10 Chapter 10: Empresses and Sarkaz
Margaret and Ash flew to Leithanien's capital. They arrived without issue, though he didn't know how to contact the Empresses without creating a national incident that'd be a lose lose for everyone.
"I forgot that I was ignoring the twin empresses Margaret..." He facepalmed and Margaret raised a brow at him.
"You ignored the empresses of Leithanien, sir? Yet their nobles do nothing against you. As expected of you." Margaret was more amazed than baffled.
"Ugh, I guess I'll need to talk to a noble to send a message." Ash groaned and he was not looking forward to being in debt to a noble.
Nobles are pricks everywhere after all, that was just the omniversal truth. Even if there were good ones, they're either businessmen or extremely rare.
"Nobles are... Troublesome to say the least." Margaret sighed as she is one. As an elder race of the Kuranta, a pegasus. She's technically an usurped royal of Kazimierz.
"Speaking of nobles, you planning on returning to Kazimierz Margaret?" Ash was curious about her family of the Nearls.
"I do, but not now. I am still not strong enough. But there is something that I must return for. The swordspear of the Nearls and my sister, Maria." Margaret closed her eyes and reminisced her sister who is left behind.
The Nearls have no candidates for knight primus as well. With their grand knight Margaret being the candidate for it. Which is the leader of the house.
But it will be forced into her sister Maria, and the girl was still just a young little one.
"I see, how about we return there with Degenbrecher and mess them up?" Ash grinned and wanted to bring them there without permission.
Why would he, he isn't bound to their laws after all. And as their master, they're politically immune from being indicted by the state.
Kazimierz is mostly controlled by corporations too, which will make his political presence there even more powerful. Being the leading business in Terra that has roots everywhere.
"You will accompany me to Kazimierz, sir?" Margaret went wide eyed and he patted her head. "You're my knight right? Then as your liege, it's my duty to help you." He smiled and Margaret bowed.
"Thank you very much sir, It is an honor to be at your side." Margaret was thankful to the bottom of her heart.
"You're gonna make me blush, come on. Let's find ourselves a noble." Ash patted her on the back and they planned to get one's attention.
And his plan was just to perform in order to make the nobles clamor to his concert. "Let's see, what hall isn't booked tonight." Ash checked the list.
"The Afterglow hall isn't, sir. It seems to be a pretty popular hall too, this would work." Margaret found a hall that he could perform in and he nodded.
"The hall in Vyseheim huh? The Lehnsfrau there is, Gertrude Strollo." Ash checked where the governor of the city lives and pinpointed it.
"So we need to talk to his person." Margaret understood the assignment and they went to the city of Vyseheim so they could talk to the Lehnsfrau.
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One afternoon, the Lupo governor of Vyseheim city was disturbed by her butler. "Dame Gertrude, there is someone in the saloon that wants to talk to you."
The woman frowned and she got annoyed. "Are you insane? Did you let a stranger inside my home?" She was of course angry.
"But he's no ordinary stranger, it is sir Naumann." The butler explained quickly and Strollo was shocked. "That Naumann? Dr. Naumann's brother? The devilish virtuoso?"
She didn't expect his visit at all and the butler nodded. "Well, say that first!" She quickly fixed her appearance because he was a favored individual of Leithanien.
The man's music is even heard in the spire of the empresses. That's how influential he was. Not to mention that he is also immensely popular with the public.
After preparing, the Lupo woman entered the saloon and saw Ash with Margaret. Making her even more surprised.
'He's with the 22nd Kazimierz champion, NTR? And she's standing too... That means his position is higher...' Strollo frowned a bit, but she quickly controlled her expression.
"Good afternoon sir Naumann, I am Gertrude Strollo, the Lehnsfrau of Vyseheim city. What brings you here in this fine day?" She greeted politely and Ash stood up. (pic)
"A pleasure Dame Gertrude, I just came back to Leithanien you see. This is my knight, Margaret Nearl. We have been doing charity all over Ursus. And now, I want to perform at the Afterglow hall for free of charge, my company will shoulder all costs." Ash smiled pleasantly.
