Reaching the command tent's center, Will found the gazes of sixteen people focused on him, seven of which originated from around a table supporting a map of Bhiran and its surroundings.
"Aiden Ward, I presume...?" asked a strikingly beautiful woman with brown skin, dirty-blonde hair that transitioned into luminous gold at the end of a braid dangling over her right shoulder, and similarly golden eyes. Her ears were short and pointy, indicating she had Elven blood flowing through her veins, and she was dressed smartly in a soot-black blouse, a stylish black overcoat, black slacks that hugged her figure, and golden boots with high heels, complimenting her hair, makeup, and the golden patterns adorning the rest of her outfit.
"Indeed," responded Will, adopting a smile as he asked, "And you are...?" with a raised right brow.
"Servahi Nyamien Reonaigh, 3rd-ranked Magistrate and Vice Captain of the Solais Society's Seventh Inquisition," answered Servahi, her tone curt but not discourteous as she was well aware of Will's true identity and had heard about his interaction with Philius.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Magistrate Reonaigh..." said Will, nearly offering a Noble curtsy but settling for an acknowledging nod.
"You honor me..." responded Servahi, leaving those unaffiliated with the Solais Society and the Silver Cats beyond baffled as she closed her eyes and reciprocated with a slight but respectful bow. The presence of a 3rd-ranked Magistrate could even cause a Count to sweat, so they could only imagine what kind of status Will had to command deference from one.
Taking charge of the situation, Will stated, "I've seen the situation within Bhiran for myself and determined that what you describe as an unknown epidemic is the Curse of Savaging Madness. This matter may not concern me directly, but I won't accept the Solais Society attempting to obfuscate the situation. Your Order exists to bring matters to light, not obscure them in shadow and deception..."
Nodding, Servahi confirmed, "You are correct. However, there are times when we must use the light we characterize to extinguish darkness at its roots. Deisceart is teetering on the brink of a civil war in the wake of the Sultana's death. If we fail to contain the spread of the Curse, many more will perish..."
"Then contain it," said Will, adding, "There's already a barrier covering the entire city. If you alter its formula and power it externally, you can contain the affected and research a cure. And while some might panic at the news of an ancient curse reappearing after centuries, did you ever consider that it might be what the people of Deisceart need to hear? The Deisceartians are a prideful people. If they learn that the disappearance of their Sultana is tied to the machinations of a cult attempting to weaponize them against one another, they could very well unify out of spite."
Surprised by Will's words, Servahi's brows raised ever so slightly. He had no way of knowing it, but the plan drafted by her superiors was similar to what he was proposing. However, as it would take considerable personnel and resources to cordon off the city for an extended period, it was quickly determined that a similar effect could be achieved if they razed the city to the ground and attributed the incident to several groups who opposed the former Sultana and failed to respect the Crown's authority...
"Unfortunately, it has long been established that the Curse of Savaging Madness cannot be undone," said Servahi, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "The Solais Society only has a few thousand members, many of whom are support personnel. What you are suggesting would require the coordinated efforts of tens of thousands of people, countless resources, and the long-term closure of several of Deisceart's most important trade routes. Your intentions are noble, Master Ward, but reality does not bend the knee to idealism on virtue alone..."
'She has a point...' conceded Will, having learned from experience that it was easy to rally people behind a cause but virtually impossible to keep them invested in it long-term. People inherently craved creature comforts and convenience, so unless they were adequately incentivized to make an effort, most would become lazy, complacent, or bitter once they lost faith or began to feel they were being used to enrich the lives of others at the expense of their own.
"Then let the people of Deisceart decide," said Allyson, sporting a fierce, conviction-filled glower as she asserted, "You're already cordoning off the area. Repurpose the city's barrier as Aiden proposed, and then inform the people of Deisceart of the situation. If any of the Seven Stars are serious about becoming the next Sultana, they'll mobilize the Clans under them to take charge and preserve the cordon. If you arbitrarily decide to burn the city of your own accord, you will only further the negative sentiments that many hold toward the Crown and the corruption that seems to have taken root in the Royal Capital..."
"Those are perilous words to utter before a ranking member of the Solais Society..." remarked Servahi, briefly narrowing her eyes before turning to meet Will's gaze as she added, "But, given the circumstances, I concede there is merit to your suggestion. I will confer with my superiors and hear what they have to say on the matter. We will reconvene in one hour."
As they had been feeling rather helpless before, the Silver Cats and those representing the people of Bhiran were indescribably relieved to hear that Servahi was willing to compromise. They were prepared to fight and open a path for as many refugees as possible to escape, but as a former Brave and a Champion at the pinnacle of the Fifth Grade, Servahi could likely kill every single one of them, and they were well aware of it...
