Satisfied, Xavier sat down and watched the prisoners wake up one by one.
"How will you make them talk, my lady?"
"What is up with the sudden 'my lady'?"
"Everyone is calling you like that so it felt it was natural to do so"
He is somewhat similar to Samuel. They both have this weird charisma that suits for being a leader and the sense of responsibility to keep those around them safe.
"Hey, where are we?!"
Those who were awake started to observe their surroundings while the others were trying to wake up those who were still sleeping.
"You guys, do you feel like talking now? Which one of you is Jay Maxwell? I need to know so that I can ask that guy to write a letter for King Maxwell"
Hearing their boss' name, everyone flinch back and stared at me, trying to figure out my identity.
"Who are you? You can't be the daughter of the previous duke for you to know boss' name"
"I am though. I am Dianna Emond. That is not what's important right now. Right now, I need to know which one of you is Jay Maxwell so that I can send a letter to Selreon city where your headquarters is"
"....?!"
"If you do not answer me, I will begin to take one of you one by one and try to extract information. But let's all face reality it would be better to tell me which is which"
"Why should we?"
"You guys... are you all idiots or something? I told you already that I only needed to know which one is which so I can send a letter to Selreon city"
A man then stood up. The rest where telling him to sit down and to hide.
"I am Jay Maxwell"
Of course he would stand up. If he can write a letter, he will try to use a secret code to inform his brother, King Maxwell.
I gave him a piece of paper and a pen so that he can write his letter.
Just after he was done writing his letter, Xavier came back with the bread I ask him to get.
He then opened the cell gate and put the piles of bread one by one. The prisoners knew that one of us have some kind of ability based on the event the previous time when mushrooms suddenly sprouted from concrete walls and floor.
Afraid, none of them dared to try and attack Xavier.
"My lady what are these bread?"
"They are bread that I made. Those breads can last up to three months"
I already knew they were going to attack the town once I go to the Krugers' territory but feeding a hundred of them would be hard.
"Make sure to share evenly okay. I don't have the money to feed all of you"
The cell gate was closed once again.
To make sure the letter arrives at the city quickly, I sent Almas to give the letter to King Maxwell.
Going back to the mansion, Erica, the head of the knights apologize and even went close to taking her life as an apology for the disgrace she committed.
Thankfully, John was able to stop her before she was able to commit suicide.
John, Samuel, Uziel, Rosette and the knights that was sent by brother Nicholas. Everyone was in front of me, kneeling on the ground except for Dame Erica as she is still unconscious.
"We have no excuses for our mistakes"
"Had we acted faster and more efficiently, the damages would have been cut down to at least half"
"While it is good that no one died, many still suffered"
"We offer our sincerest apologies to you, baroness!!!"
They were ashamed of themselves for letting some thugs make a mess in my territory so much that they were pressing their foreheads on the ground to the point that some even bleed.
"Raise your heads. You do not need to apologize to me but to the people. I need you all to take shifts until everything here in this town is back to normal! Understood?"
"As you wish baroness!!!"
"All of you can go back now. Samuel. Uziel. You two come with me"
The two silently entered my office and sat down on the chair as they hold back from crying.
I can understand Uziel as he is still a child. But, this must be more frustrating for Samuel, based on what they have experienced.
"Do any of you have anything to say?"
"None, my lady"
"Me as well"
They answered timidly.
"You two, listen closely. I'm not mad or disappointed at either of you. I'm happy that both of you are okay. Everyone makes mistakes so try to learn from it to make sure nothing like this happens again, okay"
I step forward and took the two into my arms.
Unable to hold back, they cried from the frustration. From the sense of failure. For not meeting the expectation they thought I had from them.
I let go of Samuel first and sat down with Uziel.
He is a child who cannot control his emotions that well, so for him to cry like this so openly is to be expected. On the other hand, Samuel stopped crying almost immediately.
Creak.
Thud.
The door slightly opened and something light seems to have fallen based on the sound just now.
"Heheh, come in"
"...."
"You should show yourself now that you got caught, Ivan"
The kid opened the door slowly and entered the room reluctantly.
Afraid of being scolded, he didn't let go of the doorknob after closing it.
"Come here"
Inviting him with my arms wide open, he slowly came towards me and sat on my lap.
"My lady who is he?"
When Uziel saw the kid snuggling at me, he backed down and move about two steps away.
"He is my child"
Hearing my answer, they were shock to the point that all of their anxiety was washed away for a moment.
"You adopted him?"
"Yes. Because he is somewhat similar to me"
Being forced to do what your family want. Having to smile at the people that enters the house. The helplessness from being stuck due to how ignorant you are from the world, thus not having any choice but to obey.
How can I leave him behind when the image of the child 'me' would always flashed through my mind every time I think of him.