Having retrieved his sword from a nearby forest Dax went to meet up with Chad and Xi, finding them at the location they had agreed on before looking quite worried. Getting Chad's attention without causing a fuss Dax pointed at a deserted alley where he linked up with them after a few minutes,

"What happened?"

"I ran into some trouble clearly targeting me and Xi, I've found somewhere to lay low for a bit, follow me."

Leading the knight and princess pair through back streets and alleys the group eventually reached an abandoned part of town where Dax broke into an old building that was on the verge of falling apart, looking around inside the dusty interior Dax reached in between two floor panels and pulled a hidden switch and opened a hidden entrance.

"What is-"

"A hidden smuggler's cache, looking at the group markings it's part of a long since exterminated group."

Finding the place to indeed to no longer be in use Dax helped himself to some of the left behind high proof liquor as the group of 3 found themselves somewhat conformable in the small underground room spa.r.s.ely filled with contraband.

(ICI take care of the sound.)

(DIRECTIVE CONFIRMED INITIATING AMBIENT MANA ABSORPTION, ALLOCATING PROCESSING POWER FOR SCRIPT. COMPLETE, MANA FORGE ONLINE, RUNNING AT 0.23%.)

"I've taken care of the sound, feel free to relax a bit now."

With tension visibly draining from the room, Xi and Chad got themselves a bit more comfortable as the knight took charge of the conversation.

"So, what happened? All of a sudden the city guards started running around everywhere and we heard that some knights were fighting with a demonkin."

"Yeah, that's pretty much what happened, at least on a surface level. I was targeted by a blue haired youth which seems to know the princess and some accompanying knights who all seemed to think I kidnapped said princess."

"... Silas?"

"So you do know him, what's the connection between the two of you?"

Seeing Xi's reaction Dax immediately probed for more information, much to Chad's displeasure.

"Oi! Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Yeah, no. I'm afraid I can't afford to keep doing that any longer, I'll need to know everything as it appears I've also been marked for death by my involvement with the two of you."

"That's-"

"impossible? I was evaluated when I fought that Silas brat, which means that there's some connection between him, you, my dear princess and whoever is now after my life. That would make you what we call in my line of business 'mission critical intelligence' and as such I will use every means of extracting that intelligence."

"What are you?"

Looking at Dax Chad now something entirely different than he had the last few months journeying with the demonkin, as if he had just pulled off some sort of mask Dax's demeanor had entirely changed.

"I'll leave that to your imagination~ Now, will you please tell me, princess? I would truly hate to do something to you after getting to know you this well."

"Okay then, I'll tell you everything."

After a brief silence Xi decided to finally tell Dax everything, even though she was not entirely sure he could be trusted. While the mysterious demonkin in front of her had helped them and was true that she would not be alive at this moment without his help there was something strange about him, he was most likely some sort of outsider belonging to a powerful organization.

She had no idea how right her judgment was at that point in time.

"Silas is a part of the Aluzulite family, a long time ally of my family. My dad used to take me with him whenever he had business in Greendale and leave me there to play."

"... So a childhood friend? That would explain how easily he was manipulated by whoever is behind all this… I'm guessing he's also the one you wanted to seek help from in Greendale?"

"That's correct. But I don't understand why he would suddenly try and kill you."

Starting to connect the pieces together Dax completely let slip his mercenary demeanor and returned to being a qiton black operative.

"... So it's most likely a faction that at least has some connection with the Greendale upper echelon? No, that wouldn't make sense at all…."

Falling into deep thought neither Xi nor Chad dared to interrupt Dax, for they were both utterly terrified.

"You said before that your country was struck with some sort of calamity, what is it exactly? A plague? Some kind of monster? Or could it be some sort of archdemon… No that wouldn't make sense at all, there has been no breach of the dimensional plane since the fall of the magic academy. ICI show me the Ta'ia territory."

Holding out a hand Dax projected a map of the Ta'ia city state as his left eye lit up in an ominous red light.

"So it's some kind of mana disaster… What exactly happened?"

"... Dax. What is that?"

