"Did you think destroying the lord's estate would halt our plans?"
"The estate? I blew the estate and your lord into dust."
"All you did was set us back. Did you really think the Lord Seer would be eliminated from something as insignificant as that?"
"...You mean to tell me he's alive?"
The man laughed. "You really thought he was dead? That you won? You're one funny brat."
He shoved me into the brick wall of the alley.
"Watch yourself. Next time, the lord won't let you off easy. Not after that stunt you pulled."
He spat on the ground in front of me and left.
Damn it... of course it couldn't be that easy.
I left after a few moments of collecting myself and returned to the tavern.
"Liora, let's go."
"What? I'm not done eating!"
"Then take it with you. I have things to do."
"Hmph, fine!"
I sped through the streets. If the cultist's plans were still happening, a great disaster was bound to fall upon Corvailles.
That man, the "Lord Seer," he's supposedly seen saint Pischt. If the snake-dwarf wasn't lying, he's been sacrificing people to the saint. What is he trying to do? Summon her? If that's the case...
My mind went back to the massive leviathan I'd seen in my dream. The monster that took my 'dream.'
If only I could ask that shadow about it... but she's totally abandoned me!
"What're you in such a rush for!?" Liora complained to my side.
She had a piece of meat in each hand and ate as we went.
I burst into the duke's manor and dashed to the (younger) prince's room. I knocked, doubting he was even there.
"Hello? Prince? Are you there?"
After a few moments, I heard a thud from within the room. The door clicked open, and the disheveled prince stood in the doorway.
"Huh? What is it?" he yawned.
"Hello sir prince!" Liora waved.
I looked at the clock in the hallway. The time read 2:30 in the afternoon.
"What are you still doing asleep?" I asked.
"Well you had me up quite late last night. I can't do without twelve hours of sleep minimum, can I?"
"...Where's your caretaker?"
"Why? You want to use her again? I don't know about that... I don't think she really likes you all that much."
"What? Why not? I could really use her help. Can't you just call her over?"
"Mmmm, okay. But don't blame me if she refuses, alright!? CARETAKER!!!"
He gave a few small claps.
"Where is she? Can she even hear that?"
"I'm right behind you," she said.
Woah! She's fast, I didn't even notice!
"What is it, young prince?"
"Lin wants your help doing... something."
"That's right! The fate of the entire city is at stake!" I declared dramatically.
The caretaker was not impressed.
"I'm sorry young apprentice, but I cannot help you with this one."
"Why not!?"
"I am not your servant, you are not entitled to my services. I only helped you last night because that was my master's will. But it got too dangerous. The young prince will be staying in the safety of the estate from now on, and so there is no reason for me to go out with you."
"Dangerous? There was no harm done, come on!"
"I suffered near-fatal injuries. If I am incapacitated, then the young prince is as good as dead."
"Caretaker, it's fine. If what Lin says is true, isn't it the duty of a prince to help out in a situation like this?"
"I'm telling the truth. If those cultist guys succeed, staying within the estate isn't going to be safe either."
"...Where is your teacher? The Everflame?"
"I don't think he'll be back in time to help. That's why it's up to us. I already... we got into a fight already. We nearly died, and we didn't even fight their lord."
"And you used that dangerous magic, did you? Even further reason to reject you. You have no regard for the safety of yourself or those around you. Who's to say you won't just turn all of us to ash in an instant?"
"I won't do that."
"It's a no. Thank you for informing us of the imminent danger. I believe you, and so I'll get ready to evacuate on a moment's notice."
This lady...!
"Caretaker, that's enough. You can go now."
"Hmph."
The prince looked at me, but his expression was not apologetic. No, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
"What?" I asked.
"I know a way to get her to help," he whispered.
He disappeared back into his room, only coming back when he was fully dressed and tidied.
"Let's go!" he cheered, thumbs up.
The three of us quietly left as to not alert the caretaker. The prince's plan was to simply get into trouble first and then call her, because then she'd have no choice but to help. It was crude, but I hoped it would work.
"Do you know where your brother and Marielle are?"
"Yeah, why? You don't seriously plan on asking them for help, do you?"
"What's your problem with Marielle?"
"I have no problem with her. It's just awkward. She doesn't like me because of my brother, and I don't know how to speak to her since I myself feel quite sorry about the whole situation. Though, I best get friendly with her considering, you know, how we'll be seeing a lot more of each other starting now."
Does he mean the engagement? Is she moving to the capital with them?
"...I see. But she would be a serious help, really. She's quite impressive, don't you know?"
"Yes... she's trained in the sword longer than she can probably remember, similar to my brothers. But... it's best not to get nobles involved in your wizard duties. If something goes wrong, it'd be hard for even your teacher to defend you."
"And you don't count?"
"Ha! Nope."
"Isn't it dangerous to walk around with that crown on your head?"
"Dangerous? No one would dare put their hands on a prince," he laughed.
