Kingdom Reboot: Rise Of The Conquest System

Chapter 10: Blood and Trust

Mother Coin poured wine from expensive bottles while discussing the brutal details of their arrangement. The price kept climbing with each new requirement she added.

Around them, the entertainment house continued its nightly business. A fat merchant was getting his cock sucked by a blonde girl who made exaggerated moaning sounds. Her dress was bunched around her waist while he groped her ass with thick fingers.

On another couch, two nobles were taking turns with a brunette. One had her bent over the cushions while the other fed her wine between thrusts. She gasped and whimpered as they both took turns fucking her.

The music got louder to cover the sounds of fucking. Serving girls brought fresh wine and cleaned up the mess afterward. Everything ran like a well-oiled machine designed for rich men's pleasure.

But Aurelius's eyes kept wandering back to the silver-winged fairy in her low cage. She wasn't watching him anymore. Instead, she stared at nothing with empty eyes almost like she'd given up hope completely.

[INNOCENT LIVES DETECTED]

[MORAL CHOICE PENDING]

The blue words pulsed in his vision, waiting for his decision.

"Magnificent collection, isn't it?" Mother Coin said, following his gaze. She was a woman who had clearly been beautiful once, but Aurelius could tell it was magic keeping her this young.

"That one's my newest acquisition. Silver wings are quite rare among their kind."

Sir Roland made a sound like he might throw up. "You... you sell them?"

"Of course, darling. This is a business, not a charity." Mother Coin's laugh was annoying to Aurelius's ears. "Though I do rent them out for special occasions. Wealthy collectors pay handsomely for a night with such exotic beauty."

Sir Thomas was muttering prayers under his breath now. His hand moving toward his sword like he wanted to draw it.

"This is wrong," Sir William said through gritted teeth. "These are thinking creatures, not animals."

"They're products," Mother Coin corrected. "Very valuable products. Do you object to merchants selling fine horses? This is no different."

"It's completely different," Sir Roland snapped. His young face was flushed with anger. "Horses don't think and feel like we do."

Mother Coin's smile got sharper. "My dear boy, you're far too sentimental. In the real world, everything has a price. Even beautiful wings."

Aurelius felt rage building in his chest but forced it down. They needed this deal. His men needed safe passage before Victor's forces found them.

"Eight hundred dragons," Mother Coin said, settling onto a plush couch. "Plus the elimination of some troublesome competition. A fair price for safe passage to the Sylphean border."

"What kind of competition?" Sir Garrett asked warily.

"Another establishment. Similar to mine, but they've been cutting into my profits." Mother Coin examined her painted nails as she continued talking. "The owner needs to be convinced to find a new line of work. Permanently."

"You want us to murder someone," Sir Edmund said flatly.

"Such an ugly word. I prefer 'business negotiation with extreme prejudice.'" Mother Coin's laugh was poisonous. "The target is a man named Korven who runs a rival operation. He's been stealing my customers and undercutting my prices."

Seraphina leaned forward. "What's his security like?"

"Standard criminal protection. A few hired swords, basic wards against magic. Nothing your... skills couldn't handle." Mother Coin gestured to a serving girl for more wine. "Eliminate him and his key lieutenants, and we'll call your debt paid."

The knights exchanged uncomfortable glances. They were trained soldiers, not assassins for hire.

"How do we know you'll honor the deal?" Sir Philip asked. His voice carried suspicion.

"My dear man, reputation is everything in my business. I can't afford to cheat customers." Mother Coin sipped her wine. "Though I suppose I could offer a gesture of good faith."

She gestured toward the cages. "Perhaps one of my girls could entertain your men while we finalize arrangements? Consider it a preview of quality."

Sir William's hand dropped to his sword. "We're not interested in that kind of entertainment."

"How refreshingly noble." Mother Coin's gaze moved to Aurelius. "Though your eyes seem quite interested in my silver-winged beauty. I saw you looking."

Aurelius forced his voice to stay calm. "She seems frightened."

"Oh, that one's quite spirited. Hasn't been properly broken yet." Mother Coin stood up, smoothing her dress. "Still thinks she's special because of her rare coloring."

The fairy's eyes filled with tears at their casual discussion but she made no sound.

"Perhaps we could include her in our arrangement," Aurelius suggested. "As part of the passage f*e."

Seraphina gave him a sharp look. She probably thought he was getting distracted when they needed to focus on survival.

"My, my. Expensive tastes indeed." Mother Coin's smile was all teeth. "That particular piece would cost extra. Silver wings are worth five hundred dragons on their own."

A serving girl approached with a tray of wine. Mother Coin waved her away irritably.

"Not now, dear. Can't you see I'm conducting business?" She turned back to Seraphina. "Where are my manners? Let me fetch some proper refreshments for our guests."

