Chapter 55.

Malty

Malty strode through the hallways of her castle dragging Motoyasu to her father's study. The rhythmic sounds of her boots slamming on the carpet were the only thing heard. The servants scurried out of her way. The Spear Hero didn't dare protest the rough treatment, not when he had seen her fury, it was an island of contentment in the middle of simmering fear.

"Calm down Myne," he implored, wincing slightly as they brushed past a pair of Knights guarding the doorway into the private quarters of the Royal Family, the two poor women had been pushed aside roughly.

Malty turned to stare at the fool for a brief moment. Hating the fact that she might need this man. If what she had heard was true then she could not afford to alienate the Spear Hero.

"I'm sorry," she said, the apology tasting like vomit, "I'm just a little worried."

The Spear Buffon smiled widely and then thrust out his spear, the Legendary Weapon looking like a child's toy and said, "Don't worry about that bastard. He'll never touch you again!"

Malty wanted to smile and agree. To simply give him a kiss on the cheek and make him swoon but it felt like a joke. A cruel one. Motoyasu was only at level 39 despite her best efforts and she was more than wise enough to see that Adrian, even at level 30, had been far stronger than him. She had tried to think otherwise but Motoyasu was slower, weaker and had lower stats and he didn't listen to her when she tried to have him do all the strange things that Adrian did. Things that worked.

Controlling this man was a bittersweet victory.

She smiled anyway, "Of course," she said, ash in her mouth, "thank you Sir Motoyasu,"

The man grinned and began to boast. He only stopped once they arrived at the study. Malty let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. The wooden door that sealed away the room from the rest of the castle was one she was very familiar with. Her father had always been the one to comfort her when Mother had been cruel.

Malty knocked, "Father." she said, "It's me."

The door swung open as the magic that protected her father's personal space unravelled. She walked in with a quieter Spear Hero. Malty revelled in the silence. She knew that it would not last very long.

Her father was seated on his comfortable chair. Unlike the ornate, but uncomfortable throne in the Audience Chamber this particular enchanted furniture was meant to allow father to stay seated for hours on end and work in peace. He had permitted her to sit there once in a while but he was quite protective of it. The rest of the room was filled with books and various magical artefacts that her father studied and used, she knew that he loved to take his breaks by studying them and then trying to replicate and modify them. It was something she had seen him do a hundred times. Many afternoons had passed when the two of them tried to unravel what an artefact was meant to do and then make another that did it better.

But Aultcray Melromarc wasn't relaxed right now. The man that was seated at his desk seemed much older than the father she was used to. His hair was in disarray and his clothing no longer looked as immaculate as it normally did. Certainly, it was clothing worthy of court but it didn't feel that way. An unmistakable taint of exhaustion hung around him like a heat haze.

"Malty," he said, a small smile emerging, "Sir Motoyasu. Take a seat."

She swallowed her fears and sat down on a much less comfortable seat. Aborting her motion to go and kiss him on the cheek. His smile had faded and his expression was like death.

"Your Majesty," said the Hero, his voice excited, and sat down after he received a tired nod, "what's this about? Have you found anything about Adrian?"

Malty wanted to tell him to stay quiet. This was not her father he was speaking to but the Wise King, the Seven Star Hero of the Cane. He had no right to speak to her father so casually but before she could even consider saying a word her father glared at him.

Motoyasu looked stunned for a moment before laughing sheepishly, a hand rubbing the back of his head, he looked a little confused, "I'm sorry," he said, looking to her. Malty looked to her father whose face softened as he looked at her.

"The Sword Hero has emerged from hiding two days ago," he said, without preamble, fury and fear in his voice, "He has destroyed large portions of the Eastern border and then proceeded to vanish again."

Malty felt a momentary confusion before she realized that the Eastern border was the one that faced Siltvelt. After the war, to reinforce their most critical border, the Queen and her father had commissioned hundreds-no, thousands-of architects, enchanters, masons and slaves to build the greatest defence that they could. It was no easy task to raise such a massive edifice and she knew that enchantments took exponentially more energy the larger the volume they had to cover. That border had been a masterpiece in more ways than one. A promise of safety. An expensive promise.

