CHAPTER 15: THE INCIDENT
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At Virtusarium Manor,
Benito hurriedly came to meet Ignacia in the morning.
"I have something urgent to talk to Lady Ignacia," said Benito intensely.
"Please wait for a moment," Pervis said.
After a short while, Ignacia went out of the manor. She saw Benito and asked, "What's happened? Why did you come here early in the morning?"
Benito lowered his voice to a whisper, "Princess Estella will be in danger. I heard the mercenaries of illegal guild talked with each other by accident. They will kidnap and tarnish her,"
"Did you know when and where they will do it?" Ignacia asked, worriedly.
"Apparently, they will do it today. Princess Estella is coming back from Austellus. I'm not sure where exactly but I guessed here and here," Benito said and pointed the location on the map to her.
"Thank you. I will return your favor later," Ignacia said and left hurriedly.
Ignacia climbed onto her horse, then teleported to the border between Medietas and Austellus. She rushed her horse to run following the path to Austellus.
She reached to the first suspected location in the afternoon, then used her senses to detect all the lives and magic powers in the surrounding area but she could not find Estella's magic power in this area.
She continued riding horse to check for the next suspected location.
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Meanwhile, Estella was in the carriage. She felt downhearted thinking about her situation. She must endure and face many gossips in high society.
'Bang'
"That way," one of knight escorts shouted.
"Protect the carriage," a leader of knight escorts said.
"Please lock the door and don't come out, Your Highness" a knight escort told Estella.
'Clang' 'Clang' 'Argh' the sound of fighting.
Estella felt uneasy somehow. She cast barrier to protect the carriage while she was hearing the sound of fighting.
After a while, the sound of fighting gradually fade away.
Estella heard the sound of footsteps coming toward the carriage. She saw 2 men wearing their light armors, covering their faces, coming toward the carriage.
One of them tried to break the door, 'Bang'
"She cast barrier," He said.
"Break it," another one of them said.
They used their booster swords to hit the barrier hard.
Estella cast more layer barrier to make it stronger. She feared for her safety and prayed for the help.
Another man came toward the carriage and asked, "Why did you two take time so long?"
"She cast barrier, Leader" one of them said.
"Get out of my way," a leader said. He boosted power on his large magic sword, then hit the barrier, aiming to break it.
'Bang' 'Bang' 'Bang' He hit the barrier hard until it cracked and was broken at last.
He broke the door to open the carriage.
"Who are you?" Estella asked, frighteningly.
"Your future husband," He said amusingly, then drugged her to make her lose consciousness. He lustfully eyed her body, then carried her out of the carriage.
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Ignacia reached to the second suspected location when the sun went down. She saw the knights' corpses lying on the ground and the broken carriage.
She realized that she came too late, then called, "Valentina."
"Did you miss me, Master?" Valentina asked, smilingly.
"I want you to find her now. She was kidnapped by a group of mercenaries," Ignacia said and thought of Estella's face in her mind.
"It's easy. I can trace their magic powers," Valentina said after she went to check at the carriage.
"Take me there. I will give you my blood later," said Ignacia seriously.
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At a secluded house in the forest,
A leader of mercenaries went to the room where he locked Princess Estella inside. He drank beers being in state of sexual desire.
"Don't come any closer," Estella said, fearfully. Her wrists were tied tightly. She activated barrier to protect herself.
"Oh, you like violence," a leader of mercenaries said, insanely. He activated power on his magic sword to hit breaking the barrier. He hit until the barrier was broken.
"Don't come near me," Estella said, fearfully.
"You're beautiful," a leader said, excitingly. He looked at her lustfully.
"Please let me go," Estella said, fearfully. Her eyes were in tears.
"You will be happy, Princess" a leader said, excitingly.
He tore her dress violently. It revealed her underclothes. He took off his clothes looking at her white skins lustfully.
"No," Estella cried.
'Bang'
Ignacia broke the door after she killed all the mercenaries outside.
"What the fuck?" A leader of mercenaries exclaimed. He tried to attack Ignacia but his arm was cut off first. 'Argh…'
Ignacia activated 'Lightning Magic' to shock paralyzing him.
"Close your eyes, Estel" said Ignacia gently.
She threw his body to hit the wall at the opposite side. She walked toward him, then pointed the blade on his neck and asked, "Who hire you to do this?" She used 'Recording Magic Tool' to record his confession.
'Recording Magic Tool' is a black crystal ball that can automatically float in the air and record moving pictures and sound within 5 meters radius after activated magic power on it.
"…I don't know," a leader of mercenaries said. He was dizzy and out of breath.
Ignacia pointed the blade on his private part and said, "You'd better tell me everything, or else my hand might slip." She started to slit his private part.
"Whoa…no…no…argh…I will tell you," a leader of mercenaries said, frighteningly.
Ignacia used "The Eyes of Truth" to recheck him while interrogating him.
"I was threatened to do this job from The Rogatio Guild. They wanted me to tarnish The Princess's reputation," a leader of mercenaries said, frighteningly.
there were the true words popped up in Ignacia's mind.
"Who's the owner of the guild? Where is the guild?" Ignacia asked.
"I don't know the owner. I always contact with guild manager named Novus. The guild is located in the outskirts of capital. The large building named "Rogatio". It looks like information guild but they do all sort of illegal things," a leader of mercenaries said. He told her without drawing his breath. His arm was bleeding nonstop.
there were the true words popped up in Ignacia's mind.
"How can they escape from the royal knights?" Ignacia asked.
