Vaughn sat down on the floor of the room at the inn that they were staying at, across from him sat the small form of Myu, with Gabriel and Rivas sitting on one of the beds in the room. They had immediately come here after Vaughn had beat the unholy shit out of a group of assholes that had the nerve to insult those that he treasured. Once they arrived they paid for the room , Vaughn had placed a shadow demon watch dog in the tavern portion of the building, came upstairs, and locked the three of themselves into the room.
"Okay Myu, I'm going to cast a quick spell on you to make sure that you're healthy, is that okay?" After receiving a nod from the little girl, he held his hand out towards her. "[Detect Health]." [Silent Detect Enchantment, [Silent Detect Curse]. To his surprise, he saw that she was actually missing a little bit of health and there was a light curse surrounding her. [Silent Identify Curse]. He narrowed his eyes in disgust at what he found. The curse looked to be designed for slaves, a magically imbued seal placed into the skin of the slave in question that would allow their owner to track them to wherever they might run away to. "Myu, the man that we saved you from, did he touch you anywhere before we arrived?"
Myu nodded her head before explaining. "The big man smacked my bottom like my papa used to when I would misbehave. It hurt so bad that I screamed, but mama and papa didn't do anything…" At this point Vaughn noticed this little girl, who had been so brave up until this point, had tears falling from her cheeks. "Why wouldn't they help me? Don't they love me?" At this she completely broke down and lunged herself into Vaughn's arms, looking for comfort from someone, anyone.
Vaughn looked over to Gabriel to see her crying as well and out of the corner of his eye he saw Rivas wipe something away from her eyes. {Gabriel, I know that this is going to be painful, but she has a cursed rune where that man touched her. While I have the ability to remove it, it would probably be best if I stepped out of the room while you dealt with it, as the best way to remove it is direct contact, and it should be etched into her skin directly.} Seeing the angel nod with a resolute look in her eye, Vaughn turned to Myu. "Calm little one." He said gently, slowly stroking her head. "I don't know what happened to make it so that your parents wouldn't help, but we're here now, and I can promise you that we will do what we can to protect you." She just buried her face further into his chest, hugging him tightly. "Okay little one, I have to step outside really quickly, while I'm gone my friend Paige is going to heal you up and help you to feel better okay."
Getting an acknowledging nod, Vaughn gestured for Gabriel to take his place as he took a step out of the door and closed it behind him. While he waited for Gabriel to take care of the problem, Vaughn used [Slave Sight] to look through the eyes of his shadow demon that he had left down stairs.
He watched roughly a minute before 6 towns guards walked into the tavern and walked up to the innkeeper. "We're here looking for a man, two women, and a small child. We have been ordered by the queen herself to bring these three into custody, and we know that they are staying in this inn. What room are they in?" At this Vaughn cut the connection and walked back into the room just in time for Gabriel to finish removing the seal.
With the three females in the room looking at him Vaughn quickly held up his hand. "[Gate]." After the doorway was opened he looked to Gabriel, and Myu. "There's no time to explain, this will take you to Carne. Find the woman who my shadow demon is connected to and tell her that the creator of it will come and explain in due course. Now quickly take Myu and go." Still looking very confused Gabriel grabbed Myu's small hand and guided her through the portal with the last thing that Vaughn saw being the big eyes of Myu looking at him in fear.
Once the gate closed Vaughn sat on the bed facing Rivas, who was looking like she had just taken a shot of straight adrenaline. Before she could ask he briefly explained. "Our opponents from earlier seem to have the ear of the Queen. I intend to allow myself to get captured so that I might speak with her. You may choose to either get caught alongside me, or hide yourself and continue to protect my back, but you don't have much time to choose." The last few words were finished while he was looking at the door where he could hear the footsteps of the guards. As he heard one of them pull out the key, Vaughn looked over to find that it seemed like he was alone in the room.
The door opened up to reveal the six men who stepped into the room. "By order of the Queen, you are under arrest. Where are your companions?" The man in the lead said as he gestured for his men to detain Vaughn.
