"Lady Viola?" A sly expression flashed on Roger's face. "She's the passion you recently got together with?"
"Ahem..." Reyn nodded without a trace of embarrassment and seriously added: "Not just a passion. She's my girlfriend."
Roger nodded understandingly, putting away the joking smile. Zoltan, who had just finished filling the Book of Grudges, overheard and, scratching the back of his head, muttered:
"Viola? Why does that name sound familiar?"
Without waiting for Reyn's explanation, the dwarf suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaimed in surprise:
"Reyn, is she by chance that half-elf, owner of the Violet House?"
"Yes, that's her. You know Viola?" Reyn was surprised.
Zoltan usually kept his tavern in the Rian district—slums that were like another world compared to Silverstar district and quite far away, so they shouldn't have crossed paths.
"I've never met her myself, but I've heard. Superhumans in the tavern often mentioned this half-elf, calling her the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen. They said only a handful of women in the entire Empire could compare."
Zoltan shook his head and continued:
"Those superhumans spend whole days playing cards and spinning yarns, ready to argue to hoarseness or even fight over trifles. But when it came to Lady Viola, all who had seen her unanimously called her the rarest beauty to be found in all the world. It was one of those rare moments they agreed, so I remembered it well."
Roger grew curious. He had arrived in Longsand recently and hadn't heard of Viola.
"Is your girlfriend really that stunning?" he asked Reyn.
Reyn felt a pang of pride but eyed Roger warily—this seasoned playboy needed watching.
"Well... not bad," he replied reservedly. "Viola is indeed very beautiful."
"You little rascal..."
Roger chuckled and shook his head, dropping the topic. Instead, he asked:
"Can she contact the Silver Star Duchess?"
"Viola is the Silver Star Duchess's great-granddaughter. She can meet her anytime."
Reyn showed the communicator watch on his wrist and added worriedly:
"But I suspect the Demon Extermination Squad watches are secretly tapped."
Communicator watches worked like radios: each squad had its independent channel, and when one member spoke, the others heard. If someone secretly made an extra device and tapped the channel, no squad secrets were safe.
Even during his previous report, Reyn suspected not only a traitor in the Public Safety Bureau but also that the watches themselves were unsafe. Otherwise, Loxi followers couldn't have reacted so lightning-fast—not just retreating calmly but preparing an ambush without leaving the Demon Extermination Squad a single clue.
Even contacting the Silver Star Duchess through Viola carried a high risk of info leak, and Shadow Blade might learn ahead.
Roger took the watch, turned it over, but found nothing suspicious.
He shook his head:
"The situation is critical. Whether we reach the Duchess or not, Shadow Blade could blow the fortress and tunnel any moment."
"Yes, so no time for leak worries now."
Reyn replied without hesitation:
"At least, we can't let Shadow Blade prepare fully. If the Silver Star Duchess acts fast enough, it might not be too late."
"Better if the Duchess slaughters them all," Zoltan said with hatred.
Reyn nodded and fell silent.
If even the Silver Star Duchess couldn't stop Shadow Blade and they blew the tunnel, they'd be trapped in Ironbeard's Hold and have to find another way out.
His talk with Pollock contained little useful info. But given the timing and Viola's delicate position, if tapped, Shadow Blade could still draw conclusions.
Half an hour later, the watch vibrated again. Reyn pressed receive, and Pollock's voice sounded:
"I'm here."
Then Viola's voice:
"Reyn, what's the urgency?"
She knew Reyn was in the underground fortress, so didn't ask where.
Reyn had already thought it over and quickly said:
"Viola, go to the Silver Star Duchess immediately! Shadow Blade dug a tunnel from the Oath Sword on Brent Street to the Mage Tower. Their target is Iolla's Core. Harken and Tinos are leading. They're also planning to blow the tunnel for a disaster. Watches might be tapped, so act extremely fast!"
Seconds after sending, the watch vibrated again.
