Chapter 9: Statement

"Whoa."

I'm walking down a red carpet in a two story tall Grand Hall, that could be right out of a fantasy isekai anime.

The ceiling is thirty feet up and large golden chandeliers hang from it.  Out a bit along the north and south walls are a row of thin columns. Supporting a balcony where the fifth floor would be.

This balcony can be reached by stairs at the east and west ends of the balcony.

The south wall is lined with large windows on the fourth and fifth floor.  Large windows are on the east and west corners of the fourth floor and all of the east and west walls on the fifth floor balcony.

A large double door is on the west end.  A raised stepped platform gets about five feet high on the east end.  Smaller doors are scattered here and there.  Especially on the north side where small rooms line the fourth and fifth floor.

White marble, is, everywhere.  Not just white white but various shades of white.  And any where they could possibly shove one?  Is a carving of a lion.  In the walls, columns, ceiling, windows, fucking all over the place.

Most are left white but some are, painted I guess, gold.

And don't get me started on the black and green banners hanging all over.

My eyes are going to start puking at any moment.

I would call it 'gaudy' but I would get sued by the word gaudy, for defamation, if I did.

And don't get me started on the crowd.  Looking closer I see around half are in the simple tops and bottoms I'm used to seeing most people wear.  Still in good shape, colorful, and tasteful.  About a quarter are done up significantly fancier with hoses and billowing shirts and tops and such.  Renaissance stuff maybe?

The rest?  Over the top fantasy modern like the school outfits.

Really don't get it.  The maid and butler outfits seemed a bit out of place to me, but this is crazy.  Just all over the place.  Should remember to ask Ushi about this later.

Five of us are walking down the red carpet with two hundred kneeling people watching us.

See only one chair on the platform.

Take a look behind the chair as I step up the stairs and see a very solid looking wall.

Good.

*kroshrk*

When I'm a step away from the throne I lift my right leg and put mana into a kick.  The heavy solid thick throne launches into the wall behind it like it was shot from a catapult.  Shattering against the wall.  [Super Senses] picks up more of the poison smell from the now broken trap in the ruins of the chair.

Blue, Silvie, and the crowd, jump.  Startled by my little display.

Frankie and Red don't react at all.  Neither does patchy.  Nor the twenty some black and greens I see have take positions along the floor and balcony walls.  My shadows are in hiding across the hall.  This is a great place for an assassination.  And they know it.

"I'm not a fan of sitting on chairs with poison in them.  So I'll just sit here."  Reposition Sanctity and sit on the top step.

The girls take their queue and kneel, lined up on the platform behind me.  Edel and Ushi are still refusing to look at each other.  Sense shame over, sneaky's demands?  Huh.  And more shame over how they acted upstairs.  Looks like they are handling it by keeping their postures and expressions, cold.

"Alright.  This is better.  More comfortable.  Wow, quite the crowd today.  Please, everyone, stand."

Two hundred start standing.  [Super Senses] picks up lots and lots of whispers and murmuring.

"...the reborn saint?" "...really save the lady?" "Barbarian filth cannot..." "Just killed without a..."

Tough crowd.

"Now, its going to get kind of scary later."  Confused looks.  "So those prone to fainting or with weak bladders?  I'm fine with you leaving now."  More confusion.  "Don't say I didn't warn you.  Marshal Tomas Labrait.  Understand you have something to ask me."

That catches patchy off guard.

He's fully armored up today in plate and chain.  Fancier than the black and greens and has some half cape over his right shoulder. Its green with a yellow lion and black hart, posed rampant, facing each other.

Feel the black and greens getting tense.

Patchy recovers, walks to the bottom of the platform, in front of me, and kneels.

"My lord!  Please return this humble servant's eye so I can rejoin the Lord General!"

"How did you lose it?"

"At the Battle of Gresfeld.  I lost it to a demon's pike."  Ouch.  "My subordinates were able to get me to a healer in time to save my life.  My right eye?  Destroyed."

From the reaction of some of the black and greens I'm guessing they were with him there.

Stand and begin slowly stepping down towards him.

"It will hurt."

"My lord?"

"My magic is, different.  Even among the northern savages."  Should make this clear.  "I have never regrown an eye before.  But I should be able too."  Really clear.  "There will be a lot of work to do.  It may be incredibly painful."

"I am prepared, my lord."

"No, you're not."  Patchy's eye narrows.  "Who are the two here you trust most?"

"Dame Aselin and Sire Renyald!"

Two black and greens sprint over from the walls and kneel before me.  Impressive speed with all that armor on.

"Do you trust them with your life?"

"Always."

I stare into his good eye.  "We shall see.  You two, helmets off."

