IGIWS FIRST DRAFT: Ch.395 All Isn't Well Around The Duke

The Divalo Manor had two-meter high steel wrought fence, with spikes at the top and bottom to keep pedestrians at bay. However, this fence was nothing more than a nightlight to the fifty golems who surrounded the Duke's estate. And the golems were waiting for someone to do something that would give them a reason to attack.

One of the golems was stationed atop the rooftop of a three story building across the street from the manor, and the golem's eyes were vigilantly surveying the area. Waiting for probable cause to enter the compound and subdue the occupants.

The city folk couldn't help but notice these strange women who were staring at the manor. Though they looked human on the outside, everyone could tell they were something different.

Some were even wondering what those women were doing in their city. Others were just afraid of the women, while others were trying to ignore the women and get back to their lives. Not even the city guards dared to confront the women. Orders from the top told them to avoid them. Everyone tried to go about their day as normal, but no one could ignore the eerie atmosphere around the western part of the city.

"HYAH!" exclaimed a young man on a horse and buggy. He was bringing an order of food and drink to a local lord's household and he was in a rush.

The horse-drawn wagon was a black painted wooden frame, with a large compartment attached. The wheels were made from a hard and durable wood. The horse itself was a stallion and the horse was pulling the cart at a leisurely pace, regardless of the driver's frantic yelling.

"Stupid horse. I have five orders and they are all expecting their food at the same time," the driver cursed under his breath.

He was dressed in a brown delivery boy's uniform, with a cap and a leather satchel.

The driver was named Jobe, and he just started at this job. But his boss, the leading grocer in the city, gave him an important delivery. This was his chance to make his mark.

"This horse doesn't care if I lose this job," Jobe cursed as he tried to pull the reigns tighter.

He looked around and he saw a carriage going the opposite way.

"No, no, no! This way! What the is spooking you!" Jobe yelled.

The horse reluctantly like the direction the man was pulling the cart. And soon, they made it to the front gates of the Divalo Manor.

Jobe pulled the reigns and the horse finally came to a stop.

"Made it," Jobe muttered as he looked around for someone to open the gate.

"Oye! I'm here to deliver the order from the Boss. Open up," Jobe shouted at the closed gate.

One of the Duke's guards poked his head out from a hidden guardhouse on the side of the gate. His attention wasn't on Jobe, but to two women standing feet away from both sides the delivered boy.

Jobe was confused and followed the guard's gaze, and he couldn't help but be taken by the beauty of the woman to his right. She slowly glanced at him, and out of habit he tipped his cap to her. He was rewarded with a gentle smile and a nod, causing his heart to race.

Jobe didn't even realize that their was multiple of the same women past the closest two, and the closest ones were watching the guardhouse intently.

Jobe quickly turned his attention back to the guard who slowly came out of his hiding place. His gaze kept shifting between the women and Jobe.

"Oye! I got a delivery from the Boss. If you don't open the gate, I can't deliver the goods," Jobe shouted.

The guard glared at him before glancing at the golems one last time. "Who do you work for," the guard demanded.

"I work for Mr. Miller the grocer," Jobe replied.

The guard thought for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, stay there," the guard ordered as he disappeared behind the gate.

Jobe sighed and relaxed his shoulders. He didn't know why this guy was being so uptight, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was his first delivery was going smoothly.

A few moments later, a second guard came with the first and they when to the gate. There was two more guards by the door, and all four of them looked on edge as they had their hands on their weapons.

'What is up with these guys? They're acting like the war is going to break out,' Jobe thought as he looked at the like they were crazy.

"Open the gates," the lead guard ordered.

The second guard opened the gates, and the first guard went and inspected the cart.

Jobe watched as the guard searched through the cart and found nothing. The guard then looked at the delivery boy and nodded.

"Go to the side door on the west side of the manor and a servant will take the delivery," the guard ordered.

Jobe nodded, "Will do, sir," he said before looking back at the woman to his right. She was staring at the gate, but he was hoping she would turn her head towards him again. But alas, his luck didn't come.

"Damn, maybe next time," he said under his breath as he whipped the reigns and the horse pulled the cart through the open gates.

***

The Butler, Belial was hurrying through the hallways of the Manor towards the side entrance were all the servants and deliveries entered and exited the mansion.

