Dark Lord in Chains 7

A sense of relief filled my heart the moment my chains clicked open. My sudden freedom tasted delicious, even though it was highly limited. I wanted to walk around, maybe even go for a midnight swim… 

Pity that once more, I had more urgent things to do than sheer enjoyment. I was in the heart of the Empire, and whether I liked it or not, my fate was still linked to the political winds. Even the fact that the Queen wanted the Eternal Core wouldn’t change this fact, especially if there were other parties that were trying to undermine her. 

Luckily, I already had my clue in the form of Emma’s mysterious mind arts teacher, some person that was either so incompetent that they were sent by the Queen’s rivals, or they were intentionally teaching Emma garbage in the hopes that she would accidentally turn me into a broken husk, therefore destroying the only clue about the location of the Eternal Core, probably killing Emma in the process as well. 

They might be fancier, but when it came to shove Light Faction was no less merciless than us in politics. Maybe even more, since they didn’t have the option of outright murder. 

I gave Emma a minute to get away from the door before I cast a spell that would cover my figure with shadows, effectively making me invisible as long as I was close to dark corners. Only after that I unlocked the door, and stepped into the corridor, just as Emma had disappeared in the spiral stairs, climbing down. 

Having access to my magic once more was an amazing feeling, I decided as I followed Emma from a distance, not making a sound as I walked. My days as a freelance assassin taught me how to move unnoticed through a group of alert guards, following a single girl who was too distracted by her own arousal was a child’s play. 

At the main door of the tower, I watched carefully as Emma cast a complicated spell, effectively creating a temporary key for the door, unaware that I was memorizing the spell itself. Just as she was about to complete the spell, I walked behind her, carefully staying in her blind spot, like I was a second shadow. When the door opened, she walked out, blissfully unaware of my presence. 

Just like that, we were in a tight secret passage, illuminated by the flickering lights of a few sparse crystals, spread along evenly. I was lucky that the forbidden tower I was in was relying on obscurity rather than detailed defenses. The lack of guards made the task of escaping much easier. 

I let Emma move forward a bit before following her, carefully memorizing the steps I took and turns I made. The secret passage had several different corridors, so I didn’t want to make a wrong turn on the way back. 

However, things were more difficult once Emma cast another unlocking spell, and stepped into a normal-looking room. Panickedly, I followed her into the room, once again staying in her blind spot as she closed the entrance. I leveraged the flare of her own spell to attach a small tracking charm to her clothes, then hid behind her closet. 

Hiding from just Emma was simple, but the same thing wasn’t applicable for a crowded corridor. Emma left the room immediately, leaving me alone. I glanced around, focusing on the paintings on the walls. One of them belonged to Emma, the other belonged to another redheaded woman, probably an ancestor, likely her mother or grandmother. 

Interestingly, other than the pictures, there wasn’t much that caught my attention in the room. It was relatively small, and while it had quality furnishing, it was still not as impressive considering Emma’s situation. Just another evidence that she was being sidelined. 

Still, I had more important things to do than focusing on Emma’s relative positioning in palace politics. For example, a better disguise than my horrible prison clothing. With a sigh, I opened Emma’s wardrobe, afraid of the selection I would find. 

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when I found a box of male clothing on the bottom of the wardrobe, each piece carefully washed and folded. “I wonder if they belong to Lancelot,” I murmured in amusement. Stealing his clothes as a part of their dysfunctional courtship was just the thing Emma might do, instead of just talking and conveying her attraction. 

We didn’t have the same size, but luckily, I was handy with household magic, so altering them took a couple of minutes. Then, I walked to her bathroom, using some of the cosmetics and generous amounts of magic to create some temporary hair dye. I used some of her makeup to enhance my disguise —most people relied exclusively on magic for disguises, which was always a risky proposition— and voila. I looked like a lazy minor noble in his sixties. 

I disguised myself as an older man, because dismissed the older people more easily, and dementia was always a good excuse if I got caught in an area I wasn’t supposed to be in. Disguising as a servant would have been better if I knew the layout of the palace and recognized the key members of the staff. 

After making sure my disguise was complete, I cracked the door, and only stepped out after making sure the corridor was empty. No need to create gossip of an older gentleman having an illicit relationship with one of the most prominent heroines of the Empire. 

The palace corridors just as I expected. Tastefully designed but still opulent, generous application of marble sprinkled with the occasional touch of silver and gold. Other than white, the predominant colors were light blue and light green, creating a very relaxed feel that still reinforced the impression of Light. Understandable, considering the Empire positioned itself as the center of the Light Faction for several centuries. They wanted the image to support it. 

As I walked down the corridors with the idle gait of a nobleman who had nothing to do but laze around all day, I didn’t get a lot of attention. I did receive some mocking glares because what I was wearing wasn’t the height of the latest fashion, but it wasn’t as attention-grabbing as a young nobleman out of fashion, another reason I chose to disguise myself as an old man. 

I would have loved to have the opportunity to visit the library, or sit around and listen to the gossip of the servants, which would have provided me with the information I required. It was a pity that I had an important mission. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to focus on the tracer I had left on Emma, before I started following it. 

