“You're certain of this?” Tenver asked later that night, arms crossed and leaning against the wall as Adam packed a few painting supplies. “Is it not dangerous?”

“I’m careful enough that you could call me a coward and I’d make it a point of pride,” Adam replied as he sorted through his new clothes. For all Aspreay talked shit about Penumbria, the local tailor was incredibly fast. “I’m not going to be at risk at all. You saw what I did to Aspreay; no reason why I can’t do it again.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Tenver said, somberly. “Vasco was a bit sparse with the details, but I had our spies look into it.”

‘Our’ spies, he says, Adam thought. “And what did they find?”

“Nothing you couldn’t guess from context. His daughter’s Talent probably has a negative side-effect of sorts. Information on her has been sparse at best – even Aspreay didn’t know much about her.”

“Well, it’s not like they were on the best of terms.”

Tenver shook his head. “But they were once best friends, and Vasco’s daughter would’ve been born before their falling out.”

“That...is odd, not going to lie.” Adam stopped packing to look at the guard. “So what’s your point?”

“My point is that something is wrong. You might succeed in stealing whatever odd Talent she has, but then succumb to the same issues that plague her.”

Adam had considered that possibility, but the wording on his painting ability meant it likely wouldn’t affect him. He wasn’t sure how to tell Tenver that – or if he even wanted to. So he settled for saying, “Don’t worry, I got this, okay? Penumbria could really use the trade deal, and it’ll be a quick and easy job. No reason not to do it.”

“You could also steal Vasco’s soul,” Tenver pointed out. “His Lord powers don’t work here. Not most of them, anyhow. If he wanted to use them, he’d need to dismantle his own city’s Walls in order to remake his Domain here...which he won’t, now that we know his daughter is there. You can use your Lord powers to trap him here – Aspreay wouldn’t have the guts to do it, but seeing as we are already close to treasonous rebels, I see no reason to pull our punches.”

Adam blinked, as if waiting for a punchline. He almost felt foolish when he realized there wasn’t one. “Not for nothing, but if there’s a choice, I’d rather avoid the route that results in thousands of innocent deaths.”

“Oh, I don’t think it will result in deaths. Vasco would cave first. This way, you wouldn’t have to risk your life, and it would place you in a position of superiority.”

You’re basically telling me to swing my military dick and establish dominance. Which made sense to a degree, but... “I’d rather have Vasco as a tentative ally than a subject that hates me. Power can only do so much, and keeping a close eye on him and his city would stretch our resources too thin.”

Tenver appeared, though still unsatisfied, less eager to argue back now. “I suppose. Still, he demands much, and you could force him to listen rather easily, if you chose.”

“You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

“Certainly, but who in their right mind would bother catching the pest when it's easier to eradicate it?”

Adam had to take a moment to digest that. How was it that at times Tenver would say the most noble of things, risk his life to help a random court painter escape a tyrant lord...and then at other times speak of horrific violence with an innocent expression on his face? Still haven’t forgotten the decapitated heads.

“Do you have a reason for not wanting me to help them?” Adam asked sharply. “Is it something to do with your background?”

“No.”

Adam raised an eyebrow. “And you’re not going to elaborate?”

“Vasco is the Butcher of Greenisle,” Tenver muttered. “I care not to believe every complaint that came from Lord Aspreay, but that much is known to everyone. A man like that ought to be in the gallows, not in our ranks. Even the elves didn’t deserve that.”

Okay first of all, not the elaboration I wanted. Second of all, even the...what now? Adam had to try very hard not to interrogate him just then. He could infer the important details, though – Vasco, though he appeared more reasonable than Aspreay, had led a massacre of some sort against elves. That admittedly didn’t make him sound like a great ally.

But still...

“Look, it’s not that I’m completely opposed to some machiavellian shit, but I’d rather not do it unless it’s our last resort. Feels like diplomacy should be our first move.”

“It should,” Tenver acknowledged. “But I am worried.”

“About what might happen to Penumbria?”

“About you, you insane painter,” Tenver said, grinning and laughing. “This is going to be dangerous, you know? How about you at least bring Dragonforged Steel armor with you? Nothing except pure Rot and Stained beings can damage it.”

“That sounds pretty useful, but I don’t know if it would look suspicious to the common people there. What if they think I’m walking in like a soldier instead of a visiting lord? Besides, that would – wait, did you just call your lord insane?” Adam asked, feining offense. He knew he should have been offended, but Tenver had bought enough goodwill back when Adam didn’t have a noble ranking or Talent to get away with a degree of irreverence. “Some people would hang you for that, you know.”