"I'm heading to the Mage Tower right now!" Viola's usually calm, elegant voice sounded slightly alarmed.
Then the watch went silent, no more messages.
Reyn exhaled noisily.
From this minute, events could erupt anytime.
All three realized it but could only wait in the dark.
Vigo Manor was right by the Mage Tower, less than two hundred meters straight line, almost at its base. To reach the Tower, Viola needed to skirt Silverstar Academy, no more than three minutes.
The problem was meeting the Silver Star Duchess wasn't simple. Even Viola had to wait for a report, costing time.
Worst case: Duchess not in the Tower—if not found immediately, all lost.
It was a race between the Silver Star Duchess and Shadow Blade. Whoever reacted faster, struck first—won.
Reyn, Roger, and Zoltan stayed silent, tensely awaiting the outcome.
Time dragged agonizingly, minute by minute. Upper levels silent, watch quiet.
Zoltan, clenching fists, paced the stone room restlessly. He nearly broke and was about to ask when the watch button lit up.
Viola's voice:
"The Duchess knows. I'm gathering the Secret Flame Guard. The Duchess herself has gone to Brent Street."
"Excellent!" Zoltan exclaimed joyfully.
Reyn and Roger sighed in relief together. Evidently, Shadow Blade reacted slower this time.
But their joy was short-lived. A rumble came from above.
The entire Ironbeard's Hold shook slightly. Dust fell from the ceiling, many fragile structures in the dungeon collapsed from the quake. Like a strong earthquake.
The three men rushed from the collapsing stone room to open space.
The shaking lasted no more than ten seconds and stopped, no larger collapses.
But Reyn's heart sank.
They were on the fourth level, far from the first, yet the vibration reached here. It spoke of an incredible explosion force.
Ironbeard's Hold space was vast and complex. Shadow Blade couldn't destroy the whole fortress. Blowing the tunnel and first level sufficed for chain reaction and partial collapse.
Even without Iolla's Core, they could deal Longsand a crushing blow. Possibly collapse the Mage Tower.
"We can't get out," Zoltan said anxiously.
Reyn, staying calm, held the watch to his mouth:
"Viola, what's happening outside? Did the Mage Tower collapse?"
Half a minute later, Viola replied:
"Mage Tower intact, but Silverstar district had an earthquake, many places caved in. Duchess fighting enemies. I'm heading with Secret Flame Guard to pursue. Reyn, you okay in the fortress?"
"I'm safe. Take care," Reyn replied.
"Seems we avoided the worst," Roger shook his head. "With Silver Star Duchess intervening, Loxi followers won't escape. No need to worry about them. Now, how to get out of the fortress."
"First-level tunnel definitely impassable," Zoltan said dejectedly.
"Upper path blocked, go down," Reyn had considered it. "Below tenth level, underground river. I heard water noise passing by."
He explained:
"Shadow Blade dug the first-level tunnel. But how did Elf Emperor and Walden escape before? Must be another exit."
"Right!" Zoltan perked up.
But doubted:
"Through underground river... But I have no Underwater Breathing Potion."
Roger suddenly pulled several vials from his belt pouch and grinned:
"But I prepared."
Reyn's eyes lit up. Witchers weren't called walking pharmacies for nothing—they were always best prepared for potions.
The three set off immediately.
The route familiar, less than an hour to descend from fourth to eighth level.
Passing the night goblin battlefield, they saw the fight stopped. Corpses everywhere. Few night goblin survivors, maybe two-three thousand.
Reyn mentally pitied them. After such mutual slaughter, night goblins would need years to recover numbers.
Descending from eighth, they soon reached tenth—the fortress's lowest level.
This level small, many pristine karst caves housing exotic small animals. Damp, complex terrain.
Reyn followed water sound and quickly found the underground river.
River just meters wide, flowing through narrow cave. Slow, even current. Water led into dark underground space, unknown destination.
With Will of Truth, Reyn saw in dark.
