Tensions continued to grow within the city. While the conflict, and future conflict, in the slums were both important, their impact on the rest of the city was minimal. Many citizens did not know or even care about the drastic changes in the slums. But that did not stop the rising tension.
The idea of elitism continued to spread and a fissure between the so called ‘Light Magic’ and ‘Dark Magic’ users continued to spread. Strangers were glaring at each other in suspicion. Fights were breaking out in the streets. ‘Dark Magic’ users were demanding adequate. And ‘Light Magic’ users were demanding that ‘Dark Magic’ users be fired.
To make matters worse, the killings had not stopped. In fact, they had only increased. People were randomly selecting ‘Dark Magic’ users and killing them. ‘Dark Magic’ users were fighting back, and were moving around in large groups.
As the situation grew more volatile, the Duke attempted to lock Lukas and Evelyn in the castle, preventing them from hunting or exploring. But they had vehemently refused. In return for them continuing to hunt outside the city walls, Daniel insisted they be escorted to and from the forest by an armed escort.
They still didn’t like it, as it brought a lot of attention, but Duke Redmond insisted, not giving them a choice.
The prejudice against ‘Dark Magic’ Users had even begun to spread among the Nobility. While they still pretended to be courteous and kind to each other, rumors had begun to spread. One had even made Daniel chuckle.
Apparently, Count Parthax, a Flesh Mage who spent his time running and managing three different hospitals in the Capital, was in fact using them as cover to create Homunculi, Humans made Monsters.
The mere idea was preposterous. Not only was Count Parthax completely ignorant of anything to do with mutating the Flesh of his patients but was also one of the very few Nobles who genuinely cared about the people. He really was a kind person.
On the opposite end, there was a rumor that Duke Redmond believed himself. That Viscount Seralao was kidnapping orphans off the streets and experimenting on them to create specialized soldiers.
Unfortunately, that rumor simply had too many coincidences behind it. In one of the darker moves he had authorized as Duke, he had ordered Seralao to begin the study and theorization of creating better soldiers. However, the Duke had not authorized any testing whatsoever, let alone on Humans.
He was forced to begin investigating Viscount Seralao, which, when revealed, would give the impression that Duke Redmond not only believed these rumors, but acted on them. Which would only grant them more power.
Of course, he could not allow the fact that he had authorized the study to be revealed. Even if he had explicitly rejected any experiments, they would not care. All that would matter was that he was the one that had begun the project.
‘Why did I have to go into politics?’ Daniel groaned, leaning back in his chair, ‘Why couldn’t I have pursued cooking instead?’
Despite his complaints, he would have been forced into a political position regardless of his desires simply because of his birth. And unfortunately for him, he was quite good at it.
Daniel genuinely hoped that the rumors about Seralao were just that, rumors. But he doubted it, even while the investigation was still covert and ongoing. If Viscount Seralao was found guilty, Duke Redmond would have no choice but to execute him and banish his family from the Capital for many years. He just hoped that if such a thing came to pass, the Viscount’s research would be recoverable and insightful.
Just because the method of creation was horrid, did not mean he could not use it, even if he could not allow the method to continue.
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However, regardless of the Viscount’s suspected crimes, the divide between the ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ Magic users was growing. It was even beginning to infect the Nonmagical. If Daniel didn’t do something soon, the small conflict was bound to escalate into full riots and possibly even a civil war.
In an effort to reduce the hate, the Duke’s agents were busy spreading their own rumors that hate against the ‘Dark Magic’ Users was propaganda being spread by hostile nations. This would inevitably create a hate of other Kingdoms, which would harm trade, but that was better than an internal hate.
His agents were also spreading stories of ‘Dark Magic’ Users’ good deeds. Saving children from fire, joining the defense against Monsters, etc. Some were false, some were not, regardless, they were all exaggerated. Designed to paint the Users in a good light.
The Duke was trying his hardest to keep the city together, but a small part of him wondered if it was karma. He had certainly used this ‘Dark Magic’ stigma to his own benefit on many occasions. He had used it, as well as stopped it.
But there was one important difference. Those had been targeted stigmas. Stigmas that served a purpose. But this? None of the Duke’s agents had been able to discern the purpose of creating such a stigma. It was as if they truly detested ‘Dark Magic’ Users.
Last week, when Daniel had visited the Oracle, she had warned him that this growing stigma within Zolis could grow, spreading to all of Lissura and eventually consuming it. Yet despite the rapid spread, Daniel could not find the cause.
Daniel’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. His next meeting had come. Despite this hidden danger, he still had to ensure the Kingdom continued to operate day to day. And this meeting was about as boring as they came.
* * * * *
Lukas looked over the papers on the library desk. Ten papers, each one with valuable information that he kept in his personal Ring of Holding at all times. The owners of the papers had trusted them with him, and he did not wish to let them down. Not just them, but also Evelyn.
On each paper, was the Status of every one of Evelyn’s Seed Bearers. Bound to her, they were incapable of defying or betraying her. As such, they were her most loyal confidants and most stout defenders. If their Status’ were leaked to anyone, then Evelyn’s protection would be weakened.
While he was not one of her Seeded, he had put him in charge of managing them. Not because he wanted to control her or them, but because as the Duke’s son, he had been trained for such a thing. His training had also taught him to be on the lookout for assassination attempts.
While Evelyn remained blissfully ignorant of the true nature of Nobility, Lukas had caught nearly all of the assassination attempts on his or her life. While he had not played a major role in any of them, minus that one time he had to distract her, taking her on a road closer to a Guardsmen Post, he had noticed them.
His Father’s personal Guards were the ones to have caught or prevented the attempt. They did so as quietly as they could, which was so effective that Evelyn still had not noticed that a blade or arrow had been so close to her neck.
The attempts had only grown more frequent once Lukas and Evelyn started being more public about their affection. If anyone had suspected they were engaged before, they certainly knew it now, even if it had not been officially announced. Luckily, since the Saint showed up, there had only been a few attempts.
The Saint had been, well, a saint. His mere presence seemed to calm and sooth everything. It seemed almost like a grievous sin to argue or pursue conflict in his presence.
Regardless, Lukas looked over the pages, studying them, and as he did, he formulated different strategies. To make it even worse, Evelyn was nearly an Adept. Neither of them knew what would happen once she broke that threshold, but Lukas had no doubt that it would increase the number of Seeded she could have.
The current max was ten. They had seeded the tenth just two weeks ago. All the Seeded were working and getting along well with each other. Using his strategies, their group, a quite large Hunting Party for Novices, continued to contend against threats many newer Adept Parties avoided. Just two days ago, they had defeated an entire Goblin Tribe.
Despite still being a Novice, using the Seeded, Evelyn had grown to achieve stats comparable to early Adeps. At the rate she was going, Lukas suspected that she would have the Stats of an Experts well before she reached Expert herself.
She would keep powering through the Levels, focusing on the target in front of her, while Lukas would deal with the enemies she couldn’t see, or even knew were there. That was the promise that Lukas had made himself when he admitted to himself that he wanted to marry her. And it was the promise that her would made to her again if they got married.
Lukas did not care about his birthright as son of the Duke of Lissura. He would let his younger siblings take care of it if he had to. He didn’t care about being the heir. He only cared about Evelyn, and how she would change the world.