Chapter 39: Book 2 Embers of War – Chapter 37

Inside the Eastvale Trade Company's headquarters in Auron, Jovann had been reviewing the company's finances. It had been over a year since he was taken in under Arlan's guidance. Jovann had turned into an enigma within the economic world and the dark underground.

Many syndicates feared Jovann and the Eastvale Trade Company for two reasons, it was secretly backed by House Reeve and it had weaponized agents known as the Umbras. The young elf had unrivaled control over Auron and Galdo's underground markets and gangs.

It was merely three past noon when the door to Jovann's office busted open. The intruder was Onas, Jovann's younger brother. "Jovie! Look what I learned today at school!"

Onas had been talking again since a few months back.

Jovann got up and saw the book Onas had been carrying, "Oh, so today you've completely learned the history of Althea?"

"Well... Not the whole thing!"

"Then what did they teach you today?"

"The teacher taught us about the war with the Whota Borc Tribes!"

"Really now? I remember mama and papa teaching me that too."

"Yay, I learned what Jovie learned! Teacher said that they were mean."

"Yes, Orcs are quite mean."

"Are there nice borcs? Like big bro Arwan?"

"Big bro Arlan isn't an orc and I don't think there are any nice orcs."

"But he is nice?"

"Yes, he is. He saved us from the streets."

"Silly Jovie, but we still walk on the streets. Don't we?"

Jovann smiled and simply patted his little brother's innocent head.

The older brother forgot to mention something and asked, "Speaking of big bro... Onas, how would you like to see him today and show him how much you've grown?"

"Big bro Arwan is here?" asked Onas as his eyes widened, "Yes, let's go see him together, Jovie!"

"He’ll be here soon."

"Good! It's been so long since I've seen big bro Arwan... I don't remember he looks like..."

"It's alright, once big bro Arlan is done with his work. You can come see him as much as you'd like."

"Weally? And you will come with?"

"Of course, Onas. Wherever you go, I'll go."

 

Two weeks had flown by fast. The Banner of the Claw had undergone Arlan's arduous training regiment along with an excursion deep into the frontiers to hunt down large beasts that roamed the lands. In that short time, they had improved their cores and cohesion across the board.

Arlan also oversaw Galmora's expansion; it now housed over four-thousand denizens of different races. The military district was quickly expanded to meet the Banner of the Claw’s needs. Lavender flowers were farmed for their tea export and the ore exports were non-stop. The frontier town continued to explode and prosper, despite the war. Another year of continuous growth would turn Galmora into a small city.

After the training, the King's Blade marched his Banner of the Claw south to Auron, the Emerald City. But while his men were resting at the Auron Military District, Arlan was secretly on his way to meet with Jovann.

The streets of Auron weren't as lively as when Arlan had first visited a year ago. But for a city that was feeling the economic pressure of war, it was expected and could've been worse. The King's Blade moved through the back alleys in a brown hood covering nearly everything about him. Following him were four other brown hooded figures.

"This alley smells like shit," stated Marie with disgust.

"You could've just stayed at the manor," replied Chrysta as she was used to this smell as a commoner, "Arlan, why are we walking through here anyway?"

Arlan turned around and scolded Chrysta, "I told you! Do not say our names!"

"Sorry!" Chrysta apologized as she realized her mistake.

"But why are we walking these weird routes anyway?" asked Princess Emmeline.

None of the three girls were used to the secrecy. But Arlan and JD had visited the Eastvale Trade Company's headquarters in the past so they were naturally used to it.

Arlan regretted allowing them to tag along and answered the girls' question, "These routes are not only faster but are less seen by everyone. I normally take these routes to avoid anyone from following us."

Despite the Reeve Baron's statement and caution, there was a figure on the rooftops high above. Following the five hooded figures in the alley.

JD noticed the tail and pointed up, "Too late for that."

The King's Blade activated his [Battle Trance] and smiled. "It's alright, JD. We don't need to worry."

"I understand," answered JD as he moved his hand off the hilt of his sword.

The five shady characters continued their way through the small alley. They finally saw the exit onto the main road. It led to the Eastvale Trade Company's main office.

But before they could exit the alley, a door swung open from the left side and out came three brigands. They had been waiting for unsuspecting prey.

"What do we have here? Some lost students? Do you all realize that this is MY alley?" asked the lead brigand with a red vest.

The left brigand brandished an iron stiletto and added, "I like when you tell'em like you do, Brad! It gets my blood pumping!"

"Aye, we run this town!" yelled the brigand on the right, who wore a dirty blue vest.

As the trio finished their monologue, five more thieves appeared from behind and another five thieves joined the three brigands in front. The bandits numbered thirteen in total.

I could use an excuse to unleash my frustrations.

None of Arlan and his retinue were worried. They could easily tell the brigands were no more than first-tier red-cores.

The King's Blade finally answered back, "Ambushing unsuspecting people sure screams ‘I run this town’ to everyone here."

