Supreme Magus

Chapter 4421: Trouble in Ghishal (Part 1)

"Still, don’t say that out loud ever again. You would hurt Elina’s feelings if she heard you. Also, we might meet her and Trion in Lutia. He’s accompanying her for groceries today." Locrias said.

"You should have told me sooner!" Gilly turned her head like an owl on steroids, sighing in relief when she confirmed no one was close enough to overhear her.

"How was I supposed to know you’d say something like that?" Locrias replied. "Besides, how are things going in Lutia after that scene with the Fastarrows? Are the Lutians treating you and your mother right, or did someone harass you?"

"Don’t worry, Dad. Everything is fine." Gilly said. "Everyone treats us with the respect that the family members of a hero of the Kingdom deserve."

’I wasn’t worried about you, baby girl.’ Locrias thought. ’I was worried about them.’

Locrias, Valia, and Varegrave had died with honor in the line of duty. Their return as Demons hadn’t diminished their sacrifice nor the respect of the surviving members of the Queen’s Corps stationed in Lutia.

The Corps always looked after their own. Anyone dumb enough to make trouble for the family of one of their comrades would soon have their name recorded in the list of the missing people.

Father and daughter went to Vexal’s bakery first for a breakfast of hot tea and pastries. Vexal served them personally and thanked Locrias for his service. Then they took a stroll along the commercial district, where Gilly avoided the shops that had treated the Fastarrows with hostility during their last visit.

"How do you remember them all? How does everyone?" Locrias noticed that more than half of Lutia and most of the tourists still boycotted the establishments.

"There’s a blacklist and a map, Dad." Gilly replied. "I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not giving one coin of my money to people who pick on children just because they are different.

"If any of those bastards ever dares say anything about you because Lith brought you back as one of his Demons, I’ll give them a piece of my mind!"

"That’s not going to happen, pumpkin." Locrias shook his head.

"Yeah, but only because they are smart enough not to say out loud what they think." She snorted. "If they did, I would be the least of their problems."

Locrias’ statue at one of the corners of Zekell’s temple made the Demon easy to recognize and impossible to miss in the crowd. Many people greeted him from a distance, and some walked up to him to receive his blessing.

To the followers of the temple, Locrias was a demigod who had defeated death and gained incredible powers. The people who mustered the courage to talk to him hoped to receive either his wisdom or his help.

"I know it’s a small matter, but please, tell the All-Father that the Ghishal County needs his help." A man covered in thick bandages said. "Living there has become difficult, and not everyone can afford the peace of Lustria."

"What are you talking about?" Lith had only shared the memories that Locrias needed to perform his duties after taking him as one of his Demons, yet Locrias still remembered Lith’s file. "What’s happening in Ghishal?"

Locrias knew that the neighboring Ghishal County was ruled by Countess Keyla Lark, daughter of the late Count Trequill Lark.

"Not much, or you’d read and hear about it everywhere." The man sighed. "Ever since you’ve gotten your Warp Gate here, most thugs and bandits have moved to the Ghishal County.

"Things got bad when those thugs split our lands like a pie, but nothing that the Countess couldn’t handle. She reinforced the local militia and reimbursed the merchant caravans for the stolen goods, so no one lost money.

"We thought we would have to endure that mess only for a while, but right when the Countess seemed to have gotten things under control again, the turf war escalated worse than ever.

"Those bastards have started to invade each other’s territories and rob people blind just to damage their rivals’ ’business’.

"You can’t have one good day without some thug barging into your store and stealing the money you’ve worked hard for." The man’s eyes veiled with tears of frustration. "Some of my dearest friends had to close their shops, and they are the lucky ones.

"Many shops had to be closed by the guards because the owners had been killed for a handful of coins."

"I’ll see what I can do." Locrias touched the man’s shoulder, using a spell to heal his injuries and share a bit of vitality with him.

"Thanks, Guardian General." The man bowed before walking away, making Locrias flush in embarrassment at the title, and Gilly chuckle.

"I’m proud of what you did, Dad." She said. "He’s going to have a nice surprise when he changes his bandages. Yet this is supposed to be our time. I don’t like it when you bring your work home."

"I’m sorry, Gilly, but what was I supposed to do?" Locrias shrugged. "Send him off and tell him it was not my problem? That poor man needed help."

"I know, and I would never ask you to act like a pompous noble, Dad." Gilly nodded. "Just wait until the end of our date before reporting it to Lith. I don’t want our time to be cut short."

"You have my word." Locrias tapped on the Corps’ badge on his chest. "Do you mind if we drop by Zekell for a second? I want to ask him a few things."

"Not at all." She replied with a bright smile. "You talk with him. I’ll take my time at the Proudhammer Goldsmith. Maybe I can find something you’d like to buy me for my birthday. I’m sixteen this year, Dad."

"Gods, please don’t remind me of that." Locrias had feared that moment more than death for fifteen years, and he still did.

The sixteenth year of age marked Gilly becoming an adult. She would start looking for a job, maybe move out of the family home, and worst of all, boyfriends.

"Why so sour?" She chuckled. "Is it for the necklace, the earrings, or because suddenly it’s you who are terrified of having grandchildren?"

"What’s this madness? Are you seeing someone already?" Locrias went pale, and he could have sworn his heart had stopped even though he didn’t have one.

He didn’t mind the jewelry and loved the idea of having grandchildren, but the thought of losing his little girl to some man who certainly didn’t deserve her was more than he could take.

"Who knows, Dad." She replied with a sly smile. "Maybe if you spent more time home, you would know."

"Fine, I will be more present." Locrias grumbled. "Now tell me, who is this guy?"

"No one. I was joking." Gilly said, making him sigh in relief. "Call me when you are done, Dad."

"Girls, am I right?" Zekell stepped out of his shop to welcome his guests just in time to hear the end of the conversation and see Gilly enter the goldsmith.

"Didn’t you have only a son?" Locrias asked in confusion.

"I do, but I also have a lovely granddaughter, and that brute of Lith took away from me!" Zekell grunted.