Edited by Solyom
Another relatively peaceful night at the Adventurer’s Guild. Someone was dead drunk under the table, two people were fighting at the corner of the inn, and lots of people were cheerfully insulting each other. Yeah, a classic, quiet night. Bah! You could say that it was almost full of harmony as a certain dragoness, instead of joining the brawl, the argument or starting a drinking contest was quietly, peacefully sitting by the bar and drinking her glass of ale.
In the next moment, two girls entered the inn, a bit tired, but very happy.
- “It was fun!” Rus yelled, stretching her arms. “… I didn’t know that such simple tasks could be so tiresome! Also, you are much stronger than before, El, good job!”
- “Y..You think so?” the blonde girl smiled shyly. “T..to be honest I don’t think so…”
- “Don’t you remember? A month ago, you could barely took a few steps! Now we leave at dawn and return by dusk…”
- “I still have to take breaks!” Elana was trying her best to downgrade the view on her progress.
- “In two more weeks you won’t be taking even those breaks, and in two more we will start running! Then we will think about taking some basic real quests!”
Rus gave reassuring pats on the rogue-to-be’s shoulder. Then her gaze landed on the dragoness.
- “Ah! Sister Gisele! You are back! It was so quiet that if I wouldn’t saw you I would never believe you are back!” the young fire mage came running to dragoness’ table. “Hey! Tell us about the dwarf kingdom! Not many are let inside! How did their cities look like ?! What did you eat?!”
- “… Um… and where is mister an… Zariel?” Elana simply had to ask.
After hearing her boyfriend’s name, Gisele’s expression changed a little for a moment.
- “It was great.” She replied, hiding her sorrow “As always, we couldn’t not get involved in a mess. They had a conflict against the greenskins. One of the chiefs united the tribes and formed a horde. The dwarfs had s clans heads’ meeting and elected a king, or this time a queen. Then we had a quick war, Zari, as always shined and somehow we managed to end it without much casualties. Their cities are incredible, somehow they are similar to a bee nest from the inside or a dungeon, you can easily get lost inside, and they are feasting like nobody else, I really enjoyed meals, Zari a bit less, mostly because they were serving meat, meat and some more meat… And about the last question.. I don’t know where Zari is… He said he will drink with a friend somewhere else…”
- “Oh! That’s not very nice of him!” Rus pouted. “… he could at least say hello!”
- “I…I am sure he had good reason to do so!” Elana, as always, did her best to protect his good name. Unknowingly she made Gisele grimace even more.
The door opened once again and three more people came inside. An older adventurer – Gustav, and following him, the dark twins.
- “… but your control is still lacking! I hope you will remember that! Damn it, I start thinking that you didn’t mentally crippled that cat by accident! Mind is like… like… CLAY! You want to shape it! You need to use barely any force to change it, but if you were to squeeze too hard, it would crumble! Even more, you shou…”
But then the twins noticed the dragoness.
- “Sister, sister! That’s the dragon lady!”
- “Brother, brother, so what?”
- “Sister, sister! Big brother and the dragon lady are usually together!”
- “Brother, brother, what you mean is…”
- “Sister, sister; that if the dragon lady is here, then big brother too!”
- “YOU LITTLE UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS! AT LEAST PRETEND THAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO ME!”
- “Sister, sister, old man is grumpy again…”
- “I AM NOT OLD!”
- “Brother, brother, this walking corpse is always grumpy…”
- “Now you did it! I am going to… HEY!”
But the kids already ran toward Gisele’s table, still holding each other’s hand.
- “Lady, lady, where is big brother?”
- “Lady, lady, would you mind if we would play with big brother for some time now?”
- “I.. I am afraid he left some time ago, I have no idea when he would get back… probably late at night or tomorrow morning…” Gisele did her best to keep smiling. The problem was that she was trying too much. Everyone could easily tell that she was on the verge of crying.
- “Lady, lady, does your belly hurt?” Darik asked.
- “Lady, lady, did you eat something bad?” his sister followed.