JD, Chrysta, and Marie smiled as Arlan's answer was their greenlight to engage. But Princess Emmeline was confused at the smiles in such a dangerous situation.

"You got some fucking nerve boy!" yelled Brad angrily as he dashed toward Arlan with a rusty curved scimitar.

The King's Blade didn't move and before the rusty scimitar struck its target, a teal blade cleanly cut through the rusty weapon. Its upper half simply flew diagonally into the wall. JD had blocked the attack with ease and broke the scimitar in half.

Brad blinked twice and dropped his weapon when he realized what was happening. He then tried lunging a dagger toward JD who easily sidestepped the thrust. The Tempest Knight answered with a non-lethal hilt pommel and knocked Brad unconscious. The rest of the brigands were just as confused but decided to attack anyway, they still held the numerical advantage.

Arlan didn't bother to draw his weapon and had worn leather gloves that day. But it was more than enough as he drove his fist into the brigand with the iron stiletto. He had merely used three percent of his strength and sent the brigand flat on his back. Arlan's left hand caught the iron stiletto and threw it over JD's shoulder who had just kicked two more brigands down. The iron stiletto flew perfectly and struck another lackey in the shoulder.

Behind Arlan and JD were the girls. Arlan knew they could take care of themselves. When the fight in the front started, Chrysta merely casted [Ice Spike] on each of the rear attackers and Marie dashed forth with her staff. The Embercaller had enhanced herself with essence and used enhancement magic to bolster her speed.

Marie swung angrily into each of the attackers, knocking them out while their feet were still frozen in the ground. They stood no chance. Marie was more than capable of handling a few first-tiers with her staff, especially with [Ice Spike] holding the brigands down as easy targets. The street brawl ended in a mere twenty seconds.

Having only seen Arlan at the Tetrasan Tournament, Princess Emmeline was impressed by JD, Marie, or Chrysta’s fighting capabilities.

"That was fun," exclaimed Marie, "Maybe we should take alleys more often!"

Chrysta agreed with her sister, "It was, wasn't it?"

Arlan and JD looked at each other and laughed.

"Was that fun for you too?" asked Arlan.

JD shrugged, "It was nice to let off some steam from our long trip."

Right after the Tempest Knight finished his last word, twenty more brigands filed in from both sides.

"More fun! Yay!" chirped Marie as she readied her staff.

Chrysta also jumped with glee and said, "Let's do it again!"

The brigands were all confused and angry as they had never seen five youngsters easily demolish their gang like so.

The King's Blade merely leaned against the wall with his arms folded and shrugged, "Go ahead, don't kill them though."

JD continued forth with only one of his mithril longswords and cut down any metal that attempted to strike him. He used the pommel or flat side of his blade to knock them out. He had easily demolished the first row of brigands.

Despite the massive difference in core strength, the brigand's numbers weren't applicable in such a small alley. It funneled their numbers and were choked into a narrow path. Their numerical advantage was a myth in this fight.

While the Tempest Knight barraged through the front, the Embercaller and Coldheart tore through the back with instant cast spells at point blank range and striking the brigands down with their staves.

Arlan had trained both Marie and Chrysta in proper melee combat in the last two weeks. He figured they needed to be able to defend themselves properly in melee.

But instead of using it as a defensive measure, the two girls integrated what they learned into their fighting styles. They were much more mobile and positioned themselves efficiently.

They also weren't afraid of anyone getting close. The two easily struck down brigand after brigand while unleashing first-tier spells at their opponents.

After nearly a minute, all forty brigands who had appeared were either unconscious or crying in pain on the ground. Arlan locked eyes with the figure above who had been following them and winked. The hooded figure smiled back and let out a small giggle.

"Are we finished now?" asked Arlan.

On cue with Arlan's question, three more brigands appeared from the front. This time, they were much stronger. The two on the sides were second-tier white-core while the center brigand was a third-tier yellow-core. He was likely the leader.

I don't have time for this.

The center brigand then said, "You'll all pay for-"

"-I think we've had enough fun," interjected Arlan, "Nightingale."

The Panther leapt from the ledge above and dove down right behind the brigand leader. Before he could react, Nightingale had already positioned her blade at his vulnerable neck. The two lackeys behind were about to attack Nightingale’s back when two more Umbras appeared and mimicked their Umbra Leader. The other two Umbra held blades directed at their prey's necks.

Nightingale then asked, "Your orders?"

Arlan sighed, "Just knock them out."

As ordered, the three Umbras struck their targets in the back of their heads. The three last brigands were knocked out.

"Nighty!" yelled Marie as she ran over and embraced her once savior. The blonde Umbra ignored Marie and even felt slightly annoyed. As fast as the two other Umbras appeared, they were already gone.

"Alright, anymore idiots?" asked Arlan as he looked around and scanned the area, "Let's go."

Before Nightingale could return to the rooftops like her colleagues, Arlan's voice rang out, "Nightingale, you stay. I need you in the room when we're talking to Jovann."

