Part 15

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Lifting myself up, I ripped the ropes on my arms off, just enough to set them on fire with magic, then removed the gag. Yeah, it was strange that the kidnappers hadn't considered my abilities. I guess it was a sleeping pill, and we were snatched right out of the mansion. So the servants were in on it. They knew I could do magic without words. Anyway, in the meantime, I took a quick look around. Found the bars on the small window. It wouldn't be a problem to get out, though.

I look at the girl.

Yeah, the first thing to do is get her out. I'd like to know more about the kidnappers, though...

- What-- Eris is starting to come round.

- Stay calm and don't scream. I think we've been kidnapped.

- IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE!? UNTIE ME IMMEDIATELY! NOW! YES I...

The young lady's oration was interrupted by a heavy thud as the door was nearly blown off its hinges.

- Shut the fuck up! - A bald man with a distinctly gangster look bellowed at her.

- YOU STINKIN' MORTAL! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! - The girl was furious.

The bandit only glanced at me, but before he even realised what was wrong with me, the girl had already provoked him. And judging by the look on his face, the girl's about to get killed. Well, not killed, but she's gonna get a good beating. And you know what? I didn't even bother to get involved.

- We know exactly who you are... - the man hissed angrily, approaching the girl.

I quietly moved to the door and looked out into the corridor. There's obviously someone else there, the lights are on....

- YOU STUPID CUNT! THE LORD'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW!

Bang...

The sound of impact was not pleasant at all. The bandit didn't hold back and drove his fist right into Eris' face, and then again, and into her stomach. Honestly, I only allowed it because Eris really needed such a lesson. She really was acting completely inadequate to the situation. But, I just couldn't watch it any longer.

The bandit stopped after hearing a crackle of energy behind him.

- You little brat..." He looked back at me, his eyes fixed on me with a frantic stare.

It's not going to be quiet anyway...

- I didn't give you permission to touch my sister. - I concluded.

And thunder reverberated off the walls as a bright bolt of lightning struck the man. His body shuddered, different muscles convulsing in their own way under the electricity. And when I shook my hand, breaking the spell, the bandit simply collapsed to the floor like a puppet that had had its strings cut. A black pattern appeared on his skin, like a tree with many branches sprouting on his body. The skin broke, the flesh blackened, the eyes burst and now only smoke rose from the black eye sockets.

If it had been an ordinary lightning bolt, its strike would have lasted for a moment, which would have left many chances for the man to survive. But, I maintained a current of electricity for almost two seconds. And that was enough to fry the victim's insides and boil his blood.

I killed a man. And, in fact, I feel no remorse whatsoever. I've killed and killed, and I've killed magical beasts. And these guys seem to be different from animals, if not better.

Loud footsteps could already be heard in the corridor.

Turning around, I picked up a rock, creating a wall in the passage. In the same way, I covered Eris with a stone fortress. And only then, having already heard the screams behind the wall, I cast protective spells on myself. I didn't have any amulets on me when I woke up, so I had to do it the old-fashioned way. Electromagnetic barrier and carbon armour.

- I'm going to blow this thing apart! - It came from the other side.

And a powerful mace strike shattered the stone partition. The man was clearly using his fighting spirit.

And he was immediately thrown back by a ramming blow. The spell "wind cannon", after which I used lightning again, sending a branched charge that consumed the whole room in front. Only this time I broke the spell before it would have fried everyone to death. So it was just three men collapsing senseless. Here was one of them I plunged into the mud bog, softening the floor and making him petrified again as the bandit plunged into it up to his neck. Then used the healing.

- What the... what the fuck...

- I didn't say you could talk.

I kicked him lightly in the face.

- Aghhhh.

And one more time before I break the poor bastard's jaw. Yeah, I was gonna interrogate him, but a little later. First, I went back to Eris and, after removing the unbreakable fortress, I cast a healing spell on the girl.

- How are you feeling now?

- I'm... fine..." the girl's voice trembled. - Those bastards will be held accountable! I'll tell my grandfather everything! Guillen will turn them into mincemeat....

- Calm down.

Surprisingly, the girl quieted down immediately.

Back to the prisoner.

And healing again.

- Now answer me, who are you?

- Fuck you, you prick!

Another kick. The other bandit started to come round. The flames in my hand ignited and burned the rest of the bandits. One of them never woke up, and the other one screamed before he died, but just as easily burned alive.

