Chapter 31: Diamond Escape (2)

Chapter 31: Diamond Escape (2)

Castle Gate:

"Where are the two of you going?" A Mage Warrior Sentry glanced down at the two women waiting at the exit. His tone was polite, more so than usual, since he recognized them immediately. As a sentry, he was required to monitor and record the comings and goings through the gate, but it was rare for someone of their stature to pass through.

Before him stood a young woman and a young lady: Lana, newly known as Lana Wholmat after her marriage to Adjutant General Lotus, and Dominante Code.

I'd better show some courtesy, the sentry thought, wary of inadvertently offending Lotus's wife. He also didn't want to risk alienating Dominante Code, known for her impressive magic tool craftsmanship. Besides, there were rumors swirling that something was going on between her and Lieutenant Fanzell, one of the kingdom's most promising Mage Warriors. For a low-ranking sentry like him, maintaining connections with valuable figures like these two was crucial; a demotion back to the mines would be disastrous. So, he asked patiently, knowing he wasn't about to prevent them from leaving—just needing an excuse for his records, in case anyone asked.

Lana offered him a gentle smile. "My husband came back rather injured and roughed up. I'm hoping to try my luck in the forest, maybe find some herbs or game, so I can make him a welcome-home dinner."

The sentry nodded; he was the one who'd opened the gate for Lotus and Fanzell, and the bloody state they'd been in still lingered in his mind. Lana's reason made sense—any devoted wife would want to do something special for her husband after an ordeal like that. He then turned to Dominante.

She looked up, her cheeks flushing slightly as she rubbed her arm before responding. "I want to do something special for Fanzell too."

The sentry blinked in surprise. So, the rumor isn't just a rumor, he thought, his mood dipping slightly. Everyone but me seems to have luck with the ladies—what am I doing wrong? But he masked his reaction, forcing a bright smile as he signaled for the drawbridge to lower.

"Be careful, Mrs. Wholmat, and Mrs. Kruger," he said courteously. "It's nighttime, and some of the forest creatures may be more active. Do you need an escort?"

Lana gave a polite shake of her head. "No, we can manage ourselves." Dominante, on the other hand, blushed a deep shade of red at the formal address.

Without further words, the two women walked out of the castle side by side. As they disappeared into the distance, the sentry raised the drawbridge and looked away.

He didn't notice, however, that as soon as he averted his gaze, Lana and Dominante veered in the opposite direction of the forest, heading south—incidentally, or perhaps not, in the direction of the Clover Kingdom.

Diamond Laboratory:

Lackey A and B walked briskly through the dimly lit, grimy corridors of the underground laboratory, winding through several passages until they reached Block C. They stopped before a set of imposing twin doors, each topped with a red alarm light. Without a word, Lackey B began channeling his magic, tracing a runic-like code in the air.

As the final stroke of the rune faded, the red light blinked to green, and the doors whirred open. The lackeys stepped inside, and as the doors sealed shut behind them, neither noticed the faint droplets of water clinging invisibly to their clothes, leaving no stains or traces. [1]

Inside, about fifteen children of varying ages, none older than five, were busily occupied. All wore identical white t-shirts and shorts as they ran around performing different tasks. Some were hunched over books, tackling math and science problems far beyond not only their age but the knowledge of this era. Others were sparring physically, practicing spells on target dummies, or exercising. Still others were locked in intense discussions, debating how to better serve the Diamond Kingdom.

The room buzzed with productivity, and the children made sure every effort was visible as the lackeys entered—none of them wanted to risk another round of "reeducation."

All except one. The droplets on Lackey A and B's clothing drifted upward, coalescing into a small, transparent ball of water that hovered in the air, observing the scene below. It zoomed in on a small crib tucked in the corner, occupied by a squirming baby who looked no older than Noelle.

The water ball trembled, flickering with fury. Damnit, Morris—an infant? What the hell is wrong with you?

It floated closer to the crib, examining the child with a mix of curiosity and dread. She had black hair, and as she blinked up at the floating sphere, her eyes flashed a striking pink. The water orb drifted around, taking in every detail, until it noticed a small tag tied to the baby's wrist. The name written there made its fury pause.

