~ Chapter 85: Seryanna’s mercy ~

[Seryanna’s point of view]

 Obtaining proof to use against the human delegates was going to be tricky, but as it was with any big city in the world, there were always those with the needed information who would be willing to talk for a certain price.

Although as a dragoness I had often been called to be a bit hotheaded, this did not mean that I did not understand the fact that these bastards already had a couple of days head start. In the little time I had left to spend in the capital of the Sarakus Kingdom, I had to make sure I obtained all the information I needed to incriminate them before I launched an attack on their group. As such, I decided to pursue the idea that not only did they had the means to kidnap the princess, but they also had accomplices here in the capital willing to take such a risky mission. This in itself entitled the existence of a hideout or a base of operations of some sort within the Sarakus Kingdom, which would also lead to the existence of some sort of documents or at least a verbal confession. For the latter, I planned to use a simple voice recording tool one could obtain at almost every magic item shop in Albeyater.

Thus, the first thing I wanted to do was to get in contact with those who had the resources and means necessary for taking the princess out of the city unnoticed. This did not mean that they did it, but they could point out towards another lead I could follow. If they happened to confess, however, it would just mean that I got lucky.

My first stop was the slums, the gathering place of the immoral, corrupt, and extremely poor.

These relliars did anything to survive, and with a single gaze I could tell that the living conditions here were horrible. Not only were there feces on the road, but the scent was absolutely horrifying, yet I did not flinch and also abstained from using my flames in case I accidentally set off chain reaction.

“Lady! This be no’ place for ya’!” said one of the relliars as they approached me.

He had a crested left ear, his left eye was missing, and his bottom fangs were poking out from under his lips. He was quite tall for a relliar, and his fur was dark brown like the dirt I was walking on.

Turning towards him, I unsheathed my sword, Drachenkrieg, and struck him with the flat side of the blade. The relliar was tossed into a nearby building, smashing through the walls. While some of the witnesses ran away in fear, I approached the groaning relliar and pointed the tip of my blade at his neck.

“Where can I find some human scum who might enjoy kidnapping little children?” I demanded.

To my left was a family of poor relliars. The mother was holding her child in her arms with her back at us, trying to protect him. For now, I ignored them.

“Ugh... Lady, I kno’ noth’ of no’ ‘nappers.” he said.

“I don’t believe you. Lie again and you won’t see the light of day ever again. Be careful what you tell me. I am seasoned dragoness knight with the approval of his Majesty to cut down any scum I desire. Unless you are a Breakthrough-er or as you relliars say Awakened, then you stand no chance against me.” I warned him.

The man gulped as he looked at the tip of my sword.

“I don’ kno’...” he said and I lifted my blade up a little as a sign of attack “Wait! But I do kno’ a man... He named Long John Whisker. You’ll find ‘im at the No Skull Tavern down the road. Pay him the right coin and he be talkin’“ he replied.

I glared at him for another moment while I was trying to assess if he was telling the truth or not.

He sent me to an informant, and I don’t think this relliar is the type to give his life to save a human. I thought and then sheathed my sword.

“Get out of here.” I told him.

“Yes, ma’am!” he said and quickly left the premise of the building.

Looking to my left, I looked at the cowering family of relliars and told them “Don’t worry, I won’t harm you, and here” I took out a gold coin from my pocket “Use this to repair your house or to get out of this city.” I told them.

“Huh? This...” the mother was surprised.

“Mew~?” the child was also confused, but I bravely resisted his fluffiness.

I left the house and went to look for the informant that guy mentioned. Finding the tavern was easy. Getting past the two tough-looking relliars at the entrance was even easier. I grabbed them by the head and slammed them into each other. The two brutes were left unconscious sprawled on the dirty floor.

“I’m looking for Long John Whiskers!” I declared when I entered the tavern.

As soon as I did that, silence fell within the entire establishment and all the relliars there were looking at me as if they wanted to murder me.

They were all weaklings. I released my killing intent and calmed them down immediately. Only one of them tried to stand up to me, a big brute with a tough-looking mug and a long sword on his back.