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"So, what's this about...?" asked Will, having accompanied Servahi at her behest to the mobile fortress serving as her personal transport in place of the airships typically employed by the Solais Society. She had mentioned she had something to discuss with him in private, so he wasn't particularly surprised when she handed him a golden, compass-like device bearing a large, blue, immaculately carved Magic Crystal with a lens-like top. What did surprise him, causing his pupils to briefly contract, was that it bore the symbol of the Royal Family.
"His Majesty has concluded that your venture into the lands of Deisceart is likely to cause more harm than good," explained Servahi. "As such, you have thirty days to return to the Royal Academy or Oirthearhall before an official warrant is issued for your arrest. It's time to return to your studies and stop interfering with matters outside your purview. And that isn't my advice, but your mother's..."
"You're acquainted with my mother...?" asked Will, genuinely surprised by the revelation. Though, considering Servahi's apparent age, it wasn't that difficult to imagine that she and Orianna had attended the Royal Academy together or engaged one another in the same social circles.
Adopting a smile that would have left most of her subordinates' jaws on the ground, Servahi nodded and confirmed, "Orianna and I go way back. We attended the Academy two years apart, but we were acquainted long before via our families. For a time, we even competed against one another for your father's affection, so if things had turned out slightly differently, I might have been your mother, and she would be the one here speaking to you..."
"I could still call you mommy if you want me to," proposed Will, causing Servahi to exhale a scoffing chuckle before crossing her arms, shifting her weight, and smiling as she retorted, "You little scoundrel. Don't you know it's rude to tease women who are older than you? Save your sly tongue for the girls back at the Academy..."
"Coincidentally, I was planning to return once the situation in Bhiran was resolved," revealed Will. "After what happened here and in Tempahsta, it dawned on me that I really shouldn't be here. At the very least, not at this exact moment..."
"If you truly wish to effect change in Deisceart, you should coordinate with your father or brother once you become the Lord of Easterwarden," suggested Servahi, adding, "Had you gotten involved with the forces propelling Deisceart toward civil war, you very likely would have been made to take responsibility for the escalation of tensions between the South and East. Luckily, you had enough sense not to try and throw your weight around too much in a land where even the children would readily slide a knife between your ribs for being an Oirthear..."
"I was fortunate to have encountered some reliable companions early on," said Will, prompting Servahi to raise her right brow and question, "Are you referring to that A-Rank Party, Silver Cat? I can see why you would have a favorable impression of them as an Oirthear, but you shouldn't be so quick to trust Adventurers, especially those who appear capable. They almost always have ulterior motives, and many are former convicts or people who burned too many bridges to choose another path."
"But just as people make decisions that lead them down a dark path, they are similarly capable of making choices that guide them back to the light," asserted Will, smiling as he added, "That's why the Astralis Kingdom uses stars and constellations to characterize the Nobility. We are the guiding lights of the people, duty-bound to burn as brightly as possible so others can find their way, even in the blackest of nights..."
"Well said..." appended Servahi, nodding approvingly. She felt that Will would make an excellent addition to the Solais Society, but since he had a higher calling as the future Lord of Eastwarden, she didn't attempt to talk him into joining. Instead, once they parted ways, she ordered her Second to compile all the information they had on Silver Cat and its members. She had already planned to do so after Allyson spoke out against her, earning a trace of her respect, but since Will spoke highly of them, Servahi figured she could curry some favor with the future Lord by ensuring they weren't tracked down and tortured to death by a vindictive Philius the moment he separated from them...
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Waiting for Will near the entrance to the refugee camp, Allyson, escorted by Aelius and Kris, met him halfway to ask, "How'd it go? Were you able to convince them not to burn the city?"
"I'm confident things will work out," responded Will, sporting a relaxed smile and nodding. Servahi gave him the impression she wouldn't bat an eye if she were instructed to massacre everyone present, but that didn't make her a bad person. The Curse of Savaging Madness represented an existential threat to the status quo and could jeopardize countless lives if allowed to proliferate. Burning the city to the ground was undoubtedly the safest and most cost-effective way of addressing the situation, and since the solution he had found wasn't easily replicable on a large scale, those who were already affected by the Curse, many of whom had transformed into monsters, were most assuredly going to be eradicated.
Feeling considerably relieved, the sudden decrease in the tension of her body nearly caused Allyson to stumble and fall on her butt. Instead, Will caught and abruptly picked her up in a classical Princess carry, causing the tips of her ears to burn as he stated, "Let's get you to a bed. There's only so much you can do while you're exhausted, so if you really want to help these people, start with taking care of yourself..."
Though she would have argued with Will under normal circumstances, Allyson's fatigue compounded when his comforting Aura enveloped her like a comfortable blanket. The air around him was also surprisingly cool, so after briefly staring at him with upturned eyes, she closed them, rested her head against his shoulder, and allowed the remaining tension to leave her body...
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