Currently.
My thoughts escaped from my mouth by accident, by noticing the look of Samanta I immediately tried to recompose myself.
-I-It´s nothing princess... I was just thinking about what miss Mayida said.
-Molly...
Samanta didn´t seem convinced for that excuse, her preoccupation was put in the proposition of the archduchess.
-Head maid, How much do you believe that would be true?
Before I could digest the idea, August turned me into the center of attention with a dangerous question.
-I...
I didn´t know what to answer.
A part of me knew that Roberto could truly be capable of killing someone, while the other constantly struck me with memories of him showing kindness and help to those around him.
My chest was suffering pain with each passing second.
Depending on what I say... The life of Roberto in the castle will be affected on a great scale... He could even be put in isolation if necessary...
My throat closed, my eyes wandering around the room with cold sweat drenching my back.
Bam! *
-Father! Let Molly bear the weight of that kind of responsibility is just too much!
Samanta got up from her seat with her hand smacking the table, her expression showing great disconformity.
-Samanta, sit down and stay quiet, I let you assist the meeting because you will be who inherits the throne, however, you must remember that I´m still the one who puts the rules here. So save those feelings and let me listen to what Molly has to say.
-Kgh...
With frustration painted on her face, Samanta returned to her chair, the glove in her hand suffering the wrath of her grip.
-Respond to the question head maid. I need an answer before the hero returns. You understand, right?
The body of August irradiated sly breezes of wind, the papers on the table dancing along.
An incredible pressure was thrown at my body with his eyes; it was the kind that only a king ready to use the force could do.
-Majesty... Roberto... He...
Tock!* Tock!*
Someone was calling at the door, such action could only be done if something urgent appeared.
-Come in.
With the permission of the king, a knight stepped into the room and knelt.
-Your highness! The elves are on a rampage!
-!!
The notice was alarming, more than one person got up from their seat drawing out their weapons.
-What is the situation?
-For now, we have been capable of containing them without any casualty with the support of a maid using an artifact, but the elves show a strange ferocity that causes them to self-harm! The priests and mages are trying to help them, but it doesn´t matter how many spells they cast, the results are none!
After the report of the knight, August puts his eyes on the women.
-Krieg, Cardenal Jeanne, go and bring support to the elves, do whatever is necessary, the use of lethal force is forbidden.
One with a pipe, the other with a white book. The mage knelt saying "Understood" while the Cardenal prepared herself to go.
When they were ready to leave they looked at each other.
-Let´s take a look, pigeon.
-I´ll do all I can, howl.
The friendship between these two always resulted as something weird to me, however, I didn´t dare to give comments expressing that feeling.
-Head maid, take and protect them, the we´ll wait here for your notice.
-At your orders, king August.
I put back my mask and prepared my sword. With my objectives to protect in front of me, we ran out of the room following the knight and other members of the clan.
A lucky strike... Or an unfortunate accident?... In any way, I´m glad I didn´t have to answer...
***
HAAAAAAAAARGH! RARGH! AAAAAAARGH! *
-This one is also self-harming! I need a priest!
-Someone, hold his neck! I think it´s trying to break it!
-Another piece of cloth! She´s trying to bite her tongue!
When we arrived at where the elves were, a chaotic scenario welcomed us.
Saliva, sweat, and blood dripping down to the floor, wounds coming from scratches to cuts and black eyes.
While the knights and other members of the clan were immobilizing the elves, the priests and mages ran from left to right healing the wounded at the same time they tried to vanish the magic affecting them.
-Molly!
A familiar voice.
When I looked at the source, I saw Lea holding the chains that restringed at least 10 elves wiggling on the floor.
Next to her was Iris sitting on the floor with the unconscious body of her sister.
Weren´t they supposed to be with Roberto?
-I see you have everything under control.
-Fortunately, I can have my dungeon artifact inside the castle, if not this would have been a lot harder.
The hands of Lea were covered by golden gauntlets called "Atlas punisher".
They had a compartment on the back of her hands capable to shoot chains that Lea could control at will.
Almost no one besides Lea was capable to control the artifact, mainly because of the huge weight the chains have, and the difficulty to control them.
Since Lea was born with a body stronger than most beast-man and had a peculiar talent to manipulate chains, she became the best user of the artifact.