“This be no place for ya’ dragons.” he spat next to me.

“...” I looked into his eyes and then punched him in the snout.

The man was sent flying back crashing into a table and then slamming into the wall, almost going through it.

“The next one who tries that will be sent flying... literally.” I glared at them as I cracked my knuckles to make myself clear.

No one dared to comment and returned to their drinks. If these were nobles, they would have tried to kick me out even if they were far weaker than me, but these people who lived in the slums cared more about their lives than their pride.

I walked up to the bartender.

“Where can I find Long John Whiskers.” I asked him.

He was a tall relliar with light-brown fur and a scar on his snout. Unlike the rest of them, he was the only one who remained calm and continued minding his own business, cleaning glasses.

“Are you going to pay for the wall?” he asked without looking at me and continued to work.

“How much.” I asked.

“A gold coin.” he replied.

“Here.” I placed it on the bar.

That got his attention.

“Hm? You actually have the coin and will to pay despite being a noble? Interesting.” he said as he picked up the coin and placed it in his chest pocket.

“Yes. Now where can I find Long John Whiskers. I need to buy some info from him.” I told him.

“You are looking at him. Follow me. We’ll conduct our trade somewhere else.” he said and then snapped his fingers.

In that moment, another relliar walked up to him. He was a teenager around 17 years old.

“Take over for me for a couple of minutes.” he ordered.

“Yes, master.” the boy nodded.

I followed Long John Whiskers all the way to the back and entered a room with only two chairs and a table. There was a Light Crystal on the table instead of a candle. After touching the crystal, the room lit up.

“Please, sit.” he said offering me a chair.

I sat down and placed my coin purse on the table.

“What do you want to know?” he asked as she placed his hands in front of him and showed me a smile.

“I want to know if the human delegation is behind the recent relliar kidnappings.” I told him.

He closed his eyes and said “Ten copper coins.”

I placed a silver coin on the table.

“I don’t know. That’s one of the information I’m also trying to find out. If you know anything, I’ll pay generously.” he showed me a smile.

I snapped my tail in the air.

“Every answer has a price, so ask carefully.” he showed me a smile.

“Then, are there any humans in this city who might be involved in something like this?” I asked.

“Five silver coins.”

I paid.

“Yes. I believe there are three men who have enough bad rumors circulating around them to make you think they are possible kidnappers. They are Steve the Miner, Ronald the Quack, and Silly Vester.” he replied with a smile.

“Where can I find them?”

“One gold coin.”

I paid.

“Steve the Miner is hanging around the northern part of the city. You will find him near the brothel called Twin Tails. He carries around an enchanted mining pickaxe as a weapon. Ronald the Quack is gambler who can’t seem to score right, but he’s one sneaky little thief. You’ll find him here in the slums. His house is the one with the broken window at the end of this road. As for Silly Vester, he’s a rumored bandit and rapist. He hangs around with his band of misfit relliars in the southern part of the city at the Recall Inn.” he said.

“Steve the Miner, Ronald the Quack, and Silly Vester. Those are some weird names.” I said.

“Their real ones are unknown, but Silly Vester is rumored to be one of those mysterious human heroes.” he showed me a smile.

“Is that information free?” I asked.

“Yes. After all, if you do end up crossing swords with him, it will be towards my benefit.”

“I understand. Thank you.” I nodded.

“No need for thanks. This was business after all, nya~” he said twitching his whiskers.

I got up from the chair and took my coin purse, leaving the payment for the information on the table.

The first one I went to visit was Ronald the Quack, the thief who lived not that far from the No Skull Tavern. Before I entered his home, I activated the voice recorder in my pocket.

The door was locked, so I smashed it down with a kick. The loud sound woke him up from his dreams. He was currently laying on the table with three empty bottles of mead next to him. This place smelled worse than a convict’s cell.

“Who are you?!” he asked.

“I’m your worst nightmare.” I showed him a smile and then unsheathed my sword.

Seeing this, he made a high-pitched sound and tried to run away, but I stopped him by grabbing him from behind and slamming his face into the floor.

