I sighed. I did not want this to escalate. “We are simply here to have a chat with the guildmaster. There is no problem.” I said with a smile. It seemed that getting an audience with the local leader was harder than I thought. Maybe I should have mentioned my title?
“I think it would be better if you just left.” The receptionist replied.
“I am afraid that is not an option.” I responded.
“You are inside the property of the adventurers guild. We have a legal right to remove you.” She said with a stern voice.
Lucy smirked. “Good for you. But that is rather meaningless if you are lacking the power to do so. Also, you haven’t even asked your boss if he would be interested in this meeting.”
“I do not know who you are, but the rules are quite clear. We do not divulge client information. Your titles are meaningless here! Somebody watched you and found an embarrassing secret? That is your problem!”
My eyes went to the adventurer that interrupted us. He was a big guy. Bald, clean shaven and carrying a two handed axe. He wore chainmail of reasonable quality. His party consisted of a female mage and two more men. One with a bow and the other with a spear. The second party was still watching from their table. The cat kin at the bar did not even look our way.
Meanwhile, Lucy leaned over the counter and stared the receptionist in the eye. “You either call the guildmaster or we will break down every door in this establishment until we find him.”
“I will teach you girls some manners!” The guy with the axe shouted and charged.
His eyes widened as Lily appeared in his path. She clearly moved faster than he could follow. Her naginata connected with his axe. Normal steel and wood were no match for Storm’s Blossom, wielded with demonic strength. The naginata tore through the shaft and the langets. The axe head went flying. Lily followed with a strike, using the butt of her weapon. She hit the man in the chest. I heard his ribs crack and he went down, surrounded by illusionary cherry blossoms.
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While the man crumbled the axe head impacted a wall. I had considered catching it, but there was nobody in its path so I did not bother. Lily was not done yet. After having finished their leader she continued towards the other members of his party. The bowman went down before he could knock an arrow. The spearman managed to stab the air, once, before he was knocked out by a strike to his head. Not with the bladed end, Lily had not killed any of them so far.
It took five seconds to cast a spell. While the mage might have been paralysed by shock, at first, she eventually remembered to use her magic. Her spell finished just as the spearmen went down. The air around Lily shimmered… and nothing happened.
While the mage stared, dumbfounded, I laughed.
“What was that?” Lucy asked, sounding curious.
“She tried a hold spell. It is 3rd tier and stops anyone from taking any action, besides breathing. Unfortunately for her, it does not work on someone with sufficient magic inside them. Even if it works, people can break free with a strong enough will. But Lily here is far too powerful to be restrained by that.”
Our maid could have easily incapacitated the mage after the failed spell. But she stopped and watched as the woman grew pale.
“I… I surrender.” The mage pleaded. “Please don’t hurt me!”
“Apologise to the ladies for the disrespect you have shown. They shall decide your fate.” Lily said, her voice cold.
The second party just watched with wide eyes and open mouths. They made no move to intervene.
“ENOUGH!” A man shouted as he emerged from the corridor. He looked to be in his 50s. There were scars on his face, telling the tales of many battles. His short black hair started to grey but his body still seemed well trained. His brown eyes stared at us with disdain.
“I am guildmaster Greyson. I have heard of you, countess Delphinium. You might be someone in the Dominion but your title won’t protect you here. You have left the palace, but not the Empire. You are no longer a diplomat. Now you are just a visitor. And you have attacked my establishment unprovoked.”
Lucy snorted. I was pondering my answer when Lily spoke. “You mortal fool! You stand before the queen of thunder! The lady of storms! Show her proper respect or face my wrath!”
Lucy whispered in my ear: “She is intense, I like it. We should get more maids like her.”
Greyson seemed unimpressed. He studied our maid. “Girl, your lady might be an elemental sorceress, so what? I heard rumours about her power, but frankly I doubt them. I would have heard about her a long time ago if she were that special. Let me teach you your place.”
I pondered his words. Was his intel truly that bad? Then again, the Empire likely spread wrong information about Iron Rock. And they would never admit that I killed Elias. Their whole culture was based on telling everyone how great the Empire was. Maybe it was time for a little demonstration.
I closed my eyes and focused inward, towards my power. I had used my aura a few times now and it was getting easier. When I opened my eyes again, they glowed.