"What do you think? How could they escape if they are not nobles?" a leader of mercenaries said with a smirk.
"How can I contact Novus?" Ignacia asked.
"You must say the words 'Swift news' to a woman at the counter. She will lead you to meet Novus," a leader of mercenaries said.
"Is that all?" Ignacia asked.
"Yes," a leader of mercenaries said. He gathered his power and tried to attack her.
Ignacia slashed him before he could attack her.
He died instantly.
Ignacia kept the recording magic tool in her 'Magic Space'. She searched his pockets to find the guild card. She found a black card, then kept it.
She walked toward Estella, then said, "It's all right now, Estella" She cut the rope on her wrists, then covered her half naked body with her suit.
Estella hugged her tightly. She cried, sobbing.
Ignacia said nothing and hugged her back gently to calm her.
Estella felt warm in her arms. All her fearfulness disappeared after she was embraced. She tried to dry her tears and said, "Thank you for saving me, Ignacia"
"I'm glad you are safe, Estella" said Ignacia gently, she took out her handkerchief, then wiped her tears gently, "Rest in my manor first. I will escort you to The Medietas Palace tomorrow."
"All right," Estella said.
"Please forgive my rudeness," Ignacia said and carried her, then teleported back to Virtusarium Manor.
"Prepare a guest room," Ignacia told Pervis.
"Yes, Lady Ignacia" Pervis said and led the way to the guest room.
Ignacia carried her to the guest room and put her on the bed.
"Call the maids to take care and serve Princess Estella," Ignacia told Pervis.
"Yes, Lady Ignacia" Pervis said and left.
"I have something to do. You can tell the maids if you wanted anything, Estella" Ignacia said.
"All right," Estella said. She wanted to hold her but she could not bring herself to say something childish to her.
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Ignacia left the room and went to her bedroom to disguise her appearance.
She tied a black cloth to cover half of her face, revealing her eyes, then wore the black cloak to cover her head and body.
Afterward, she teleported to the outskirts of capital, then looked for the building named 'Rogatio'.
She found the building after she walked for a short while. It was a large building like a large guild.
She walked inside the building. She saw a woman sitting behind the counter, looking at her.
She walked toward her, showed her a guild card, then said, "Swift news."
"Please come this way," a woman said and led her to the side door, and went upstairs.
'Knock' 'Knock'
"Swift news, Sir" a woman said.
"Let him in," said Novus, a man who was in his late thirties, he has brown hair, and brown eyes. He looks so sly and experienced.
Ignacia walked inside the room, then hurriedly pointed sword on his neck.
"Wh…who are you?" Novus asked, surprisingly.
Ignacia took out the new recording magic tool from 'Magic Space' to record and get the evidence.
"Who hire you to kidnap and tarnish Princess Estella?" Ignacia asked and slit his neck lightly, "I will kill you if you made noise and tried to run away." She used 'The Eyes of Truth' to check the truth in his mind.
"There must be some misunderstanding. I don't know what you are talking about," Novus said, nervously.
"It seems you don't want to keep your life," Ignacia said and silt his neck deeper.
"Ouch…, I really don't know what you mean," Novus said, frighteningly.
Ignacia activated 'Earth Magic' to create the thick walls inside the room preventing the sound out, then activated 'Fire Magic' to burn torturing him slowly.
"Argh…no..no," Novus cried. His suit was being burned. He struggled with the fire.
there were the true words popped up in Ignacia's mind.
"I…will tell you. Please stop…argh" Novus said, frighteningly. His body started to be burned.
Ignacia stopped the fire magic.
Novus hurriedly took off his suit. Some parts of his body were burned.
"I…can't tell you directly, you know, the one who hired our guild to do this mission is the one who have higher status than Princess Estella," said Novus, painfully. His face turned pale.
there were the true words popped up in Ignacia's mind.
"Did you accuse the royal family?" Ignacia asked. She wanted him to confess it out loud.
"No, I mean…" Novus said, nervously.
Ignacia activated 'Fire Magic' again.
"No, please don't burn me. It's The Crown Prince who hired us. I could not refuse the order from him," Novus said in a trembling voice.
"Who is the owner of this guild?" Ignacia asked.
"…" Novus was reluctant to answer.
"Why do I have to repeat my question?" Ignacia asked and made the flame grow larger.
"It's Count Fortuna!" Novus said, nervously.
there were the true words popped up in Ignacia's mind.
"Do you have any concrete proof?" Ignacia asked.
"No, He's very careful," Novus said.
"What about the ledger?" Ignacia asked.
"Ah..that…!" Novus was speechless, his face turned pale.
"Where is it?" Ignacia asked.
"Please wait a moment," Novus said. He walked to the desk and took out the ledgers while finding a chance to push the button to call the guards.
"You know, it's a fool to do something useless," Ignacia said and revealed her face.
"Ah, you, no, Commander!" said Novus in a trembling voice. He turned pale trembling with fear.
"Hand me all the ledgers and everything related to Count Fortuna," Ignacia said.
"Yes," said Novus, he gave up after he saw Ignacia's face.
Ignacia kept all the evidence in 'Magic Space', then fastened the shackles on his wrists. She held his armed and teleported to black knight forces section in the royal palace and put him in jail.
"Ah, if you wanted to stay alive, don't try to escape. They will kill you anyway," Ignacia whispered.
"Guard him and don't let anyone visit him," Ignacia told the knights.
"Yes, Commander" the black knights said.
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