“The relliar kidnappers. Where are they?” I asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he shouted and broke his left arm.

“AAA!!!” he screamed in pain.

The bones were poking out through his flesh and the blood was pouring it out really fast.

“Tell me now and I will show you mercy.” I told him.

“You crazy dragon!” he shouted.

“The kidnappers. Where are they?” I asked again as I grabbed his other hand.

“W-Wait! I-I don’t know!” he replied.

I started to squeeze.

“No! Don’t! I really don’t know! My job is only to pay the guards to look away! I get a bag of coins, I pay the relliars, then I go mind my own business! I really don’t know anything else!” he shouted and looked at me with trembling eyes.

“What happens if you don’t do it?” I asked him.

“Ugh...” he flinched when he felt the pain in his broken arm.

If I didn’t hurry this up, he was going to faint.

“Tell me.” I demanded.

“A big guy, a relliar, comes by and beats me up. Of course, I always did my part...” he replied.

“Good. Now go meet your gods.” I told him.

“Wha...” he didn’t get to finish his words because I grabbed him by the neck and then snapped it like a twig.

His lifeless body fell on the floor. Just like I promised him, I showed mercy by killing him quick.

I deactivated the voice recorder, but when I was about to leave his home, I noticed a small note on the table. There was a date and hour written on it.

“This was two days ago... If the human delegation didn’t have Shelly with them, then they took her out then.” I said and took the note as evidence.

The next one I paid a visit to was Steve the Miner. I found the brothel in question quite fast. When I asked about it, everyone thought I was interested in buying a prostitute. I ignored them on that part.

As soon as I began searching for the human, I had the unfortunate luck of stumbling upon him in a back alley right after he was done with his ‘business’, which was raping a relliar woman. She was crying and trembling while holding onto her ripped off clothes.

Steve the Miner was a tall man with a big belly. While he was quite fat, he did show to have some good muscles on him. Just as Long John Whiskers said, the human was carrying around a pickaxe as a weapon.

“Who are you? Round two?” he asked with a smirk as he was tying his belt.

The answer I gave him was a bit different. I unsheathed my sword and cut off his left hand at the shoulder, then I kicked him in the chest and sent him flying back all the way into the main street.

I walked up to him while he was screaming in pain and trying to stop the building. I activated the voice recorder.

“Who are you?! You crazy woman!” he shouted.

As I came out of the alley, I spread my wings and pointed my sword at him.

“Tell me where the relliar kidnappers are.” I demanded.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about lady! ARGH! My arm! You are nuts! You cut off my arm for that?! I’ll kill you! I’ll frickin’ kill you!” he shouted.

“Is that so?” I said and then I slashed off his other arm.

“AAARGH!” he screamed in pain while the relliars around us watched in fear. Since the brothel was close enough, some of the customers were looking out the window, trying to see what the commotion was about.

“You really don’t know?” I asked.

“NO! You crazy whore! You cut off my arms!” he screamed.

“I see.” I nodded and then I cut off both of his legs in one fell swoop.

He screamed and shouted again.

“I’m surprised you thought you would get away with raping that poor woman. Here, let me help you by sending you off to your gods.” I showed him a smile and then cut his torso in half, spreading his insides on the ground. “Let that be a lesson for any foolish male who thinks he can get away with raping women!” I shouted.

No one said a word.

I deactivated the voice recorder and sheathed my sword, then I went back into the alley. The woman was still there, trembling in fear and crying.

“He’s dead. You’re defiling has been avenged. Here, for your clothes.” I said and gave her a gold coin. “Don’t let what happened to you today stop you from finding true love.” I told her and then left.

The last one I had to pay a visit to was the bandit called Silly Vester. If the rumor about him coming from the same world as Alkelios true, then I had to be careful with how I fought against him.

The Recall Inn wasn’t that hard to find. Asking the guards about where I could find it immediately got me an answer and also a warning about the ruffians hanging around that place. They didn’t try to stop because they saw the high quality of both my armor and weapon and couldn’t think that such items were given to someone who lacked power.

