The cargo of mana potions had been offloaded, the hold filled with trade goods in their stead, and most all the Nurabehn who wished to emigrate were already aboard ship. All that remained was to wait for the signal to set sail, when a messenger from Danna Ryl arrived. Dressed in a crisp uniform, her slim, pointed ears suggested the equine. She identified herself as an officer of the law.
Deputy delegation chief Hort was the one who came down to the jetty to deal with her. “You want us to…hand over some criminals?”
“Yes,” the Ignas replied. “Two guilty parties are attempting to take advantage of this opportunity to flee to the Forbidden Land… We have, naturally, found replacements to offer you in exchange.”
“Well, we’ll abide by your laws, of course. But there are so many here, I think it might take us a while to find them.”
“I believe Har Bell will be able to assist you there.”
“Har?” Hort blinked at her. “Do you know her?”
“We’re old friends, yes. We’re also well acquainted with each other’s families.” The uniformed officer smiled, but there was something stiff in her expression.
“Oh, okay… Hey, Har! C’mere a sec!”
Har Bell had been hurrying to and fro up on the ship, but she came at once when Hort called for her.
“Lana…! Did you come to say goodbye?” She hugged her friend, beaming─but Lana didn’t return her embrace.
“I’m here on official business, Har.”
“Business? Constabulary business, you mean?”
“Apparently some criminals have snuck on board,” Hort explained, and Har Bell’s shoulders slumped.
“Yes… Two of the Nurabehn aboard your ship have done harm to Ignas or Exinov, and there’s a warrant for their arrest,” Lana added.
“Will names be enough for you to find them?” Hort asked Har Bell.
“With their names, occupations, and places of birth, I probably can─who is it?”
“The shoemaker Rala and her son Tal, from Kuravanuluox.”
“…Huh?” This was Hort. She had heard those names before. Recently─very recently, in fact. From Har Bell herself. They were the whole reason she had broached the topic of what was basically human trafficking with Danna Ryl in the first place: to take the two of them to the Great Continent.
“You know who I mean, don’t you, Har Bell? I’m talking about your mother and brother.”
“This is ridiculous!” Her earlier affection forgotten, Har Bell roughly pushed Lana away. “This is to get back at me for refusing to sign the blood contract with Danna Ryl, isn’t it? You despicable bastards! Criminals, really? And you think I’ll just accept this arbitrary accusation?”
“Yes. Because it is the will of the Exinov.”
“That’s crazy…! Listen, Lana. You know this isn’t right, don’t you? My family aren’t criminals.”
“The charge is treason.”
“Not a chance… If I hand them over to you, they’ll be executed.”
“Refuse and you’ll be guilty of treason, too.”
“W-Wait a minute now!” A panicky Hort got in between the officer and Har Bell. “Do you mind if I have a word with Har?”
“Not at all, most honorable Exinov. Please, try and talk some sense into this fool. But I can’t wait long.”
Hort dragged Har Bell to the captain’s quarters, where they found Los and Saybil taking shelter from the ruckus outside and stuffing their faces with cake.
“Oh, Hort. I was just about to bring you some of th─”
“They’re accusing Har’s family of treason. They demanded we hand them over.”
Los and Saybil shot to their feet. Where a moment before Har Bell had been trembling with anger, now she turned pale and trembled for a different reason.
“…What hath occurred?”
Har Bell explained in a few words the events of the previous day. She told them about the blood contract─and how she had refused to sign it.
“’Tis harassment, plain as day…”
“The officer said that if Har refuses to hand them over, she’ll be committing treason, too… Wh-What do we do, Sayb?! Professor Los?!”
“I mean… Why don’t we just set sail…?” Saybil sounded completely unconcerned.
“What do you think would happen to our trade relations?!”
“Well, we were able to get pretty much all the stuff we wanted, and with Har Bell’s help I bet we could recreate most of their technology back home. I was kind of interested in the unique animals and whatnot they have here, but…” Saybil shrugged. “The land’s so mana-parched that the plants and even the minerals are in rough shape. I could probably get more from old books and specimens than I could walking around collecting new ones.”
“Y-You think so…?” asked Hort.
“Even if that weren’t the case, I mean… Why not just take home what we’ve got and pop back in a decade or so to see if they’re still angry? I don’t think they’d sink our ship so long as we brought more mana potions.”
“Sayb, sometimes you’re, like, super reckless! Not that I don’t love that about you!”
Hort looked to Los for help, and the witch answered through a mouthful of cake.
“If you wish to settle this peacefully, the only course would be to hand over the alleged criminals,” she said flatly.
“Professor Los?!”
“You can’t be serious! Those two are the only family I have left!”
“I am well aware of that. Just as I am aware that thou wilt not be convinced. But shouldst choose to defend thy family, thou wilt likewise be marked a criminal. And should we choose to defend thee in turn, we will earn the enmity of those who rule this New World. The question before you now is whether or not you have the necessary resolve to accept such consequences.”
“I totally do!” exclaimed Hort.
“Then thou art prepared to go to war?”
Los narrowed her eyes coldly, and Hort flinched.
Standing, the Dawn Witch tapped the Staff of Ludens against her shoulder. “I do not expect they will allow our vessel to depart unless we comply with their demands. Should we attempt to force the issue and set sail without permission, they will use their military might to prevent it. And replying in kind would be an act of war, pure and simple.”
“But they’re only after Har’s family in order to punish her!” protested Hort.