He got word that the "normal" delivery was coming in today and he hoped that a certain someone wouldn't notice that a package was coming in today.

'It better have come. Or they will learn the wrath of my lord,' Belial thought to himself as he made his way past the kitchen staff and hurried outside. There was a valet and footman going through the daily routine of receiving the packages and deliveries that just came in.

Belial stopped and looked past them and saw all the golems staring at them from the other side of the fence.

He clenched his fist, 'She's no longer hiding them... My lordship was right. She's far more dangerous now than ever. I pray that my little spiders received my message.'

"Mr. Belial? We can take care of this. It's—"

"I just need air, Mr. Grimm," Belial cut off the Valet as he took a deep breath and walked towards the cart and took the bill of lading from Grimm's hands.

"Sir?"

"I need to do something besides standing around and waiting. Help Mr. Rick and the other servants unload the cart," Belial ordered.

"Yes, sir," Grimm bowed.

Belial was trying to find his true intentions from the prying eyes of the golems as he feigned helping his servants unload the cart.

He quickly went through the list and doubled check everything that was coming off the cart. It wasn't until he spotted a special cedar box that had a secret engraving of Viscount William's symbol on it.

'Gotcha,' Belial grinned internally as he handed the paperwork back to Grimm. He kept his stern demeanor but inwardly he was elated.

"Everything seems to be in order. Tell me when everything is put away so his lordship can—"

"Why is everyone acting so uptight?" Jobe asked as he couldn't help but notice the guards.

Grimm looked at the delivery boy. He wanted to scold him for his rudeness, but Belial stepped in. "Have you been living under a rock... Or you plain stupid, boy," the butler said in a tone that was dripping with venom.

"Umm, neither? I-I-I just couldn't help be see everyone is acting like they're about to fight or something," Jobe said nervously.

"So you are not as much of a moron than I thought," Belial said as he stepped close. The old man's intense stare made Jobe shiver, and the butler was enjoying every moment of it l, before looking past the boy. "Look around the fence and tell me what do you see?"

Jobe was confused but he looked around the fence, and his heart stopped. He was looking at five of the most beautiful women he has ever seen in his life. Just like the one who looked at him by the gates.

"Um? There's an odd amount of beautiful women staring at us?" Jobe said with a hint of uncertainty.

Belial moved in closer and Jobe leaned back in the driver seat of his cart. "You think those things are human?... Tsk! I take back whatever compliments I may have given you."

Belial moved away from the delivery boy.

"They look human," Jobe muttered.

Belial reacted as if Jobe wasn't there and turned on his heels. "Report to when everything is secure, Mr. Grimm," the butler ordered.

Grimm bowed, "Yes, sir."

Belial left the area with a scowl on his face. He had no time to educate a moron, so he needed to focus on more pressing matters.

Everyone left just looked at Jobe with an annoyed expression.

"W-What did I say? I'm confused," Jobe stuttered.

"Those things aren't human. They are monsters created by the Dark Elf—"

"Don't waste your breath with him, Ingred. Just get everything inside," Grimm said as he motioned for everyone to grab a box.

"Forget it, kid. Just do your job," Rick the Footman said.

"O-Okay?" Jobe said and waited there for them to unload everything.

A few minutes passed, and everyone was brought inside. Jobe made his way out of the manor and onto his cart and began making his way to the next customer.

'What is up with them? Those ladies looked perfectly normal. And the Duke's servants were acting like there were some scary monster outside. What gives?' Jobe thought to himself as he made his way through the streets of Tairal and passed by the women who gave him a smile again.

'Yeah, the Duke must be paranoid or something,' Jobe thought to himself as he went about his day as if nothing happened.

***

Back inside the Manor Belial was patiently waiting for the special box of "wine" to be brought into his Lordship's celler.

"Mr. Belial?" Rick said in surprise as the old man was hiding in the shadows of the wine cellar.

"His lordship needs a drink to calm his nerves. I think he'll enjoy this new vintage that came in," Belial said as he walked up to the Footman.

Rick was confused and looked around to see if anyone else was in the wine celler. No one else was around but them.

"What are you waiting, Mr. Rick. Give me that Istur 233," Belial said with a demanding tone.

