Dungeon of Niflheim

Chapter 713 Chat with the Duke

While the Generals shuffled off to handle their regular duties or rest until their next shift Frost was escorted to a large spacious hall by Duke Runak.

The dimensions of the hall were at least 30 metres in height and 300 metres both in length and width, a sizeable chamber.

Several Large cuboid stones and intricate crystal figurines stood at the far end of the hall, their utility a complete mystery to Frost.

Along one of the side walls was an arrangement of training weapons, facilitating the ability to practise differing styles whereas another contained weights that clearly weren't designed for a normal person.

Duke Runak walked into the centre of the hall and with a simple flick of his wrist the doors sealed shut, locking Frost and himself inside.

"Welcome to my personal training hall young Frost. It may be simple perhaps even a bit crude in your eyes, but it gets the job done plus it does very well in isolating my strength from those dwelling outside."

I.e. no one would be able to hear his screams.

Frost couldn't help but shiver when his eyes took in the malicious grin plastered across the Duke's face. Memories of Maya in her demon drill sergeant mode flashed through his mind, the resemblance was uncanny.

After gazing at the Duke's arrangement he bravely replied, "It's magnificent, I have a similar set up back home, simple, clean and... very isolated." He chose to take on a bold approach, showing that he wasn't so easily intimidated. His words however only caused the Duke's grin to grow.

"Those large stone blocks and crystal figurines, What's their purpose?" He continued to ask, curious about their functions.

"Them? The stone blocks are strength inhibitors while the crystals ones are aura resisters. You never tried one?" Duke Runak was quite surprised, though these items were of very high quality and out of reach for the common man he assumed Frost would posses several given the rumours about his guardian. The mystery surrounding him only grew deeper.

"Strength inhibitors and aura resisters!" Frost's gaze immediately filled with desire, just a single common strength inhibitor or aura resister could set you back hundreds of gold coins, a true luxury. He'd been tempted to buy one through the Dungeon menu before, but its prices were even more ridiculous.

A strength inhibitor was a special object, usually made out of a rare type of stone that radiated a unique field that weakened one's physical strength. The nearby user would feel as though their body weighed several times or even dozens of times heavier than usual. Training within such a unique environment was great for people who wished to forge their physical strength beyond their natural limits.

The aura resisters were also made of unique materials and were even harder to get your hands on than strength inhibitors. These crystal structures emitted a field that restricted the flow and formation of one's aura. Within the field the user would find that their aura was viscous and rigid making it much harder to control.

Through the use of the these objects Duke Runak was able to thoroughly forge his body into the temple that it currently was.

Frost had to admit that he was genuinely intimidated by the Duke's show of force but regardless of his true feelings he portrayed unwavering confidence.

"You seem to have a misunderstanding Duke; it was not I who sought out V but V and her cohorts who sought out me. I am a friend of the Furanos, an adventurer registered with the guild and the Lord of a territory that neighbours their territory."

"My background is none of your business, my allegiance is to myself, my family and my territory and as for my intentions I was asked by my friends to escort V to Icethorne, an off the books hiring that was generously sponsored by General Anya and the Furano Viscounty.

A task that I have now completed, thus terminating the contractual relationship between V and myself." He bellowed the facts and even leaned slightly forward causing the aura blades to dig deeper into his skin.

Duke Runak was speechless, he wasn't expecting Frost to be so aggressive in their exchange...to be honest he was really starting to like the kid but the variables surrounding him worried him greatly.

His aura started to retreat, and the aura blades were pulled back but Frost wasn't finished talking.

"I'm a man who is currently spoken for, I love my partners Maya and Daki but I'm not blind, I can see the way V looks at me and acts towards me.

Despite the professional contract between us I'll admit that we've become friends over the course of our journey together, but I don't have any intention in pursuing anything more than that." Duke Runak relaxed upon hearing Frost's words and his aura receded another a notch.

"...But I won't stop V from attempting to pursue me either." The aura that was pulled back flared to the maximum in an instant.

"If she's determined to chase after me despite my current attachments then that's up to her. If you wish to stop it then you'll have to confront her rather than me Lord Duke." Frost stood his ground and released his own aura in defiance, this was his stance and he refused to back down.

".....I could always kill you here and now." The Duke replied with an equally forceful stance, showing off the bearing of the one known as the War God of the Glacial Mountains.

"You won't."

"Hmm why's that?"

"....First despite your efforts in intimidation you actually respect me, second you know that doing so would destroy the relationship you have with Avira and third you don't know the strength of my background thus you can't quantify the consequences that would follow after killing me." If he couldn't understand the true nature of the Duke by now then he was an idiot.

Duke Runak didn't want to kill him, he never did, he just wanted to pressure him, to keep him from having any intentions towards the Princess.