16.7

With Professor Swift and Ralph, getting the air elemental horses attached to the carriage was relatively quick. As they exited the town, Eve joined Ralph in the carriage driver’s cab in the front. Moving alongside the carriage was a well-equipped force of mercenaries that had been waiting outside the inn when they exited.

As they settled in, Eve decided to take lessons on driving from Ralph. She had a theory on how the core for driving the carriage could be linked to the armor that was still only concept art. Controlling the driving orb was essentially a process of feeding non-elementally aligned mana. The orb was linked to the harness through a series of runes. Any mana fed through the device shifted into a wind-attuned element. From there, it was fed ahead of the air elemental steeds in the form of a carrot-and-stick approach.

“So, they are constantly eating while traveling?” Eve said as she glanced out at the air elementals.

“In essence. It is the most effective method of working with trained elementals we’ve found to date.” Ralph said.

“I imagine it also depends on the elemental themselves,” Eve replied as she tested different methods of using the orb.

“We’ve found fire elementals to be most trying. The natural benefits of our bloodline make our tasty snacks.” Ralph said as he continued, “Water flows smoothly, but since our blood is what it is, the exchange is very inefficient. Earth elementals are likely to attack us on sight. We carry the blood of a Great Elemental directly aligned against them.”

“I’m guessing you’re a bit of a black sheep then. Earth, Shadow, and Water. Those don’t seem like the great Zienfer bloodline.” Eve said, glancing over at the older butler.

Ralph sniffed and said, “Air elementals are a bit flighty, even if they would make most younger men drool. Great Elementals are like magnified versions, leading to difficulty maintaining relationships.”

“They aren’t just friendly; they are friendly with everyone?” Eve smirked.

Ralph sighed, “Exactly. Furthermore, when they are killed, it merely banishes them to the Plane of Air. At that point, expecting them to remember mortal children is asking for a miracle."

“She isn’t just your niece, then. Charlotte is the purest blood descendent of your ancestor?” Eve pulled a coin from her stolen bank treasure and started to do dexterity drills with it in her left hand. At the same time, her right hand remained connected to the driving orb.

Ralph was silent for a few moments as the number of coins increased before he said, “Correct.”

This sort of thing typically goes in most stories because inheritance requires purity of blood. Eve thought as she flipped eight coins in a complex rotation between her fingers. I bet there is some sort of check to ensure a pretender doesn’t take the Duchy for a ride. Something that doesn’t allow someone born on the wrong side of the bedsheets into power.

The scenery outside had shifted from a massive forest into rolling grasslands with subtle abruptness. The road that had been cobbled before now resembled something reminiscent of the Roman highway. A grey streak of granite appearance was carved upon the earth leading forward like the back end of a single-bladed sword. Off in the distance, Eve could see sparse farms dotting the periphery. It wasn’t close enough to maintain the town they had just exited.

“Where does the food come from?” Eve asked. Food in Tal Mor, and the Prison Plane for that matter, came from many methods. The most popular were massive spatial farming areas created by those utilizing the Element of Space. Compared to the profits of a well-run farm, spatial bags and even her space boxes were peanuts. Aiqen, though didn’t appear to be at that level of resource manipulation.

“Underground farms are the mainstay in Othuven,” Ralph said as he gestured downward. “Easier to defend, easier to supply from, and it can be multi-tiered for better crops. Nature mages can grow entire oceans of wheat in complete darkness.”

“Fascinating,” Eve said. She was always interested in learning how the problem of food was solved. “How do they transport it to the cities?”

“Any populated place has a farm underneath it. The farm pulls from the ambient mana of the earth below it. If it didn’t, no one would be able to cast much more than a candle flame.” Ralph said solemnly.

“A neat solution to a thorny problem.” Eve nodded. At this point, the number of coins being juggled in her left hand looked like a solid loop of gold.

“The drive will take some time; would you like to rest?” Ralph said. He pointedly did not mention how much faster the coach was going under her ministrations.

Eve had fully understood the driving orb, so she gave a wicked grin as Witch’s Dust reconfigured the orb. A pair of gloves slid onto hands while the seat against the wall reconfigured into a bed. Fluffing a nice solid pillow, Eve made herself comfortable and dropped into meditation. Beds created through Witch’s Dust were priceless envoys of comfort, and this one was no exception. She could not sleep, though; meditation was the closest thing to true rest.

It took over a solid month of travel before they reached the border of the Duchy. Almost every stay was at a Rasmuchein inn or an affiliated location. Mercenaries were changed out like fresh clothes at each stop. There were no further attacks during the trip, either due to the clear indication of alliance with Rasmuchein or because something worse was in the works.

Eve broke down and introduced Earth’s poker to Ralph to pass the time. After losing almost one-tenth of her stolen bank heist to the butler, she refused to play him again. It was clear he was cheating; Eve couldn’t catch him doing it. That frustration bled into decorating the driver’s cab. By the time they crossed the border, Charlotte had convinced Eve to decorate the actual carriage interior as well.