“My lord? Hmm...funny, I seem not to recall bending my knee to you.”

“That’s true,” Adam said slowly. Though the two were joking, there was truth in that. “So, are you going to tell me about your past? Who you are? Your actual rank?”

“I could, but it would honestly just stress you out. How about I tell you after you return?”

Adam considered this. “Okay just – just so I can be prepared for the worst case scenario, are you a bastard and/or exiled son of the Emperor?”

“No, the truth is significantly worse, if adjacent to that.”

Adam sighed. “Yeah, you’re right, I don’t want to deal with this right now. Tell me when I get back.”

–

One Day Later

Adam swept his eyes across the carriage’s interior. It was a study in opulence, adorned with cushions of crushed velvet, mahogany paneling graced by intricate carvings, and brass lamps that cast a warm, inviting glow. Every surface sparkled with the unmistakable shine of meticulous upkeep.

The carriage’s second occupant looked no less meticulous. Belmordo, Lord Vasco's younger brother, was a man of slender build, sporting a mop of curly chestnut hair and with eyes that held a mischievous twinkle. His countenance bore the nobility of their family lineage, yet at the same time carried a disarming joviality that seemed almost out of place on such a stately figure.

Belmordo grasped Adam’s hands tightly, his smile as warm as the carriage's glowing hearth. While he was of noble birth – much like his brother – he did not have the royal title to match. To the Empire’s laws, the man was nearly as much of a commoner as anyone. He comes from a family of knights, according to Tenver.

Not that you could tell from how he behaved. Although Adam was a Lord, and Belmordo a commoner, there was no trace of the subservience required by his station. His overly-familiar greeting was an affront to decorum. A less kind Lord could have taken his physical contact as an insulting implication that they were on the same level.

Adam, from the bottom of his heart, truly didn’t give a shit. Unfortunately, when playing the game of nobles and monsters, a man needed to keep up appearances. “Good sir?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, my apologies. I nearly forgot myself.” Belmordo lowered his head in a bow, yet his warm smile did not falter. “My Lord Brother sent a raven ahead of you. He’s kept me updated on the situation.”

“So you’re aware of my reason for being here?”

“Yes.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “And you know of what transpired between me and Lord Aspreay?”

“Oh, yes.” Belmordo’s eyes sparkled at the question. “As someone who lacks a royal title myself, the idea of stepping up and taking it away from the unworthy is frankly inspiring. Your presence will make this journey through the mountains much less tedious.”

Getting daaaangerously close to treason there, buddy. It wasn’t that Adam was opposed to treason – he was honestly all for it – but loudly talking about it, and for no reason whatsoever...now that was just dumb.

The talk about the mountains was interesting, though. This was a carriage, so how exactly were they going to get through a mountain? While there was indeed something resembling a mountain between the two cities on the map, unless someone had built the world’s most impressive tunnel...

Eh, no point in speculating. He could just wait a little bit and find out. More importantly, he should consider why Belmordo was fine with making treason-esque comments in front of someone else.

Maybe he’s trying to sweet-talk me? Adam considered that, then decided it didn’t really matter. Either way, it was better not to engage with him on this subject. “Lord Vasco said you’d fill me in about the details of this job. Gotta admit, I’m a bit curious. Why does he want me to steal his own daughter’s Talent?”

“Because her Talent is less of a gift and more of a curse.” Belmordo paused for dramatic effect, grinning and aiming an amused gaze at Adam. Whatever reaction he was hoping for, Adam refused to let him have it, forcing the man to continue with mildly deflated enthusiasm. “It’s not her original Talent, you understand.”

As far as Adam knew, this was virtually unheard of. Only his own Talent could grant someone – namely himself – another power. No reason to act surprised, though. “Sounds like she got herself into trouble,” he said, affecting confusion.

“Oh, yes. And if she was the only person she’d drawn into her own mess, that would be fine. But considering Lady Solara’s original Talent...”

Belmordo drew a deep breath to stop himself from ranting. He remained quiet for two more long breaths, and then went on. “But I digress. Lord Adam, before I explain the current issue, allow me to give you some context. Do you know why the Emperor is the world’s strongest man?”

“No, but I can hazard a guess.” Adam frowned. “Is it because he’s the richest man?”