- “It’s nothing like that, I just…”
And once again, the door opened.
- “… THAT WAS HOT!”
- “No, Pyrox! We were told to deliver warg’s fur!... THERE IS NO FUCKING FUR IF YOU BURN BEAST TO THE ASHES!”
- “Pyrox does things either in HOT way, or not at all!”
- “Why the hell am I keep taking you on such quests!? Tsk, I thought that Zari would thank me if I would teach you some reason! Do a good deed, Marika, take care of new adventurers! Once and for all, you are beyond redemption!”
- “Hmph. Stupid fairy can’t hold Pyrox’s hotness…” and then he looked at the small crowd forming around a certain table. “… HOT WOMAN!” he shouted. “…Hey! You! Hot woman! You are back! It means that Hot Boss is back too! Pyrox is… ALL FIRED UP!”
The wild pyromancer literally breathed fire.
- “Can Pryox go see Boss?! Pyrox wants to go on big-hot quests with boss! Pyrox will do KA-BOOM, then BA-DOOM, and finish with grand, grand…”
As Pyrox was yelling, his eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets, then he started having problems with breathing and talking in same time, which resulted in hyperventilation.
- “… You will have to ask him yourself…”
- “WHERE IS HE??? WHERE IS HEEEEE?!”
- “.. I don’t kn…”
BAM! Once again, the door opened.
- “Hello folks!” another adventurer greeted the people inside.
- “Hello Jason!” a few responded him.
- “Ah! Gisele!” he said smiling at the woman. “… what’s going on? You hold some party there or what?... brats, make a place for your elders.” He said, sitting by dragoness and stroking the twins’ heads.
They pouted, displeased.
- “Aww, good to be home! I moved not long after you two, old man Jericho gave me quite a nice task. And the reward! Not only gold but even these beauties!”
He said, pulling three bottles of alcohol from his backpack.
- “Souvenirs!” he said, proudly puffing his chest “This one, it’s for Jericho, for giving me quest, this one is for you to try…”
- “And the last one?” Gustav asked with curiosity.
- “For that brat Zariel. If it wasn’t because of him I would never be here… speaking about the devil… Miss, don’t you know where is h…”
Enough was enough. The dragoness raised from her chair saying nothing. Her lower lip was vibrating as she was holding tears. She loudly inhaled and exhaled loudly… and then.
- “I… Have… NO FUCKING CLUE WHERE HE IS, OK?! YES, WE HAD AN ARGUMENT, YES, I FUCKED UP, YES, HE IS AWAY BECAUSE OF ME! I AM A DUMB IDIOT, ARE YOU HAPPY!?”
- “Whoa! Lady, calm do…” the photomancer raised his hand, trying to ease her nerves.
- “I AM FUCKING CALM! CAN’T YOU SEE!? I AM A FUCKING OCEAN OF CALM-NESS! I AM FLOATING FLOWER OF LOTUS ON THE LAKE! I AM AS FUCKING CALM AS WHOLE MONASTERY OF CASTRATED MONKS, YOU FUCKIGN GET IT!?”
The guild went completely quiet. Completely-completely quiet. It never happened, since the day it was built, there was no such thing as a completely-silent-second in this building. Until now.
- “Very… well…” Jason continued with veeery long pauses between words, and spoke in a completely neutral tone. “…We…Get it… Maybe… You would… Consider… having… A drink… With us? It is… a very… pleasant… liquor…”
- “… No. I am fine.” She moved toward the stairs to the higher floor, but she didn’t go to her room. She went to the young magician’s. She was more than sure that she won’t be able to fall asleep without him, and this way she could at least lay in his bed, filled with his smell.
The awkward mood in the inn-section lasted for a couple more minutes.
- “So… it’s bad.” Marika said after a moment.
- “They didn’t argue before?”
- “Not like that. Zariel never spent a night outside of the guild. Bah, since they are together he never spent a night without Gisele… I hope they won’t break up…”
- “That would be terrible…” Gustav whispered to himself.
