Chapter 81 - Unearned Power

Chapter 81: Chapter 81 - Unearned Power

Standing over him, Maelle’s eyes narrowed in suspicion as she studied his bruised and muscled frame.

"It has only been a week since your defeat at the Academy, Your Highness. Even with strict instruction, the human body cannot double its physical mass, let alone their mana capacity, in seven days."

Eugene leaned toward Vincent’s ear, cupping his tiny green hand around his snout and whispering loudly, "Hey, Bluey... does she not know about plot armor? Because I’m pretty sure Goldie here tried to pull a rival power-up sequence and failed miserably."

"You really just say whatever you want, don’t you?"

Quinton hung his head and dug his knuckles into the soot-stained dirt as tears of shame ram down his face.

"Duke Elsa... Lucianne’s father... he came to me after that duel. He offered me a way to gain immense power quickly. In exchange, I was to ignore our wager and call in a few of Solara’s finest Royal Knights to help show the city that my kingdom was on its side."

"And what was this ’way’ you gained power?"

Quinton closed his eyes tightly, turning his head away as if the mere thought burned his pride. He remained silent.

"ANSWER HER!" Eugene shouted. "Don’t you make me order my Angel of Death to beat the answers out of you!"

Flick!

"Ow!" He clutched his green forehead where Vincent’s finger had flicked him. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"Just keep quiet and let them speak."

*Grumble* "Sorry..." Eugene pouted as he rubbed his head and slid back into the safety of Maelle’s jacket pocket.

Quinton finally began explaining as he stared blankly at the ground. "The duke... he gave me a potion. He had an abundance of it stored away... Honey Lake Extract."

The moment those words left Quinton’s mouth, Maelle froze. Her composed demeanor cracked and her eyes widened in silent shock.

"Honey Lake Extract?!" Vincent blurted out. "Are you serious?!"

Eugene poked his nose back out of the jacket, looking between the two of them with a confused frown. "What’s that? Is that some sort of illegal drug? Has Goldie here been taking the shortcut to power?"

"It’s worse than a shortcut, Eugene," Vincent began explaining. "Honey Lake Extract is a rare, vital medicine. It’s meant for half-breed children – kids born between different races whose conflicting mana types cause their bodies to rot from the inside out. The extract is the only thing that temporarily cures mana rot and keeps those children from dying."

Quinton lowered his head further. "It... it is much more than that. If a pure-blooded person of any race – one who doesn’t have mana rot drinks it... the extract forces the body’s mana channels to surge and expand exponentially. It temporarily multiplies stamina, physical endurance, and raw magic output tenfold."

Eugene’s face twisted into an expression of disgust. "So... you’ve been stealing sick children’s life-saving medicine just to quickly train yourself?! Like taking magic steroids for a petty grudge?!"

Quinton flinched at the dragon’s accusation, unable to offer a single word of defense.

Maelle took a measured breath and regained her composure. "How many crates were there, Your Highness?"

"I... I don’t know... A lot. More than one could ever need..."

"And where did Duke Elsa acquire such a vast supply of a restricted medical substance?"

"From the Imperial Medics, obviously... Where else would he get it?"

"No. I do not think he got them from the medics. Tell me, Your Highness... Do you know the name Rizer?"

"Rizer...? I... I don’t really know. I’ve only heard Duke Elsa mention that name a few times in passing. Who is that?"

Vincent slapped his hand onto his face and let out an audible groan.

Quinton looked up at Vincent’s reaction, panic creeping into his voice. "What is it?! Who is Rizer?!"

Maelle didn’t answer him. She turned her back on the defeated prince and began walking away.

"I hope that now that we have beaten you twice, Your Highness," she spoke coldly over her shoulder, "you will not attempt to hide, nor will you make foolish deals with the other Dukes and Duchesses of the Imperial City. Hold up your end of our original deal. Return to the Academy and personally announce Lucianne’s formal expulsion and the full extent of her wrongdoings."

"I... I understand..."

A mocking grin plastered Vincent’s face as he looked down on him. "Oh, and while you’re at it, Goldie... don’t forget to mention how you defended her in battle not once, but twice. Make sure to highlight the part where you had to take illegal child-curing drugs just to get stronger and still lost. Like a bitch."