The disguised shade stood and walked forward waving the men off. "No need for the shackles, I am coming peacefully. As to my companions, I'm not sure as to their precise whereabouts, but they are not here." Vaughn furrowed his brow as the men that had the shackles were not backing off. "Unless you want your men to need a healer, I'd recommend calling them off."
"Oh my, does that mean that you're resisting arrest?" The leader said with a sadistic grin. "Lord Cerebrate said not to trust you, and to ensure that you were brought before the Queen in chains."
As he finished the two holding the shackles leapt towards Vaughn but he quickly sidestepped them before raising his hand. "[Sleep]." And both of them crumpled to the ground snoring loudly. "Try that again and it'll be your ass out cold." He said looking at the leader.
The man in question gritted his teeth before drawing his sword. "You've assaulted guards of the Draconic Kingdom, your crimes will stand the testament to-"
Having heard enough to know that he was about to order an attack, Vaughn raised his hand and quickly said. "[Sleep]." He quickly stepped forward and knocked the blade away from its user to make sure that the idiot didn't accidentally kill himself. After he ensured the mans safety, Vaughn looked at the three remaining guards that appeared to have paled after seeing their commander and comrades so readily incapacitated. "Okay, now then, if I was summoned by the Queen to answer questions about what happened earlier, let's be on our way. I trust that you were witness to my willingness to come peaceably only for these three to continue with their own far more violent way, and that I could have easily killed them, but instead choose to simply remove them from the equation?"
While two of the men nodded the third stepped forward. "I thank you for sparing their lives, Thomas was trained by Cerebrate personally and has a tendency towards violence. May I ask how long it would be until they awaken?"
"Roughly an hour." Vaughn calmly said. "Now, I don't mean to be rude to you, but I'd rather not keep the Queen waiting.
Nodding the new leader gestured for Vaughn to follow him. As the four left the tavern the other two guards took up positions behind him as they escorted him through the streets of the city. Vaughn marveled at the architecture as he traveled from the lower ring of the city, where the feeling of the structures was very medieval England, into the upper ring, where everything had an almost Romanesque to it with pillars and arches everywhere, the only difference being that most of the building material was granite rather than marble. That statement held true until he was guided into the third and smallest ring. Here sat the palace and a few other government buildings, all made of imported white marble with black and gold veins running through it.
As Vaughn was led up the stairs into the palace proper he noticed that, while there were guards stationed every so often it seemed like there were fewer than there should be. He couldn't figure out how he knew, but he did know that the palace guard was severely understaffed. At the end of the hall Vaughn was led into a large throne room that seemed rather homely and bare compared to Nazarick's. On the throne, to his surprise, sat a young girl that was conspicuously about the same size as Myu. Off to the left of the throne the man that Vaughn had taught a lesson to was sitting in a chair and was still being tended to by a healer. When the man saw Vaughn he quickly went through three separate facial expressions. First he looked smug, then he went pale when he saw that there were no chains, before finally settling on rage as he turned to the guard that was guiding him. "Did I not tell you idiots that he was to be brought before the Queen in chains?"
Vaughn noticed the indignant look the Queen gave the man. 'Good, she doesn't like him anymore than I do.' Before his impromptu guide could respond, Vaughn quickly stepped forward and bowed his head . "My dear Queen, forgive this one, but the men that were sent to detain me are currently sleeping as they wouldn't listen to reason. The men around me can attest to the fact that I told them multiple times that I would come willingly and informed them that if they continued on their planned course of action that I would defend myself. When they would not back down I used magic to put them to sleep."
The Queen looked at the man that stood to Vaughn's right for confirmation, once received she turned back to the disguised shade. "Well then, it appears that I've been misinformed as to your abilities, young adventurer. I was told that you managed to scrape together a victory against Cerabrate using deceit and the sword not magic and your words." After the last bit her eyes quickly glanced from Vaughn to Cerabrate and back.
