This chapter takes place later in the volume in City State Ostela.

Veme’s POV.

After a lengthy back-and-forth with the guards, we were escorted into the Viceroy’s palace. Our identification papers needed to be checked over and over again. It was bad enough that they had to find a minister to approve them. That was primarily due to Kaladin’s new signature for his foundation. Apparently, not many people recognized it, especially this far away from the kingdom.

Thankfully, we also had signed documents from Luminar, which Kaladin gave us. Without those, we would have been tossed out without a second thought. On second thought, without Kaladin, we would have never known where even to start.

He really has done so much for us. Even though we did a mutual job for him, it’s nothing compared to this. Honestly, we’ve only ever really been kind to him, yet he has done this much for us. What a nice boy.

“Please, wait in here for the time being. Our official is in a meeting and will be here right after that,” the head butler said with a friendly nod.

We walked in and took our seats upon the comfy couches in the waiting room. The entire room shined a nearly blinding white as sunlight pierced the glass and hit the polished white stone. The floors, columns, and walls had veins filled with a metallic gold that caught the eye. The lush light blue carpet was soft to the touch, even through heavy shoes, oozing luxury. Even the banners bearing the weight and scale symbol of this city were embossed using silver and gold thread.

Ostela was a place of abundance for the powerful and one of suffering for the weak, and their palace was a central figure for that ideal. The giant palace loomed over the entire city, and the underbelly that made this place function was hidden by the shadow of the enormous sea wall. It disgusted me to no end.

Now that I had tasted a hint of the richness of the world through Kaladin, I wasn’t as surprised as I was sickened. The difference between the white palace of Ostela and Luminar’s royal palace was stark. Luminar had the same grand feeling, but it had a more humble and warm atmosphere to it.

This place was just too big and grand…this isn’t a home where a person lives…that’s what it feels like.

I turned to ask my partner about her thoughts, and even though I was typically bad at these things, hers were as clear as the sun rising. Bella bit the tip of her finger as her thick left leg bounced up and down. It was blatantly obvious why she was so nervous. She had much to lose and much to gain today.

“Trust in Kaladin. I think things will go well,” I said softly.

Her brown eyes drifted toward me, and she let out a long sigh as she sank into the couch further, throwing her arm over the back of it. “I know. I believe in him. I’m more worried about my idiot brother making a mess of things before we even get into the room to talk. I mean…what if he isn’t even here? What if he’s dead?”

“That’s a grim thing to say about your own blood,” I muttered.

Bella averted her eyes and stared at the floor, “I mean, that’s the only way I can keep myself sane anymore. I can’t keep worrying about him when he keeps getting himself into trouble while saving others.”

“Don’t you think that’s a good thing? He saved Kaladin, remember? Although it didn’t work the way they wanted it to…your brother was still able to meet the person that would eventually lead him back to you,” I offered.

“That sounds more like luck than something to be proud of…” she grumbled. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t respect him. My brother has helped a lot of people…us included. I’ll always be thankful to him for that,” she said with a smile.

“Yes, that is very true,” I said in agreement.

Bella shot up an angry hand into the air and yelled, “That’s why when I go out of my way to help him, and he just ignores me, it pisses me off! This is the third time! It shouldn’t have taken all this effort and almost twenty years!”

That is also very true…

I hummed in agreement. “Not everyone can be like Kaladin, I suppose. Perhaps if Sorn had taken after him, things would have been a lot smoother.”

Bella rubbed her hair with the palms of her hands and grumbled, “Gah! Only if a smudge of Kaladin’s brains rubbed off on that fool, we wouldn’t be here!”

Knock.

Knock.

“The Assistant Governor will see you ladies now.”

—

We were guided to a large meeting room at the center of the palace. The enormous oval-shaped table was made of polished silver with golden symbols set regularly on its surface. It was large enough that it could fit twenty men on each side comfortably. The chairs were made of dark wood. The same as the ones in the upper district, but they looked brand new. Even the fresh smell of wood still lingered as we sat down.

On the other side of the otherwise empty room were two men. One was wearing elegant light blue robes that touched the floor, while his curly brown hair sat upon his shoulders. He was wielding a large staff with a dungeon core shard the size of my head, embedded in the clutches of the gnarled wood. Judging by appearance alone, his entire outfit must have cost a small fortune.

The serious-looking mage looked no less impressive when he stood next to the large knight in full black Mithril l plate. Although I couldn't see the knight’s blade, I had to imagine it was also made of Mithril and equally as expensive as everything else. Of course, the bald knight appeared to be a grizzled veteran of many battles and, if I had to take a guess, the mage was much the same.

If these two came at us and we had to defend ourselves…I’m not sure we would come out on top.

Of course, I seemed to be the only one taking any of this seriously. Bella just sat in her couch with a flirtatious grin, her arms propping up her enormous chest, facing the two men. Naturally, even these two serious men had to avert their eyes and look elsewhere in the room.

