As Briar reached the exit, she remembered what happened the last time she had come through here. This time, it was likely that there were a ton of ‘suitors’ that were ready to do everything short of kidnapping to obtain the lovely ‘Briar’.

Briar stuck her tongue out in distaste as she conjured an invisibility barrier around her before opening the door, stepping to the side. As she had thought, a whole gaggle of guys fell through, pushed forward by the people behind them. There were even quite a few handsome young men who were still at least twice Briar’s physical age. But if Briar’s mental age was factored in, they were all reduced to the age of boys.

Jumping over the struggling group of boys, who were flailing their arms and legs as they tried to extricate themselves from the pile, Briar paid them no mind as she swiftly retreated to Madam Rothema’s observation deck.

I’d jump straight back up to the deck directly, but I’m Briar the Magician, right now- not Briar the martial Practitioner. Briar sighed inwardly. It was not really the younger generation that she had to be wary of, but the older generation. The younger generation were not powerful enough to sense what kind of energy she was using. But the older generation would know right away if she used both mana and martial spirit.

“Treasuring jade becomes a crime, I suppose.” Since her case was an extremely rare one, there were bound to be a few elderly whackjobs that wouldn’t care about Madam Rothema’s disapproval.

They’d just silently wait until Briar went outside Rothema’s protection, and then snap her up for experiments, torture, or in most cases-to kill her before her special constitution becomes a major threat to them later on. That’s why it was important to make sure that she acted properly while in disguise.

As such, she could only hurry at a ‘reasonable’ pace down the hallways and up the stairs.

“Did they find Laura?” Was the first thing she asked when she arrived on the observation deck, quickly changing back to her male disguise after the curtains were closed.

Madam Rothema placed down her teacup, which she had just finished. “It’s barely even been fifteen minutes, and here you are asking me if they’ve found her yet?”

Briar could only duck her head sheepishly, still waiting for her answer. Madam Rothema swiftly sent out a tendril of mana, which sped like lightning towards the town, and waited silently for a few moments. Although others couldn’t see it, Briar’s mana vision rendered the communication spell visible.

After a minute or two, it returned, and Madam Rothema accepted the tendril into her forehead.

“He hasn’t found her yet.” Madam Rothema said. “But, Thales thinks he might have found a clue. I do wonder what it could be, because he seemed rather furious when I contacted him.”

Briar tried to imagine Master Thales being furious. Annoyed, yes. Mischievous, yes. Serious, yes. Furious? No, she had never seen Master Thales furious before. And, as Briar’s afternoon fight was approaching, she couldn’t go out and help look yet.

I hope that whoever kidnapped Laura gets flattened. Briar sighed, an annoyed frown beginning to form on her forehead. Little did she know that she was about to get her wish.

---------------------------------

Master Thales, having sped through the entire city once more, in search of Laura, had had no luck. And so, he returned to the inn they had been staying at to search for possible clues about what might have happened. When he entered the door, the landlady waved him down.

“Sir! Sir! A letter was left here for ye not three bells ago.” She drew a white envelope with a plain red seal out of her apron pocket. “He said I was to hand this ta you soon as you arrived, he did. Said it was something urgent.”

Master Thales quickly accepted the letter, ripping it out of its envelope effortlessly. He read it standing right there where he had received it. His expression grew dark, but then smoothed out as a look of calm overcame it. He noticed Madam Rothema’s communication spell immediately, and replied in a more relaxed tone.

“What? No, I haven’t found her yet, but I think I might know where she is.” Then he waved the tendril back towards the stadiums, which sent it flying back quick as lightning to madam Rothema.

When he had finished, he clenched the letter in one hand and walked quietly walked down the hallway.

If it was that person, then there was only one place they could be found…

--------------------------------

His face still sort of twisted from the bitter aftertaste of the wine, the cloaked man began to pace back and forth. Laura was still trying to access her martial spirit. After all, there was always a chance that the equipment could malfunction. The cloaked figure wasn’t even looking at Laura anymore. Instead, glancing outside to determine the position of the sun.

“It’s about time…the letter should have arrived by now, and considering his temperament, he should arrive here soon.” The man muttered to himself, as he walked to stand in front of the door, lost in thought.

What he didn’t expect was when Master Thales kicked the door in to the point where it fell right on top of the man, sandwiching him between the door and the floor. But, Thales simply stood on top of it, making it impossible for the man to get out from under the door.

“MILES! GET YOUR BATTLE-BLINDED BEHIND OUT HERE, YOU BLASTED ROGUE!!!” Thales roared, one hand clutching a crumpled letter.

“The fires of brotherly love are felt clearly from here. But, perhaps it is a bit too suffocating at this point to have it all at once.” A rather strained voice came from beneath the door. “You could start by removing your foot from the door-.”

Thales easily ripped the door off Miles, and Miles stood up, brushing dirt off himself from his long passionate moment with the floor. He nodded his head, satisfied. “Now, that’s more like it! Ah, but shouldn’t you be looking all over town for clues instead of here right now? I had made sure to place enough to make you search all around the city for hours-”

Thales snorted derisively.“That cheap trick? HA! Don’t give me that! You always create these time-wasting games of yours and then end up being right across the hallway from where I was staying. Don’t you think I haven’t figured you out by now.