Just as the guards told me, this place was surrounded by humans and relliars who were the perfect image of ruffians and bandits. It was as if they were flaunting their dirty and mean-looking appearance. Normally, one would try to hide the fact that they might do notorious deeds like stealing and pillaging.

“A dragon? Here?” one of the humans asked raising an eyebrow.

“Last I checked I was female.” I said and then smacked him with the back of my hand, sending him flying into the wall of a nearby building.

I then turned towards the others, who appeared to be a bit confused about what just happened. I didn’t let this opportunity slip by and immediately rushed at them, punching them in the guts and elbowing them in the cheeks. In the blink of an eye, all the seven ruffians who stood guard here were knocked out cold on the ground.

Ignoring the audience of relliars who kept their distance from me, I walked up to the door and kicked it open.

“GUHA!” someone groaned as he was sent flying back together with the door.

Silence fell over the establishment, and I stepped inside while activating the voice recorder in my pocket.

“Good day. I’m looking for Silly Vester.” I said with a smile as I unsheathed Drachenkrieg and let the flames lick over the blade.

“Who be askin’?” someone called out.

It was a human who stood as tall as me but could be confused with a relliar for how hairy he was. Yet, unlike the fluffy, he was disgusting. I could feel the stench of unwashed clothes and booze reeking from him.

“A dragoness who is looking for relliar kidnappers.” I said and then pointed my sword at him. “Where is Silly Vester?” I asked.

Several of them looked at each other when I spoke these words. No doubt they knew something.

“Get out, now!” the big man demanded as he pointed at the exit.

“Hm?” I showed him a smile and then struck him with the flat side of my sword, sending him flying into a nearby wall and gravely injuring him.

Now that I had caught their attention, they got up from their seats and took out their weapons.

“Where is Silly Vester? If you don’t answer now, someone might die.” I declared.

“Why should we tell you where the boss is?” one of them asked.

With a smile on my lips, I made the flames on my sword pour onto the floor and then move towards the entrance as if they were alive. In the next moment, a huge fire blocked the exit.

“Because otherwise, I will be forced to cut down each and every one of you until someone talks.” I declared as I narrowed my eyes at them.

A long time ago, I would have tried to reach a deal with them, something along the lines of them stopping with the kidnapping, and I would ignore some of their crimes. Back then, I didn’t have the power to destroy a bandit group like the Twin Dagger or the resources to make it crumble from within. All I could do was bite hard and turn a blind eye to them, especially if I wanted to use their [Purse] ring.

Back then, things were difficult for me, but now, there was nothing this pathetic group of relliars and humans could offer me in exchange for me looking the other way. On the contrary, I had more than enough power and authority as well as resources to turn them into dust.

“Lady, we have the backing of some rather powerful nobles. Do you really think you can just get away with this?” one of them asked with a smirk.

“Funny, but I think they were the ones who sent me after you.” I replied.

It was a lie, but this would cause the survivors to seek revenge against the corrupt nobles.

“Now, where is your boss? I promise to show him mercy if he’s honest with me. I just need a bit of information, that’s all.” I said.

“Don’t be afraid of her magic! Just attack her!” someone shouted.

“Yeah! She’ not so tough!” another commented.

“Bring her down!” the crowd began to rally.

“Cut off her tail!” someone shouted.

“Make her cook us dinner!”

That last one appeared to have different priorities from the rest of them.

“Is that so? Then come at me.” I said with a smile.

“YARGH!” a human wearing chain mail armor attacked me with his short sword.

Unlike this bunch, I wore the armor my precious husband made for me and wielded the sword he gifted me. They were not simple decorations, they were extremely powerful pieces of equipment. A single halfhearted swipe with Drachenkrieg was all it took to cut this man, his armor, and his sword in half.

I stepped aside and his remains fell on the floor next to me.

“Next.” I said.

“GET HER!” someone shouted in the back, and they all came attacking.

