Adele

The mansion, Berlin

The Bishop waved a hand toward one of the priests. He scurried over, and they started to exchange words in hushed Italian. Adele observed the exchange and did not say a word. She waited for the Bishop to continue his line of questioning, sparing a glance toward Viktor, who still sat on the floor without moving a muscle.

She was sure he was listening in on their conversation and noting everything down in his thick skull. Sure, she had betrayed him, but that was the way of the mages. Clan always came first. And that meant, Inpes always came before Aer. Viktor would no doubt do the same to her if it came down to having the upper hand. Or maybe not, who knew, as Adele recognized that Viktor was once crazy for her and did not mind marrying her in the clan not too long since his first wife died.

Adele knew Heidi did not forgive him for this move and that Viktor created a rift between them. It did not matter for Adele, as she never intended to stay too long in clan Aer, especially with the upcoming merger between her clan and the Church.

Meanwhile, Adele’s musings were cut short as Bishop Leonard finished speaking in Italian, and the priest he had before him ran off outside the dining room.

The Bishop waited once the priest was out of earshot and continued, “My people tell me that the desk is empty. They must have taken a book with them if there was a book there.”

“You mean Heidi and that boy? That makes sense. Can you ask… him?” Adele said, pointing toward Viktor.

“We already did. He is not answering our questions,” the Bishop said with a sneer. “No matter. Our dungeons will get an answer out of him,” he chuckled and crossed his fingers on the table, looking around the devastated dining room, admiring their work.

“I am glad to hear it,” Adele smiled. “Dare I ask, what is next? I know that my father has instructed me to come back to the family estate after this affair is over. Surely, you must know the status of the merger between our clan and your church?”

“Of course,“ the Bishop answered, leaning back in the chair, removing his hands from the table to evaluate Adele with his gray eyes.

“The Pope has agreed that we can put the plan's second phase in motion. The first phase has been advantageous for us,” he said.

“In what way?” Adele asked, curious.

“The release of the ailment was a success. It is now out there, to stay.”

“And what is the reaction?” she wanted to confirm.

The Bishop smiled, seeing Adele’s interest, and continued, “The commoners, at large, have complied with the measures taken against them and believe the narrative told.”

“Then it is as suspected? Magically inclined are not affected?” Adele asked.

“It is too early to tell. The initial results showed that some commoners resist it and do not suffer severely, just a mild cough and a fever. On the other hand, the treatment program is looking promising, eroding the natural resistance from those without talent and thus ending them,” the Bishop answered, smiling. “We see now the technology created by the muds is finally ready for our next move.”

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“They are more susceptible to our influence via the social networks they love so much. Now it is just a matter of orchestrating this right so we can finally take what is ours. Everyone who matters is fully onboard and believes they will receive a seat in the utopia they have been promised,” he finished.

“And so is clan Inpes, Bishop,” Adele added, raising a glass of wine to toast.

The Bishop smiled and nodded, “Indeed. Our shared dream is almost within grasp. By cleaning up the world from filth, we will bring it back to its former glory. The mana will be plentiful again. The prophecy Anjos granted to our Pope all those centuries ago will come true, finally. We are so close to washing away the filth. Your people must coordinate with ours to find the boy!”

Adele shuffled the glass nervously in her hand and said, “Surely the boy is unimportant. He is young, inexperienced, and has no backing or training. We will easily find him. What can one little and scared boy do?”

“Oh dear, history has shown us that given proper motivation and means, one man can achieve much,” the Bishop said seriously. “Look at your fatherland, not so long ago. Did one man not bring the muds into a new era? Boys such as him grow into men. And men, especially heretics, cannot be allowed to roam the earth and try to push their faulty ideals on the commoners and their betters, no matter what those ideals are.

“I, no, the Pope, will not allow the birth of a new Walpurga and the creation of a second Conclave. We eradicated them once, making great sacrifices. I will see to it that it does not need to happen again. Not when we are so close to reaching our goals!” the Bishop concluded, hitting his fist against the table and breaking off a piece of it.

Adele straightened in her chair, understanding that interjecting and asking for accolades due to her involvement in the boy's capture would not be wise when the Bishop was so worked up. Therefore she nodded and said, “I agree, Bishop. We will do everything we can to find and bring him to you. Though I would argue that the Conclave was scattered all those years ago and surely will not unite behind an infant mage such as this boy.”

“You do not know what the common man is willing to sacrifice given a proper motivation and cause to fight for,” the Bishop said, raising his tone again. “Muds are no more than animals, driven by their instincts. They are worse in several aspects, mainly their intelligence and the notion that they have free will.

“It is what led us to where we are today. Would it be in my power? I would have eradicated them long ago for the pests they are. Our Pope showed mercy. For centuries! Thinking that they can change on their own! Not much longer, though. Their time of reckoning has come.”

Leonard took a minute to draw a breath and calm down. Getting up from his chair and said, “Our business here is done. Our priests will go over this place and find whatever your husband has hidden. That, which we do not find, we will ask him personally, together with the dungeon master, which we do not find. Take your things and join your father. You have done enough.”

The Bishop turned around and waved the nearby priests to take the wounded and bound Viktor, before exiting the dining room and leaving the mansion.

Meanwhile, Adele continued sitting in the dining room, gathering her thoughts and planning her next move. She knew Heidi, her friends, and her contacts in the clan. Indeed, she would not be able to go far, especially on foot.

Being brought up in the clan like a little princess and a young scion, Heidi was not well versed in the mundane ways, as she was never allowed to discover their culture. She was too proud to just simply run away and leave her clan and father captured. That left room for opportunity. Undoubtedly, she and the boy were not well prepared to escape all the means muds now had to track them.

Getting up from her chair, Adele straightened her dress and stumbled slightly, feeling a bit dizzy after hitting her head and getting knocked out by the little wench. She shook it off and walked out of the dining room toward her chambers to gather her things and plan her departure.

‘I will find the little wench and drag that runt by the hair if I must. We will not lose our seats at the table before the purge occurs. We finally have a chance to take our rightful place in the new world order,’ Adele thought, leaving the Aer mansion and her fake life of an obedient wife behind her. For good.