“Of course, but that’s the wrong way to look at it. Do you have any idea how many Orbs it costs to keep a city from falling to the Rot? Even with Master Cabral’s wondrous invention, it’s absurdly expensive to keep the Rot from affecting the land. What you have to keep in mind is...how does he obtain so many Orbs?”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

That was a fair question. Adam had gone through several books back in Penumbria, and they all offered different answers. Probably because there wasn’t a single defining reason behind the Emperor’s wealth, which made sense. With that in mind, it meant that there was even more value in hearing someone’s response to this question – because whatever their answer was, it would show what they valued most in life.

“I have no idea,” Adam lied. “Do enlighten me, my friend.”

“In one word: murder,” Belmordo plainly replied. “And if you’ll allow me another: money. While a person might accrue Orbs through trade, they could hardly retain an Empire with just a finite amount of their most precious currency. Too much of it is permanently expended whenever someone improves their Talent. The Orbs gained through monster slaying are the only way to keep an economy going.”

Adam had read this argument in a book before. Admittedly, he found it convincing. The Empire was, for whatever reason, able to create stronger soldiers than anyone else, which allowed them to consistently kill monsters.

‘Consistently’ was the key word. No matter how strong someone was, if they continually fought monsters, they were far more likely to die and waste everything they’d accumulated in life than to improve their Talent. In a world like this, an organized fighting force was more effective than a single genius swordsman. Although maybe not more effective than a Painter.

Contrary to Belmordo’s interpretation, Adam saw this as a matter of power rather than money. Under lighter circumstances, he would’ve enjoyed some friendly debate over it, but for now, there was a job to do. “This has something to do with Lord Vasco’s daughter and her curse?”

“So it does.” Belmordo's voice was low and cold as the grave, as if recounting some horrible event, but the edges of his lips still showed the ghost of a smile. “Gama is better off than Penumbria, true. We can keep our people fed and the rot away. The question is...for how long? Once Penumbria falls – no offense – your refugees and Rot will turn to us. What then?”

“The Emperor would help Gama, surely? It’s not like the Empire can afford to lose cities indefinitely, and like you said, they’re capable of generating a steady revenue of Orbs.”

Belmordo smiled bitterly. “Ah, if only. Quite frankly, the Empire only needs three cities to function: the Three Duchial capitals. Between their farmlands, Orbs, and hunting abilities, the Duchies are self-sufficient. Everywhere else is a bonus that they’ll help to resist the Rot so long as it benefits the main three.”

“So Lord Vasco’s daughter – Lady Solara, you called her?” Adam waited until Belmordo nodded to confirm her name before continuing. “She figured your city was going to be in trouble, and tried to do something about it?”

Belmordo paused before agreeing. “Lady Solara...her Talent is not fit for combat. Thus, she entered into a contract with a dark sorcerer.”

“A dark sorcerer?” Adam quirked an eyebrow. “Anyone in specific, or are they some traveling wizard?”

“Lord Adam don’t...don’t make me say his name. You know who I mean.”

No, I don’t. Based on Belmordo’s expression, though, just the phrase ‘dark sorcerer’ was enough to conjure memories of a household name among inhabitants of this world. Adam didn’t feel like trotting out the amnesia excuse, so he opted to change the subject as gracefully as he could. “Right. So about Lady Solara?”

Belmordo stared at him for a moment, but didn’t inquire further. The difference in their rank spoke louder than his curiosity. “Her Talent is not fit for combat, yet a city needs strong fighters to help sustain its Orb economy. Thus, Lady Solara made a deal with a...certain sorcerer, to obtain another Talent.”

He scowled. “Why, acquiring another Talent, having more than your heaven-given abilities – the very notion is abominable! Such a crime goes against nature, and...um...n-not that your own Talent is a crime, my lord.”

Adam waved off the perceived insult. “So, she got a new Talent. What’s the issue?”

Belmordo let out a muted sigh of relief. “The issue is that the Talent she obtained is closer to Rot than an actual Talent. At first, it seemed like a blessing for our city. Lady Solara was strong enough that some – foolishly – thought her as strong as an Imperial Hangman. In only ten days, she killed dozens of the Rotten monsters, bringing many Orbs to our city. Her father was truly proud.”

There was a pause. “And then?” Adam prodded.

“She lost control. Or rather, she never had control in the first place. The Rot took over her body, and soon enough, she became a danger to our people. With the life of many of our men, as well as my best efforts, we managed to contain her to an isolated tower at the east end of the city.”

“Your best efforts?”

“Aye, my lord.” Belmordo puffed his chest, appearing proud of himself. “I may not have had my brother’s luck and inherited our family’s long-lost Lord Talent, but my Curses are not to be underestimated. After a valorous struggle, I managed to trap the Lady in a place where she could not harm her people any longer!”