Mariella.

What a small world, the water orb thought, its anger replaced by a surge of recognition as it lingered, studying the tiny child.

The water orb took one last look at the baby before shifting its attention to the other children. Its gaze lingered on a pair: a girl with pink hair and a boy with light purple hair. Then, with purpose, it sank down into the cracks between the cobblestones, moving along the floor until it re-emerged near the unsuspecting Lackey A.

Without a second thought, the water orb shot straight into Lackey A's ear, spreading itself throughout his entire body. It seeped into his bones, blood, organs, nerves, muscles, skin, and brain, merging completely with every part of him. Water Magic: Liquid Parasite. [2]

Lackey B turned around just as his partner stiffened, lowering his head and sinking to one knee. Concerned, Lackey B placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, man, you alright?" Noticing some of the children glancing curiously in their direction, he quickly turned to shoo them off.

"What are you staring at?! Get back to work! Or do you want me to report your slacking to Master Libardirt?" The children immediately resumed their tasks, but Lackey B didn't notice the slight, cloudy haze that glazed over his partner's eyes under his hood. When they cleared, Lackey A's pupils held a barely noticeable hint of blue.

Lackey A stood up, scratching his head sheepishly, speaking in his usual voice and manner. "Sorry, I just had a stomach ache."

Lackey B sighed in relief, patting his friend's shoulder before frowning in mild annoyance. "I told you not to eat that stale bread! Even if money's tight, we can still afford edible food."

Lackey A rubbed the back of his head with a guilty grin. "Sorry, sorry! I was just really hungry. Won't happen again."

"Tsk. This guy," Lackey B muttered, shaking his head. He gestured toward the back. "Well, hurry up and take care of your business in the washroom before Master gets back."

"Will do, will do." Lackey A nodded eagerly and made his way to the crooked wooden door. He wrinkled his nose at the stench wafting from within, the sight of filthy stains on the makeshift toilet hardly helping matters. Thank god I transmigrated as a rich guy with a private powder room.

Once inside, he took a careful look around for any potential spying spots—hidden vents, small holes, anything that could conceal cameras or magical surveillance runes. Knowing Morris, he'd probably have something set up.

When he sensed no mana and found nothing out of the ordinary, Lackey A let out a sigh of relief. Seems like even Morris has his limits when it comes to privacy. He raised his right hand, unfurling his palm as it began to shift, turning fluid like water. A small object floated out from it—a magical communication device. His hand solidified again as he grasped the device and brought it close to his mouth.

The gem embedded in its head glowed faintly as Lackey A whispered in a voice entirely different from his own, one unmistakably identical to a certain Silva patriarch. "How much longer are you going to keep me waiting?"

The glow of the gem faded as the communication device sank back into his hand, disappearing like a stone dropped into water. Once his hand solidified, Lackey A waited, watching and listening intently.

After a moment, his shadow stretched behind him, and two figures emerged from it—Draven and Lilith Faust.

Lackey A noticed their complete indifference to the foul surroundings, and he felt a bit impressed. Well, with their line of work, they're probably no strangers to the smell of rot and filth.

Unlike the Secret Order's Masked, neither of them bothered with disguises; with their magic, they didn't need to. No one would notice them anyway.

Without a word, Draven and Lilith entered devil union, shadows cloaking their figures. They gave Lackey A an indifferent nod as he turned and opened the door.

Lackey B glanced over at him, oblivious to the two standing right behind. "Done already? Quit messing around and go finish up."

Just as he pointed back at the washroom, Lilith snapped her fingers, releasing an invisible gas that seeped into Lackey B's and the children's skin. Within seconds, their eyes glazed over as they lined up mechanically behind the door.

Lackey B lifted Mariella from her crib, robotically handing her off to Mars before opening the door. He then wordlessly led the children out in a neat, trance-like line.

Lackey A turned to Draven and Lilith. "Won't they be noticed?"

Lilith shook her head. "I cloaked them in an illusion spell; they'll only be visible to the naked eye, and no detection devices should pick them up."

