As the last bindings were removed and the hostages began regaining their composure, the nobles stepped forward to introduce themselves to Adam.

A woman with a calm demeanor and an air of authority spoke first. "I am Lucia Medicus," she said, her voice steady. "My family is known for its healers and alchemists. Your timely intervention has saved many lives today, and for that, you have our deepest gratitude."

Next, a well-dressed man with a confident stance introduced himself. "Titus Mercator," he said, inclining his head slightly. "My family has long been involved in trade and commerce, establishing businesses across the Lorikan Republic. You have our thanks, adventurer."

Another nobleman, with a rugged appearance and the scent of earth clinging to his clothes, stepped forward. "Appius Agricola," he stated. "My family is responsible for much of the Republic's wheat and farm produce. The safety of our people is paramount, and you have ensured it. We are in your debt."

A man with a commanding presence spoke next. "Vopiscus Aedificator," he declared, his voice firm. "For generations, my family has built many of the Republic's most iconic structures, including the Sanctus Lux Fortress. I assure you, your actions here today will not be forgotten."

A pair of nobles, a grandfather, and his granddaughter, stepped forward together. The elder spoke first. "Gaius Valerius," he introduced himself, his voice resonating with authority. "And this is my granddaughter, Aurelia Valerius. You have our gratitude for ensuring our safety."

The guard who had used formal speech earlier, hinting at nobility, approached Adam. "Lucius Cornelius Scipio," he said, revealing his true identity. "Though I am dressed as a guard, I am a noble. The one who arrogantly demanded your attention was meant to be a decoy in case of an assassination attempt. Thank you, friend."

Finally, a woman with a poised and elegant demeanor stepped forward. "Octavia Flavia Sabina," she said, her voice soft yet clear. "I am the fiancée of Lucius Cornelius Scipio. We are both indebted to you for your bravery."

Adam listened to each introduction with a respectful nod. As nobles, these individuals had significant influence over the future development of the Sanctus Lux Fortress. Their gratitude provided Adam with an unparalleled advantage over every other player in the game at this moment.

The servants and guards, now unbound, assumed a more formal stance after their lords and ladies introduced themselves. Though grateful to Adam, they remained silent, not permitted to speak without their lord's or lady's permission. Instead, they expressed their gratitude with a respectful bow.

Lucius Scipio, the noble disguised as a guard, broke the silence by asking, "What’s the plan now?"

In response, Adam pulled out several teleportation scrolls, explaining that they could use these to return to the Sanctus Lux Fortress safely. The nobles initially reacted excitedly, but Octavia Sabina, a student of magic, quickly tempered their enthusiasm.

“There’s a runic encryption on us specifically to prevent teleportation,” she reminded them.

The disappointment was palpable.

As it happens, Adam distinctly remembers killing a mage. "On the way here, I killed a mage who seemed to report directly to the Bandit Boss. He had a distinct appearance- older, with a scar over his left eye. Does that sound familiar?"

Lucius nodded grimly. “That’s the one. That mage dared to lay hands on my fiancée. I’ll never forget his face. My only regret is that I couldn’t punish him myself.”

Octavia, shifting to the technical implications of the information, added, "With his death, the encryption should naturally fade in about half an hour. Until then, we can’t teleport except for Lucius, who was mistaken for a guard."

Lucius shook his head. "I’m staying. I won’t leave my fiancée- or any of you- behind."

The nobles appreciated his loyalty, though they assured him it wasn’t necessary. Despite their assurances, Lucius remained resolute.

Given the situation, Adam suggested first sending the guards and servants back to the Sanctus Lux Fortress. This proposal, however, sparked a division among the nobles. Some agreed it was wise, while others insisted it was improper for servants to be led to safety before their lords and ladies.

Lucius explained to Adam, “It’s our law. And, as you can see, it can be rather annoying to follow.”

Respecting their customs, Adam chose a middle ground. He handed the teleportation scrolls to the nobles, leaving them to send their servants. In the end, seeing that some nobles had decided to prioritize their servants’ safety, the others followed suit, rationalizing that reducing their numbers now would mean fewer concerns later.

The servants tore the teleportation scrolls and vanished, leaving only the nobles and their guards.

The nobles then turned to Adam, asking for his identity. He introduced himself simply as an adventurer and otherworlder named Adam.

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With no choice but to wait for the runic encryption to fade, the group settled in for the half-hour wait. Seeing the tension and discomfort, Adam asked, “Is anyone hungry or thirsty?”

Several stomachs grumbled in response, and Adam, without a word, conjured food and water from his Spatial Ring, placing them on a nearby table. As the hostages began to eat and drink, Adam focused on the time.

‘Half an hour’, he thought. ‘With any luck, we’ll be out of here without issues, but I’d rather not take any chances.’

Once the group had begun to settle, Adam informed them, "I’m going to check the surroundings. Now that you have the teleportation scrolls, you can leave as soon as the encryption fades."

Some nobles voiced concern, arguing that Adam’s patrol could draw attention and put them at risk. However, others trusted his skills and judgment, believing he could keep them safe.

In response, Adam began tracing several encryptions on the door.

