Count Bartholomew Dancarlo, heir to the prestigious Dancarlo name and household, was not what Brivaria had expected. The man was tall, handsome, broad-shouldered, and he was aggressively sword-fighting another man. The first thing that stuck out to the angel was not the Count’s handsome face nor was it the elegant ebony braid that held his long, ink-black hair back. What drew Brivaria’s eyes was the man’s sword for it was naked steel and not a practice weapon.

  The sparring hall was a large, rectangular room with racks of weapons circling the perimeter. There were also the weighted dummies Brivaria recognized from the adventurers guild training yard mixed alongside half a dozen other training implements the angel didn’t recognize. There was a row of men with swords standing opposite the square fighting arena which was less a proper fighting arena and more a section of the floor chalked and demarcated for combat. Behind the Count were several other robed men whom Brivaria guessed were healers.

  Count Dancarlo’s attacks on his opponent were neither weak nor slow. He was an athletic man of at least level 70, she guessed. Alden said he’d eaten the meat of the Golden Hind four times. That meant he had the 20 levels all humans had by age 20 alongside 40 more levels for a total of 60. Brivaria didn’t know his exact age but she guessed he was somewhere between 40 and 55 giving him at least 20 years to gain yet more levels. Humans crested the 100 physique threshold somewhere around level 65 so the Count’s strength was somewhere around twice a normal person’s.

  All of that contributed to the noble’s attacks being very dangerous. Every swing of his sword came twice as hard and twice as fast. While he wasn’t using any combat skills, the sheer power the man put into every strike was just as dangerous as any low level adventurer’s Power Strike if not more so since the rain of heavy blows never ended.

  The man fighting the Count blocked a bone-crushing, overhead chop and Brivaria saw a shard of metal fly free of the man’s sword. Looking more closely, she saw the blade was heavily damaged. The Count’s sword had a durability enchantment at least but his opponent’s weapon did not. It was breaking under the strain of the contest.

  Normal swords, even well-made ones, bent or broke after a time. Adventurers put them under too much strain to survive years of use. Spears snapped, maces cracked, and swords broke. It was the reality of a world where the System made every person progressively stronger. Only better metals and magical enchantments could let weapons survive the brutal treatment they received. Even those had their limits which became even more apparent the higher one’s level rose.

  Finally the man’s sword broke under the Count’s assault. A slanting cut chopped into the man’s thigh and he screamed in pain. Both healers rushed forward to see to him. The System would ensure the man’s life was never in danger and the healers would close the wound. Everyone in the group had their own reactions or lack thereof in some cases, but Brivaria’s lips formed a thin line. There was no sparring going on in this room. The Count was not using a fighting style of note nor practicing a technique the angel could identify. He was clubbing his opponents down with raw strength and likely gaining no improvement from the exercise. That was the angel’s first impression of Count Bartholomew Dancarlo.

  “Alden!” the Count shouted with a wide smile as he finally turned to his guests, “welcome to Castle Barton. I see a few new faces alongside you so it’s only fair I introduce myself. I am Count Bartholomew Dancarlo. Just call me Count. And who do we have here?”

  The Count was affable and charming, a fact only enhanced by his presence attribute. Brivaria could see Nyx was star-struck and Giselle might have been too if not for the whole part about killing her and eating her. Kseniya looked unimpressed. In fact, Brivaria got the sense the serpent woman was looking down on the human noble. His warmth met Kseniya’s icy demeanor and Brivaria could feel the storm coming to life in the air between them. Thankfully Alden did too as he quickly moved the introductions along with Brivaria being introduced last. It was apparently an expectation in some Flynnette social circles to introduce the lowest ranking members of a group first so the angel’s introduction came at the end. The Count’s eyes noticeably widened as he took the angel’s measure.

  “Brivaria, did you know that you look just like…” the Count began with an oversized grin that was perhaps the first genuine display of emotion the man had thus shown to the group.

  “I do. It’s caused a lot of trouble,” the angel admitted before the man could utter the name of the woman that had unintentionally caused Brivaria oh so many problems in the past two weeks. The Count guffawed.

  “I bet it has. Sharing the good looks of one of Flynnette’s most infamous mercenary captains is quite the burden. I’d heard there was a resemblance but the two of you could be sisters. It doesn’t sound like you two have met yet and I would love to be a fly on the wall for that meeting so I’ll arrange an introduction. It’ll be a great time for everyone.” The Count stepped back and looked at the collected adventurers. At some point he gave a signal to the sparring team and they left the room though the healers remained.

  “Now,” the Count clapped hands together to get their attention then took a relaxed position leaning on his sword. “I’ve heard there’s been a lot of commotion here over the last month. My friend Alden has kept me informed of everything. You’re a good man, Alden. Your team is professional and, minus that misunderstanding with the watch, you’ve done great work. Don’t worry, your man will be out by the end of the day.” Next he looked to Brivaria and her team.

  “And you folks are simply fantastic. Two groups of monsters, in or around my city, put down as well as assassins. Would you believe I double-checked with my communication guy to make sure he was telling me the truth when he said you were copper rank adventurers? You don’t sound like copper ranks to me. That’s a hell of a job and Alden did right by bringing you in. Between you and me, I think I’ll put in a good word at the guild and see if we can’t get you ladies up to bronze and give Alden here a run for his money.” The Count reached out, clapped Alden on the shoulder, and shook the tanned adventurer with obvious enthusiasm.

