On the sixth day since their departure from Barydon the party arrived at Enver. Not heeding the warnings from the small mercenary squad leader. For one the need to resupply was pretty dire. Secondly as gold ranked adventurers from another country on a mission some leniency could be expected since it would be hard for them to be involved in murder schemes that have already been happening weeks before.
As they arrive at the gate 10 mercenaries from "The Silver Sons" had come to thoroughly check their carriage whilst even when they were allowed entry mercenaries would stop them and ask them to inspect the carriage. It was tiring, and annoying but also to be expected. Unlike in Barydon this harbor city is completely on edge with many merchant's stores closed. Fearing that they might be next. Most fears are probably unfounded as truly only the mercantile families influencing the trading company politically should be fearful. But unclear communication and the instinct to preserve one's life are enough reasons for even smaller merchants to close shop.
With a large amount of merchants refusing to sell, the populace was getting annoyed as the few merchants that did sell were flooded with requests. Creating massive profits but also a lot of apologies as they simply were sold out or just couldn't keep up with requests.
In this tense atmosphere quarrels often broke out between the populace and the governing authorities. Unfortunately for the citizens, mercenaries were not bound by chivalric honor and only their morality could be a saving grace. Sometimes when quarrels broke out the citizen would be seriously injured. Which alienated the mercenaries and the rich mercantile families even more from the populace.
The party continued to ignore the tense situation making clear that they're just passing through and not looking for trouble. Luckily they managed to find a tavern that had rooms left for hire and immediately camped in there. They divide the tasks as Gunnir and Cristal went to resupply whilst Hellas, Tika and Sol were to stay and keep an eye on the grand duke.
The reasoning being that if either the murderer or the angered populace were to discover his identity it could prove troublesome. Tika reasoned that the murderer could see it as a chance to throw the trading company in political turmoil as a dead grand duke could become the catalyst of war.
With evening turning to night, the three guarding party members and their employer sit in the tavern room. Whilst the party members are focused and well-behaved, the same thing cannot be said from the grand duke. The older man has ordered several bottles of cheap but heavy alcohol and has been drinking nonstop.
"It seems they're struggling." Tika says over the sounds of the older duke drinking straight from the bottle.
"Probably but it seems they are making progress. Otherwise, they wouldn't stay away so long." The pink haired ranger replies trying to keep making sure no unnecessary panic forms.
Sol listens to the conversation of his two party members whilst also keeping a close eye on the drunk duke. He shivers away from the emerald eyed gaze of the shade demon, his hand shaking as it holds the bottle.
"Do… Don… Don't…" The grand duke struggles to even clearly speak, quite the disgraceful sight for someone considered the peak of nobility. Sol simply continues to look, doing his job.
"Don't!!!" The grand duke yells in a fit of anger as he throws the bottle toward Secessus. The flying bottle is caught by its target as Sol decides to finish the rest of the bottle. The grand duke apparently not in need of it any longer.
Tika and Hellas move to the old man and Sol trying to keep the situation from escalating. Aware that Sol has killed before and if pushed they cannot guarantee the grand duke's safety whilst also just generally annoyed by his behavior.
"Stop… Judging… Me." The grand duke says slowly, his breath reeks of alcohol.
"I'm not the one judging you."
"Ha… Then… Who…is?"
"You're judging yourself, and you've realized that it's come way too late. So you've reverted to doing what you've always done. Deny and cower." Sol responds completely ignoring the grand duke's noble status.
"Calm down." Hellas says to Sol again trying to control the situation.
"No, I won't. This needs to be discussed. If he continues like this, then he will not last another week. Either killing himself or by my hands."
"Sol!" Hellas yells as killing intent starts to seep out of his companion, the dark bloody aura that slowly awakens making its way across the room. Tika moves to Hellas and covers his mouth, her eyes telling him to not intervene.
"So tell me blue-blooded old man. How come you've begun to blame my gaze for your faults."
"You… Look… At me like you're seeing filth."
"I don't see filth. I just see a rich child throwing a tantrum."
"LIES! You lie... I'm filth.... I'm filth."
"And why would you consider yourselves filth? I've clearly stated that I do not."
"I… I… I wasn't supposed to be this." The grand duke laments as he goes to grab another bottle. Which is kept out of his reach by the once again released Hellas.
"I never was… A ruler. My brother was... Oh, he was."
"…"
"I wanted… To be… A scholar... Serving the future... Now I serve greed and lies..."
"Then you did so by choice."
"I… Just didn't want it…. So I didn't do anything. I left it all to my vassals..."
"Did it never come into your mind? Did you truly never ask yourself "Am I doing well? Am I doing the right thing?""
"It…"
"It did… Didn't it? However too much time had passed by. You've gotten used to the comfy bed away from all your faults. And then you cry for yourself that you serve greed and liars. You only had to do so because you can't even listen to the truth!" Sol yells toward the shaken grand duke, hammering home his point.
"You probably surround yourself with snakes and their honeyed words whilst you wear a blindfold! What's the point then?" Sol continues his frustrated rant, showing no sign to stop anytime soon.
"…" The Grand duke sits there silently, sweating profusely.
"Even if you didn't want the responsibility, you should've taken it more serious. Not only for you but perhaps for those "abolished" slaves you abandoned whilst you dream about everything that could've been different."
"…"
"Just so you know stop drinking and pitying yourself. Others really don't care about you and neither do I. I don't see you as anything at all, so it doesn't matter to me. However, how will you think about yourself? Did you leave behind another chance to confront yourself? Another chance to turn things around even if it was just for a little while?"
The grand duke has become even more unresponsive now not only looking away from Sol but everyone's gazes.
"That's all your grace. Please go to bed." Sol ends his rant seeing no point continuing against the broken man.
Thanks to the high amount of alcohol. It didn't take long for the old man to fall asleep. But his night's rest would be anything but peaceful as nightmares and confusing dreams would cloud the old man's mind during his sleep.