Chapter 183: 183. Emily

“You will meet her in a few hours.”

Maris spoke without betraying any hint emotions beneath the half-mask.

Duke Rizwell decided not to press further anymore. He understood that the envoy of the Eternal Sovereign would reveal only what was necessary and no more than that.

Adam, meanwhile, remained silent at the Duke’s side, constantly trying to study the mysterious envoy who called herself Delta without using any abilities that might get sensed and offend her.

Jaden, meanwhile, sat quietly; his eyes remained lowered, and he remained unfazed by the responsibility he was being given. It was better than being useless to the family and living with the guilt of betrayal.

Maris proceeded to explain in greater detail about the business structure and the sectors they would jump into first, mainly the food and desserts, since William had a major edge named chocolate, and it was market tested, so he wasn’t worried about the potential of the product and decided to start from that.

The rest of the explanation was thorough, and Rizwell asked several clarifying questions regarding other things, which either were answered by Maris or just dismissed by saying that she did not have the authority to speak about those certain matters.

Maris responded carefully, trying not to overreach her statements.

Eventually, Maris rose from her seat; she sensed that she had spoken enough, and even though the duke didn’t show any outward concern or emotion towards the business prospect, she didn’t need to care. She was confident in her lord’s idea and didn’t question it.

“I have some work to do in the capital; Jaden will accompany me,” she stated calmly.

Rizwell straightened at once. “I will accompany you, miss Delta, Jaden is still inexperienced,” he insisted, his voice carrying paternal concern as well as a bit of caution.

Maris shook her head. “That will not be necessary, Lord Duke. Jaden is part of my organization, not yours,” she reminded the duke.

Her refusal was firm and forced Rizwell to relent.

He understood that pressing further might signal distrust.

Soon after, Maris and Jaden exited the mansion together.

Maris declined the use of a carriage, and instead donned dark hooded cloaks that concealed their figures entirely.

The heavy fabric obscured their identities as they stepped into the bustling streets of the capital.

Jaden walked beside her in silence. His appearance had already worn out from all the sleepless nights and depressed hiding in his room that he blended easily with the common crowd.

Since his noble attire was not visible under the hood, he appeared to be an ordinary overworked young man moving through the city.

“Where are we going?” he asked with curiosity after they had walked for nearly half an hour.

Maris paused occasionally to ask passersby for directions, seemingly at random. Her movements appeared uncertain on purpose.

“Just keep following,” she replied without elaboration.

He opened his mouth to question her further, but she dismissed the inquiry with a subtle glance that ended the conversation.

They eventually reached the outer circle of the capital. Without waiting, Maris suddenly took a sharp turn and led him into the slums.

The shift in atmosphere was immediately felt by Jaden. The streets had narrowed, and the small thatched buildings seemed like they would collapse at any moment.

The air burned with the sharp stench of rot and waste. Signs of chaos and poverty multiplied the deeper they walked into these slums. Jaden instinctively covered his nose, unable to suppress the faint disgust rising within him.

“First time here?” Maris asked without looking at him.

He did not answer but just frowned as he looked at her. Of course it was his first time. Why would he, as a child of nobility, ever have stepped into this place under normal circumstances?

“Yes,” he finally admitted quietly.

Maris did not react to his reply and continued forward.

Soon, several men armed with daggers emerged from the corners and began to encircle them. Their expressions were predatory and confident.

To them, two cloaked strangers entering the slums unguarded presented an easy opportunity.

Jaden frowned, preparing to warn these men to not take a step ahead, but Maris moved even before he could.

In an instant, the heads of the surrounding thugs froze solid. Ice encased their skulls out of nowhere, like they had suffered a frostbite.

The frost thickened, and then with a click of her fingers it cracked, and with it cracked their frozen heads.

Shards scattered across the dirt, and their bodies collapsed on the ground headless.

Horror rippled outward through nearby onlookers. Other criminals who had been lingering at a distance for their chance swallowed hard and vanished into alleyways.

Maris resumed walking without pause. Jaden shook his head and followed.

“There was no need to draw attention,” he muttered.