"As you command," acknowledged Nightingale as she tried pulling away from Marie.

 

Jovann and Onas were drinking greenberry juice brought in by an assistant. They patiently waited for Arlan as Jovann had already received reports of his Lord entering the city.

He knew Arlan would come to see him personally. Then just as he predicted, the door swung open revealing that it was indeed Arlan. But what confused Jovann was how many people were behind the King's Blade.

"Big bro Arwan!" shouted Onas as he ran up and hugged Nightingale.

"Onas, that person isn't Arlan."

"It's... not?"

"No."

"Oh..." Onas immediately recoiled and ran behind Jovann. Only his head peaked from the side. Everyone pulled their hoods back and revealed themselves before the two elves. The little Onas still struggled to figure out which person was Arlan.

The King's Blade smiled at the mistake earlier and said, "Onas, it's me, Arlan! I'm over here."

Joy and glee returned to the young elf's eyes as he dashed over and hugged Arlan tightly.

"I know everyone but the red-head. So who is she?" asked Jovann as he walked over.

"Princess Emmeline."

Jovann froze and his head turned slowly to Arlan and back to Emmeline. He immediately dropped on one knee and Onas imitated his brother.

The elf begged, "Forgive my disrespect. Please do not punish me, I did not know it was you, Princess."

Onas also begged, "Forgive my brother, miss. Whatever he has done, he is sorry!"

Emmeline grabbed both elves by the arm and said, "Rise, please. Don't worry, I took no offense to your comment."

Both elves obeyed and rose to their feet. Jovann sighed then angrily shouted at Arlan, "You should tell me that the Princess of Midland would be coming to our office today!"

"I didn't plan on bringing her either," admitted Arlan as he accepted Jovann's berating, "She kind of just came along. Same with the other two girls."

Jovann sighed once more and his moment of anger subsided. The elf then signaled for his assistants who brought in tea, juices, wines, sweets, and other treats. They laid them out at the coffee table next to the emerald couches.

"Please enjoy these," stated Jovann as he sat back down at his desk, "It isn't much but if I had known Princess Emmeline would be here, I would've prepared more."

While sitting down at the couches, the girls immediately dove into the sweets. Even Nightingale couldn't resist the temptation and joined them as well.

JD and Arlan grabbed a cup of tea and sat at Jovann's desk. Onas dragged a small chair next to Arlan and sat it in. Jovann had it made specifically for his younger brother to sit in the office.

Jovann knew why Arlan had come and said, "I prepared everything in this dossier for you. It's all the intel we've gathered on the southern houses, the area, underground businesses, and anything we have regarding the monster cores."

"Excellent, as always Jovann," stated Arlan as he accepted the documents, "What did you end up finding about the abnormal monster cores?"

"We discovered that about thirty individuals have received and absorbed abnormal monster cores. Two have already been killed."

"Who were the two?"

"Iris Hawkwell and Hector Hawkwell."

A silent pause overtook the room. Even the girls slowed their chewing of sweets.

"Do you know when and where the abnormal monster cores were distributed?"

"Hard to say," answered Jovann while he scratched his forehead, "Reports were conflicting. Some individuals had received them from birth, some received them very late. As to where, they've been distributed mostly in the south."

"Mostly? Were some given out here?"

"Although unconfirmed, the two Hawkwells supposedly received their abnormal monster cores after the Tetrasan Tournament, here in Auron."

"Who gave it to them?"

"Their father, Duke Elias Hawkwell."

"He must've received it from someone else?"

"That is probably the case. Duke Elias wouldn't have the means to produce such an item. At the Tetrasan Tournament all participants not from Lancel High Academy, had received abnormal monster cores. Except for one individual, Maginus Academy's Yuna Argold."

"I remember her," Arlan thought back, "Why didn't she receive one?"

"Easy, she isn't of noble birth. All of the southern houses had one thing in common, they all had trade agreements with an unknown organization from the Free Cities of Yura."

"I see,” acknowledged Arlan as he sipped on his tea.

"Arlan... Things keep getting weirder with anything surrounding this abnormal monster core. Something isn't right. The Umbras had a difficult time gathering this intel. They couldn’t even find a lead on the unknown organization. But everything we did find is in that document."

"Thanks, Jovann."

"Anything for the boss."

Onas added, "Yeah, anything for big bro!"

Arlan then gave an order, "Nightingale, you and your panthers will accompany us to Oreta."

"By your command," bowed Nightingale as she waltzed out the door with a few extra sweets in hand.

The King's Blade and his retinue was then escorted out by Jovann and Onas. The thirty employees in the office dared not to ask who Jovann's friends were. They only knew how important this group was to the company.

As they arrived outside, Arlan mentioned to Jovann about sending for the city watch to mop up the brigands in the alley.

Jovann laughed and reassured Arlan that they would be thrown into the dungeons. Arlan and his retinue disappeared back into the streets of Auron, preparing for their journey to Oreta, the Capital of Midland.