Two faces almost as old as patchy are revealed.  Both with a few scars.  The woman is quite the looker though.  Damn, she looks right in my strike range but its immediately obvious she only has eyes for patchy.  Sucks being in a kids body!

"Command us." From the woman.

"Your command is to keep him alive." Really hostile look from miss knight. "This will be delicate work. I will restrain his head. But if his body were to pull away at the wrong moment?"

"Understood my lord." From the man.

"[Vision of Isis]"

Lady knight on the right and lord knight on the left reach out and get strong grips on patchy's arms.  Ferra and Margo rise up from behind patchy and each place a hand on his head.  They aren't golden anymore, back in black, but they do still have feathery wings.

"[Embrace of Hygieia]"

"Please let me serve my friend agai-"

"[Chiron's Fingers] [Aceso's Spirit] [Skill of Chiron]"

As the pain from the triple cast rips at my mind, I stab my hand into his right eye socket.  This is delicate and precise work.  Need to fix everything at once so it can sync together properly.  So can't roll them out in sequence.

"Aaauuuggghhh!!!"

Yeah, I'm recreating his eye, muscles, skin, and nerves.  And hooking those nerves directly up to his brain.  Hurts like a bitch might be the understatement of the year.

While my left hand is rebuilding the eye.  My right hand is reaching in behind it and reconnecting it all.

"...!!!"

Patchy is still screaming.  He's just not making any sound anymore.

My shadow oracles are incredible.  They've tapped into my [Vision of Isis] and [Super Senses].  With their angles?  I've got a full three-sixty view of my surgery.  Feeding mana into my fingers gives them a speed no buffing could match.

[Bullet Time] kicks everything up a few notches.  Everyone else probably only sees my hands and fingers as blurs.

With all that?  It really only takes a few minutes for such a small part.

"[Breath of Airmed]"

Gotta get the swelling down though or it might cause damage.

"[Kiss of Grannus]"

Will help soothe his pain, and mind.

Shut everything down and step back.  Only to trip on the bottom step.  Frankie and Red are there to catch me.  When did they come down? Used all three cheats and triple cast?  Probably end up with super cancer.

The two help me shakily climb back up the steps until I can sit at the top again.  They both kiss me and go back to their spots at the top.  Breathing pretty heavy but thanks to my shadows I see them finally look at each other again and share a nod.

Hopefully that's the end of their morning feud.  Hopefully.

Patchy is still being held up by his knights but his head is hanging with sweat dripping off it.  At least he's still breathing.  Shouldn't be any brain damage.

"Tomas?"  Lady knight is very worried.

His head slowly lifts itself and he turns to look at his most trusted subordinate.  The two brown eyes, I even got the colors to match, focus on the women to his right.

"Aselin, I can see.  I can really see.  You are so beauti-"

The rest of patchy's words are lost as lady knight smothers his mouth with hers.  She's crying and soon all three are crying and laughing.  Well, there was my good deed for the year.  That fat red bastard has to take me off the naughty list this time.

The crowd makes quite a lot of noise.  Some fall to their knees praising this god or that.  Some proclaim I am the saint reborn.  Others praise me.  And still others declare me the greatest wizard of the age.

"Marshal Tomas Labrait?"

Credit to their skill, they recover quickly.  Patchy is a tough old bird.  The three resume kneeling before me.

"""Yes, my lord!"""  Oh, in stereo even.

"Send a message to the marquis first, and wait for approval, before you and your companions leave."

"Leave, my lord?"  Why is needs a new nickname confused?

"Yes?  Wasn't that the goal?"

"Oh, yes, of course.  My lord, I cannot leave until replacements arrive.  Your safety must never be risked."

Huh.  Okay?

"Thank you for your concern Marshal.  Please rest while we continue."  Point to the steps to my right.

Memo to self.  Bring chairs next time.

The two help patchy to the side and absolutely refuse to let him stay standing.

"Seneschal?  Why were the prisoners brought here?"

Sneaky has the look of someone whose just had the rug pulled out from under him.  Was he expecting to use patchy?  Did he think this crowd would back him up?

"Seneschal!"

That snaps Sneaky out of it.  He walks up and kneels.

"M-my lord.  With leadership from Lions Keep, Pearlden, and Stormgarde, assembled?  It is a good opportunity to pass judgement on them.  Show your s-subjects your wisdom."

Sneaky keeps sneaking, glances at Frankie and Red.  Still trying to get them too spread their legs for you?  Or wondering if they've told me about it?  Silvie quickly picks up on Sneaky's wandering eyes, smiles, and spreads her legs.

Troublesome woman.