Adam nodded absently, then glanced at his tablet without missing a beat.

Belmordo Gama

Talent: Curse User

Rank: Baron

Skill: Wilful Curse

The Talented may create a curse on anyone whose own Talent is of a rank lesser than their own. The curse must be accepted by the target to take effect.

Orbs: ϕ640,124

Lifetime Orbs: ϕ2,250,936

Big spender...still falling short of a Viscount, but nearly as rich as my entire goddamn city. And he complains about not having a proper title. Fucking hell.

It was interesting to see just how many Orbs he’d spent. Belmordo probably didn’t have that many actual living expenses, and he only owned one Talent to worry about upgrading. Guess even just the little expenses here and there really add up over time.

That, and Belmordo seemed like the kind of guy who spent a lot on bribes.

“I see,” Adam muttered, noting the discrepancies between the Talent’s description and Belmordo’s story. Solara couldn’t have completely lost her mind by the time she was locked in, since in order for the curse to work, she had to agree to have it placed on her. The man was lying. Whether out of a desire to make himself look better, or for something more malicious, Adam wasn’t sure.

“Alas,” Belmordo continued. “Despite Lord Vasco’s many attempts, his daughter could not be brought back to sanity. After much effort, some decided – despite Lord Vasco’s protests and threats – that she should be executed.”

At this point, Belmordo hesitated. “However, we have been unable to do so.”

“Is her Stained Curse that powerful?”

“It is, but that’s not all. Her own Talent is to blame.”

Adam leaned forward. “Which is?”

“Resurrection.”

Adam blinked. “Excuse me, what?’

“Resurrection,” Belmordo continued. “Lady Solara can die once per day before her life’s flame is permanently snuffed out.”

Resurrection. Okay. That’s...really? You can just die and say ‘Yeah, nah, not today?’ Seriously?

Despite the turmoil in his mind, Adam managed to keep his face impassive. “So the issue is that even if you manage to kill her, that turns out not to be enough?”

“Exactly! I should note, however, that we have yet to kill her once, let alone twice. The monster controlling her is very proficient in combat. Thus far, we’ve only had one real chance at succeeding. Lord Vasco...didn’t take kindly to that attempt, you see. ”

I mean, you tried to kill his daughter. Even if she became a monster, that can’t have surprised you. Did it actually? This – this isn’t an act? Okay. Geez.

Things were starting to make sense now. So this was why Vasco was willing to help Adam out, despite the possibility that the Emperor might look at him unfavorably for consorting with a rebel. He was willing to face the Empire’s wrath if it meant saving his daughter.

“I see,” Adam muttered. “So my job is to remove the Stained Talent from inside her, then bring her back to normal. No one has been able to cure her so far, but Vasco knows that my power might be able to. That’s why I’m here.”

“That is what Lord Vasco is hoping for, yes.”

Adam caught the slight difference in that phrasing. “Are you implying you don’t share his desire?”

“Lady Solara is my niece! Of course I want to see her well.” Belmordo paused. “Yet...well, plain as her desire to save Gama is, her recklessness stands just as plainly. My Lord brother’s health is failing. She is his named successor – though she didn’t inherit it at birth, she has a...non-zero chance of inheriting the Talent upon his death, as he bears no other children.”

Wait, is that how it works? You get it once your parent dies? There were other things he probably should focus on right now, but Adam wasn’t willing to let that slide. “Ah, so your issue is with her committing the crime against nature of having more than one Talent, is that it?” Adam made his voice as mocking as possible, drawing the insult from Belmordo’s own words earlier. It was fine if it didn’t make sense; at worst, the insult would only fall flat.

“That – my lord, do not equate the inheritance of the sacred Lord Talent to...not that your ability is a crime either but–” Belmordo cut himself short and closed his eyes to refocus for a moment. “My lord, that is not my issue with her. It is rare, but not unheard of for this to happen. Most likely the...woman will not inherit the Lord Talent.”

He’d need to analyze that tidbit later, but there was something else to focus on right now. “Are you implying that you don’t want me to save her?”

Belmordo grinned. “If she were to die, my brother would be overcome with grief and unable to rule for a short while. During that time, I would be forced to take over his duties, even though I stand without rank or Talent. And I would be willing to concede more than my brother is. You would not only have free access to our ports, but we would be glad to supply you with additional Orbs during Penumbria’s transition.”

That’s...way better than anything Vasco has or would ever offer me. It could help Penumbria. A lot. All I have to do is...

Wait, what did he have to do? “I’m going to assume you aren’t one for charity, Belmordo. What exactly is this proposal?”