We were moving toward the centre of the city. That at least proved what they'd said about the Viscount — he hadn't been spreading misinformation.
I actually wondered whether the Duke had changed his methods, but the situation hadn't improved. We soon entered the gates of the Viscount's mansion. I could see many guards. Then we went to what looked like an underground entrance. Soon I realized it was an underground prison. We were searched and everything except our clothes was taken away.
A device was brought and placed over our clothes. The man kept scanning us one by one. When he reached Raven the device reacted to a band. He looked at Raven.
Raven said, annoyed, "It's for removing odour from the body."
It was confiscated. That made me realise they were thorough enough to check whether clothes were normal or magical.
When everything was clear, the leader came and removed the detonation device. He smiled and said, "At least you can sleep without worrying about detonating during sleep."
I smiled and replied, "Thank you. Now I feel truly free."
He was confused and left.
Idiot! That device was the only thing stopping me from escaping.
We were brought to the last cell where we saw Emily. We were put in with her. Emily, tearing up, said, "I am sorry. Because of me…"
Emma wanted to say it wasn't her fault, but it was obvious; maybe staying silent was better.
Brock said amid her cries, "Maybe they saw us when Emma called her."
Emilia added, "Or maybe it's because he is the Viscount, so the hotel staff informed on us."
Lucas sighed, "Whatever it may be, we're in deep trouble." Raven sat silently, listening and pondering.
I reflected on my shortcomings. I have excellent reflexes — I can predict what will happen as soon as someone attempts something — but my inexperience has been my downfall. Last time, when assassins were pushing Emilia toward Emma, I couldn't figure out why. Today I'd known earlier that someone was up to something, but confusion stopped me from reacting. I could have teleported away.
Huh. What's done is done. I had to think about now.
It was good he removed the detonation device. I could teleport away now — and take them with me. I had the advantage of surprise. If I somehow killed the Viscount, Emily would be indebted to me. And if my final plan failed, I could hide because she would owe me.
Suddenly the metal door opened. Those were the sounds of prison doors. Someone is coming. Is it the Viscount? The footsteps — were they heels? The mystery was solved: the steps were indeed made by heels.
Emily looked up and froze, and one word leaked out of her mouth: "Eleanor."
Eleanor was beautiful and undeniably young. She chuckled. "So nice to see you, Emily."
Emily grimaced. "What do you want?"
Eleanor replied, "Okay, let's assume I want something. But do you have anything to give? I have money. I have your husband's love."
She paused, placed a hand on her stomach, smiled, and lowered her voice as if sharing a secret: "And I also have your husband's child."
Everyone gasped. Emily sat on the cold prison floor, frozen. Eleanor continued gleefully, "You have nothing, so stop talking about giving."
Emily tried to look tough — she didn't want to give Eleanor the satisfaction — but her tears kept flowing, which made Eleanor even happier.
Emily asked, "Why? Why did you do all this? You're young and beautiful. You could have anything. Why torture me?"
Eleanor sighed, "It wasn't me. It was your husband's fault. He approached me."
Emma, angered, snapped, "So you'll sleep with whoever asks you?"
Eleanor sneered, "Commoners and their stink… yuck."
Emily asked weakly, "So why am I still alive?"
Eleanor laughed. "Well, we don't want anyone to know about all this, so we brought them too. We're still searching for clues in case anyone else knows."
Emily looked down and asked, "So when you're sure no one knows, you'll kill me?"
Eleanor, now amused, said, "Actually, no."
Emily looked puzzled. Eleanor continued, "I know how much you love your husband. So I will sleep with Henry once in front of you to prove we love each other. Then we'll let you leave the world happily."
Emily had no reply. She was like a body without a soul. She couldn't understand the point of torturing her — why not simply kill her?
Eleanor turned and looked toward the opposite cell, and, speaking to whoever was there, said, "You helped Emily escape. Now pay with your life. Unlike them, you will be killed tomorrow."
While Eleanor spoke to Emily, I was concentrating.
What for? To teleport to my hotel room.
I had been practicing with Raven's swordsmanship and Lucas's spells. I now knew basic spells and a few stances. Raven told me I should buy a sword that suited me. In a big city with a good forge I would order a custom sword — according to Raven, everyone is unique, so how could two people use the same sword? For now I'd bought a temporary sword.
Back to the point: I arrived at the hotel room, picked up the sword, and prepared. I had to do three teleportations in quick succession. I focused and, in under a second, arrived back at the prison — this time behind Eleanor.
She was gloating, so I took advantage. I adopted a slow stance, then with the most powerful strike I could muster I sliced through her throat.
Now you might wonder where the guards were. Do you really think she would say all that vulgar talk in front of the guards? She only said it in front of those she planned to kill. She had already sent out the guards.
Eleanor's death brought satisfaction, but the blood made me sick; the feeling of slicing someone was the worst. Maybe I would get used to it in the future, but for now I felt terrible.
I turned toward the cell. They were gawking like idiots. I coughed, which brought them out of their stupor. Raven said, "You can escape, sir. You should leave quickly." It was obvious I had teleported, and everyone knew teleportation can only transport the caster. To their shock, one by one I brought them all out with me by teleportation.
Lucas made sounds that were difficult to understand. Emily, after I was done, said, "Eleanor may be evil, but she told the truth. I have nothing. You should go. I don't have any strength left."
I replied, "You have something left." She looked at me, confused. I smiled. "You have a reason for revenge. If you die, Eleanor wins."
Emily began to protest, "But…"
I cut her off, "We still need to kill Henry."
Emily was shocked. "But he is S-Rank."
I smiled, "Raven claims to be S-Rank. Even if he isn't, he can kill Henry."
Emily asked, "How?"
I replied, "Tell me where he could be and as much as you can about the mansion in five minutes. But before that — everyone take your weapons and kill the guards outside by surprise."
---
Henry's POV
"Really — what's the point of visiting Emily? Well, whatever she wants."
Henry reached for a metallic jug beside the bed to drink water. As he reached, he noticed the reflection on the jug distort. It looked like human figures.
He didn't know if it was friend or foe, so to be careful he assumed it was an enemy and tried to move away.
He'd noticed the reflection too late. His body had been relaxed, trusting the mansion's security. All these factors combined and he couldn't move enough.
Less than half his neck was slashed. He turned to see two men, but that was all he managed to see.
---
Emily said Henry must be in his bedroom. She explained the mansion's layout a little, and described the bedroom as accurately as she could — knowing that teleporting into walls meant death.
After she spoke, I teleported all of them into the mansion. You might think outside the mansion would be safer, but not all rooms in this mansion were occupied. I teleported them into one of the empty rooms.
Then, with Raven, I teleported dozens of times. Sometimes we encountered guards, but they were too shocked to react immediately and were killed by Raven. Finally we reached Henry's room and I felt his presence.
I said to Raven, "I will teleport you now. I don't know if it's in front of or behind him, so be ready." Raven nodded, took his stance, and I teleported him.
I was too powerless to see clearly, but I guessed Henry had been trying to drink water when we teleported in. He reacted a little but not enough. Raven killed him.
I teleported Raven back, then immediately teleported Henry's dead body.
I asked Emily, "Is this Henry?"
Emily laughed sweetly, "Yes, he is my dearest husband."
All the men shivered at her voice. The women laughed awkwardly. I swore I would do many terrible things, but never what Henry had done — women are terrifying.