Guards lead ten prisoners to line up in two rows across the red carpet splitting the sea of two hundred.  Tanault Gilend, Red's brother and son of the head of House Gilend.  Eight knights of House Gilend and apparently among their best.  Ortwin Mauger, former seneschal who was tricked by the elf bitch Aezeti.

Sneaky seneschal bows.  "Apologies lord.  But Lady Aezeti Novadha was found dead in her cell.  An investigation has begun."

"Why?"

Sneaky does a double take.  "Ah.  To find how, she, died?  My lord?"

"There is no need for that seneschal.  I killed her."

A ripple of discontent rolls through the crowd.  Maybe of them probably knew elf bitch.  Had deals with her.  Perhaps even came here to petition for her release.

"Uh.  Why, my lord?"  Sneaky is still playing catch up.

"I found she was responsible for the stealing and breaking of my wife's mother, the Countess Gilend.  So I executed her."

Another ripple, this one of shock, races through the crowd.  Rumors of why elf bitch was exiled.  Her involvement with this daughter or that couple.  Worries about how Granya will react.  Bounce back and forth.  Tch.  So noisy.

"My lord, as an agent of Gran-"

"Lets move this along seneschal.  I have a busy schedule."  No need to let him ramble.

Sneaky clears his throat, motions the former seneschal forward, and reads from a scroll.

"Lord Ortwin Mauger, allowed himself to be fooled into permitting an assault on a member of the Lord General's family.  Also joined a plot to trick his liege into abandoning his post so the assault could occur."  The scroll is rolled up.  "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Mauger looks like he's aged decades in the last few days.  Drops to his knees and looks up at me.

"I ask only that you spare my family and hold no ill will towards my House."  His shoulders shake.  "If you do my family will be banished and go through even more hardship."

"My love!"  A lady in the audience screams but she is soon hushed by what appear to be relatives.

"Did you learn anything from this, Ortwin?"

Silence descends.  No one expected this.  Ortwin looks quite confused.

"S-Sire?"

"Have you reflected on your actions?  Determined where you made mistakes?  You can at least pass on those lessons before you die.  Can't you?"

"Yes l-lord.  That even the oldest closest friends can be-betray you.  Deceiving your lord can n-never be honorable.  S-surrendering your authority is one step from losing your dignity.  Trust is som-"

"Okay, okay.  Glad to see you got some thinking done."  Look back in the crowd.  "Is that your wife?"

"Please lord.  S-she is a good woman."  Loud sobbing breaks out.  "Let her be spar-"

"Now."

A mature but good looking women is pulled out of the crowd by a similarly dressed younger lady.  Old guy hesitantly stands and turns.

"My lord this is Lady Loyse and, Juliote?  Why are you here?"

"Father!"

The younger girl, Juliote, leaps into Ortwin's shackled arms.  While the older one, Loyse, hugs Ortwin.  Lots of bawling.

I wait for them to settle.

All three turn to me and get on their knees.  Better not kow-  And they're kowtowing.  Both milf and dilf are glancing at Sneaky?  Hmm?  I feed mana into my eyes and look into both.  No weapons.  So wha-  Wow.  He didn't even let them wash up.  Gross.

"Hello, women of the Mauger family."  Wave.  "I am the savage northern barbarian marauder that is about to kill your husband and father."

Would probably break out in tears again, if they weren't so bewildered.

"L-lord?"  Old seneschal is really confused.

"Let's keep this simple."  Face milf and dilf.  "Who did you have sex with this morning?"

"Lord!"  That panicked look from Sneaky as he shouts is funny.

"You be quiet.  Ladies?  The evidence is still there.  Dripping even.  I simply want to know who and why?"

The two Mauger women nearly collapse from shame.  Ortwin is, well, shocked.

"Loyse?  Juliote?"

And that gets the girls bawling again. Big time.

"H-he said he could s-save you.  That e-even if you were c-condemned your l-life would be spared.  We jus-"  And mama is done.

"If we kept him, d-d-drained, Papa w-would be sa-saved."

Can see Ortwin finally catching up as realization dawns on his face.

"You bastard!  I'll kill you!"

Old guy tries to charge Sneaky but only ends up tripping himself on his shackles and chains.  His wife and daughter tackle him and beg him to stop.  To not make his crimes worse.  Punish them instead.

Sneaky?  Is really panicking now.

"They are lying!  They!  They!  Threw themselves at me!  Forced me to lay with them!"

"Bastard!"  Old seneschal appears to not be convinced.

I feel the spell building and open the flood gates to my nitro.

"[Thunder Strike]"

It takes less than a moment for me to land beside Ortwin, Loyse, and Juliote.

*spahkshing*

The lighting bolt Sneaky fired strikes Sanctity and Tormentor that are crossed in front of me.  Absorbing the blast.

