Hopstead was a small, reclusive town located in a certain corner of the Empire. With a population of a mere hundred thousand, it had only gained some fame after the Minister had decided to make it his abode. The entirety of his subordinates had also followed him to the town, choosing to settle down with their commander. That was the level of loyalty the Minister commanded and one of the reasons why the King placed his trust in him.
At the outskirts of Hopstead, its only teleportation circle began to shine brightly and revealed a pair of delicate figures. Liliana and Amy marched out of the array, confident and indifferent.
"More? What's going on?" A guard discontentedly muttered. It was late night. It was supposed to be an easy shift, but now the soldiers had to look their part and couldn't afford to doze off. Guests at this time of day weren't a norm.
Heart pounding, Liliana nervously glanced at all the security. The sheer number of guards drenched her back with cold sweat. She gulped, instinctively looking towards Amy who was calmly presenting her badge to the guards. The young Duchess immediately introduced Liliana as her maidservant and voiced her desire to meet the Minister.
Every fiber of Amy's being was raging. The attempted kidnapping, her first meeting with Max, her conjecture about the people who had impersonated the Duke's forces, Amy now knew everything right down to the finest of details.
But this was the Minister, a man whose influence didn't lose out to that of the high nobles. Rashness was the one thing they couldn't afford when dealing with such a man.
Realizing that something felt off about the guard facing Amy, a vice-captain stationed nearby leisurely stepped forward to deal with her. "Who are you?" He asked without as much as a look. "What is your purpose for visiting Hopstead?"
"Like I said before, I'm here to see Albert Cross." Amy answered with a frown.
"The Minister?" The vice-captain gaped. "This late at night? Nonsense! Who do you think you are?"
"Oh? Do you speak for the Minister?"
The vice-captain observed the duo with furrowed brows. Suspecting their identities, he quickly snatched the paper from his subordinate, his lips arching into a wry smile soon after reading its contents.
"Miss Walker really likes to joke. I was simply following orders." The vice-captain nervously laughed and said, "For you to have personally come here, I'm sure it must be something important."
"It is." Amy nodded. "I've come at the behest of my father."
"The Duke!" He exclaimed and speedily gestured. "Of course. Right this way."
"With such good weather, it would be a waste not to enjoy the fresh air." Moments before the carriage was readied, Amy voiced her desire for a stroll up to the Minister's manor. "We'll walk."
The vice-captain was accustomed to a noble's wilfulness, but this request seemed strange even by normal standards. At a loss for words, he turned to Liliana, hoping that the young maidservant could convince this blue-blood. The lack of a response, however, left him sighing as he acquiesced and assigned a random guard to be their guide.
***
Beyond happy that his sob story had worked, Max continued to keep up his act as he followed his escort, heading for town to meet with his 'uncle' James, glad that he had at least managed to get their names before falling out with the sibling knights.
Immediately after they had exited the premises, Max had noticed the figures of two girls he knew all too well. Their appearance had left him silently raging though he had continued to follow the guard without breaking character.
YOU ARE READING
The Envoy of Darkness
Fantasy"Everyone loves a good fantasy, but my life was turned upside down by one." What would you do if you had the ability to control the air? How about if you were suddenly brought to a world where, despite your powers, you're at the bottom of the food c...