I took a deep breath in and released my fire breath upon the first two. The third I kicked in the side, sending him flying through the wall and out into the street, where he gave his last breath. Another one tried to take me by surprise with his daggers, but I slapped him across the cheek with my tail and then crushed his ribs with the flat side of my sword.

Jumping back, I avoided the hammer of a big brute and then I punched him in the face, sending him flying into the support column of the building.

I grabbed another one by the head and sent him flying through the roof, his body smashing through the ceiling and then falling out on the rooftop. Using my flames, I set the top floor on fire, causing the bandits hiding there to flee in screams.

Two others grabbed my left hand, trying to hold me down, but I lifted them off the ground and then smashed them into the floor. The wood planks broke, and they fell into the basement, while I avoided the fall by jumping forward onto another one of them.

I kicked him with my knee in the jaw, knocking him out unconscious and then grabbed the nearest relliar bandit and sent him flying towards the back exit. His body slammed into one of the bandits.

“No one goes anywhere!” I declared as I landed on the floor.

“Wait! If we tell you who Silly Vester is, will you spare us?” someone asked as he fell on his knees and begged.

“Yes.” I replied.

“Really?!” he blinked surprised.

“Yes, now tell me.”

“It’s that guy!” he pointed at the man in the back who was trying to flee.

“Traitor!” he cried out revealing himself.

“Good. All of you can go now.” I smirked as I walked towards the human at the back.

“Shit! If it comes to this, then die! [Holy Cow Catastrophe]!” he shouted the name of his weird ability.

In front of him, a big circle appeared and from within it a monster came out. It was a panther with two snake tails and red eyes like a demon. If I was not wrong, this beast was quite powerful on the Human Continent, but it was mediocre on the Dragon Continent.

“Kill her!” Vester ordered.

The monster jumped forward, trying to aim for my jugular, but it was too slow. I grabbed it by the scruff and then sent it flying towards the entrance. The monster slammed through the frame and tumbled a few times on the street.

“[Magma Spear]” I cast.

A spear of molten rock formed in front of me and then flew at lightning speed towards the panther. It didn’t even had time to dodge and as result, it was skewered by the attack. The monster died without having accomplished a single thing and then its remains vanished in a bright light.

“Now then.” I said and then rushed towards the human, cutting his left hand at the shoulder.

“GYAAA!” he screamed in pain, but I slapped him across the face to make him shut up.

“Where did you send the kidnapped relliars. Tell me! NOW!” I demanded.

“Ugh... you crazy monster.” he groaned.

I stabbed his left leg with my sword, cutting through his flesh like butter.

“AGH!” he screamed.

“If you don’t want me to chop it off, then start talking.” I demanded.

“OK! OK! Just don’t kill me.”

I didn’t promise anything.

“Once I grab a batch of relliars, I send them to Mashat Town. The human tra... ugh! The human traffickers have a base there.” he said.

“A base?” I asked.

“Yes... Damn, this hurts! It’s right under the Church of the Pantheon of Zeus, big building, can’t miss it.” he said.

“Good. Now tell me, did you kidnap recently a young relliar girl with golden fur?” I asked.

“That brat? Yes. She’s the princess, right? We drugged her real good so she doesn’t make a fuss, but the buyer ordered us not to touch her.” he said.

“Is that so?” I nodded.

“That’s all I know, lady. Now let me go...” he begged.

“Sure.” I nodded and then I snapped his neck in two with my hand.

His lifeless body fell on the ground in front of me, and I sent my flame to devour it until there was nothing left.

So, it is under the Church of the Pantheon of Zeus in Mashat Town? Maybe that is just a drop off point. It is too far from a port, but judging by the direction... Are they shipping the relliars to the Human Kingdom via a boat in Donmar Port? I wondered.

Getting out of the burning inn, I walked up to the main street and called to one of the guards who came to see what the commotion was about.

“You there!”

“Yes? What’s going on here?! Who did this?” he asked confused.

“Go and tell King Kragarr that Seryanna Draketerus is heading towards Mashat Town.” I told him.

“Why should I?” he asked showing distrust in his gaze.