Seeing Lea using her artifact again brought a smile to my face, it has been a while since I last saw that powerful figure.
-Clear the waaaayy~, move asiiiide~.
Krieg walked to one of the elves squirming on the floor.
-HRARH! AARRGH! RRRAAAAAGH!
The man moves with madness searching for a way to hurt someone, and maybe soon himself.
-Issshhh* The best would be to put them asleep. Fuuuuf*
The smoke coming out of her mouth began to accumulate on the roof taking the shape of a cloud, the finger of the mage manipulating the gaseous phenomena.
-Cover your mouth and nose, if you breathe this, you´re going to fall asleep instantly.
All those with a pinch of reason covered themselves.
Krieg led the smoke to all the elves, one by one they ceased to move after have inhaled the purple cloud that passed through their faces.
Lea retired her chains while the knights stepped away from the unconscious bodies.
Krieg placed her eyes on Lea, Jeanne approaching along the mage to inspect the elf in front of them.
-Do you know why are they like this?
-I don´t know the details, Roberto said that they had something on their backs, probably a mind control spell.
-The hero got ahead of us? Where is he? Did he flee in the middle of the confusion?
Krieg turned upside down the elf and discovered his back, there was a shining magic circle on it.
With mana flowing from her hands, Krieg placed her hand on the circle, in a matter of seconds it disappeared without leaving traces.
-Well, that should be enough for now.
Once Krieg finished, Jeanne immediately began to conjure sacred magic with her book, each word increased the white shiness of the object.
-He didn´t flee from anything! He fainted due to fatigue, but he managed to warn me and Iris about the elves!
Lea talked with an indignant tone, almost as if she had received an insult.
At this point, it wasn´t necessary anymore to hide her feelings for Roberto, it got clear to me that her rail of ideas was now like that.
You always were more honest than me... I guess that´s why you are also faster...
I tough trying to ignore the little pressure on my chest.
-Iris? Who is that?
Although have met her just some minutes ago, Krieg already had problems remembering the girl.
-U-Um, that would be me...
Iris, the elf girl that was defended by Roberto walked to us. To my eyes, she seemed like a little animal coming out of her hiding spot.
-Ah, Iris, yhea, you. Can you tell me what happened? Do not exclude any detail about the hero.
-T-That is...
The elf looked down insecure about how to respond.
-Don´t you think it has been enough interrogatories? Just look at her, she´s exhaust, is amazing that she´s still on her feet right now.
Lea walked in front of the elf, cutting the line of vision between the sharp eyes of Krieg and the girl.
-... Do you agree with that? Head maid?.
-...
Krieg looked at me like saying "Control them or make them disappear".
Before answering I looked around.
It wasn´t so bad since the situation was prevented with a tiny bit of time, in any case, it was obvious that morale and energies were low.
I exchanged eyes with Lea, she had a solid front that expired a strong negation to proceed.
Finally, I saw the elf, just as Lea said, she seemed at the edge of a mental and physical breakdown, push her further would only be disastrous and inefficient.
-Lea is right, right now no one is in condition to respond to questions, we have to center ourselves on attending the elves, when Iris and Roberto had rested enough we can get answers from both.
-Hmph. Is that so? All right, whatever you say.
Though reluctant, Krieg accepted my decision and proceeded to keep attending the elves with Jeanne.
Lea smiled a bit before taking away Iris to somewhere she could rest. Her sister being checked by Krieg and Jeanne.
-What the....? Yes, hello, um, I need you to take them to my lab, all of them.
-You heard her! Bring the gurneys and prepare the flying cart!
Yes! *
With the instructions distributed, everyone began to do their job.
I put my sword in its case and went to the meeting room to report what happened, is safe to say that the meeting will postpone, so I can use the remaining time to go with Krieg and Lea and get some information about the condition of Roberto.
A tragedy was avoided in great part because Roberto got ahead of the event...
The image of the masked man came to my mind, I couldn´t avoid relating them both in essence.
-You better say the god damn truth... Idiot...
With this I realized that I couldn´t doubt more, it was time to be critical and demand answers, even if it means to gain his hatred.
For his sake, for mine.
For everyone.