Once the remaining masked figures were out of sight, I took a moment to study the people inside the barrier. Two of them were men dressed like common laborers. I assumed these were the Blue Shadows who helped Lady Adelheid. Both sported injuries, though nothing too serious from what I could tell.

One of the people was a young woman who wore a plain and simple dress. She had pale skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. Her looks were average, neither beautiful nor ugly, leaving her right between the two. I assumed this was Lady Adelheid’s maid. She carried a pair of daggers in her hands, and looked ready to lay down her life for her mistress.

The last person was another young woman, though she wore a much more luxurious and expensive dress. Like most northerners, she had pale skin, dark hair, and blue eyes. She was pretty in a bland sort of way. If I saw her at a ball or some other social event, she wouldn’t stand out all that much. However, the look in her eyes told me that I shouldn’t underestimate her. They burned with a fiery passion.

The young woman had the mana signature of a magician, a Sage to be exact, which was just below Grand Sage in terms of power. She was the one responsible for creating and maintaining the barrier. Lady Adelheid, I assumed.

“They may return.” I said. “Keep the barrier up for now.”

Lady Adelheid nodded but didn’t say anything. From the strained expression she wore and the sweat running down her face, maintaining the barrier in the face of a continuous assault had taken all of her strength.

I maintained a vigilant watch as I waited for the Coldsteel Knights to arrive. Despite my worries, none of the masked figures returned. My arrival must have scared them off. A short while later, the Coldsteel Knights arrived. They moved to secure the area as well as the bodies of the masked figures I had slain.

“Please don’t do that ever again, my lord.” Sir Kane said, with a consternated expression on his face. “It doesn’t look good for us, as your bodyguards, if our charge runs ahead and leaves us behind while he throws himself into danger.”

“If nothing else, please bring us along so we can fulfill our duties.” Elise said, with an expression that matched Sir Kane’s.

“I’ll try.” I said. “However, I make no promises. We’ll see what the future holds.”

My bodyguards looked unhappy with this, but kept their complaints to themselves.

After the Coldsteel Knights secured the area, I turned to face Lady Adelheid and the people inside the barrier.

“I greet you, Lady Adelheid Gerhard.” I said with a polite expression on my face. “I am Wulfe Kaltbrand. Welcome to Frostheart.”

Lady Adelheid studied me for several seconds, before she dropped the barrier. A group of Coldsteel Knights, led by Rosalind, moved in to tend to the two injured Blue Shadows.

“I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.” Lady Adelheid said with a bow, before giving me a grateful smile. “Thank you for saving my companions and I. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, I doubt any of us would have survived.

I gave her a polite smile in return, one that in no way reflected my true feelings. To say I was upset with her would be an understatement. If she hadn’t taken such a risk, none of this would have happened. A man had lost his life because of her recklessness, and two of the Blue Shadows had been injured. However, I kept my emotions in check. This was neither the time nor the place.

“To prevent any more incidents from occurring,” I said, holding my hand out to Lady Adelheid. “Please, allow us to escort you the rest of the way to Kaltbrand Castle.”

While it sounded like a request, my tone made it clear that this was an order. Lady Adelheid looked around, realized that she was in no position to refuse, and nodded.

“Thank you, Lord Wulfe.” she said. “We would be delighted to accept your offer.”

She took my hand and I led her to one of the carriages. Her maid put away her daggers and followed along. After I helped Lady Adelheid into the carriage, I split the Coldsteel Knights into three groups. One group would escort us back to Kaltbrand Castle, while the second group would tend to the injured and bring the dead masked figures to the castle. While I doubted we would learn anything about them or who they worked for, it was worth a try.

The third group would investigate the site of the original attack. At the very least, I wanted to find out the identity of the coachman who died. If he left behind any family, I would ensure they were looked after.

After giving out my orders, I climbed into the carriage and joined Lady Adelheid and her maid. Sir Kane and Elise remained outside with the others, so it was just the three of us inside. Once the carriage started moving again, I dropped my polite facade and released my pressure. Lady Adelheid and her maid blanched.

