While Kaiz fought to keep his utter bafflement in check, Heldermann merely eyed Viz.
One of the other two replied first, “And ‘the most important man in the barony’ won’t be taking off his mask?”
“I believe you’ve seen enough handsome young men for the day.”
“This isn’t a game Lovis.”
“It is not.” Viz stood, “The fact you’re here at all means your meeting did not go well. The fact that you’re all trying so desperately to hide your anger and frustration means it went exactly as I said it would. You’re being played and the barony is at stake. We can, and want to, help, but there is only so much risk we are willing to undertake.”
So we’re going the bold and unbothered route.
Kaiz pried the daze and bewilderment off of himself and focused in on the conversation. To say he wasn’t too thrilled with Viz’s chosen angle would be a monumental understatement, but the hen had been slayed. He could only affect how it was cooked.
He leaned back in his seat and spoke, “If you are so desperate for something, they call me Akelan.” He theatrically shifted his head to look between the three of them, “And if you are the strongest men in Struleren, then I am the strongest man. Whether my skills can be of use to you, is your choice.”
His words created an awkward pause for a moment.
Another moment later, the same man responded to him too, “And how can we know you’re not another conspirator? Here to reveal Emmrich’s schemes and supplant them with your own.”
Viz rolled his eyes, “Seeing under his mask would not confirm our authenticity.”
“You expect us to trust a man we can’t even see?”
“Had you ever met with Count Emmrich?”
“That..” The man stammered for a second then found himself, “That was a mistake we’re paying dearly for now.”
“And who revealed that mistake to you?”
“That does not make you trustworthy!”
Viz nodded, “I see.” Then put his headgear back on, “Maybe I was too generous. There is a give and take to al— ”
The Baron spoke, “You’re untitled.”
Kaiz’s eyes went wide under his mask. He peered at Viz and noted he had the subtle signs of shock too.
The Baron continued, “I had my suspicions the first time, but now I’m sure.”
Viz relaxed his posture, “An accurate observation. What would you have me do with it?”
“You don’t behave like one. Quite the audacious boy.” Heldermann chuckled, “You never claimed otherwise, so there is no lie there. But.” He stood up to his full height and gazed down at Viz, “I’ve heard the true story of how you arrived.”
Kaiz winced.
“On one hand, it validates you. The molten sword, the impenetrable armor. They weren't spells, so they must have been the result of enchantments. Quite powerful ones. That makes you a man of means, Lovis Wilhelm.”
Kaiz relaxed, a bit. It seemed the Baron wasn't too upset at his loss of men.
“And your friend.” He turned to him, “Akelan. A name from our old tongue. ‘Silence’ is it? Your claim is bold, but not without merit. You’re single handedly responsible for killing half a squad's worth of my men. If you had not stayed your hand, they believe you could have killed the other half as well.”
Kaiz took the opportunity to cut in, “Apologies for your loss.”
Helderman lightly shook his head, “An unfortunate incident. I heard there was a third as well. A woman of… less notable fighting prowess.” He coughed, “But for as useful an ally as your feats make you appear, they also make you deeply suspicious.”
“First your name was Grey, then Goldwin, now Lovis? You hid your face at every turn? You appear, with no noted objective, at just the right time to meet me before Emmrich’s men? You hold my soldier’s lives hostage to squeeze information out of them? The spy you ‘uncover’ disappears from cells that have never lost their prisoners?. If you stood where I stand, what would you make of all this?”
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“I would ask pointed questions. Not make pointless demands.”
Heldermann nodded and returned to leaning against the desk, “Okay Lovis. Answer then.”
“First, I’m not sure how we can be blamed that your police are too… let's say… incapable to hold an injured man. That aside, you have fair questions and reasonable doubts. I will answer them by explaining my journey here.” He removed his headgear again, “I am the president of a trading company in Waldaun.”
Kaiz’s ears were alert. He already knew the major details of the story Viz was about to tell, but it was possible he would accidentally drop some more hints while engrossed in his acting.
