"Wait!" the voice was actually coming from Valerian's mind. He was used to hearing voices in his head but this was one that he did not recognise.
[Who are you?] Val quizzed, a little stunned.
A knight noticed that Valerian seemed a little distracted and chose this moment to make a name for himself. The knight tried to stab Valerian in the throat. A body enhancement skill must have been activated because his strength and speed tripled.
Val's eyes flashed
"Your behaviour is atrocious. It makes my palm itch." The progenitor raised the sword he was carrying, parried the strike, spun around and took advantage of the knight's own momentum to dodge him.
The fool passed right by Valerian, his head was the first to turn around and look back at the vampire. The knight prepared to stop his forward momentum and turn the rest of his body to continue the siege but he did not get the chance.
In that moment, he saw Valerian's open palmed hand come for him. The knight closed his eyes and tried to raise his sword to block Valerian's hand. He felt instant regret. He had also wanted to make a name for himself and in some twisted way, he had succeeded although not in the way he had wanted.
His name would be be remembered and known by those who would later read his tombstone.
The sound of metal breaking came first then...
SMACK!!!!
THUD!!!
This time everyone present got to see the slap clearly and they still did not believe their eyes.
First, the vampire's hand broke the sword then he followed through and slapped the knight's helmet.
The scene of a man's head being completely separated from his body by a slap was burned into their eyes and eternally etched in their memories but they still could not believe it.
This was a death without honour. Who were these knights? They were all [B] rank warriors. Their equipment was enchanted and strong. Even with Saras' current issues, how can two, yes not one but two, knights be instantly decapitated by a slap each?!
Who was this vampire? What rank can do such a thing with almost no effort? [S] rank was the safest bet but [S] ranked vampires were not like stones. They did not just appear at every step and turn. Also why here, why Saras?
"Enough!" A voice shouted from behind the knights. A robbed man with pointy ears, golden hair and an aged face walked out. He had been almost as invisible as air.
Valerian had not even noticed him until he had spread out his mana on the ground and realised that he saw twenty knights and one frail looking boy adding up to twenty-one heads to disembody but the mana he had spread out told him that there had been twenty-two but now, two knights were dead. Apparently, slapped to death.
"I am the elven Grand court mage of the Saras Kingdom, Oswald Von Tiberius-Michaels, forgive the insincere welcome and discourtesy we have shown you. May this fool ask that we trace our steps backward and begin anew?"
At that moment, Alexander came out of the bank and stole the attention of the onlookers.
"Lord Magus, allow me to take care of my master's introduction if He allows it."
Oswald did not know who this new man was but he called the terrifying vampire, his master. Oswald did not want to try and fight the vampire. He could not gauge his strength.
He did not know if the vampire was a warrior or a mage but his identity definitely could not be simple. He did not even look like most vampires.
Oswald was also well aware of the fact that there were many long lived species that would go into hibernation, ancestors of various races that would wake up with the power to shake the world.
Saras did not have the power to currently go against such big granddaddies, so a little loss of face was better than assured destruction.
Valerian was not moved by the mage's attempt to de-escalate the situation. He was, however, moved by the mage's voice. He had heard it in his head before he delivered the second knight to the afterlife.
Valerian looked at the unassuming Alexander who was waiting on his permission and nodded. Val was curious about the skills or magic the mage had used to conceal himself from his sight and enter his mind.
Having received the go-ahead, Alexander bowed and turned back to Oswald with a smug smirk on his lips.
"Lord Mage Oswald, you are in the presence of Lord Valerian Erebus Jata, Archduke of Vermeer in the Castellon Empire, majority owner of Rex Capital bank and Lord Master of the vassal household Von Windsor." Alexander spoke softly enough to not make the introduction sound crass but loudly enough for others to hear.
The gathered civilians and adventurers were momentarily stunned and when the wave of shock passed, they started shouting.
"Such an identity, such a background and the knights actually dared to be so callous!" an adventurer shouted. As soon as he voiced his opinion, the public sentiment also shifted.
Oswald wanted to cough blood as he felt instant regret.