Vaughn very briefly felt immense killing intent from the corner of the room closest to the offender, and was surprised when both the Queen and the ass-hat turned to look in that direction. Vaughn quickly and subtly waved his hand in a gesture for his hidden assassin to relax, before speaking up once more. "Oh really, my Queen? Might I request that I hear the recollection that you have, so that I might speak as to what I witnessed?" He smirked as he watched in fascination as Cerabrate's face somehow looked both furious and pale at the same time.
Before the Queen could speak he nearly vaulted out of his chair and pointed a shaky finger at Vaughn. "You have no right to make such a request of the Queen, it is only because we are before her that I don't strike you down where you stand little man."
Vaughn leveled a disinterested look at the man before moving his hands behind his back and leaned forward slightly. "My honor has been put into question by a man who has none and you say that I have no right? Very well then I withdraw my question and will instead explain how everything happened by other means." As he finished speaking he turned to the Queen and bowed his head. "With your permission, honored Queen, might I cast a spell that would allow all present to witness what happened from my point of view?" After receiving a curious nod from her he opened his Tome and lifted his hand. "[Past Replay]." This was both a skill and a spell that, while often used as a way to record a specific moment of the game, Vaughn had quickly realized how useful it would be as a way to prepare for a guild raid if he was able to wander into the base and then get caught, killed, and then go back to the rest of Ainz Ooal Gown and show them what he had seen.
Vaughn watched in amusement as all of the color drained from Cerabrate's face as the whole situation unfolded from Vaughn's point of view. At the end of it the Queen sent him a withering gaze before speaking. "I thank you for your clarification of this matter, adventurer. I do believe that any repercussions of this situation will be dismissed, y-"
"Queen Draudillon!" The idiot spoke up, not knowing when he had already lost. "I speak now as the leader of Crystal Tear, I swear on my rank as Adamantite that if nothing is done about this, I will take my team and leave the kingdom for other lands." Vaughn watched him grin as the Queen's face became white as a sheet. Hating the power that this man held over her, so he decided to intervene.
"My Queen." Vaughn broke into her thoughts respectfully, once he was once again the center of her attention he continued. "It appears that some kind of recompense is necessary for this display." Vaughn paused just long enough for Cerabrate's look of superiority to return before he continued. "Therefore I am more than willing to speak with you privately in order for the two of us to come to an agreement that ought to satisfy both parties. That being said I will not speak on the subject while there is someone that questions my honor present." He finished looking at the pinnacle of bigotry.
Cerabrate's look of smug superiority vanished when, to his surprise, Draudillon spoke. "Leave us. I will speak with him myself." He tried to object before the Queen made a quick motion and the guards that had escorted Vaughn into the room ushered Cerabrate outside before closing the door.
As soon as it was closed Vaughn, very carefully, examined the Queen that sat on the throne who suddenly and subtly looked far more exhausted. "Why do you tolerate his presence? It is obvious that you do not enjoy it and his personality and personal choices leave much to be desired."
The Queen was startled by the sudden change in the tone of the man before her. He was no longer the interesting new person in town but someone who was able to read her emotions like an open book. "His team often are the only ones that stand between the Draconic Kingdom and destruction at the hands of the Demi-human nations. He is a trump card."
At this two small, child shaped, puzzle pieces fit into place. He smiled as he spoke up. "Very well then, let's dispense with the falsities that are our outward appearances, yes?" He said as the Queen once again was jolted by his comment. After a few seconds he was answered by the Queen transforming from a small child into a lovely and voluptuous woman with flowing blonde hair and a beautiful, doll-like face. A face that immediately turned into a look somewhere between fear, disgust, and curiosity when Vaughn removed his ring. "Queen Draudillon, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm sure that you use that younger form to appease the perverse side of the idiotic man out in the hall." After receiving a nod from her in a still semi stunned state he continued. "Then I would like to make a deal that would help me while allowing you to save face with a." He tried desperately to hold in a snort and failed. "Powerful ally. Levi the adventurer will leave the kingdom but I, Vaughn, will deal with the beast-man nation myself, and in return when the time comes that my brother and I no longer have to hide behind false faces, you will support us. Is this an agreeable solution?"
Finally closing her mouth she looked dubiously at him. "Before I agree I have several questions that I would have answered." Vaughn gestured for her to continue. "First, what are you?"
