Blake followed close behind Jessica as they made their way through some streets, Blake’s eyes started scanning the area as soon as they took a turn into the red-light area, and his blessing alerted him that they were already being watched by at least three hostile entities. But he can’t spot them, so he catches up to Jessica’s pace, and leans in a bit “How much further.” He asked her.

“Around the next corner, the one she apparently works at is called The White Night.” she said back while pointing to an alleyway a bit further down.

Blake follows along, their walk leads them to a newly renovated house, with fresh paint over most of its walls, and a newly made reinforced wood door. [This looks too nice to be in the alleyway of the red-light area, I have a bad feeling about this.] he thought as he walked in with Jessica, glancing about the fairly sized reception area that was decorated in sheets of thin fabric of different shades of red, blue, and purple, with scented oil lanterns hanging from the walls and ceiling. He noticed a few of the workers eyeing him and Jessica as they walked in. [this place looks nice, and well decorated for a place of this kind of business.] Blake had to look about a bit as the blessing’s power faded and gave a wave to a few of the workers.

“Welcome to The White Night, it is not uncommon to see a couple come to us, newlyweds looking for tutelage on how to spice their times is a service we provide.” Said a lean woman who was dressed in a tight and concealing dress, she was pointing at them with a fan and then flicked it open while covering a bit of her face, “Tho to see a priestess is uncommon, did you not vow to be the bride of the gods?” Her tone sounded more displeased than inviting.

Blake took Jessica’s hand before she could say anything, and stepped forward “No, while we are newlyweds, our business here is to uphold a promise we made to a dear friend, Her daughter was orphaned during a long mission we were away on, after a bit of searching we found out she had started to work here, we are looking for her, she is a fox-kin. We had promised to see to her care in the event of her mother’s death. If she is here, we would like to speak with her.” Blake said in a confident voice, pushing a bit of authority to his tone to push the madam onto the back foot.

Jessica caught on quickly, thankfully, and leaned forward to speak, “She should be about ten years old, her fur color is a deep red, and her eyes will be a glossy purple. If you do know her we would appreciate any information.”

Blake heard some workers say Sarena’s name from behind the drapes and could see a few shudders a bit as he glanced their way. But the madam spoke up. “You are looking for Sarena, She left a day ago, she had joined a merchant’s caravan, I think it was heading to the capital.” she said in an even tone, a clear and futile effort to hide information.

Blake raised his halberd, then slammed the pommel down, and glared at the woman, “I am blessed to see through lies, and I do not take kindly to them. So let's try again, You know her and know where she is, now tell us or I’ll make this place newly demolished.” Blake said in a hard and angered tone. His display made everyone but Jessica flinch backward, and a few of the young workers faint too.

The madam stares at him but is cut off from speaking by Jessica, who adds, “I recommend you listen to him, he has killed both a troll singlehandedly, and a four hundred-strong goblin tribe, and that was before I met him, now he is even stronger, and he is an S-rank adventurer so the guild will hide him and get him to a different nation before any noble even bothers to look into this incident.”

The Madam stares at them for a few seconds, “A noble has paid for her to stay at his estate and be a personal mistress, his name is Roland. But you can’t go, if you come for her, he will attack us in retribution.” The woman said quickly.

Blake looked at the woman, “A noble, thank you for the information.” Blake said and headed back out with Jessica, guiding her for a bit before stopping and pulling her in close within line of sight of the brothel, “Sorry, but we need to look inconspicuous for a second.” He said in a soft tone, as he lifted her up and a bit with one arm.

Jessica stared into his eyes, and reached her arms up and around his neck, pulling up a bit more, “Right, I understand, please forgive me, wives of Blake,” she said as she gently kissed his neck.

Blake shuddered a bit at the sensation on his skin, but he spotted his target and lowered her slowly as a woman ran out of the brothel, and looked away, “We need to follow her, she is likely on her way to the noble’s estate.” Blake said before taking Jessica’s hand and trailing the messenger an acceptable distance away.

“How did you know there would be someone going?” Jessica asked as she kept pace and followed behind Blake.

“The madam seemed too scared, likely it is because the noble in question is in the upper rungs of nobility, and she thinks if she warns him then even if we succeed, her brothel would not be targeted.” Blake said back, as he pulled her up beside a corner, glanced around, and noticed a massive house, with two wings and a gap of about three feet between the fence and the building, then he waved to Jessica to take a look, “Do you know which noble this house belongs to?”

Jessica let out a groan as she looked then leaned back. “That is the estate of Baron Roland Vearn-Frollo, he is a distant cousin of the king and is a despicable man, he is a known slave trader, so if you want, we can leave nobodies for others to find.” She says in an all-too-serious tone.

