"Are you sure we can fit through this hole?" August asked uncertainly, examining the secret entrance to the former queen's estate.
"And I told you to take command of the second squad! If you decided to come with me, then shut up and climb in!"
"Sir, may I go first?" Pritik intervened in the brotherly squabble.
'I'll go first," Klaus resolutely took a step forward.
'No, give way to the elders," August volunteered and crouched down to squeeze into the narrow hole. "It's dark here! Are we going to crawl on our bellies the entire distance to the estate?"
"Go already," Klaus nudged his brother with his foot and he flew forward.
Just like last time, Klaus did not use the light until the tunnel widened to such a size that all three could stand up to their full height.
"Well, finally!" Augustus exhaled, shaking off his dusty cloak, when Klaus summoned a ball of lightning in his hand. Where to next?
"I think we need to act with extreme caution. Who knows, maybe the secret entrance was blocked or traps were set. I don't think that after my last escape no one took security measures."
'Agreed. We proceed silently and carefully. Pritik, keep the portal ball ready. If something goes wrong, open it."
"Got it, captain."
But despite the men's fears, they did not encounter any traps along the way. They entered the old prison unhindered and reached the door leading upstairs. This time, all the cells were empty.
"I don't like this at all," Augustus noted. "I remember what you said. She doesn't like soldiers inside the estate, but I assumed she'd change her mind after you escaped."
"Yeah, it seems strange to me too, but... You know, I... she's not quite right in her mind. Feck, I don't even know what to expect here!"
"I hope everything goes smoothly. Where to next?"
"You take care of the slaves. They should be in the opposite wing, and I'll pay a visit to an interesting old lady first."
"You mean the witch who supplies Minami with youth potions?"
"Yes, I have a few questions for her."
"Are you sure you don't need help?"
"No, if anything, I'll use this - Klaus twirled the communication stone in front of August's eyes and put it back in his pants pocket."
The men went their separate ways. Just like last time, Klaus didn't come across a single soldier on his way, but carefully looking out the windows, he noticed that the perimeter of the estate was guarded much better. This could mean only one thing. The former queen hadn't told her guards where exactly the secret entrance began.
But why then weren't there any scouts in the place where the army overtook him, Egor and Lilith? This alerted the prince, but he decided to put this question off for now.
He went down to the basement on the other side of the estate. All the slaves were located in another wing, and here there was only one room, and it must belong to that strange old woman.
Klaus didn't stand on ceremony and knocked on the door. He kicked it down with one powerful kick. A hunched woman in a purple robe sat at a table surrounded by various vials. She was not afraid of the sudden appearance of an uninvited guest, but only sighed heavily and raised her clouded eyes to the prince.
"And here you are."
"Were you waiting for me?"
"It's not that I was eager to meet, but I knew that sooner or later you would come."
'May I know your name?"
'I have been called a witch for many years, you can call me that too. So what did you want to know, young prince?"
"You know yourself what else might interest me?"
"There are many options. Who am I? Why is my lady still so young? Why does she behave like this?"
"Let's start with who you are."
"I am an ordinary high-ranking slave who has served Lady Minami since the first day of her imprisonment. I was sent with her as a doctor, but my talents were not limited to healing. Here I was able to conduct my experiments without fear of losing my head for it."
'Your potions. Did you experiment on my mother?"
"Oh, no, of course not. Lady Minami only received proven potions."
"Why could you, a slave, leave the estate? Wasn't the king afraid that you could reveal his secret?"
"Only loyal soldiers serve here. How could a slave in their company even try to open his mouth where he was supposed to remain silent? I left the estate only to collect materials."
"You mean the poor girls?"
"And them too. Young prince, everything in this life must be paid for. Your mother's youth cost the lives of many slaves, but I got what I wanted, and then my dear Lilith appeared. By taking her, you condemned others to death. Her magic allowed me to make potions with a longer effect, and at the same time, she always remained alive, unlike the others."
'Your potions ruined lives to make your mistress young, but what about her mind?"
"No, no, the potion of youth has nothing to do with it. It can only affect appearance. Inside, your mother is aging just like the rest of us."
"Then what did you do to her mind?"
"It was not me. You can only blame His Majesty for this. He took her second child and left her alone. How can her mind not be damaged?"
"A second child? What do you mean by that?"
"She means that the current crown prince is your brother. You have the same mother and father, and that high-born girl who is presented at court as the prince's mother is just a decoy."
