"Are you telling me that a Space mage was kidnapped from here, in the Bern march, right under my nose?" the First Assassin asked.

"Yes." Althea replied. The pair's eyes were wide. Vanessa seemed especially shocked by the Empress’ reaction, and probably the sheer power she wielded.

"Where are they?" the First Assassin demanded, the orb rippling and screeching under the force of her words.

"Marchioness, perhaps you could calm down. Save your anger for those that deserve it." Althea suggested. Just like that, the Marchioness seemed to calm down. Like a switch had turned off, and she was facing a sane person again.

"Where, and who are they?" the Marchioness asked, her voice much colder. A bit too cold. Althea had a feeling that the people behind this would not live to see tomorrow.

"The caravan moves around. And I can describe them, but there are a lot of people-" Nathan began.

"I have one of them in custody. I can hand him over." Althea interrupted. Describing would take too long, she still needed to get back to Deadre.

"Do it. I will have someone there in an hour." the Marchioness replied.

"There are a lot of children, and some of them are-" Nathan began.

"Ask the Countess." Marchioness waved his worries away. "After all, she will be the one handling this."

"Wait what?" Althea asked. Why did she have more work again?

"The Diery county discovered this. As Guarding Countess, you have to lead." The Marchioness paused. "And the children will have a much better time in your county than elsewhere. Not many will pay much attention to events in the Diery county."

The communication cut off, leaving Althea alone with the rather shocked pair.

"I think I will need more information." she said. But she had to say one thing. Did the Marchioness just show a bit of sympathy? Not to reduce the pain of the victims of the Fae…but did it die when Althea lived in her home for five years?

sc

Nerusia stood in the air, her mana keeping her squad hidden.

“Lerust?” she asked.

“I can confirm it. This is it. The main base.” The First Saboteur reported. “Seven Adept stage Fae, thirty Master stage. Assassin is in position to deal with the Adept stages.”

“What about the victims?” she asked.

“The victims are spread out, but if we can secure the higher stage cultivators quickly, then there should not be any major threat to them.”

“I see.” Nerusia considered the situation. “Light and Shadow attack, Fire defends. Poison and Wind protect. ”

And they were off, acting without need for more conversation. The Shadow Squad was the sword of the Solerian Empire, its way of projecting power. If you offended the Empire, the Shadow Squad would pay you a visit.

Nerusia teleported into one of the Adepts' rooms, using her senses to locate him. Black fog sunk into him before he even realized she was there. The Fae was dead before he realised who had appeared. Then she was off to the next. The First Assassin was light, and she, the Empress was Shadow. A reversed combination, but these were the elements they had.

The next one was the most powerful of the lot. Nerusia teleported in with full force of her cultivation. The old Fae stood there, hunched as he stared at her.

“Law of Soleria.” the old Fae said. “I surrender.” And then he dropped dead. Nerusia nearly dropped her guard in shock. The Fae’s body turned into mana, characteristic of their kind. The Fae were more energy than matter at times.

The mana was strange, however. Nerusia debated, but decided to wait. The unexpected was dangerous at their level. And the old Fae calling her by that old name of the Solerian family was strange indeed. Not to mention she wasn’t one.

The old Fae’s mana felt old, like a dusty book. Nerusia felt her mind widen a bit before the mana faded. The effect was little, but she was far more powerful than the old Fae to begin with. But it told her what element he was. A Fae of knowledge. How rare. The Fae royal family had supposedly killed them off.

Mana gathered around her as she teleported away again three more Adept stage Fae falling to her. The entire operation was over within ten minutes, the caravan unable to put up much of a resistance. Even with their limited strength, there should have been arrays, coordination, and protection magic in place. But there wasn’t a single spell. As if someone had left the caravan for them to kill.

“The Fae were injured.” the First Spy stated.

“Yes, I know.” Nerusia said, pulling her husband from his palace. The Shadow Squad bowed as the Emperor of Sorelia appeared in the air. Nerusia had taken a while to sense it, but Lorn was much better at mana sensing than her.

“Are you sensing what I am?” he asked, his voice quivering.

“Yes.” she stated, sensing at the threads of mana that seemed so obvious now. A gift from an old friend. “Jerissa is alive, and she was here.”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

A supposedly extinct type of Fae, and a dead Fae princess that had betrayed her decades ago. Just what had her niece brought on this time?

sc

Five minutes into the pair’s story, Althea already had an idea of what punishment she wanted to give. A judge shouldn't make an opinion early, but if even one percent of what Nathan said they did was true…they deserved it. The Fae caravan were slave owners. As simple as that. The bastards had kidnapped children, babies less than a year old and raised them to be their slaves.

The place was abusive. Nathan removed his mask. Even Althea couldn't stop a gasp at the burnt, disfigured mass that remained. The boy was in need of a powerful healer. Althea was going to get him one. Even if it cost her greatly.

The only reason the two of them were able to escape was because his mother had sacrificed her life. A final sacrifice to make up for her bad deeds. After all, it was his mother that kidnapped Vanessa in the first place.