It was rather amusing to see the two professors, Swift and Bloodwood, scrambling to copy the runes she allowed to be visible. Any attempt to use the gobbledegook she allowed to be seen as more likely to summon an Old One than spatially expand a room.

At the border, they had to pause for several hours while Ralph and Charlotte performed a ritual to attune themselves to the land. Eve wasn’t exactly sure what they did, but upon completing it Charlotte’s inner core looked much larger.

They give to the land, and it returns the favor? As she saw the mana move in a cycle between the younger woman and the earth beneath her, Eve thought. No matter, more strength is a good thing.

Eve had watched Justin’s progress the whole trip and was greatly pleased. Instead of reaching for ever-increasing power, the young man doubled down on the control. The sense of pride was immense when she had caught him killing a grassland mouse by stopping its heart.

With his immense talent, Justin could slip past the barrier that living creatures had. Eve had promptly altered her blood into pure liquid silver mercury. The look on the boy’s face when he realized she didn’t have any blood in her body was priceless.

Eve smirked at him as he went white as a sheet. She’d caught him mid-gulp his drink, leading to a bit of choking and wheezing. Ralph had given her a dead stare suspecting something was up, but she had shown nothing but an innocent look in return.

Once the ritual to bond with the land had finished, the rest of the trip was barely a day long. As evening approached, the ancestral castle of the Zienfer grew visible in the distance. It was a monstrously large home carved from a single titanic boulder that had fallen from the sky millennia past. Eve could see the defensive formations carved into the stone from where she sat atop the carriage.

It must be nice to have ancestors with nothing but time on their hands to make something that massive. Eve thought. The glow of mana flowing into the walls alone is blindingly bright.

Multiple circling of the castle was visible, and only upon reaching the first ring did Eve whistle. The defensive walls were each taller than the last and girded with massive runes to resist the Elements in equal measure.

As the carriage finally entered the inner bailey, Eve hopped off. She opened the door and assisted Charlotte in disembarking. Eve took the back left position behind the younger girl, while Ralph took a right.

Justin formed the aft tip of the diamond, while the two professors were slightly off center like drifting pods. Charlotte’s face was a mask of politeness as she approached the delegation that had been waiting for them.

Eve noted Luvec behind a man who vaguely resembled Charlotte. The duke had a distinct version of Ralph’s features without the years of hard experience. To the Duke’s side was a woman who had no relation with the future Duchess. Easy living made the nobles that surrounded the duke soft.

“Greetings, father,” Charlotte said, curtsying in her dress. Eve was quite proud of the dress, stealing the design directly from Earth’s most successful dressmaker. Copyright be damned in another world, in her opinion.

“Charlotte, it has been quite some time since you left.” Duke Zienfer said. His eyes were cold as he stared at Ralph lurking behind his daughter.

“Experience is the best teacher, father. Right?” Charlotte said firmly. As one of the most well-known phrases preached by the battle-hardened duke, he couldn’t very well refute it.

“Are you certain you wish to go through with the confirmation?” Duke Zienfer asked. He appeared concerned about his daughter’s welfare, but Eve smelled a rat. The micro-expressions on the duke told a far different tale regarding his concern.

“Of course, father, unless you are going to disown me?” Charlotte said with a smile. Disowning the future heir wouldn’t stop her claim from being valid. It would merely mean she needed to apply bloodier methods.

Eve felt the duke’s eyes shift to her with a slight tint of fear before he said, “No. The firstborn inherits. That is tradition.”

Eve’s clothing subtly shifted into the style of the peace-loving protectors from a galaxy far, far, far away. Unlike the normal garments, however, she made sure her tits were prominently displayed. The fact that most of the men in the opposing delegation slipped up was rather amusing.

Charlotte took advantage of the distraction to push her agenda, “My entourage is quite tired. I’ll take space in the guest rooms unless that is an issue?”

Duke Zienfer turned slightly red before he said, “The guest rooms are being remodeled. Only the east wing tower is available.”

Eve knew something was wrong the moment Charlotte and Ralph both stiffened in place as if struck.

Charlotte’s voice went deadly soft, “Is nothing else currently available, father?”

“Yes.” Duke Zienfer said in a firm tone without looking his daughter in the eyes.

“I understand then. Goodbye, father.” Charlotte said as she led the group away towards the castle’s main entrance.

Is something wrong? Eve sent.

Yes. A clan of vampires inhabits the eastern tower. It was territory given to them in times past in return for supporting the family. Over the years, several accidents have occurred within its walls. Charlotte snarled along the mental communication line.

Eve blinked before she replied. Vampires? Bloodsucking fiends of the night usually shaped like exotic pieces of eye candy?