“Because I’m a very important political guest and he will definitely want to know where I am. You can choose not to do it, but I will eventually find someone who will, and they will get all the glory.” I replied with a smile.

The relliar looked at me and then at the burning inn, then back at me.

“Alright.” he nodded.

“Good!” I replied with a smile.

With this done, I spread my wings and flew up into the sky.

My next stop was going to Mashat Town. I was making good progress.

[Elleyzabelle’s point of view]

 While Seryanna went to chase after the humans who kidnapped the relliar princess, I paid a visit to Queen Drameer Ruvus, the wife of Kragarr Ruvus. She welcomed us inside her room, where she served us tea and offered us the pleasure of partaking in casual conversation with her.

This relliar woman was someone who showed the elegance and refined taste of the royal family in every action she took. Her hair was of a beautiful golden color, while her general fur tended more towards a pale orange. It was an interesting set of colors that matched her green eyes.

Queen Drameer did not shy away from the fact that she gave birth to more than one child, her body took on a bit of weight as a result of that. If I were to describe her, I would say she was somewhere between puffy and chubby, but definitely not fit.

“Are you worried about the young princess?” I asked her.

Perking her ears up, the relliar looked back at me and replied “What mother wouldn’t worry about her own cub when she was kidnapped by those monsters!” her hand shook and the tea splashed out. “Ah! Pardon me!” she said and quickly took out a napkin to wipe it off.

“There is no need to worry, your Majesty, my knight will surely catch those fiends. Though, I can’t promise they will be returned for a fair trial.” I said and took a sip from my cup.

I should ask her to gift me some boxes of this tea. I think mother will like it as well. I thought.

“How can you be so certain?” the Queen asked.

Her hand had stopped in the middle of wiping the handle of the cup. Her eyes staring at the hot liquid inside and her brow was furrowed.

“Your Majesty...” I closed my eyes and took another sip from the tea “The humans have a saying about us dragons, maybe you’ve heard of it?” I said.

“A saying? Don’t they have quite a lot of them?”

“Yes. But there is one in particular that fits this situation.” I opened my eyes and looked down at the tea in my cup “Blessed be the friends of dragons and pity the souls of the fools who chose to be their foes.” I said.

“I don’t think I heard of it.” she said.

“It’s a funny saying which they tend to ignore for the most part, but it does speak a truth about our species. In general, when looking at us from the outside, we appear calm, collected, peaceful, even cute, but that is only among our friends and family.” I moved my gaze from the cup of tea in my hand and looked into the relliar Queen’s eyes “When someone threatens our family, our friends, our loved ones, we aren’t afraid to make the world bow down before us in awe and fear. Right now, those foolish humans dared to kidnap the friend of a dragoness who set ablaze a whole battlefield of brave dragons.” I said and showed her a smile.

“I don’t know what to say... I just want my precious daughter back.” she said with worry in her eyes.

Looking towards the window, I spotted Kataryna creating ice spears with her magic and then launching them at something.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I asked “What are you doing?”

“Hm~? I’m using Tanarotte as target practice.” she replied with a smile.

“What? That sounds dangerous, you should stop.” I told her.

She looked at me with a blank expression, but a bigger ice spear now formed and was launched outside the window.

“GYAAA! RIGHT IN THE FACE!” I heard her scream all the way up here, making even Queen Drameer perk her ears up in surprise.

Kataryna’s lips slowly curled up in the form of a devious smile.

That dragoness survived such an attack. Hm, considering what she went through already and the fact that she has quite a high power number, Tanarotte could prove to be quite a valuable asset for the Albeyater Kingdom. I thought.

“Very well! From now on, Tanarotte is part of your Knight Order. Pick a name for it and we’ll discuss it back home with father.” I said with a satisfied nod.

“What?” Kataryna looked at me with big eyes.

“You seem to like her very much, that’s why I’m entrusting her training to you.” I replied as I resumed drinking my tea.

“What?” her left eye twitched.

“Hm~ This is some good tea.” I said with a smile as I looked back at Queen Drameer.