Chapter 48: Into the Cold Night

  Lily felt mentally exhausted after spending hours going through the plans for the city takeover. Her passive skill [Governance Mastery: Kingdom Regent] had activated earlier that day, and although it had been helpful, it had also flooded her mind with complex structures of medieval administration, regional authority, tax systems, civil stability models, and the general framework for governing a fantasy medieval society. It had been too much for her all at once. Her mind had been filled with so much knowledge that she had barely been able to think straight for a while. At least the headache had faded some time ago, even though her thoughts were still tired from processing everything.

  She leaned back slightly in the mayor’s chair and rubbed her forehead. The last hours had demanded her full concentration. Every time she finished one part of the plan for the takeover of the city, another segment required adjustment. It felt as if the work multiplied each time she solved a problem.

  The nobles, however, had taken to the task with surprising enthusiasm. They had been far more cooperative than she had expected at the beginning. Many of them, Gideon included, showed a genuine eagerness to reshape Tiara according to the structure she laid out, and their willingness to help eased her work more than she had anticipated.

  At first, she had been surprised when Gideon and the others approached her. She had been prepared for suspicion and maybe a few complaints about what she was doing or even attempts to negotiate better conditions. Instead they had accepted the opportunity quickly, and their willingness to sign a contract that bound their loyalty with a curse had convinced her that they were genuinely committed. She needed help to run the city anyway, so she had decided to accept matters as they were.

  In the end there were twelve nobles who signed the contract with her, including Gideon. They had all stepped forward, one after another, ready to take part in the rebuilding. And because Gideon had been present during the discussions, he had given her an idea of how she could handle certain matters later on.

  Lily knew there was a difference between how nobles and commoners saw her and how they would see her in the future. The nobles had reasons to be pragmatic. They had witnessed her strength directly. They also had ambition and experience in politics, which made them more willing to adapt when a new power appeared. The common people were different. They had lived their entire lives without demons anywhere near them, and the stories they grew up with were shaped by fear. The only demons they ever heard about were the ones summoned by cultists, demons forced into destructive or cruel roles by contracts that twisted their behavior. The common folk had no reason to trust her. Even if she proved that she had no intention of harming them, centuries of fear would not disappear just because she said so. Words alone could not erase what people had believed for generations.

  She needed a public figure the people of Tiara could easily accept. Someone who symbolized a sense of security and familiarity. And that was where Gideon’s knowledge of her elven persona came in.

  Since he already knew her as an elf, she could turn Lysaria Greenwood into a figurehead of sorts. An elf was far easier for humans to accept as a leader. Humans associated elves with good intentions and long-lived wisdom. Elves carried the natural aura of moral integrity in their myths, and Lily could use that. Lysaria could engage with the people while Lily worked in the background. It would help the citizens adjust slowly to the new empire’s presence, and it would prepare them for a more diverse society.

  At least this is the idea for now, Lily thought. It should help to slowly introduce the multi-race structure of the Xares Empire. And if I ever get an NPC creation item, I could even bring the elf to life as a real person so she could take over the smaller matters. That would help reduce the work I need to handle. And I could finally do other stuff…

  She sighed quietly. Everything had started only recently, and she was already thinking about how to reduce workload in the future. At least I have a direction now and not just random wandering. She still sat at the mayor’s desk while these thoughts drifted through her mind.

  Most of the nobles had gone to begin reorganizing the city according to the tasks she had given them. Only Gideon and a noblewoman remained, both sitting calmly and reviewing some papers. Lily glanced at them and then decided she had done enough for one day.

  She rose from her seat. “It is late,” she said. “I need to take care of other matters. I will brief Lady Greenwood later about everything we discussed. I will leave the remaining tasks for this evening in your hands.”

  Gideon and the noblewoman immediately stood up as well. “Of course, Princess,” they both said politely and gave her a small bow.

  Lily reached for her helmet but paused before leaving. She turned back to Gideon. “Gideon, if any problems occur, say the name ‘Thirra’ out loud. My…” She stopped for a moment to choose a word. “My personal enforcer will come to help you. But do not call him unless something is truly dangerous.”

  Gideon looked cautious, but he nodded. “I understand, Princess. I will keep that in mind.”

  Lily slipped her helmet into her inventory and headed outside. The late evening air felt cold as she stepped into the open. The sunset had stained the sky in rust-brown colors that slowly faded into darker hues. A few stars already shone faintly. She inhaled deeply. The chill filled her lungs.

  It is getting colder every day, she thought. She had been here for only a short time, but even she could feel the temperature drop consistently. Since Tiara was in the far north of Pangrea, she assumed winter here lasted longer than in the south. She had never bothered to ask anyone about the season, but one did not need to ask when the air grew colder every night.

  She walked down the main street toward the inn. The streets were emptying fast as people hurried home, and the night watch had not yet taken over. From time to time she passed someone who glanced at her and then stopped to whisper something while keeping a careful distance. Some stared nervously at her armor, others simply walked faster to get out of her way. She was not in the mood to worry about it. She had too much on her mind already. It felt almost ironic, because on her first evening here she had thought she would simply sit around without knowing what to do in her new life. The thought still felt strange when she compared it to her current situation. Now she had more problems than she could count, and half of them were urgent. And all of this had happened in only three days, Lily sighed.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  While she moved through the street, she could already see the sign of the inn in the distance. The entrance glowed faintly in the last remnants of daylight.

