The Reborn Witch had a nice 'Tea Time' with the Dragon Queen today-Chapter 28: Behind The Runes Lies A Tiny Giant (3)

"...yeah, I don't recognise you, young lady. Did you get lost on your way to the tavern?" Lady Adil's voice was like sandpaper on wood, rough and unyielding. She didn't look up from her scrolls, her quill moving swiftly across the parchment.

"Oi, old hag. You want me to send your daughter to kingdom comes again?" The witch's voice grew a tad sharp, a smirk playing on her lips as she watched Adil's expression not flinch.

"Ah...it's you." Lady Adil finally set down her quill, her eyes focusing on Demond with a hint of surprise. She squinted, her gaze lingering on the witch's new form before looking up to meet hers. "I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again, but I think we both know that would be a lie. What do you want?"

"Well, I'm here to ask for a favor, Adil, but before we get into that, I'd like to introduce you to my new...husband." Demond said, stepping aside to reveal Adrei.

"My, oh my, look at what you have brought into our midst, Demond." Lady Adil's stern gaze swept over Adrei, her eyes narrowing even further at the sight of the peacekeepr, the inky parchment forgotten for a brief moment. "A dragon. How quaint. And married to you, of all things."

"Without a ceremony yet, but unfortunately, yes." The witch chuckled in defeat, her voice filled with a sarcasm that could cut through steel. "Now, I originally had a favor regarding officialising our relationship, but alas that must be put aside for your favourite hobby instead. Let's see...how would vampires taste for dinners today?"

"Vampires. Now, why would you think I'd be interested in those pesky, weak creatures?" Lady Adil's tone was dry, yet her eyes gleamed with curiosity. She leaned back in her chair, her short stacky frame seeming more imposing in the dimly lit room.

"Well, we slaughtered a whole bunch of them last night and thought you'd be thrilled to hear the details, old pal." The witch smirked, watching as Lady Adil's expression shifted from mild interest to sharp alertness.

"In my terrain? That's a bold move, even for the undead. Tell me everything, Demond." Lady Adil's stern face morphed intensely, the wrinkles around her eyes deepening as she leaned forward, her curiosity piqued.

And so, Demond skimmed through all the details of their encounter with the vampires, her words painting a vivid picture of the battle, the cries of the beasts, alongside the suspicious merchant, and her little bird now monitoring her. Lady Adil's eyes grew sharp, as if she could see through the corpses herself, her mind racing with the implications of such a daring incursion so close to her borders.

"So, remnants of the demon army... and vampires' uprising?" Lady Adil tapped her chin, her eyes never leaving the witch's. "This is indeed troubling news. I'll report this to the Church and my knights immediately."

The witch nodded solemnly. "That's why I'm here. We need your help, Adil. The vampires aren't exactly known for their diplomatic skills, with most of their kinds not capable of even speech. We need to quickly figure out who's behind this and put a stop to it before it escalates into something we can't handle."

Lady Adil's expression grew grim, the gravity of the situation weighing on her more than a few more runed rocks. "Indeed. The peace has been maintained here for not long enough, and I will not have it shattered by some upstart creatures of the night. I'll have my knights investigate this immediately. In the meantime, what is it that you require from me?"

"The merchant, Manasseh." The witch spoke with urgency, her eyes locked onto Lady Adil's. "We suspect she's involved in this whole mess, with her unusual provocation as well as coincidences of being near or for being the targets of the vampires' attacks. Plus, she's got more mana than anyone else in the caravan, except for us, of course."

Lady Adil's gaze sharpened, and she leaned back into her chair with a thump, the leather creaking under her plump weight. "Manasseh? Ah...the rumoured merchant leader that had her beauty maintained for sixty years, and her established guild with a hundred years of history...An unexpected news, indeed. I shall send word to my informants to keep an eye on her movements. If she's connected to the vampires, we'll know soon enough. Now, as for the marriage ceremony, I assume you wish for it to be done in haste?"