- “Tragic indeed…” Marika nodded with a serious expression.
- “Horror… Horror…” Elana said with a blissful expression.
Rus needed to hit her lightly with her elbow at her side. The blonde girl coughed a few times.
- “I mean, horror, horror…” she repeated, this time with a serious expression. But after ten or so seconds a bright smile returned to her face. Really, all that was missing were birds and butterflies flying around her.
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Same time, Far to the South-West
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A lady screamed as she ran in panic towards her house and shut the door behind her.
- “Is she fucking crazy?” Daralon asked from afar. “… I know that people being chased by monsters aren’t thinking rationally… but come on! She really thought that beast would be stopped by some doors?!”
He rolled his eyes. The illusion of a twisted beast vanished in the air.
- “I am still winning, Zari! Fourteen to nine! Come on, put some of your heart into that! I know you can scare them better!”
That’s right, we used our magic to create illusions of monsters to scare people. Then we gave each other notes depending on the following: the quality of the visualized beast, how much our target was scared and the place where the scare occurred.
- “Shut up, I am not really into illusions, if not my birdie, I wouldn’t even be able to participate in this stupid game!” I pouted, scratching one of my ravens under his neck. “I would win if I could shapeshift myself…”
- “A-A-A!” Daralon raised his finger. “… Where is the fun, Zari? You can’t do everything by yourself! Illusions may be more than useful! Imagine that you want to cause a havoc yet to remain anonymous! If you were to shift, you would risk that someone would see you, and if you are using an illusion? –
- “I get it! Now, shut up and watch this…” I raised my hand again, yet the dark mage smacked it down.
- “You just had your turn! Now is mine!... Fuck. Someone alarmed the guards. Fun is over, let me settle this mess.”
Daralon jumped off the building’s roof, landing in front of the guards.
- “Stop right there! Tell us what you know about the eve…” Someone, that looked like the Captain of the guards started.
- “Calm down, guard, I am a Senate Sentinel. You had some rogue mages here but me and my partner get rid of them. We wish to sincerely apologize for the havoc, yet we made sure no one was harmed.”
- “… You could warn us about the operation, Sentinel…” he lowered his weapon.
- “No, I couldn’t. We were afraid that they might have friends among the city’s official. We decided to get rid of them at one night. They appeared to be better organized than we thought… a few of the escaped and we were chasing them all over the city.”
- “… But it is safe…”
- “The whole cult was neutralized.”
- “…You have our gratitude, Sentinel…”
- “It’s just our job, don’t mind it.” Daralon patted man’s shoulder twice. “…Zariel! We are done here! Let’s go back!”
I also jumped off the roof. All this time I was staying a bit in the dark, as my condition was bit worse than Daralon’s – and I am talking about alcohol.
- “Sentinel, your partner doesn’t look good…” The guards noticed, probably because my steps were a bit shaky.
- “It’s just mana exhaustion. Poor bastard is barely standing still. Come ‘ere, I will give you a hand.”
The dark mage said, grabbing me by an arm, supporting my whole body.
- “Once again, thank you for your hard work, Sentinel.” the guards lowered their heads.
Daralon just waved his hand as he lead me toward the gates.
The portal once again spat out two certain mages – me and Daralon. The guards at Neira’s side of the portal looked at us.
- “Welcome back, sentinel, I hope your hunt was splendid as always…” he looked at me and raised his brow. “.. isn’t your companion… drunk?”
- “You see, he was…” Daralon tried to think some excuse quickly.
- “Poisoned, you fucking bastard!” I said with a painful expression. “… Then I got myself drunk. The alcohol is slowing down the effects of the poison.”
- “Ho? How is that so?” he didn’t really believed me.
- “You want to know? I could tell you that alcohol is widening the veins in the human body, and that this is cooling down your body – wider veins means that you are losing body heat faster, and in certain temperatures certain enzymes tend to work slower. But, pardon me, I am fucking dying here, so I will allow myself to skip teaching such a dense fucker like you!”