  Her thoughts drifted to Tessa. I hope she is fine. She must be shaken after everything. Maybe we can talk and settle things for her. If she is too traumatized, I might consider using a potion like [Oblivion Draught]. She frowned at that thought. But would that not be wrong? It is such a risky potion, and I do not even know what happened to the auctioneer after I used it. Maybe I should confirm that first. But if I wait too long it might not work anymore... Ahh man, this is such a mess. I really handled this poorly... Bad Lily, really bad. I just need to talk with her and see how she is.

  She exhaled softly. The last traces of the sunset had vanished, and with them went the brief calm that had softened the day. What remained were her worries about Tessa and the uncomfortable realization that she had pushed the problem aside the entire day. She had excuses of course. She needed to conquer a town, reorganize it, and secure it. But even she knew she had acted irrationally by leaving Tessa alone right after something so traumatic, especially after seeing how the girl had stood in the lobby earlier without reacting to anything. The image kept replaying in her mind. It was also unsettling how she had pushed these thoughts away and simply carried on with her plan, because in hindsight it felt as if, during moments when she acted with a clear goal in front of her eyes, she became a completely different person than the one she believed herself to be. Ironically it might even be easier if she were always that version of herself and never switched back, because then she would not notice the difference. Ah, fuck it. I am just overworked.

  She stopped in front of the inn door and paused. Before entering, she reached out through the bond. “Vessikar,” she called in her mind. Vessikar should still be with Tessa. He was supposed to remain there until Lily returned. She waited for a reply, but there was only silence. She tried again, and there was still no answer.

  Her heartbeat quickened. The bond should allow him to answer from at least a mile away. This place is not that big. So why is there no answer? Something might be wrong. She felt a small wave of unease move through her.

  She pulled her helmet out of her inventory again and slid it on. The cold metal rested against her skin. Then she drew her sword and held it low but ready. Her fingers tightened slightly around the grip. She pushed the inn door open slowly with the tip of her boot.

  Inside the lobby it was almost completely dark. The chandelier was out and only weak light seeped in through the windows. Lily’s demonic sight made everything clear anyway, and the sight that greeted her made her chest tighten. Blood was still everywhere. The bucket Tessa had used to clean the mess earlier was overturned on the floor. Footprints smeared the blood across the wooden boards in chaotic patterns, and a single corpse lay on the ground near the counter.

  Lily approached the body with careful steps. Even after everything she had seen today, her stomach still twisted slightly at the smell and sight of gore, but she forced herself to ignore the uneasy feeling. She knelt down to inspect the corpse. It was the innkeeper. The man who had given her the suite the first night. His neck had a large bite wound, torn open with brutal force. His face was pale and stiff, frozen in a silent scream.

  Oh. Poor guy, she thought quietly.

  She stood and looked around the dark room again. She needed information now. Lily activated a skill.

  [Hellpulse Echo]

  A wave of demonic resonance burst silently from her chest. Just for a heartbeat her pulse synced with something deeper, something like the slow rumble of the underworld. The world around her seemed to “echo” as the pulse spread outward. Anything hostile within sixty feet should have been revealed with a faint red outline, even if hidden or cloaked.

  But nothing responded. There was no presence, no movement, and no aura of any kind—the inn was empty.

  She thought again about Vessikar. If he were alive, she should be able to track him through the bond. So, she focused her mind and spoke.

  “Bound Menu.”

  A transparent box popped up in her vision.

  Current Bounds:

  Demonbounds:

  Thirra: active [Manage]

  Vessikar: active [Manage]

  Former Bounds:

  Demonbounds:

  Ekkra: deceased [Archive]

  She stared at the menu and needed a moment to understand what she was seeing. What is this? How is Ekkra deceased? I thought something happened to Vessikar, but why is Ekkra dead?

  She focused on the [Archive] option. A small summary opened. It showed Ekkra’s previous stats, how long he had been bound, and finally the details of his death:

  ---

  Death recorded 5 hours 43 minutes ago.

  Fatal injuries: Holy intoxication (34 percent), gaping wounds (34 percent), mortal wound at the neck (32 percent).

  ---

  Lily felt real worry creeping into her chest. She had barely known Ekkra. They had interacted only briefly, but he was over level four hundred. Something capable of killing him in a clean fight, especially with holy power involved, was not just concerning. It was very dangerous. She needed to know what he had fought and why he had been ambushed or overwhelmed. And she needed to know fast.

  But first she needed to find Vessikar, he was still active according to the menu, but he was not here. Maybe the events were connected. She opened his manage window. A list of options appeared again.

  [Details]

  [Upgrade]

  [Track]

  [Dismiss]

  [Release]

  She focused on [Track].

  A sudden sharp instinct tugged at the inside of her skull, like a compass snapping into the right direction. Her head turned slightly on its own as she felt exactly where Vessikar was. The distance estimate hit her at the same time.

  About four miles away.

  That meant he had left the inn long ago. Since she had tasked him with watching over Tessa while she was gone, Tessa should have been with him. So maybe she had been the reason why he left, or they had been taken, or something else had forced him out. Whatever it was, in light of the deceased Ekkra, this was bad news, and the possibility that both events were connected felt very high.

  Lily sheathed her sword on her back, took several quick steps to leave the inn, and once outside she pushed off the ground. She guided her mana down her spine and activated her wings. They opened with a strong and steady motion, and the night air wrapped around her as she rose swiftly into the sky.

  She needed answers, and she needed them now.

  She tilted her body and began flying toward Vessikar with all the speed her wings allowed. The cold wind stung her face, and the stars above seemed to stretch as she increased her pace.

  Whatever had happened here, she would not let it spread any further. And she would not lose another bound or the poor girl Tessa, because she felt strangely responsible for her.