“We specialize in the production and sale of various weapons. I had been looking for a new ingot supplier, my current partner is insufficient for my ambitions, when I heard tales of a land rich with metals. I don’t know if you know this, but the ingots that reach Waldaun either come from mines around the Screaming Sands or even further south. This other land I heard of was not only safe, but much closer. Of course, upon hearing this tale I rushed to verify its claims. After contacting an information broker, however, I found that while the tale was true, it was a thing of the past. The land, Struleren, was ravaged to nothingness.”
The three men gloomed as Viz let his final words sit for a second.
“Strange, no?” He continued, “Pillaged or not, an iron deposit is an iron deposit. The metals can not simply disappear. After contacting several information brokers, I discovered a second strange thing. Everyone’s stories matched. I’m sure I don’t need to tell a Lord this, but that never happens. So I reached out to a special informant of mine. They told me much of the same, but they added that it wasn’t bandits or brigands roaming this land. It was a number of hired mercenaries. Hired by a client wealthy and powerful beyond what I could handle.”
A near airtight backstory. They had carefully crafted it before arriving in Silberg. Most of its components were true and the parts that were false were impossible to verify. Kaiz scanned the room and none seemed overly doubtful to its details. Heldermann scowled though.
Viz raised his arms in mock defeat, “I took the warning for what it was and dropped the matter. Until.” He clapped, “I heard news that a certain Count was sending a convoy to help ‘restore peace and order’. Jakob Emmrich is not a charitable man. Why would he do that? Strange again, but also an opportunity. Under the shadow of a thousand soldiers, I too could travel north. I could finally see for myself what was truly going on here.”
Heldermann interrupted, “Base curiosity brought you?”
“Opportunity, Lord Heldermann.” Viz corrected.
“And when did that search for opportunity turn into standing with me against a man wealthier and more powerful than you could handle?”
“After I saw the truth I was looking for. After Rieka’s squad ambushed us. After we restrained them and they told us their story. I knew what was happening here immediately and I knew that I could make an impact. I won’t lie to you and say I chose this path for altruistic reasons, but I do believe we can be of great service to one another.”
The Baron didn’t respond. He stared at the floor.
Viz shrugged, “But if you disagree, I also lose nothing by simply going back home.”
The Baron didn’t speak, but the third man, the one who cast the concealment spell, did, “You’re willing to make potentially deadly enemies for some coin?”
“Though Goldwin was a persona. I was an adventurer before I became a merchant. Reward does not come without risk.”
“And what makes this risk worth it for you?”
Viz smirked, “The reward.”
“Boy y—”
The spellcaster cut off his compatriot, “What reward are you seeking? Specifically.”
“A favorable trade agreement. With transportation and security handled by you.”
“That’s it?”
Viz shrugged again, even more exaggerated than the last time, “A more than favorable trade agreement then.”
Helderman finally spoke, “Non-exclusive?”
“Non-exclusive.”
His eyes still hadn’t left the floor when he responded, “If you were to help me rid this land of Jakob and Eustace, that would not be a fair trade. We do nothing but benefit.”
“I agree.”
His face turned to Viz, “Then why offer it?”
Kaiz decided to answer for him, “We could take the ingots for free if you’d like? Maybe take ownership of one of your mines? He was simply trying to be reasonable.”
“I thought Jakob was being reasonable too.” His gaze briefly drifted to the ceiling, “A mine sounds good.”
What now?
“However.” He refocused on Viz, “If we are to be partners. I want to hear every detail or every plan you make.”
That’s not happening.
The lie slid from Viz’s mouth easily though, “Of course.”
“Then start now.”
Viz inclined his head, “What would you like to hear?”
“How do you plan to help.”
“Ah. You had a meeting with the Count’s convoy, no? If I’m understanding things correctly, your deal with him involved helping clear the mercenaries masquerading as marauders?”
Heldermann nodded.
“Well. What’s his excuse for not meeting his side of the terms?”
A flicker of rage flashed across the Baron’s face, “His ‘nephew’ was ‘captured’. Until they rescue him, they refuse to move a single blade.”
Kaiz’s eyes went wide.
You’ve got to be joking.
Viz was all smiles, “So the moment this ‘nephew’ is no longer ‘captured’, they’ll have no pretext to delay their engagement?”
Heldermann still frowned though, “They’d have no justifiable excuses, but I doubt it would be that easy.”
“Fair skepticism. But. It’s worth an attempt. What do you know about this ‘nephew’?