I hissed through my teeth. It was quite complex sentence so I bit my tongue once or twice.
- “Less talking, more walking!” Daralon decided to play along “What will you need?”
- “I have all ingredients in my room. Just lead me there…”
- “Is he… an alchemist?” the guard raised his brow once again, this time not in disbelief but surprise.
- “Not associated with the guild.” Daralon yelled as he walking me to the door.
- “Illegal alchemist?” that once again raised the guard’s suspiciousness.
- “HEY! I cook for personal use!” I yelled back.
- “Right, right, come ere’ personal-use-alchemist. Ya want to be healthy? So heal yourself. Atta boy, don’t puke here…”
Eventually, we got out of underground and the Senate building. After moving a few more streets and making sure that no one was following us, we stopped pretending.
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- “So, to the guild now?” the dark mage asked.
- “No. Not just yet. I think I will spend this night at the factory. It has been ages since the last time I could work peacefully without getting interrupted.
That actually made the Sentinel chuckle.
- “I shouldn’t be telling that, but aren’t you too harsh with them? I tried alchemy a few times. It is much harder than it appears. Mess with it a little and BAM! If you are lucky – the potion is wasted, if you are unlucky, your whole workshop explodes…”
- “… still, I would expect more from people that are making potions for over a year now…”
Daralon walked me to the edge of slums.
- “I hope you will find your way home?” he asked teasingly.
- “Fret not. I doubt anyone would attack me.” I just rolled my eyes.
- “You never know! The streets are full of perverts, lurking for such defenseless little abominations like yourself! Tsk, tsk, don’t you know the story of the big bad wolf?”
- “Yeah, I actually saw it. Some guy with an advanced stage of lycanthropy curse was trying to eat a little witch as she was walking through the forest…”
- “Bullshit! But you almost got me!”
- “I am not lying. That dude taste was bit sour…”
- “BWAHAHA! Oh my, you really ate him?”
- “Well, nope. I didn’t want the girl to have even worse nightmares than the one I gave her.”
- “Ph. You are growing too soft. First rescuing a little girl from the big bad wolf, then saving kid slaves from an old, perverted merchant!”
- “I wasn’t saving kids. I was getting rid of assholes.” I pouted.
- “Suuuure. Well, whatever. If you would want to have a drink… you know where I live.”
- “Admit it, you just hope for another free drink.”
- “Hey! You make me sound like a bad guy!... well, technically… Ah! Screw you! I won’t get into a philosophical and sociological discussion about the nature of good and evil and their perspectives as I am drunk!... Till later!”
He waved to me and turned into mist. Ha. Neat. The bastard was surely showing off. I just shrug my shoulders, turned around and started walking to the factory. Indeed, the streets were dangerous. A few guys tried to mug me, mostly because it was dark. As soon as they got closer, they retreated peacefully, a few after saying their greeting and a few after apologizing for disturbing me.
To be on the top of the criminal word… what can I say: I may be bad, but it makes me feel sooo good!
- “Ha! Boss! You? Here? At this hour?” One of the thugs greeted me.
- “Ha! Jesse? You here? At this hour?” I mimicked him. “No, really, I thought you have day shifts.”
- “Kind of. I decided to take break tomorrow, so I am taking a double shift now. An other guard would come instead of me at the morning.”
- “If you want to take a day off just say it to one of the girls. Lacking on just one guard wouldn’t make much of difference.”
- “… And you would really be ok with that?” he really was surprised.
- “That I take care of my people? If I want you to be efficient, you need to be well rested. Next time you will need something, just ask. Either me or one of the girls. I will talk with them about this matter later.”
- “A boss, who is nice to his employee? Did I actually fell asleep?”
- “Manpower is also one of the company’s resources. If I want my company to be effective, resources need to have the highest quality.”
- “Now, you sound more like a boss!” he still gave me a thumb up. “Also, a few girls are still inside.
I moved past him. It was really late, so the presence of the girls was more than just a little surprise to me.
