A Grand Departure

Without wasting too much time the party and the grand duke depart. Gunnir and Hellas steer the carriage whilst the four others sit inside.

The bumpy road more often than not make their knees collide. Sol feeling rather disadvantaged in this situation since hitting his knee accidentally against the old duke or the people who hate him both seem like bad scenarios.

"Your grace we would like to discuss our plan with you. For you… Sol, you can either stay here to discuss or help the boys with the carriage."

"They don't seem to be needing help."

"I don't mean steering rather if you have any tracking expertise or if you are insightful then it might be helpful. You never know what can happen when traveling." Cristal explains with a pensive look instead of a hostile one. A welcome change for all parties involved.

"I think me also being aware of the plan might be more helpful." Sol carefully replies trying not to step on any toes when speaking and hitting any knees when sitting.

With Sol's decision made Tika begins to cast magic as her aura subtly starts to show signs of being used. It keeps a calmness around itself like a gentle breeze passing by slowly on a summer day.

She opens the palm of her ebony hands and softly blows on them. The magic as slowly as the breeze that her aura reflects starts to form a drawing within her palms. A miniature map of the continent of Asarius. The map is small and compact since the palms don't give a lot of ground to create this map yet somehow the calm but still slightly moving magic makes it feel very much alive. The coastline slightly shifting with the waves whilst the most northern located territory looks always clouded.

"How familiar are you with the affairs going around in the world?" Tika asks, the question pointed toward their new member.

"Not an awful lot, I'm afraid."

Hearing his answer she whispers something underneath her breath. The visible magic in her hands begins to shift as the names of cities and countries are added. Tika now retracts her hand as the small map stays where it was. Reaching for it again, she turns it vertically and toward the grand duke and Sol.

"Like you already know this Creseytesia." Tika explains whilst enhancing, the map zooming in at will with the most simple flicks of her finger.

"Our destination lies on the western side of the continent while we're on the eastern side. It's also a bit more south but luckily can be rather easily reached if we pass a few obstacles. We originally thought about passing through Ararazi but since the rebellion has turned even more violent, we thought it would be wiser to ignore it. This also means that the Confederacy Of Friedrich on their southwestern border is also out of question." Tika explains the landscape still changing the map every slight movement of her fingers.

"That would mean going to through Sytrich." The grand duke protests as he tightens the grip around his staff.

"Indeed that would mean us passing through Sytrich but keep in mind your grace that passing through Ararazi is at the moment simply impossible."

"What's the problem with Sytrich?" Sol decides to ask wondering why exactly this kingdom is so looked badly upon.

"Sytrich is one of the few kingdoms that still relies on slavery for its economic gain. Since the church's schism most kingdoms have followed the reformed central holy empire's lead and decided to stop those practices."

"Who hasn't stopped?"

The 2 party members look uneasy answering the question. Their gazes look between Sol and the grand duke.

"Mmh you se-" Cristal begins a hesitant reply before getting cut off by the grand duke.

"The world isn't that black or white. Most countries will officially have abolished slavery only to replace it with less than minimum wages for these "free" slaves. Forcing them to work from dawn until hours after the sun has set."

"Does this include your own grand duchy?"

"Yes, however much it pains me. In Atford and Durden especially the low class workers are still a necessity. They are the backbone of our economy and military might." The grand duke explains looking at the staff he holds as he speaks.

"Mmmh, I see." Sol just replies leaving an awkward silence between the 4 people in the carriage.

"Ah spit it out!" The grand duke yells frustrated feeling the emerald eyes look at him. Again those eyes gaze at him judging his faults.

"What should I say?"

"Don't act stupid boy. I might be old, but I can still see when someone looks down on me. So spit it out!" The Grand duke yells again not being able to withstand the emerald eyes.

"I just hope that you've gotten to know those people very well. Since they're working under you. Well probably even the most of all, so you must know them all by name right?" Sol looks at the grand duke as he's given permission to say his thoughts on the matter.

The grand duke doesn't immediately reply as he still not faces Sol's gaze.

"Is there anything else you all have planned?" The old duke asks, his staff slightly shaking.

"Yeah of cour-" Cristal tries to explain the plain again until a loud sigh of Sol gathers everyone's attention.

"What now! SPIT IT!" The grand duke yells enraged now even by Sol's slightest motion.

"You're quite on edge, old man. I'm allowed to say that right? We can't allow anyone to know your high standing after all." Sol looks around the carriage looking at everyone's reaction. The grand duke is still looking away whilst Cristal and Tika were not expecting their plan discussion to pan out like this.

"I don't judge you for your choice. I've seen plenty of people do worse. I even also know a femme fatale that had here fair share of slaves doing her bidding. Dying at her command not able to live without her. Yet still I respect her more than you. Do you know why?" Sol leans closer toward the grand duke, not a hard feat in the small space. He grabs the grand duke's head and turns it around to face him.

"Because when you called her out for it. She would laugh and look in your eyes." The Shade demon says unconsciously releasing some of his aura. He releases the grand duke's head which quickly avoids the gaze again.

"Let's continue this another time. Sol can you help Hellas and Gunnir?" Cristal asks a frown on her face.

"Of course."

Sol opens the door of the still moving carriage on this bump road and climbs on top of the roof,