Chương 193

Orion leaned over his desk, examining the elegant, flowing script that appeared on the parchment in silver ink. Since you obtained the sample from Horned Lake and we were able to study it, the tides of fate have turned. I still cannot clearly see the outcome of the coming months, but I can finally discern the ripples caused by stones thrown into the dark, now that I understand what is hiding them. Silverpeak is the economic heart of our lands, and where the coin flows, secrets follow.

I have sensed voids moving within the city's upper crust. There are people whose threads have suddenly become obscured, some of whom I suspect are collaborators, others who will become their victims. The inquisitors can't be sent out without causing too much panic, especially after the recent scouring of the local hamlets, but a son visiting an old friend draws no attention. Talk to Lucina; she understands her city's pulse better than anyone. Identify the anomalies.

The text lingered for a moment before disappearing, leaving the paper pristine white. It wasn't signed, but it was obvious who it was from. Orion leaned back, tapping his fingers on the desk. So the corruption runs this deep, huh? I guess it's not really a surprise. The Crimson Wheel was almost entirely controlled by merchants greedy enough to trade with the enemy, so was it really ever possible that we would be spared?

That Seraphina could now predict events by navigating the voids caused by the Silence was a great success. That alone made the entire battle at the Blind Man's Bluff worthwhile, despite the risks. But it also indicated that things were starting to escalate.

"Since the witches are mostly confined to the Sanctum and rarely stay outside long enough to be vulnerable to bribes or favors, it makes sense for the enemy to target the local nobility. They are definitely ambitious enough to be fertile ground." He'd seen as much during the vampire hunt. Some of them had been turned against their will, that was undeniable, but he couldn't forget the scenes of debauchery he'd come across.

If they were willing to sacrifice their humanity for power, their loyalty probably wouldn't cost much. The next morning, after he finished his ablutions, he grabbed a formal robe from the wardrobe. It was deep blue, embroidered with silver constellations to show he came from a storied line of witches. He pulled it over his lab coat, letting the white collar peek out like a statement of intent.

It was more effort than he usually put into his appearance, but if he wanted to be taken seriously enough to infiltrate noble circles at his age, he needed all the help he could get. Opening the door, he found Pauline in the living room, reading a book on the couch. She snapped it shut as he came in.

"Going out?" she asked, already falling into step beside him.

"Social call," Orion replied, checking the fit of his gloves.

"We're going to see the Mayor. The nobility might be hiding something, and she should know more than anyone else where to start looking." Everything about the mayoral tower of Silverpeak was scaled up. The stairs leading to the main doors were knee-high for an average person, while the door handles were at head level. Since the massive doors they were attached to were almost always open, people got used to the oddity, but returning here after a while left a lasting impression.

"I always forget," Pauline muttered as they climbed the oversized steps.

"It made me feel like a child when I used to live in the Sanctum, before the Elder took me to Valderun."

"You are not going to forget again after you see the mayor. She's a pretty solid reason why everything's so oversized," Orion replied. The memory of his first time in the city, as little more than a toddler, and having to crane his neck to look up to Lucina, was not going to fade anytime soon.

The guards noticed their approach soon after, and although there was a moment of tension in his mind, as he still remembered what had happened the last time he came unannounced, they seemed to recognize him despite the time that had passed.

"Young Master," the captain greeted with a salute. He was the one to end the misunderstanding that almost led to a fight, and he seemed to have impressed upon his men just how important it was not to jump the gun.

"It has been a while. Welcome back to Silverpeak." The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"A spur-of-the-moment visit," Orion said smoothly, flashing a smile he'd learned to wield in the capital, "I wanted to pay my respects to Major Lucina after my return. Is she in?"

"For you? Always," the captain replied, and Orion appreciated that the man hadn't made a big fuss about his mother's elevation. He certainly knew, given the knowing way he'd looked at Pauline, but had the subtlety necessary to avoid making it public. They were guided into the elevator. Surprisingly, a different man was operating the device today, and when Orion asked about Ezebediel, the mage shook his head.

"I only know that a request was submitted to Casper's Omnidirectional Transports last week for a new mage. I heard he had gotten sick, but I don't know how much truth there is to that." Orion hummed, filing the information away. In a world where people could visit a magic healer even if their level was low enough to catch a common illness, they didn't often take leave from their prestigious jobs, not for minor issues.

It was, of course, entirely possible that Ezebediel had actually contracted some kind of magically resistant illness. They existed, though rare. But was that the most likely option? Damn, I might be getting a little too paranoid. Also, I need to focus on the problem I know about first. Once I'm done with that, I can see if the gravity mage who inspired me to develop my own spells is doing well.

Once they reached the top floor, the secretary greeted them with a practiced smile and seated them in the waiting room, where another man awaited his turn to speak with the mayor. Fortunately, it wasn't long before the office's door swung open, revealing a woman in gaudy clothes, and behind her, the massive form of the mayor.

