Others Summon, I Forge Beast Armor

The waiting room smelled like socks and coffee. Luke was seated and unattended. The chair he sat on was plastic and uncomfortable, the lights hurt his eyes, the vending machine nearby mocked him, and the clock on the wall was so loud, like it was counting his doom.

Moments like this reminded him why he must build a name that belonged to him instead of borrowing one from his family. He wanted a reputation people couldn’t ignore and a dynasty nobody could take away.

If he succeeded in creating a monopoly over the beast armor business, then his status would no longer depend on noble blood or family backing. People would have no choice but to respect him because of what he had built with his own hands.

But for now, he was at the Bureau’s mercy.

Warden Silas had told him that if he caught him diving another dungeon, he would throw him in jail. Luke was about to find out if that would be his fate.

Going to prison would mean missing the trials and the entire term, falling behind everyone else, and watching his plans collapse before they even started.

Maybe Luke should begin planning his escape, but if he escaped, he would become the wanted criminal for real.

A radio sound came from outside the waiting room, and then—

BANG!

The door opened, and a Bureau officer entered with his summon, a Riot Bison.

The Bison was so big which was why the door had to be opened very wide. On the contrary, the master and Bureau officer was stout.

He had a buzz cut, grey moustache, and hairy arms. The only thing he shared with his beast was red eyes. But whether it was resonance or as a result of too much smoking, Luke wasn’t sure.

”I have been sitting here for half an hour. May I have a glass of water, at least?” Luke asked as the man shuffled through a file.

Seconds ticked away, and Luke’s question was left unanswered. He thought that this officer was being an asshole who just wanted to see him suffer, but the officer was ignoring him out of his own ego.

When the man tilted at the perfect angle, Luke saw his rank badge. It was three stars above arrows, which meant one rank below Silas.

Luke almost laughed to himself. No wonder the man had walked in with so much pride. In the eyes of any citizen, someone at that rank was untouchable.

If Warden Silas had chosen this bison to come, then Luke should bear in mind this interrogation wouldn’t be friendly.

SLAM!

The interrogation began as the man placed three papers on the table.

The papers contained printed photos of a woman. She was blonde. Her head was apple-shaped, her eyes were brown, but the rest of her face was blemished with so much make-up, it looked like a child crayoned the papers.

If they wanted anyone to identify the woman, the makeup did the opposite. But it was exactly what gave her away!

”High General Oswald. Bureau of Public Enforcement, Central Division. Twenty-three years of service, twelve leading investigations into summoners’ crimes, and the man handling your case from this point forward.

You’re here under suspicion of multiple offenses, including unlawful dungeon activity, resisting lawful arrest, assault on Bureau directives, aggravated assault, and attempted murder of officers...

Destruction of public property.

Destruction of aircraft.

Aiding fugitives and criminal organizations.

Conspiracy, reckless endangerment, and murder.”

High General Oswald pushed the photographs closer, saying, ”I’ll keep this simple. Do you know this woman?”

The question got no reply, forcing the Riot Bison to come forward and snort a hot breath in Luke’s face.

”So it’s an intimidation tool,” Luke thought.

Bureau officers often relied on summons like this to pressure suspects into speaking before the interrogation had even begun.

Maybe that method had worked on plenty of people before, but Luke knew it wouldn’t work on him. If there was one thing he was sure of is that no one is obligated to answer questions. As long as he remained silent, nobody could force a word out of him.

”So that’s how you want to do this?” Oswald asked, devoid of patience. ”Fine. Keep your mouth shut if you like, but understand you’re looking at decades behind bars. The more you cooperate, the more willing the Bureau will be to consider leniency. Keep refusing, and don’t expect anyone to make your situation easier.”

He expected Luke to fold like a chair, but Luke still looked the same way he had when Oswald entered. This time his arms were folded, his back was relaxed, but his eyes were still calm and bored, and a slight frown on his face because he didn’t like the power trip.

”High General Oswald,” he said, ”get me a glass of water if you want me to speak to you.”

Luke’s audacity knew no bounds!

Oswald’s eyebrows and lips twitched in frustration, in that kind of unhinged anger.

He left the room before his temper got the better of him because continuing the interrogation in that state would achieve nothing.

The Bureau suspected Luke of many crimes, but suspicion wasn’t the same as proof, and Luke understood the difference.

If they had enough evidence to convict him already, there would be no reason to interrogate him in the first place. By now, he should’ve been playing chess with his new cellmate.

This meant there was still a chance for Luke to walk out a free man...

He looked at the photograph of the blonde woman again. Thinking about that night reminded him that Scarlett could’ve been sitting next to him in this waiting room for every crime listed except one.

Murder.

Luke remembered aiming his Energy Cannon at the woman.

After everything she had put them through, he didn’t regret it.

Meanwhile, Silas watched Luke through the observation window after High General Oswald left the room.

He pictured Luke as a baby, then a toddler, then a little boy running around the Kingsley estate, and finally the teenager now sitting alone in the interrogation room.

A phone call interrupted the thought. The caller ID read, Duchess Roselyn.

Silas answered very quickly, and the first thing Roselyn asked was whether Luke was in their custody. After Silas confirmed that he was, the Duchess thanked him and said she would be arriving shortly.

Roselyn’s plan was to post Luke’s bail herself and take him from there.