Lackey A nodded, understanding. Makes sense—there's no electricity here; everything runs on mana and magic crystals. Morris's tech should be no different, so Lilith's illusions should fool it.

As they followed the line outside, they reached a split in the hallways. Lackey A pointed down the opposite path from where Lackey B was leading the children.

"Your compensation and gift are that way. Make sure to clean up properly."

"You don't need to tell us twice," Draven replied coolly as he and Lilith strode off in the indicated direction.

Watching them go, Lackey A sighed. Consider it an apology for what I put Nacht through. He fell in at the end of the line, following the others.

With Lackey B leading, the children in the middle, and himself at the rear, Lackey A felt a strange sense of nostalgia. It's like a kindergarten lineup—the teacher in front, kids in the middle, and the teacher's assistant bringing up the rear.

My teacher used to call it the "class train." He blinked, amused. This is supposed to be a high-stakes mission. Why does it feel like a field trip where the teacher's leading everyone to an assembly?

When you have competent allies, everything becomes more manageable—and almost comically easy.

Lab Prison Cells:

In the lab's prison cells, Lotus and Fanzell sat silently, their arms restrained by mana-binding shackles as they waited for their rescue. Their heads snapped up at the sound of footsteps, and through the small holes in the prison bars, they saw a bizarre sight.

In front of them was a neat line of children—those who should have been confined to Block C—standing in formation with one of the lackeys who had taken their grimoire satchels at the head of the line.

"Mars? Fana?" Fanzell's voice held a mix of disbelief and confusion. He'd been expecting to save them, not the other way around. But the two children didn't respond.

Lotus and Fanzell quickly noticed that the children, along with Lackey B, seemed vacant and oddly stiff. Then Lackey A appeared in front of them, looking surprisingly alert and focused compared to the others.

When he opened his mouth to speak, they recognized a familiar, emotionless voice. "It's me."

"Blue Eagle?" Lotus asked, his tone uncertain. Is he using transformation magic to disguise himself? It's so accurate; I don't see any difference. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if the real Lackey A had been "dealt" with. Although Lotus had chosen to defect from Diamond, he wasn't interested in senseless bloodshed.

Lackey A—or rather, Blue Eagle—nodded. Fanzell gestured to the children and Lackey B behind him, asking, "What's going on with them?"

"They've been put in a trance to keep them compliant," Blue Eagle replied indifferently. "Panicked children would only complicate the mission. The effect will wear off in about two hours, so you need to leave now."

Fanzell and Lotus shared a tense look. Blue Eagle has water magic; he shouldn't be able to put someone into a trance. Gray Wolf and Green Owl aren't even part of this mission... Does this mean the Secret Order has infiltrated Diamond and has insiders here? Suddenly, it made sense how they'd learned about their experiments.

Interrupting their thoughts, keys floated out from Blue Eagle's body, which shimmered like water before solidifying again. Without a word, he unlocked the prison door and tossed the shackles' keys to them. They caught them, quickly freeing themselves and rubbing their sore wrists.

Blue Eagle's form rippled once more, and their grimoire satchels appeared, launching toward them. Catching them roughly, Lotus inspected his satchel, relieved to find his grimoire still inside. What spell was that? Has his water magic taken on spatial properties? Is this what it means to be a Masked?

They were about to exit the prison when they watched Blue Eagle grab Lackey B by the throat. Lackey B didn't react as steam rose from Blue Eagle's arm, and they witnessed a chilling scene—Lackey B's body dried up, shriveling and flaking away into a pile of bloody dust.

Lotus and Fanzell felt sick. They'd never seen such a grim death, and the lack of reaction from Lackey B and the children made it even more disturbing. They glanced at Blue Eagle, still disguised as Lackey A, and shared a grim realization. Did the real Lackey A meet the same fate?

They pushed the unsettling thought aside; Lackey B had seen them and had to be dealt with, and at least his end seemed painless.

Blue Eagle nodded approvingly and spoke in his usual robotic tone. "Glad to see neither of you is trying to play a heroic fool or lecture me on ethics."

