Jessica felt the Shadow step brazenly into the south gate of her capital. Rage rose first. It was crushed brutally by calculation.
Her mother's Shadows were not foolish. Years of training ensured that. They had made it a point to avoid the central territories after her previous purge. There was no chance that this was a mistake and a very limited possibility that this was desperation.
The most probable option was that this was a messenger or some type of reverse psychological trap.
Jessica sighed at her interrupted meditation. Absorbed the mana around her and carefully noted down the progress she had made with her experiments over the past hour. She had truly been far too busy over the past two weeks. It was irritating that she couldn't even make time for something as interesting as her Soul Magic.
At least, she'd confirmed that she could sense her bond with her weapon. Jessica hadn't dared alter it, but with a bit of practice, she'd learned some interesting things about how it was empowering her. Hopefully, time and practice would let her wield that boost herself without a crutch.
There was no way she was going to trust the Cane not to abandon her when he had so readily denied Aultcray his power. Jessica ignored the brief pulse of {Negation} from the Cane. It was hard to interpret its words and she certainly couldn't judge if it was real or false.
"Anthony," she said to her head scientist, ignoring the deep bows the others in the room offered her, "I'm afraid I have to take my leave. I will return as soon as I am able. Keep the reports on the Nascent Sun project ready."
The man nodded almost absentmindedly. Jessica sighed and left after sending a look to his assistants who frantically promised to get the reports ready. The scientist was highly intelligent, incredibly competent and had taught her several interesting things about magic, but his lack of focus was worrying.
After all, she was leaving the development of a magical nuke or it's equivalent in his hands.
A thought triggered the Portal Skill as she left her laboratory that was buried deep inside a mountain on the outskirts of her country.
She had appeared in her bedroom. One of two places where a person could teleport to without getting assaulted immediately. Changed the form of her Cane and sent out pulses of mana to five different locations within a fraction of a second.
The map of her Capital flaring within her mind as she appeared in range of the control centre of the defences. The amount of data would have been overwhelming regardless of her high level had it not been for the boost her Cane gave to Multitasking. It was one of the reasons why it boosted magic use so much and each level made it more prominent.
It also helped with her defences. If anyone got the pattern wrong or failed to execute the pulses in the right amount of time, the defences would activate. That was only possible because of the Multitasking. The fate of any fool without such powers would be horrific. Not even a Hero would get away from that assault unscathed.
There was some risk involved. She could never teleport in here injured or tired, but if she was in trouble then appearing in the courtyard near the Healers building was wise in any case.
Jessica didn't wait. She cast an illusion over herself removing herself from the sight of most and shifted the enchantments so that the secret passages inside the walls parted. Soon she was outside and floating in the summer breeze. She made sure to layer the buffs on herself, enhancing everything about her even as she headed for the Shadow who wasn't moving.
It was something she had known about thanks to her defences, but it didn't change the surreal sight.
The Shadow was in chains surrounded by her Knights and was waiting patiently in a stone room. Soul Sight, to make sure no one else was hidden. Mana Sensors of many kinds to ensure that she wasn't a suicide bomber and even some medical based skills to check for implants.
All her skills showed her nothing.
Even the clothing she wore was mundane. Yet, the illusion she had cast and later dispelled after entering the barrier surrounding the capital had been the same exclusive illusion spell that all her Mother's shadows used.
Jessica suffocated the woman. The Shadow struggled for a moment and the guard watching her panicked at her shaking, but within 30 seconds she was unconscious. It was only after a long minute of observation. When nothing happened anywhere inside or around her city that she landed on the Castle Walls and showed herself to the worried guard captain.
"Your Highness," said one of her loyal Knights, "I'm glad word reached you so quickly. The Shadow claims to have been sent with a message from your Mother. She surrendered immediately, but refused to give the message to us."
The Princess nodded at the man. "Thank you," she said, glad that her dear Knights had learned that she preferred direct and to-the-point reports, "Sent out as many squads as possible to scan the territory outside the city. The City itself will be mine to check. Ensure that there's nothing suspicious."
He bowed deeply. The former adventurer who had been down on his luck until she had raised him high and provided resources for his young wife and son to live comfortably nodded decisively, "I'll make sure to cover every inch, Your Highness," he said before hesitating. He spoke only after a nod from her, "I'd be grateful if you could send some of your demi-human servants. Their strength will be needed to apprehend any Shadows. Most of my guards will be badly outmatched."
"Get your search parties prepared," she said after studying him for a long moment, "I'll give the order...but Captain I'll expect that they are treated with respect by your soldiers."
"I swear to ensure that," he said, "Any unjust actions will be punished swiftly."
Jessica smiled at him and dismissed him. Her attention turning fully on the unconscious woman. A deep frown appearing as she contemplated the situation.
The Princess was starting to believe that she might have sent out her troops for nothing.
Mirellia was nothing if not cunning. She had to have a decent idea of Malty's powers by now. Sending a decoy for an attack wasn't useful. Not when her capital was fortified to the point that it could hold out against a Wave for hours even if her people did nothing.
An army was nothing in comparison.
Would it be an assassination by Ren? Or perhaps another Vassal Hero?
Jessica shook her head. This was pointless. The Cane Hero walked into the room, dismissed the guards and bound the Shadow with thin, reinforced strands of metal. If she moved, she'd be cut to shreds. Jessica drained the woman of her mana, placed a Curse Seal on her and added the woman to her party.
Anya Level 45
The princess studied the woman's pitiful stats and teleported the girl away to one of Malty's Prisons, this particular one was deep underwater off the coast of Lurolana.
If the Shadow escaped the prison complex she'd be forced to survive intense pressures and dozens of dangerous aquatic monsters.
Jessica left the room and returned to her meditation. This time above the City. Studying and enhancing her defences as she observed her people getting ready.
She'd interrogate the girl soon, but first, she had to ensure the safety of her city.
Underestimating Mirellia was not an option. Even if the Shadow was a genuine messenger, assuming that she was only a messenger was foolish.
Malty would never let Mirellia win again.