“You…!” the maid said.

She reached for her daggers, but I increased the pressure on her and she froze in place.

“Touch your weapons and I will kill before you have a chance to draw them.” I told her.

“Lord Wulfe!” Lady Adelheid ground out through gritted teeth. “What is the meaning of this? I am-…”

“An uninvited guest.” I said, interrupting her. “You must have known that someone would have targeted you the moment they realized you were in Frostheart, alone and unescorted. The chances were small, but they still existed. Despite that, you took that risk anyway and now an innocent man is dead. You may not be directly at fault, but you still bear some of the responsibility for his death.” I leaned in closer. “What do you have to say for yourself, Lady Adelheid?”

Lady Adelheid’s eyes widened for a moment, before closed them and bowed her head.

“I’m sorry.” she said. “While I knew that someone might target me, I never thought they would resort to such drastic measures. Nor did I think any innocents would get caught up in my affairs. I apologize for the pain and suffering I caused with my thoughtless actions.”

Her apology caught me off guard. In my life, I’ve met many nobles who wouldn’t even acknowledge the existence of commoners, let alone feel remorse for the death of one. Perhaps Lady Adelheid was putting on an act to get into my good graces, but I believed she was being sincere.

I shook my head and looked out the window. It didn’t matter if her remorse was sincere or not. A man was still dead.

“I’m not the one you should apologize to.” I said, retracting my pressure.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the maid glare at me. However, she refrained from reaching for her weapons again. Good, otherwise I would have made good on my threat.

“I know.” Lady Adelheid said, opening her eyes and looking up at me. “I shall apologize in person to the family of the coachman who died and ensure they are taken care of. It is the least I can do.”

“Yes, it is.” I looked back at her. “Why did you take such a risk? You can speak freely. We have some time before we reach Kaltbrand Castle.”

Lady Adelheid gave me a wan smile.

“May I answer that question later?” she asked. “Truth be told, I am rather shaken at the moment and I am not in the right frame of mind for that conversation.”

I noticed then that Lady Adelheid’s hands were trembling. Not only had she been attacked by a group of masked figures, but she then faced the anger of an Aura Master. Not everyone was suited to violence. It was a minor miracle that she was as well put together as she was at the moment. I felt a small measure of pity for her. While her actions led to the coachman’s death, the masked figures and whoever they worked for were the real culprits.

“Very well.” I said. “However, make no mistake, I will remember this.”

Lady Adelheid nodded. We spent the rest of the carriage ride to Kaltbrand Castle in silence. When we arrived at the castle’s main entrance, a group of servants led by Viscount Holtz greeted us.

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“Viscount Holtz,” I said. “This is Lady Adelheid Gerhard. She is my guest.” I turned to the lady in question. “Lady Adelheid, this is Viscount Holtz. He is the butler of Kaltbrand Castle.”

The viscount bowed to Lady Adelheid and she nodded in return.

“Prepare a room for Lady Adelheid and her maid.” I told Viscount Holtz before turning to Lady Adelheid. “Follow Viscount Holtz. He’ll look after you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask him. I would escort you myself, but I need to report to Dad.”

Lady Adelheid’s eyes widened.

“By ‘Dad’, you mean…” she said, before trailing off.

I bared my teeth at her in a facsimile of a smile.

“His Grace, Grand Duke Kaltbrand.” I said. “My father.”

With that, I turned and marched inside Kaltbrand Castle, heading for the grand duke’s office.

----------------------------------------

“…and that is the long and short of it.” I said.

Grand Duke Kaltbrand took a moment before responding.

“While the coachman’s death is regrettable,” he said with a grim expression on his face. “Things would have been much worse if Lady Adelheid had died as well. You did well, Wulfe. Good job.”

The grand duke’s praise did little to improve my mood. The two of us were in his study. After leaving Lady Adelheid in Viscount Holtz’s care, I marched into the grand duke’s study to inform him of what happened. He must have already heard something, because I found him waiting for me when I arrived. Claus, the leader of the Blue Shadows, was there as well. It didn’t take me long to give the grand duke a brief account of what happened.

