They sat within the barracks, waiting for the ander of the barracks to arrive. Adam sipped the drink which had been pced out for them. The tea was quite bnd, as though only a siea bag had been used for all their cups, but tea was tea. ‘I wish we had some milk and sugar…’

  The barracks were stark, grey and bare, with furniture that dug into them. If it weren’t for the bs which softehe sharp edges, Adam retty sure he’d had cut himself. It was too cold for someoo say it was cool within the room, but not quite cold enough to be called cold, but more importantly, the entire area was filled with a heavy tension.

  Heavy steps approached the even heavier door, before it was almost smmed open by the tall, mighty form of the knight who had appeared. He wore full pte from head to toe, made of darker steel, with the symbol of a lion’s head stamped atop the breast of the armour. The bde at his side was also made of dark steel, the golden pommel smooth, and from his sword belt a rge ring of gold hung loosely. He wore a long cape of yellow, with golden pins which pihe cloak to his shoulders.

  “ander Rodrick of the First Minor Fort,” the knight decred before removing his helmet, revealing his handsome face. He appeared to be in his fifties, though seemed to have aged quite gracefully. His hair was salt and pepper, and save for the tiny nick right below his ear, his face was smooth and unmarked. “What is your business?”

  “We wish to head to the mio see if our missing panions is there,” Adam said. “We have been searg for a Devilkin by the name of Amira, who is from the Order of Bck Mountain.”

  “What business do you have with such a fiend?”

  “Our panion here, Dunes, is also from the Order of Bck Mountain,” Adam said, before quickly tinuing, “and Lady Sara is also from the order too.”

  The ander’s eyes so the other Devilkin within the room, the young woman with a gem tered within her forehead. He was vaguely aware of the others, the Iyrman and Guardian from the same orders. As much as the ander wao dismiss them, it was awkward when there was a formal treaty reising even the Devilkin nobility from Aswadasad.

  “Are you a Lady?”

  “My parents are both Peysh,” the Devilkin firmed.

  “I have heard the Devilkin within the mines is not a noble.”

  “She is not.”

  The ander slowly nodded his head before turning his head to shout back. “Bring more tea and food, and bring the Lady a cushion!”

  “Yes, sir!” came a shout from outside the room, before the sounds of heavy steps bolted away.

  The aook his seat opposite the group, eyeing them up. “The Devilkin is currently ensved within the mines, but I do not know much else about the situation.”

  ‘Seriously,’ Adam thought. ‘I wonder how they’ll get rid of svery in this world.’

  “If I recall, she arrived withi three or four years, so she has at least two years left.”

  Adam’s brow pulsed. “She’s been a sve for that long?”

  “Yes.”

  The Half Elf leaned in, pg his elbo his knees, and he was barely able to trol his expression. ‘Svery? Damn. Leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. Even though we dealt with it quite poorly, it was still, mostly, ended. I guess they won’t end it until it’s ve for them?’

  “I have heard that you called yourself Executive Adam from United Kindom?” the ander asked.

  “That’s correct.”

  “You work for an enter?”

  “That’s right.”

  “May I see the silver pque?”

  “Jurot.”

  Jurot revealed the silver pque to the ander, who raised his hand to dismiss it, before he eyed up the group. It was ohing for Lady Sara to e and demand an audience, but it was entirely different for this Half Elf, Adam, to call for an audience using his business.

  “I brought you a gift, but it was hao one of the soldiers, a Captain Oliver, si was awkward t within the fort,” Adam said, sipping his tea. He was the only one who was unarmed, as the soldiers wouldn’t dare to take the ons from the members of the order, nor the Iyrman. Adam rubbed the c against his finger.

  “A Basic shortbde,” the ander replied, bowing his head lightly. “I must thank you for your tribution.”

  Adam smiled. “I hope this matter be resolved quickly, since we have ical ons as well as some gold to donate.”

  “What do you have to donate?” ander Rodrick asked, still sitting tall.

  “Jurot,” Adam called.

  Jurht out small piece of paper which had been rolled up, before it to the ahe aook the paper, unrolling it to read it.

  ‘How many magical ons does he have to tribute?’ the ahought, noting the items which Adam had decided to tribute. “You have business with the Duchess?”