Gertrude perked up at him claiming Margaret to be his knight, but the blonde pegasus didn't react at all. Just looking around the area with a stone cold face on.
"The Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl. A pleasure to meet you, lady Strollo." She greeted the Lupo and she nodded at them.
"Please have a seat, both of you. Did you say you were going to sponsor a concert in the Afterglow hall?" Gertrude thought it would be great clout for the city.
"Yes, I want everyone to see my performance. Free of charge, first come first served." Ash explained.
"Such generosity from you good sir, but wouldn't it be a good idea to at least spare some seats for the nobles?" Strollo was just looking out for them because it would be viewed as Ash not pandering to the nobles.
"Why would I let the nobles have special seats to my rare concerts Dame Gertrude? The nobles are not passionate for music, it's because music is perceived to be high class. For nobility, I would rather give my seats to those who enjoy it truly. Than those who would brag that they've been in my concert." Ash explained and Gertrude was surprised.
"Is that so? You are not only generous sir, but also passionate about your craft, such is the devilish virtuoso." Gertrude nodded at him with respect.
But Ash and Margaret froze when they heard his moniker. "W-what did you say?" Ash's eyes twitched and Margaret pursed her lips, holding back a laugh.
"That's your moniker that the empresses gave you. When you performed, your devilish appearance and arts that can barely be understood captivates everyone. It's like the devil is enticing you. At least that's how the rumors go." Gertrude thought of seeing his performance for herself.
"Is... Is that so?" Ash forced a smile and would definitely tell the empresses off for this slight against him.
He then looked down and he could feel something below. But he'd investigate it later. Margaret then noticed that the Lupo governor twitched a bit when Ash looked downwards.
They agreed on the terms for the concert at night and left the premises.
"Sir Ash, did you feel something underground?" Margaret asked and he nodded. "Some kind of arts down there. I don't know what exactly, bit too far." He squinted his eyes and checked out the layout of the city, it was the sewers.
"Gertrude Strollo is suspicious sir. When you looked down upon feeling something, she twitched and got nervous." Margaret reported to him and Ash smirked.
"Then we investigate, I'll check out her estate later. I can scout it without getting seen." He planned to get in there later, he was smelling something fishy in the city.
When night came, Ash wore a nice suit and all the instruments needed for his solo concerto was there.
And as expected, the twin empresses who are some of his biggest fans were at the second floor. He saw them and they looked excited.
"Mission success, I guess I'll bring out a bit of a banger." He played Rachmaninoff piano concerto number 2. Something he hasn't put out in the market yet.
Playing all the instruments simultaneously with his arts. And making the sounds more crisp, have better tone. Accompanied by amazing clarity and strength. The people were captivated by the concerto.
No fancy arts for effects, just pure music that made the audience's hair stand up. Goose bumps rising on their necks and spine as he performed.
He was the quintessential virtuoso that every musician in Leithanien aspires to be. And even though he also does raves and electro music, the nobles ignore that part because he was too good in classical music.
Even the ever serious Margaret listened to his playing intently. And when he finished his performance, the crowd gave a standing ovation.
He bowed to the audience and went to the back stage, meeting up with Margaret and waiting for the empresses to show up.
"Any second now, they'll be here in 3, 2, 1." Ash counted down and there was a knock on the door to his preparation room.
"Come in." He yelled and three people entered. Gertrude was escorting two tall women. One was blonde with curled ram horns, while the other has black hair and mostly straight horns with a slight curve. (pic)
"Your majesties" Ash acted surprised and bowed. "Umu, raise your head Asmodeus." The white empress gestured for them to be at ease.
"You have some nerve, Asmodeus. Ignoring the empresses of your country for months." The black empress teased him.
"I am sorry your majesties, you see. I am mostly outside of Leithanien. And I have a business to run, I just returned and received word of your summons." Ash lied through his teeth.