- Whoa... - My mentee was impressed.

- Who are you. - I lean over to my willing informant.

I'm holding a fireball to his face.

- Hey, hey, stop! Stop! I'll tell you!

- Don't waste my time, answer me quickly and to the point. Who are you?

- We're just adventurers. We've been paid big money for this little girl!

- Who?

- Fuck knows... some old bloke came here... probably some nobleman wanted the girl. Or needed a hostage against that lord.

- WHO DID IT!? - Eris screamed.

- Sis.

- Yes, Rudeus? - The girl suddenly became more compliant.

- Please be quiet and stay out of the way.

- Ah... alright...

Surprisingly docile.

Now I'm returning my gaze to the prisoner.

- What about me?

- You're a Greyrat, too. Maybe they'd offer a ransom for you.

- I see. Didn't you know I can do magic without words?

- We tied your hands! How did you get free, you bitch?

Are they stupid? Although, maybe for a normal wizard, that would be a problem.

- Who helped you at Greyrat Manor? - Bringing the fireball even closer.

- Butler, BITCH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! I'M TELLING YOU! I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING.

I'm taking my hand away from the fire.

- Which butler?

- The one with the moustache, the old bastard, Thomas, I think.

- BASTARD! - Eris exclaimed again.

- Who were you supposed to give the girl to and when?

- They were supposed to come for her tomorrow!

- Okay, that's all I needed.

- Now...

- Bless you. - I patted him on the head. - Eris, let's go.

- Yeah.

- Hey! Kid! Are you just going to leave me like this? Get me out of here.

- I left you alive... and I'm still not sure it's the right decision, maybe I should finish you off?

- Don't... - The thug turned pale immediately.

- Then don't ask for it.

Now he just nodded his head.

In general, I was still a little frightened by how easily I dealt with several people at once. It wasn't even a matter of skill, but the fact that it was so easy to kill a person, morally speaking. But Eris didn't raise an eyebrow, she was fine with it. And I decided not to worry about it myself.

So, taking Eris by the hand, I simply led her out. As we passed the corpses, we soon came outside, in the middle of some city. And, I didn't recognise it. It wasn't Roa anymore.

- Hmm...

- Rudeus! Where are we?

- I don't know. Let's take a look around. Stay with me.

And the girl, surprisingly obedient, followed me.

- We should just tell the local mayor to get us home.

- I don't know. Some powerful aristocrat is behind your kidnapping. Maybe the mayor of this town is bribed. Better not take any chances... wait.....

I quickly walked down the street with the girl and stopped by the local market. Here I purchased some simple capes with which we could partially conceal our identities. At least Eris's long fiery red hair was no longer in plain sight and not as conspicuous.

- What are we going to do? - The girl asked doubtfully.

- Just hire a wagon and go back to Roa. That group was small, but we should fear a chase.....

As a matter of fact, like I said, we just hired a wagon. I've seen stops like this before, just outside the city gate there was a bench with a canopy. Here people were waiting for a coachman with a wagon, who periodically take people from town to town for a fee. Like an intercity bus, straight up.

But until the cart arrived, you could look at the rates listed on a special board.

- What does it say? - Eris frowned.

- Sister, I taught you, didn't I? - Rolling my eyes.

- That's it... Roa, here! - She jabbed her finger at the board.

- No, that's Rotan. It's a different region altogether. Eris, if you were here alone and took this route, you'd be driven even further away from home and have all your money taken away.

- Pfft... you're the smart one, you read.

- Roa... we'd have to go through two more towns, that's how far they took us.

- Will we have enough money? - Eris was worried. - You bought those capes too...

- It should be enough.

I wanted to tell her not to worry, but I thought it was a good time to teach her a lesson.

- If we get the calculations right, we'll have enough money.

- Are you sure?

- It should be enough.

Eris frowned.

But later, when we were already travelling in the wagon that arrived, the girl calmed down a bit and relaxed.

- Rudeus...

- Yes, Eris?

- That was great! You did that lightning bang! And then fire bang! Teach me how to do that!

- I'm already teaching you magic.

- I want lightning!

- You need to learn fire first. You can't do silent magic yet. And you must also learn to use water magic.

- Why? Water is boring.

- Water is very useful.

With a grin, I created a small water sphere and brought it to my face to drink.

- Hey...I...I'm...I'm thirsty too! - She let her eyes bulge out.

