After discussing with Ignis, Edward left for Sorrente the city closest to their position. The distance wasn’t a problem for Edward but what proved difficult was the direction he had to take. He was glad he had a compass, all he had to do was to keep his cap thirty degrees South East and he should reach the city in no time. Without the compass and without Ignis indications there was a nonnegligible chance that Edward would have just missed the city at the speed he was moving. After all, it was his first time in the empire and no one was fast enough to accompany him.

With one teleportation bringing him six hundred meters away he had disappeared beyond the horizon within seconds. He trusted Ignis and Adotinus would do their utmost to hold on against the Andherian invasion if the offensive of one or a few powerful individuals could even be called that. Only people strong enough to overcome the spatial distortion would cross through this world, there would be no army accompanying them. Given the power that Nephelin had displayed that was but a small relief.

In under twenty minutes, Edward reached Sorrente, in this short time he had crossed more than three hundred kilometers. The city was bigger than Gobéliard, it was sprawled on top of a grassy plain with a large river crossing through it, forming several small islands in the middle of the city. The walls appeared sturdy and were reinforced with runes, although Edward noticed that the runes were inscribed directly in the stone which will prove to be harder to maintain than Gobéliard modular panels.

Edward was coming from the direction of Pescara, the former capital, and the doors in this direction were closed and heavily guarded with a large number of guards on the wall. Edward didn’t feel like losing any time and he appeared directly on the wall next to what looked like the captain of a squadron. The poor guard jumped in fright having the scare of his life, they had seen a person appear suddenly in mid-air, and before they had the time to process it, said person had bypassed their defenses to stand right next to him.

“Who is in charge of this city? I have important news to deliver and much to do.” Edward asked him.

“Who…Who are you?” the captain stuttered, drawing his sword while his men formed a circle around them, surrounding Edward, maybe not having realized yet the futility of the attempt.

Edward sighed. Keep calm. They are but ordinary guards, although the captain is at the predator level. He noted in appreciation. All right, I will give them a few minutes to steady themselves. It should make things easier in the long run as well. If I want to deal with monsters assaulting the empire I need to know where the problems are. Ignis showed me Sorrente’s direction but I will need more indications and a map to locate the other cities.

“I’m Edward, a patriarch and an ally of your emperor Ignis. He is currently stuck dealing with the aftermath in Pescara. He asked me to help the empire deals with invading monsters in the meantime.” Edward explained leaving much unsaid, but knowing that the threat hadn’t decreased in the slightest could cause much chaos and wouldn’t help him at all, a few more guards wouldn’t change anything. Anyone below the patriarch level would be a liability.

The captain frowned analyzing the shocking news and deciding what to do, handling someone who was on a first-name basis with the emperor himself was normally something above his paygrade. “You indeed seem to be at the patriarch level from what I can sense. However, what proves that you have good intentions and that you are not here to assassinate our leader?” He asked carefully.

Edward rolled his eyes and expanded his aura over the whole city. “Do you think you will be able to stop me if I really wanted to kill your leader? I’m only asking you to gain some time and so that you don’t panic if you see me in town as an unknown patriarch.”

The captain nodded slowly with a pale face. “The one currently in charge is Spurius, the Potentia family Patriarch.”

“Where is he right now?” Edward asked him. His aura was covering the city so he should be able to locate him, but it would take some time. Sorrente had a large population and searching for one individual among the many was a difficult task. If Spurius flashed his aura it would be easier since he was the only patriarch in the city, but given how he had fled the capital to avoid fighting the invading monsters he was more likely to hide away.

“He should be at the Governor’s prefecture,” the captain replied dutifully.

“Can you show me the direction?” Edward asked as he focused his attention on several large buildings in the center of the city. He could sense that the population was growing agitated by the apparition of an unknown powerful aura. Projecting his aura in such a way was quite rude and Edward didn’t intend on maintaining it for long. Already squads of guards led by individuals at the predator stage were rushing in his direction.

“It is in the center of the city, right this way,” the captain indicated with his arm.

Edward noted. “Thanks, please inform your comrades of my presence. My aura display has already alerted the population more than what is reasonable. I don’t have much time so I may resort to such actions again in the future.” Edward told him before teleporting away. The guards coming to investigate the situation hadn’t reached him yet.

