It seemed Alaric wasn’t the only one who had detected the presence of the witches nearby. His father and Edgar tensed up, edging closer to him to shield him from any harm. Unexpectedly, although the Inquisitor and his aide looked a little bit anxious, they didn’t exactly look shocked.

Were they expecting the witches to arrive to my aid? But that means… Alaric couldn’t dismiss the possibility that the Inquisitor had figured out his secret, and this whole thing was a setup to lure the witches out.

But if so, there must be more forces on the way to handle them. Otherwise, I don’t see how the Inquisitor and his forces could hope to prevail if a battle were to erupt. The Tier 4 witch alone could probably overpower all of them.

He knew that the three witches from long ago had been monitoring him from a distance, as confirmed by Edgar. However, he hadn’t managed to detect their presence unless he was actively searching for them. And even then, it was challenging.

So it wasn’t exactly a surprise that they had suddenly come to his aid at the spark of a conflict. Although the witches hadn’t interacted with him, it wasn’t hard to guess that they were here to protect Alaric.

Still, something didn’t make sense to him. The witches had revealed their presence too easily to the Inquisitor, as if they didn’t possess the element of surprise.

“That may be so, but we’ve all had a busy day,” declared the count. “Come back tomorrow morning and I’d be happy to oblige you.” The count desperately sought more time, hoping to get Alaric to a safe place.

“I’m afraid I cannot accept that request,” the Inquisitor smirked. “You see, time is of the essence. I suspect delaying things further could jeopardize young Alaric’s life.”

“What do you mean by that?” the count growled. “Are you threatening us?”

“Not at all!” the Inquisitor chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. “As I said before, I simply want to discuss a few important matters.” He glanced pointedly at where the witches were hiding. “Especially since everybody concerning this matter is currently present.”

Alaric couldn’t perceive any malice from the Inquisitor towards him. In fact, his intuition told him that whatever matter the Inquisitor wanted to discuss could be really important. Unfortunately, his father was on edge and didn’t seem like he wanted to yield.

I have to stop my father before things spiral out of control. If a battle were to break out now, many lives could be lost unnecessarily.

He could sense the presence of the servants and maids huddled up in a corner of the mansion, witnessing this dispute from afar. A tight knot coiled inside his throat and chest as he envisioned Elara in a similar state.

I cannot let anything happen to Elara, especially because of me. He shook his head, tugging on Edgar’s arm to bring his ear closer to him. Edgar looked at him, raising an eyebrow but complied.

“It doesn’t hurt to at least listen to The Inquisitor,” he whispered in Edgar’s ear. The headbutler wanted to argue, but Alaric cut him off and continued, “Besides, the secret is not widely known. Don’t you think it would be short-sighted for Father to act rashly?”

Edgar took a moment to process his words, but finally grasped what he implied. He glanced at the house guards and knights who were all eyeing the count with curiosity.

None of them, not even Captain Aldric and Sir Baldwin, truly understood the real cause of this conflict. In their minds, the Church was an opposing force, but certainly not an enemy of House de Vermond. Why would they be?

Given how cryptic the Inquisitor had been with his words, the Black Flame Hunters were probably unaware of the truth as well. It wouldn’t make sense for the count to get so riled up unless there was a secret to conceal.

Edgar leaned forward and whispered something into the count’s ear. His father took a deep breath, briefly peering into the darkness obscuring the witches before nodding his consent for a meeting.

The count still looked conflicted, but he probably depended on the witches for additional protection if things didn’t work out.

Alaric released a sigh, relieved to have averted a disaster for now.

***

Inside the Count’s Study

“This cake is really delicious,” said the Inquisitor, shoveling a spoonful of cake into his mouth. Raviel left his portion untouched, content to remain as a silent guard at his master’s side.

The count waited patiently at his seat, with Edgar at his flank. It appeared his father had calmed down considerably after his initial surprise. Alaric remained with Edgar, curiously observing Rubina - the Tier 4 witch who sat beside the Inquisitor, her portion of the cake already finished.