I guess this is just an advantage for us in the long term, right?

“Please stand for His Highness; Assistant Governor Wright,” the head butler announced.

We performed as was expected, respectfully standing as the head butler walked in,who proceeded to pull out the grand wooden chair at the end of the table. A thin but short young Human man with dark black hair and a well-trimmed beard sat down, after which the butler pushed his seat in for him. He wore a single glass monocle in one eye, his dark brown eyes examining us from across the room as he placed a stack of papers on the desk.

If his name and appearance were anything to go on, he was the son of the Viceroy and number one in the line of succession for this City State. It was surprising to see such a high-ranking official, but I suppose that was due to the nature of our unusual request and the paperwork we had on us. I’m sure Ostela was running around in circles, trying to gauge just what we were doing.

The man adjusted his monocle and nodded. “To whom do I owe the pleasure of speaking to today? I do not believe I have seen either of you before, and I would not exactly identify you as Luminar dignitaries,” he said in a stiff tone.

“My name is Bella, and I’m a Ruby adventurer. This is my partner Veme. It’s an honor to be in the same room as you, Your Highness,” Bella answered for us in a soft voice.

The Assistant Governor blushed slightly as he cleared his throat. “Yes, well, it’s nice to meet you as well, Bella and Veme. Please, take your seats.”

We obliged and sat in our own chairs on the opposite side of him. “Now, you have official business? However, I find it difficult to believe you two came here to purchase a single slave.”

There was no point in me speaking and making a mistake during this meeting. Bella was in her element despite her nervousness. I would only be a hindrance, so I would let her do all the talking. It was also her brother that needed freeing.

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“Oh, but Your Highness, that is precisely why we are here,” Bella answered.

The Assistant Governor ruffled his nose and sat back. “I see…this is…indeed a unique circumstance then. No one, especially someone represented by Luminar, has come to us to buy a slave directly from the palace. We are not exactly a slave market, after all.”

Yet an entire portion of your city is.

“Well, that’s because we are only interested in a single slave, and we can only find him in this place. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?” Bella said with a wink.

The Assistant Governor managed to his emotions better, as he nodded. “Yes, I am aware of this specific slave you mentioned, which is why this is a problem. The Viceroy is very partial to this one, so I cannot, in good faith, part with this slave.”

Bella frowned playfully as she played with her hair. “Well, that simply won’t do. We came all this way, you know.Then again…I understand nothing is free in this world, so a fair purchase should suffice, correct? This is the merchant city of the continent. Doesn’t everything have a price, Your Highness?”

Bella slapped down a small cloth sack, letting the golden contents spill out onto the table. In total, there were five large gold Ostelan marks and an assortment of random golden pieces. All of it was funded by Kaladin himself.

“It’s indeed true everything has a price, Miss Bella, but…” The Assistant Governor trailed off.

“Was this not enough? How about more?” Bella said as she left another small sack on the table.

That sack also contained five large gold Ostelan marks. Bella shot the Assistant Governor a daring smile as she said, “Surely there isn’t a single slave in the entire world that is worth over half a Mithril coin, Your Highness?”

“That…yes…but I fail to understand why you are paying so much for a single slave?” The Assistant Governor questioned. “What is your true goal in coming here?”

Bella shook her head and puffed her cheeks out. “Your Highness, there truly isn’t any other reason for us being here. We’ve come with the help of our benefactor in hopes of purchasing this single slave from your magnificent self.”

The Assistant Governor put a hand to his forehead as he flipped through some of the paperwork and mumbled, “Yes…this Dragonheart Foundation was created by the Dragonslayer and that Vampire. Is this person your benefactor?”

I glanced at Bella, and I watched a grin spread across her lips, which she had to hide. “That is correct, Your Majesty. The savior of the continent, his most excellent self, Kaladin Shadowheart the Dragonslayer, is our benefactor. He hopes that you understand this is both a personal and official request carried out in his name,” Bella said confidently.

“Personal and official…” he mumbled quietly as he thought about a deeper meaning that didn’t exist.

The Assistant Governor’s resistance was expected. It was no surprise that Ostela and Kaladin’s goals were completely against each other. But it was also confirmation that Kaladin’s existence had spread across the entire continent of Illyrcium.

While traveling, we heard that even the smallest towns in Sandervile and Ostela had heard his name and knew of his deeds. We even heard that unofficial local holidays had sprung up in those small places to celebrate his deeds. Even though Kaladin may not be aware of it, this part of the continent knew who he was.

And his name had power because of that.

“Allow me a moment to confirm some things and see if this will be possible. Excuse me, Ladies,” the Assistant Governor said as he stood up from his seat.

“Of course, Your Highness, take all the time you need. I’ll be waiting for you,” Bella purred.

The Assistant Governor quickly fled to his room, followed by the head butler and the knight. The mage remained and stood in the same position, watching us.

Bella let out a long sigh and leaned back again. She nudged me with her leg and whispered in Beastmen, “How do you think I did?”

