That evening, a similar scene was observed in several taverns of Kass. Arriving in the city almost at sunset, Alexander wasted no time and sent out two groups of four to the taverns and inns, offering a generous reward for information about the fate of the duchess's relative who had recently disappeared. He himself had supposedly locked himself in his hotel room, but in reality, he had changed into the attire of an ordinary townsman and discreetly left his quarters.
The night walk through the city was useful, especially in the company of scouts who had studied it not only through the memories of the townspeople's blood but also in person. To their collective dismay, it provided nothing more than an introduction to the city, and receiving an invitation from the duchess the next morning, he had to go to the audience with absolutely no information to offer. Although the vampire realized that he needed to improve his disguise significantly. His handsome appearance did not go unnoticed by the ladies, and he received almost a dozen indecent proposals.
The woman received the knight in the garden.
— I imagined you differently.
— Older, Your Grace?
— For a mage of your power, does outward age matter? From the stories, I pictured you as more feminine, — seeing that the topic had affected her interlocutor, the duchess paused and took a sip from her cup before continuing, — But you are more masculine than many scarred warriors, and your age is revealed by your eyes. Eyes of a very old killer.
"Well, thanks for that. Though she's the first to comment on my gaze; I'll have to pay attention to that."
— Exactly the killer I need right now. To avenge my younger sister.
— May I know the details, Your Grace?
— Captain Vilor will be here shortly, and he will tell you everything. He should have been here already, but his affairs were delayed. There are riots in Rostki; miners are fighting among themselves, and there are already over thirty corpses. They found time, those dirty animals! — the woman was visibly shaken with rage, — And the captain has to divert his attention from searching for my sister and catching bandits. Rostki are important for my son and the duchy.
Captain Vilor, well-known to the vampire from the expedition to the pass, arrived about ten minutes later. Unfortunately, he had no new information. Baroness Chart was traveling to visit her sister and took her daughter with her. An escort of twenty men-at-arms plus servants. They were traveling on country roads, fearing bandits. They disappeared in the barony of Daer.
No traces were found. After grilling the man with questions, the vampire concluded that it was a futile endeavor and it was better to handle things himself, regardless of the local guards' results.
— Your Grace, it might be quite noisy in the city over the next few days, and I might receive complaints...
— Do what you must, respected. I have lost too many loved ones to worry about such trifles as the displeasure of the townspeople. The main thing is to bring me the culprits behind my sister's death.
— Your Grace, your sister's body was not found. Do not anger Demura by calling her dead, — Vilor tried to object.
— Nonsense, Captain! Your words are utterly foolish. We both know that she is dead! — and turning her gaze to Alexander, she continued, — The scum responsible for my sister's death must be brought to me alive! Only alive!
The men bowed in unison and left the presence of the enraged woman. Once at a respectful distance, the vampire asked his companion a question that intrigued him.
— Her Grace mentioned in conversation that she has lost many. What did she mean?
— Her elder son and daughter. They drowned in a shipwreck.
— So the current duke is...
— The younger son, — the captain answered, cutting him off.
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