Blake smiled wide, “Ok,” he said before reaching into his pouch and pulling out two long strips of black cloth, and handing one to Jessica, before tying his one to cover most of his face. “Better to not be recognized if someone spots us.”

Jessica nods and does the same, and then they turn back and watch as the woman runs off as one of the guards heads inside. Blake waved her forward, as they stepped out and made their way towards the guard.

As they got close, Blake raised his hand “Hallowed Binding.” he whispered, tying the guard to the ground and gagging him before he could raise the alarm, and closed the gap until he was next to the guard, “Do you own slaves, or have aided in the buying or selling of slaves?”

The guard’s eyes slowly grow wide, and he shakes his head, a true reaction according to Blake’s eyes.

“I will let you go as long as you accept not to report anything you have seen.” Blake said but the man shook his head, “Would you like to be killed instead?” and the man looked away with fear.

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Blake raised his Halberd but slammed the flat side on the guard's head, knocking him out, then they turned and headed inside. They got to the door but as Jessica reached for it, Blake pulled her back, then whispered “Holy Shield, Holy Ward, Holy Blessing, Holy Bastion. There is someone on the other side.”

Jessica nods “Holy Guardian, Power Boost, Magic Boost, Defence Boost, Protection Shroud.” she chants, and stands off the side behind the wall by the door, “I’ll hide here.”

Blake nods and pushes the door open a bit, finding two spears stabbing out but stopping on his magic defenses, He grabs one spear and locks the second with his halberd then kicks the doors which knocks the two guards down, before he steps in and looks around, then looks down to the two men, and cuts them down quickly.

Blake spotted someone and quickly raised his hand and willed a spell [Hallowed Binding] into being, Catching a maid, Blake closed the distance and noticed the slave mark that was placed on her back, her skin was a coat of scales that was green, her two reptilian eyes locked on him in fear and pain, He raised his hand over her head, “Do you know where the lord keeps new slaves?” The maid nods, “Can you tell me?” she shakes her head, “You were ordered not to?” she nods, “Would you like to be free?” She nods slowly, “Dispel curse, Dispel magic.” The maid shudders a bit before looking around, “You are free, seek out your own life, but please tell me where I can find Sarena.” he dispels his bindings.

The maid pants a bit and then stood up, “Thanks, you can find the slaves at the end of this hall, but Sarena is in the noble’s room, upstairs to the left, through the large green doors.” she said before bowing and running away down a different hallway.

Blake looks back a gives out a whistle, getting Jessica to join him as he makes his way up the stairs, they reach the top easily and turn to follow the directions, turning into a hallway, and are met by the sight of a guard talking to a man in plate armor, who is standing in front of the green door, the guard looked like they were arguing with the man in plate armor, But the man in plate pushed him aside, and walked a bit forward.

“You idiot, the people from the brothel are here already.” The Man in plate armor said before drawing his sword and decapitating the guard then he looked back at them and took two steps forward, resting his great sword on his shoulder. “So, I understand you are the friends of the newest toy for my lord, and I can respect your desire to protect that beast, oaths to a friend and all, but your quest has failed.”

Blake took a step forward, “I would like to avoid killing, but I have to ask a question first,” He spoke before taking a readied stance, “Have you ever had a slave or aided in the buying or selling of slaves?”

The Man’s eyes go a bit wide, and he laughs a bit, “You are the one from the report from the capital, the man that claimed to topple the kingdom and kill the king, well that is an interesting development.” He put his helmet on and looked back at Blake, “ I am Knight Brom Kieandar, and I will be the one to end the danger to the king.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Brom, can you answer my question.” Blake said back, while smiling, [looks like my declaration had been given amongst the nobles]

“Yes, and yes, and I don’t see any sin, but I welcome you to test your might, I am not afraid of some nobody, even if they are blessed thrice.” Brom said back and shuffled a bit forward. “My level is the upper crest of sixty, you can’t beat me fool, your week of hiding is over.”

Blake broke into a smile and started laughing joined a second later by Jessica, They laughed for a bit until Brom roared and swung at Blake, the weapon stopping in the air. The attack stopped their laughter and Blake glared at the man, “My power rank is over one hundred, and now.” Blake swung down too, “You die. SMITE!” he cast and ended the man while removing him from the world.

Blake shoulders his halberd and waves Jessica to keep up as they reach the door, where he kicks the door open and raises his hand up to the shape of a naked man who has a whip raised and ready to attack them, “Hallowed Binding.” tying the man, and he looks about the room and spots something that made his blood boil.

Off outside the line of sight of the door, suspended by the wrists by two chains, is the form of a girl, her tail is frayed and bloodied, her back is marred by whip cuts, her hair has been shaved, one of her ears was cut along with a bit of her scalp, and a small pool of blood is forming under her. The slave mark on her back made lines even on her muscles that were exposed from the wide gashes.