"For the Peace Banquet, yes." Demond replied, her gaze flicking to Adrei, who nodded in response. "The Dragon Council approved of this marriage, but not the divines. This is a...mere selfish wish from this old man to make it official before the world knows our union."

"Ah-ah...always using the divines when it's only convenient, tch..." Lady Adil snorted, waving her hand dismissively. "Very well. I'll arrange a small, discreet ceremony for the two of you. But let's not forget the priority here, Demond. The vampires are a serious matter. More importantly."

Her gaze sharpened as she signaled towards her daughter, who was still standing stiffly in the doorway. "Selene. Organise the knight to lock down Manasseh's guild in the name of the church. Do it quietly, we don't want to alarm the town or the caravans yet."

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"Ah...won't it be too extreme?" Selene spoke up hesitantly, her eyes darting between her mother and the witch.

"Do it." The witch's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "If she really is behind this, with her blatant provocation against the my husband who could blow up a mountain with ease, as well as her suspiciously convenient safety from the vampire's wrath, then it proves whatever she was planning either won't be for long or she's got another card up her sleeve."

Selene nodded, the young lord's eyes still wide with shock and uncertainty, but she knew better than to question her mother's orders. "I'll send a squad of knights to handle it immediately, mother."

As they watched Selene run away from the studies, her mother clicked her tongue again. "That girl never learns. Did you really have to remind her, Demond?"

"I get it that you want a hands-off approach, old hag. But the girl hasn't met any undead or demons yet." The witch sighed, her eyes trailing after Selene's retreating figure. "The real world's a bit more complicated than your books, and I'd rather she's had some resolve before she's thrown into the deep end without any preparation."

"So be it. I will take care of the matter myself should it demand such actions." Lady Adil's voice was firm, the air in the room thick with holy mana in her voice. "Now, tell me, you wish for a ceremony for your marriage, is that correct?"

Demond nodded, as it was Adrei who stepped forward this time, the smile of the peacekeeper never wavered even as she spoke of the seriousness of their union. "Indeed, Lady Adil. The dragon elders do not take marriage lightly, and I wish for this to be recognized by the humans as well, to avoid any unnecessary conflict in the future."

"With humans or the divines, you dunce?" Lady Adil's tone was teasing, yet there was a hint of concern in her tone as she studied the two unlikely couple. "Tell me, how do you intend to explain your hasty marriage to the Church? Do you suppose to trouble this old hag to run all the way to the capital and convince the archbishops of your sudden love affair?"

The witch rolled her eyes, feeling a headache forming at the thought of dealing with the stubborn clergy. "No, no. The marriage is just a formality. The Church doesn't need to know the details. Just do whatever you need to make it legal and keep it hush-hush. We'll handle the rest."

"Handle the rest...ha, right." Lady Adil snorted, her expression a mix of amusement and skepticism. "This old hag has not been a clergy or fulfilled a supposed duty of an alcolyte for years, yet even she knew a marriage between a human and a dragon was a rare case even for the most liberal of the Church. And what do you suppose your daughter will think of this, Demond?"

"As a fellow par...actually now it is mother, uh-I suppose we could say, I trust your authority and position enough?" The witch replied awkwardly, the title of 'hero's mother' was an unexpected baggage she wasn't quite used to yet. "I'll leave it to you to handle the Church's side of things. I've got enough on my plate as it is."

"You lazy old cunt..." Lady Adil chuckled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Very well. I'll handle the Church. But don't expect me to do all the dirty work, Demond. I'll have you repay this effort right this moment."

Then, Lady Adil searched among her bundles of scrolls, sound of paper rustling and a hint of dust in the air, and pulled out a parchment. She dipped her quill into an inkwell and began scribbling furiously, her eyes flicking back and forth between the scroll and the two individuals before her. The witch felt the room's tension ease slightly, the air no longer crackling with anticipation, before Lady Adil threw the finished parchment to the witch.

On the paper lies a circular seal with intricate holy runes that only a high-ranked cleric could perform. The witch studied the document, feeling a sense of...incompleteness.