236 THE UNICORNS AGAIN ?
Leo folded his arms. "If I had to guess, he'll probably go mad."
Zeru's jaw tightened. "Then I'll destroy the fountain immediately."
Leo held up a hand. "That would be a mistake. If you destroy it now, you'll never uncover the ones responsible for bringing it here. It's better to follow the thread back to the source and capture the perpetrators."
Zeru considered his words, then nodded. "You're right. We'll unravel this plot… and make those behind it pay."
"Can you create an antidote for this poison?" Leo asked Megane.
"I can try but it'll take time", she replied.
Leo thought for a minute before asking, "Collect the water for me."
"What are you going to do with the poison water?" Governor Zeru asked.
"I might be able to replicate the poison without the benefits of the blessing", he replied.
"What is the good with that?" Megane asked.
"You'll see."
-----
[The House of Toledo]
Leo stormed into the House of Toledo, his soldiers flanking him. In his hand, he carried a warrant for the arrest of Hagglis Toledo, the patriarch of the esteemed Toledo family.
The Toledos were renowned craftsmen, the master artisans behind the city's finest magical artifacts and weaponry. They were not warriors, nor had they ever been, and as Leo's forces surrounded their estate, they had little choice but to yield.
Inside the grand hall of the Toledo residence, Hagglis stood waiting, his face drenched in sweat, brows furrowed in distress.
His hands trembled as he spoke. "I don't understand. Why have you surrounded my family?"
"Do you really need to ask?" barked Grammers, Leo's bullying officer. "You supplied a cursed magic fountain to the governor. You must explain your motives."
Leo and Petunia settled into chairs as Grammers continued his accusations.
"We had no knowledge that the fountain was cursed!" Hagglis protested, his voice laden with shock and anxiety. "How could it be?"
Grammers leaned forward, his voice low and threatening. "Perhaps you'll find your tongue if we escort you to the dungeon."
"No! This must be a misunderstanding!" Hagglis pleaded fearfully.
Before Grammers could press further, Petunia's keen eyes locked onto a mechanism affixed to the wall. She pointed at it. "What is this?"
Hagglis hesitated, but her question provided a momentary reprieve from his interrogation.
"Erm… That is a spell-casting artifact, one of the greatest heirlooms of our family," he admitted.
"What spell does it cast?" Petunia pressed, intrigued.
"It conjures lightning. It is used alongside our magic chain trap array, adding electrocution to the chains that captures its target. The spell is High-Tier Svad magic."
Petunia produced a magic artifact, a strange looking scepter like artifact—the Tentacles of Mahari. "What about this? Could these two artifacts be combined?"
Hagglis recoiled at the sight of the relic. "The Tentacles of Mahari? Where did you get this? We procured this artifact for the Cergontyn family. It is their sacred heirloom!"
"That's not your concern," Petunia replied coolly.
Hagglis stepped forward, momentarily forgetting the looming charges.
He summoned his team of craftsmen, who cast an observation spell over the artifact. Runes and sigils illuminated the air as they studied its composition.
Moments later, Hagglis exhaled sharply. "You've modified the original spell within the Tentacles of Mahari. You've ruined the artifact!"
Leo, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "The artifact is fine. Can you combine the lightning mechanism with this?"
Hagglis hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, we can."
"And can you enhance the electrocution spell?" Leo asked.
"We could, up to the peak of Svad or even higher but we lack a sufficient power source to sustain a higher-tier lightning spell," Hagglis admitted.
Petunia smirked. "You don't need to worry about the power source."
Hagglis was taken aback, but he replied, "It can be done… though I'm not sure if it will be of any use."
"That's not for you to worry about," Petunia said. "Can you forge it into a ring or a bracelet? Something wearable?"
"Yes, we can," Hagglis answered, though he suddenly hesitated. "And… what about the governor's warrant?"
Leo rose to his feet, his expression unreadable.
Petunia followed suit, tossing a final remark over her shoulder as they left. "Prepare a written statement detailing everything you know about the cursed magic fountain. We'll collect it when we retrieve the bracelet."
Hagglis stood frozen as they departed. One of his artificers turned to him, bewildered. "What just happened? Were our plans discovered by the governor?"
Hagglis exhaled heavily. "Lilleo Gullee didn't come here to arrest me. That's the good news."
"And the bad news?"
"He came to extort us from our family heirloom. We must complete the fusion of these artifacts immediately. The sooner we comply, the sooner our troubles with the cursed fountain will be resolved."
The artificer swallowed. "This Lilleo Gullee… He's truly the Demon of Gullee. No… the Demon of Sodom."
------
After leaving the Toledo main residence, Leo passed by their artifact workshop and noticed a familiar figure engaged in a heated discussion with the artificers.
"Please, you must help me unlock the magic of this Rose Scepter," the woman pleaded.
The artificer examined the artifact before shaking his head. "This artifact is broken. It's useless now."
"Then repair it," the woman insisted.
Leo approached and said, "Let me have a look at the Rose Scepter."
The woman turned, visibly startled at the sight of him. "Leo… erm, Lilleo Gullee? What are you doing here?"
"I came to deliver a warrant of arrest," Leo replied.
The woman was Dassa, an old friend from his days in Gomora City.
Petunia, standing beside him, narrowed her eyes. "Who is this?" she asked, a hint of jealousy lacing her tone.
"She's Dassa, an old friend," Leo answered.
Dassa turned to Petunia. "And who are you?"
"I'm his second wife," Petunia replied causing Dassa to recoil in shock and surprise.
Leo took the Rose Scepter and inspected it.
Something had happened to the artifact since the last time he had given it to Dassa, though he couldn't immediately determine what had caused its …. destruction.
Leo furrowed his brow. "Have you not removed the bloody curse on the unicorns yet?"