Klaus Stahlwölfe was there, and their audience was ongoing. After Ushida asked the question of whether they had malice or ill intent, Dante was sure that they were done for, that they were being dragged a trap and would soon get disposed of, but instead, they were taken to the big man himself, making it appear as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
’Was I... was I just overthinking?’ He thought to himself. ’No... There is no way it’s that...’
Dante refused to believe Shirogane Ushida could miss a crucial detail while performing one of his interrogations. There was no doubt that he had seen through Mr. Pike and the others, but if that was the case, why would he allow them to meet his charge?
’Is he saving it for later?’
There was always the possibility that he was delaying things for later to avoid bothering his charge. Though their importance was debatable, it doesn’t change the fact that Klaus Stahlwölfe has invited them to his home. If they were to disappear before meeting him, it might create problems later on. On the other hand, once the audience was over, it wouldn’t matter if their existence was erased.
’It sounds logical, but...’
The risk he would be putting his charge in outweighed whatever problem that might occur from some random guests not showing up. Because of that, Dante found it difficult to believe that the head of security would do something like that.
[Dante, we have a problem.]
Volcan’s voice tore through Dante’s thoughts.
[There are no signals.] The AI replied. [I am unable to detect any electromagnetic signals in the area, or any receptors for that matter.]
’No shit?’ Dante’s jaws tightened. ’Not even from the phones used by the Stahlkorps?’
Right now, they had bigger problems to worry about. Diving into the mansion’s network and obtaining its layout no longer mattered since the trio were exposed. It might prove to be useful if he decides to do things solo, but right now, that was the last of his worries.
’Hold on...’ Opening his eyes for a moment, Dante checked the cafe he was in for a few seconds then closed his eyes again, ignoring the glance Finn gave him. As soon as he was back to seeing things from Rose’s perspective, he suddenly realized something. ’We still have signal?’
[That seems to be the case.] Volcan replied, sounding as confused as he was.
The thirty-seven floor is surrounded by a magic barrier capable of blocking Type 8-3’s Spatial Awareness ability, which is why they expected to encounter some kind of jamming or interference that cut their connection to Rose’s NIM. There were no signs of her passing the barrier, however.
’Something isn’t right...’
Led by Klaus Stahlwölfe, the group soon found themselves in a vast hall that stretched on for more than a hundred meters. Dante’s first impression was that he had walked into a Tōseiren exhibition.
The walls near the entrance were lined with scroll paintings, several of which were lined up to create one larger piece depicting a moon reflected on a lake surrounded by several mountains. At another point, rows of display cases stood along a red carpet.
The first few contained curved blades with the famous eastern style, called katana, along with their intricately designed scabbards. Others had different kinds of weapons, including spears called naginata, some bows and arrows, and even a few Kabutowari. Suits of armor were placed along the weapon displays, with some matching the designs of the weapons, alluding to them being created by the same person.
Each item had a plate beside it, and from what he could glance, Dante learned that each one belonged to a famous figure from the Eastern Star Federation’s history. Of course, the scion of a wealthy conglomerate wouldn’t collect just about any old item he came across, so it made sense that he would go for the rarest and most valuable, which also tend to be the most prestigious.
Dante didn’t have to wonder too much about the story behind the items as Klaus himself took the initiative to explain the origin of each one and how he managed to obtain them. Once he started throwing numbers, Dante felt that he was on the verge of passing out. The bastard was spending the budget of small countries on a hobby.
"And this is my latest acquisition." The scion spoke with a broad smile. "Thanks to you, Mr. Pike, I finally had the chance to study one of the remaining traces of Emperor Xiaozu. Uncovering the history of his era has been..."
As he went on with his history lesson, Dante gazed at the blade displayed on a soft cushion in a solitary case. It was an old jian with a golden hilt and a short blade made from crimson jade rather than metal. Though time had eroded some of its luster, one can still recognize its true value at first glance.
Tianhua Dynasty’s second emperor, Xiaozu, was known for his ruthless reign and the countless wars that spread through the entire eastern continent. The blade belonging to him was said to have been made from white jade and gained its red color after drinking from the blood of thousands of enemies slain by his own hands.
The value of such a treasure was immeasurable, which is why Mr. Pike had offered it as a gift to draw the Stahlwölfe scion’s attention. A necessary sacrifice that earned them this audience. Retrieving it became an additional goal for the heist, which is likely a reason that would make Mr. Pike hesitant about dropping out.
"Now, I’m sure you have been waiting for this moment." Said Klaus, leading the group deeper into the hall. "The Tōseika empire was the only nation that managed to push back on the rampant Tianhua expansion. Their royal family, the Mikazuki clan, is said to be descendants of the moon, which granted them the magical powers that allowed them to rule over their lands and resist outside invasions."
Turning around, the rich scion motioned to a large display case flanked by several white banners with a blue emblem that depicted a crescent moon and three bamboo sticks, along with some leaves.
The item displayed in the glass box seemed too small for its size. Made from flawless white jade, it had the crescent shape of a sickle, with a handle fashioned from a dark blue crystal engraved with intricate shapes and symbols.