Noel watched the facade play out. Lisa was enjoying playing mind games with the man. The old guy was sweating now, his hands shaking uncontrollably under his desk table.
Lord Barrow, we're in search of a young girl, blonde hair and green eyes, about 15 or 16 years old. Rumours say she passed by here, you wouldn't happen to have seen her no?
Not at all lady Lisa but if I do see her you will be the first to know. As a sign of good will I will offer my best to help you look for this girl, I do hope you find her soon, the world is a dangerous place for a little girl.
He said looking at Cathra with a threatening look. This charade lasted for a while, Noel was really bored and he could tell Athena was the same.
The man and Lisa kept playing their mind games while the rest just stood there watching. Cathra looked anxious, he was just about to talk when a gold hand of condensed energy grabbed the mans neck.
Lisa turned and looked at Athena, couldn't you be patient a little. No, I don't get why you need to play these games, you both know what you want so why don't you just get straight to it?
It called politics you brute. Well politics suck. As the two were bickering, the man was dangling, his feet not touching the ground. He was grasping for air.
Lady..Athe..na, he was able to get a few words out. Athena loosed the grip a little allowing him to speak. He coughed for a while.
You cannot hurt me, that would be in violation of the guild and the empires laws. Is that true? She asked Lisa, she knew it was true ofcourse, this was her game.
Lisa flipped a few pages on her stack. Well he does seem to be telling the truth, relief appeared on the mans eyes, he smiled a little, so lady Athena, if you don't want me reporting this, please put me down.
What would be my punishment If I accidentally crushed his neck, In self defence ofcourse, she asked with a grin. With your status and power, Intentionally killing a civilian would get you a fine and a few months of community service.
Killing a minor noble would probably get your adventurer licence revoked for a few years, you would be demoted from Vice guild leader for about 4 decades and would have to serve the guild for a hundred years for free.
The more she spoke the wider his smile got. However accidentally killing him in self defence, especially with multiple witnesses around would...
She flipped a few more pages, oh there it is, she pulled another paper. Noel could see what was written from his position, it was nothing but minor potions recipes.
Taking your difference in strength into account you would most have to pay a fine of about 10 000 gold coins. Neither the empire nor guild would not punish someone like you too severely for someone of his level.
The punishment would simply be for show, to give others the illusion that they are protected by the empire or the guild. The mans face had turned dark by now.
Athena grinned, the hand tighten around the mans neck, his face turned red, he tried grabbing the hand but could not move it. He opened his mouth trying to talk.
What? I didn't hear you, Athena said with an even wider grin. She is enjoying this, Noel thoughts. Lisa tapped her hand, she loosened the grip a little allowing him to breath.
It was strange, this man was obviously an E rank, his need for oxygen should not be that high but everytime the hand tighten he appeared to be out of breath, it was confusing to Noel.
So, let cut to the chase, are you going to tell us where the girl is or am I paying the 10 000 gold coins? I will tell you but first I need to know, what happened to my son?
Cathra looked coldly at him, I don't know nor do I care, you can go look for him yourself. The man seemed dejected after hearing that. Now then, where is the girl?
The man led them downstairs into the basement. There were cages in there with multiple malnourished people, humans and demihumans alike.
Lisa frowned, Cathra rushed towards a cage, Cassie? Cathra, a weak voice replied. They followed her, inside was a young blonde girl with green eyes.
She was all skin and bones, obviously malnourished and had signs of being touched, even Noel felt a slight anger to this, he was mostly indifferent to other peoples death or suffering but this, this he could not tolerate, just thinking it might happen to Tracy or Elsie angered him to no end.
You damned bastard, you promised you wouldn't hurt her Cathra said in a strangely calm voice but Noel was good at sensing emotions, his ability to reflect others made that easy for him. I didn't,the man tried to argue.
You.. you touched her.. you touched my sister, you call this not hurting her?, she obviously wasn't even receiving any food, I've been sending money for her for all these years, what happened to it?
He did not answer. She stood and approached him, a wind blade materialized and went straight for his neck but before it could land, a hand shattered it like it was nothing.
Lisa had interfered. Why did you stop me? Why won't you let me kill this bastard, you can see what he did to my sister, what he did to the rest of these people here, she said In a flat tone.
I know and honestly, I want to kill him myself but there are rules. Athena then stepped forward, her grin gone from her face, all that was left was a cold ruthlessness.
She waved her hand and a white pigeon appeared out of thin air, these were messenger pigeons, they had no combat ability but they could travel between the layers of space appearing almost anywhere in breakneck time.
She sent a message with the pigeon and waited, within a few minutes guards appeared. Everybody was surprised because as soon as the guards saw her they knelt on one knee in salute.
Even though she had a high position in the guild, being a Vise leader of a branch that governed all the adventurers in the 7 surrounding solar systems with over 84 star worlds, it was still no reason for royal guards to kneel to her.
Baron Vale Barrow, I Athena Nodal, 9nth princess of the Nodal kingdom here by judge you for your crimes against the citizens of the kingdom and the empire, you will be stripped of your title and possessions, you will await judgment from the court of the council in prison, take him away. Yes your highness, the guards said.