“Nice,” I murmured when I found myself outside, in the palace gardens. It had been a while since I had enjoyed nature. The fresh smell of grass mixed with the sweetness of the flowers was a good chance after the stale air of my cell. Normally, I preferred natural greenery over the extremely-meticulous style of gardening in front of me, but it was still leagues better than the empty walls of my cell. 

With that, I stepped into the hedge maze that my skill was pointing without any concern. I was relaxed, because the maze was poorly illuminated, which filled the place with shadows. A perfect environment for my shadow trick, and its constant twists and turns made it even easier. 

Emma and her mystery associate weren’t the only people inside, I realized. The maze occasionally had wider openings with benches, though I could notice subtle carvings of runes that maintained the privacy of the occupants. So, when I finally found Emma and her so-called teacher, I wasn’t surprised when I couldn’t hear anything they were saying. 

As I closed in, I examined Emma’s accomplice, while trying to suppress my desire to whistle in appreciation. It was a brunette woman with flawless alabaster skin, probably in her early thirties, but could be very easily mistaken for early-twenties instead with her beautiful face. She could be considered tall for a woman, had a slim, willowy body, and neither her hips nor her bust was particularly large. She wasn’t flat by any means, but her assets were not as generous as the other women I had the pleasure of spending time together recently. 

However, that didn’t mean that she lacked sexual appeal. On the contrary, she had a deliciously-sharp aura that shouted femme fatale to my educated gaze, something that was reinforced by her shoulder-length curled hair, blood-red lipstick, and a black dress with an impressive slit that revealed her smooth leg to maximum effect, deep enough to reveal that she wasn’t wearing any underwear. 

I had to admit, I was impressed. Not just her looks, but the aggressive persona she was displaying in the center of the Empire, which was famously conservative. I couldn’t help but wonder about who she was. 

Breaking the privacy wards was a risk I wasn’t willing to take before I had the opportunity to examine them more in detail, so I stayed in the shadows. I tried to read their lips, only to realize that it was somehow still gibberish, proving my conservative decision correct. The ward was too complex to take down in a couple of minutes, especially when it was occupied. 

So, I spent my time examining their expression. Emma was excited as she spoke, her hands dancing happily with each sentence, no doubt explaining her great success. 

The brunette was listening to her with a smile that seemed to be satisfied, but I didn’t miss the frustration and anger that was flaring up whenever Emma looked away. Just as I guessed, she was not happy with Emma’s success. Their discussion lasted for almost twenty more minutes, and after Emma stopped, the brunette started explaining something calmly, occasionally touching Emma’s forehead. 

She was teaching Emma mental arts, allowing me to confirm that she was not just an intermediary but the trainer that was sabotaging her —intentionally as well, considering her barely-hidden displeasure as she listened to Emma’s so-called success. 

I had a new target to follow. 

Emma left soon after they completed their training session, leaving the brunette alone in the alcove. The brunette left a minute later, but not before sending a magical signal. A well-dressed maid stepped into the alcove in just a few seconds. She was dressed no different than some of the other staff I had seen, except she had a coat of arms on her left shoulder, marking her as a private servant of House Fernhand.

The identity of the maid revealed the identity of the mysterious brunette, but I couldn’t help but feel surprised. House Fernhand was a well-known house of the Empire, but it wasn’t one of the inner echelons. They shouldn’t be strong enough to plot against the Queen. 

“The mystery deepens,” I murmured in amusement as the maid left, and I followed her immediately. I wanted to see the destination of the letter, which was a safer option than trying to follow someone back into their protected estate. And since I had an idea about the identity of the brunette, I could find her another day. 

However, following the maid was definitely not a boring activity. The first reason was the uniform of the maid. Initially, her uniform was tastefully conservative, but after she entered into the servant quarters, she sped up, and her skirt started to flutter, revealing her toned, muscular legs —though not in an ugly way. She reminded me of my special bodyguards, educated in combat but still maintaining her beauty. 

And what a beauty she had. She had an exotic look with her pale skin, slanted eyes, and tight figure. Her bosom seemed modest, but looked delicious nonetheless. 

When she stepped into a small storage room, I stayed outside, but watched from the keyhole, despite the risk of being caught. I didn’t want to miss her using another secret passage, but since she was more alert than Emma, I didn’t dare to walk behind her like I was her shadow. 

She immediately cast an unlocking spell, confirming my guess about her destination. However, I couldn’t help but smirk when she pulled a small bag from the secret passage, and pulled a pair of pants and a shirt from it, both dark gray. I leaned further into the keyhole, not willing to miss the show. 

She was methodical as she removed her clothes, giving me a glimpse of her body. Her body was just as tight as I guessed, though there was one rather interesting surprise. Chest bindings were wrapped around her torso tightly, suggesting that she might not be as flat as I first saw, making me curious about her true sizes. Another interesting fact was her scars, suggesting that her life wasn’t entirely peaceful. They were old and faded, and interestingly enough, they just added to her sex appeal. 

I liked to tame dangerous ladies. 

