Revelation

After some more trekking, we finally made it back into Sto. Cheers rang out as we marched down the street, with Ami opting to walk the remaining distance to the barracks, probably because she didn't want anyone to see her being princess carried. As soon as we reached the barracks, I was forced to join Ami in the medical ward since I wasn't a knight, and would only be allowed in interrogation rooms if Ami was present.

"OW! OW!" Ami cried as the doctor examined her arm.

"What was it the caused this? A sword?" the doctor asked.

"An icicle that I'd best describe as a giant needle," Ami grimaced.

"Hmm... Any trouble moving the hand?"

"Yeah, shit hurts."

"I see... I'll attempt to mend things best I can with magic."

A few minutes later, Ami's shoulder was all bandaged up, and Ami was no longer in tons of pain. She would have to take things easy for a few days in order for things to heal, meaning she wouldn't be flying back to Traditsye or her lab any time soon.

As for Perl and Penina, the two had become mummies with how bandaged up they were, though were expected to recover about as quickly as Ami would due to only suffering fractures and not broken bones.

After saying our goodbyes to the two, we headed down to the holding cells, where Duke Ober awaited us along with a handsome man with long white hair and a curled mustache clad in armor and an old man with a long white beard clad in a black martial artist uniform and fedora.

"LaNorne, these two are Duke Praha von Loew and Count Dan Lokshen, the commanders of Loew and Kreplach provinces, respectively," Ami stated as she gestured towards the two new faces.

I nervously gulped and nodded.

"Witch of the amethyst... Mariamne's obsessed with you to a tee. The captain in charge of her and her squad is always at his wits end with her," Count Dan grumbled.

"I have nothing but praises for her. She's always helping out with the golems and developing new weapons," Duke Praha giggled.

"I never said I despised her. Now, may we begin? I'm not exactly keen on waiting any longer."

"Praha, you have the cool blue for serving to new recruits, yes?" Duke Ober growled.

"Oh, those blue drinks that taste oh so delicious and soothe your nerves? I've had plenty myself and am in need of more," Duke Praha smiled.

We all grimaced, with the exception of Count Dan, who just stared in confusion.

"... You didn't drink them all, right?" Ami angrily smiled.

"Oh, no, no, we're low in Loew, but not out," Duke Praha laughed.

"Good, fetch some for the prisoners we're gonna question."

Duke Praha's expression darkened. "Why would we give invaders such a delicious drink?"

Ami let out a sigh. "It's a potion that makes all who drink it tell the truth for 10 minutes."

Duke Praha blinked for a bit before putting his finger on his chin, then his hip. "Oh, I'm sorry. Understood, understood. Still, it does taste good... I can still drink it, right?"

"Get this interrogation over with and I'll brew you enough for both personal and work use."

"Oh, splendid! I'll fetch one for the prisoner then."

Once a knight had arrived with the truth potion, we entered the cell to find a chained and gagged Dalphon frantically struggling with all his might. 

"Haah! Haah! Please! I've been framed!" Dalphon cried as a knight removed the gag.

"Drink this. It will soothe you. Trust me, it works. I'm calm for the whole day thanks to drinking these things," Duke Praha smiled as he brought the cup of truth potion to Dalphon's mouth.

Dalphon cautiously began sipping before easing up and gulping down the rest in bliss. "Ah, it really is good."

"I know. Now, why were you possessed by a dybbuk?"

"Commander Pompi ordered me to serve as his vessel when in the capital. ...!?"

"'Commander'? Pompi was commander of the inquisitors before being slain and killing himself with a dybbuk blade. Does this mean you're an agent of Ova Sfongia?" Ami glared.

"Yes, I was born in Blintz, but gravitated towards the Church of Sirupus, swearing my allegiance and joining the inquisition in secret. I was mostly an informant, but one day, I was called by Bishop Floda to accompany him in meeting a man named, Paul."

"What happened?"

