Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 578

“I’ve told you everything that I can remember,” the man who went by Xueyan pleaded.

Strangely, Argrave hoped that the man would be a constant rhymer, if only so he could have some vague tie to Norman even despite the strange situation. Apparently he could rhyme, but didn’t always do so. The more questions Argrave asked, the more of a dead end that he reached. Frustrating as it was, he’d gotten the full story from Maestro Baobao, and this empty shell bearing Norman’s visage told no more stories.

Xueyan had woke up on the eastern shores of the Great Chu without so much as a memory of his own name. He knew how to speak, how to live, but little more than that. He was taken in by a local village, then joined a travelling troupe, then joined the opera. A set of happy coincidences… but Argrave couldn’t believe things aligned that perfectly. Someone was pulling the strings. Erlebnis? Sataistador?

“I don’t think he lies,” said Anneliese begrudgingly. “Your memory of this man is likely better than mine, but they do look identical. I believe that is where the similarities end.”

“Do you know me? My real name, my memories?” Xueyan asked urgently, his haunting red eyes looking between them.

Argrave looked at the man, wanting to call him Norman. He felt what was almost an instinct to fight him. But in the end, Argrave suppressed these thoughts, turned around, and looked up. There, the Alchemist waited for his signal. With the slightest of nods from Argrave, he was spurred into action. Almost faster than Argrave could see, the Alchemist knocked Xueyan unconscious with a spell.

“I’ll find out any secrets he holds,” the Alchemist promised, stepping past Argrave. “Refrain from putting me in the stone for the time being. I would not wish to move him from this location too quickly. Tell Elenore to contact Stain.”

Argrave gave one last look at Xueyan—Norman—then turned around with a grim shake of his head. “I want to know anything you learn.”

“And you will,” the Alchemist vowed.

Argrave walked away, and Anneliese joined him. She explained what he’d missed, searching for answers down here. “Governor Zen was contented being foisted off to court Patriarch Dras instead of us. Once he learned the Veidimen were our allies rather than subjects, he almost seemed eager to proposition the elf. But the governor underestimates the steadfastness of our people. Dras won’t give him anything.”

“Mention anything to him about the Palace of Heaven?” Argrave asked.

“No, only that the plans would come after the wedding ceremony.” Anneliese opened a door, and they marched up the stairs of the opera houses back to the now-empty booths. “We shouldn’t be too far behind. A boat is waiting for us.”

Argrave and her walked in silence through the largely-empty opera house, but eventually he broke the silence. “Have you noticed anything strange?”

Anneliese inhaled, then held out Rowe’s staff. “Rowe tasked me with killing Traugott. I bring this everywhere for that reason. I’ve been searching for him frantically, ready

at her. “Sounds like

the empty booths, and

stopped and looked

things.” Anneliese shook her head. “But I saw only darkness when peering into the Shadowlands. Alongside this darkness, there was a

for some time. He could tell she was bothered by this, but she’d never mentioned it to this point. That, in itself, told of how deep her concern was. She was open about nearly everything, but this

“Do you remember anything

herself to that memory, then

thought deeply. “I can’t remember anything like that. But the Shadowlands have

hound. The impression is seared into my memory.” She gestured on. “We’re wasting time. Let’s not hold things up

content belongs

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return. Fortunately, he’d not missed any of his brother’s ceremony—there was still some downtime before that could happen. Indeed,

palace had drawn some concern from the palace guard, but Argrave prudently recalled him inside the Ravenstone and explained to the guards the existence of his guardian. Along

leave Xueyan there, I hope?”

intend to return to this research as soon as I possibly can. The empty shell—it was

silence for a long while, then felt some cold anger surface. “You’re

‘Castro,’ was created. I believe there are subtle differences in the methods,

deeply. “What does

in Norman’s corpse. But the raw materials… I see

sifted through the words, searching for the heart of them. “Meaning… the only thing Traugott can make is empty

minutely, as the man refines his methods. But ultimately, it’s nothing more sophisticated than the chimeras that I can already create.

didn’t have any repeat encounters with enemies… no one to bear a grudge,

was a message within his kidneys.

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