“Oh, and you BETTER be fulfilling the punishment for the last game you sprung on me! One cup of wine every day, the magic contract is very exacting.”

“Ugh! H-how could I forget?” Miles looked slightly ill upon remembering the torturous experience he had just had.

“Thales looked at Laura, glad that she was alright, but sighed. He hadn’t wanted for her to get involved with this mess. “And? What’s this? Why is my student chained up like that?” Although his voice was calm, his inner rage had gone up to a whole new level.

“Forgive me, but I am not as hardy as you martial artists. Some basic protection was necessary before you arrived.” Miles said shamelessly.

“And, now that I have arrived?” Thales asked, his eyebrow twitching.

“It’s easy enough, when you think about it.” Miles began. “You see this key here? Well, this key goes to the special manacles on Miss Laura’s wrists, there. And-”

But before he could continue, Thales had already grabbed the key and unlocked the cuffs on Laura, who began rubbing her wrists to return proper circulation to them.

“Hey! That’s not how the game is supposed to be played! You cheated!” Miles objected.

“Blast it all, Miles! I don’t have time for you and your blasted mind games!” Thales roared out, causing Miles to flinch.

“My my, brother, you’re beginning to look more and more like father, now.” He tried to sooth things down a bit, but it only became tinder to fan the flames of Thales’ wrath.

“WHO DO YOU THINK MADE FATHER LOOK LIKE THIS!?” Thales roared, striking the table into dust.

“It was only a bit of a joke, brother. You don’t have to take it so seriously!” Miles withdrew, sweating, trying to placate the scary form of Thales. Thales’s expression once more relaxed, but an illusion of dark miasma seemed to form behind him, if one looked carefully, one could see the demon king.

Laura looked between the two of them. With the hood that Miles was wearing having fallen back off his head, his facial features were now exposed. Laura head swung back and forth between the two men. Barring the difference in clothing, their features were identical!

Well, not quite. Thales had a short beard, while Miles had not even the faintest indications of chin hair. This made Miles look rather younger than Thales.

“Brothers!?” Laura asked, as she looked at the two men.

Miles smirked. “You bet! Ours is a bond of blood and brotherly love which cannot be broken-”

“Pay no attention to this idiot.” Thales snorted. “If you hear enough of his drivel, it’ll turn your head as queer as his! He left us years ago saying that he’ll become the pirate king. Three years later, I hear he’s become part of a travelling bad of gypsy performers. Six years after that, it’s the leader of a band of rogues that have now taken to pretending to be ‘spies’ if you will.”

“Hey! I resent that! They’ve become perfectly good spies by now!” Miles objected.

“And yet they were singlehandedly taken out by a single man. I already dealt with the squads on the roof, basement, and surrounding buildings.” Thales then grabbed Miles by the shoulder. A queer demon smile floated on his face.

“You say we’re tied by the bonds of brotherly love is it? I’m not sure what kind of brother you were to go off and leave me to father’s harsh training all on my own, but let’s digress a bit. As a brother it is my duty to properly guide my kin, right? Let’s see how much ‘guidance’ you can handle from me!” Thales said, a fiendish expression on his face as he began dealing out the most painful blows possible.

“AHHH! NOT THE FACE!!” Miles shrieked.

………

Suffice to say that Miles was beaten black and blue until his face was no longer recognizable from that of a pig’s, and was made to sit in seiza.

“You went too far! Now my handsome face is ruined!” Miles whined.

“What was that?” Thales asked, as the demon king once more appeared behind Thales.

“N-nuthing.” Miles mumbled, glancing to the side.

“Now, if we are QUITE finished,” Thales glanced pointedly at Miles, who shifted uncomfortably, “Let’s return to the fighting arena before it’s Laura’s turn…ah, that’s right. I forgot.” Thales placed Thera’s mana shackles on Miles.

“Hey do you distrust me that much!?” Miles objected, but when he was met with the flat cold expression on Thales and Laura’s face, he decided to bit back his retort.

“You’re lucky I even spared your subordinates lives. Or would you like a list of reasons why I am doing this?” Miles seemed to shrink a little. “Ah..No..no need…”

But, when Miles was about to stand Laura spoke up.

“Wait. Before we leave, I have one thing left to do.” She stared pointedly at Miles, who was beginning to feel sweat accumulate on his forehead.

Thales looked between Laura and Miles and nodded. After all, Laura had been the one Miles had kidnapped. It was only just that she got retribution.

“Heh! After Brother’s beating, anything you can do to me will feel like a gentle wind~” Miles laughed through his nose.

Laura ignored his words and took out her weapon of mass destruction: a stick, with a single leaf clinging to it still.

“Eh? What are you going to do with that?” Miles asked, ridiculing her. “Stick it up my nose? Poke me in the eyes?” Throughout this entire time, he had been sitting in seiza.

Laura smiled evilly and stretching her hand forward…

…..

She poked him in the legs.

“AAAAAUUUUGGGHH! WHAT IS THIS NEW FORM OF TORTURE AAAH!” Miles cried out as he collapsed weakly from the very painful tingling in his legs. Laura only grinned the more as she kept poking, her stick a now successful instrument of turture.