She moved to say something, anything but before she could figure out what to say he moved a small viewing crystal from the edge of his desk to the centre and sent a tendril of mana into it. A moment passed when nothing happened before the image was projected in front of them, above the desk.

Any words she wanted to say were stolen from her.

The images were a collection of fortresses that had seen better days. Massive tears in the sides of the buildings, damage on the ruined walls that was created by fire or lightning was visible in every frame. The structures she was looking at were nothing more than the remnants of the fortifications that her father had been so proud of. The destruction was absolute. There were areas where the walls had simply been annihilated, other places where the bedrock could be seen after something had scrapped off the building and foundations above it.

The worst part was how every fortification was more destroyed than the last. The first few images showed signs of something remaining but the last set of images were nothing more than empty broken ruins in place of their greatest defences.

"Casualties have yet to be confirmed but we are expecting hundreds of our people lost due to this unprovoked assault," said Father, his voice was flat, almost monotonous, "He also made it a point to injure the commanders of our forces more thoroughly than the others."

"He's a monster," said Motoyasu, gripping his spear tightly, "how could he do something like this? "

But Malty focused on her father's words. Adrian had sent her a message. The leaders of most of the outposts along the border were nobles. Normally no scion of a Noble House would be content to spend months if not years on the border but when it was the first line of defence against Siltvelt? Then it was an honour and an obligation that every family was expected to contribute towards. The forces stationed there had been a combined army with every noble house, her family and the Church having supplied soldiers. Killing hundreds of them and destroying their pride was nothing short of declaring war on Melromarc as a whole.

It should have been a ridiculous idea. No one man could defeat a nation. Malty looked to her father, who despite his incredible power hadn't been able to destroy the nation he hated. It should have been reassuring but her body felt light like someone had torn out her heart and replaced it with a void. Her thoughts were disjointed and Motoyasu's empty boasts felt like mockery.

"What do we do Father?" she asked, her voice distant to herself.

Aultcray looked at her. His fatigue erased by determination, "We shall show him the consequences of opposing Melromarc." he said firmly, his voice grounding her. He turned towards the only other person in the room, "Sir Motoyasu." he said, a whip-like quality in his voice, "I charge you with my daughter's safety. You will escort her to Lady Roma's house and do everything in your power to protect her. Understood?"

He ended his sentence with a question that was a command.

Motoyasu nodded before he even realized what he had agreed to. For once he didn't boast. Malty wondered why she felt horrified by that when she had begged the Gods for him to shut up yesterday.

"Good," her father said, his voice becoming kinder, "Lady Roma has the greatest defences our country can muster. I will also have some of my best stay with you. You will be safe there."

For a moment she could see him thinking of saying something more but he simply shook his head and smiled at her. Malty had several concerns. Lady Roma was one of her mother's allies. One of her most powerful. She had visited the old woman before. Her son had been a nightmare to deal with...but she couldn't deny that their castle had the most potent defences she had ever felt. Even Malty with her excellent sense for magic hadn't been able to sense the full depth of their defences. But when she decided to ask him about her worries, he spoke, preempting her thoughts.

"She has agreed to shelter you," he said, with a tired smile, "and has sworn to treat both you and the Spear Hero as guests. I promise you that you will be treated appropriately. Do not worry...just try to be safe."

Malty nodded. Her mind felt empty and yet there was a weight on her chest. She felt tired even though she had just woken up an hour or two before this meeting.

Her father got up and both she and Motoyasu followed. He moved around the desk and hugged her. Malty returned it without thought, thinking back to simpler days, before she froze, glanced at Motoyasu, wondering what her father was thinking, doing something like this before another.

"Father," she said while attempting to leave his embrace, but he just held on tighter for a long moment before letting go.

"Good luck Malty," he said, "I'll see you as soon as this situation is dealt with. Remember to keep training and be careful."

"I will papa," she said, trying not to think about how final the words sounded.

She failed.

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