Chapter 71.

Mirellia sighed. Frustration rose. The information was useful. Heavens, it was critical but Agatha's demeanour always served to irritate her. She was the only person the Queen knew off who was willing to be so rude in her presence.

"Thank you," she said, "you appear to know him well…"

"I don't," said Agatha flatly, "I'm telling you what I do know so that you don't fuck this up and make him our enemy. I think he's willing to help if given reason to but if you piss him off then he'll kill you and probably focus on other things he has to deal with. I don't think he's going to just go on a rampage and start killing people but he'll probably not help us much either. I tried to convince him to help and failed so I'm hoping that you'd be more useful here."

"Your faith is appreciated," she said, a little surprised by how active Agatha was being.

She scoffed and corrected, "Desperation," she said, "You're a manipulative bitch at the best of times and it makes me feel like tearing your head off but right now you're our best bet."

Mirellia shook her head at the woman and nodded, "Thank you anyway," she said, deliberately polite. She enjoyed the flare of irritation that Agatha had.

The level 100 rolled her eyes, "Whatever," she said, "let me tell you the rest and then leave. But seriously don't screw this up as Aultcray did."

Mirellia smiled, it was a brittle, sharp construct, "I am not a fool." she hissed.

Agatha smirked, "We'll see."

The rest of the conversation was an exercise in control but the information was nonetheless valuable.

How like the Witch to be useful and irritating.

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"He killed my brother!" said Lady Mikas, the sister of Lord Alamos, and now the head of her family, clenched hands at her side, "Your majesty, you have to stop him!"

Mirellia glanced at the young woman who was standing, her chair, fallen thanks to her violent method of standing up, and snapped her fan open while the girl glared at her. She waved down Lady Melris who was unhappy at Mikas shouting at her.

"Sit down Lady Mikas," she said, her tone cold. She felt no satisfaction as the reckless teenager did with a huff after one of the guards picked her chair up. The foolish child was the head of her house. The head of a truly powerful family. Yet, it was nothing to the Hero. Mirellia knew that all the resources of the girl's house wouldn't be enough to even scratch the Hero but she didn't want to think about how he would react if yet another House of her country decided to attack him.

She carefully suppressed the part of her that envied Lady Mikas. Being able to freely show emotion would be a luxury. Aultcray had been a fool. Both he and Malty had wronged the Hero but she couldn't deny the emptiness she felt when she thought about how she'd never see Aultcray again.

It didn't matter. At all. Mirellia had her duties and she was not her husband who had seen fit to indulge in his vendettas.

"I expected greater wisdom from a scion of your House," she said, watching the girl fail to meet her eyes, "Tell me, do you think that I supported the actions that Alamos committed?"

Mikas winced and said nothing. Not meeting her eyes.

Mirellia understood. Lady Mikas probably didn't agree with Alamos. Indeed it was entirely likely that Alamos didn't agree either. They had simply obeyed their King as they were meant to. With Balmus supporting Aultcray's decision. Alamos and his fellow Lords and Ladies had to obey or risk angering both the Royal House and the Church.

It was not something she could condone. But it was not something she could punish either. Not when her husband had given the command and Mikas knew that. It was likely why the young lady had come to her to protest the Sword Hero's judgement.

The problem was that almost every single record of the Heroes that she had studied suggested the same thing: They despised slavery. Certainly, there were exceptions but she had analyzed the writings from Siltvelt, Melromarc, Faubrey and even the smaller nations when Star Heroes were summoned from other worlds. With some rare exceptions, they sought to stop slavery and were always offended when gifted with slaves.

Indeed, the reason why Faubrey was so egalitarian and slavery was banned was due to their influence. The previous Spear Hero had been quite ruthless in his elimination of slavers and his second in command, who had become the advisor to three generations of the Rulers of Faubrey, had been a former slave. In the modern era, the enslavement of a sentient being was one of the worst crimes in Faubrey and their Vassal Nations. Even the Church of Three Heroes considered enslavement to be a sin with only those who violated their doctrines considered as acceptable targets.

"Leave and be certain not to cause any trouble," she said, her tone permitting no arguments, even as she signalled her shadows using her fan, "The Sword Hero is likely to leave soon in any case."

The girl finally looked at her. Confused and angry before bowing stiffly and then walking out. The Shadow's followed. Finally leaving the room bare save for Lady Melris, Melty and a couple of guards.

Mirellia almost relaxed when a loud knock on the door forced her back into alertness. She nodded at the guards who opened the door slightly, checked on the person on the other side, and then let him in.

The soldier who entered was a fairly high ranking one. A Captain of his squad.

"Your Majesty," he said with a clumsy bow towards her and another towards Melty and Melris. The lack of practice made his birth clear, "the Sword Hero commanded that I deliver this sword to you."

"Captain," she said with a nod, her tone even, as her eyes strayed towards the blade he was holding. As she spoke the blade began to float out of the Captain's hand. Mirellia spotted Melris move from her seat. Ready to destroy the sword, "Did he say anything else?"

The Knight hesitated and then nodded, "Yes...he said that you had to cut your hand on that blade and then continue to hold it. It will place a seal on you." he said, voice shaking after Melris glared at him and moved in front of the sword, he continued after Mirellia raised her hand, stopping Melris, "If you don't then...then he'll have to assume that you are his enemy."

Mirellia felt a chill run down her spine as she turned her full attention to the ominous sword that was gently turning while drifting slowly towards her. It looked wickedly sharp and she could feel the power it held. The thought of the Curse she'd receive with a cut from it was terrifying.