What a weird scenario! He slowly shook his head. A witch and an Inquisitor seated side by side, all because of him. Nobody would believe it unless they witnessed it themselves.

He had a feeling that these two weren’t really strangers to each other. Alaric had theorized long ago that the Inquisitor was corrupt; he had taken bribes from the count to drop his unofficial investigation into them and stop disturbing them. Today, his theory was proven correct.

He didn’t know how to feel about the Inquisitor anymore. Any other Inquisitor could’ve caused real trouble for his family.

Rubina looked completely at ease, as if this whole scenario didn’t bother her a single bit. Either she was extremely skilled at masking her emotions, or she truly was that confident in her strength.

Stolen story; please report.

If anything, the count and Edgar seemed more uncomfortable being in the presence of the powerful witch.

Now that he looked closely at the deep, black hair cascading on her shoulders and bright, emerald eyes, Alaric couldn’t deny the resemblance he bore to witches. She looked no older than thirty, with a fair complexion and beautifully symmetrical features that exuded attraction.

Although it was never easy to judge the age of a powerful cultivator, much less witches who practiced the esoteric arts.

It’s no wonder the Inquisitor had figured out the link so easily, although he mustn’t know the full story.

The remaining two witches were stationed outside the room, along with Captain Aldric and Sir Baldwin, keeping watch for any trouble. Everybody else was below, holding their position and awaiting orders.

“Dominus, I’m glad you enjoyed the cake,” the count replied, unimpressed. “Now, what is this matter that you couldn’t wait to discuss till morning?”

The Inquisitor gulped the last bite of his cake and sipped some water before pointing his spoon at Alaric. “Let’s not pretend that Alaric is not special. I can identify the unique smell of witch bloodlines in my sleep,” he stated seriously, before turning his gaze towards Alaric, “And I must say, his bloodline feels particularly strong to my senses.”

Alaric didn’t flinch since he had already anticipated such a revelation from the Inquisitor. However, his father and Edgar didn’t take that revelation lightly.

“Haven’t you already received enough gifts from us to leave this matter alone?” said the count, glaring at him. “If you believe you can threaten or blackmail us, I would be happy to shatter that assumption. And don’t even dare to think of harming my child, if you want to leave this place alive today.”

“I take offense at your assumption, Lord Eustace,” said Dominus, chuckling. “I thought we were on friendly terms. How could you possibly think that I would want to harm young Alaric? In fact, I’m quite fond of him.”

“Cut the crap and say what you want,” the count said harshly. “I’m losing my patience.”

“What, you still don’t believe that I’m here to foster friendly bonds?” Dominus raised his eyebrows, as if genuinely offended. “Then let me make you aware that we’ve detected the presence of several hostile witches in nearby towns.”

Catching the astonished look on the count’s face, Dominus pressed on. “Our presence in the city has deterred them until now, but they are closing in from all directions. I’ve not witnessed such concentrated witch activity in ages, and I strongly believe they won’t rest until they accomplish their goal.”

Could the witches truly be after me? But how did they uncover my location, and why now, after all this time? Alaric couldn't deny that he was surprised, but he wasn’t completely disheartened.

The witches hadn’t figured out his identity yet, and they hadn’t been able to pinpoint his exact location. However, his father lost all color on his face. He could understand why. If witches from an enemy faction could somehow figure out his identity, there would be no end to their troubles.

Alaric was a contender for the future throne of the Kingdom of Eldoria. Enemies of the royal house would probably keep sending powerful assassins until they succeeded in eliminating him as a threat. Edgar softly squeezed Eustace’s shoulders, showing his support.

“Is this really true?” his father’s voice almost cracked. “You have not made an error?”

“I wish I were mistaken, my lord,” Dominus exhaled a sigh, before glancing at Rubina, who had remained silent all this while. “Why don’t you ask our friendly witch if you have doubts about our capabilities?”

