Listening to the final moments of her sister's and niece's lives, the Duchess did not cry. Only the pale knuckles of her tightly clenched fingers and her unnatural complexion betrayed her state. The woman listened heroically to the eyewitness's account. Captain Vilor, standing behind her, frowned, and these were the only emotions the old warrior allowed himself as he listened to the atrocities inflicted upon the women.
Recovering from the fainting spell that had occurred on the estate, Her Grace quickly gathered all the details and, upon hearing about the direct participant in the attack, wished to see him. The work with the merchant was handed over to the city authorities. The orphan was forced to recount his story once more that day. Although, of course, it didn't matter whether he wanted to or not, he would recount the events of that terrible day as many times as needed.
— Where are your men, Sir Blood? — the Duchess asked when the accomplice to the murder of her sister had finished his story.
— I sent almost all of them to the Daer Barony yesterday, to search for bandits in the forests. I didn't think we'd find anything here in the capital.
— And how did you manage that?
— I promised a generous reward for the information, Your Grace.
— And money, as always, does more than mere slaps and blows, — the woman gave a significant look at the captain, who used just such methods to gather information. — But how did you manage to spread the word about the reward so quickly?
— Its large size and the method by which I spread the word, Your Grace.
— How interesting. Tell me more about it later. — But the woman's curiosity got the better of her in such a situation, — And how much did you promise as a reward?
— Twenty gold coins, Your Grace.
— Wow! — Even the Duchess was surprised, not to mention Vilor, who made no attempt to hide his feelings. — And you intend to pay such a sum to this fellow?
— Naturally, Your Grace, I always keep my word and my promises, — the last part was said not just for show. While the Duchess was being brought to her senses, the vampire had managed to drink a few drops of her blood and now knew almost everything about the backstabbing struggles for the Duke's throne, including the woman's specific distrust of him, or rather, his future loyalty.
— But this herbivore bandit is one of the murderers of my sister, — the young man, who had been standing before the Duchess all this time, trembled slightly but made no attempt to justify himself or plead for mercy. — And you still intend to pay him.
— That doesn't matter to me. I gave my word, and I will keep it. As for his past… He has repented and fled from the gang. His words are easy to verify when we take his former companions, and if it turns out to be true, he can be forgiven. The fellow is clever; he will make a good assistant, for example, to Captain Vilor.
The woman looked at the speaker with interest. Right now, she had received valuable advice—don't execute the ragged fellow but pardon him and assign him as an assistant to someone in the Duke's upper circle. The boy, owing his life to her, would be as loyal as a dog and, no matter whom he assisted, would always know who his true master was. And if necessary, his bandit past could always be used against him. It was indeed good advice, worth considering.
— I will think about your words, — the woman rubbed her brow. — You mentioned that you sent your men to the Daer Barony to find the bandits. Are your people in any danger?
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