 

Five days later, an old merchant had been traveling alone on a stone road. On his back was a pack full of trade goods. He had been traveling for two days from his small quaint village in order to sell his wares in a much larger city.

The merchant wasn't alone either, many travelers, adventurers, other merchants, farmers, and nobles shared the same road. All hailing from different walks of life, only to travel the same road as another.

After crossing through the final roundabout hill, the old merchant caught sight of his destination. The majestic white walls and beautiful old human architecture was extremely unique.

The old merchant never grew tired of this sight, for he had walked this path numerous times in his life. He uttered under his breath, "Oreta, you never cease to amaze me with your beauty."

Moments later, a blue carriage drove past the old merchant. He gave no mind as there were many other carriages on the road that day.

Inside the blue carriage was Arlan, Emmeline, Chrysta, Marie, and JD. They had been riding in the carriage for the entire trip. The driver knocked on the window and announced that the capital city had come into view.

Everyone in the carriage except Emmeline looked out the windows, JD even swung the door open and stood on the ramp below the door. This was everyone's first time at the giant metropolis except for the Midland Princess.

JD felt the warm air surrounding him and asked, "Oreta is at least twice the size of Auron, isn't it?"

Arlan answered, "Almost, it's about three quarters bigger than Auron."

"I can't wait!" shouted Marie with half her body poking out the window, "Princess Emmeline, show us where the best places to shop are!"

"I will, Marie," replied Emmeline who was still inside the carriage, "I'll take Chrysta with us too."

Chrysta's face lit up in excitement for the thought of shopping with the Midland Princess herself meant all the perks and benefits.

"Hey now," Arlan interrupted, "Remember why we're here. Make sure you all accomplish your objectives."

Marie mocked Arlan from the otherside of the carriage in front of Chrysta who let out a giggle. The King's Blade knew what Marie was doing though, he didn't have to see it. But he also wasn’t bothered by her playfulness.

"How much longer?" asked JD to the driver.

"Mi'lord, we'll arrive within half an hour."

After being satisfied with the view and hearing that it would be another half-hour, everyone returned to the cabin inside. While it was only the party of five inside the carriage, the panthers were moving parallel at a distance. If the panthers had rode along, it would've garnered too much unwanted attention.

The ride had been uneventful but everyone used it to rest and enjoyed each other's company. Arlan daydreamed that they were leisurely exploring Althea without a worry.

His daydream was cut short when they arrived at the gargantuan gates of Oreta. Thirty minutes had passed quickly when he dozed off. Arlan's eyes widened at how massively wide and tall the gate was.

The opened entrance revealed the metropolis beyond. The city was massive and sprawled forth. There were countless buildings and structures as far as the eye could see. Arlan couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city. But he was also amazed by the number of people walking the streets.

The carriage stopped at the main-gate and Princess Emmeline exited the carriage. The guards in heavy steel-armor recognized her and quickly panicked, they allowed entry while also scrambling to notify their higher-ups. The princess returned inside the carriage as it continued on.

Driving through the large city revealed the architecture was similar to the Romans on Terra. The white building colors were interrupted by the streets lined with trees and greenery. The roads were paved in both stone and cobblestone. The buildings themselves were made of white marble or brick and wood. They were all built in a similar fashion to the outer wall’s style.

While the population was mostly human, there were an assortment of other races still. There were elves, dwarves, and even some lizard beastmen mixed in. The citizens of Oreta were all dressed based on their occupations. Wealthy merchants, adventurers, mercenaries, mages, students from the local schools, and commoners were all going about their days throughout the metropolis.

To keep the peace in such a large city, were four-thousand guardsmen in the city watch. Then there were the countless royal palace guards who superseded guardsmen in authority.

Within minutes, the carriage was joined by an escort of ten knights. They were alerted to Princess Emmeline's arrival from when she made herself known at the gate. They made their way through the various districts, each with its own set of unique buildings. The Midland Capital was the most impressive city Arlan had visited from his time on Althea so far.

After a total of twenty minutes by carriage, Arlan and his entourage arrived at the royal palace. They didn't stop until they arrived at the main courtyard which was meant to receive important figures and dignitaries.

The side door opened and Arlan stepped off first. He did so in order to help Princess Emmeline and the other girls down. After all five travelers had exited the carriage, a loud voice boomed from the center of the courtyard, "I've missed you so much my daughter!"

It was King Richard Avens. He was joined by Queen Margaret and High Minister Elric Hans. Two columns of royal guards were also on both sides of the courtyard with polearms. They donned golden armor that Arlan figured was more for show than functionality.

"Father! Mother!" answered Emmeline as she ran forth, "I've missed you so much!"

Arlan, JD, Chrysta, and Marie naturally knelt before the royal family as Emmeline reunited with her parents.

"Rise! Please rise!" said King Richard as he smiled at the four youngsters before him.

"Your grace!" answered the four as they rose to their feet.

King Richard walked by Marie first and said, "Lady Marie Balan, your mother must be so proud! I've heard of your talents from Lady Dafni."