“Attention from them is irrelevant,” she replied evenly. “They are low lives. No one values what they say.”

“I do not think that is true,” Jaden responded quietly.

Maris stopped briefly and glanced at him. “I have lived in the slums. Have you?”

The question caught him off guard.

He hesitated before answering. “No.” This was the second time he had answered the same question, but this time it hit harder.

Maris offered no further commentary and continued onward.

Minutes later, they arrived before a small, deteriorating house. From inside, cries of a woman echoed, mixed with the sharp crack of a whip. A cluster of elderly women and idle children had gathered outside, watching without intervening.

“Lorris is at it again,” one woman murmured loud enough for Maris and Jaden to hear.

“Act like a goon,” Maris instructed Jaden suddenly.

“What?” Jaden barely had time to react when, with a violent motion, Maris kicked the door inward.

Bang!.

The crowd fell silent. They had not seen a hooded figure approach the door at all; for them, the figure had appeared in a blink of an eye.

Inside, the noises stopped abruptly. Jaden followed her through the broken frame.

“WHO THE FUCK IS IT!” a rugged man shouted as he stepped forward with a whip in hand.

“We are here to collect debts,” Maris replied calmly.

“Who are you fucks?” Lorris shouted.

“You need to come with us,” Jaden added, now finally joining the act.

“FUCK OFF!” The man spat directly onto Jaden’s robe.

Rage flared in Jaden’s chest; even though he was low, his pride as a noble was still ingrained deep within his heart. How dare a lowly roach spit on his robe?

“Kill him,” Maris said quietly before Jaden could ask her permission for it.

Without hesitation, Jaden raised his hand. A fireball spell formed and launched before Lorris could react. Flames engulfed the man instantly. Jaden controlled the fire and did not let it consume him swiftly. It burned slowly like a deliberate torch.

The man stumbled into the street, screaming in agony, rolling over and over in an attempt to extinguish the fire, but it was of no use at all.

“Arghhhh! The devil! It’s the devil!” the man barked.

“Tsk, what is he high on?” Jaden muttered before stepping inside behind Maris.

Within the hut, they saw a woman crouched in the corner. Her sleeves were torn, and whip marks covered her arms and shoulders. A baby trembled in her arms.

“Are you Emily?” Maris asked as she entered without invitation.

“Yes!” Emily cried desperately.

“We have killed your husband,” Maris stated coldly. while Jaden facepalmed at the side. “That was not a very nice introduction,” he cried inside.

Shock overtook Emily’s face. Life with Lorris had been violent and oppressive, and every day she had to suffer abuse. Now the trauma compounded. She clutched her baby tighter and dropped to her knees.

“Please do not kill us. I will repay any debts my husband took.”

“We are not here to kill you, ma’am,” Jaden spoke, his voice softer than before. The sight of a desperate mother holding her child stirred memories of his own lost mother.

A sharp pain twisted in his chest.

“We need you to come with us,” Maris said.

“No! Please leave us alone!”

Without further argument, Maris stepped behind her and delivered a precise strike to the back of her neck. Emily collapsed unconscious.

Silence settled over the hut. Maris caught the baby before it could fall and turned to Jaden.

“Pick her up.”

He obeyed, lifting Emily carefully.

“Not like a princess. Be rough. Carry her like a sack!!” she spoke.

Jaden adjusted his grip and complied unwantedly.

They exited the hut together. Outside, the crowd had grown larger. They had heard loud screams and come to witness Lorris’s still burning figure in the streets.

The onlookers parted quickly as Maris and Jaden emerged. No one dared interfere. Even those who used to pity Emily turned away, unwilling to risk their own lives.

Maris had anticipated this. In the slums, life was only worth a few copper coins.

Burning someone alive was not a rare enough case to spark any form of intervention from the corrupt authorities, at most, a puny amount of compensation was given to the relatives, that too with a share of bribery.

“Burn the house,” she instructed.

Jaden cast another fireball and threw it towards the house. Flames consumed the structure instantly.

Emily remained unconscious in his grasp, unaware that her life had just shifted irreversibly. From a slum dweller, she was about to become one of the most famous tycoons on the Aris continent.

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