It was just past dawn and the city was quiet. Taylor and I huddled in the alley watching for any soldiers, only moving when the coast was clear. We were in the market district and the early rises had already began to stock their shelves. The smell of baking bread drifted past us in the wind stirring my own stomach. As we reached one of the main streets we saw them. Not just any soldiers but fully armoured knights on patrol. We walked straight by them and they didn't bat an eye. The key to being unnoticed was being inconspicuous. There was no point in wearing thick cloaks that would shadow our faces, or use magic that could be traced by mana, that would just look suspicious. Unlike Jane's world it was harder to spread around a person's face, especially at such short notice. Instead, put on a scarf, ruffle your hair, slap on a hat, and even a pair of glasses, it was enough to slip by.
Like any other person in the morning we didn't ignore them completely and kept our distance joining the small few who went about their business. With Taylor leading me we arrived at our goal.
"I used to visit this place quite often. The price is decent and the bread's fresh," she opened the door to the bakery ringing a small chime. We weren't alone however as a thick bearded knight towered over the counter holding several bags.
"Sir, please it's not much, just pay the money I'm owed," the shop owner cowered but was able to speak his mind.
The knight however raised his hand threateningly, "How dare you. I am a knight of the Empire and you ask me to pay? Your very lives are only kept because of us!"
"A single loaf, yes, but so much… the taxes are already-."
His hand swung down smacking against the owner's head, "Take that as a warning to not speak back." He turned and marched for the door spotting us. "Have a problem?" his eyes glistened challengingly.
"No sir," I bowed my head to him as Taylor did the same.
"Good," on the way out he casually snagged another loaf, kicking open the door.
The shop owner stood up wobbly, "Goddess damn those bastards." A clear frustration pained his face. "Cheats and thieves the lot of them," he began to curse but then noticed us, "Ah, um, sorry about that."
"Don't worry we feel the same," I approached him with an empathetic smile. "Have they been coming here a lot?"
"Usually it's the city guard wanting a loaf, they're alright. The 'Knights' came this morning, apparently looking for some thieves. If you ask me they deserve to have lost whatever was stolen."
"It's been hard hasn't it," Taylor said softly.
The man rubbed his head, "With how they keep raising our taxes, I really might not make it this month."
A women's head popped out from the back room, "That's why I said we should just bugger off to the Kingdom."
"Honey please, my family have run this store for generations."
"And at this rate it'll end on you regardless," the women scowled at him and placed a freshly baked tray onto the table.
"We have customers," he looked to her pleadingly.
"Hmph," she turned her head and left as quickly as she came.
The man sighed, "This is what happens after you've married for many years. Though you two look like quite the cosy couple."
"Thank you," Taylor made a show of hooking into my side.
"Now what can I get you?"
We began to choose a wide selection of goods, buying cheese and some meats to go with them. The man was pleased with our purchases and I slipped him several more coins to pay for what the Knight had taken. He was incredibly grateful but it was more me just clearing my conscience. The only reason they were here was because of us.
As we exited the store our bags in hand I turned to Taylor, "Is it always like this?"
She laughed spitefully, "You saw the difference between the nobility and the commons, what did you expect?"
I closed my mouth. When I was the Demon Lord I remembered bringing down similar situations in some of the tribes. They used the notion of nobility and segregated the poor. The tribes however were the sizes of large towns and I alone could dominate them into submission. If it was the Empire… even if we cut the top, just how far down would you need to go? Then there was the aftermath. I could only think it would be chaos.
My thoughts were interrupted as the same bearded knight from before blocked our path, "You two halt." His eyes were filled with a malicious intent, all the while still cradling his stolen bread.
I hid my frown. There shouldn't have been any reason for him to stop us. "Is something wrong Sir?"
"We're looking for a group of fugitives, you two look suspicious." How he picked us out I didn't know.
"Excuse me but I think you're mistaken," my heart beat anxiously. He was alone and would be easy to deal with but there were dozens of witnesses around us.
"Just do what I say," he grumbled and approached us threateningly. That's when I noticed. It wasn't really me he was looking at but Taylor. The damn man wasn't even drunk and was already taking whatever he wanted.
I noticed Taylor reach behind her and heard the sound of a knife being drawn. I quickly stepped in front of her, "Sir please stop… I understand what you want."
"Do you now?" he grinned and pointed to the nearby alley. "Then how about we take things over there."
I looked to Taylor and the two of us shared a mock glance of fear, "Just don't hurt her."
We followed the Knight and once out of sight form the streets he turned to us, "Now then how about you-," he shut up as a knife pointed towards his throat, Taylor's eyes cold. He dropped the bags.
"Should I kill him?" Taylor asked darkly.
The bearded knight panicked, "Wait, I was only joking. I didn't mean it I swear!"
"Sure, and you also plan to give back everything you stole as well," I folded my arms.
"Th-that was just a donation," his eyes flicked to the knife pressing closer against his throat. "Wait y-you wouldn't kill a Knight of the Empire would you?"
Taylor smirked evilly, "It wouldn't be my first." She focused on his armour as if searching for the perfect place to stab him. "Oh? Hey, this guy is pretty high ranked."
