Maybe we came to town when something was about to fall on it.
I came here to ask him to give me full permission to talk to that man. I didn't even get his name. With him, I could have made Oswald take a few steps back. But I have my doubts now.
Maybe we are the ones that started it, and someone was waiting for us.
The presence of the Traveler made it clear he knew we came here.
And now that I want to meet my employer, I cannot go inside and meet him.
Suspicious is a simple word, but that is what I feel the whole situation is. The mayor either is dead already or he is into something. But I cannot think of anything else.
"I insist on speaking with him!" I say, and look back at Aurelia.
Lisa seems worried, but she nods. Good to know I have her support also.
"As I said, official business, leave!" The soldier insists and makes a signal with his hand.
Other guards start walking towards us. I can count 7 with the one giving the order. 2 of them are mages.
"I don't care. Aurelia, break through, avoid killing!"
"On it!" She lunges forward with her arms open. They are no match against her powerful muscles and get thrown just by her sheer brute force.
One of them tries to use a Sound Blast against her, but I cast a magic shield on Aurelia, blocking the cast. The magic shield is still there.
I counter with my own spell. It hits before it can move out of the way and he gets stunned!
I cannot believe we started a fight in the stairs to the townhall.
[Lisa chants Damisau's sacred words! You and your allies are under the effect of Return in form of Flower! You are blessed by the trifecta!]
Harder to hit, more accuracy, at least this time she is reacting faster even in danger.
And at the same time, these guys are not elite fighters like the Kingdom Mages.
I am thankful those guys are not here, by the way.
Aurelia opens the way and we go up the stairs. We already made a huge commotion and we pushed inside the building.
The dragon woman throws herself at the door and opens it wide.
We walk inside and...
"[Firebolt]!"
A group of spellcasters were waiting for us! They all start casting spells at Aurelia, she tanks a few, but starts to take a few steps back.
[Lisa prays to Ellen! Elemental protection to your team increases!]
I move forward, even with that spell, Aurelia won't be able to hold that line of fire for too long.
I cast [Ice Bolt] against the spell casters, and each one falls the moment one of them manages to hit. I receive some of the flak, but I am capable of holding myself up.
Karina moves furniture towards the door and closes it.
We managed to get through. Now to look for the mayor.
"I-I still cannot believe we are doing this...!" Lisa answers, who seems to slowly realize the mess we just started.
"Don't panic now. We need to talk to Russell." I remind her.
Lisa slaps her face with both hands to regain focus. "Right! Let's go!"
"Hey! Open up!" Someone yells from the other side of the entrance.
"Official business, fuckers!" Aurelia screams.
I run towards the office. There are no signs of the secretary we saw yesterday. I have no time for her shitty attitude, anyway.
"Russell!" I scream as I bash the door open.
"What is happening?!" He screams.
I was expecting something else when I entered. Instead, I saw the secretary with a tray, holding it against her chest, Russell standing from his chair, observing us with a pissed off look. And in the chair facing his desk, turning towards us, is an old woman I had never seen.
This... They have some cups of tea on the desk.
Did we make a mistake?
Why does this look so casual?
"Russell, are you alright?" I ask.
He looks at me confused, like I just asked the weirdest question possible in this situation.
"We found a lot of guards outside and we thought something happened." Lisa answers.
"I didn't know you would take this meeting that seriously, Russell." The woman speaks.
"I-I didn't, Dawson." Russell answers.
"What are you talking about, Mayor?" The secretary chimes in. "Those soldiers said that they came in by your order. Even the mages that went inside asked me to inspect your tea."
"I-I didn't ask any of them to come." Russell explained.
...
That old man's suspicion was right! Oswald is acting on his own.
"Have any of you drank the tea?" I ask.
There are cups for each of them.
Both shake their heads.
"Hah! That asshole. I get it. He was trying to poison you too, right?"
Aurelia moves forward and takes the woman's tea and, without waiting for anything, she drinks it!
"What the...! What are you doing?!" I scream at her in surprise.
"Ah! If that is poisoned, then...!" Lisa screams.
"What an idiot..." Karina explains.
"Mmm..." She says, smiling with a bit of tea dripping between her lips. "It's very sour!"
"L-Lisa! You know how to cure poison, right?!" I ask her with surprise and fear. Aurelia did something stupid! She could die from this!
"N-no! I need an antidote!" She answers.
"S-sour?" Dawson, the woman, looks at the secretary. "Explain yourself!"
"M-me?! I made it like the mayor always asks!" She takes a step back.
Sour... that is one of the tastes of poison if I remember correctly.
"Haha! Don't worry. That little amount is not enough to kill a dragon kin like me!" Aurelia seems proud of herself. "But none of you drink it, a human or a vulpin would be dead with just a couple of sips."
"What an idiot... she should have warned us before giving us a heart attack!" Karina comments, looking angry and worried about Aurelia.
"Mayor... I think Oswald is trying to do something. We found and captured the man that has been leaving the chickens around town and he took him without letting me question him."
"Ah! So you found them!" Dawson stands up and gets closer. "Good! That is less of a problem for the town, right Russell?"
"Y-yes... but I am still worried about the names and what has been going on these last couple days. And that accusation against Oswald is heavy... Can you prove it?" He explains.
They seem like good friends... aren't they political rivals?
"It is just suspicion... but someone placed the guards outside." Aurelia explains. "Shit is dropping on you and none of us saw it coming!"