The two exchanged a grim look before Lotus responded, his tone self-deprecating. "It'd be hypocritical for two soldiers like us to talk about morals and atrocities."

"Good." Blue Eagle nodded again, a slight edge to his voice. "Because what I hate most in life are hypocrites."

After a brief silence, Blue Eagle's emotionless tone broke through, pointing down the hallway. "This leads to an abandoned tunnel Morris uses to secretly transfer experimental materials that Diamond's general population isn't meant to see."

Lotus and Fanzell exchanged a knowing look; they'd overseen many of these secretive deliveries in the past. It was something they'd wanted no part of, but Morris took twisted pleasure in forcing them to comply with his unethical operations.

However, their curiosity couldn't be held back. Lotus ventured a question, "How do you know that?" Has he already mapped out the entire lab, or did someone inform him?

Lilith had cast a powerful spell, one that erased the memories of Lotus Whomalt, Fanzell Kruger, Lana Whomalt, Dominante Code, and their children from the entire kingdom. She'd also freed the King from mind control and ensured that no one noticed their or Sebastian's movements. Draven could tell she was entirely drained of mana, in need of at least a full day of rest.

Sensing his thoughts, Lilith chuckled softly, smiling weakly. "Not the entire kingdom. There's still one who will remember."

Draven nodded, a faint twitch of irritation crossing his face. "Our dear associate has quite the twisted sense of humor."

He could've simply asked Lilith to erase Morris from everyone's memory and deal with him outright, but Sebastian had insisted on this elaborate plan—just to make Morris suffer through what was coming.

Lilith hummed in agreement, then glanced at the piece of parchment her husband held. "You've been clutching that for a while. What is it?"

Draven met her gaze. "This is our compensation—all these assistants and equipment. I'm thinking we could set up a magic tool workshop and earn money publicly."

Lilith nodded weakly, stifling a yawn. "Good plan. We're trying to rejoin the noble circle. People will start investigating us again, so we need a front to distract from our true... passions."

Draven agreed, though he didn't seem thrilled. "I didn't think of this on my own. Our associate saw through our plans, as he always does, and recommended it."

Lilith paused, nodding thoughtfully. At this point, she wasn't surprised by anything Sebastian Silva could see through or know.

"And you still haven't told me what's on that paper," she added.

Draven began to unfurl it, speaking softly. "Sebastian said that in exchange for House Silva becoming our new Workshop's public partner—helping to keep ill-intentioned people off our backs—he wants us to prioritize the inventions he's requested."

"And this is the first?" Lilith asked, glancing at the blueprint as Draven fully unfurled it.

Both raised a brow at the peculiar design: a smooth, circular structure that looked like a chair, with a round basin for a seat and a handle attached to one side. They took in the depiction of a "flush" function leading to a sewage system, their eyes narrowing as they read the title aloud.

"The flushable toilet?"

Kiten:

The stronghold, typically quiet and light on Magic Knight presence unless an invasion was imminent, was now filled to the brim with Magic Knights—specifically, Purple Orcas. These knights, who once looked down on the people of the common and forsaken realms, were now walking around stiffly, forcing polite greetings to the very folks they used to disdain, and patrolling the town with intense focus. The reason was clear.

Kaiser Granvorka. Known as one of the humblest and most agreeable men in nobility, Kaiser had transformed completely after Lionel and Marcellus's scandal broke. Now, he watched over his squad with the vigilance of a hawk, purging his ranks of anyone he even suspected of corruption or scandal. He was monitoring every move.

The Purple Orcas, once elitist and tainted with corruption, were now desperate to prove themselves. They moved around like dogs with sticks up their backs, eager to assure their captain they weren't "bad apples." For knights like Gueldre Poizot, it was a nightmare. He'd been forced to shut down his money-laundering schemes, drop his bribes, and abandon all his usual rackets, or risk his Magic Knight career ending. Every second, he cursed Lionel and Marcellus for their recklessness. Damn it, you bastards! If you're going to pull something like that, don't get caught! Gueldre forced a smile as a group of snot-nosed peasant kids surrounded him, asking why he wore a mask. He barely kept his rage in check when one of them wiped his nose on his uniform.