Melris snarled and Mirellia spoke before she could take out her rage at the sword or the brave man who was stuck playing messenger between Royalty and Heroes, "Melris," she said, a warning in her tone. The young lady clenched her daggers tightly.

"But-" she started.

"I would prefer that the Sword Hero not be marked as my enemy," she said, her tone calm, realizing abruptly that she truly had no choice. Especially since it was entirely likely that the Hero would kill her the moment she refused.

She took a subtle, reinforcing breath and walked towards the sword. She took a look at both Melty and Lady Melris. Aware that she might end up dead if she failed to convince the Hero but also that she would gain another asset if she managed to gain his support.

It was comforting to realize that this was just another high stakes negotiation.

That comfort vanished after an instant of thought.

She had little to no leverage on this man and only a vague hope that he would be reasonable based on Agatha's words. What she did know was horrible. Her family had summoned him, lied to him, accused him of rape and then proceeded to put a bounty on his head. He had no reason to bother with her and every reason to continue his attacks against Melromarc.

But he also cared about the people of Melromarc. That would have to be enough.

Mirellia nodded at Melty and then touched the blade, hearing and ignoring Melty's slightly tearful goodbye. The pain started immediately, but it was a mild pain that was the result of the cut and nothing more, for a long moment she felt tense, waiting for the pain to start, for her life to end...only for nothing to happen.

It was only a moment later that she realized that her mana was flowing oddly and another second to realize that the world around her was twisting. Alternating between a dense, dark forest and the well-lit room that she had been in.

An instant later the world changed and she was standing all alone in the middle of a forest with a canopy so dense that she couldn't see the stars. Stars that shouldn't have been out given that it should have been a couple of hours after noon.

Mirellia raised her fan, only to wince when pain flared as she tried to mould her mana, it wasn't severe but it shattered her composure.

"I would not recommend using any magic," said the Sword Hero, appearing in front of her, his face blank and voice cold, "That was just a level 1 warning. It is now at level 9. You won't die but you will probably wish to. It would also be unwise to lie, attack me through other means or attempt to gain help from anyone to harm me or help you."

As he spoke a dome of plants began to form and surround them forming a massive structure. The forest around her was uprooted. Massive trees taller than any building in her city were slowly dissolved and a strucutre was put into place. The darkness was pierced by a golden light that slowly grew as bright as day as flowers that glowed began to bloom.

Within seconds, the structure had cut her off from the rest of the forest and a small chair had formed behind her. There was nothing else save curved walls from the floor to the high ceiling.

It was empty.

She felt unease manifest. It was strange for her not to know that her shadows were present. That her guards would fight for her. That she had no one save for a Hero who had every reason to kill her.

"Please take a seat," he said, "we have much to speak of and I have several important decisions to make. I will be asking the questions. Do not lie and please answer promptly."

"Sword Hero," she started, "please-"

He said nothing but the seven glowing swords that appeared behind him, all pointing at her, was a clear message.

She nodded and clenched her fan.

"What part did you play in the plan to summon the Four Legendary Heroes?" he asked.

Mirellia spoke quickly, she needed to establish some trust, this was a lucky first question, "I didn't have any involvement in the summoning. I was at the conference regarding the summoning. The summoning was Biscus's idea and Aultcray was used as his pawn."

Adrian nodded, his expression didn't change, but she felt a surge of relief. The seal didn't distinguish between her mostly certain statements and truths.

"Very well." he said, "What are your intentions towards me in particular and the other Heroes in general? Please give me a thorough answer with all possible ideas that you've had."

She felt her hope wither as she remembered all the possibilities she had considered from assassinating the Heroes to manipulating them using marriage or even outright bribes.

"I contemplated several ideas that were later eliminated," she said, buying a little time as she tried to imagine a way to twist her words, "The primary one was to convince your to help my country survive Siltvelt and their allies."

"Elaborate. What do you mean by convincing?" he said, before glaring at her, the sudden injection of emotion shocking her, "And don't try to sugarcoat it."

"I considered offering you gold, my daughter's hand in marriage and several powerful artefacts," she admitted, "but that was before I started to grasp your power and personality."

"And now that you have learned a little?"

"I would offer to help free slaves and try to use that to convince you to move against Siltvelt who practice horrifically cruel methods of human slavery."

He snorted. "I know how horrible Siltvelt is going to be." he said, his tone quiet and furious, "I've seen thousands of broken demi-humans in your country. Siltvelt will likely be at least as bad as that when it comes to humans," he smiled at her, a cold smile, "Your are skilled at finding my weaknesses Mirellia. Congratulations."

She took a breath. Rapidly reassessing the man in front of her.

The Sword Hero-no, Adrian Black-was not someone who considered himself flawless and felt angry at himself when a flaw was pointed out. Mirellia cursed her own biases. The Legends she had studied and her own stupidity.

The Sword Hero was a Legend. Adrian Black was a person.

When she spoke next it was to Adrian, "It is a necessary skill to survive as a Queen."

He shook his head, "Continue," he said.

She did. Mirellia candidly laid down her plans for the Heroes. Everything from simply speaking to them rationally to manipulating them and to her surprise as she spoke his rage faded. He seemed to expect and even respect manipulations while simultaneously despising them utterly.

When she was done, her throat was parched and Adrian had started to pace. His swords were spinning in place, still pointed at her, and told her more about his emotions than his expression did.

Fear and Anger.

A breath and he shed those emotions and then stopped moving. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Tell me about Malty," he said, "Does she have any special power?"

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