"You do not have to lie." The white empress sighed. "We just wanted to have a small talk with you for your music is truly splendid." The black empress explained, but she started hacking and coughing violently.
"I already told you Luna, your health is not good. I promised to you that I'd drag him back to our spire." The white empress looked at her with worry.
"What seems to be the problem your majesty?" Ash asked and Luna calmed her breathing. "Soleil here is just worrying too much it's simply a cough."
Ash noticed a slight smile on Gertrude's face, and he knew that something was up.
"I'm actually a doctor too, may I please check on her condition? And Margaret here, my knight who is from house Nearl is also a healer." He introduced the pegasus.
"Is that so?" Luna looked at them like she didn't expect anything, most likely seeing a lot of doctors for it already.
Ash scanned her body by using ultrasonic waves just like an ultrasound. "Ahhh, your lungs and liver has an acute injury." He frowned and the empresses were more invested now.
"What's the cause?" Soleil furrowed her brows. "It's poisoning, the liver had an injury due to it. And the poison is spreading rapidly." Ash made a diagnosis.
"Poison!?" They immediately frowned and the empresses planned a full on investigation of their spire after they return.
"Want me to get it out?" He noticed a chemical in her bloodstream. The thing was paraquat dichloride salts. A very toxic herbicide.
"Do you perhaps eat vegetables that are produced privately and not bought in the market?" Ash asked and they nodded.
"Yes, as royals and with the remnants of the witch king still out there. We need to be more careful, especially with what we consume. Perhaps..." Soleil pieced the puzzle.
"Yes, she's being poisoned. It's a potent herbicide that can cause acute liver, lung, and kidney damage. If this continued, her whole body would shut down." Ash gave the prognosis and Luna frowned.
"Your majesty, I'd advise you to receive produce from my company. We do not use any toxic compounds because they grow in a very controlled environment. Just let someone you trust buy it." Ash was of course a businessman.
"Can you really cure me of this?" Luna coughed violently again and she spit some blood, looking like she got Tuberculosis or something.
"Of course." He purged the toxic compounds that was in her body by manipulating the matter and turning it into inert material that she could just pee out.
He broke into a sweat because that was a high level tier in his arts and accompanied by manual repair of her tissues, it was stressful for him.
'I really need to get a reliable energy source. I can't carry originite prime everywhere.' Margaret wiped off his sweat and he smiled at her in thanks.
"How are you feeling Luna? I saw his horns glow, so he used arts." Soleil asked her counterpart and Luna sighed.
"I feel amazing, Asmodeus. This is a favor that Leithanien will never forget." Luna thanked him and he smirked inside his mind.
"The amount of poison in her body would've killed normal people. She only felt like it was a moderate illness due to your majesty's proficiency in arts." Ash elaborated on her condition.
"Then someone tried to assassinate her..." Soleil bit her lip and would enact a purge later.
Gertrude looked displeased by the events, but she held it in. Though it was of course noticed by Ash and Margaret.
"We invite you to our spire Asmodeus. Oh dear, we haven't even talked to you about your music and arts. You just helped Luna, we will pay this favor later." Soleil extended an invitation.
Ash nodded with a smile and that was already phase one done. He just need to convince them to support him and his non governmental organization.
There was no time and he'll go to their spire another day. The twin empresses walked out with smiles, and Gertrude seemed to be in a foul mood.
"She's really suspicious sir. This might even concern her." Margaret squinted her eyes and Ash nodded.
"Whatever that woman is hiding, I'll unearth it. She won't even see it coming." Ash smirked and he prepared to go in at her estate.
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Gertrude returned to her estate frowning and slammed her door. "Curses... Whoever poisoned the black empress was succeeding, but Asmodeus just had to butt in." She slammed her table.
"It was perfect, one of them would be taken out. And I would only need to use the remnants of the witch king to get the other one!" Gertrude gritted her teeth.