"You're too kind, your grace!" bowed Marie elegantly.

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The Midland King moved onto Chrysta and continued his welcome, "Mi'lady, pardon my rudeness, you are?"

"Chrys-Chrysta Balan! Your Grace," answered Chrysta nervously.

"Another Balan?" asked King Richard as he turned toward Marie, "I don't recall you having a sister?"

Marie answered, "She had been taken in by my family two weeks ago, Your Grace."

King Richard's confusion disappeared, "Ah, that must mean you are quite talented in magic!"

"Your Grace!" bowed Chrysta.

Then King Richard stood before the in line, JD and said, "You must be the Adjutant Knight that accompanies the King's Blade. Knight Jan Derva, I presume?"

JD bowed and confirmed the King's statement, "That is correct, my king. I am Knight Jan Derva."

Finally, King Richard stood before Arlan and greeted his future son-in-law, "And here he is, Baron Arlan Reeve. The future King of Midland!"

"My king!" stated Arlan as he bowed before the crown.

King Richard caught Arlan by surprise and scooped him up in one arm like Duke Louis had done so before. Then yelled out, "Enough of these formalitie, Baron Arlan! You are the King's Blade. You bow to no one, not even I."

Arlan looked over at Emmeline who was giggling next to her mother and the princess simply nodded.

"My king!" scolded Minister Elric, "I don't believe it is wise for royalty to mingle with someone like so! It is unlike royalty!"

King Richard's aura was unleashed and he said, "If I recall, Minister, I am allowed to greet my future son-in-law how I see fit."

Minister Elric was shaking and swallowed something hard. He simply nodded in approval.

The majestic aura that had one exuded power was recalled and King Richard said to his visitors, "You all must be tired. Allow the servants to see to you all and your belongings. A feast has been prepared to celebrate the return of my daughter."

That aura… What was that? It wasn't just his presence that created such pressure.

Ten different servants appeared and started assisting the four with their belongings.

Emmeline walked over to Arlan and said, "See you at dinner?"

The King's Blade acknowledged his fiancee with a simple smile and nod.

The four youngsters were led to a guest room where they were able to enjoy a hot bath and change of clothes. The King had provided them with luxurious outfits that somehow fit them almost perfectly.

 

Thirty minutes later, Arlan and JD stepped out of their guest room. Chrysta and Marie were still in the opposite guest room. JD felt uneasy in the clothes and protested, "I think I prefer armor."

Arlan understood JD's sentiments but informed his friend, "Same. But traditions are important to maintain. How you present yourself formally is also a sign of your talents. I was taught that if I presented myself well, then I would look more respectable."

The Adjutant Knight understood but was still uncomfortable in the outfit. In the hallway, there were numerous royal guards stationed and patrolling about.

Before JD could complain again about his clothes, Chrysta and Marie emerged from their side in beautiful dresses. JD's eyes locked onto Chrysta with sheer focus. He was lovestruck again and had made it incredibly obvious.

The Coldheart blushed and held her arm out, inviting JD to be her escort. She waited nearly fifteen seconds before Arlan got impatient and pushed his Adjutant Knight toward Chrysta. The two walked on and were ushered forth by the guards. Marie and Arlan trailed behind and laughed at their friend's inability to speak or move.

After three minutes of navigating through the maze of hallways, they arrived in the main hall where a grand feast had taken place. Many different nobles and houses who made up the royal court were present with their families.

Nearby guards and servants moved about with purpose. When the four friends arrived, their presence was announced by a head servant who introduced each of them properly.

Chrysta and JD both felt out of place as this was their first time being treated like a noble. The only noble by birth was Marie and Arlan had adapted to the culture from when he was adopted. As they walked down the stairs to the main hall, they were applauded by the entire room.

Once Arlan stepped onto the floor, his [Battle Trance] started scanning for any threats and any abnormalities. Everything seemed normal up until he noticed a brown-haired male in his late twenties, whose core was completely unreadable. Something dark and cloudy completely engulfed the man's core, hiding it completely.

Arlan quietly whispered, "Marie, who is that man at my two o'clock wearing the green tunic?"

Marie used her peripheral vision while smiling and whispered back, "He's the Kingdom's Master of Finances, Roy Vanders."

"Keep an eye on him."

"Will do."

The four friends were the center of attention. They were greeted and bombarded by the royal court. All of whom wanted to gain favor, especially with Arlan.

The moment one sentence was spoken, another noble would introduce himself. But something was strange, Roy hadn't introduced himself to any of them and was talking to a few other nobles with a disgruntled look.

The King's Blade was surrounded by nobles from military backgrounds, complimenting Arlan on his accolades.

I need to ditch these people.

Arlan decided it was enough and excused himself to walk over to the suspicious Master of Finances.

Arlan introduced himself, "Baron Arlan Reeve, King's Blade. I was curious as to who you might be?"