"Ah an excellent place to start. I am what is known as a Shade, an entity that was once living but whose soul was irreversibly tied to the plane of shadows making me both undead and living at the same time. Is that explanation satisfactory?"
"It is for now. Second, I assume that your brother is the same as you, so why do you need support from me?"
"No, my brother is not the same as myself. He is an undead of the highest caliber. Don't get such a worried look on your face, he doesn't wish for the death of the living just because he can, he is actually far more gentle than myself. However that wasn't your question, the answer that you seek is that when we eventually announce ourselves to the world at large there will be those that wish to hinder us because of what we are rather than who we are."
Draudillon's face became slightly more colorful than it had been a moment before. "I see, well then the only question I have left is, what's to stop me from backstabbing you after you come out of the shadows."
Vaughn's eyes glowed green in amusement before he answered. "Ah there's two reasons behind that, the first is that you are not a foolish Queen, as such I highly doubt that you would be foolish enough to anger the one who single handedly defeated the enemies that held your country by the throat. The second is this." He said before he gestured for something to rise from the ground, at his will a small pile of lava formed in the hall but it didn't burn anything. He continued while gesturing for the Queen to join him. "You see, many years ago I had a run in with a demon. He liked to play games and if you could win, you would receive a prize. After I beat him in his game he saw my enthusiasm for knowledge and decided to teach me one thing of my choice. So I asked him to teach me how to make magical contracts. This is the form that my contracts take. Now that your last question is answered." This was of course an exaggeration, it was the player to player contract system usually used when hiring mercenary players to assist in whatever tasks they were hired to do. Placing his hand on the pile before him, he repeated the conditions of the contract that he had already put forward and then looked into the Queen's beautiful amethyst eyes. "Now if you agree to these terms, place your hand onto the pile, don't worry it won't hurt you it's simply a magical representation, and speak your name and say that you agree."
Gathering her courage Draudillon placed her hand on the lava and spoke. "I, Draudillon Oriculus, Queen of the Draconic Kingdom, agree to this contract." After a brief moment of near pain they both pulled their hands back. "Is that it?"
"Yes, the pact is formed. One thing to keep in mind is that if either of us break our vow, the one that broke it will die." Vaughn looked at the once again pale face of the Queen and laughed. "Calm yourself, it's bad for your health for your blood to keep draining from your face. Besides I'm the one with the hard part, according to the contract I have to take care of the beast-men by myself or I will have broken the contract." The Queen suddenly looked far more worried. "Two more things before I take my leave. First, I will leave this with you." He said gesturing to a GSD that jumped from Vaughn's shadow into hers and made itself known. "This little creature is an extension of myself and will allow you to get in touch with me if you need to. Assuming that you don't want it just hanging around simply tell it to wait somewhere or to just stay in a room and it will wait until you come back for it." After her look of fear dwindled she turned back from the Shadow Demon. "Second." His eyes turned a reddish pink as he turned away. "You should stay like this more often, you're too beautiful to walk around looking like a child."
Before Draudillon could respond Vaughn put the ring back on, taking the face of Levi, and he left. She barely had enough time to turn back into her child form before Cerabrate stormed back into the hall. "So what's going to happen to him!?" The belligerent man asked, not knowing that his time was about to come to an end.
"The copper ranked adventurer Levi, will be exiled from the Draconic Kingdom." Draudillon said as she turned. As she returned to her throne she couldn't stop the slight blush from spreading across her face.
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A/N: wow, okay a couple of things. First and foremost, can someone please explain to me how in the hell we're now more than halfway to 100 follows and favorites? Second, sorry this chapter took so long, it was just a long week. Finally I wanted to give a shout-out to UNHOLY LIGHT, the guy's been great enough to create and give me permission to use some of his spells and even some World Class Items. Thanks man.
As always if any of you have any questions about anything go ahead and leave a review. I think I might try for a Q for chapter 15 so don't feel too left out if I don't answer immediately.
P.S. TheMist33 gets a gold star for his correct guess.
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