She looked at the crest of her family that has fallen before she managed to bring it back up.
Twenty years ago, the witch king was defeated by the new empresses and her father who was a supporter of the previous emperor was of course included in the purge.
The Strollo patriarch tried to be a double agent and sell the remnants out. But he was still disposed of and the Strollo family declined due to it.
Gertrude even got rid of her brother in order to gain control of the Strollo family. And she built it from the ground up again.
"How can I get rid of them then? I need to find the left over relatives of the witch king and lure the empresses to Afterglow hall, yes... The amplifier of arts there would let me kill them all at the same time!" Gertrude started to reform her plans.
"Heh, killing the last blood relatives of the witch king and the empresses at the same time would be the best outcome." She smirked.
There were two out there and one was confirmed, one of them is in the court of the empresses that they took pity on. And the other one is missing, but it's just a matter of time before the witch king's remnants find them.
The blood relatives of the witch king has been implanted with his inhuman originium arts. The voice of Terra, a composition of the witch king that contains his consciousness. And his followers would use it to revive him with his relatives as a vessel.
"So that's what you're planning eh? Little Lupo?" Ash whispered into her ear and the wolf woman got spooked.
"Who the hell!?" She turned around fast and took hold of her arts unit, looking like a character in Harry Potter with a wand.
"Hello, didn't expect me?" Ash smiled at her. Gertrude gaped like a fish and was about to use arts against him.
But he raised his hand and her wand went to his hand. "Awww, can't the wittle Lupo use arts without this?" He mocked her.
Gertrude's mind raced a mile a minute and was thinking of a plan how to get out of this. Ash walked up to her and took hold of her arms, putting it above her head.
She glared at him and Ash had a smile plastered on his face. "You know what this means right. Gertrude Strollo."
"Kuu, I won't do what you want... I'd rather die than give up!" She had a fire in her eyes and Ash admired her will.
He slapped her on the face and she was shocked. "That's not the answer that I wanted, woman." Ash squinted his eyes.
She tried spitting on him, but of course he dodged. "What a bad mannered noble." He tested her resolve by groping her breast. And she gasped, obviously. As a noble, it was a dishonor to be touched by a man.
"W-what are you going to do to me?" Panic started to set in her mind and he gave a toothy grin. His sharp canines that were even longer than hers as a Lupo was hit by light and reflected it.
"Why don't you wait and find out?" He ripped off her blouse and Gertrude started to hyperventilate. She screamed for help and tried to kick him off.
She hoped that someone, anyone would come. But his next words made her freeze. "No one would hear you, you know? Noticed how my arts can control sounds?" He smiled maliciously.
The Lupo went wide eyed and the hope she desperately tried to hold on to slowly died out. Her eyes losing its luster as she began to go limp.
"Hmmm? Why aren't you struggling anymore? It would be more fun that way~" He whispered to her ear and she shivered like a wet kitten.
"No, please... Don't..." She felt scared, terrified. The man above him had full control of her. And he was going to ravage and violate her like a toy.
"Yes, beg! Beg for me to stop! Kyahaha!" Ash ripped off her skirt too and Gertrude began to cry.
'Okay, seems like she's broken in now.' He was satisfied by his acting and calmed her down with his arts, sitting on the side of the bed with a sigh.
"H-huh? W-what's happening?" She hid her breasts and legs with some sheets, looking at him with confusion.
"I'm not like that lady, I prefer you scream my name and cry in ecstasy while I snort some cocaine on your ass." He reminisced doing that a couple of times due to curiosity.
"Shit." He hid his raging dragon and thought that puberty was stupid. It was too much of a pain to keep his hormones in check. Because the effects of his arts weren't permanent, it just came back the next day.
"W-what do you want?" Gertrude didn't know how to feel and she looked at him anxiously. "Hmm, you already know what I want Dame Gertrude. You're mine now to do as I wish. A good exchange for your life right?"
He smirked and raised her chin. Dominating her subconscious fully so it would be imprinted into her brain.
