Commander Evan Rothensburg (2)

We entered my study that had just recently been built. Even I was entering here for the first time. It had only been made after I told my parents about my intentions a couple of weeks back. 

The dark wood shelves and table accompanied by an ornate chair made the atmosphere of the place relaxed and comfortable. It wasn't over the top and many of the walls and shelves were still empty. 

It was up to me to decorate over time with trophies of my victories. 

"Please take a seat." I offered to the commander as he sat in front of my desk. I sat behind it while Elina brought over a chair and sat right next to me. 

The 2 assistant commanders that Rothensburg had brought did not sit as they stood behind him. 

"It seems that Lady Elina is already being treated as your equal." said the commander when we were seated. 

"Unlike other noble marriages, our will be a union of 2 heirs. It's only fair that our roles be equal." Elina said. 

I was going to be the heir to the Marquis title of Vornix while she would have the Earl title of Zocraten. Two heirs marrying was almost an impossibility that happened in the empire. 

It was often heirs just marrying partners who were not going to inherit a title. It helped prevent confusion but also prevented unnecessary skirmishes for the title

"I don't think that this is in line with what the imperial family wants. Your families may be only 1 rank apart but your status is vastly different." he commented. 

"The Zacratens might have been barely worthy before but with their recent loss, they are on track to be demoted. The rank judgments are in a couple of months. Unless the Zoacratens can continue to prove worthy of the Earl rank they would be demoted to Count status." 

The commander just wouldn't stop criticizing our relationship from a political standpoint. This man was just too loyal to this darned empire.

"You do not have to worry about the affairs of my family commander. We are more than capable of securing our rank." Elina said with spite and a hint of confidence. 

I had asked what she had planned as they were going to have to rebuild their farm from scratch. This will completely dry their coffers, leaving them to pay the necessary tax to the imperial family. 

This will lead to their demotion from Earl to Count and a possible promotion for another family that could pay the amount. 

She would not tell me how they were going to do so. I wasn't even allowed to provide any significant help as we were not married yet. 

The empire's laws would prevent me from doing so even if we were. 

"You have quite the confidence young lady. I hope you can prove that with your actions." As much as Evan Rothensburgg was a man of many words, he preferred action. 

"I will. Let's put our personal affairs aside and talk business. What brings you to the Vornix estate." Elina was ready to lead the negotiations. 

I couldn't believe how eloquent she had gotten while I was gone. She used to be unable to speak without throwing expletives at the commander. She did that with anyone she disliked. 

I can't believe that she has become this good at keeping her calm. I must commend her afterward for her improvements. 

"You might have seen and heard about the attacks last night. Given your connections, you probably already know that involved the Blood Cult and another unknown group."

"Indeed we have. All noble families were told of the Blood Cult's secret bases being assailed by unknown individuals. The Judicial Department wants us to be well informed." 

The Judicial Department was the branch of the empire that controlled any verdicts or actions related to the legal judgment of all criminals. 

They judged anyone from a petty crook to the worst of terrorists. They were also filled with people who were supported by the noble families so they always informed them when something big happened. 

Last night's commotion was big enough to where the department took no leisure in reporting to the nobles the details that pertained to the event. 

"I wonder if you two have any idea who the group of masked assailants were." 

And there it was. 

"Oh my, how would we know that." Elina giggled. "Are you planning on giving them a medal for their contribution to the empire."

Elina was all for jokes as always. 

"Medals? Hmph, they will be lucky if they don't end up in the gallows after this. Disrupting a military operation and causing public unrest is grounds for execution." 

"We heard they only destroyed the cult's property and no civilians were harmed. I would say they did this more cleanly than most military operations in the past." Elina was making fun of him the military always ended up doing more property damage than needed. 

The amount of their budget that goes towards compensation is quite staggering. 

"Hmph." the commander just grunted and went quiet. He closed his eyes and was thinking. 

When he opened them, he said "Let's cut the bullshit. I've had enough of this noble wordplay and slogged banter." 

"Oh, what do you mean commander?" Elina didn't stop giggling. 

This seemed to piss off the commander. Exactly what she wanted as I could see a couple of his veins pop. 

"I don't care that your 'masked unit' or whatever you call it was involved. I can't touch you anyways. I only want to know if you have my daughter." He was straightforward. 

Whatever information he had, it made him sure that Hera was with the cult that night. 

"Little Hera? We have her. You-"

"Take me to her NOW!" the man could not help but cut Elina off. He got off his seat and demanded us to take him to Hera. 

"Sit down! You are in my house commander. You came here as a soldier and not a friend of my dad." I raised my voice. 

"You can't go to her now!" Elina added. 

'WHY! She is my daughter!" His aura was leaking out more and more. 

"I don't know what her mother has done these last 2 years but she is afraid of you. She thinks you would kill her." Elina then went on to explain exactly how vulnerable the little girl was. 

She had been able to talk to her before breakfast and was able to get a gist of how her life had been. As Elina said, the little girl trusted her deeply. 

"I... can't believe that so much has happened." Commander Evan had calmed down by now as he sat back down. 

"You might have come here as a soldier but you are also an uncle to us. Just give Elina some time to heal Hera's heart. Once we clear some misunderstandings, you can meet her. 

"We will also need some time to remove the mark of the blood cult from her face. We can't have her in public before that."

We did our best to explain to the man how important it was to give the little girl time to get used to a normal life again. As far as we know now, she has been through a lot. Things I don't want to think about. 

"Hah.." he sighed " As always, your men left no evidence of behind. Only bodies." 

"Of course. I was taught to pursue excellence by you. I wouldn't make rookie mistakes." I said. 

It seemed as though he had silently accepted what was going to happen. He would have to wait some weeks or months for Hera to stabilize into a noble lifestyle. 

He could however see her from afar, hidden away from her sight. He was more than capable of doing that. I could see the pain he was in. I knew how much the guy loved the daughter. 

I have no idea how much poison the girl's mother had to spew to make Hera think so badly of her father. 

"You don't need to escort me. I will walk myself out." He got up and was about to leave. He needed his own alone time to process this. 

At least he didn't trouble me with the events of last night. There wasn't anything he could officially do anyway.

As he had mentioned earlier, he wasn't powerful enough to touch the Vornix clan. It is also why he said that Elina's family and mine had a big difference. 

We might only be one noble rank above the Zocraten Earl, the Vornix Marquis held power equivalent to dukes. We also had deep connections both inside and outside the empire. 

Something, that was difficult for 95% to achieve and maintain. 

As much as the Zocratens had connections as well, they paled in comparison to us. Especially now that they were about to go borderline broke trying to fix the plantation. 

It would be hard for the imperial family to accept our marriage if the gap between our ranks increases as well. Marriages between vastly differing backgrounds were prohibited by the empire to prevent certain incidences. 

BOOM!

My thoughts were interrupted by an explosive sound. The door burst open just as the commander was about to reach for it. 

One of my maids ran in and yelled:

"THE BLOOD CULT HAS ATTACKED!"