For knights like Jack, however, nothing had changed. He'd never dabbled in anything Kaiser could criticize, and, in fact, he was loving it. Kaiser had offered to be his sparring partner if he stopped picking fights, and Jack was thrilled to find that Kaiser kept his word.

But for most of the Purple Orcas, they felt exactly like Gueldre: miserable, resentful, and cornered. As if to prove a point, Kaiser had banned his squad from taking any missions in the noble realm. If they wanted to make a living, they'd have to work in the common or forsaken realms—the last places they ever wanted to step foot in, let alone be seen.

Transferring squads wasn't an option. Sure, one or two members might get a transfer, but not an entire squad. Worse, the Wizard King had fully endorsed this reform, banning any transfers from the Purple Orcas. And even if he hadn't, it was pointless—no other captain was willing to take "bad apples" from a scandal-stained squad.

Their only options were to obey or quit. But for the noble-born members, quitting wasn't an option. It would mean social ostracism, ridicule, and a permanent stain on their reputations. They knew it, Kaiser knew it, and Conrad knew it. So all they could do was grit their teeth, force on a smile, and go along with it.

As the Purple Orcas patrolled, a commotion erupted at the front gate, and they quickly snapped their heads toward the sound, then flew over to investigate.

"Halt!" Kaiser's commanding voice boomed, sending a chill through the ranks of the Purple Orcas. Many initially stiffened, fearing he was addressing them, but quickly realized his command was directed elsewhere. With a collective sigh of relief, they hurried over, eager to see what was happening.

Those flying on their brooms through the night sky squinted, straining to confirm what they were seeing. In front of the gate stood a group of about two dozen people, including several children dressed in matching outfits. The children were glancing around with expressions of shock and confusion, clutching close to pairs of men and women. It was unclear whether they were trembling from fear or from the cold night air. But their attention was soon drawn to the man in the center—a figure with a goatee.

"Hey, isn't that Hell Lotus?" one of the Purple Orcas murmured. [1]

A wave of hushed agreement spread through the squad as many whispered among themselves, astonished at the audacity of Lotus Whomalt, the Diamond Kingdom's Adjutant General, standing at their gates. The murmurs quickly died down when Kaiser raised his arm in a silent command for silence, and every Purple Orca fell still.

Kaiser stroked his mustache thoughtfully as he looked down at the group, addressing Lotus.

"Whomalt, what brings you and your... unusual group to Kiten?"

Lotus looked up at Kaiser and, with a firm voice that rang through the air, declared, "We are here to seek asylum in the Clover Kingdom!"

A stunned silence followed, as the Purple Orcas exchanged bewildered glances, trying to process the unexpected request. Kaiser himself blinked at Lotus, taken aback; whatever response he'd anticipated, it certainly wasn't this.

Omake: What if Sebastian Transmigrated At The Start of Canon Part 2

"Hey princess, what do you say to me and you getting a bite to eat sometime." A flirty voice resounded in the Silva garden.

"Silence, insect." Noelle responded with a deathly black glare, looking at the brown haired droopy eyed playboy that dared to hit on her, during their first meeting.

Finral Roulacase. Noelle bit her lip in frustration, the failure of house Vaude, a lascivious man known for his obsession with women, was supposed to her teammate, and what made it worse was, if the rumors are true, he's one of the more socially acceptable members of the Black Bulls.

Finral sweatdropped, and scratched his cheeks, "hey, hey, that's not very nice, I'm your senior, you know?"

Noelle flicked her pigtails, "and I'm royalty, now bow down for your insolence, and I may overlook this. Refuse and I'll have you executed."

Finral trembled slightly, but didn't obey letting out a wry chuckle, "In the Magic Knights, class means nothing."

Noelle snorted, and humphed, knowing it was true, so not trying to make that big of a deal about it. Besides I can't fly on a broom so I need this guy's magic to escort me to the base.