Mother Coin walked toward the back of the room where several serving girls waited near a small table laden with expensive bottles.

Aurelius's enhanced hearing picked up what she said to an older woman behind the wine table. Her voice was barely a whisper but his new abilities made every word clear.

"Send word to the palace immediately," she murmured. "Tell them I have their fugitives. The bounty on that man's head alone is worth more than any deal we could make."

Ice shot through his veins. She'd recognized them and the bitch had been planning to betray them from the start.

The older woman nodded and started moving toward a side door. She wasn't going to fetch wine. She was going to bring Victor's forces.

"The silver-winged one keeps staring," Aurelius said loudly, pretending he hadn't overheard anything. "Almost like she's trying to communicate."

"Oh, they're quite intelligent," Mother Coin called back while still at the wine table. "But iron suppresses their magic completely. Can't cast spells or even speak properly while caged."

The fairy pressed harder against the bars, her eyes desperate but silent. The iron cage had stolen her voice along with her magic, leaving only the raw pleading in her gaze.

Aurelius forced his face to stay calm while his mind raced. He needed to warn his men without alerting Mother Coin. The servant was already at the side door.

"Actually," he said, standing up slowly. "I think we need to discuss payment more carefully. The price seems reasonable, but..."

He caught Sir Garrett's eye and made a subtle hand signal. We are fucked. Prepare for combat.

The old knight's eyes widened slightly but he nodded. He started passing the signal to the other knights with tiny gestures.

Mother Coin returned with a bottle of expensive wine and crystal glasses. "Now then, where were we? Ah yes, the lovely details of our arrangement."

She poured wine while guards began moving into position near the exits. Casual movements that looked natural unless you knew what to watch for.

"The job itself is quite simple," Mother Coin continued. "Korven operates from a warehouse in the dock district. Usually has about six men with him at any given time."

The older woman had left through the side door. Soon she'd return with palace guards. Aurelius needed to act before then.

"What guarantee do we have that you won't betray us afterward?" he asked.

Mother Coin's smile faltered for just a second. "What an odd question. Why would I betray profitable partners?"

"Because," Aurelius said quietly, "you already have."

The room seemed to go silent except for the soft music.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Mother Coin said, but her voice was tight.

"The woman you just sent to fetch palace guards," Aurelius continued. "How long before she returns with them?"

Mother Coin's face went pale. "You're being paranoid."

"You sent her to collect the bounty on my head," he pressed. "Probably worth more than any deal you could offer."

"You lying bitch," Seraphina snarled. She'd figured it out too. "I should have known you'd try something like this."

Mother Coin's false smile finally dropped. "Oh, Seraphina. Sweet, stupid Seraphina. Did you really think I'd forget what you did to my business last month?"

"What?" Aurelius looked between them.

"She tried to burn down my establishment," Mother Coin explained cheerfully. "Set fire to three of my rooms and drove away half my customers. Unfortunately for her, I have excellent security."

Seraphina's face was red with anger. "What you do here is monstrous."

"What I do is profitable. And legal." Mother Coin gestured to her guards. "Since you've discovered my arrangement, I suppose we'll have to do this the unpleasant way."

Guards emerged from behind curtains and side passages. More than Aurelius had counted. At least fifteen men moving with the confidence of killers who knew their territory.

Blue words flashed.

[HOSTILES DETECTED]

Enemy Type: Criminal Enforcers

Average Threat Grade: E+

Elite Units Detected: D-

Hostile Territory Advantage Detected

Warning: Enclosed Space / Numerical Disadvantage

The guards stepped forward with weapons drawn. But these weren't ordinary blades. They glowed with soft enchanted light that made Aurelius's stomach sink.

"Blessed weapons," Sir Edmund cursed. "Our swords won't stand up to those for long."

A figure emerged from behind silk curtains. Bent and twisted like a broken tree, wearing robes that looked stolen from a grave. His face was a map of scars and his eyes glowed faint yellow with magical corruption.

A crooked magician. The kind who sold his talents to whoever paid.

Blue words appeared again.

[MAGICAL SIGNATURE DETECTED]

Enemy Type: Combat Mage

Estimated Threat Grade: D+

Spell Types Detected: Binding / Fire / Disorientation

Warning: Formation Stability At Risk

"Kill them all," Mother Coin ordered while backing toward a safe corner. "But keep the leader alive for the bounty. He's worth more breathing."

The crooked magician raised his hands and spoke words that made the air feel thick and wrong. Magic rippled out like invisible chains.

Aurelius felt it trying to wrap around him. His body started to slow as the binding spell took hold.

[HOSTILE SPELL CONTACT]

Spell Grade: D

[PASSIVE MAGIC RESISTANCE I: UNSTABLE]

Effect Reduced By 47%

Warning: Repeated exposure may overwhelm resistance.