River water fairly clean, many fish. He spotted artificial marks—thumb-thick steel rods deeply embedded in rocky riverbed.
Rods protruded slightly, spaced every three-four meters, going downstream.
Must be markers left by someone before.
Reyn told companions. Without hesitation, all drank Underwater Breathing Potions and jumped in.
Water icy. Ordinary human wouldn't last minutes, but for the three, not too bad. Potion allowed breathing underwater, only slight air shortage, no drowning feel.
One vial lasted over an hour.
Reyn swam ahead. At river forks, steel rods showed true path.
Unknown how long they swam. Over half an hour later, light appeared ahead, strong water noise. Reyn sped up, swam through hidden rock crevice, found himself deep underwater. Light from above.
Swam up ten meters and surfaced, inhaling fresh air.
"Phew..."
Ears filled with water roar. Looking up, he saw a pool at waterfall base. Secluded, deserted spot, no one for hundreds of meters, thick grass and trees.
Nighttime. Bright moon hung in sky, bathing everything in pale light.
At that moment, Roger and Zoltan's heads emerged from the water.
"Moradin almighty, we've finally made it out!" Zoltan shouted joyfully. Roger was smiling too.
The three climbed onto the shore and allowed themselves to relax.
Reyn stood up and looked around. Soon he determined that they were outside the city, north of Longsand, downstream along the Ferreglen river. The terrain here was low-lying. The body of water they'd escaped from was on a small tributary, and a few hundred meters away, it flowed into the Ferreglen.
He mentally memorized the location of this pond. If he wanted to retrieve Mjolnir, he'd have to come back here.
The three didn't linger. Shaking water from their clothes, they headed downstream along the tributary.
Reyn found a path, and soon they emerged onto an open field from which Longsand was already visible on the horizon.
Under the cover of night, Longsand looked ominous—fires flared here and there.
Using the Eye of the Soul, Reyn estimated the distance—it was more than seven kilometers to Longsand. But even from here, he faintly heard explosions and cries from the city. It seemed the entire city was gripped by chaos.
The three exchanged glances and hurried toward the city.
However, halfway there, a deafening roar sounded, and flames shot into the sky, as if a massive explosion had occurred.
Even at such a distance, Reyn sensed a colossal surge of magical energy. Soon the chaos in the city began to subside and finally died down completely.
Roger slowed his pace and smirked.
"Seems the Duchess of the Silver Star has dealt with the enemies."
Reyn nodded.
"The Shadow Blade excels in covert operations, but once they step into the light, they're no match for a Holy Spiritual Mage."
"If that's the case, we can take it slower," Zoltan panted. He'd swum a long distance with a heavy metal chest on his back and now, after running halfway, was nearly exhausted.
At that moment, the communication watch in his pocket vibrated.
Reyn pulled it out. It was Viola.
"Reyn, where are you?"
"We made it out. We're outside the city, on the northern outskirts."
No sooner had Reyn sent the message than a stream of light shot toward them from Longsand. It flew at incredible speed, like a huge silver fireball with a tail dozens of meters long, resembling a comet streaking across the sky. In less than half a minute, it reached them and hovered overhead.
A vague human silhouette was visible in the flames.
Reyn's eyelids twitched. This silver fire emitted a terrifying aura that felt familiar. It reminded him of the statue of the Goddess of Magic in front of the Great Library of the Silver Star.
"Holy Spiritual Mage!" Reyn hurriedly closed the Eye of the Soul to avoid seeing what he shouldn't.
"The Duchess of the Silver Star has arrived..." Zoltan breathed in shock.
Roger, however, stared at the figure in the sky in bewilderment. The silver flames swirled in the air and crashed to the ground with a boom. The fire dispersed, revealing the true form of the Holy Spiritual Mage.
When Reyn, Roger, and Zoltan made out the arrival, extreme astonishment showed on their faces.
"Delaersha..."
***