"Margrave Roy Vanders," answered Roy as he bowed, "Master of Finances, Head of House Vanders."

"I noticed you were a bit more reserved and didn't flock to my peers. I respect your patience," lied Arlan.

"I don't fancy these gatherings, King's Blade," answered Roy as he glared at the other nobles, "Forgive me if I may be frank, I'm not overly ecstatic to meet you or your friends either."

"I take no offense from your words, Margrave."

"Oh?" smiled Roy as he grinned, "Here I thought you would take offense and make yourself a fool. You may be more than meets the eye."

"Not the first time I've heard that."

"A bit of arrogance I see. You may be the King's Blade, but be sure to check the mirror once in a while and remind yourself that you're still a boy."

There it is. Let's see how you handle this.

Arlan released his killing intent and everyone nearby felt the murderous aura. Even the royal guards walked over with their hands on their hilts. Before anything else could be said, Arlan retracted his killing intent and simply walked away from Roy.

Marie appeared behind Arlan, who had just canceled her [Trueflame] precast. She was ready to incinerate Roy on Arlan's command. Roy was unaffected by Arlan's killing intent.

He needs to be watched. I'll have the Panthers search his estate later.

Arlan mouthed to Marie, "We wait for Intel. Umbras will find it."

Marie nodded and simply walked back to mingling with other members of the royal court. She specifically targeted nobles who may have information on Roy. JD and Chrysta were well aware of what was happening but didn't know how to navigate the floor like Arlan and Marie had done. 

After ten minutes had passed, the royal family had finally made its appearance. They were accompanied by High Minister Elric Hans and the elven Royal Court Archmage, Jin Albera.

Arlan had seen the royal court archmage once before during his fifteenth birthday but hadn't a chance to really get a grasp on him. The King's Blade used his [Battle Trance] on Jin Albera and detected an abnormal amount of mana flowing through with no essence lanes at all. Jin Albera's mana core was a fifth-tier white-core.

The Elven Archmage’s eyes locked onto Arlan. It was as if Jin had known that Arlan was scanning his mana lanes.

What the-

The King's Blade immediately felt a presence in his mind and a voice echoed inside, "Look again."

Jin Albera had somehow interjected his words into Arlan's mind. After the presence was gone, Arlan noticed an immense amount of mana burst from within Jin. His mana core was now a seventh-tier red-core.

It was something Arlan had never seen before. But before he could realize what was happening, the mana core returned to a fifth-tier white-core. Arlan was unsure if Jin Albera was an ally or an enemy. But one thing the young lion was sure of, the Archmage before him was as strong as Soketh, the Naraka Lord.

King Richard arrived on the floor with his wife and daughter by his side. They had stolen the spotlight from Arlan and his three friends. It was a welcome change though. 

The banquet continued uneventfully. JD and Chrysta finally got a moment to sit in peace when the royal family had arrived. Marie was making use of her noble background and was gathering information to the best of her ability.

Right as Arlan was about to dive into a plate of food, a voice behind him interrupted his plans, "May I sit at this table?"

"Yes you may-"

Arlan realized it was the Royal Court Archmage. He had somehow hidden his presence from Arlan's [Battle Trance].

The second time today, but I can’t even detect his presence right now.

"Thank you so much, King's Blade," answered Jin as he sat next to Arlan.

Jin's presence invaded Arlan's mind once more, "I want you to smile and pretend as if we are conversing normally. I can send my words through my mana-lanes into your mind. I cannot read thoughts or the mind, so your personal space is safe. Simply nod yes if you understand me."

Arlan nodded yes as he smiled and started eating his food.

"I was the one who requested King Richard to summon you to Oreta. I need your help. The royal family is in danger. It was my idea to send Princess Emmeline to Galmora. Your frontier-town was the best hiding place for her."

The King's Blade simply nodded yes as he sipped on a goblet of wine.

"You may be wondering why I asked Princess Emmeline to come back as well if it is so dangerous. It's because we cannot catch the enemy without her presence here in the capital. And what better person to help and protect her at the same time then you, the King's Blade."

Another nod came from Arlan as he bit into a slab of roast pork.

"The enemy is likely in league with the rebels. Your arrival has them caught off-guard. I cannot protect the royal family by myself and investigate who the enemy is at the same time. Will you help me?"

"Servant! I'd like to ask for more wine," stated Arlan as he shook his head no.

"Why wouldn't you help me? Is it because you don't trust me?"

Arlan nodded yes at the servant pouring him wine.

"Then we will speak in private. I'll visit your chambers tonight. Bring your friends."

Jin then excused himself and went back to interacting with the crowd.

Chrysta sat down next to Arlan at where Jin had just sat and asked, "Marie and I noticed faint traces of mana being released. Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," answered Arlan as he got up, "Tell the others to meet in my room tonight."

I need to see if Jin Albera can be trusted and what Roy Vanders is hiding up his sleeve.

Arlan was then summoned alone to the balcony by King Richard. A majestic evening view of Oreta lay before the two. Amber lights sparkled across the city.

