I’ve watched enough television and read enough murder mysteries to know how things are supposed to go with this sort of situation. Pulling at leads, questioning witnesses, long stake outs outside the inn he’s staying at, just to find out that we’re being played and the real villain is someone else.

I’m not a police investigator. I am however, a warlord dressed up as an empress, which means I have much more freedom to apply necessary force and skip all those steps.

“Leon,” I call to the man, using Chip while striding towards the place that he’s taken up residence for the evening. “First of all, don’t think that you’re beyond the reach of my magic, and keeping that in mind, would you mind explaining yourself?”

A threat and a question. I’m playing bad cop. No need for a good cop here, not unless Nel wants to try dressing sexy.

I also don’t need evidence, not a court or a jury either. I could murder him outright if I like. Giving him a chance to explain himself is simply something I choose to do to assuage my own conscience, I might even like to give him a trial if I have the patience.

Maybe.

That depends on how much trouble he causes.

“Explaining myself?” Leon asks. “I explained well enough earlier. I’m here to ensure you don’t start a war.”

“Then you’re doing a rather poor job at it.” I reply. “Sending assassins after me in the house where I’m a guest? It seems more like you’re trying to instigate a war.”

“Assassins?”

“I heard you talking to your shadow.” I reply. “Your choice in words was rather telling. If you’d like to explain yourself, or beg for mercy, I’ll be willing to listen.”

I’m still not sure he’s behind it, knowing my luck it’s someone else entirely, that said, it’s rather satisfying having Leon on the back foot for once. He likes thinking of himself as some warrior of justice here to stop me, so painting him as a villain behind the assassination attempt will make him a little easier to work with.

That’s my intention at least.

Being denied a proper rest, and having killers after my lover’s life, does leave me rather incensed. Arduelle’s classes have… helped. The swirling ball of fear and terror isn’t nearly so bad right now, partly because I have power over the situation, and partly because I’m focusing on keeping my rage cold and controlled.

Even so, I can ensure that whoever is responsible is going to suffer greatly. Going after my lover was their biggest mistake, and it bothers me that they might just get away with it.

“I’m not the one responsible.” Leon says. “I’ll meet with you in the town square. If this devolves into a fight, I’d rather not involve innocents.”

“A good thought.” I say, finding myself rather surprised. I never even considered the thought, partly because my entire strategy comes down to a single blow victory. If I win, no one gets hurt. If I lose… well, I just can’t afford to lose.

“I’m not convinced he’s behind it.” Nel says. “Unknowingly involved perhaps, but he’s not the sort to employ assassination tactics, and especially not so poorly.”

“You know him that well?”

“He’s a potential threat.” Nel replies like it’s common sense. “There’s more to him than he wants to say. He’s clearly rich and powerful, but I can’t tell what faction he’s involved with, nor to what degree.”

“Well, that’s annoying.” There’s not much more to say to that.

“If anything, whoever is behind this will try to get him to kill us.” Nel says.

“How do you figure that?”

“He’s the only person here that could. If the assassins were successful, I’d be dead, you’d be raging, and he’d be the one to stop you. That’s what I’d plan for.”

“Interesting, but they underestimated us.” We came here somewhat expecting a trap and our slayer guards are more than competent enough to give me time and opportunity to use my own power to deal with most threats.

Even if Shy had failed to detect the assassins back in our room, we have other protections that would have seen us safe.

“They may have back up plans. Whoever Leon was speaking to could be playing him. That, and I’d still like to know the intentions behind his words. He’s been after you from the start, and as much as he thinks himself the hero, if he thinks of you as the villain, he will find an excuse…”

We come to a stop in the town square, it’s still quite dark, and I’m not sure if that’s because it’s meant to imitate night, or because that’s how it always is here. I know my home cavern is always bright from the flowing waters, but somehow that doesn’t bother me quite as much.