The spell's grip loosened but didn't release completely. Aurelius could move faster than his knights, but he still felt sluggish. Like moving through water instead of air.

His knights had it worse. Their movements slowed to half speed while the guards advanced at normal pace with enchanted weapons raised.

"Garrett!" Aurelius shouted. "Defensive formation! Protect the flanks!"

The old knight tried to organize them but magic made coordination nearly impossible. Sir Bradley and Sir Roland moved to form a shield wall but their bodies responded too slowly.

The battle erupted across the pleasure house.

Sir Garrett's sword clashed with an enchanted blade and sparks flew. His basic steel chipped from the first impact. The guard pressed the advantage with brutal efficiency.

Aurelius moved faster than his slowed knights but not at full speed. His sword found the throat of a guard raising his weapon toward Sir Roland.

Blood sprayed across silk cushions as the man fell.

[PERSONAL KILL CONFIRMED]

[Combat Experience Gained]

But there were too many enemies and they knew this building. Guards appeared from passages Aurelius hadn't even noticed. They fought with the dirty tactics of men used to killing in confined spaces.

One guard threw a knife that buried itself in Sir William's shoulder. Another used a chair to bash Sir Thomas across the head. These weren't honorable duels. This was street fighting.

The customers fled screaming, leaving overturned wine and scattered cushions. Only the caged fairies remained, pressing against bars and watching with terrified eyes.

The crooked magician spoke again. Fire burst from his hands in a controlled stream that forced the knights to scatter. 

"Edmund!" Aurelius shouted. "Can you counter him?"

"I'm not a combat mage!" Edmund yelled back while dodging an enchanted sword. "I can identify spells, not stop them!"

Another binding thread wrapped around Sir James, nearly pulling him to the ground. The young knight struggled but couldn't break free.

Seraphina moved through the chaos like a ghost. Her daggers flashed as she targeted the guards' weak points. A throat here. A tendon there. Using furniture and shadows to strike from unexpected angles.

But even she struggled. The mage's disorientation magic made the room swim and twist. She missed a strike that should have been clean and nearly took an enchanted blade across her ribs.

"Thomas!" Garrett shouted. "Can you hit the mage?"

Sir Thomas tried to draw his bow but magic made his hands clumsy. The arrow flew wide and buried itself in a wall.

The mage laughed. His voice sounded like grinding stones. "Pathetic. You bring steel to a magic fight."

He gestured and smoke filled the room. Not natural smoke but magical fog that burned the eyes and choked the lungs.

Aurelius's Passive Magic Resistance helped him see through it better than his men, but visibility still dropped to almost nothing.

Guards used the smoke to attack from multiple directions. Sir Philip took a cut across his arm. Sir Joseph barely blocked a thrust aimed at his kidney.

Sir Gareth was backing toward a wall, defending against two elite enforcers at once. These ones moved with better training than the regular guards. They coordinated their attacks and forced him into a corner.

Sweat poured down Gareth's face as he tried to move faster than the binding spell allowed. His sword chipped further with each block.

"Fall back!" Aurelius ordered. "Toward the cages! Use them as cover!"

But the guards had positioned themselves perfectly. They knew every exit, every corner, every piece of furniture that could be used for advantage.

One elite enforcer found an opening while Aurelius fought two others. His enchanted sword thrust forward like a striking snake, aimed at Aurelius's back while he was distracted.

"My lord!" Sir Gareth threw himself between them.

The blessed steel punched through his chest with a wet sound. Blood bubbled from his mouth as the blade found his heart.

"No!" Aurelius screamed.

Time seemed to stop. Sir Gareth, the quiet knight who never complained, was falling. Blood spread across his tunic like spilled wine.

Aurelius caught him as he collapsed. The man's eyes were already growing dim.

"My lord," Gareth whispered. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth. "It was... an honor."

Then he was gone. One moment a loyal knight, the next a body growing cold in Aurelius's arms.

Around them, the battle continued. Steel rang against steel. Men shouted and died. But all Aurelius could see was Gareth's empty eyes staring at nothing.

He'd failed again. Failed to protect someone who'd trusted him completely.

The crooked magician was already preparing another spell. Mother Coin watched from safety with a satisfied smile. The guards pressed harder now that one knight was down.

And somewhere in his mind, blue words appeared.

[FOLLOWER LOST: SIR GARETH]

[LOYALTY NETWORK DAMAGED]

[CORRUPTION +1]

Warning: Emotional Instability Detected

Aurelius looked down at Gareth's body. At the blood pooling on expensive carpets. At his remaining knights fighting desperately against enchanted weapons and magic they couldn't counter.

The fairy captives watched with desperate hope from their cages. The mage was gathering power for another devastating spell. Mother Coin's guards were closing in.

Something changed inside Aurelius then.

Something cold and dark and very, very angry.