“What he says is true,” Rubina said softly. “We’ve also identified the presence of outside forces attempting to invade this town”. Alaric had learned from his father long ago that Rubina was her mother’s most trusted ally and personal bodyguard.

Probably a peak Tier 4 with exceptional abilities. That’s why she had been assigned to protect Alaric. There was no reason for her to lie. Although he did wonder why she had kept quiet until now.

“Why didn’t you inform me earlier?” the count questioned her. “We could’ve made some preparations to handle this situation better.”

Rubina’s eyes shimmered with a repressed emotion, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. What is she hiding?

“This whole estate was under surveillance,” Rubina remarked, subtly glancing at Raviel, who awkwardly scratched his cheek, feigning ignorance. “We didn’t want to make matters more complicated. Although it seems that it's too late for that now,” She chuckled. “Besides, we already formulated a plan to protect the boy before things could get worse.”

The crux of the matter wasn’t lost on anyone. Nobody truly trusted the other party, which resulted in severe communication gaps. They simply joined forces for mutual goals.

“Let bygones be bygones,” said Dominus, quickly masking his guilt. “And focus on what we can do for each other. Our forces can help stave off the witches for a few more days, just enough time for young Alaric to leave the city. He is supposed to join an academy, right?”

The count gazed at the Inquisitor sharply. Even Edgar scowled. There was no denying now that the Inquisitor had been monitoring Alaric’s life for quite some time. However, they couldn’t really argue with the fact that the solution he offered was a good one.

Yes, that would be the perfect plan. An Inquisitor confronting witches wouldn’t be suspicious at all. And once I leave for the academy, the witches could scour the city all they want. He eyed Dominus. But why does he want to help me?

“Now state what you want from me,” said the count, the weariness apparent on his face.

“As I said earlier, I don’t really need anything from you,” Dominus replied, before glancing at Rubina. “Alaric must hail from a high-noble family to have a peak Tier 4 assigned as his bodyguard.”

Rubina squinted her eyes, unleashing a tiny sliver of her powerful aura as a warning. Alaric nearly choked in his weakened state before Edgar dispelled the pressure.

The Inquisitor put up his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t get me wrong! I really have no interest in discovering Alaric’s origins. I simply seek some intel that should be accessible to someone of your standing.”

“I’m willing to disclose any information as long as it is within my authority to do so,” said Rubina with a nod.

”The Church has been hunting for a certain witch for a long time — a witch with a scar on her face,” said Dominus, gravely. ”The vile thing has uprooted tens of villages and destroyed hundreds of lives for inhumane deeds,” he almost slammed his fist on the table.

For the first time, Alaric perceived the Inquisitor reeking of hidden fury, as if he had a personal vendetta against that scar-faced witch.

“So far, we’ve come up empty with our search,” said Dominus with a frustrated sigh. “You are my only hope now at locating her. Please tell me you have some information I can use to track her down,” he pleaded.

“Are you really willing to negotiate with a witch for this matter?” asked Rubina curiously. “I don’t believe that the Church has sanctioned this investigation. And if so, it could land you in big trouble.”

“I’m ready to pay any price to hunt down that bitch,” spat Dominus. “Even if it means risking my life or status.”

“Seems to me like you have a blood feud with that witch,” observed Rubina. “Why are you so intent on tracking her down?”

Alaric and everybody present were equally curious to find out why the Inquisitor was so eager to pursue that scar-faced witch, even going as far as to get involved with other witches.

“What? Are we sharing our stories now?” said Dominus incredulously. “Then tell me about Alaric’s mother, and why so many witches are hunting him.” As expected, neither the count, Edgar, nor Rubina offered any explanation, feigning ignorance to his question.

“Yeah, I thought so. So, do we have a deal?” the Inquisitor asked.

“What a twist of fate,” Rubina chuckled, ignoring the looks of astonishment on everybody’s face. “I’m well aware of the scar-faced witch that you speak of. In fact, it is her clan members who are currently after Alaric.”