Supreme Magus

Chapter 4422: Trouble in Ghishal (Part 2)

”Leria spends more time at his home than mine. And don’t get me started about the triplets. Ever since they got their magical beasts, all they do is run through the woods with those furballs!”

”I hear you.” Locrias nodded. ”Now, however, I need you to listen to me. If I leave Gilly in there for too long, I’ll have to buy half your shop for her birthday.”

”You say it like it’s a bad thing.” The blacksmith rubbed his hands with greed.

”Oh, shut up.” Locrias told Zekell about the bandaged man and the eerie news from Ghishal County. ”Do you know anything about this?”

”Not at all, but that doesn’t mean that man was lying.” Zekell took out his communication amulet, checking the Web of Knowledge and the interlink. ”No caravan travels while there is the risk of getting caught in a snowstorm or the maw of a pack of hungry beasts.

”Communications are reduced to a minimum until spring. All I can tell you is that I can’t find any mention of trouble in Ghishal in the news. Yet I have to admit that this situation is weird. This winter I did most of my business via the Warp Gate.”

He pointed at the local branch of the Mage Association.

”If the Mage Association heard something about this, they would have told me. Let me ask around a bit.”

Zekell entered the nearby shops, asking anyone who had recently received or sent a cargo of merchandise outside of Lustria for information about the situation in the neighboring counties. The answer baffled him.

”No one has heard anything about trouble in Ghishal.” The blacksmith tormented his well-groomed beard. ”All caravans arrived in one piece and made no mention of bandits.”

”This is weird indeed.” Locrias nodded. ”Thanks, Zekell. I’d better get Gilly and leave before she finds too many things she likes.”

”Don’t worry about that. I’ll make you the family discount.” The Blacksmith said.

”You mean you’d sell me jewelry at cost as you do with Lith?”

”I meant at distant family discount.” Zekell cleared his throat in embarrassment.

”Better than nothing.” Locrias rushed into the goldsmith, opening his seven eyes to look in multiple directions at the same time. ”I’m done, Gilly. We can go now.”

”One minute and I’m done as well, Dad.” She raised her hand to draw his attention, but it was already too late.

Locrias had already seen what she had picked among the vast selection of priceless jewels, and it punched a hole through whatever mana organ had replaced his human heart.

Gilly was in the men’s section of the shop, holding two golden cufflinks shaped after the Royal Crown’s insignia. The same symbol that the members of the Corps carried on their badge and that Locrias had his wife, Cidra, embroider on the breast pocket of his shirts.

”This is for you, Dad.” She showed him the elegant design of the cufflinks before putting them on his buttoned cuffs.

”Why? It’s not my birthday.” Locrias asked in confusion.

”Because I love you, silly.” She chuckled. ”Why that face? You don’t have to worry about the price. I’ve already paid for them with my own money.”

”That’s not the issue.” Locrias had an Adamant-Davross alloy for knees, yet he felt them getting weaker by the second.

”Then what’s the problem? You don’t like them?”

”I love them.” That was one of those rare times the former captain of the Queen’s Corps was happy not to have a throat. Otherwise, emotion would have choked his voice. ”Thank you for the beautiful gift.”

”Don’t mention it, Dad.” Gilly held his arm. ”But I will if you don’t come back home more often. Mom misses you a lot, you know?”

”I miss my girls more.” Locrias replied as strength returned to him.

They continued window shopping until lunchtime and dined at the Drinking Wolf tavern. Locrias had made a reservation, but even if he hadn’t, the owners always kept two open tables.

One for the Verhens or anyone closely associated with them, and the other for the Vastors. Technically, it was for Tezka, but since he didn’t go anywhere without Filia and Frey, Hida considered the table reserved for the whole family as well.

The new cook had filled the menu with dishes each paired with a different ale, and kept the old one for the non-drinkers. The food tasted much better than before, so father and daughter enjoyed their meal.

Locrias passed the message to Lith via the black chains as soon as they were in range, not to interrupt the date with work. Lith frowned at the news, checking the military database for any unusual reports submitted by the Ranger stationed in the Distar Region.

When he found nothing, he only got more suspicious.

’That man had no reason to lie, and no one would endure that kind of injury for a stupid prank. In my experience, when something is weird, it’s because something bigger is going on.’ He thought as he pressed Keyla’s contact rune.

”What a nice surprise, Lith. Is there something you need?”

”Not at all.” He replied. ”I called just because I wanted to know how you are doing.”

”Wow. Give me a second.” She kept her hologram on as she pinched her arm and then looked out the nearest window. ”Lith Verhen makes a social call, yet it’s not a dream, and the sky isn’t falling. Who are you and what did you do with my friend?”

”Ah, ah! Very funny.” Lith was annoyed that Keyla found it unbelievable that he had called her without an ulterior motive and even more that she was right. ”Don’t think that I haven’t noticed you have yet to answer my question.”

”Everything is fine, Lith. Thank you for asking.” She replied with a smile that didn’t extend to her eyes.

Not only because she tensed up, but also because the deep bags under her eyes gave her an exhausted look no matter her expression.

”What about you? How are the kids doing?” She asked.

”They are still shocked from the kidnapping attempt, but they are getting better.” Lith replied.

After a bit of reminiscing about the old times, asking about Jadon, and small talk, Keyla ended the call. Lith was now even more certain that something was wrong, so he contacted Brinja next.

’She’s the Marchioness of the Distar Region. If there’s any problem with the Ghishal County, Keyla can’t keep Brinja in the dark.’ He thought.

”What do you want?” As usual, everyone expected a business call from Lith.

Brinja didn’t even raise her eyes from the pile of paperwork she was working on. She was wearing something that looked like a loose jersey with sweatpants, and her long blonde hair was arranged in a messy chignon.

She wore gold-rimmed enchanted glasses that eased the burden of the long hours spent reading on her sky-blue eyes. Milla was in a desk-shaped crib right next to her, playing with squeaky toys that resembled elemental spells.

”That’s rude!” Lith said. ”Can’t I call an old friend just to hear about her day?”

”The sky is still holding, so no.” Brinja looked out of the window just long enough to make sure Mogar wouldn’t end there and then. ”What do you want?”