  “We have some dealing with the Duchess,” Adam firmed. “We have currently offered East Port’s families an offer for exclusive dealings with our business, save for the aus in Red Oak. The Duchess has treated us well, and I will inform the Enter of such a matter. I also wish to tell the Enter of the great dealings we have had with West Fort too.”

  “I will inform the Marquis,” the ander said, as tea and snacks were brought to the group.

  They had arrived iernoon, Adam stating he o make preparations just in case. The tents within the slip of paper were known only to Adam, as Jurot hadn’t decided to read it, instead holding onto it for safekeeping. Adam had spent only ten mihinking about what to give, and aen minutes verifying how much he could give.

  It wasn’t just that Adam o deal with the forts along the way, Adam also o make sure those who owhe mines were pensated properly, as well as showing good faith to the army, who seemed to guard the nd towards the mines. Adam decided against being a cheapskate, si was for Dunes’ friend, aainly not his girlfriend.

  The ander sat with the group for a short while, learning of their ret travels, before leaving to work, allowing the group to remain within the barracks for the evening, free of charge, though they had paid the gate fee at the fates.

  The First Minor Fort was an outpost which housed a thousand soldiers, though Adam noted only five hundred of them were active at the moment, with the nearby vilges full of the other soldiers and at least ten thousand vilgers. There were also young recruits, those ieens, who were currently being trained out in the yard.

  “How much did you offer?” Dunes asked.

  “A fair price,” Adam replied.

  “You will not tell me?”

  “eak of it wheurn to the business, Manager Dunes,” Adam replied, winking at the Aswadian.

  “Right…”

  Adam wondered how much weight the silver pque held. It was something he had used quite often, and it had gotten him out of several situations. ‘Seems I’ve got to make my bed with the Duchess…’ If he hadn’t used the silver pque quite as often, he could have tried to remain distant with the Duchess. ‘Politics, man…’

  The group remaio one side, out of the way of the soldiers. Adam rexed, though the Aswadians remaiense, noting the way the soldiers stared at them, those who were teically enemies due to the ongoing war. It was an awkward situation, though Adam seemed to be rather rexed while kig it ipost.

  It was te afternoon by the time the soldier appeared at the outpost he mines, a Captain from the First Minor Fort. The Captain had stated it was an emergency, and he had personally brought the ander’s seal, something the Marquis couldn’t shirk easily. Upon reading the letter, the Marquis uood why the ander had sent his personal seal with the Captain.

  “What is it?” the older man opposite the Marquis asked.

  “A letter pertaining to one of the sves,” the Marquis replied. He was a man in his te forties, with blonde hair and greehat of many of the noble families i Aldnd. He wore a breastpte, though very little other armour since he wasn’t expeg any fights withipost. The bde at his side was made of darker steel, with a dark gem set within as its pommel.

  The older man wore no armour and was dressed in fine, if simple, attire. He had silver hair and greehough streaks of blonde slipped through in bits and pieces. The wrinkles across his face suggested he was much older, though he had aged gracefully. He reached out with his scarred hands to take the piece of paper from his nephew, and read it.

  “Hmmm.”

  Sves were typically sold for one huo five hundred gold, so to see someone offer so much money for this sve, it retty awkward. However, teically, she was a sve with some status, since she risoner of high value. Ohousand gold wouldn’t have been out of the ordinary, but sidering the amount of magical items meant they had offered far rger thahousand gold, he wondered what this Devilki to them.

  “The Enter would surely appreciate it. Signed, Executive Adam.” The older man stared down at the slip of paper. “Executive Adam. Didn’t he pce third in the Noonval Tour?”

  “Did he?” the Marquis replied.

  The older ma the Marquis, causing him to slump slightly. “So what will you do? Will you give up the golden egg which the Dragon has id?”

  Meanwhile, Adam thought to send word to the Iyr about what he had offered. He retty sure his deal was good enough to set Amira free. Even if she held a higher rank within the order, his offer was just way too good.

  ‘Ending svery is expensive business! No wonder we had to pilge a subti and force the freed sves int for free for decades!’

  There's no way... right?