I stood before the manor of House Slade alongside several guards. Transfer magic had allowed me to reach this abode in a matter of seconds.
“Break through their security.”
At my command, my guards eliminated the defense stationed in front of us. Our sudden arrival left them without time to react, so they went down easily.
“Your group will keep watch out here. Keep doing as we planned even after we’ve stormed the gates.”
A few of my escorts stood back while the rest of us ran through the center of the estate. I would’ve preferred to go straight to Lord Slade himself, but Transfer had its limits. If the casting mage was not familiar with the location in mind, then moving to a precise spot wouldn’t be possible.
A whisper reverberated in my ear: “I’m reminded why the Sacred Swords are so special. Their ability to strengthen magic is just totally unfair.”
It was Tommy, who was taking a different route.
“I won’t deny that. And while I know you can erase sound with your magic, that doesn’t mean we have time for small talk,” I said.
“Ha ha, right. Things are going well on my end. We should be able to find the imprisoned children soon.”
“Excellent. Keep it up.”
We came across a door leading into the manor. My guards broke it down in short order. Naturally, Lord Slade’s servants weren’t expecting us.
“Eeep!”
“Wh-who are you people?!”
Some were terrified, others looked baffled, and a few were still absorbed in their cleaning duties.
“Servants of House Slade: Remain conscious, but do not move from where you stand.”
My command forced them to do as I said.
“Apologies for the intrusion. I am Luxeria von Ausgrid, and I have business with your master.” I used Heart Realm again. “Servants of House Slade. Tell me where the marquess is.”
“He’s in his office,” answered one of the maids.
“Very well,” I replied. “Take me to him—and be quick about it.”
We followed our unwitting guides through the halls. I silenced each servant we saw along the way with my magic. When we finally reached the office, my soldiers broke down the door. Lord Slade sat inside with the man who had accompanied him the last time we met.
“Well, well, what a surprise,” Slade said coolly. “Did we have a meeting scheduled today?”
While clearly a little startled by our sudden arrival, he was the ever-unruffled Lord Slade. The man had nerves of steel.
“I’m afraid not,” I said. “Apologies for coming on such short notice, but I needed to speak with you as soon as possible.”
“As soon as possible, eh? Much as I would love to grant you an audience here and now, I’m afraid you’ll need an appointment. I’d appreciate it if you would send a letter and arrange a meeting in advance.”
“Sorry, but the situation is of grave importance to the kingdom as a whole, and its resolution is of the highest priority.”
“Does that not make following the proper procedures all the more vital?”
I chuckled darkly, the echo producing an unsettling atmosphere in the room. “Oh, I shall ensure the proper procedures take place. For the arrest of a treasonous criminal, that is.”
“A criminal, you say?”
“Just how full have you stuffed your pockets by trafficking the kingdom’s citizens?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I’m afraid I don’t understand your question,” Slade said.
My attempt to put pressure on him did not make him flinch—as I expected from this snake.
“Really? We recently performed a search of House Beckford,” I told him. “Among the documents we seized, we found a record of House Slade’s involvement with the capture and sale of children.”
I had these documents on hand, of course, and I showed him the exact one that implicated House Slade.
“My, my! How bizarre,” Slade remarked, playing the victim. “My house would never be involved in such barbaric practices. Surely it was forged by someone from another house.” He sported a sickeningly false frown. I’d never seen an actor get so involved in a role.
“Oh? You claim to know nothing of this?”
“Nothing at all, I assure you. You see, the evidence you’ve presented lacks the Slade insignia, and it does not bear my signature.”
What a pity. He may have been a talented actor, but he was no director—and I was running the show.
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Slade had made a critical mistake. Things were going precisely as I planned.
“Goodness, what’s so funny, Your Majesty?” Slade asked.
“Ahh, this whole situation!” I said. “You claim to know nothing about children being bought and sold. If that is the case, then why are there mages locked up inside this very manor?”
At that moment, Tommy sprang into the room. “Your Majesty! The children have successfully been rescued!”
He had hilariously good timing.
“Have you detained the jailers?” I asked.
“Yes. We’ve already gotten their testimony as well,” Tommy replied.
“There you have it, Lord Slade,” I said. “Will you continue to deny your involvement even now?”
Slade growled, then rang a bell on his desk. By the time I realized it was an alarm, his guards were already swarming into the room. The small office became very cramped very quickly.
“Seize them!”
“Soldiers of House Slade, kneel before me.”
Slade and I spoke at the same time, but it was my magical order that everyone heeded. They all kneeled.
“What?! Impossible! Magic is supposed to be unusable in this room!” Slade said.
His shock disappointed me, and I sighed. “Why are you so surprised? I know full well that your assistant can nullify magic. Did you think I wouldn’t find a way around that?”
“But how can one use magic to counter magic nullification…?”
“You really don’t know? Now that’s a surprise.”
One of the Great Five’s official duties was to supply the Sacred Swords—which required vast amounts of magic to operate—with their own magic. They should all know exactly what the Sacred Swords could do, but it appeared they’d forgotten it in their endless pursuit of wealth.
I waved my hand, summoning forth a weighty blade bathed in indigo light.
“Behold, the Sacred Sword of Wisdom,” I said. “It can nullify enemy magic and enhance the magic of the wielder and her allies. So long as I wield this blade, your little tricks will have no effect.”
For the first time, I saw Lord Slade grow visibly worried. It filled me with joy and made my heart flutter.
“Lord Slade and his assistants, kneel before me.”
Slade fell to his knees just as his soldiers had. The humiliation and frustration they felt was clear on all their faces.
Enjoying their misery, I gave a sweeping order to my men: “Arrest the lot of them.”
They acted immediately, placing them all under arrest.
“Now then, let us return home,” I said.
Before certain troublesome figures meddle in our affairs, that is.
I was unsure if anyone heard my command, but the troops moved as I had asked.
“This is Tommy,” came a voice in my ears.
“Tommy? Where are you?”
“I left the situation at Slade’s place up to my men. I’m at Weston’s manor now.”
“While I know this was part of my plan, I admire your diligence.”
“Eh, I suppose. While I’d love more of your praise, this went without a hitch. The people in charge of the house were taken out by those loyal to Oscar. I guess some kind of a resistance group? They had help from House Alcott’s soldiers.”
House Alcott had cooperated with us. I’d asked for their help when I first planned our strategy with Aaron and Godfrey.
“It seems Oscar and the Alcotts did what they were meant to.”
“Yep. Shockingly well, I might add.”
“Very good.”
“Anyway, we’re gonna take everyone we arrested at House Weston back to the capital.”
“Understood.”
Tommy spoke no more after that, and we each made our way back to the capital.