"Ether, why do you have to leave me alone like this? We just met right away when I thought you were dead but here I am doing things again instead of resting." Yuu slouched her head on the table and looked at the unending files of papers in front of her.
Knock Knock Knock.
"Milady, it is me Nellie."
Yuu, who was in the form of Ether, simply groaned when Nellie entered with more paperwork in her hands.
"Ahhh!!!" And another shrill sound resounded in the whole mansion with Yuu not caring anymore about her actions when she was still pretending as Ether.
***
Meanwhile…
Inside the mansion of Baron Gredon in one of the grand living rooms, Clarence with his knight assistant met with the one and only Baron Gredon.
"A pleasure to meet you Sire, may I ask what you came for?" The baron asked Clarence with politeness laced in his voice.
*Hmm..."
"I captured illegal slave traders near your vicinity baron." Clarence eyed the baron. The baron immediately averted his gaze. The duke's gaze was overwhelming for him.
'That is right. This is the normal reaction of people who met my gaze, especially to those who met for the first time.' Clarence narrowed his eyes when he remembered the woman they interrogated a while ago.
"That is unfortunate Milord! It's a good thing that you captured him." Despite being under pressure, the baron still managed to speak out his thoughts. "Just to think those slave traders kidnapping one of my people here, is unforgivable. Ah, please. Where are my manners, have a seat Duke, I'll prefer some refreshments and snacks for you and your knights."
Without saying anything, Clarence took the baron's words and sat down on the sofa. Every bit of his gaze was observing the agitated baron.
***
In the dungeon of the mansion, a secret place where was covered with protection magic, and inside of it was a jail where the slaves are imprisoned.
A group of soldiers, along with the new slaves who just come, stop in front of a wall, after reaching the end of the tunnel.
"Step back!" Shouted one of the soldiers. All the people at his back step backward.
Then after doing some enchanting the closed wall suddenly opened up and made its way to the jail.
The soldiers harshly escorted the slaves to enter the jails. Pushing and shoving them to go inside the walls and down to the cells that were waiting for them. Most of the old slaves had fear on their faces aside from one person.
An old woman at the very back had a malicious grin plastered on her face.
'Interesting…' The old lady thought. And if one had guessed already, the old lady was no other than Ether in disguise.
"You! What are you standing there for? Hurry and bring that slave already inside." One of the soldiers screamed again. This time two more soldiers dragged the disguised Ether into the cell and shoved her harshly inside. If she was a real old woman, with the force of the fall of the ground, she would already have a lot of broken bones. Like the rest of the old people here who were groaning in pain. Some were already gone numb and just staring blankly in the air. While some had completely passed out.
However, aside from the old people that were already in the cell before Ether came, the old people that were with her were not real people. But just some clones that she created to infiltrate the place. Since Clarence had already saved all the old people back then, this was her only option to be able to infiltrate this place.
Though she could just slam and explode the whole place, she couldn't take the risk that other real slaves were entrapped here.
Looking back, before she came here, she was just in the presence of Jabo. The slave trader, along with his two comrades, and making a deal with them was as easy as breaking a stick.
Ether explored her eyes in the vicinity. This place was so gloomy not just because of the slaves that were imprisoned here but because there was this strong dark energy lingering around.
'Just what did they use these elderly people for?'
'Not only that. I'm not sure how magic works in this world, but so far the flow of mana is the same as where I came from. But I think I can get a gist of what is happening already here.''
Ether watched the knights that were walking back and forth in the dungeon.
She then met eyes with the other slaves who were in the opposite cell with her. It was looking at her with weariness while Ether… A grin escaped her lips.
"Ahh, this is tiring, I thought doing this would be entertaining." Ether boasted out, putting on a tired face. She let out more protest that the guards guarding the cell couldn't take it anymore and hit the cell she was in.
"Shut up! Or you'll get hurt!" The guard threatened as he hit the cell with the baton he was holding.
"Heh. What a rude child you are. Did your parents not teach you to treat the elderly with respect?" Ether's voice was even that of an old lady. But still one could hear the mockery lingering as she followed it up with a yawn.
This fueled the rage in the guard and went to unlock the cage. "Don't blame me since I warned you." He said with rage. But as soon as he finished unlocking the cell, Ether was no longer there. Even the other prisoners were no longer there as well.
"Hey, who are you looking out there?"
Before the guard could even react, Ether pushed him inside the cell and snatched the key from him.
"A prisoner escaped!" Yelled the guard. This alarmed the other guards as well.
The soldiers got alarmed and didn't waste time attacking Ether but before they could even get near her. But before they could even react once again, with the flick of her fingers she was switched back with the guard inside the cell. And the guard that was inside the cell, appeared outside once again.
Ether leisurely sat down there and yawned.
"Get her!" The guards were frantic about getting Ether, but Ether raised her hands showing the key in front of them. Without the key, they couldn't open the cell now.
'Now what will you do?' Anyone with a sound mind could see that Ether was playing with the guards.
"Get out here!" The guards screamed in anger as they tried to slash the metal chains with their swords, but they wouldn't budge no matter how much they hit them.
At the same time, a crystal orb appeared in front of Ether. And the angry face of Yuu appeared.
"Ether! Where in the world are you?!"
"Help me Yuu…" Ether picked her right ear. "I got captured by slave traders." There was not a single thing of worry in her voice. Her acting was horrible to the point that Yuu was to the point of exploding.
"You better come back here before midnight." And the call and the orb disappeared.
"Heh," Ether said.
"Hey! Who are you talking to?!" Shouted one of the guards.
"I'll tell you if you get inside this cell."
They immediately form to get ready to attack.
"Who are you?!"
The cell consisted of anti-magic spells which were why the guards were getting anxious at how Ether could come and go as she pleased.
The guards' rage was already on the roof and all they could do was repeatedly hit the cell, hoping that it opened.
However, before things get more heated…
Boom!
A huge explosion was heard. And the grin on Ether's lips widened. 'What did I tell you Ruth, there are a lot of chances that we are going to meet.'
"Enemy! The duke's knights have infiltrated the base!"
All the guards shifted to the explosion. While Ether completely watched them in silence. 'I guess, playtime is over. She let out another yawn and disappeared from the cell. Only the elderly who were on the opposite have seen these despite the commotion. But right now, they were all too tired to even react to everything that was happening in front of them.