"Really, in what way?" I asked intrigued.
"As in it's rare for someone like him to be alone."
The bearded Knight firmed himself, "That's right! I'm captain of an entire division and heir to the Lias family!"
"But you're alone… which means you have no friends," I looked down on him pityingly.
"H-how dare you!" a grit of anger entered his eyes but they were quickly quelled as Taylor flashed the knife into his eyes. "Hold on- I'm a noble. Bad things would happen if you hurt me." I was beginning to feel like he had definitely got his position due to his birth and not his skills.
Taylor glanced at me and then back to him, "More importantly at your rank you get told the important stuff right?"
"Of course," he was beginning to tense up even more.
"Looks like today's not the day you die or at least if you answer our questions," I smiled to him with a dark innocence.
"I can't! I'd be punished if-," he stopped as Taylor drew blood from his neck. "I'll tell you everything!"
Taylor laughed, "It's great when they have no backbone."
I cracked my fingers, "Then let's start. By the way, make one move to call for help or run," I drew a line across my neck. "Understand?"
He nodded.
It was a bit too easy to get the information we needed to the point I was suspicious. He gave us everything, troop movements, supply chains, locations of key targets, the plans for the army, even where Lara would be stationed. Taylor did the entire process of coercion and threatening as I joined as a good cop. It was the first time I had actually tried it and it was surprisingly effective. Humans really did respond well with comradery.
In the end the bearded knight was on his knees in defeat and we had spent far too long in the alley.
"Do we kill him?" Taylor asked.
"Hmm," I paused. The smart thing to do was get rid of him. If he reported what happened all his information would become a liability. If I was Caius I'd have already slit his throat by now. "Hey Mister."
"What do you want now?" he stared at us fearfully.
"If you want to live, don't tell anyone what happened here." I turned my back to him, "Let's go."
Taylor sent him one last glare and began to follow me out of the alley. Three steps. That's all it took for him to act. We had disarmed and taken his weapons but it seemed he had somewhat earned his position as a strong reaction of mana spread behind me.
"Die!" he screamed with a viciousness you couldn't expect from how he acted. I stepped back towards him as he swung his hand, a red beam extending from it. My single step surprised him causing him to falter asI was suddenly beneath him. With a straight upward thrust, my knife cleaved into his head from below. He gurgled in shock.
"I've already died that way before," I sighed and as his body went limp I discarded it in the nearby trash. Call it experience, I knew how he would react. I had seen it plenty and died to it several times too. The look of defeat and surrender was all a ploy. The way he gave everything freely, a confidence that he could kill us after.
"It would have been easier if we just killed him first," Taylor complained as she wiped the blood that had spilled on to me.
"I wanted to be surprised," I replied with a stiff smile. There was always that small chance he'd change his ways and go home. "Anyway we're going to be late at this rate." I bent over and picked up the bags of food we had first headed out for. "This was much more lucrative than I expected."
*
The door to the hidden room opened as we reached it. A firm faced Ronalt stared directly at us. He was fully armoured and grim. Behind him the others were similarly dressed and ready for action.
"Hey," I greeted them casually.
After a pause Ronalt stepped back, "You're late."
"Sorry, we got side-tracked," I smiled and entered the room.
As soon as Marley saw us relief passed over her face, "Thank the Goddess you're back."
"We did have some trouble but-,"
"I'm starving," she snatched one of the bags from me.
Caius laughed and took the other bag, "You shouldn't expect too much."
"I was worried for you Rain," Ardent gripped my shoulder.
I sighed, "It's okay Ardent… let's just eat."
As we ate I explained what Taylor and I had discovered. The Empire was in the middle of rallying their troops to attack the Magicians Guild headquarters, Lara being with them. They had already launched a full barrage of propaganda. The Magicians Guild betraying the Empire and the Hero who would punish them. After not being able to find us they turned their attention back to the biggest threat assuming we were also in there. Ordinarily even with the amount of soldiers and knights the Empire could round up the Guild could hold them off. It was how they were able to stay as a neutral organization. Add in Lara however and their time was limited.
"Then what do we do?" Earnest asked. "Shall we head back to the Kingdom?"
"We can't just leave," Ardent frowned. "Even if you won't, it's my duty to return."
Ronalt gripped his hands together, "We'll be coming in from the outside. It would be suicide to try get past them."
"Why don't we sneak back through the slums?" Marley suggested.
Taylor shook her head, "Like before they've blocked it off. If we try go for it, it would take too long."
I nodded, "By that time the Guild might have fallen."
"So we're helping them?" Earnest stared at me. "I don't need to tell you how risky that is."
"We'll help them but not entirely," I pointed to the forest to the north west of the Guild. "Here. That's where we'll hold them off. Getting there will be easy enough and won't take long. The best thing we can do is try distract Lara and hold them off till the sun sets. That's when we'll strike. As much as we'll help them, the Magicians Guild will act as a distraction for us. I believe this is our best chance to end this before the worst can come. Are you all okay with that?"
One by one they nodded. There were complaints, planning and compromises but no matter what, we'd end this.