Anika slowly opened her right hand, already with a tiny ball of compressed water. “Do as you like. I don’t care if they kill you or not, you know that.”
Wenammy increased the Magic in her hands while looking at the approaching group. “Stupid fish, sometimes I hate you so much…”
Anika made a slight smile and answered, making Wenammy turn bright red. “Yeah, and other times you just want to kiss me. Focus, overgrown butterfly, they are almost here.”
The group slowed down at a twenty-meter distance and made their horses walk. One man stood ahead and was having difficulties smiling because of his surprised look. He made a slight bow and said, “Good morning… Viscount Alex Brim. I am Commander Sebastian Cox, the Commanding Officer of the Security Force of Baron Rowan Harvey. I am surprised to see your group in good health, considering that we saw from a distance a Magical Void appearing. You… weren’t attacked?”
James Macdonald was about to speak, but Alex cut him off. “Why do I have the strange impression you are rather surprised because I am not dead? I also found it strange that you know who I am, considering I left Beliersia a long time ago, long before that Security Force was created…”
Alex looked at the men behind Commander Sebastian Cox and continued, “Unless you were warned that I was coming, or better yet, you were the one who opened that Magical Void in a stupid attempt to kill me. Did you devise that plan all by yourself or did Baron Rowan Harvey order you?”
“No… I… I feel rather insulted, Viscount Alex Brim…”
“It’s Earl Alex Brim to you, Commander Sebastian Cox. You didn’t answer my question. You or anyone you know, opened that Magical Void to kill me?”
Commander Sebastian Cox gulped and slowly shook his head. “No… like I said, we saw that Void appearing from a distance and came to stop the Monsters. It’s what the Security Force does in Beliersia. We patrol the vicinities near Baron Rowan Harvey’s lands and engage any Monster we encounter. As a matter of fact, conversations in the Chamber of Lords are scheduled to decide the need for… a wider range of security throughout the country with more Security Forces patrolling the entire Republic.”
Alex made a slight smile. “Interesting… and the Monsters you kill, do you take the Magic Orbs?”
“Of… of course! We make a detailed report with the type of Monster, the size and weight of the Orb, and deliver all of them to the Baron”
“I see… Tell me, does Baron Rowan Harvey still have that profitable side job of his of selling Magic Orbs?”
Commander Sebastian Cox disguised a smile, but Alex still saw a strange glow in his eyes as he spoke, “Yes, and with the increase in Magical Voids appearing all over Beliersia, he buys and sells many Magic Orbs. Since the Viscount left Beliersia so long ago, I am not surprised if you don’t know that the Baron is considered being the richest person in Beliersia.”
Alex opened his mouth, but the Commander continued, “No need to correct me again, Viscount. I know that you are about to receive the title of Earl from Earl Kayden Burke, but for that, you need to go to the Chamber of Lords to be acknowledged.”
“Despite being a Commander of such… distinguished Security Force, you are rather dumb, aren’t you? I am already an Earl because my father retired, and I don’t need to go to the Chamber of Lords to get that title, because I already have it. I suppose a low Noble like your Baron is not aware of the tradition amongst the family of High Nobles for the oldest son or daughter to receive the title of the father upon his retirement or death. I also get reports of the meetings in the Chamber of Lords, together with the tax payments made by the end of the year by every Noble in Beliersia, and unless your Baron is not paying his taxes in full, which is a penalty punished with death, I am still the richest person in Beliersia. Considering that I am about to inherit Earl Kayden Burke’s lands and wealth, me and your Baron will be even further apart. But I diverge. I don’t need to brag, and you don’t need to look at me with so much anger, as if I just insulted your father. Baron Rowan Harvey is way below me on the Nobility ladder. You should rethink very well on how to address me and show the proper respect a High Noble such as myself truly deserves.”
Commander Sebastian Cox made a slight bow and stared at the ground to hide the anger rushing to his face. “I apologise if my words sounded rude to you… Earl… Alex Brim. My Baron might have given all of us a strong sense of duty to protect our country, and we have enormous respect and appreciation for him for entrusting us with this duty. If all his and our efforts go into consideration in the Chamber of Lords, soon more Security Forces will be all over Beliersia, and it could grant a higher Noble rank to him.”
“I see, so that’s his plan… It is so nice of you to blabber so much. I must thank you, Commander. I guess I need to be more aware of your Baron. I never thought such a low-life insect could be so greedy. So, since I and my companions are in good health, I suppose you can continue your patrol, right, Commander?”
“I… if my Lord won’t mind, it would be a great honour to escort you and your group to Earl Kayden Burke’s lands, to make sure you… don’t face any danger whatsoever.”
Alex tilted his head. “If I didn’t know it would be foolish of you to attempt anything against my life, I would be led to think you have some sort of plan to get rid of me before the end of this day. That might not be your intention, but your words sound rather suspicious. You may escort us if you want, but not at least fifty metres ahead of us. I don’t want to be hit on my back by a lost arrow that could come from your bow or one of your men.”
