Chapter 22
The Duke's throne room was silent, except for the sound of Laine digging through the Blizzard's pockets. His blood was already freezing up in the cold of his own lingering magic.
Jessica and Eris were holding their breath, shoulders stiff with tension as they glanced between me and the Duke. The Duke just leaned back in his throne, rubbing his temples like this was some boring court meeting.
I stared at him, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation.
"So," I repeated, "The wanted poster. Explain."
The Duke exhaled sharply through his nose and turned to his son. "Eris, the enemies are defeated. Take command of the soldiers and restore order to the city."
Eris nodded sharply and led Jessica out of the throne room.
I turned to Ghis. "Take Laine and go to Erwin. Bring him and Sara to the castle. They don't need to hide anymore."
The Duke perked up upon hearing this. "Erwin and Sara? They're with you?"
"Answer my question first."
He gave me a calculating look as I heard Ghis and Laine leave the throne room behind me. After a long pause he sighed and gestured toward an ornate chair beside him. "Why don't you sit?"
I didn't move. "I'm good standing, thanks."
He nodded, too tired to argue. "Then I'll get to the point. I have connections with the Order of the Veil."
That got my attention.
The Order of the Veil. A secretive group of mages and warriors dedicated to keeping the world safe from the Void and the Cult that worships it. I'd gotten involved with them soon after entering this world. They had claimed I was the chosen hero they had been waiting for. It had sounded annoying so I had left as soon as I got the chance.
I leaned in, waiting for the Duke to keep talking.
Resting his elbows on his knees, he continued. "The Order works alongside select nobles and influential figures—those who understand the threat the Void poses to us all. Magister Lyra told me about you."
I nodded, recalling Lyra—a bossy woman I had met at the Order's headquarters. She had explained the Order's mission to me.
"She told me you were the Chosen Hero who would save us from the Void. And that you were reluctant to accept your role and had left them soon after. When I heard that a man matching your description had saved Spuria from the goblin horde, I knew it had to be you. So, I issued the bounty to bring you to me. I had hoped you would be able to help me with the Council."
I nodded. After I had left the Order, I had arrived at the town of Spuria. Through a strange sequence of events, I had ended up saving the town from an attacking goblin horde. The very next day, there had been bounty posters of me all around the town.
"You know there are easier ways to send an invitation, right? Like, I don't know a letter?" I asked the Duke.
He gave me a tired smile. "According to how Lyra had described you, I didn't think a simple invite would have worked."
He had a point. It wouldn't have.
Still, I wasn't done asking questions. "If you're so close with the Order, why not ask them for help directly? Why involve me at all?"
The Duke's face darkened slightly. "The Order only interferes when the Void is involved. The Council's ambitions have nothing to do with that. To them, this was just political power play. They wouldn't lift a finger to help me."
I scoffed. "Sounds about right."
There was a brief pause before the Duke spoke again, his voice quieter. "The Blizzard mentioned a secret, didn't he?"
That threw me for a loop. I hadn't expected him to bring that up.
"Yeah," I admitted. "Something about there being more to this whole takeover than just power. I don't know if he was bluffing or what." I looked back at the Blizzard's corpse. "Not going to get any answers from him at this point though."
The Duke didn't look relieved at that. "I would wager it has something to do with this."
He reached inside his robes and pulled out a wooden box.
I recognized it immediately. "Jessica had that with her. When we were heading to Baran."
The Duke nodded. "She stole it from the Council. Her spies had told her that it was somehow important to their plans. She thought it might be something we could use against them—a bargaining chip, in case we needed leverage."
I looked at the box. It was a simple, wooden cube. There were no markings on it and I couldn't sense any magic from it either.
But I had a bad feeling.
I could tell that the box would only give me more problems.
The Duke, noticing that I wasn't reaching for the box, set it aside. He turned back to me. "Eris will be taking my place as Duke. I plan to abdicate."
I just stared at him, deadpan. Why was he telling me this? Like I cared.
He continued. "The people won't accept me as their ruler after this. I may not have been a willing pawn of the Council, but I was a pawn all the same. If I remain in power, the city will never truly be stable again. But if Eris takes the title, he can restore the Duchy's honor."
"Cool," was all I said in reply.
"Once order is restored, I'll have Eris see to it that you're properly rewarded."
I sighed. "I don't want a reward."
The Duke raised an eyebrow. "Surely there's something you want?"
I shook my head. "I'd rather you just forget about me. I don't like being indebted to powerful people."
The Duke chuckled. "Then think of it as a payment, not a debt. You did more for this city than you had any obligation to. It's only fair you get something in return."
I hesitated. I really didn't want to owe any favors to nobility. But if he was this insistent…
A thought crossed my mind.
"You can help a friend of mine start a bakery."
The bakery wasn't open yet, but the sign above the door already read Ghis' Golden Loaf in bold, elegant letters.
Ghis stood beside me, hands on his hips, a proud smile on his face as he admired the building. It was a sturdy two-story structure, its wooden beams freshly polished and its windows spotless. The scent of flour and yeast lingered faintly in the air, and through the glass, I could see the counter already stocked with fresh loaves that he'd been baking in preparation for opening day.
"This is it, Sam. My own bakery." Ghis said, exhaling like he still couldn't believe it. "Thank you."
I gave him a sideways glance. "Don't mention it. I just wanted to make sure you didn't have to go back to the cult."