Leon and his guards arrived ahead of us, but only by a little, they’re dishevelled and were clearly run out of their beds. Even so, they stand ready for a fight and the tense atmosphere oozing from them has cleared us a space to engage.

If it’s going to be like this, it might be polite to give the local authorities some warning.

“Grier, an assassination attempt has recently been dealt with, and now I’m confronting a number of suspects in the town square. My apologies if things grow heated. Should you approach, give me warning so that I don’t mistake you for another assassin.”

Polite and direct. Hopefully, it’s enough that should any intervention come from this strange guardian, then it’ll be in my favour.

“What have you done to the leaders here?” He asks, though he imitates calm there’s a clear undercurrent of anger.

“Nothing much. They’re maid served some quite lovely tea while they were raiding the liquor cabinet. It seems the most they’ve done is hire inadequate guards and ally themselves with some rather unpleasant sorts. Irulei is rather nice, if a nervous wreck, and I’d rather like to have her turn to my side, but I don’t think she really trusts me just yet.

“What about you? Who are you associating with and why do they want to start a war?”

Leon grinds his teeth, emitting a low growl, offended at my suggestion. There’s more than a small hint of pride about him.

“No one with me has acted against you.” He says firmly, a few of his fellow slayers shuffle around as if to get ready for a fight. A tall balding fellow with more scales than skin catches my attention most of all. He looks outright terrified of me and is practically huddling behind Leon.

The poor fellow is backing the wrong side.

“So, who were you talking to?” I ask. “I do remember hearing the words ‘we have to stop her here’ or something close to it. On the night of an attempted assassination that doesn’t really sound very good for you, you understand?”

“That was...” he grits his teeth, unwilling to give up the identity of his co-conspirator. Considering he screwed up so bad as to speak aloud rather than through messages and was overheard, I have to suspect his pride is a little bit wounded.

At the edges of my hearing, I can nearly make out a few whispers coming from his team behind him. It leads to a quiet argument, spoken in glares and likely messages. The little kitty cat is learning, how cute.

“I, prince Leon of the Arch family formally challenge you to a duel.” Leon says, standing tall and throwing something at us. It’s intercepted by my guards. A cloth of some sort.

“The Arch faction then.” Nel says nodding in quiet understanding as she reviews some of her notes.

“Nope.” I reply to the man. “Not happening. What’s going to occur instead, is that you’re going to tell me everything you know, and you’re going to leave us the fuck alone afterwards.”

“Didn’t you hear me?” Leon asks, more confused than offended. “I, Prince Leon-”

“Heard you the first time, I don’t care. I’m not participating in some stupid honour fight or whatever this is. Do you know anything about the assassins?” I ask, placing my hands on my hips, trying to express casual impatience. I have to impress into my every motion the non-violent irritation with the man. The fact I’m not intimidated or impressed by his title comes completely naturally.

“I… I’m a prince…”

“Prince? I prefer Queen, Bohemian rhapsody is just something special. Our tastes in music aside, the assassins? Who do you know in this place that would hire assassins to instigate a war, and potentially pressure you and me into a fight?”

“Who’s pressing you into this duel?” Nel adds, stepping into the conversation. “And who is going to sabotage the duel, to try and raise the stakes into a lethal fight?”

“Wait the duels not a fight to the death?” I ask, turning to Nel.

“No, no. Duels in the Arch monarchy are to first blood.” She explains.

“Well, good for you I didn’t accept your duel then little prince.” I say. “You really should explain these things before challenging people.”

“What are you talking about?” The prince asks, taking a backward step closer to his fellow slayers, or more likely guards, as he looks between us. Their weapons are drawn, except for the prince himself, but they’ll be push overs in a fight even with all their fancy gear.

There’s nothing there that will stop my magic.

“I’m guessing that there’s some scheme to up the stakes of your duel.” Nel says, “It’s what I’d do if I was scheming.”

“Doesn’t do much if we’re not going to duel.” I reply with a shrug. “So what now? He doesn’t seem like he’s going to be much help?”