The royal guards were not present and were guarding the door from the inside. There were strict orders that no one else was allowed on the balcony aside from Arlan.

"I take it you've met with Jin?" asked King Richard.

"Yes, your grace."

"You can skip the formalities, just Richard is fine. Jin requested your presence here in Oreta but you don't trust him, right?"

"I'm not sure who to trust other than you and Princess Emmeline."

"Sound judgment. You'll have to trust my instincts though, allow me to vouch for Jin."

King Richard knelt before Arlan.

"Richard, get up! There's no need to kneel. Why is it that you trust him so much?"

"What I'm about to tell you is only for your ears."

"I understand, not even my retainers or family, right?"

"Right. Jin Albera is a Silvan Elf, who are from the Firan Kingdom-"

Like Yanie and her uncle that I saved a year ago.

King Richard continued, "But Jin is not a full elf."

"I'm not sure why that is important? There are plenty of half-elves in Midland."

"Because he's a bastard child of the late king before me. My half-brother."

What the hell?

"So how did he end up here in Midland?"

"His mother was Queen Luell Odian, Holy Matriarch of the Firan Kingdom. He has Avens and Odian royal blood. He was next in line to become the Holy Patriarch of the Firan Kingdom. But before he even reached the age of five, Queen Luell somehow fell ill and died. Her younger sister, Queen Alvari Odian took over and ordered Jin to be killed. He managed to escape here with the help of a Luell loyalist faction."

"Did he grow up here?"

"Yes, he was raised alongside me as my retainer. He is like a brother to me. He studied at the Maginus Academy and became the powerful archmage that he is now. And when I ascended the throne, he had done more than anyone else to help the royal family in matters of our safety, council, and affairs. So please understand that he means well. He has never asked for help when dealing with these matters until now. Which is why I've taken his request seriously."

"Alright, I will hear him out and place my trust in him as you have. He is to see me and my friends in my room tonight."

King Richard let a sigh out and smiled, "Thank Numen, I prayed that you would trust in him. I was worried you wouldn't. Now come, let's rejoin the banquet!"

"I think I'll stay out here just a bit longer."

The King of Midland smiled and left back inside, leaving only Arlan on the balcony.

That was a lot to take in... I need to send for Nightingale, she has to be close by.

Arlan pulled out a silver whistle and blew into it. The sound made by the whistle couldn’t be heard by any normal means. The King’s Blade also channeled a mana-ball in his palm and it floated just above his head. After five minutes, a pair of feet landed on the quiet balcony behind the King's Blade.

"Master Arlan, we've heard your summon," announced Nightingale as she knelt and held onto a necklace with a blue sapphire, "This is the first time you've called for us. Our necklaces lit up and rumbled, we thought you were in trouble. The others are right above."

"I'm sorry to call upon you all like this," said Arlan as he continued to look upon the beautiful city from the balcony, "But I have orders that cannot wait."

"Anything, Master Arlan. Our lives are yours to command," stated Nightingale with conviction.

"I need you to infiltrate Roy Vander's estate and find anything you can before the morning. Send a hawk with your report to my window after. Then I want you to monitor his movements. Do not engage or allow yourselves to be caught."

"By your command," acknowledged Nightingale as she disappeared back up the castle walls.

Arlan sipped his wine glass and wished he had come to Oreta under different circumstances. He pushed his personal desires aside and returned to the banquet.

 

It had been an hour after the banquet, the guests had all returned to their homes. Everyone else returned to their rooms... except Marie and Chrysta. They were in Arlan's room under the pretense of talking to their lord.

Arlan had requested JD share a room with him as well so it was just them four. It was a large penthouse style guest room with a balcony and multiple windows. It was the most luxurious room Arlan or his friends had ever stayed in.

The servants who were in standby were sent out under the notion that they were to discuss classified military movements for their banner. But all of this was a front and a lie for they awaited Jin's arrival.

"It's already one in the morning," stated Marie as she waltzed back and forth, "What if he meant tomorrow?"

The King's Blade quelled his Embercaller's frustration, "He definitely meant tonight. It's important to hear him out. He'll be here any minute now."

"You said he was able to... talk inside your mind?" asked JD with both confusion and fear.

"It's the first any of us have heard of an ability like that," stated Chrysta who looked over at her adopted sister and nodded.

Marie agreed and added, "Lady Dafni has never mentioned anything like that. But then again, maybe she knows about it. She does have [Heavensight] and she must've met Jin Albera at least once. Speaking of which, if she's here in the Capital... Why wasn't she at the banquet?"

Marie had a good point and Arlan also wondered the same. The King's Blade then agreed, "You're right... Something doesn't add up. Lady Dafni said she was at the Oreta Mage Senate. She should've been here at the banquet."

Before anyone could respond to Arlan, the balcony door ominously opened and Jin quietly floated inside. He donned a blue robe with white trims all over. It was a uniform only worn by the Royal Court Archmage. The powerful elf wore the same carefree smile as he did earlier at the banquet.

