Chapter 46: Uncovering Vincent's House
Chapter 46: Uncovering Vincent's House
Somewhere in the forest, an Eldorian Army was marching down the pathway as they were headed to a certain location.
Leading the army was none other than the Royal Guard Captain, Vandar. It was not only footsoldiers and cavalry that was with him, there was also an ornate carriage carrying the daughter of the Eldorian Minister of Finance, Elinalese.
Sitting next to Elinalese was Luminova, who was staring out of the window. The place was familiar to her as she had been here. She recalled bitter memories of her being chased by the bandits and got saved by Sir Vincent.
"Luminova," Elinalese called.
"Yes...Milady?" Luminova snapped out from her reverie as she turned her head to face Elinalese who looked at her with mild curiosity.
"Are you sure that Sir Vincent's lodging was in this forest somewhere?"
The only reason why there is a scouting party in the forest was to search for the lodging Vincent used to understand his origin. The weapons that he used, the clothes that he was wearing was otherworldly, and it is in the best interest of the Kingdom of Eldoria to find out where Vincent's house might be located as there might some answers there.
"Yes, Milady. I remember it clearly," Luminova replied and continued. "Sir Vincent's house was well-hidden, but if we follow the path I took that day, we should be able to find it."
Elinalese nodded thoughtfully. "Good. It is imperative that we find out more about him. He had been an enigmatic figure. He didn't even tell us what country he originated from." Vandar, riding ahead on his horse, called back to the carriage. "Milady Elinalese, we are approaching the area Luminova described. Prepare yourselves; we may encounter danger." The soldiers around the carriage tightened their grips on their weapons, eyes scanning the dense forest for any signs of movement.
After a few more minutes of cautious marching, Luminova pointed ahead. "There, just beyond those trees. That's where I remember seeing Sir Vincent's house."
The column halted, and Vandar dismounted, walking towards the indicated direction. "Stay here, Milady. I'll take a small group to investigate."
Elinalese agreed, and Vandar selected a few of his most trusted soldiers to accompany him. Luminova insisted on going as well, feeling a responsibility to guide them accurately.
They moved quietly through the underbrush, senses heightened for any signs of danger. As they pushed past the final barrier of foliage, they finally saw it—a small, but clearly advanced, house standing incongruously in the clearing.
The soldiers exchanged looks of surprise and curiosity. Vandar approached the house cautiously, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"This is it," he said softly. "It's not in line with the architecture from the Empire of Ishalgen or anywhere else we know of."
Luminova nodded. "Sir Vincent's technology is unlike anything we've encountered before."
Vandar gestured for the soldiers to spread out and secure the perimeter. He then turned to Luminova. "Lead the way inside."
Luminova took a deep breath and stepped forward, pushing the door open. The interior was as she remembered, filled with strange devices.
Vandar and the soldiers followed her in, their eyes wide with astonishment. "What is all this?" one of the soldiers muttered.
"Careful," Vandar warned. "We don't know what any of this does."
Luminova led them through the house, explaining what little she knew. "Sir Vincent had this switch that could turn on and off the lights. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but it made the room bright as day."
She flicked the switch, but nothing happened. The soldiers exchanged puzzled glances. Vandar frowned. "It doesn't seem to be working. Perhaps it's broken."
Luminova shrugged, clearly out of her depth. "Maybe. Let's move on to the kitchen."
The group followed her into a room filled with strange metal boxes and other unfamiliar objects. Luminova gestured to each in turn. "This is where Sir Vincent prepared food. He had a device here," she pointed to the stove, "that could heat up without fire. And this box," she indicated the refrigerator, "kept food cold."
Vandar looked skeptical. "Without fire? And how does this box stay cold?"
"I don't know," Luminova admitted. "It just did. But nothing seems to be working now."
One of the soldiers tried opening the refrigerator, finding it warm and empty. Another examined the stove, but it too seemed nonfunctional.
"None of this makes sense," Vandar muttered. "How could these devices work without any visible source of power?"
"I'm afraid I don't know either," Luminova admitted. "All I know is that Sir Vincent used them with ease."
Elinalese, who had joined them in the kitchen, examined the devices with fascination. "This technology is extraordinary. We must understand it. Perhaps we can find some clues elsewhere in the house."
Vandar nodded. "Let's continue exploring. Luminova, show us the rest of the house."
They moved to the bathroom next. Luminova pointed to the shower and the toilet. "This is where Sir Vincent could produce hot and cold water on command and dispose of waste immediately."
She turned the faucets and flushed the toilet, but as with the other devices, nothing happened.
"It's all stopped working," she said, frustration evident in her voice.
"Looks like we are going to need to bring some scholars and engineers here to study these devices properly," Vandar said, shaking his head. "We're clearly out of our depth."
"We need to understand how Sir Vincent powered all these devices. If we can harness this technology, it could revolutionize our kingdom," Luminova said.
"Okay, we are going to bring everything that is inside the house back to the capital," Vandar said decisively and beckoned his men to start moving.
The soldiers began carefully disassembling and packing the devices and appliances. Outside, Elinalese watched from inside the carriage. She could see the soldiers moving in and out of the house, carrying out strange devices and carefully loading them onto the carts.
"So those are the things Sir Vincent had inside his house?" Elinalese asked as Luminova walked towards the carriage.
"Yes Milady," Luminova confirmed and added. "It will be taken back to the capital so our scholars can investigate it, and figure out how it is operated."
"So his house is like a treasure for us huh?" Elinalese said, amusedly. "I think one day we should visit Sir Vincent."
"We will be returning now!" Vandar shouted, his voice carrying through the clearing.
The soldiers finished loading the last of the devices onto the carts, securing them carefully to ensure they wouldn't be damaged during the journey. Vandar approached the carriage where Elinalese and Luminova were waiting.
"Everything is packed and ready to go, Milady," Vandar said, giving a respectful nod.
"Excellent, Captain," Elinalese replied, glancing at the loaded carts. "Let's return to the
capital. We have much to uncover."
Luminova boarded the carriage, taking her seat next to Elinalese. The soldiers mounted their
horses and took their positions, ensuring the convoy was well-protected.
Moments later, they began their journey back to the Kingdom of Eldoria.