Chapter 155: Terms and Agreements

"Maylin…" Serue sneers, "Don't you come any closer." He presses the blade even deeper against my neck, it hurts but I can't exactly move away given he's still got control over my body.

Maylin merely scoffs, I can't understand why she's chosen to don those strange…accessories.

"You fool, we're trying to save your life and yet you prattle on. If I were you, any of you!" I can't really see behind me properly but I'm certain she's pointing at Audwin and the Matron, "I would get back and as far away as possible from that man as I can!"

"Saving me?" Serue sounds rightly offended. "And from him, not even you? What could this fool possibly do in this state of his?"

"He can kill you, your kids, Audwin and you Matron." It's Anselm's voice. I suppose the time I've spent with the man has given him an intricate understanding of my skill, perhaps even more so than myself.

"We were originally coming here to help him and my daughter who you had the audacity to imprison, but a quick chat with Anselm here revealed so much more of his powers than I thought him capable of."

Serue chuckles, "That's all well and good but…if any of that trash you're spouting from your mouth is true then why bother saving me? After all, I threw your daughter in my sewers." 

"I'm curious too." I manage to utter, the first words since they barged in.

"Shut it!" Serue hisses.

Maylin is the one to speak again, "Because if he kills you, he'll have a harder time ruling this city."

"Bahhahah!!"

Is the mad laughter of the Mayor. He staggers back, giving my neck relief as he laughs, his head bouncing back and forth.

"You must think me some kind of joke!"

"Of course not," Maylin sounds surprisingly confident in her dismissal, "I respect you and every other ruler there has been of this city, and you especially given your strength."

He smirks, "Ah, so that's why you have on that helmet and glove. Protecting yourself from Illusions…interesting."

"I know it wouldn't be much of a challenge for you to break through these and get into my head, but I think we both know a feat like that is out of your reach now that you've exhausted yourself trying to break into him."

She continues, "You must have exhausted quite the supply of mana trying to break him, you don't have enough to try the same with me, and even if you did, with these on you'd be dead before you get anywhere with your trickery."

"Just like you surely know you would be now if I so choose."

At these words the air immediately becomes a dense pile heaped over my shoulders. Audwin falls flat onto the floor and the boys and the Matron buckle over, the boys puking their guts out.

"Sir!" the Matron calls out in desperation, "Permission sir!"

"Granted! Leave!"

The Matron pulls out something and a second later the tear of reality from earlier appears, sucking them all in and snapping shut as soon as they're gone.

"The luxuries controlling a Kingdom grants you." Maylin chuckles.

Serue is no longer carefree, in fact, he looks as enraged and fearful as he did in the illusion he put me in, perhaps even more.

In a cold sweat he pulls his arm back, the dagger stained with my blood ready to come down on me with finality. 

"I wouldn't do that either, Serue."

He freezes.

"Unlike Asher, there's nothing holding me back from killing you on the spot before his body even hits the ground."

As though to punctuate her point streaks of lightning appear in the air above us, thundering just as loudly as normal lightning. 

Fucking hell this woman is crazy powerful.

Serue seems to think the same thing as I do. He drops the dagger to the floor and staggers back.

"You should just kill me now, either of you, why leave me alive when I'm going to come for you anyway."

As he retreats, I find myself regaining control over my body, slowly I stand and try to get over the humiliation of being so thoroughly beaten.

"I think either one of us can handle just you, Serue." Maylins sneers, "It's your family we don't need."

"Who says I won't get them to chase after you as well? This is a coup you know; House Ire won't stand for this, we will march in here with an army, a proper on, not those weak willed, expendable guards I threw at you, a true army!"

At this, she outright laughs, a sound so odd coming from someone so…powerful and upright. I know from it, Serue has no other cards.

"Everyone and their babies know House Ire are a bunch of prideful fucks. You're more likely to get spanked than given aid to reclaim the fief you couldn't protect despite all the luxuries you've been given."

Serue's scowl deepens, proving her words right.

He straightens up as he pulls out the same small round object the Matron did, "Perhaps, but if your little rebellion grows out of hand, past this county, you can expect that army and I'll be leading it to hunt you and your pesky little critters."

He looks to me, his scowl seems to deepen even further at the sight of me dusting myself off, but he erases all trace of it with a smile.

"Enjoy the win Asher, I don't know what you think you're going to accomplish but…the Cult won't be the only thing you have to worry about from now on, watch your back because I'll be aiming for it."

He doesn't give me the chance to reply, instead the tear in space appears again, the dense ozone smell coupled with Maylin's localized thunderstorm trouble my nose. 

And in a blink, Serue is gone.

Just like that, the keys to Aste have fallen into my hands…rather anti-climactic, I barely even did anything.

"Asher." Maylin's voice barrels through my muddled thoughts. "We need to have a talk."