And being a Lupo, her sense of smell was thousands of times more sensitive than normal races too, she could smell his pheromones that were making her brain go haywire because he was aroused due to raging hormones.
With the hostile takeover, she started developing Stockholm syndrome and could only nod at him.
"Tell me everything you know later, it's getting late. See you later Dame Gertrude, remember who's your owner." He disappeared again and exited the estate.
She tried processing what just happened and thought it was a dream. But Gertrude looked at her wrists that have bruises in the shape of Ash's fingers. And her clothes were torn still.
And when she remembered him manhandling her. The Lupo's traitorous body shivered, her tail sensuously waving left and right while her ears twitched.
Her body was sensitive and Gertrude breathed heavily upon recalling the sensation of his hand on her breast.
Gertrude's hand then slowly slid on her panties and her other hand went to her chest. "Ahn~"
"This is wrong... He tried to assault me, but why did he stop? Why is my body so hot!?" Gertrude Strollo didn't sleep that night.
Ash returned to their hotel and Margaret was patiently waiting for him to return. "Sir, how was the operation?"
"It was successful Margaret, I'll learn everything about her involvements later. It seems she's with the witch king's remnants. But she has nothing to do with the poisoning. Though Gertrude wants the empresses gone." He sat on a couch and sighed heavily.
"Good work sir Ash, let us rest. You must be tired due to your performance and healing the black empress." Margaret wanted him to rest for his health, as a dutiful knight that takes care of their liege.
"Yes, Margaret. You can sleep..." He sighed heavily and the pegasus noticed that something was bothering him.
"What's the matter sir Ash?" Margaret walked up to him and was worried. He was acting weird and she was sensitive to changes like that.
"It's nothing Margaret, please." Ash smiled at her, he couldn't exactly say that he wanted her to go to sleep so he could do his business in the bathroom.
Margaret will be able to hear him after all, the woman is a knight with superhuman specs.
She was in her pajamas as well, her tight and nubile body being presented to him because of the thin fabric.
And Margaret is a certified baddie. Her tail moving a bit subconsciously due to worry. Her hair that was still a bit damp due to showering.
His imagination was going wild, his hand trembling and wanting to grip on her tail. He gritted his teeth and Margaret could hear his stress.
"Ash... Tell me what's wrong." She put a hand on his forehead because he was a bit red, blood rushing to his whole body.
"Margaret please..." He started breathing exercises and he closed his eyes. Thinking about Adele instead so he would cool down. He also blew cold wind on himself.
She frowned and raised his bangs, putting her forehead on him. "You're burning up Ash, how about we get you checked up if you don't know what's wrong with you?"
His eyes dilated and he could feel her breath on his face. He bit his hand and Margaret was shocked, seeing him chomp on himself that took off a substantial amount of flesh.
It started to regenerate, but Margaret panicked. "What's wrong with you!? Come on, let's go to the hospital!"
She casted her healing arts on him and his wounds that was already starting to form new muscle sizzled and was healed completely.
"I'm gonna be honest with you Margaret, I think my puberty is special. I feel really aggressive, like I'll lose control. And you're goddamned attractive, but you don't know it." He gripped the armrest of the couch and it splintered to thousands of pieces.
"Me? You're attracted to me?" She couldn't believe it and he cursed inside of his mind. Thinking that everyone around him was hot as hell.
"Of course, I'm a hot blooded guy. Just leave me alone for a bit and I'll be fine." He sighed and massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming.
He thought she would back off a bit, but she pushed him to the side and sat down with him, snug on the couch.
"Is that so? I haven't been told that my whole life. I'm the grand knight of the Nearls and was expected to be engaged to another house's knight." She looked into his eyes and he frowned.
"Margaret... Do you know what you're doing?" He raised a brow at her and she nodded.
"Fuck it." He put a hand on her neck and started kissing her. His tongue invading her mouth that surprised the pegasus.
