Chapter 135

I covered my eyes and took a breath. "You're kidding."

The bull-man laughed. "I couldn't make up a joke that ridiculous, truly."

The book that summoned me here, the one I found in the backpack of the dead man I found outside, was labeled a fake. I didn't really know how to feel about that. The last time I looked at the book I still couldn't read it, I wasn't sure what language it was written in and that was one of the requirements that made [Sightspeak] work. Since it hasn't been relevant for a while the book slipped my mind. I didn't have much reason to further examine it and showing it to anyone seemed like a bad idea.

"You know where the book is don't you?" The man asked.

I shifted my weight. I knew I couldn't answer that but not saying anything was as good as admitting it. I tried to quickly come up with another question to change the subject but it was too late.

"You do! Great! Let me out of here and I can finish up this little 'divine quest' of mine."

I crossed my arms again. "Why should I let you out? I don't see how your divine quest changes anything for me. I don't have any reason to trust you past the fact that we both 'follow' Sorsette."

He scratched his beard. "I suppose that's true. But aren't you curious about the book? I'm a librarian at The Great Library of Sorsette, I could tell you a bit more about it. Or if that's not enough, I could help you with whatever else you're looking for. Even if I don't have the knowledge myself, I would know where to find more information and point you in the right direction. It would be like getting the favor of an information broker."

I looked at the ceiling in thought. I don't have any reason to trust him but it's pretty clear to me now that he isn't affiliated with the cult of Amphores. I couldn't in good conscience just leave him locked up here. I didn't really want to give him the book but I also still didn't know anything about it. After everything that has happened, I've basically ignored my goal of finding out more about what happened to me, how I got here. This is the first solid lead I've found on that front...

I sighed and looked back down at him. "If I let you out of here are you going to attack any of us? My party or the guards?"

He shrugged in response. "Will you agree to give me the book?"

"Will you tell me about the book, its contents, and what it means if I give it to you?" I asked.

"I wouldn't mind telling you everything I can about it if you let me out of here and give me the book in the end." The [Zone of truth] pulsed an affirmative.

I scratched the base of my horn. "If I let you out and promise to give you the book after a conversation about its contents, will you attack me or any of my guards?"

He smiled. "There, now you're learning. You have to be more direct with your questions, leave less wiggle room in them. No, I will not harm anyone unless I'm being attacked if you promise to give me the book in the end."

I sighed again. "Fine. I promise to give you the book after a conversation about it."

I released the magic and walked over to the wall where the key was left. I picked it up from the floor and slid the metal key into the door's lock. The door mechanism was heavy and for a moment I was worried the key was going to snap but with a groan of protest the door kerklunked open. The man didn't hesitate in the slightest to quickly step over the mummified corpses and into the open hallway.

I looked him up and down again, noting how little he was wearing. "Why are you mostly naked anyway?"

Theo laughed. "My clothes got torn up in the fight, torn to shreds really, and it was really hot during the day so I pulled them off. I wasn't carrying any spare clothes so here I am."

His body didn't have any marks on him. Before I could say anything he continued, "I have a skill that hardens my body, unfortunately, it doesn't work on my clothes so they got ripped up in the fight. It's happened a few times but I was traveling light this time. Like I said, I really didn't expect to run into this many people when I was sneaking in this way."

I started walking towards the door. "Right... well maybe we can find you some clothes before you have to walk through the city mostly naked."

"Is the Baron still alive? These guys got in this far so I assume it was a major incident. Did Norrin Morrister live through all of this?" He asked.

I turned to look up at the tall man. "No. Morrister is dead, his daughter escaped but she's not in the city anymore."

His face turned grim. "Shame. I won't lie and say he was always a great man, but he did more to restrict slavery in this country than any of the other backward nobles in Torlimal."

"Did the abolitionist movement die with him?" I asked.

He turned his head in thought for a moment before looking back. "Not entirely but I think he was the only noble to be publicly against it, at least the only one that had any kind of real influence. There are merchants and churches against it as always and almost all beastkin are against it, at least in this country. The main obstacle is that the late king was staunchly in favor of it, he viewed it as essential for growing his empire. His son who now sits on the throne hasn't said anything publicly about it but there's no reason to believe he would be any less in favor of it than his father was. Most of Baron Morrister's reforms hadn't gone anywhere yet but his actions were starting to worry some of the regions that benefit from slavery the most in this country."

"Do you think that was the reason for this attack? It seems to me they would have the most to gain from his death but that theory seems a little at odds with a cult of demon summoners being the ones to carry it out. They are searching for the daughter too which implies that their goals are a little more focused than purely causing chaos for the sake of it."

"Are you certain those men are demon summoners?" he asked.