Professor Skotsky was standing in the doorway. Klaus abruptly grabbed the sword that he had temporarily borrowed from August and pointed it at his former neighbor.
"What are you doing here?"
"The same as you. I was looking for answers and found them with that witch. What will you do now?"
"Whose side are you on?"
'I am always on Minami's side. I am not interested in your palace and family intrigues. If she asks me, I will do everything to make her happy, but…"
"What?"
"She's really out of her mind now, and I'm not sure Minami will be happy with her request, so I want to know what you're going to do now?"
"Does her request have anything to do with me?"
"Yes."
"She wants me dead?" Klaus chuckled.
"That too. So what do you want?"
"I want everyone to know she's alive. I want to destroy Father. I want to cure her."
"Then I'm on your side. How do you think I can help her?"
"Find a healer..."
"There aren't any here."
"Then I'll send her to another world and find the best psychiatrist."
"That might drive her even more crazy."
"I have a way to quickly adapt her to another world."
"Ah, yes. Your amazing abilities. Well, how can I help you now?"
"Don't get me wrong, Professor, but I don't trust you, so if you'd just stay out of my way, I'd be grateful."
"Well, I understand, but mind you, I'm not hiding my intentions from you."
"Except for that time when you sent me here."
"Didn't I warn you that it would have been better for you to stay there? I made an attempt to save your life, but you ignored it. Don't be mad at me now."
"Tell me, was it you who sent that puppeteer?"
"Don't overestimate my powers. I have no power here anymore. The puppeteer was that witch's favorite toy," Vitos nodded towards the old woman, who had been busy with her own affairs all this time, not paying attention to the men. "Minami was simply using him for her own purposes."
"So she was already planning to kill me back then?"
"Yes, and I simply didn't interfere. You were lucky, you survived and, to be honest, I was even glad. Even then, Minami's behavior seemed strange to me. Yes, she hated this life, but she never wanted the death of her child, whom she had only held in her arms once."
"At that time, she had already given birth to and lost her second child. The lady was beside herself. She dreamed of ending the Deffender line. Even at the cost of her own children, the old woman said."
"Well, I can't blame her for that, Klaus shrugged, but I want to talk to a sane mother, and if she still doesn't want to have anything to do with me, then I'll leave her alone. I hope you can take care of her?"
"I'm ready to do anything for her, so as long as you act in her interests, I'll do my best to keep you alive."
"This state of affairs suits me. Now, we need to decide how to make sure the highborn are convinced that she is alive, but at the same time not to show her to them. I don't think this is a good idea, given her condition and appearance."
"And you didn't think about this when you went to seize the estate?"
"No, somehow I missed this detail."
"Witch, do your potions only work on carriers of magic?" Vitos turned to the old woman.
"No, but magic is needed for them to work."
"And if we assume that a person gets into a world where magic is completely absent, how long will it take for the potion to wear off? And what will happen to this person?"
"It is difficult to say for sure how long it will work, but if there is no magical support, then the appearance of this person will return to its original form."
"It will not cause any harm?" Klaus asked.
"When I conducted experiments, as soon as regular use was stopped, the age-related changes returned, but I did not find any consequences. Perhaps the same thing will happen if access to magic is blocked."
"In any case, we need to send her there. If something goes wrong, we will simply move her back to this world," Klaus concluded.
"Yes, but it is not so simple, considering that she needs to be delivered to the portal."
"I will solve this issue. We can send her right from here. We will leave her at your home for now, and then we will decide."
"I do not think that she will agree so easily, especially if she sees you."
"Witch, do you have something that can quickly put her to sleep?"
"Yes, but again, I cannot guarantee that the potion will work where there is no magic."
"I'll take care of her myself there. What should we do?"
"Now I need to meet my people and tell them about the change of plan. Then we'll have to meet her. I won't be able to use my power if she's asleep, so before I put her to sleep, I need to pass on the knowledge to her, and then we'll open a portal and send you to Pouoke."
"You're not coming with us?"
"I can't. I need to finish some things here. Give me a week at most. I have a person in that world who can help me find a doctor."
"Okay, I think I can handle it in a few days. And what should we do with her?"
Both men looked at the old woman, who was looking at the prince as if thunderstruck.
"Something wrong?"
"I... Everything is fine. I belong to the lady and I'll do as she says."
"It's dangerous to leave you unattended, but if you disappear, there will be no one to cover for the queen's absence. I'll leave my man with you. For now, you'll stay here and it's in your best interests to keep your mouth shut."