There was a clank as a porcelain cup was placed back on a plate.

“This tea is simply wonderful. May I ask where you got it from?” Arthur asked with a smile.

“Oh, I’m afraid we’d first have to track down the merchant that sold it to me to answer that question. Definitely wasn’t grown in the area.” The earl of Wospia returned a smile. “So, if I may know, why did your majesty decide to visit our humble abode?” Despite his practice, his words couldn’t fully mask his annoyance.

The prince’s smile widened. “Oh, I simply wish to educate myself about the country. Specifically, the richer areas.”

“Well, we have certainly been blessed with good fortune in our recent business endeavors.” The duke’s smile got a bit more genuine as his ego was stroked.

“Yes, which I found rather peculiar.” Arthur looked a bit confused.

“How so?”

“Well, I’ve read dozens of books about economics, and I simply can’t understand something. Please educate me on how a land with no ports, no proximity to any highways, no natural resources, no industry, no major export to speak of aside from especially frosty snow… how does such a land become so rich?”

The earl’s smile turned into an indignant glare. “I’m good with investments. Perhaps you should’ve read those books more carefully.”

The prince met the earl’s glare with one of his own. He let no emotion through, and yet the room became colder. His eyes were boring holes into the man in front of him. “Perhaps you should have been more discreet about your activities. I knew slavery would exist no matter how illegal it is, but to think that nobles got so bold. And so arrogant…” His voice got louder and louder until it began shaking the room. And he suddenly stopped. What came next was merely a whisper and yet it could be heard clearly. “That I considered burning you alive publicly to send a message.”

The earl was shaking in his seat, sweat dripping from him.

“But, of course, that would solve nothing.” Arthur comfortably reclined in his chair and crossed his legs. “Someone else would take up your mantle. Become the new person in charge of it. As long as there is demand, slavery cannot be destroyed. Which is why I will take a look at every single deal you’ve ever made. I know you keep records. And it will all be made public. Not just to everyone in this country who can read, which is tragically few, but truly everyone. Of course, the churches will intervene and help with burning the rotten roots.”

The older man suddenly smiled defiantly as an idea sprung up in his mind. “Well done your majesty, there is however a slight problem. While your father might seem upstanding enough, and he hasn’t bought any slaves yet, your mother is a different case. The queen has been quite the generous patron to us after all.”

The prince’s eyes went wide in surprise, but instead of worry, there was a wide smile on his face. “That actually solves a lot of problems. After all, if the queen has all titles revoked from her, so do her offspring. Which would mean…”

“That you won’t be king, little Pendragon.” The earl mocked, not noticing the smile at all.

“Oh, how rude of me, I haven’t even introduced myself properly. I am Arthur, son of Igraine and bastard of Uther. Well… not for long.” He stood up, the white cloak hanging over his shoulders. He took out a small vial and poured it into the tea that remained in his cup before pushing it in front of the earl. “Your family will not be harmed, not by me or the people who'll help me at least. You, on the other hand… I advise you to drink it and spare yourself what comes next.” He walked out of the room with a confident pace, heading straight to where his magic senses said was a large vault. Where else would all the shady papers be kept?

--

After having taken every document, he secured them in his pouch Yuuki had given him and left the estate. He got on his horse and began heading back to the capital at a steady pace. It was the third day of travel down an empty road when he heard something in the forest. Suddenly getting off the horse, he took a sigh and used some magic to scare it away.

“You have good instincts.” A cold male voice said from a bit off the road.

“You are annoying. Let me guess: you’re the shadow organisation that was backing that cartoon villain. And now that you’re here, you’ll tell me that ‘sorry kid, it’s just business’ before you pull out some secret technique passed down to you by a weird perverted hermit to rip my soul out.” Arthur rambled without a care in the world, as if he wasn’t being surrounded by armed people who looked to be assassins. “How much did you get out of mister piggy by the way?”

“He was dead when we found him, but we put two and two together. And your demeanor is unbefitting of royalty.” The raspy voice said once more as he stopped not much in front of the prince.

“And your pants seem surprisingly clean considering what’s about to happen to you. But, I’m in a good mood. If you spill the beans, give me a complete list of every member in your little gang, I’ll be lenient. Life in jail seems fitting. You’re quite used to the dark I assume?”

“If you hope that your nonsense will buy you time, you’re out of luck.”

One dashed in with a rapier, attacking Arthur, who quickly dodged. Crossbow bolts were fired, magic and metal were after his life, and yet he smiled.

“Do you know where you miscalculated?” He chuckled as he continued dodging everything by jumping high up in the air. “I’m not left handed.” A massive ball of fire was hurled into the ground, burning through the highest layer and exploding underground. None of his attackers were burnt, but they were all floored by the shockwave. The ones closest to the blast were out cold, bleeding internally, while the others only had to deal with a concussion, breathing problems, damaged eardrums, and a bloody nose.

Arthur confidently walked over to the man that did the talking before, lifting him with one hand by his clothes, pinning him against a tree.

“So, about that list.”

--

Yuuki looked around while they were playing board games and her gaze settled on one person. “Igraine, off the top of your head, how do you feel?”

“Uhh… proud?” She answered before raising an eyebrow, questioning why she just said that.

Yuuki nodded with a smile. “A mother’s instincts sure are scary.” She muttered before continuing with the game as if nothing had happened.