Do such vermin exist even in the hell dimensions? Charlotte asked.

Indeed. Eve said, lying with a straight face.

We are not at risk with Ralph, Justin, and Bloodwood on hand. Charlotte said. It indicates that my father wishes something would happen to me. Doing so in front of those that support me is tantamount to declaring a silent lack of support.

Ah, that’s why you said goodbye. Eve said.

Indeed. I will reach out to the professors. If they have been sent to clean my entire family up, then clean, they shall. Charlotte said.

Were you killing with a borrowed knife? Eve sent.

Most apt. Charlotte replied.

If they accept the offer? Eve sent.

Ralph will clean up Swift. I will need you to clean up Bloodwood. Charlotte sent.

Justin told you? Eve pouted as they entered the massive doorway.

Indeed. Charlotte replied with a smug tone.

Fine. I’ll handle the blood manipulator. Eve conceded. It wasn’t very hard to fight a blood manipulator without any blood in her body.

“This way, mistress,” Ralph said, taking the lead and subtly snubbing the servant that had been prepared to lead them to the eastern tower.

Charlotte smiled gracefully at the younger maid, waiting to take the sting out of her butler’s action. “I know my way around quite well, thank you, though.”

“Of course, milady!” the maid said, hurrying off.

The castle felt almost alive as Eve moved through the stone corridors. She could distinctly feel the mana moving in an almost hypnotic pattern. It was like the entire edifice was breathing mana, akin to a beast made of stone, not flesh.

“Did your ancestors claim this place?” Eve asked Charlotte. "I admit to forgetting much. After all, age takes such a toll on a poor demoness like me."

“According to legend, a mountain fell from the sky in the ancient past. At first, the Zienfer tribe merely used it as cover for the yearly burning fires that swept through the grasslands.” Charlotte said with a smirk as Ralph opened the door at the far end of the corridor. Once the group had passed, “Eventually, one of my ancestors managed to impress a Greater Air Elemental who was away from the Plane of Air on a lark. One thing led to another, and the tribe of Zienfer gained the signature Element we hold today.”

“I’m guessing the other duchies have their elements?” Eve asked in a thoughtful tone. "That's how such things usually go."

“Indeed. Water for the Wasser family. Earth for the Erde family. The Royals, of course, are Feuer. Minor families might have another element, but few rise to prominence.” Charlotte said with a sniff of distaste.

“Are the elemental bloodlines best?” Eve asked curiously. It had been bugging her why the upper crust would limit themselves in such a way.

“They are far easier to get resources for. When refining it, what matters if you have the ultra-rare Blood Element? It is considered a death sentence in most parts of the Aiqen continent.” Charlotte said, glancing at Justin.

Eve nodded. Justin wouldn’t have that problem since he didn’t require humans to refine his power. The College of Warlock's library clarified how most Blood Element users grew. For Justin, A strong beast’s blood would work just as well. She didn’t mention that, though, as he surely had figured that out already. Justin was quiet but not stupid, in her opinion.

“Mistress,” Ralph said quietly as he moved in front of the group.

Eve watched as the door to the far stairwell opened without warning. Two well-dressed men in pale skin appeared as if teleporting. Their speed was well above the upper bound of human limits. Combined with the pale skin, blonde hair, and ice blue eyes, they had a striking presence.

“Vampires?” Eve said before confirming the lack of heartbeats a moment later. Her eyes sharpened in curiosity. “How civilized looking.” Like most of Othuven, the men were dressed as if they had attended lessons from a Victorian-era specialist.

Both vampires zeroed in on Eve like sharks scenting blood.

Eve watched as they approached the group pausing just out of easy reach of Ralph’s sword.

“This is Blood Clan territory. You are not welcome here.” The vampire on the left said.

“Leave before we make a meal out of you.” The vampire on the right said.

Charlotte’s eyes grew cold, and she replied, “Has the Blood Clan grown ignorant? Can they no longer scent their superiors?”

“Superiors?” Both men echoed with visible surprise.

“Ralph, deal with this garbage,” Charlotte said dismissively.

Ralph whipped out his sword, slicing a pressurized strike of water directly on the right vampire. A leg and arm dropped to the floor as a shocked expression crossed the vampire’s face.

The left vampire burst into action, blurring past Ralph to strike a clawed hand directly at Charlotte. The younger woman didn’t even flinch as Eve stepped forward to grab his hand. Using the hand as an anchor point, she rooted herself to the floor before flinging the vampire into the wall on the left. Stone met flesh, and flesh failed to leave a human-shaped pile of minced meat.

“Mortals are so frail,” Eve said. "Nothing like me."

The surviving vampire looked aghast. Ralph’s sword swung a second time, and the expression was etched permanently on the dead vampire’s head.

“How distasteful,” Charlotte said. “Let us proceed to do some housecleaning.”