Noelle was upset, but sighed as she remembered a sentence from a few hours ago, The Black Bulls... they're not as bad as others may lead you to believe...

So Noelle just crossed her arms, and closed her eyes, and although shorter than Finral, appeared to be looking down at him. "Fine, but you still owe me an apology for your gall, do so, and I'll spare you from receiving a face full of water!" Because I'm magnanimous, not because I have no confidence in hitting you even at this range.

Finral continued scratching his cheek sheepishly, giving her a strained smile, that was because he was not scared of Noelle in the slightest.

As a man who's been to countless mixers in the common and noble realm, Finral is privy to a lot of rumors, gossip, and talk concerning beauties, especially royal beauties.

And Noelle Silva's status as a literal royal failure of a mage, wasn't exactly a secret. Finral knew the truth, that just like him, this girl was receiving the boot from her family, so he couldn't help but feel for her somewhat.

He bowed shortly, and voiced his regret. "I apologize for my audacity princess, please forgive me."

Noelle gave him another snort like a typical tsundere before nodding, "very well, I accept your apology."

Finral raised his head in gratitude only to see her pointing to her side, to her large, very large, luggage. Finral didn't know they made suit cases like that. Looks like even the lowliest of royalty live it up, compared to anyone else.

So after a moment's pause, he spoke up, "Yes?"

Noelle gave him a strange look, "what do you mean, yes? Carry my luggage."

Finral blinked, before registering what she said, "Huh??? Why would I do that?"

"What do you mean, why?" Noelle questioned like she just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. "I'm royalty, I can't carry that myself!"

Finral was starting to lose his patience, as he forced a smile, "You can't or you won't?"

Noelle crossed her arms, equally impatient. "Is there a difference? Now do it? If you're truly sorry, prove it with your actions, not merely words!" Man up and take responsibility, Noelle mouthed.

Finral sighed, as much as he would like to give her a piece of his mind, the Finral of today was a pushover, pretty much the gofer of the Black Bulls.

So with visible reluctance, he picked up her very heavy luggage, causing him to bend over, before he opened a spatial gate.

As he waited for her to step through first, he stopped her, "wait."

"Hmm?" Noelle was confused, and turned around. "What's the matter now? Don't tell me you're quitting already."

I'm your superior, show some respect! Finral wanted to yell, before sighing, and looking around strangely not seeing anyone. "Aren't you going to say bye to your family, did you already do it? Or don't you want to wait, for someone to come and see you off-"

Finral stopped himself, as he looked at her ugly expression, feeling guilty and like banging his head against the wall.

Why on Earth would you say that Finral, you dumb ass?! Of course no one's going to say goodbye to a failure! You of all people should know that!

Noelle tried to hold her fury and sorrow in, ignoring Finral who was bending over, and mumbling an apology, as she suddenly stopped and looked over at him, to see a familiar figure standing dead center across from her at the garden entrance.

Once again, her father, Sebastian Silva. Noelle watched as her Father scanned her up and down cooly, before giving her a nod, and Noelle felt her breath hitch and tremble as she caught a soft smile on his face, before he turned around and walked away just as silently as he came.

Once again, Noelle's chest felt lighter, and warmer.

Finral, who continued to bow and mumble an apology, felt like he was given a reprieve and heavenly pardon, as Noelle's indifferent voice flowed into his ear.

"Forget it, apology accepted, now can we get going?"

Finral slowly raised his head, to see that she looked entirely unphased and unbothered, her previous dejected visage nowhere to be seen.

Finral nodded again as Noelle stepped through the gate, followed by him, as the spatial portal closed after them.

As Noelle stepped through the other side to take in the rundown Black Bull base, an area that no Silva should be seen in, strangely she didn't feel the least bit depressed.

And she walked to the base, a bit quickly, almost eagerly, with a hop in her step. I don't know about my siblings, but I think I want to make him proud of me.

Author's Note:

[1] I took inspiration from the Sword of the Wizard King Movie, where Finral does a similar thing to enter base zero.

[2] Inspiration from my boy Amon.

[3] Didn't make it up, that's his real epithet