After changing, she took the secret tunnel, closing the entrance after she passed. I slipped into the storage room, and opened the entrance by copying her spell. However, rather than following her immediately, I grabbed the servant clothes she left behind, and carefully cast a few spells on them, allowing me to track them further. 

Only then I started following her, easily since the tunnel had no intersection. After ten minutes of careful jogging, she stepped outside, to the inner city. 

I smirked in shock. Just like that, I had discovered a way out of the palace, which was supposed to be a near-impossible task for me. Technically, I could escape the capital city of the Empire, which I assumed to be impossible. 

However, just because I had the option didn’t mean that I should do so. At this point, I was skilled enough to get away, but I didn’t have a plan even if I succeeded in that. I needed more information, and discovering the mysterious ally of Queen Sapphire’s enemies was a good start. 

I followed the maid for almost an hour. She was good. She doubled-back several times, left false tracks, and even changed her disguises. Too bad that I was better. Then, finally, she dropped the letter in a concealed box in an abandoned street. 

She went away, but I stayed there, waiting for the next person to pick it up. That person came twenty minutes later, dressed in opulent clothes, looking like a wealthy merchant. The best strategy was to tail him back to his base of operations, then use several agents to map his all interactions, identifying several more contact people in the process. 

Too bad that I lacked the time and the resources to actually do it. So, I followed him two streets before appearing behind him, and grabbed his throat. “Hello, my friend,” I said with a whisper. I was slightly surprised when he turned, his hand crackling with darkish purple energy. 

I was startled, not because of the attack itself, but by the familiarity of it. Even before his attack connected, I grabbed his wrist and cast the counter-spell, and he collapsed in pain. “Hello, little one,” I said mockingly before whispered a keyword. “Isougrim.”  

“I’m sorry, Dark One,” the guy exclaimed as he collapsed on the ground, his face pressing against the ground despite its dirtiness, his hands open. He was shocked, because I had just used a keyword that signaled my position as a member of the Dark Council, one that had access to his master key. Of course, I had used a lower-level keyword. There were hundreds of members of the Dark Council, though having one in the middle of the Empire was still a rarity. 

More importantly, I was able to use the correct keyword. I was able to do that easily, because I recognized the spell. It was invented by Vradan the Adept, who was one of the seven members of the executive committee of the dark council —the strongest after the Dark Lord. Vradan was also one of my betrayers.   

“I have a few questions for you, little one,” I said with a mocking smirk.

“Dark One, my orders disallow me from speaking anyone but my handler-” he started, only to fell silent when I put my foot above his head. 

“Little one, be smart,” I said. “I’m here despite knowing which group you belong in the council. Do you really think that I’m going to stop just because I’m afraid of angering your handler? You’re going to speak either way, the only difference is whether you’ll be able to see the sun again.” 

“I-I understand,” he stammered, with fear. 

“Don’t be like that,” I said with a chuckle as I gestured him to stand up. “Suddenly finding yourself in the middle of a plot is not a good experience, but that doesn’t have to be bad. Play your cards right, and keep your handler from getting suspicious, and who knows, maybe you can get a Council Seat.” I sighed. “There’s going to be a lot of empty seats in near future, after all.” 

The sudden change of expression on his face was understandable. After all, what I outlined was a good opportunity despite the risks. Being a double agent was risky, but also had great benefits for him if he could play it right. I had a feeling that I could count on his greet. “I understand, Dark One,” he said obediently. “What do you want to know.” 

“Hmm… Let’s start with your handler,” I said with a smirk, enjoying the way he started to sweat. Understandable, as by starting on his handler, I was basically forcing him to betray his faction, and worse, he couldn’t even lie, because he didn’t know how much I knew. A bluffing attempt might be his end. 

With a sigh that signaled his surrender, he first explained the structure of his cell without telling a single lie. Smart, I thought, before changing the topic and grilled him about a lot of topics, most of it targeting events that I already knew before my capture to make sure he wasn’t going to try to slip a lie, before I started grilling about his role in communication with House Fernhand. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to learn much from him, and none of the things I learned was good. It was clear that Vradan and his group were communicating with House Fernhand greatly, and it seemed that the potions and Emma’s faulty training was a way to assassinate me. I didn’t know whether it originated from House Fernhand or Vradan, but either way, it was rather bad news. 

I had even more enemies than I had expected. Which meant, escaping was not an option, not if I was willing to live as a peasant or a bandit for the rest of my life. Even for me, trying to build a new power base was impossible while being hunted by several Dark and Light faction simultaneously. 

“Good work,” I said, and let my new intelligence asset go, but not before learning everything about his house and his safehouses across the city. It was likely that he concealed some personal safe houses, but that was understandable. He wouldn’t use them unless he was willing to take the risk of being hunted by my mysterious faction —impossible to find, even, considering it didn’t exist— as well as surrendering a future where he could actually become a member of the Dark Council. 

Still, despite some bad news, I was satisfied with the benefits I had earned today. However, as I walked back to the secret passage, I had one question in mind. Should I return to my cell, or should I push my luck a bit more?