As some nobles questioned his actions, Octavia explained, “He’s placing sealing encryptions on the door. If any bandits try to storm this room, he can activate it to keep them out.”

Adam, hearing this explanation, internally nodded. Technically, the Rune of Sealing encases a room, preventing anyone inside from escaping. But Lady Octavia is indeed correct. From another perspective, it means nobody from the outside can enter the room placed under a sealing effect.

Checking the time, Adam noted it had been about 10 minutes since he killed the mage, meaning they had roughly 20 minutes left before the encryption faded. The longer they stayed, the more apprehensive he became, aware that every second they remained increased the danger.

“I’ll be back soon,” Adam said, leaving. “Lock the door with the log after I go.”

Before leaving, he set a Tethered Port within the room, explaining, "If I need to return in a hurry, I’ll teleport directly back here."

As Adam finished setting the Rune of Sealings and prepared to leave, Aurelia Valerius, the young noblewoman, spoke up. "Thank you, Adam, for rescuing us. Please, be careful out there. We owe you our lives, and I would hate to see anything happen to you."

Adam turned to her, giving a small, appreciative smile. "Thank you for your concern, Lady Aurelia," he replied. "But don't worry about me. I could kill every bandit in this building right now if I wanted to. The only reason I haven't is that I don't want to risk drawing suspicion from the ones outside."

His confidence was both reassuring and impressive, and Aurelia nodded, somewhat relieved but still concerned. "Even so, please stay safe."

"I will," Adam assured her. "Keep the door locked, and I'll be back soon.

With that, he left the room, prepared to ensure their safety until they could all teleport to freedom.

***

As Adam returned to check the situation, a certain development was unfolding outside the main building of Fort Vindomora. In the abandoned town square of the fort, the teleportation array began to glow, signaling an imminent arrival.

Moments later, a lone figure stepped through the shimmering portal, his presence immediately commanding attention. He was fully cloaked, his face hidden behind the hood, and strapped to his back was a Dao- a curved Eastern broadsword. His arrival was silent, but his aura spoke volumes.

With purposeful strides, the cloaked figure approached the building. The bandits, loitering near the entrance, instantly recognized the man. They knew him as the client their boss had been eagerly anticipating. Wordlessly, they allowed him to pass, not daring to interfere.

One of the bandits quickly opened the door, gesturing inside. "The boss is on the topmost floor," he said, trying to sound helpful.

The Cloaked Man paused and spoke in a cold, measured tone. "Your boss should have given me the courtesy of meeting me here. He knew I was coming."

The bandit, clearly uncomfortable, avoided the man's piercing gaze, his eyes darting nervously around the room. "Uh... I- I'm not sure, sir. He said he'll be down shortly."

Realizing the futility of berating an underling, the Cloaked Man merely shook his head in irritation.

With a disdainful sigh, he stepped onto the main floor of the building. The other bandits in the room glanced up at him briefly, but upon recognizing who he was, they quickly returned to their idle conversations and activities, not daring to bother him.

As the Cloaked Man moved towards the stairs, his frustration simmered beneath the surface. "I should have known better than to expect a courteous welcome from a bunch of bandits," he hissed, clearly annoyed.

Just as he was about to ascend the stairs, a sudden chill ran down his spine. His senses, honed through decades of martial training and countless perilous missions, were screaming at him. Something was wrong- terribly wrong.

He stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing behind the mask.

He called out to the same bandit, his voice sharp and demanding, "You there! When was the last time you saw your boss? And when was the last time you saw the nobles? I want answers, and I want them now!"

The bandits on guard exchanged uneasy glances before nervously answering the Cloaked Man. "It's been less than half an hour," one of them stammered. "We just got here, and the boss said he'd be preparing some documents. He told us he'd come down shortly."

The Cloaked Man's eyes narrowed further behind his mask. "And when was the last time you saw the hostages?" he demanded.

"About 15 to 20 minutes ago," another bandit replied, shifting uncomfortably.

The Cloaked Man then asked, "When was the last time anyone saw the guards stationed with the hostages or the guards with your boss?"

This question sent a ripple of concern through the bandits. They suddenly realized they hadn’t been following their usual routine. Due to their numbers, they had agreed to rotate guard duty every 15 minutes to keep everyone sharp and busy.

But it had been 20 minutes.

Already on high alert, the Cloaked Man’s senses went into overdrive as he noticed the growing nervousness among the bandits. He wasted no time, barking out an order. "We need to check on the hostages now!"

The bandits, feeling the urgency in his tone and unwilling to defy their client's demands, quickly agreed. A few of them hurried upstairs to check on their boss, while most prepared to head down to the dungeons to verify the status of the hostages.

But everything changed instantly just as they were about to leave the main floor.

The bandits suddenly felt an invisible force constricting them like a powerful, unseen snake gripping them. Panic set in as they tried to call out, but no sound escaped their lips- it was as if their voices had been stolen, or perhaps they had suddenly gone deaf.

And then, with a resounding slam, the half-open door of the main floor shut tight, a glowing magic circle appearing on its surface, sealing them inside.

The bandits were trapped, and they knew it. The Cloaked Man’s eyes flicked to the glowing circle, his suspicions now confirmed. Something- or someone- had already made their move.