Indeed, we must have been driven for days in a dream state. Eris must be thirsty.

- If she had learnt better, she could have conjured it herself.

- I have you!

- I'm helping you on a whim. Even your father doesn't pay me enough to indulge you. Do you understand? Don't treat it like you have to.

- Hrrr... - The girl puffed up her cheeks.

- You know what? If you want me to give you water, at least ask for it properly, not command me. I'm not your servant.

The redhead made a sour expression, but, her gaze remained fixed on the water sphere.

And then she...

She took her hair in two ponytails, winked at me, and spoke in a sweet voice.

- Please, nan, brother, give me a drink!

My jaw dropped.

Eris, on the other hand, turned pale and showed her tongue. But she looked like she could barely keep from hitting me.

- Okay, okay, here you go.

With a sigh of relief, she stopped making faces and leaned into my hands and drank directly from the water sphere. At that moment I involuntarily thought, if it means that I tamed her, since she drinks from my hands. But luckily, the system didn't count it.

- But what was that? You could have just said please.

- It's etiquette! - The girl grumbled unhappily. - Isn't that what you wanted?

- Well, it was nice, but weird. It seems to be some sort of Borei family trait. Normal people don't do that.

- Rudeus!

- Yes?

- Teach me how to make water like you!

- Oh, finally, a little more eagerness to learn. Of course, I'll try to teach you when we get back to Roa.

- Good...

Eris is getting more and more amazed. This kidnapping seems to have affected her for the better. In fact, she's becoming more and more docile.

We spent some more time on the road like that. On the road, I kept thinking that I had been too careless. A mage of holy rank, yes, and so easily caught drinking sleeping pills. And I got damn lucky with those kidnappers. If they'd been better prepared, things could have gone differently. A barrier that can block magic and that's it, I'm not even ready for that! I mean, magic-painted amulets could work in an anti-magic barrier, but I was without my artefacts when I was captured. I took them off before I went to bed. I should have stashed them in my inventory. And, even so, not all drawing magic will work. Anyway, it's not that simple.

Then there was a stop in one of Fittoa's cities.

It was worth giving Eris credit, though she was used to more comfort, she didn't complain or whine about it. It was obvious that she was tired of sitting on the uncomfortable bench inside the cart. What a pleasure it was to stretch out when we made a stop in town.

And about the simple beds in the cheap inn, she didn't complain.

- We still need to eat, but we can't spend too much money on that.

The girl swallowed excitedly.

- It will be cheaper if we just buy groceries and cook our own meals.

- Can you cook? - The girl was surprised.

- Not as good as a professional chef, but, after all, cooking is a very important skill.

So, after walking around the market, I created a cauldron with magic, in which I cooked a vegetable stew.

- Why no meat? - The girl was indignant.

- Because meat is too expensive. If we buy it, we won't be able to return to Roa.

- Gnn...

- If you don't want it, I'll eat it myself.

- I want it!

- Then eat it.

But perhaps I've been too hard on her. Behind that spoilt and stubbornness, sometimes you can't see that Eris is still a child. At night, when she heard hoofbeats outside, she jumped up and hid under the window sill so the villains couldn't see her through the window.

- If you're scared, you can sleep with me.

- Idiot! - Squeaked Eris. - Stupid! Pervert! Never!

I just shrugged. After all, I didn't have any dirty thoughts about her. She's a kid.

Although, Roxy has a young body, too. And Eris is clearly well-developed and in her nine years look more like twelve, rather. Well, she's like her mother here. Nevertheless, I still saw her as the child she was.

Anyway, we continued on our way.

And in the next town, when the situation with the scare was repeated, Eris settled down next to me in the same bed. Of course, we were still dressed, so it was fine. The girl had really calmed down and was able to get a good night's sleep.

And finally, we were approaching the fortress city of Roa.

- We are almost home! - Eris exclaimed happily.

- Calm down. In case you've forgotten, those bandits were helped by the servants of the house. We're still in danger.

- Well, if something happens, you'll save me.

- With that attitude... if you get beaten up again, I won't intervene.

- What? Why? - The girl's gone soft.

- Because you need to learn not to make trouble out of nothing, you idiot!

- I'm not stupid!

- Well, maybe not stupid, but a very emotional girl.

- I'm sorry... - She lowered her eyes.

I'm surprised. Eris apologises.