"I am. I found a coded journal yesterday from a coconspirator. He said the 'cult of Amphores' were the ones that paid him to use his house for one of the rituals that summoned a demon in town. He must have died in the confusion because he left a man he meant to keep with him hanging from a wall for almost a month."

"I haven't heard of that specific cult before but it's hard to believe there would normally be a connection between the two groups, even if their goals were aligned somehow. I suppose they could just be hired mercenaries but this seems like a rather extreme form of an assassination attempt if the entire castle has been sacked."

I shook my head. "That's the weirdest part. They didn't really take much from what I could see. They were more focused on killing the Baron and releasing demons into the city and castle. It looks more like killing the baron and destabilizing the city was their goal but that doesn't explain why they were so focused on hunting his daughter."

He stopped and turned to completely face me. "Releasing demons into the city? This wasn't just an attack on the castle?"

"No, the entire city is in chaos. They released several large demons into the city and a lot of the city guards have been killed. As a result the city is barely under control and the guards are spread so thin they're mainly only keeping the gates protected. From what I've been told, there are gangs freely running around at night and refugees flooding out of the city. There is also a food shortage and some parts of town still have smaller demons skulking around. Even the adventurer's guild was still burned to the ground when I got here, any adventurers that haven't left already are probably working as private guards right now."

"Shit. What the fuck did I just walk into."

"Don't look at me," I shrugged. "Most of this stuff was happening before Traehall had even gotten word about any of this. I was as surprised as you were when I got here."

I walked over and opened the door and led him into the room with the guards. Theo trailed behind me at a respectful distance.

Jasper glanced at him behind me before focusing on me again. "I wish you would have warned me before letting him out on your own. I take it he isn't a threat? What was he doing here?"

I sighed. "He's on a divine quest from Sorsette, likely set on a path that intersects with mine. The two of us have further business later but he isn't any threat to the city and wasn't here to cause any trouble." I glanced back at him for a moment. "Apparently the quest led him to sneak into the castle but I confirmed in the [Zone of truth] that he wasn't going to steal anything, just find the object of his quest which is something I'm in possession of. It's kind of my problem from the look of it."

The guard captain looked uncomfortable. "Well while him being here would ordinarily be trespassing, under the circumstances I think I'll let it pass. We're here on a demon subjugation mission and I have too many other problems than dealing with this kind of thing. Keep this guy out of trouble, if I come across him again I'll hold you responsible for vouching for him."

I rubbed my face in annoyance, I hope I can trust this guy. "Thank you Jasper. I'll keep an eye on him." I glanced at Theo's muscular chest again. "Uh, there wouldn't happen to be clothes around he could wear, is there?"

Jasper raised an eyebrow for a moment before sighing. "I'll ask around. For now, just head back up to the courtyard with him. I'll see if I can find something before we finish up here."

I nodded before leading the bull-man back to my group. Hey everyone, "This is Theo, a librarian at the library in the capital—"

"I work in The Great Library of Sorsette, not just 'some library' in the capital," he said. The rebuke sounded a bit more offended than I would have expected.

"Er, right. Anyway, this is Bella, Morrigan, Torien, Mimi, and Silva," I said pointing to each of them.

Theo turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "Two pantherians and a crime slave? When we were talking earlier it didn't sound like you participated in slavery."

I was about to bite back at him when Torien quickly interjected, "Sir, Lilith treats us as friends and party members, not as slaves. I can understand it may look bad but Lilith stepped in to help us, not to take advantage of our status."

Theo pursed his lips and looked at me, when I didn't respond he focused back on Torien. "Very well, if a servant slave like yourself feels comfortable enough to interject on her behalf then I'll leave things at that for now."

Silva snorted. "I find it weird too bull-kin."

He cracked a grin in response. "Certainly you can't be that tyrannical a master if you let your slaves be this cheeky. How'd you earn that collar rabbit-kin?"

Silva glanced at the nearby guards and stepped closer. "I was the one who killed that bastard Samlin," she said quietly.

The tall bull-kin's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Truly? I'm surprised you weren't executed on the spot. How'd you manage to dodge the axe? There couldn't have been a shortage of people wanting you on the block."

Silva's expression flattened out. "Baron Morrister pulled me off it to protect his daughter. I got her out of the city alive when all this shit happened and Lilith picked me up before she sold me off to someone else out of fear. I haven't known her for too long but Lilith seems like the trustworthy sort."

Theo studied me up and down again. "It seems I jumped to some unfortunate conclusions Lilith. I apologize."

I shook my head. "It can't be helped. I'm aware of how it looks but I didn't have much of a choice. I wasn't aware of the significance being a pantharian held when I promised to free them from slavery."

He nodded. "Not the first time I've heard a tale like that unfortunately."