With their positions awkward, he lifted her up effortlessly and plopped her down on his lap with her legs wrapping around him.
"Margaret." He sighed and his breath released some steam, his internal temperature rising.
He put his hands on her tight butt and Margaret yelped. "Fuck, that was really cute." He got playful aggression and he bit her neck.
"Master Ash~" Margaret mewled and he turned her around, putting his hands on her chest. "Margaret..."
He sighed and bit her neck again, but before he could do more. His phone rang and they were shook by the surprise.
Margaret went off of him and went to her bed, while he sobered up and answered it outside the hotel, jumping off the window so he could cool down.
"Ash, someone came here to Kjerag. They're looking for you, two Sarkaz. They said they heard of you from infected in some rural area, so the two want to help in exchange for treatment to the other one." SilverAsh reported to him.
"Thanks for the heads up, give the one who needs treatment a stim for now. We'll check what else I can do later when I return back to Kjerag." He ended the call and immediately encased himself in ice.
"Phew... I need to calm down, fuck..." He travelled to the nearest red light district and entered the biggest building.
"Hello sir, welcome." A receptionist tried to be polite, but he cut her off and put down stacks of LMD on the counter.
"I want everyone who is available in this establishment, now." He almost hissed as he could feel like he was going to lose control.
"R-right away sir." The receptionist could feel the pressure from his arts and energy and he went ham to calm down his aggression.
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The next morning, Margaret woke up early as a knight would and she didn't see Ash around.
She put a finger on her lips. "It was probably a mistake on his part... He's much more amazing than me. And he's already engaged to lady SilverAsh." Margaret had a self deprecating smile on.
"But I really hope it isn't." She looked down and brooded in melancholy.
After preparing and wearing her armor once again, Margaret waited patiently and she knew that he'd return.
And after 30 minutes or so, he entered through the window in order to be quiet. "Ahhh, you're already awake Margaret?"
He remembered what happened last night and scratched his head awkwardly as he entered their room carefully.
"I am sir Ash, it's imperative that a knight wakes up early and prepares." Margaret nodded at him and they went quiet.
"Listen Margaret... I... I must've lost my mind last night. If you don't want to see me right now, I'll let you roam around Leithanien for now and let SilverAsh fetch you with a chopper later when my deal here is done." He looked at her in the eye.
She shook her head and stared right at him. "No, where I belong is where my liege is."
A pregnant silence once again and he sat beside her. "You're really important to me Margaret, please don't think too badly of me. Sorry for my actions last night."
He apologized and put a hand on hers to probe her reaction. He didn't expect her to give her a soft smile though and she looked genuinely happy with his words.
"It is no problem Ash... Listen, you're not just my master. You're a... How can I say this." She didn't know how to express it.
"Hmm, maybe you should show it with your actions?" He joked and she nodded, action speaks louder she thought.
So she kissed him softly and he went wide eyed. "You're a great man Ash, the greatest that I know. Even moreso than my grandfather who fought through thousands of soldiers of Ursus to save his comrades." Margaret put a hand on his face and caressed his horn on his forehead.
"Because I believe you'll save the world and prevent countless of lives perishing. So I do not care if I'm not to be your wife. Just give me your trust and affection." Margaret squinted her eyes.
She thought that SilverAsh will be his lawful wife and there was no place for her, but it'd be fine as long as he is there for her.
"Margaret..." He kissed her too and smiled. "That, I can promise."
She nodded in satisfaction at him. But she suddenly smacked him with her mace. "But do not seek satisfaction with harlots again, you might have scrubbed yourself clean. But your clothes still has a stain of lipstick on it."
"Ahh... You saw that?" He gave a sheepish smile and Margaret pinched his cheek. "You're normally so dignified as a leader, sarcastic too. But I am pleased to see you make that kind of expression."
He snorted at her and started to tickle her sides. "So you do laugh? I was starting to think that knights can't." He chuckled and Margaret glared at him.