Jin put his hand over his heart and bowed, "Greetings JD, Chrysta, Marie, and Arlan. Thank you for giving me an audience."

Arlan then responded, "I spoke with King Richard. He's told me everything I needed to know about you."

The Archmage's face grimaced slightly, "I see. I apologize you had to hear that bit. Let us begin, please sit."

Two nearby sofa's moved with wind magic, allowing everyone to sit except Jin.

Marie decided to interject before the Archmage could start, "Archmage Jin-"

"Please, just Jin is fine," stated the Archmage.

"Alright, Jin," corrected Marie, "You do know Lady Dafni, don't you?"

"Yes I do," answered Jin with the same tone as before, "You're wondering where she is and why she wasn't here at the banquet?"

Chrysta replied, "We were all wondering that before you came in."

"Oh Numen. I forgot, two of you were her pupils," said Jin, "She had left this morning before you arrived and won't be back till tomorrow afternoon. She answered a request from the Oreta Adventurer's Guild. I can tell you more later but I must tell you the important matter first."

The four friends looked at each other and nodded before giving Jin their undivided attention.

The Royal Archmage continued like before, "As I've informed Arlan during the banquet, the royal family is in danger and I have reason to believe there are traitors in the royal court. They plot an assassination and insurrection here in the Capital."

"How did you know this?" asked Arlan.

"Right after we received news of the Sworan Invasion, I caught an Assassin lurking in the royal palace. He had this on him," said Jin as he pulled out a green dagger with a golden hilt and placed it onto the table.

Arlan's eyes widened at what he saw while his other three friends were confused. Marie felt impatient and asked, "What is it?"

"An adamantium dagger," answered Arlan, "There are only a handful of adamantium weapons in Midland."

"Correct," added Jin, "Not only did he carry this rare weapon, but he was quite strong. He was a fifth-tier red-core. I only barely managed to subdue him before he killed himself with a hidden poison capsule."

The reveal of how powerful the assassin was sent shivers down Chrysta's spine.

"Aren't Assassins considered Aspirants?" asked Marie.

"Yes, they're Aspirants," answered Jin, "Thieves or bandits who've shown promise are abducted by the Sicarios and trained to become Assassins. The Sicarios also send out these Assassins when someone makes a large donation. While there are plenty of other hitmen you can hire, none compare to the ones trained by the Sicarios."

"Which means whoever hired the Assassin, has a lot of money and connections," Arlan figured, "And our only lead is this adamantium dagger. At the moment, Roy Vanders comes to mind."

Jin was surprised, "The Master of Finance? What is the reason behind your suspicion?"

After gathering his thoughts, Arlan explained, "When I was scanning everyone at the banquet, Roy Vanders had some kind of black mist covering his core, making it unreadable. I've never seen anything like it."

"Black mist?" asked Jin with a confused look, "I've only ever seen a second-tier white mana core from him. But your ability is unique and different."

"I actually thought you would have suspected him," admitted Arlan, "Why is he a surprise to you?"

Jin rubbed his forehead and said, "The Master of Finance is in such a powerful position over the Kingdom's finances... He wouldn't even need to plot such underhanded tactics. He could simply disrupt our flow of money, putting us at risk of losing in the south."

JD then asked, "Well why don't we consider what would he stand to gain if the royal family was killed?"

Marie answered the question before Jin could, "Well... he would take over High Minister from Elric Hans because-"

"Elric Hans would become the next King," interjected Chrysta.

"Yes," said Jin, "While High Minister Elric Hans is potentially a conspirator, he couldn’t have come up with such a cunning ploy by himself. Which would mean there has to be someone else pulling the strings."

"Who else is aware of the assassin officially?" asked Arlan.

"Aside from everyone in this room," stated Jin as he pondered for a moment, "The Royal Family, High Minister Elric Hans, Lady Dafni, and I."

JD realized what Arlan was getting at and asked, "So there's no way Roys Vanders could know about the assassin?"

"Correct, not even the twelve Sentinels guarding the royal family know either," added Jin.

"Is there anymore?" asked Arlan as he grinned.

"No there isn't," stated Jin as he turned to Arlan, "So have you decided? Despite being the Royal Court Archmage, my authority is limited unlike yours, King's Blade."

Chrysta, Marie, and JD looked to Arlan for his answer. The King’s Blade then agreed, "Yes, Jin. You have my word that I will find the ones responsible and bring them to justice."

A few tears flew down from Jin's eyes as he felt an enormous amount of relief, "Thank you, King's Blade. You have eased my worries. I will look after the royal family and make sure no harm comes to them while you find the ones responsible."

"Sounds good," Arlan stood up and shook Jin's hand firmly, "But if you let anything happen to Princess Emmeline... I'll kill you."

Jin simply smiled and answered, "I wouldn't dare challenge the Ashra."

Author's note: Join the Immortal General discord here: https://discord.gg/hTMYWYYp

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