“That… My Lord, you keep on insulting my honour while I did nothing to deserve that treatment!”
“You talk about honour, but you are working as a mercenary for Baron Rowan Harvey by killing Monsters and delivering him the Magic Orbs so that he can keep selling them. I bet he even pays you some sort of reward for each Orb. What, two gold coins, for instance? Or perhaps three? If you truly want to be looked upon as someone honoured, act like one instead of just pretending.”
The Commander made an enormous effort to keep his anger at bay as he answered, “I suppose… a High Noble such yourself knows a lot more about honour than a mere Commander like me. I wouldn’t mind… learning with you if you would be so kind as to teach me from time to time.”
Alex made a slight smile. “Perhaps, but I don’t trust you enough to be near me any more than necessary and without proper security nearby. You might not be aware, but you are still gripping the hilt of your sword, and two of your men have Magic in their hands, and the others have either a dagger or a sword within reach. The problem is that you and they don’t know that you are all at mere instants of dying, because my companions are prepared to annihilate you all in mere seconds. The fact that we survived the appearance of two Magical Voids that brought a bunch of Monsters each time could have tipped you off my companions are not the kind of people you want to annoy. I am being generous by allowing your group to be ahead of us, instead of leaving you all behind, dead.”
Commander Sebastian Cox looked past Alex and gulped. Arrows and hands full of Magic were suddenly pointed at him and his group. He slowly raised both arms and spoke while glancing at his group, warning them to be at ease. “We are not a threat, Earl Alex Brim! We were just doing our duty to make sure our country was safe! Please, tell your people to put down their weapons!”
“I am not sure if you are a threat or not. That you are working for a Baron who always had his greedy eyes on my father’s and Earl Kayden’s lands doesn’t speak well on your behalf. Go ahead and make sure our path is clear of Monster or bandits. Stop at the entrance of Earl Kayden’s lands, because neither you nor any of your men may follow us inside.”
Commander Sebastian Cox stuttered, “B-but… w-we are allowed to patrol every land near our Baron…”
“Not anymore. Earl Kayden’s lands and mine are off-limits to you, the Security Force, or anyone that works for Baron Rowan Harvey or any of his friends, unless I allow it. Your Baron was always trying to send spies to check on my discoveries and breakthroughs instead of waiting for me to reveal them and licencing them to anyone that wanted to do the same. He always aimed to find something useful that he could use and say that he was the one that created it. Before leaving Beliersia, I gave strict orders to that department, and I am sure my keeper and my guards are doing a fine job keeping your Baron’s spies away.”
The Commander did his best to disguise his anger and talked in a soft tone, “Earl Alex Brim, you have every right to not let us enter your lands, but as for Earl Kayden’s lands, you still have no authority there.”
Alex answered in the same tone, “Do as you like then, but as soon as you or any of your men set foot in there, they will die on the spot, and I am not even worried about the consequences, because none will happen to me. I am getting tired of this conversation that is going nowhere. Go to your men and check the path ahead. Earl Kayden is waiting for me.”
Commander Sebastian Cox slowly nodded and turned his horse around, signalling his men to follow him. They all gave one last serious look at Alex and followed their Commander. Alex kept on looking at them, with a deep frown on his forehead.
James Macdonald, who stayed in silence for the entire conversation, asked, “Mister Alex, do you think it was wise to annoy them like that? We know nothing about the current situation in Beliersia. Perhaps we should check how things are right now before getting yourselves into trouble.”
“You could be right if I didn’t have so much influence in the Chamber of Lords and with the King. I once went there with my father for my introduction, and despite some Lords underestimating me, they couldn’t show any kind of disrespect because of him. On my next visit, they were all aware that I had two votes on any kind of decision, and those votes could tip the balance to either side of a debate. Now that I am about to receive another vote, my power over there will be even greater. I also have a friendly relationship with the King, and despite his position of being only a representative of Beliersia, there are still people alive that remember his feats during the war.”
As they began riding again, James Macdonald asked, with a puzzled look. “There is another thing… I know you don’t like to reveal too much about yourself, but hearing you tell that commander that you are the richest person in Beliersia perplexed me. Why do you work as an Adventurer then, considering you don’t need money? Is it for the adventure? Because this line of work is dangerous, and the life expectancy is kind of low.”
Alex made a slight smile and answered without even looking at him, “Yeah, you heard that… I got curious about how things were in other countries, and my curiosity wasn’t satisfied with the reports my people gathered for me. I left all the responsibility with my lands to my keeper, and I gave my two votes in the Chamber of Lords to the King. He used to have only one, and his power was lacking in the Chamber. Normally, the Lords worry more about their power and money than with the country, while the King is always trying to make a good job by improving the lives of his people. I heard that in the ‘Kingdom of Bouria’, the Adventurers had an excellent reputation and were considered as the best in the entire World, so I became one to see more of the World, and in the meantime, to help people with my skills. I couldn’t help so many people if I stayed confined in my lands.”