Ghis laughed. "The Duke set me up well. Prime spot in the market. I had the option to set up in the noble's district too, but I'd rather sell to people who actually appreciate a good loaf instead of those pompous brats who only want gold-leafed pastries."
I snorted. "You've really thought this through."
"Of course." His smile softened. "There's a place for you here too, you know. You could finally relax. No running, no fighting, just good food and a warm bed."
I shook my head. "Tempting, but I need to leave early."
Ghis sighed, already expecting my answer. "The new Duke's reward ceremony, huh?"
"I want no part of it."
He chuckled. "I bet. You wouldn't be interested in getting paraded around like a hero."
"I've had enough of people talking about me." I leaned against the bakery's wooden post, watching the merchants set up their stalls in the early morning bustle of the market square. "And besides, the Duke's probably told the Order I'm here. If I stick around, they'll be back, begging me to solve some new crisis."
Ghis rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So where are you heading?"
"Somewhere quiet," I muttered. "Doubt I can hide forever, but I want a break before the Order starts poking around."
He hummed, then grinned. "I'd say head North. The City of Lis."
I raised an eyebrow. "Lis?"
"It's peaceful. It borders the sea, trades with merfolk, and best of all, no politics. Just ships, fish, and people living their lives." His grin faded slightly. "The way there isn't easy, though. You'd have to cross the Wailing Woods."
I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds welcoming."
"The place is full of strange beasts." Ghis rubbed the back of his neck. "But if anyone can handle it, you can."
I sighed. "Great. Sounds exactly like what I was trying to avoid."
Ghis smirked and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be honest Sam. I don't think running's going to do you much good. Trouble always seems to find you anyway."
I glanced at the bakery again. "What about your parents?"
Ghis' expression turned softer. "They're moving in. Dad's finally retiring from being a guard. They're selling their house and moving in with me. The upper portion of the bakery has plenty of space. After everything, they deserve some peace."
I nodded. "Good for them."
We stood there for a while, the city slowly waking up around us.
Then, curiosity got the better of me. "What about Laine?"
Ghis snorted. "Last I heard, Erwin gave him some gold as his reward. Hasn't been seen since. Why? You worried?"
I scoffed. "You're kidding, right? I'm just glad I don't have to listen to any more of his stories."
We both laughed at that. Then we shook hands.
"Take care of yourself," Ghis said.
"You too."
With that, I turned and left.
The city seemed unrecognizable. When I had first appeared in Baran, it had seemed empty, the people hiding in their homes from fear of the Duke.
Now the people were everywhere, smiling. The air felt lighter, as if the weight of oppression had finally lifted.
It had been a week since we'd saved the Duke and he'd abdicated. Eris had wasted no time once he became Duke. He'd revoked his father's cruelest laws, set all his prisoners free, and actually listened to the people. And despite everything, the old Duke had taken full responsibility for his actions. He hadn't told anyone that he'd been blackmailed by the Council.
Maybe it was his way of atoning.
He'd insisted on being imprisoned, but Eris had refused, and had instead exiled him to another estate that belonged to the family, in a faraway city.
Whatever the reason, the people had accepted Eris and Erwin as their rulers without resistance. After all, they'd been helping long before the Council was overthrown.
I made my way toward the city gate, nodding at the guards as I passed.
"Excuse me," I said, "what's the best way to get to Lis?"
Before the guard could answer, a voice spoke up behind me.
"I know the way."
I groaned.
Turning around, I found Laine standing there, grinning like he'd been expecting me.
"Why are you here?" I asked flatly.
"Heading out." He stretched his arms lazily. "I was going to go to the City of Lis myself. There's going to be a good opportunity there for me."
I narrowed my eyes. "By opportunity, you mean something to steal."
He shrugged and grinned.
I sighed, rubbing my temple. I already knew where this was going.
"You're coming with me, aren't you?"
Laine grinned. "It'd be foolish to travel alone, wouldn't it?"
I considered arguing, but what was the point? Laine was stubborn, and honestly, having an extra pair of hands in the Wailing Woods wasn't the worst idea. In the worst-case scenario, I could probably throw him to any dangerous beasts we encountered. Make my own escape easier.
He clapped his hands together. "So. Caravan, then?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm done with caravans."
Laine raised an eyebrow. "Then how are we getting there?"
"If we get a cart and a couple of horses, how long will it take?"
He scratched his chin. "Two, maybe three weeks."
I nodded. "Alright. Let's do that."
Laine tilted his head. "You do realize carts and horses cost money, right?"
I smirked. "Yeah. That's why you're paying."
His face fell. "What?"
"You got a hefty reward from Erwin, didn't you?"
Laine crossed his arms. "That's my money."
I shrugged. "Fine. Then I'll go alone." I turned away, but not before adding, "Good luck getting across the Wailing Woods alone."
Laine twitched.
I didn't look at him. I just waited.
Finally, he let out a long, suffering sigh. "Fine."
I smirked. "That's better."
Grumbling under his breath, Laine stomped off toward the merchant district to buy a cart.
I stayed where I was, looking back at the city one last time.
Since I'd first arrived in Baran, it had offered nothing but trouble.
Hopefully, the next city wouldn't be such a mess. And maybe—just maybe—I'd get a few weeks of peace before trouble caught up again.