  “About the missing people and the marauders, your lordship,” Alden began but the Count held up a hand.

  “Now don’t you worry about that. I got in last night and the first thing I did was call Zenith Penrose to my chamber for a late night meeting. I took your concerns very seriously and she gave me assurances that neither she nor her men are involved with these disappearances in the forest. You can be sure she was telling the truth as I’ve got skills that…”

  Brivaria may have zoned out a little at that point. The Count definitely loved the sound of his own voice and could probably talk circles around any of them on any given day of the week. Instead, the angel was focused on his sword. It was beautiful. It had a clear, reflective steel edge and the pommel was a pair of spread white wings. The hilt was gorgeously wrapped and tipped with gold filigree which seemed to begin at the hilt, show briefly between the wings of the pommel, and then rose through the blade like golden veins. The sword was one of the most beautiful pieces of craftsmanship the angel had ever seen and the fact that the tip was steadily digging a hole in the stone floor as the Count used it as a staff to lean on was strangely offensive to the angel’s senses.

  “And that’s why I’ve got a new plan,” the Count said. The words “new plan” brought the angel back to the discussion. “I’m moving the hunt up a couple days. We’re going out to that forest, killing the deer, and getting it chopped up for sale. The marauders will be put on delivery duty for the parts of the hind bound for the royal capital and thus leaving the city immediately after.”

  “But the disappearances…” Alden began and was cut off again.

  “Are exactly where you come in. Your two teams have done a bang up job of ferreting out monsters and killers. You’ve done so well that I want you to keep doing it. I’m leaving a month’s worth of pay along with a bonus with the adventurers guild to see that both your teams are paid to keep doing what you’re doing. If you bring the people responsible for all of these kidnappings and attacks to justice before a month’s time then you can collect the remainder of your pay right away. Whether it takes a day or a month, you’re going to be well-paid.” The Count’s words gave both Alden and Kseniya pause.

  Even Nyx had proverbial mana coins in her eyes while thinking of the potential payday if they could claim it early. That wasn’t even considering Cordelia Westlake’s bounty offer on any cultists the group brought to justice. Only Brivaria was less than enthused about the money. Not being from Zlithia meant that money had yet to firmly cement itself in her psyche as the be-all-end-all of problems. The angel was still glancing at the sword.

  “Like what you see?” the Count asked. The question surprised Brivaria once upon asking and once upon realizing he was looking at her. Her attention on his weapon hadn’t gone unnoticed. Granted, she hadn’t tried to hide it at all. He hefted the sword and displayed it for the angel and other adventurers to say.

  “It’s a relic blade. There’s a whole story about this thing but it all amounts to it being very old and very magical. Its name is Dafluria and it’s been in my family for two generations. I’d love to say we pulled it from a dragon’s hoard but we paid a rather exorbitant sum of money instead.” The Count’s expression held a hint of chagrin as he spoke. “I’m getting some use out of the coin my ancestors paid for it. How would you like to spar against it?”

  “Spar against you? Like you were doing when we came in?” the angel asked, not so certain she wanted to take that invitation if so.

  “Exactly so. I’m told you’re a paladin and can swing a sword. Dafluria is a bit too much for the shitty swords of the region to hold up to but you’re welcome to grab a sword from one of these racks if you don’t have one of your own and go a couple rounds. I’ve sparred with Alden and Zenith so I’d be delighted to see how you stack up. I’m sure Zenith would love to know how her almost-twin compares,” the Count paused as he spoke then amended his statement. “Well, love may be the wrong word if you’re better than she is.”

  Brivaria did some quick mental math. The Count was taller, stronger, and faster than she was. His reach with a sword was also greater than hers. Raw skill and technique could make up for a small deficit but the angel had no illusions about her odds when outclassed in every single area but those. The Count seemed to sense her reservations about the matter and made an offering.

  “Right, you’re a copper rank adventurer. That makes you, what, level 25? 30? How about this, you can use a couple skills so long as they won’t burn down the keep or otherwise make a mess of Baron Sorenson’s home. Preferably no singing of hair either,” the Count said with an easy smile.

  “And you want to spar with real blades?” Brivaria asked, still dubious about the idea. Even between the System and the healers in the room, she was certain a fatality could occur during this “sparring.” Then again, her body was tougher and stronger than the average person’s thanks to her shapeshifting skills plus she had her own source of healing.

  “I’m a noble and that means certain groups of people want me dead regardless of what I say, think, or do. They’re not coming for me with wood swords and practice blades. I see no reason to train with anything but the sword I’ll have at my side when they show up,” the Count argued. “Plus I’m sure Olivier has some bullshit ward on this area to prevent a fatality. Unless you have skills specifically to get around something like that then I say we go a few rounds.”

  “Come on, little angel. The Count is letting you use a couple of skills. I’m sure you can surprise him,” Kseniya added. Brivaria shot a surprised look at the sorceress. She hadn’t expected Kseniya to encourage this. Doubly so since the lamia knew Brivaria’s level was likely half the noble’s. Still, if the serpent woman thought the angel could do it then she probably could.

  “Okay, you’re on,” Brivaria said while summoning her thin, angelic blade. The Count’s eyebrows shot up both at the use of an inventory skill and the sleek sword the angel now held.

  “This is going to be fun,” the Count said while raising Dafluria up to rest on his shoulder.