“What about that conversation he was having?” Nel asks. “It was certainly not nothing.”

“He could’ve been talking to himself.” I suggest. “He seems a rather lonely sort, and I mean no one would be stupid enough to speak aloud about something so sensitive unless they were a little dull. Yeah, I think this guy’s a dead end.

“If you do find out anything do make sure to come to us.” I suggest, shaking my head at the sad sight of the shocked prince. He’s not off the suspect list, but there’s nothing more I can do with the man as far as I can see.

“For the Black-tree Empress!” The shout brings my attention back towards Leon. The sound comes from a half dozen insects that crawl out from the ground and leap at the prince.

“I’ll handle them.”

The guards pretending to be slayers turn to intercept them, but while they’re fast enough to overcome the assassins, they aren’t nearly as fast as the binding roots that wrap the assassins up and toss them to the ground.

“They have been caught.” Grier says, more grass tearing up the ground and forming a vaguely insectoid shape with a decidedly disagreeable expression. Damn Chip is useful for reading peoples faces.

“Nel?” I ask, her opinion since she’s the one theorising about all this.

“Ah, I was so focused on us that I didn’t consider the possibility that they’d target this… prince. This makes more sense.” Nel says, tapping her fingers together covering her mouth. “I should’ve expected this.”

“Isn’t this all a little too obvious though?” I ask, as Leon turns towards us with a tired expression. “I mean, I didn’t see it coming, but how can anyone not see through this.”

“You are right.” The prince says, a rage burning shallow in his expression. “This is an offensively poor attempt, which means there are layers to this that we cannot see. I refuse to believe that they thought I would be so easily manipulated.”

“So, you really have nothing to do with this?” I ask. “That shadow you were talking to?”

“No. No, that’s something else.” He grumbles. “But why haven’t you fallen for this? It’s the perfect excuse to go conquering, but you’re…”

“I have kids on the way.” I say. “I’m trying to avoid war at the moment. Besides, Irulei seems like a nice enough young woman, I wouldn’t want to cause her trouble.”

“What is with you and Irulei?” Nel asks, turning to me with a stern expression. “I didn’t think you were interested in people who weren’t at least mostly elvish?”

“It’s not like that!” I cry, holding up my hands. “It’s not always about romance and sex, you know. She was just rather adorable trying to claw her way out of her window when we showed up. Adorable in the neutral way, like a frightened puppy.”

Nel nods slowly, snorting a laugh at the thought. Leon just looks even more confused, though he doesn’t push the point.

“If it interests you…” Grier says, lifting some of the assassins up from where he has them bound. “These were bought locally. They have not left or entered the walls once, and I’m familiar with the… establishment.”

“Establishment? Bought? They’re people, right? They seem intelligent enough at least.” I say, ignoring Leon to focus on the one competent person here that’s not already on my team.

“They are yet undeveloped.” Grier says. “Their species has many, many children but few make it into adulthood. Those in adolescence are often used for disposable work such as this. They are well known in this society, I believe.”

Leon slowly nods, rubbing at his forehead.

“Wow.” I can’t really find a better way to express myself than that. “That’s fucking awful.”

Nel nods slowly by my side, seeming a little subdued for a moment, but she shakes it off quickly and returns to my side. My resolution to avoid war is already collapsing.

Just one more city, one more cavern, can’t hurt right?

I won’t do anything bad to the locals... Well, most of them, at least.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Skills & Stats

~Mana Form:

Current mana density: 18489 units

~Mana distribution:

Category Current Max. Defence 20% 100% Offense 20% 100% Mana Sense 20% 100% Recovery 20% 100% Gluttony 10% 100% Misc. 10% 100% Efficiency 100% 100%

~Favourited Skills:

-Tag and Film

-Trapping

-Stealth

-Mana surge movement

-Annihilation defence

-Annihilation flame burst

-Annihilation net

-Eyes of an Empire

Adaptions:

-Quick perception mind

-Annihilation Heart

-Clean bowels