“What do you think, Claus?” Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked, turning to the other man. “Do you think this is the work of our unseen enemy?”

The spymaster looked thoughtful for a moment, before he shook his head.

“No,” he said. “I do not believe so. The one interfering with House Kaltbrand’s succession is subtle, meticulous, and thorough.” He sneered. “The attack on Lady Adelheid was far too brazen and sloppy to be their work. I suspect the masked assailants were working for someone else; one of the other potential heirs, for example.”

“Regardless of who hired them,” I said. “What matters most is finding out who they are and punishing them. The reputation of House Kaltbrand is at stake.”

This attack occurred in Frostheart, the seat of House Kaltbrand’s power. The sooner we figured out who was behind this, the better. Otherwise, House Kaltbrand would lose influence. Not only that, but the other noble houses would see us as weak and unable to manage our own territory.

“My my, Wulfe.” Grand Duke Kaltbrand said with a raised eyebrow. “I didn’t realize you were so invested in House Kaltbrand’s reputation.”

His tone suggested he wasn’t displeased by this at all.

“Of course.” I said. “I am at House Kaltbrand’s disposal. Until our contract expires, I am, for all intents and purposes, your heir. Why wouldn’t I care about House Kaltbrand’s reputation?” I clenched. “Besides, I wish to punish those who would treat innocent lives with such callous disregard.”

The grand duke smiled.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page then.” he said, before turning towards Claus. “Have you had any luck in tracking down these masked assailants or whoever they work for?”

Claus nodded.

“My people have been trailing the masked assailants ever since Lord Wulfe drove them off.” he said. “Given how swiftly they were able to react to Lady Adelheid’s presence, I believe they have been in Frostheart for some time now. They must have a hideout somewhere in the city, or just outside of it. After we follow them back to this hideout, it is only a matter of time before we figure out who they work for.”

The Blue Shadows were much better at hiding than I gave them credit for. When I first came upon the masked assailants attacking Lady Adelheid’s group, I kept an eye out for any potential hidden enemies. Yet, I didn’t notice anyone hiding nearby. Granted, I had been distracted at the time, but still.

“Very well.” Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. “I’ll leave the investigation in your hands.” The grand duke turned back towards me. “Now then, let us discuss the other matter at hand. What shall we do with our uninvited guest, Lady Adelheid?”

I let out a drawn out sigh.

“A part of me wants to hog-tie her and send her back to House Gerhard.” I said.

Both Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Claus stared at me with wide eyes, before the former burst out into laughter.

“You really are Sofie’s disciple.” the grand duke said. “That sounds like something she would say.”

“However,” I continued, as if he hadn’t said anything. “If we take Lady Adelheid’s position and status into consideration, that wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“No, it wouldn’t.” Grand Duke Kaltbrand said with a chuckle. “As amusing as I find the idea, House Gerhard would never forgive us. They’re rather sensitive when it comes to insults directed towards them, intended or not.”

“Which means, our only option is to let her stay here as our guest.” I said with a shrug. “If nothing else, it will give us time to figure out what she wants. She came here ahead of time for a reason, and I intend to figure out what that reason is.”

The grand duke nodded.

“Good.” he said. “In that case, I’ll leave her in your hands. Deal with her as you see fit. You have my full support.”

“Thank you, Your Gra-…” He glared at me. “…Dad.”

He smiled at me for a brief moment, before the smile faded away and a serious expression took its place.

“However, be careful, Wulfe.” the grand duke said. “While Lady Adelheid’s faction is the weakest, do not underestimate her. There is a reason why she is a potential heir. Depending on how you deal with her, she can become either a formidable enemy or a steadfast ally. Whatever you do, be careful.”

I nodded.

“I will, Dad.” I said.

“Good. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

I almost said no, but paused.

“Actually, yes, there is.” I said.

The grand duke gave me an inquisitive look.

