Steel and Mana

Chapter 71 – Black Ops (1)

After interrogating all the people, I came to the conclusion that besides Dorian, the rest didn't grasp the severity of the situation they were in. Or still had trust in the old bastard. I don't know why... was it the delusion of power that they built up under my dead Uncle? I just couldn't wrap my head around it... especially when the woman offered herself and when I refused her two daughters in exchange for a lesser punishment. Huh.

Well, it will be up to my Uncle to decide, but I can see that at least half of the group will be separated from their heads. The other half? Imprisonment or work camps. One of the two. Before that happened, I decided to chat with the head of this mess, Iskra Obertah. I wanted to hear it from the old bastard, too. When Oleg led him in, he looked pretty calm, but his eyes were opened wide enough for me to look into them.

"I know the others already pleaded against me. Cowards."

"Mostly, yes." I nodded, not bothering with lying or reminding him to use honorifics. It was useless anyway. He was either not bothering with it because of his current circumstances or because he was that arrogant. "But I want to hear the story from the head of your little league."

"To bring them down with me?" He smiled, his dry voice laced with sarcasm.

"Yes." I answered while leaning forward, "You can also not tell me the truth and get the strictest punishment possible, all alone. Then, you will sit and watch as your relatives are beheaded one by one until it is your turn, dying with the knowledge your line has ended that day. So...? Care to tell me the correct timeline of things?"

"..."

I didn't hurry him; let him collect his thoughts and think through his position. He was dead. The question was, would his aura of decay spread through his family or not? Being the last to be questioned, he already knew that the others most likely told us everything and probably presented themselves as innocent. Coerced into something by him.

"I can prove what I will say. I assume you have collected everything from our homes?"

"Of course."

"Is my grandson in custody?"

"Hm?" I raised an eyebrow, looking at Oleg, who took out a notebook and flipped through it before nodding and speaking up.

"Ignacio Obertah, 19 years old. Black hair, blue eyes, average height and build. He is currently held in a camp with the rest of the Obertah household, guarded by the Baron's forces."

"If you promise to spare my and my family's life, we can serve you."

"Excuse me?" I chuckled, leaning back, feeling surprised. The way he spoke made it evident he thought he still had an ace up in his sleeve. Something that would make him invincible.

"If you promise to keep us all alive, we will serve you. We can provide you with something that nobody else can. Not here, not even in the capital."

"You are awfully confident that it is something I am going to be interested in."

"Every ruler of your position would be." Old Obertah repeated, never flinching, maintaining his utmost confidence in whatever it was.

"And what that would be?"

"I will only say it if you guarantee our survival. If you give your word as Viscount Leon of the Frontier, that my family and I will not be killed! Not now, not later."

"Is it CC? The thing built into your warning devices? I know people were smuggling them, which made them die out in my region. If it is, I don't think I will touch it!" Of course, that was a lie because, for sure, I would confiscate them all for myself.

"It is better than some low-level magic stone."

"High-level variants?"

"I am not saying anything anymore, not until I get a written guarantee."

"You really have trust in it, huh?" I shrugged, leaning back, playing with my fingers, thinking.

"A noble's promise is worth more than gold. A broken promise will be a stain that forever excludes them from others' trust. It is the same for us businessmen."

I didn't answer him this time, as I was already running through multiple guesses in my mind about what it could be. First, he asked about his grandson. Is he the secret keeper? Is he the connection with the underworld where they get the CC from? Do they have something better? Maybe an artifact? A source of CC?

No. Not that. For one, if they had that type of source, they would not be doing what they were caught for. Through CC alone, they could bribe themselves up the social ladder very quickly. Just by overturning a source of CC to the Empire, skipping us in the process would raise them into a noble status as a reward. So it had to be something else.

That was when it clicked. Something better... and his first question was if his grandson was alright or not... Something that would make me want them alive...

"Oleg, please escort him back to his cell. I will need to think about it."

"I await a positive answer, Viscount of the Frontier." He nodded, and I could feel in his voice that he was already sure I would take the bait.

Until my general returned, I remained in my chair, thinking through it again and again. When he entered the room, I could see the question bubbling within him; he just didn't want to interrupt my thoughts.

"Send your fastest men back home. Bring Yuri here with a few of her girls."

"Yes, My Lord." He bowed, not asking questions, no matter how curious he was.

"Tell them to come here without delay, but don't let anyone see them arrive. When finished, come to my Uncle's room..."

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"Will you tell us already or keep us guessing?" Elliot asked after we had gathered in his room, and I had just been walking around for five minutes.

"A moment." I hummed, going through my theory one last time.

While I was strolling in a small circle, Sasha was sitting in one of the largest chairs, rubbing her feet that were finally freed from her high-heeled shoes. My Uncle was holding a cup of wine, leaning against the open window, enjoying the midnight breeze coming through, while Oleg was standing at the door, arms crossed, waiting patiently. Luckily, I did not fear any eavesdropping, as we were four stories high from the ground, so there was no chance of anyone else overhearing us.

"I am 99% sure that Ignacio Obertah is a mage."

"What?!" They said in such a perfect sync that I couldn't help but whistle loudly.