"You ruined everything!  You weren't supposed to wake up!"

"[Thunder Str-]"

*slilch*

Both of Sneaky's hands are in front of him as a blur comes in from his right and chops them off at the wrists.

"Aiyeee!"

Red's not done and grabs his neck with her left hand, smashing him into the floor.

As Red is taking off Sneaky's hands, I feel a barrier snap into being around me and the Mauger family.  Frankie has appeared back to back with me.

That's my girls.

I look over my shoulder to Ushi.

"Close that douchebag's wounds.  I don't want him dead, yet."

"Yes master."

"Marshal!"

"Yes lord!"

"Make sure the seneschal has no fellow plotters!"

Crowd finally catches up to what just happened and starts to rout.  With arms and magic, the black and greens make an undeniable show of force to stop them in their tracks.  Order returns almost as quickly as it departed.

I snap off and remove Mauger's shackles.  Then guide the very confused man, his wife, and daughter, to sit on the platform opposite the Marshal's spot.  Who himself is forced to return to by miss knight after he makes a circuit around the crowd and summons more guards.

"[Hygieia's Gaze]"

I spend some time cleaning out milf and dilf.  They look rather shocked at what they feel happening, but even more humiliated.  Luckily neither are knocked up.  Ortwin keeps staring at me but cannot manage to say anything.

Walk back to my seat on the top step as Frankie finishes up closing Sneaky's wounds.  Red then drags and drops him where Ortwin was, just a few minutes before.

Both of them step back to their spots behind me, smiling at each other now and touching my shoulder as they pass.  While two black and greens keep Sneaky in place.

Raise my hand and the hall gets very quiet.

"Seneschal Denyal Moret."  The very pale Sneaky lifts his head up.  "Did you learn anything from this?"

"That women are ungrateful whores?"  What a bitter face.

"No, no, seneschal.  The lesson to learn is that you only go after a man's women when you are very, very, sure he is dead."

"Like some barbarian could teach me anything."  Look who is suddenly mister sulky.

"Silly Sneaky.  This lesson is not for you."  Change my focus to the crowd.  "Hear that you bastards and bitches!  I do not care who the fuck you think you are!  Touch what's mine?!  And I will break you!"

"Master, please."

"This shit stain tried to touch my wives!"

Stand up.  I've still got Sanctity and Tormentor in my hands.  Feed mana into them.  Causing them to burn and spark.

"No mercy!"

"Y-you ca-can n-not kill me in f-fron-"

"[Shadow Rise]"

"Aiyeeeyahh!"

Hand-less screams impressively as the pain of his spirit being torn away overwhelms him.

*skyryrahkahk*

Me, Ushi, and Edel, handle the inky smoky shadowy thing crawling out of the crack above the new corpse of the ex sneaky seneschal pretty well.  After all.  We've both seen it plenty of times.

Everybody else?  Well?  Kind of freaks the fuck out.

Now, granted, it didn't help that I choose that moment for my A-team to come riding in behind the crowd on dark chargers.  Or for dozens of living shadows to suddenly manifest along the walls and balcony.

Of course lots of folks in the castle have seen them by now.  The black and greens barely raise an eyebrow.  For the two hundred though?  This is a new experience.  Doesn't seem to be one they wanted either.

If the scrambling and screaming is any indication.

Ferra and Margo reform sitting in front of me to the right and left.

Shadow Sneaky appears rather desperate to appease me.

~Forgive! Forgive! Forgive!~ Is screamed from a thing kowtowing over and over again next to its own corpse.  Odd.  He's more inky than shadowy.  Just like elf bitch was.  What determines the ratio?

The voiceless voice draws the trembling eyes of the despairing two hundred.

Sheathe Sanctity and Tormentor and sit back down.

~Forgive! Forgive! For-~

"No."

*zzkkrryysshh*

Like crackling glass the shadow of the seneschal deforms and breaks.  More and more crumbling.  Ending up a couple foot long pile of grey dust on the red carpet.

Face the crowd again.  Looks like a dozen or two have fainted.  Being propped up by others.  Dozens more pissed themselves.  Huh.  Braver bunch than I expected.

"I do not care who you are.  Do your fucking jobs and we'll get along fine.  However, betray me or oppose me?  Bring or lead, me or mine, to disgrace?"

I motion to the corpse and dust.

"And this will be your fate."

Davennor, Renyald (male, human, tourinese)

Labrait, Tomas (male, human, tourinese)

Mauger, Juliote (female, human, tourinese)

Mauger, Loyse (female, human, tourinese)

Mauger, Ortwin (male, human, tourinese)

Moret, Denyal (male, elf-human, tourinese)

Polanas, Aselin (female, human, tourinese)