Pointing at Dax's hand which partly split apart to reveal some sort of unknown mechanism within Xi found herself unable to stop shaking, even the finger she pointed at the demonkin she couldn't keep still.

"Ah, this? It's magic~ Although it's a kind that's not really common around here."

-

"That's seriously f.u.c.ked up…"

Running along a dirt road that was only spa.r.s.ely lit by starlight Dax thought back on what Xi had told him.

(Even by black operation standards that's f.u.c.king cold.)

Long ago Xi's small city state took a single child into their care. The child was some kind of dragonkin who had lost all memories due to some unknown illness, but due to the overwhelming kindness of the Ta'ia people the child quickly recovered and with nowhere to return to that child became part of their community. The youth who felt themselves in debt dedicated themselves to becoming a knight for the country and people that had extended their hands when the child needed help and grew up to become a fine knight. All was well for the knight until half a year ago, when the sickness which had once been beaten suddenly returned in even greater magnitude and the knight became bedridden. But once more the kindness of the Ta'ia people shone through, they gathered at the knight's home and nursed them, day and night, evidently that sealed their fate. On the tenth night, the knight was bedridden something happened, a calamity which Xi had called it turned out to be an apt description.

The people how came into contact with the knight never left his home and when others came to check on them they didn't return either. Approximately 24 hours after that, whatever had been slumbering for most of the knight's life became active and malignant mana spread throughout the city, twisting every form of life into a wicked state.

(... Still, the method of delivery is the same as what happened at the academy, although at a much slower rate. That must have been because whoever caused such a calamity wanted to hide the origin, but sadly my orbital satellites already matched the baseline mana frequency of that event with the pa.s.sive one emanating from that strange gel and to this site of abnormal mana intensity which flared about half a year ago, lining up perfectly with what the princess told me.)

"Time to get serious. ICI, get the drone down here."

[DIRECTIVE CONFIRMED. EXITING ACOUSTIC MODE, TASK QRF BETA Y/N?]

"Nah, I'll handle this myself."

Reaching out into the air beside him, Dax pulled a compact prototype gauss rifle as he addressed his other weapon.

"Oi sword, do you want to help this time or should I leave you here?"

(... I am.)

"That was fast? What's up with the sudden change of heart? Did I damage you when I tossed you out of town?"

(I did not!... I just finally started becoming invested in your fight that's all.)

Hearing the unusual tone of the sword in his mind, Dax formed a large smile.

"Well isn't that grand, the cursed sword is actually feeling sympathy."

(Yeah I am, is that a problem? Even if my original body has long since rotten away and I must sustain what remains of my soul is sustained only by feeding on other souls I still have a semblance my morals within me. Using a child to deliver a time bomb that only was effective because it had grown so close to the ones that had saved it, I absolutely can't forgive that.)

As the sword spoke out in Dax's mind he clearly felt it starting to eagerly suck up the surrounding mana, like a lion priming all its muscles it was ready to kill.

"Well it's not like I'm critiquing you, it's just that I was slightly surprised. It's good to see you're motivated partner, when I find the b.a.s.t.a.r.d who set that plan in motion I'll slowly drain his mind so he's still alive after, then you can torment his soul as much as you want~"

(My, my~ And they're calling me a demon?~✿ I'm going to keep you to that promise Dax.)

-

"We should move now, my lady. Let's get away from this place before that creature returns."

Chad was still slightly s.h.i.+vering, even as the creature which called himself Dax had long since left the cramped smuggler's cache stating that he was going to crush something.

"My lady… Lady Xi, we need to leave this place, it would be dangerous to stay."

"You can go if you want, I'm staying."

When Xi finally spoke for the first time in well over an hour her eyes shone in a determined light which told her long time knight that she would absolutely not change her opinion.

"Why? You saw the same thing as I did, whatever that thing is it-"

"That doesn't matter, he said he would help us and when I talked about our calamity he became enraged. If we sought help from the archangels they would just wipe out our land. This demonkin, or whatever he is, has power and we're desperately in need of that, whatever the costs."

"Bu-"

"Whatever the costs. 50.000 people depend on us, if I must sacrifice myself to this demon then that's a trade I'm willing to make."