"Why you, Kazimierz's pegasi overlords have been overthrown by the nouveau riche knights! I will not take this tyranny lying down." She wrestled with him and had some harmless fun before they went to the Strollo estate.
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Arriving at Gertrude's house, they gathered at her private room and Margaret noticed something weird about the Lupo woman.
She was staring at Ash with a little too much emotion. And they were complicated as well. One moment, she was glaring at him. And the next, she's fidgeting around like a maiden in love.
"What did you do to her sir?" Margaret raised a brow at him and he shrugged. "I uh, convinced her to be at our side."
"He tried to sexually assault me." Gertrude hissed and there was practically venom on her tongue.
"Hah... So you've been having that problem for far longer huh?" Margaret sighed and he coughed. "Ahem, so? What's the story?"
She reiterated her story on why she's supporting the remnants of the witch king. Her father researched inhumane arts for them like using people as arts units.
Turning them into berserkers and the crystals on their bodies flaring up, basically dooming them to turn into crystals of originium after the fact.
"Your father's fucked up, glad that the empresses killed his ass." Ash snorted and Gertrude glared at him, but she did agree that it was more than a poor choice to be with the accursed witch king's remnants.
Then, she blamed the regime of the empresses too because her family fell and all that jazz.
"Sorry sir, but isn't this woman stupid? Should we really trust in her?" Margaret was in disbelief and Gertrude yelled at her.
"What do you mean huh!?" They glared at each other and Ash sighed. "Are you sure your dad didn't use some kind of shitty arts on your brain? It's basically his fault that your family fell into ruin once." He explained while facepalming.
"What does the empresses have to do with it? In fact, they saved millions upon millions of lives. If the witch king continued his reign, then a worldwide war would ensue." Ash rolled his eyes.
The witch king was simply batshit insane, he would most likely wage war on other nations and use his powerful arts to cause massive damage. To friends and foes alike.
"But... But!" She was about to rebut, but Ash smacked her on the face. "Think, woman. You should be hunting down the remnants. Not join them, are you fucking slow in the head or something?"
Gertrude held her cheek in shock. "You missing some neurotransmitters? I'll give you some, wait a second." He stimulated her brain to let it make more neurotransmitters.
Her synaptic transmissions became a bit faster and Ash tapped his temples. "Your father was in your words, a fanatic of the witch king's. Correct?"
She nodded. "He supported them ardently, correct?" She nodded once again. "And he tried to sell out his friends to the Kurfürsten, the high nobles and the empresses." He raised a brow.
"Yes! That's why... They all played a part in the downfall of the Strollo family!" She was so in her head, thinking it was what was right.
"That's what your father gets for what he has sown. Do you really think, that the nobles and empresses would accept him?" Margaret squinted her eyes.
Gertrude was confused though. "Hah, it means. Your father who is an avid supporter of his previous faction can be anything but an ally. A spy, a double agent, a turncoat, a deserter that will sell the empire for his own benefit, etc. No one would accept him, you're lucky you're even alive. I would've executed your whole family for being in cohorts with the witch king. Who knows what his kids will do?" Ash bluntly explained.
"T-that's... My father and family are honorable..." She tried to believe that, but she just couldn't anymore.
"Yeah? Tell that to your brother you murdered. And you trying to create chaos for an uncalled desire for vengeance. Does that individual sound honorable and trustworthy to you?" He raised a brow and she looked down in shame.
"I like to believe that I'm a pretty generous guy, but you're not giving me much to work with here. It just sounds much more easy for me to kill you or report you to the empresses." Ash squinted his eyes.
"This..." She went quiet and just went into deep thought. "You're right... Please kill me, I do not want to be executed by the Kurfürsten. I will atone by my death." She closed her eyes and accepted her fate.
"I see, then work hard to atone for your sins Gertrude Strollo. I want you to round up as many remnants as possible, I'll deal with them when I will meet up with the empresses. Failure is not an option." He ordered her and he left with Margaret.