But she would figure that out later. Now she had to meet the General of the Northern Fortress, and the city lord of Sentinal.

Althea stepped into the room, and the people inside stood up. "I greet her grace, the Countess Guarding Diery." the General said.

The man was easy to recognize, the tallest and buffest in the room, with the powerful aura of a peak Master stage.

"Thank you for your time, General." Althea said. "I felt that you should be kept in the loop about our plans to deal with beasts in the region."

"I am glad, your grace. I would have suggested it if you hadn't asked. The beasts are starting to become a problem in the fortress too. The supply lines are stretched thin with deer attacks." the General attacks.

Althea raised an eyebrow. "Please forgive me, General, but did you say deer attacks? I was not aware of a horde in the region."

"There isn't, your grace." the General replied. "Are you aware of what is classified as a horde?"

"Yes, a horde has a population at least fifty percent over normal." she answered. "And at least fifty percent of it is more powerful than what is the established peak of the species."

The General nodded." Yes, it is easy for creatures like rabbits and beavers to form hordes. The Fensurian Deer are another thing entirely."

The name trickled at her memory, but she did not remember where she had heard it before.

"Can you elaborate, General?" she asked.

"To be exact, the deer are near predators. A kind of deer that has evolved to hunt spirit trees and plants that have cultivation of their own. The deer usually remain within the forests where such trees are common, but now they are emerging from the forests.

"So it is the same as the rabbits." Althea stated.

"But instead of rabbits, we have their far more numerous and powerful counterparts."

"The deer." the two of them stated together.

"What would you suggest then?" she asked.

"I want more people around Sentinal." the General asked. "The harvest is in three months, the Zun Empire will be looking to get some of it. The fortress cannot spare the men."

"I will see what I can do." Althea said. "Please convey your needs to the council at Deadre, we will assess it."

The General nodded. "I have heard of it. Tell me, if I were to seek employment there, would you take me?"

"For you General, I would give ten gold a week." Althea said. A Master wanted to join the county? Even as a joke? Oh sure, take her money!

The General grinned. "I will keep that in mind, your grace. Now if you will excuse me, a General cannot leave his fortress for long."

The Sentinal city lord turned to her as soon as the General was gone.

"I have a few requests too, your grace." he said. Althea expected it.

"I will do my best to fulfil them." she answered.

"The people that are using the manuals, they will need training. I was wondering if you would allow retired Bern soldiers to stay here and train them. There are a bunch from the fortress that still-"

"Tell them I will pay them a silver a week." she stated. A hundred copper made a silver. And a hundred silver made one gold.

The city lord nodded. "Thank you, your grace."

"And tell any that are willing to move that I am willing to secure housing in the other cities, and some villages." she said. The county owned a bunch of houses. After all, property was a good way to make money. But this would massively increase the amount of money the county needed to operate.

Althea would have to open up more land to farming. But that needed more farmers and people to protect it from beasts. How troublesome. The county wouldn't be in trouble for a while though.

The city lord grinned. "I will be sure to convey that, your grace."

Althea grinned, taking her leave.

The journey from Sentinal to Deadre was largely peaceful. A few beasts attacked them, but they were dealt with quickly. But they would be a problem to merchant caravans. The roads had to be kept safe, or it would impact trade. And trade was minimal to begin with. Another thing for her to do. The county army needed to grow bigger.

There was a special greeting waiting for her by the time they arrived at the palace. A greeting that involved the Empress and hundreds of children, and a lot of people in chains.

"So quick, your majesty?" she asked, surprised.

"An Empire does not live by acting slowly, Countess." the Empress said. "As Empress of the Solerian Empire, I hand over the criminals responsible for the attack on yourself and so much more. I shall stay until the court is done."

"Thank you, your majesty. I shall hold the court at once." Althea actually did not have the intention to hold the court at once, she had questions to ask. But if the Empress was staying…she could ask the questions in public.

The main hall was filled to the brim. Just like Earth, trials were just too interesting. The Empress herself appearing with a bunch of children? Thousands had come. The alternative entertainment was truly low. There were few games, singing and dancing were minimal…she felt sorry for them. The county needed a lot more entertainment.

"I hereby call this emergency court into session." she announced.

"For those that are unaware, a few hours ago, the college students and I were attacked by mind Fae." The crowd was literally leaning through the lines trying to fit into the hall. Just how bored were they?

"There is a viewing gallery on the higher floors, the ministers, and dignitaries can move there." Althea mentioned, looking at the empty circle around the Empress. The common people were still too afraid to dare stand beside the Empress.

The Empress flew to the overreaching balconies, taking the ministers with her. The Minister of Defense was not happy about being ignored by her. Why was he here anyway?

"The Fae was part of a caravan, a caravan that has been stealing children across the continent and enslaving them." Althea continued. The crowd erupted into whispers.

"Today, we will hear the case against them, and after that, I will make a decision as to their punishment. The Empress has been kind enough to capture them for us. Now I call the first witness.”