"Yeah! Tell them Ignis the Destroyer ate your Phoenix for breakfast! Hahaha! Later shirtless loser!"

Quinton could only stare down at his trembling hands. He made a tight fist, digging his nails into his palms until they bled, and slammed it furiously into the dirt in a gesture of helpless rage and disappointment in himself.

Leaving the despairing prince behind, the trio soon approached the doors leading to Duke Elsa’s private inner wing.

As they reached the threshold, a handful of remaining Imperial Guards stepped out from the shadows, drawing their swords and readying their shaking hands to summon their Familiar.

They were trembling and covered in sweat after having just witnessed the terrifying annihilation of both the army, the four Solarian Royal Knights outside, and the Crown Prince of Solara.

"Be smart about this," Maelle said as a warning. "Step aside and let us through. You have no obligation to throw your lives away for a man who steals medicine from dying children."

The guards looked at each other in nervous contemplation. However, the sheer aura of Vincent standing right beside the Princess was enough to make their knees buckle.

After an excruciating moment of struggle, the first guard swallowed his pride and slowly lowered his sword to the floor. The other guards quickly followed suit, stepping back against the walls and opening the path to the duke’s private study.

Before walking past them, Vincent’s eyes caught something hanging from the guard’s leather belt – a pair of silver handcuffs lined with glowing anti-magic runes.

"Hey. Mind if I borrow those cuffs?"

"I-I can’t... I not protocol to–"

"I know I was ’asking’, but I’m not actually asking. Give them to me. Now."

The guard hastily unbuckled the cuffs and handed them over with both hands. "T-Take them! Please!"

"Thanks," Vincent smirked, taking and spinning the cuffs around his finger before following Maelle through the doors.

Inside the grand office, Duke Elsa was pacing frantically behind his massive wooden desk. He was a plump, aristocratic man with slick back red hair and a lavish robe. Hearing the doors open, he whipped around with a triumphant, sneering grin spreading across his face.

"Ah! Finally! Did the Solarian Knights handle the nuisance?! Have you captured that disgraceful Fourth Princess and her wild Familiar–"

His voice cut off instantly as his eyes registered the three figures stepping into the room.

Maelle stood in the center. On her shoulder, a tiny green dragon was glaring at him, and beside her stood Vincent, spinning a pair of cuffs around his finger with a terrifying smile.

"WHAT?! MAELLE EBONY?! HOW ARE YOU–"

Desperate, the Duke raised his hand, channeling his mana to summon his Familiar.

"Not happening!"

In an instant, Vincent flew forward in a burst of speed so fast it caused parchment and miscellaneous items around the room to be knocked over.

Before the Duke’s magic circle could even finish forming, Vincent was already behind him. He slammed Elsa’s arms behind his back and forced the mana-suppression cuffs onto his wrists.

CLICK-CLACK!

The anti-magic runes flared to life, snuffing out the duke’s summoning circle. Vincent shoved the plump nobleman downward, forcing him onto his knees on the rug below.

"GAHHH! MY ARMS! UNHAND ME, YOU BRAT!"

He thrashed around the tight bindings, but it was useless.

Maelle walked forward with elegant grace. "Good quick thinking, Vincent."

She walked around the desk and unceremoniously pulled out the duke’s high-backed leather chair then sat down. She crossed one slender leg over the other, resting her chin on her hand, and looked down at the kneeling Duke with the cold authority of a ruler.

"Good afternoon, Duke Tullias Elsa. I believe our meeting was well overdue."

"YOU GODDAMN BRATS!"

Duke Elsa’s scream rattled the windows of his private study. His face, like his hair, was flushed crimson. Sweat rolled down his fat cheeks as he thrashed again against the anti-magic cuffs Vincent held pinned to his back.

"Do you have any idea where you are?!" He glared up at Maelle with eyes brimming with venomous arrogance. "You are in the Imperial City! The beating heart of world power! And who are you?! A disgraced Fourth Princess of a backwater foreign kingdom!"

Maelle sat calmly in the luxurious leather chair with her expression completely neutral as she looked down at him as if he were nothing but dirt beneath her boots.

Vincent sighed while holding him down. "Urgh... I feel a rant coming."