All of a sudden, a man ran past, bumping into the prince.
"Hey! What was that guy's problem?"
"He totally just stole your coinpurse you idiot."
"No... no way." He patted his pockets. "No way! He really did! We gotta go after him, don't we?"
The prince started to run.
"Wow... he's pretty motivated," Liora said.
The two of us chased after the prince. When we caught up, he'd turned into an alley. The thief was cornered.
"Woah now, calm down you three. I didn't mean anything by it, it was just a joke!"
"Hand it over and we'll all go our separate ways," the prince shrugged.
"Sorry, can't do that your highness!"
The thief jumped up and over the wall, escaping.
"Oh man... I didn't expect that," the prince laughed.
"Hold on! Give me this, thanks?" I snatched a broom from a nearby streetsweeper. "Aur y goedwig, cod fi'n uchel; Cysgod a gwynt, agor y nef!"
That is such a mouthful!
"Liora, do you think you can find a broom or something and do it yourself?" I asked.
"What? You want me to enchant a broom? But I don't know how..."
"It's easy, I swear."
I neglected to mention my near-death experience the first time I tried the enchant. But I believed in her. Kind of.
"Alright!" she ran off, repeating to herself the enchant over and over to not get it wrong.
"Prince! Hop on!"
"Really!? We're flying a broom!?" he asked excitedly.
He climbed on behind me and we rose into the air.
"Do you see the thief anywhere?" I asked.
"There, look, that street to the right!"
I spotted him and shot the broom forwards. It was my first time since getting used to the enchant that I was flying an actual broom as the enchant intended. It was a lot easier to maneuver than the other various objects I'd enchanted, and I was hesitant to go too fast.
"Linnie! Look behind you!"
Liora was already close behind. She was sat atop a shovel. Not quite what I expected, but I was impressed to see her already skillfully flying.
She's so talented. Even with the fireball she was so quick to learn it...
"The thief has already made a lot of ground! I don't want to fly too fast and have the prince fall to his death, you think you can go ahead!?" I shouted over the wind.
"Sure thing!"
She sped through the air, descending to closely pursue the thief. I followed close behind.
Where is he going? What is that large building supposed to be?
"A factory? I didn't know they had a factory in Corvailles. I guess Mr. Norman got a contract here after serving my father..."
"A factory? What's that?"
"It's a big building used to create things. It's a genius invention by my father's royal architect. It's no surprise you've never heard of them before, there's only three or four in the capital."
I don't get it... but okay.
The thief ran to the front door and swung it open, running inside and slamming it behind him. Liora barely made it inside, leaving her alone to fight the thief.
I circled around the factory, looking for a way in.
"There!" the prince pointed. "That window is open!"
I flew inside the window and was instantly knocked off the broom by a bolt of lightning.
What the hell!? Another wizard!?
I rolled across the floor. Liora was standing with her hands up, and the prince was slumped on the floor like I was. I quickly scrambled off the ground.
"Who are you guys?!"
Two robed people stood behind Liora, and one of them held their hand over her mouth. The thief was sitting confidently on the ground. He tossed the coinpurse to the prince.
This was a trap!
"Calm down, little apprentice. We don't want to hurt you," one of them laughed.
"That's right. We just need the whoooole gang here. Alive, obviously!"
"Damn it don't make me ask again!" I shouted.
I raised my arms, ready to cast fire.
"Nuh-uh-uh!" the thief swiped his hands, and the mana pooling in my arms dissipated.
"Good job getting these two to follow you, Ahab. Though, who would've thought they were going around with the youngest prince..." the cloaked lady said.
"Pretending to be a thief, it was humiliating. Filthy. I'm leaving to go wash off, I'm sure you and Amon have got this under control?"
"Go ahead and leave, Ahab. You've done well enough," the cloaked man said.
The pretend-thief left, leaving only the robed man and woman.
"And you two? You're magic?"
"That's right. So is Ahab, the 'thief.' Sorry about that, by the way. I'm Jezebel and that's Amon. We're from the tower, I'm sure you've heard of it."
"And you're here to stop the cultists, are you?"
"Cultists? No, I have no idea what you're talking about!" she laughed at me, like I was a silly child.
The man, Amon, stepped forwards. "Lin, we're simply looking for your teacher, Alwyn. We needed you two, his apprentices, to bring him to us. You can do that, can't you?"
Liora bit into the Jezebel's hand, causing her to scream in pain.
"Linnie! Don't believe them! They kidnapped Aliza, she's being kept in that room right over there!"
What...!?
I looked to the prince, still unconscious on the floor. I sprinted to the room Aliza was being kept in, but I didn't make it far before I was shocked in the back.
Damn it! I'm right there! I have to use it, don't I?
I dug into my pocket and grabbed the pearl Alwyn had given me. As I was falling down from the shock, I slammed it into the ground.
A loud ringing resounded through the room, and a torrent of wind swirled above my head.