"Of course, sir," Rick said as he held out the box with the Viscount's seal on it.

"Very good. You are dismissed, Mr. Rick. I'll have one of the maids bring his lordship his meal," Belial said as he took the box and looked at it one more time to make sure no one has opened it.

Rick bowed and quickly left.

Once alone Belial quickly opened the cedar box. Inside was an ordinary bottle of red wine from Istur, a very popular region for growing grapes. He pulled the bottle out and carefully pulled off the paper seal around the cork. On the inside of the paper was a code written by William Lysander.

Belial put the wine bottle on a shelf as his focus was on the note.

"A leech seeks a host for nourishment. But it doesn't know if it is worth finding this host unless it gets a taste from a nearby prey. Look to the clear waters, the leech will seek an answer," Belial mumbled to himself as he was deciphering the message. He grimaced after a few moments of reading the message over.

'So, the Viscount found an assassin... And it sounds like they are a vampire...' Belial didn't like the idea of his master dealing with vampire assassins from the Morveth continent... But it seems we can't escape fate.'

***

Belial quickly made his way upstairs to the second floor where his Lord's study was. He quietly knocked on the door and waited a moment.

"Enter," Alaric said from the other side.

Belial opened the door and closed it behind him. What greeted the Butler was a man with dark bags under his eyes and stubble growing on his face, a far cry from the usual composed man Alaric was.

Belial thought his Lord's guile returned after Princess Hilda Stoneworthh agreed to help them get his revenge on Rya and Quinus, but the Dark Elf's display of her power had damaged Alaric's psyche more than he realized. It wasn't until now did the butler realize just how much his master was spiraling into desperation and paranoia. Two artifacts were on his desk glowing with the mana he channeled into them. One was the Sphere of Silence. Is made and area where sound couldn't enter or escape. He needed it to prevent the elves from using their superior hearing to eaves drop on him. And the other artifact that gave him the most piece of mind was a cubed stone box with unique runes carved into it was called the Sorcerer's Slayer. It disrupted mana for incantations and had a secondary effect to create an disruption field that made casting spells harder to do. It was the only thing keeping Rya from using her teleportation spell on him to see what he was doing. And knowing that she was waiting for him to falter made him even more anxious.

The Duke was hunched over a giant map of the Kingdom of Fiafyr and the Alliance's Kingdoms mumbling to himself while occasionally glaring at a painting of his mother that was on the wall.

"You don't think I don't know that, mother! The Dark Elf's little spells can't stop the uprising all at once! I have the element of—what Belial!" Alaric turned to the Butler in a agitated voice before his gaze softened and his mind registered who was in front of him.

Belial didn't say anything, he simply held out the Viscount's letter.

Alaric stared at the note before taking it. His eyes shifted between the letter and his butler, who didn't flinch from the gaze.

"So, William asks—demands me to use the Speaker Mage's artifact to speak with this assassin!? For all I know, that Dark Elven whore is waiting for me to power down the Sorcerer's Slayer! This is madness!"

"My Lord, I don't believe the Dark Elf would have the foresight to—"

"HER FUCKING DOLLS WILL TELL HER!"

Belial didn't flinch, but he took a second to give the Duke some time to breath.

"She's not hiding her golems and she has about fifty of them surrounding the building, My Lord," Belial calmly said.

Alaric's posture straightened up as hid face showed that he was busy processing the butler's words.

"When did this happen?" the Duke said with a raised eyebrow.

"Today, My Lord... I think the Duchess's letter to the Ladies of the Court was received."

"And the whore thinks we are scheming but she doesn't know what it is," Alaric couldn't help but have a sinister smile grow on his face.

"She must be trying to turn up the pressure on us to see if we slip up," Belial added.

Alaric's face became serious again, "Buy this means we are running out of time. Once, Duval loses his position as the Prime Minister and that whore officially gets married to my pathetic nephew, then she won't hold back. Those dolls won't be staring at us from afar..." He whispered while glancing at the glowing cube. The Duke sighed and looked up at Belial. "Get the Speaker Mage's stone. We have to risk it."

"I'll get Ivy's stone," Belial bowed before leaving.

The butler exited the room and headed towards his private chambers to grab the hockey puck sized stone and brought it back to Alaric.