- I'm sorry too, I shouldn't call you stupid. It's just that I'm worried about you.

- Hnn... - The girl pouted.

In the end, that's how we reached the lord's mansion.

- Mistress Eris? - Thomas greeted us with a look of surprise.

And then he fell under the ground, bogged down in the mud.

- Sit here until we're sure of everything.

- ERRIEIS! - Grandfather's voice thundered across the yard.

I barely had time to dash to the side when Cyrus swung the doors open with a mighty thud and flew out into the courtyard, catching his granddaughter in a flash to pick her up and hug her. I'm sure if I had been in his path, I would have been blown away like a train.

Philip showed up the same way. He didn't look so good, though, with bruises and bandages on his face.

- Oh, Eris and Rudeus are back on their own... good... we need to send a message to Gilen that she can go back.

Well, it's not surprising that she went in pursuit. It's more of a surprise that she didn't find us.

- What about Thomas?

- One of the guys who kidnapped us said they had help from the servants at the mansions, and pointed him out.

- Ohhh... that's very unpleasant... - Philip glanced at the servant.

- THOMAS! - Bellowed the grandfather. - HOW DARE YOU!?

- I don't... - The old man mumbled.

- I can't tell if he's telling the truth or lying.

- Rudeus. - Cyrus looked at me. - You brought Eris back to me... I'm very grateful to you, Rudeus. 

- It's okay, after all, she is my third cousin. - I shrug.

And the girl herself has already fallen asleep in her grandfather's arms. Well, during the journey she was exhausted and almost constantly stressed. And now that she's home, she's just relaxed.

Mission accomplished!

Abduction

You have escaped from captivity and brought Crazy Bitch Eris home!

The reward is Mad Bitch's gratitude.

Of course, that day was out of the question. I went back to my room and checked my artefacts myself. And then I talked to Phillip.

- How could we have been kidnapped from the lord's mansion? - I sighed.

- Thomas used sleeping pills to put you and Eris to sleep and disarm Gilen, then took you through a secret passage.

- You have a secret passage?

- Of course I do.

- And it's not even guarded?

- The regular guards don't know about it, and Thomas... has been serving our family for a long time, and has enjoyed the great trust of Lord Cyrus.

- Yeah... so it's really him, isn't it?

- Yes, we investigated and the accusation was confirmed.

- Who organised all this, anyway? I mean, it wasn't just some thugs who decided to steal Eris. Somebody paid them off handsomely.

- Hmm... we're still trying to find out. - Phillip reported glumly.

After that, in the evening, without wasting any time to rest, he got busy designing a new magic circle.

I didn't manage to do it all in one evening, but, after all, I was used to the pace of Eris's studies and could properly approach her studies, leaving myself enough time for my own research. On top of that, we didn't have swordsmanship lessons while Guillen was still away.

By the way...

- You know, it's been a long time since I've cast spells out loud and I don't remember the right words for the water sphere anymore. Here, I'll give you a book when you have some free time, read it and find the spell yourself.

- But... you... you're my teacher!

- That's part of the lesson, too. Homework. In the meantime, I'll continue to teach you fire magic. You're better at it than the other elements.

That's how I encouraged her to learn literacy. Also, it's worth noting that the girl has actually become much more diligent with her magic. After the kidnapping, she became convinced that it was a really useful skill and began to put more effort into learning it. And then Gilen came back.

- Eris... it's good that you're alive. - She hugged the girl and looked at me. - Rudeus, you did good.

I just shrugged my shoulders.

After some more time, I still made additional defences for myself. In addition to the protective amulet, I also made a healing amulet. Indeed, if I am seriously injured, I may not be able to heal myself. It's hard to stay focused when your wounds are burning. But just channelling mana into a magic circle, that's possible. Combined healing and detoxification spells should heal even serious wounds and remove poisons from the body, maybe cure some diseases.

And, I also came up with a new idea for quickly forming carbon armour. The idea popped into my head, and I decided to give it a try. A garment made of flexible carbon fibre that could be instantly reinforced with magic! I also started working on my elemental spells and decided to develop alternative versions of them. My fights with Gilen have given me a deeper understanding of the martial use of magic, so I've started to develop more complex spells that can't be blocked with swordsmanship techniques. Also, I'm almost finished with Eris' birthday present. And even for Gilen.

So a few more months flew by like that, and then....

Roxy came to town.

It was about six months after I had moved to Roa.