“I wish to send a message to someone without it being intercepted. I have a plan to deal with Lady Adelheid and get her on my side, but I need Lady Lina Guld’s help for it to work.”

Claus narrowed his eyes at me, while Grand Duke Kaltbrand frowned.

“It is possible, yes, if we use the Blue Shadows to deliver the message.” the grand duke said. “However, I was under the impression that you wished to avoid House Guld’s attention for now, Wulfe.”

“That is correct, for the most part.” I said with a nod. “However, Lady Lina is the exception. She is the only member of House Guld who knows that I am in the Barrens and that I am working to earn a title.”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand studied me for several long seconds.

“Is she perhaps the reason why you want a title in the first place?” he asked.

I hesitated, before nodding. He would have found out the truth sooner or later, so I saw no harm in telling him now. It wasn’t like it was some big secret.

“It’s difficult for a commoner and a noble to marry, despite what the stories say.” I said in a quiet voice. “Reality is far less forgiving.”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.

“I see.” he said. “It all makes sense now, given what I know about you. With your abilities, you could have made a name for yourself in any part of the Reichwald Empire, yet you chose to come here. I always found that odd.” He shook his head. “To return to the matter at hand, as long as you don’t reveal any of House Kaltbrand’s secrets, feel free to use the Blue Shadows to send any number of messages to Lady Lina Guld.” He grinned. “Who am I to stand in the way of young love?”

“Thank you, Dad.” I said, bowing my head in gratitude.

“Now then, unless you have something else you wish to discuss, feel free to leave.”

I shook my head, before leaving the grand duke’s study.

----------------------------------------

Afterwards, I decided to check in on Lady Adelheid. The grand duke gave me leave to deal with her as I chose, and I already claimed she was my guest, which also meant that she was my responsibility. After asking a servant for directions, I headed to the room assigned to Lady Adelheid.

It turned out that Viscount Holtz had prepared one of Kaltbrand Castle’s best rooms, the ones reserved for the most distinguished of guests. Considering Lady Adelheid was a potential heir to House Kaltbrand, and a member of one of the wealthiest noble houses in the Barrens, I supposed that made sense.

When I arrived, I found the room a flurry of activity. It was a scene of organized chaos as servants delivered packages of all shapes and sizes into the room. Lady Adelheid stood in the midst of all this, directing the servants. I navigated my way through and approached her. When she saw me, Lady Adelheid smiled and bowed.

“Greetings, Lord Wulfe.” she said.

“Greetings, Lady Adelheid.” I said, looking around. “What is all of this?”

“I couldn’t bring any of my things when I traveled to Frostheart.” Lady Adelheid said. “Since I didn’t want to impose more upon the hospitality of House Kaltbrand than I already have, I decided to purchase everything I might need during my stay here.”

It took a considerable amount of effort to keep my jaw from dropping. My talk with Grand Duke Kaltbrand hadn’t lasted that long. How had Lady Adelheid managed to buy all of this within such a short time span?

“I see.” I said after a moment. “I came by to see how you were settling in. As my guest, your wellbeing is important to me.”

Lady Adelheid clasped her hands together and looked down.

“Thank you, Lord Wulfe.” she said in a bashful voice. “Your concern for me is touching.”

I stared at her. What was this? Given what I knew about her, or what I thought I knew about her, this wasn’t what I expected of Lady Adelheid. She was acting more like a blushing maiden than the fiery and temperamental woman in the reports the twins gave me. Either Lady Adelheid was more innocent than I was led to believe, or this was an act on her part. If it was the latter, then what was the point? What did she hope to gain?

“Truth be told, I’m still a little shaken by what happened earlier.” Lady Adelheid said. She looked back up at me. “If you hadn’t arrived when you did…” She trailed off and shuddered. “I know I already said this, but thank you, Lord Wulfe. You saved my life.” She reached over and touched my arm, a shy smile on her face. “I will remember this for as long as I live.”

It felt like a bolt of lightning hit me as I realized in that moment what Lady Adelheid was doing, and why she was acting this way.

She was attempting to romance me.