"Atonement... Forgive me brother... I have been blinded by rage and vengeance." She sobbed and could now remember that she's the last member of the Strollo house.
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The duo returned to Kjerag first in order to create plans with the empresses and meet up with the Sarkaz that SilverAsh reported.
Ash also planned on taking on as many Sarkaz as possible, they were simply too overpowered. They were either balanced in arts and strength, or incredibly skewed to one side. They're good troops for specialized squads or versatile platoons.
They arrived at the SilverAsh estate and saw the matriarch waiting for them.
"Welcome back, everything went well as expected?" SilverAsh smirked and he nodded.
"Of course, it's sir Ash after all." Margaret commented on the side and SilverAsh nodded.
But when she walked up, she sniffed and her ears twitched. "Wait a minute... The smell of your mouths are mixed together..."
Margaret went wide eyed and Ash sighed. Thinking it was gonna be a pain to explain. Forgetting that SilverAsh might not be a Lupo, but felines still have a good sense of smell. And they can actually distinguish them more clearly.
"Lady Enciades, it's not what it looks like." Margaret panicked, but the leopard wasn't exactly upset.
"I see, so you two huh? I can't say I didn't expect it. Margaret admires you a lot." SilverAsh understood where she was coming from.
"Wait, you're not against this?" Margaret was confused. "Did you forget? She's going to be my wife, but it was forced on her by the tri-clan council." Ash explained.
The pegasus had an oh yeah moment and SilverAsh laughed boisterously. "Margaret, you're quite amusingly airheaded sometimes."
Margaret coughed and felt like she was an idiot. "But what about me Ash? We need to have cubs too." She walked up to him and purred.
"This is one big mindfuck." He thought she was messing with him and SilverAsh snorted. "Don't sell yourself short, you're my husband to be. And I deem you to be suitable, or I won't help you with all of your endeavors." She smiled at them and left the house. Calling for the Sarkaz from earlier.
"Now that's unexpected." Ash looked at Margaret and she sighed. "I know this might happen, but not with lady SilverAsh."
"What do you mean?" He raised a brow and she rolled her eyes. "That you'll have concubines and other wives, it's quite obvious Ash. You are an international business mogul. And with your marriage to lady SilverAsh, you'll basically be royalty of Kjerag."
"Ahh, damn. I'll be getting tons of proposals." He forgot about it because his marriage to SilverAsh wasn't known except in Kjerag.
"Whatever, I'll think about it later." He sat down and closed his eyes. "Welcome to nobility, Ash." Margaret smirked, teasing him.
After a few minutes, SilverAsh returned and she was with two Sarkaz women. Though the other one looks like she's pretty thin and lanky.
"Hello, we're the Followers. My name is Shining, this is Liz." The woman in a robe, carrying a sword introduced themselves. (pic)
"Shining, Liz, I'm Asmodeus. Call me Ash, so? What do you need from me?" He analyzed them and SilverAsh won't just let them meet with him if they don't have some kind of substantial skill or influence.
"We heal infected from rural areas. Then we came across a settlement with oripathy, though they weren't having any flare ups. And they told us that it was because of you." Shining explained while Liz just stared into blank space.
"I see, then what is it that you want?" He asked again. "Please let us help, I want the wars to end. The infected to live full lives. And victims... To not appear again." Her eyes looked towards Liz for a split second.
"Then welcome to Deliverance, Shining, Liz. Likeminded people are welcome here." Ash squinted his eyes, thinking that Shining must be some kind of spec ops in Kazdel.
With his discerning eye, he could see that her muscles that he could see that isn't covered by her robe were dense and had a focus on areas that is developed well because of swordsmanship.
And that she's no ordinary healer, so in time. They might learn about the secrets of Kazdel's spec ops. And that was a huge advantage, like with Ursus. They now know that long range barrages are the way to go against them.
"Then let's talk about Liz, she's the reason you're here right?" Ash smiled and Shining furrowed her brows.
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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.