Within two teleportations Edward stood in front of the prefecture, the emblem of the Regalia family was proudly advertised above the entry. Now that he was closer with his attention focused on it, Edward was able to discern Spurius’ aura. He retracted his aura from the rest of the city. I wasn’t expecting much. But from his aura alone he does seem weaker than Ignis and Adotinus.

I should better avoid teleporting to his face. A guard at the predator stage is fine since they are no danger to me and I can control the situation before it degenerates, but for a patriarch, I can’t guarantee they won’t attack me first before I have the time to stop it.

Edward used his telepathy to send a message directly to the Potentia family patriarch. ‘My salutations. I’m Edward an ally of Ignis at the patriarch stage. He asked me to help the empire deal with the waves of attacking monsters. I’m going to teleport next to you. Please don’t attack me.’

Edward waited for a few seconds and teleported inside the same room as Spurius. The latter appeared jumpy from his aura but externally he kept a perfect composure. He was a man in his forties, though he was probably older than that since being at the patriarch stage slows down aging. He had long wavy pepper and salt hair reaching up to his shoulders and was wearing a blue robe. His green eyes were fixed on Edward but he didn’t say a word, waiting for what Edward had to tell him before deciding on a course of action.

He may be cowardly but he hasn’t lost himself to fear. He must have some way to retaliate if his life is threatened, he is still at the patriarch level after all.

Edward hadn’t paid much attention to it, but Spurius wasn’t alone in the room. He was naturally accompanied by several bodyguards, but more surprisingly a familiar group of knights was kneeling on the ground unhappily. Edward couldn’t help but smile seeing them. They made it safely.

The knights were quite shocked seeing him pop up like that especially since they had taken several days to reach Sorrente and in their mind, the fight for Pescara’s fate was still ongoing.

Edward nodded at them before turning to Spurius. “I need maps of the empire with its main cities and every place that is actively attacked by monsters. If you have the information, I will also require any location where a large number of monsters are gathering and if any unknown or strange monsters have appeared.” Edward asked him without losing time. Since Ignis asked me to deal with the monsters I might as well check if some are coming from other worlds and destroy their portals if that’s the case. The local monsters are probably the less dangerous of the bunch anyway.

Spurius looked at him strangely when he heard Edward’s demands and he didn’t comply immediately.

“Are you really sent by Ignis? Given the situation in Pescara, I doubt Ignis is in any capacity to spare any manpower. Are you perhaps trying to flee your duty? Asking me for safe zones where you will be able to hide?!” He asked in a fake outraged voice.

Edward felt a vein throb on his forehead at the ridiculous accusation, especially from someone who had fled Pescara. The ruins of the city were still vivid in his mind and although he hadn’t seen the state of the capital before the Andherian’s attack he could very well imagine how many inhabitants must have been living there. Now all of them were dead.

He struggled to contain his anger. This guy fucking DARES! He noticed that maps were spread on the desk with some red manuscript notes. He immediately made the connection. This is what he is doing! Marking monsters’ movement so he can find a place calm enough to hide. And he is throwing the accusation at me instead, attempting to reverse white and black!

Edward took a slow breath and decided that he had enough. He had not realized it at first, but he cared less and less about other people’s demands and accusations. Each time he grew in power he became freer with fewer individuals able to impose their choices on him. He was still careful so as not to become a dictator in the bud, but Spurius had crossed a line.

He let his aura fill the room, and the way it pressurized the room made his displeasure known. “Do you have ANY idea of how many people died?! How many could have been saved if you had decided to stay and help instead of running away like a coward?! And now when I’m trying to help you DARE to accuse ME of your treachery!”

Edward continued, his aura swirling tumultuously. “You WILL give me those maps. Lest I vent my anger on you rather than the monsters! If you hide away, you are useless to the cause and I might as well kill you myself, maybe you would be more useful this way.” Edward declared, madness fleeting in his eyes as he actually considered for a moment killing and draining Spurius of his essence to increase his power.

Spurius’s face became as white as chinaware in front of Edward’s onslaught. Deep anger and resentment flashed in his eyes but he didn’t dare to antagonize Edward judging that it was too much of a risk.