"I was thinking about this since he brought it up. The way he questioned me, his priorities, and his confidence that I would not say no to his offer... It all points to the fact he has a trump card that defeats everything in his way. Something that could get him out of this neck-deep shitshow. It can't be CC. It didn't save the rest before him, so he is not stupid. What else could be if not a mage? An unregistered one, somebody the Empire did not take away because they don't know about him."

"Another mage..." Sasha mumbled, but she couldn't decide if she was excited or not.

"Are you going to recruit him?" Elliot asked the same question that was floating within my wife's mind.

"I thought about it."

"So you will..." He shrugged, but then Oleg cleared his throat, speaking after I gave him an encouraging nod.

"My Lord won't recruit him."

"How do you know that?" Elliot asked, curious, looking back and forth between us, watching me crack a smile.

"He is right. I did send for my crazy hound..."

"Are you sure?" Sasha questioned, sounding a bit worried.

"I am. I went through multiple possibilities... None ended well. First, the boy is already an adult and experienced in life. He has been working closely with his family. I lost the timeframe to brainwash him to my side. Who will he be loyal to? Me or the old bastard?"

"The old man." Elliot nodded immediately.

"Very likely. Secondly, the fact that their family had been destroyed and pushed into servitude can and would plant hatred within them. Taking them in would be nothing but caressing a viper in my bosom. Thanks, but no thanks."

"So, are we continuing as if nothing had happened?" Sasha asked while I waited for my Uncle to rejoin us as I saw him thinking.

"His grandson is dangerous." He said after a minute or so.

"He is... If we go ahead, we can light a fuse we can't extinguish in time. We don't know what type of magical abilities he has. What is his training? What does he have on him?"

"You have a plan?" Elliot asked, watching me without blinking.

"I do... kind of." I shrugged, looking at my wife. "Sasha will stand by."

"Um." She nodded, not complaining, going along with my decision the moment she heard it.

"If must, she can cast fire spells."

"Ah... awawa..." This time, it finally registered in her; she would have to do it without any help. There are no tablets here, no pre-made formations. She would have to create them and summon a spell. All by herself. "I... I... I don't know if..."

"We have not much time." I encouraged her with a smile, "I am confident that I am right, and a rogue mage could be dangerous if he goes against us! They are in the corner; the moment all escape routes are closed off, they will attack and fight for survival. This must be done fast and quick!"

"I already ordered my men to be ready." Oleg saluted, making an official report. "The camp is big, but we formed a second circle around it, behind the Baron's forces. Anyone trying to leave will be killed."

"Good. Also, don't let anyone enter either."

"How do you want to do it?" Elliot asked, "Will you accept his deal? Knowing you broke your word will forever stain your reputation."

"Nobody has to know it." I chuckled. This was the exact reason why I recruited Yuri... This was the first mission of my Black Ops team. "Everyone knows they did something terrible. Announce they are all executed while listing their crimes and proofs for them. I will take Iskra with me, along with their families, and will deal with them. You don't need to worry about the rest!"

"You would really give up on a mage?" He smiled, looking at me with a different kind of light in his eyes.

"If he is dangerous to me... yes. I will. Without hesitation."

"You truly are my nephew!" With a laugh, he throws his hands into the air, shaking his head, "Sure. Let's do it as you say, Viscount Leon!"

"Oh, one more thing, Baron Elliot~!" I copied his voice, making him roll his eyes.

"I know, Dorian and his family! I will make it seem like they were also wiped out and escort them to a different place where you can come and pick them up. I know you enough by now, Leon!"

"Thanks, Uncle!"

"Whatever. Just make sure you will give me a good price on things! Don't forget I am kinda wiping your ass here!"

"Heeeey, we are working together! I am helping you remove a dangerous mage from under your nose! It is me who is wiping your bum!" I joked back before both of us chuckled at the same time.

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It took only two days for Yuri to arrive. In the meantime, I met with Iskra twice and finally accepted his proposition. I tried pressing a little to make him spill the beans, but it did not happen. He was sure of himself and was willing to gamble on it. It reinforced my thoughts, too, because I got the feeling he was confident that even if he didn't, the others would indeed survive this. Which would mean they would have a chance to escape. I could not think of anything else... even a local bandit force would not be foolish enough to attack the Baron's forces, not to mention mine.

While Elliot was gathering them in a spot where nobody would notice them, transporting them away in the night, I met up with Yuri, who came with a dozen of her girls. We were waiting for them with fresh horses a kilometer away from the city. When they arrived, theirs were on the verge of collapsing; I felt terrible for the poor animals.

"Yo, hubby!" She shouted, jumping off the swaying horse and skipping towards me with a wide grin. "Who needs to die?"

"Who said you need to kill someone?" I asked jokingly, letting her hug and kiss me, which lasted a little too long, so Sasha pulled her off me.

"Please! I am not stupid~! Someone fucked up if you ask for me and my bitches! So? What's the play? Who will I butcher today?"

"A mage." I answered, and I saw her shiver.

"Oh fuck... what a great trophy... Fuck yes! YES! Since that day... I wanted to fucking gut a bastard! Where? Tell me!"

"Slow down!" I raised a hand, pressing a finger against her lips, "I will hold a briefing. You need to follow the plan because killing a mage must be done quickly. I don't want to waste any of you... Gather around. It is time for you all to be inducted as my hidden blade for real!"