“Fine, I think. I don’t see any reason for them to hold a slave when we are offering so much gold. This place prides itself on money and the belief that everything can be bought,” I whispered back.

Bella hummed to herself as she looked over to the mage who was trying to listen to us. “What’s your name, Sir?”

The mage shifted awkwardly and said, “Dakin.”

“Dakin? That’s a handsome name,” Bella cooed.

No, it’s not.

Dakin nodded sheepishly as Bella leaned onto the table. “What do you think about all of this, Dakin? Will we run into any problems?”

“I—I’m not qualified to answer on behalf of His Highness,” he mumbled as he looked away.

“I’m not asking about any of that. I just want your honest and personal opinion, Dakin…” Bella pouted.

“I—I don’t see the reason behind any of this,” he admitted. “Why are you trying to pay so much for a single slave?”

“Well, because he’s family, obviously,” Bella said.

“Family…that makes sense,” he muttered.

“So…what do you think?” Bella insisted.

Dakin averted his eyes again and said, “If it's Sorn, then the Viceroy really is fond of him. Maybe it’s because that slave is so dull he would never escape, and he is making himself useful all the time…”

So, that confirms that Sorn is alive and has managed to avoid detection as well as hide his true nature? That’s good news, as Kaladin believed there was a chance Sorn would be executed before he could free him.

Bella smiled to herself and said, “So, do you believe the Viceroy would part with him?”

Dakin narrowed his eyes as he thought and said, “If it’s this much…I believe so. Money is king here, after all.”

“Good…” Bella mumbled quietly. “Thank you so much, Dakin. Your insight was very much appreciated…I feel so much better because of you.”

Dakin’s face went red as he coughed. “No problem…”

Thankfully, our wait wasn’t long. The Assistant Governor and his knight were quick to return, and after another moment, the butler pushed his chair in, while the knight took his position. The Assistant Governor stood straight up in his chair and told us,

“We have agreed to your terms, and we shall sign over the slave known as Sorn to you. The cost is a generous contribution as well, and we thank you for your purchase,” he said finally.

I immediately felt relief wash over me. We had done everything and over-prepared for this moment, but when they were hesitant at first, I was immediately scared that things would not turn out well. If we were rejected, then we planned to stay in this city for a long time until we managed to free Sorn ourselves. Thankfully, we can rely on the greediness of these Human bastards in the end.

“Your Kindness knows no bounds, Your Highness. Thank you for agreeing so quickly,” Bella said, unable to hide her excitement.

“Yes, well, we pride ourselves on our commitments. Please follow Mr. Cravens to your purchase; all the paperwork will be completed in the meantime. I’ll be taking my leave now,” he said, standing up again, this time followed by both his bodyguards.

Bella and I stood up and thanked the Assistant Governor. The head butler, whose surname was Cravens, guided us through the palace and into the lower floors.

“Sorn will be on kitchen duty today, so he should be around—you, tell me where Sorn is immediately,” the butler barked at a young slave girl.

She shied away, her fear apparent. “H—he—he’s in the s—store room, My Lord,” she stuttered.

The little human girl hadn’t even reached her teens, yet she wore a red collar with blood iron around her neck. I wanted nothing more than to free this child of her suffering, but we could not, and that pained me deeply. I understood what it felt like to be looked at as if you were less than the dirt you walked on.

I can only hope that—no, it will happen. Kaladin’s dream…to free everyone from the shackles of this horrid existence will come to pass. If anyone did it, it would be him. And I pray to whatever god hears me that it is through the blood of these scum.

“Right this way, Ladies,” the butler said with a bow.

Bella glanced over at me, and I could see the cold fury in her eyes. She simply nodded, and as we passed the young girl, she ruffled her hair and slipped a large gold mark into her pocket. It wasn’t anything special, but there was a chance that would be enough to free herself one day.

I walked past Bella, who leaned down to whisper into the girl's ear, and I heard her say, “Remember, don’t tell anyone, and make sure to add this to your savings.”

I didn’t look back, but I liked to imagine the surprise and shock of the young girl when she saw the coin. With a glint of hope added into the mix.

The kitchen was quiet except for the few slaves cleaning it. We got some interesting looks, but we acted like trained dogs. They never stared for longer than a second. We were led to the back storage room where we could hear grunting and the moving of heavy objects.

It was dark and chilly in there. A group of about five men, all slaves, were stacking large crates on top of one another. The moment we walked in, all eyes turned to us…including his.

I hadn’t seen him in many, many years. The passage of time had begun to show on his face as wrinkles sat underneath his eyes, and gray tinges marked his brown hair. But he was as broad-shouldered as ever and looked just as strong.

His serious-looking eyes shot up, and he stumbled forward. “Little Sister?” he questioned, his voice deep.

I smiled as I looked over to Bella, who just stood there in the doorway with a genuine ear-to-ear smile.

“Brother…”