"Paul presented us with a dybbuk box containing Commander Pompi, who upon being released, possessed me on the spot. I don't remember anything until he vacated my body."

"Just now!?"

"No, I've had control of my body for multiple periods since. However, Commander Pompi is far smarter than I, so I am obliged to cede my body to him when he deems it necessary for the sake of undermining Blintz and taking down the witch of the amethyst."

"What does he do when he's not possessing you?"

"He's told me he has a primary vessel he uses, but I know not who it is, as by the time I regain consciousness, he's already gone."

"So you don't have any memories of the things that occur when Pompi's possessing you."

"No, none at all."

"How did you become a court mage?"

"I don't know."

"That's something we have on record. Duke Ararat, I believe, was the one who insisted on him becoming one as he deemed him, quote, 'an exemplary mage of great mind and character suited to be fit to serve in the royal guard'," Duke Ober growled.

I fought the urge to ask who Duke Ararat was, but to my surprise, Ami decided to ask a question about him. "The current Duke Ararat?"

"Yes, Ham D' Ararat. I understand your skepticism, but politics did have a hand in the decision to appoint Dalphon to court mage."

"Meaning?"

Duke Ober narrowed his gaze. "As you know, Ararat province borders Ova Sfongia to the north, and as such, Duke Ararat has cultivated ties with Ova Sfongian nobles. Ararat is the only province that trades with Ova Sfongia because of this, meaning if we want to have trade with them and avoid war with them, appeasing Duke Ararat at times is necessary. Thus, Dalphon was appointed with little resistance."

"And you don't remember that?" Ami asked Dalphon.

"No. Commander Pompi did mention once that I was now a court mage, but that I'd only be able to act as one while he was in control," Dalphon trembled.

"Tch, bastard covered his tracks by the sound of it... Hmm, are you under any curse that prevents you from answering our questions?"

"No, not that I'm aware of."

Ami scowled and shook her head. "He's all yours. If you still got more questions for him after 10 minutes pass, just give him another truth potion though I'm convinced he's got nothing useful he can tell us."

"If that's the case, I guess we'll just hang him once we're done," Duke Ober scoffed.

"H- Hang!?" Dalphon trembled.

"Yes, yes. You did confess to treason and actively serving as the vessel for a foreign agent. There's no reason why we should keep you alive once you've spilled all your secrets," Duke Praha giggled.

"Wait! I know a lot about Ova Sfongia, all the agents they have stationed here and what they're planning to do!"

"Do you really?"

"No. ...!"

"Saved us a bunch of time. Execute him," Count Dan growled.

The knights saluted before gagging the terrified Dalphon and dragging him away.

"Ironic the underling we caught had more information than the supposed ringleader," Duke Ober scoffed.

"I should've waited for the report," Count Dan grumbled as he began heading off.

"Hmm, this means we don't have to waste another cool blue on him," Duke Praha chuckled.

Everyone gave Duke Praha a disappointed stare, myself included even though I do agree that stuff did taste pretty good. No, it's a truth potion, not a leisurely drink. But maybe... Ami could make version of it that isn't a truth potion?

"I guess we'll have to probe the mercs for more breadcrumbs on Pompi," Ami scowled.

"Which one do you want to try talking to?" I asked.

"That Piposhka girl. She was the one who first blabbed about Pompi hiring them. Doubt she'd know as much as Vlad would've, but it's better than nothing."

Making our way to the next cell over, we found a moping bound and gagged Piposhka. 

"Welcome, welcome. Care for a drink?" Duke Praha smiled as he pulled back Piposhka's gag and held a cup of cool blue before her. 

"Uh, no. There's something funky with that- Mmph!?" 

"And down the hatch," Duke Praha chuckled as he forced Piposhka to down the whole drink. "Now, could you tell me your name?"

"Piposhka Romantine Blininova, fourth princess of the Blinish Federation and member of Death White. ...!?" 

We all nervously turned to each other as Piposhka began to tremble. This certainly wasn't the revelation everyone was expecting.