“ Dispel Curse, Dispel Magic,” he said pointing while breathing hard through his teeth. “Heal her.” Blake called over his shoulder, “Get her awake and make sure she can see what happens to this bastard.”

Jessica stepped in and gasped at the sight, coming to a standstill.

“Heal her!” Blake said again getting Jessica to move, quickly freeing the girl and casting a few spells, taking her cloak off and wrapping her in it before lifting her up and turning her to see Blake, and the Noble. Blake smiles wide and warm, tears running down his cheeks, “I know how you feel. Now watch as I remove the source so that you will not need to live for vengeance.” He raised the Halbed high and brought it down fast and Hard, “SMITE!”

The blinding flash of light filled the room before it faded, and the man was gone as they could all see again, he dropped his halberd, Falling to one knee, breathing hard, but Jessica’s hand on his shoulder brought him back, and he looked up, and saw the look in Sarena’s eyes, she was emitting an expression of thankfulness, and he grit his teeth and smiled, before taking up his Halberd and standing up, he slowly and tenderly pats her head.

They turn around and are blocked by hoard guards, Balke looks at them, “Your lord is dead, his sin was that of a slaver, his form undone and soul sent to the abyss. Run and tell all this is the fate of sinners.” He roars while readying his weapon, his tone one of unbridled fury. And got most of them to save three to run. “Light weapons.” he cast with a raise of his hand, summoning three spears that punched into the guards and killed them.

They walked to the slave area and he freed any slave he saw, their mission was done about an hour later, as they had freed everyone that was a slave, and told them to loot the mansion and flee to anywhere but the last one was told to burn the place down, they walk about to the guild was quick, and as they got back in most of the hall had emptied, and Vinry was asleep at the table. Winry and Block are in the process of ending a drinking contest, and Claira is looking over some paperwork, filling out bits of it.

Blake walked over and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “She was hired and then enslaved by Baron Roland Vearn-Frollo, She is asleep for now, but if we had gotten there later then we may have lost her. Did you get some rooms ready?” He asked, and Claira nodded and handed him a key.

“Winry and Vinry have their keys, tomorrow we will register her, please take her up and get her to bed.” Claira said back, then stood up and looked to Winry, “Can you take your sister to bed, it looks like our sixth will be introduced tomorrow.” She turned to look at Jessica, “Can you please stay here tonight and be there when she wakes.” She got a nod from her.

Blake looked over to Block, and then to Jessica, “Care to switch?” he said holding the key to her, getting a nod from her and he held Sarena carefully and cradled her as he made his way to the stairs.

After getting Sarena to bed, he wished the four good night, and headed back downstairs to the dining hall, meeting with Block and Claira, sitting down he glanced about and noticed that none of the other tables had anyone awake, Blake waved a maid over, and asked for some leftovers as he felt hungry, then turned to the two teammates after the maid was paid and left. “So, turns out my divine declaration in the capital has been told to all the nobles. The baron’s knight claimed he would beat me, but he was only level sixty.”

Block glanced about and leaned up a bit, “Yeah, most knights need to be around level sixty to be knighted and cap out around mid-ninety.” he said before finding a half-filled mug and drinking the rest of it.

“You guys healed her, but I can tell she had been through something terrible, and I can tell it rattled you, I am not going to pry, but if you want to tell us, we can hear you out.” Claira added with a gentle smile.

“No, I don’t, I just saw something that reminded me of something, but we saved her, so I will be fine.” Blake said before ripping a piece of the dinner meat that had dried out a bit. “I am just thinking that I may want to start hunting down those who engage in the slave trade, start making the nobles scared, but not just the nobles, I think I would go after anyone, I’ll give them two days, then come back if they don’t free their slaves, maybe start with the traders.”

Block looked up while resting his chin on the tabletop, “That is not a bad idea, but you can’t be everywhere at once, as soon as the traders think it is dangerous here they will pack up and leave.” He said before yawning. “Look, let's talk about it next time we leave the town.” he added before getting up and walking upstairs.

Claira stood and walked over, Blake looked up at her, a bit confused as to why she looked pained and hurt, but she suddenly pulled him into a hug, before she spoke, while stroking his hair, “I am sorry for whatever you saw, and I will not pry as your past is yours to share, and I hope that one day you will believe me to be a friend enough to tell me.” She then broke away and smiled warmly at him, “Goodnight Blake, and don’t forget to write your letters.” She then turned and walked for the stairs too.

Blake was a bit surprised and then thought about it. [Maybe my comment when we met really did get to her.] He watched her ascend the stairs until she left his line of sight then turned back to his plate, and ate the rest of his meal, finally heading up to his room.