"Oh! Orion, my boy!" Lucina boomed, crossing the distance quickly enough to startle Pauline. She stood nearly nine feet tall, a mountain of muscle, wrapped in a custom-tailored uniform that would have made a tent. Her skin was the color of granite, and her eyes were warm, crinkling at the corners as she beamed down at him. Even after knowing her for years, Orion couldn't deny that she was a pretty intimidating sight.

"Lady Mayor," he said, bowing respectfully, since they were in public. She laughed and finished crossing the room in two strides, clapping a hand on his shoulder. The motion was clearly calculated to contain her strength, or she might have sent him flying, but it still rattled his teeth.

"Look at you! I heard you'd grown a lot and made a name for yourself in the capital, but I can see those reports were only half-assing it. Come in, come in. I have a new tea I'm testing out, though I might need to find you a smaller cup." The gaunt man who had been waiting before Orion's arrival stood up to protest, but the secretary was already on him, distracting him with a form or another that he apparently absolutely needed to fill out.

In the moment of confusion, they slipped into the office, the door closing softly behind them, and were led to the sitting area, where Lucina sat on the couch as daintily as someone of her size could.

"I heard the news," she said, pouring tea from a pot into delicate porcelain cups.

"Your mother has been carrying that department for a decade, but even I was surprised at how quickly she's advanced. At this pace, she might grow enough to be a real candidate for leadership."

"She has," Orion agreed, accepting the tea while purposely overlooking the rest of her words. Pauline's eyes widened beside him as she realized the significance of Asteria's rapid growth, and he knew that would be a topic for later conversation.

"She's busy with the transition, or she would have come herself."

"Bah, I know how it is. Politics and paperwork," Lucina waved a hand, creating a breeze.

"I wish I had known you'd come, I'd have had my niece here. You've met her before. Do you remember Electra? Dainty little girl, she just started her combat training. I'm sure she would have loved to see you again, but she's out with her friends, running amok in the shopping avenues."

"Perhaps next time," Orion said politely. He took a sip of the tea; it was strong, bitter, and bracing. Not really his taste, so he set the cup down.

"Unfortunately, I'm not here just to catch up." Lucina's smile didn't falter, but her eyes sharpened instantly. The warmth was still there, but a calculating glint flickered behind it. Next to him, Pauline tapped his knee to signal she had finished sweeping the office and found nothing suspicious.

"I figured," she rumbled.

"You have your mother's focus, and everyone knows something has the coven in a tizzy." She gestured airily.

"So, what's the threat? Vampire spies? Dwarven assassins?"

"No, hopefully nothing of the sort," Orion corrected.

"But we have found… disturbing artifacts in the countryside. Things that shouldn't be there. High-grade materials in the hands of fishermen. We're worried that money is moving in ways it shouldn't." He looked her in the eye, craning his neck up.

"We need to know if anyone in the city has suddenly come into fortune or power." Lucina leaned back, the sofa creaking under her weight despite being reinforced. She didn't ask for details he couldn't provide, nor did she seem particularly surprised. Instead, she simply nodded slowly.

"Yes, I can think of a few people that would fit that description," she muttered.

"I wouldn't have pegged them as traitors, but you never know, do you?" She stood up and approached her desk, pulling out a ledger and flipping through it with surprising dexterity.

"The 'Nobility' of Silverpeak aren't real nobles," she said with a hint of disdain.

"They're mainly knightly houses and merchants with delusions of grandeur, living here because the Sanctum doesn't really bother to enforce its power in their daily lives." She tapped a page.

"But those lives are often very expensive, more than their modest holdings provide. Some go into debt, and their houses quickly fall apart, but others... Yes, four families have aggressively grown their operations over the past three months. New warehouses, new contracts that should have been too expensive to obtain. I was looking at it from a tax evasion perspective, but if you're hunting for a starting point, this is it." She ripped a page out carelessly and handed it to Orion, who floated it up into his hands.

"Anything specific I should know?" He asked, slipping the precious paper into his inner pocket.

"Check out the Melior family first. Their eldest son, Valerius, has been the talk of high society in the past couple of months."

"Why?"

"The boy was a dud," Lucina said bluntly.

"Stuck at Tier One for five years longer than his peers. He failed to enter the Sanctum twice, and his father was ready to disown him, really. Then, two months ago, he broke through to Tier Two overnight, and now he's apparently a sword prodigy." Orion's eyes narrowed, and he slowly nodded. It's not necessarily proof, but it does seem suspicious, especially given the timing.

"And it's not just the rank-up that's suspicious," Lucina continued.

"He's been winning duels thanks to a new blade. He could have gotten it from some dwarf, for all I know, but everyone agrees that it's very unique. Apparently, there is no enchantment on it, yet it cuts through other swords like butter."

"Any idea of where he might be now?" Orion asked as he got up.

"The Melior family sponsors the 'Golden Fields' training grounds in the upper district," Lucina said.

"It's a private club for the wealthy scions to play at being warriors. Valerius holds court there most afternoons."