Chapter 108

“Hiding ’er won’t do you any good!” “We are not hiding anything. She is simply not home at the moment.” Several shouts could be heard within one corner of the remote Felskeilo village. Cayna’s home was astir with angry knights trying to force their way through the gate and argue with the maid who was politely refusing them. Locals observed from a distance but didn’t intervene since the knights were too intimidating. Early that morning, three Helshper knights had charged into the village on horseback, paying no heed to the village elder who rushed to greet then. They furiously demanded to know the whereabouts of the adventurer Cayna. Roxilius approached the group and informed them that he was one of Cayna’s servants, at which point they rounded on him instead of the villagers. The knights’ boundless condescension on top of their sudden and outrageous arrival had already left the mild-mannered werecat on the verge of exploding. Roxine raced to the scene as well, but Siren stepped in before the knights’ obnoxiousness sent the werecat maid into a frenzy. She was quickly interrogated in the same manner. Meanwhile, under orders from Siren, Roxilius slipped past the knights and went around warning each household not to get involved. Cayna had instructed him to protect the village if anything happened, so he was more than eager to eliminate these worthless wretches. However, Siren urged him to hold back. “We’re here by order of the king of Helshper. Servants oughtta know their place. Let us through.” “As I have already mentioned, Lady Cayna is not in at the moment. What business do you have inspecting her home in her absence?” “Weren’t you listening?! We’re here by royal decree!” “I understand, but this village is within Felskeilo’s borders. Shouldn’t you speak with the king of Felskeilo first?” “What nonsense. We have noble authority. Your job as a commoner is to say As you wish.” In fact, the knights’ ramblings and blatant abuse of authority put even the mild-mannered Siren on edge. Roxilius and Roxine were about ready to snap, and Siren now feared she might fly off the handle herself. No matter how arrogant and disrespectful these knights may have been, this was still her beloved master’s castle. A tiny cottage of a castle, but a castle nonetheless in Siren’s eyes. As the one in charge while Cayna was out, Siren did not wish to break protocol no matter who appeared at her doorstep. She couldn’t bear it if she and the werecats handled the situation poorly and sullied their master’s good name. The maid kept her anguish at bay and confronted the three foolish knights with practiced composure. Suddenly, she received good news—a message from her master Opuskettenshultheimer Crosstettbomber. The short note read: “Went to Guardian Tower. With Luka, Kuu, and Cayna. Will return after we stop by Helshper.” She would’ve preferred that he’d said something as soon as they left the village. Siren would give Opus an earful once he got back, but for the time being, she briefly informed him of the situation. His response was swift: I told Cayna everything. The rest is up to you. Trembling with joy now that she could finally eliminate this enemy in front of her, Siren locked her heart behind an emotionless iron wall and gave the irksome knights a final ultimatum. “We have received word from our master. Lady Cayna is currently in Helshper, so she will head to the castle directly.” “Lyin’ will only get ya so far. How could you get a message if you’re talkin’ to us right now? Quit the monkey business!” Anyone familiar with Cayna’s and Opus’s maids would be praying for the knights. Without any programs weighing them down, Siren, Roxine, and Roxilius had free will and could override their masters’ orders as they saw fit. To the three (Siren in particular), when Opus said “The rest is up to you,” what he meant was: “Lady Cayna is already going to Helshper like they wanted, so there’s no further need for a messenger.” The fact that these knights served a nation and held a degree of authority might as well have been written on scrap paper. Failing to read the situation, the oblivious knights stiffened as a wave of overwhelming rage rolled off the two maids and butler they’d disparaged only moments before. Summons like Siren and the werecats possessed one-tenth of their master’s skills. Although most were primarily meant for usage in daily life, they had a decent range of combat abilities as well. With a total of four hundred available, there were more than enough options to choose from. “Take care not to kill them. Murder will likely complicate matters,” Siren told the werecats. “Understood,” Roxilius replied. “So neither dead nor alive,” said Roxine. “Very well, then.” “You peasants think you can oppose us?!” Even the combined levels of the three knights couldn’t match a single maid. Going up against level-550 warriors with nothing more than their dull, non-buffed swords might be considered heroic to some, but that didn’t mean it was a good idea. Hardly a few seconds later, the knights’ pitiful cries echoed across the village in triple unison. The villagers who heard them were already well aware that Cayna’s staff doubled as security. Feigning innocence, they ignored the screams of the careless intruders receiving their just deserts. “What shall we do with them?” Roxine asked Siren. “That area is dangerous. They might meet a terrible fate if left to their own devices. We will play it safe: Bury them to their necks and place buckets over their heads.” “Understood.” And so the three knights were lined up in a corner by the village entrance with buckets over their heads. They moaned on occasion, so the villagers kept their distance. Siren and the werecats had no intention of letting them die, however, so they gave their prisoners water and nothing else. When the buckets began to wail with apology three days later, Siren finally let them go. After their overnight camping trip, Cayna and the others set out for Helshper. They rose before dawn, and the Fire and Lightning Spirits were sent away. “You don’t mind stopping by Helshper, right?” “Do as you like. I have no opinion on large cities.” “Sounds like a plan, then. Try not to cause trouble.” “Who do you think I am? If we encounter any issues, it won’t be on my account.”