specifically with the night time Foxes being such a risk."

"but I've figured out a manner to govern them."

"Ho-ho, and what's that?"

Hugo asked, his face lights up at Vikir's words.

in case you ask Vikir, he always has an excellent answer. Hugo seemed to think so.

And this time, Vikir didn't disappoint.

"The natives of Depht are vulnerable towards the Empire's manufactured goods."

"manufactured goods?"

"yes. i've showed that traders from bourgeois families have been sneaking in and trading with the natives of Depht."

Hugo's expression hardened at the words.

Then he growled in a low voice.

"a gaggle of money-grubbers, and now they're buying and selling with foreign enemies? ultimately, I'm going to must reduce their heads off...."

"You don't have to worry, father, I've exterminated all of them."

"What?"

"I'm a deputy Justice of the Peace within the town of Underdog, and that i had them summarily achieved under the authority of the performing Justice of the Peace, and of route there had been no witnesses."

Hugo's eyes widened once more.

Then his gaze dropped to Vikir's, and it become replaced via a glance of familiarity, of reputation.

"I see. That's just like my son. this is Baskerville."

and then, with a gleam in his eye, Hugo asked.

"sure, it is. You suggest the bourgeois have been seducing the barbarians with their petty synthetic goods?"

"yes. Glass beads and woolen crafts, that are cheap in the Empire, or veggies and grain, which might be precious to them. Exploiting them is a splendid manner to hold them under manipulate, and it's a amazing diplomatic benefit."

"...Hmm. however isn't that alternate, no longer conquest?"

"It's a way to win without fighting."

Hugo's expression became grim for a moment.

"there's no point in fighting. The sword of Baskerville exists to attract blood from the our bodies of barbarians."

What an infernal warmonger. Vikir clucked his tongue inwardly, but didn't permit it display.

"Of path barbarians will shed blood."

"Hmm? however didn't you simply say we had been buying and selling?"

"I didn't imply to signify that we make peace with the barbarians."

"Then?"

Vikir's eyes lit up at Hugo's query.

"I intended to use them as reinforcements for looking demons."

Pfft. Hugo's favorite tactic.

Hugo changed into quite intrigued by means of the concept.

"Hmmm. let's lure them in with cheap synthetic items and slay the demons. It's not so bad, in spite of everything, demons also are targets."

"Yeah. I've already constructed the infrastructure, you just want to utilize it."

Vikir did no longer need the natives of Balak to be harmed with the aid of the Baskervilles.

Now that Madame Eightlegs changed into long gone, pressuring the Balak from the west, the Balak would escape the Baskervilles and pass deeper into the watery depths of their authentic home.

it's going to now not have any reason to stumble upon Baskerville avenue.

The Baskervilles can easily fill the void left by Balak's departure to the west.

because Hugo is blind to Madame's life, he will see Balak shifting west and count on that he's fleeing.

For Vikir, it's a win-win: warfare is averted and alternate is secured.

sooner or later, Hugo nodded.

"very well. Then I'll leave the trade with the barbarians to you. are you able to do it?"

"in case you ask me to, i can do it."

"excellent."

Hugo smiled with delight at his son's loyalty, which turned into no exclusive than it had been years ago-if anything, even more potent.

It became a win-win for Vikir, too, since he might simplest should wrap the already laid out board in his personal benefit.

Then.

"...!"

Hugo introduced.

"There have to be a tribe some of the barbarians referred to as the Rococo."

"sure. I know of them."

"There will be no change with them. The Rokoko tribe on my own could be exterminated."

Hugo's tone changed into unexpectedly ferocious again. He would no longer compromise in this point.

Vikir should best nod in silence, knowing that arguing lower back might undo everything that they had discussed to date.

some small talk ensued.

most of it was much like what he'd advised the Chihuahua.

Hugo sat on the sofa and listened to Vikir's file, mainly with a glance of satisfaction, however on occasion with a look of surprise.

ultimately, he became to Vikir.

"on the grounds that your rescue and subsequent disappearance, we have been capable of make giant diplomatic gains in Morg. What's greater, the imperial court docket has heard of the tale and has awarded house Baskerville for its chivalry."

"...."

"All of this became for nothing to a father who had lost his son."

The greater I concentrate, the greater surprising the phrases come to be.

Even Butler Barrymore's rabbit eyes at the back of him echoed Vikir's sentiments.

in the end, Hugo completed.

"however it's proper that you're lower back. It appears like matters are ultimately falling into place."

"...."

"I recommend that you relinquish your duties as Underdog's Deputy in the mean time and get a few rest, at the same time as we speak what rewards the house can bestow upon you."

Vikir responded in short, then bowed, finishing the communique.

all at once, I had a problem.

"... The portrait in the Pomeranian pendant. have to I report it or not?

Vikir had identified the pendant's original proprietor as Roxana, Hugo's first spouse.

Roxana's daughter, Penelope, and Penelope's daughter, Pomeranian.

We recognize that Hugo's character modified after Roxana was killed in movement and her daughter, Penelope, become kidnapped in a mysterious twist of fate by means of the natives of Depht.

This data is dependable because it comes at once from the pre-regression Barrymore.

must we go back this artifact, which probably belonged to Roxana, to Hugo?

And what approximately the Pomeranian?

'Nope. Scratch and chunk. you can't expect some thing from that cold-blooded guy.'

Vikir shook his head gently.

If Hugo had any sisters or daughters, she'd understand how he treated lady flesh and blood, however... there have been none in Baskerville, so his mind-set couldn't be inferred.

'I'm sure he'll say something approximately ladies having susceptible arms for swords and no longer being needed. You'll be lucky if she doesn't draw her sword and say it has barbarian blood in it.'

Given Hugo's typical sullen nature, it become probably first-class now not to mention Pomeranian.

That's how Vikir judged it.

... however.

two things occurred right now that absolutely disillusioned Vikir's expectancies.

"Aaahhh! Uncle!"

The facet door to the following room burst open and the Pomeranian burst out.

"Woow! Uncle! It's raining outdoor! Thunder! Bam bam bam bam-"

Pomeranian ran into Vikir's fingers, covered in tears and snot.

He turned into the first variable.

after which.

"...!"

Vikir's eyes widened.

the second one variable became even extra extraordinary than the first.

It was the appearance on Hugo's face whilst he noticed the Pomeranian.

"...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...! ...!"

Eyes flawlessly turned around.

A mouth that had in no way been visible open like that earlier than.

A face Vikir had in no way visible in his two lives.

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