I took my time getting on the floor. Indeed, Clarice and two other girls were cleaning their pots.
- “My, my – staying so long at workplace? You didn’t start living here, did you? If you do, I will have to start collecting rent from you!”
I joked from the door. The girls were far too focused on their tasks, so at my words, they almost jumped in place. Well, one of them actually hit the pot with her head as she was kneeling next to it. The dull sound of metal being hit resonated through the room, followed by a nasty curse.
- “T..Teacher! We.. no! We are not… We just.. .We…”
- “Prrr! Walk! Walk! No gallop! Calm down. You are after working hours, if you decided to stay longer, it is your business. But you could tell me what were you doing here.”
- “We had… some problems with your last receipt, so we stayed longer to practice a little more…”
- “…and waste my precious herbs?” I allowed myself to tease them a little.
- “WE ARE SORRY! WE…”
- “Oh! Come on! Calm down! Jesus! Trust me, the last thing I intend to do is punishing you for practicing. Actually, it is quite admirable!”
- “…What is Jesus?”
- “Just.. just pretend I never spoke that word? Ok?”
- “V..very well.” I could easily tell that Clarice was still confused. “… But, why are you here?”
- “… It is not concern of yours!...” I came because I had an argument with my girlfriend – so I decided I would come here and cook some potions to calm myself down AND sleep here.
Normally, I would probably go to sleep on the couch, the problem is – that in the guild, I could only sleep on table.
There is no way I was going to tell her that.
- “I beg for your forgiveness! I did not intend to pry too much!”
Ah, I really trained her well! … too well. Maybe I should show them bit more gratitude?
… the hell am I saying?! I am seriously drunk.
- “I came to train a little too. Maybe try some new recipes?...” they raised their brows in shock. “… what!? Don’t tell me you thought I am so brilliant in alchemy only because I am smart, wise, godlike and so very handsome!? Yes, I am a genius that learns almost instantly, but I still do practice! In the end perfection is forged in the fire of efforts!”
At least I made them smile. I turned around and started preparing some basic ingredients.
- “Teacher, would you mind if we were to stay and watch?” the other two girls grimaced a bit.
- “Feel free to do as you please. Told you already – you are after work hours. Still, you look a bit exhausted. It is not wise to push yourself too much, otherwise you will be tired tomorrow and make even shittier potions than usually.”
I gave an excuse to the other girls who looked like they had enough. They seemed happy. After saying their farewells, they left the room. Little Clarice stayed.
- “I have high expectation from all of you.” I said after we were left alone. “… listen carefully, because I am saying it only this time. If you would tell anyone that I have said those words, I would simply deny: You did a great progress. All of you. I am not the best teacher, we are working with low quality equipment and we are lacking books from which you could learn. To be honest at first I didn’t have much hopes for you, I thought you would end as low class herbalists that could only bring me the right ingredients. Be proud of yourself, you are a more than a decent apprentice. You have everything a real alchemist needs: curiosity, persistence and an open mind. I look with anticipation into the future to see what wonderful alchemist you would become.”
If Clarice was in shock before, then right now she was simply awe-struck.
- “I will try changing our situation in the next few days. If I would succeed we would become a legal organization – that would allow us to improve the equipment and gain access to the knowledge that is in the possession of the Alchemist Guild. In those next few days, I really count on your hard work. Being good won’t be enough. You will have to be perfect. Clarice, I am about to give you a private lesson. I hope you will share this knowledge with the rest of the girls in those following days.”
- “I.. We.. I.. I mean… I think… You.. You just… I hope… We… I…”
Damn it, I broke her.
- “I WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU, TEACHER!” she eventually yelled, bowing her head.
- “You will never disappoint me. You already made me far too proud.”
She almost started crying. I frowned and patted her head.
- “Now, now! Don’t make such a scene. Put yourself back together. We are about to start.”
- “Y…YES!”
So for the next few hours, I repeated the basics of alchemy, but this time from a different perspective. It indeed is a complex art – previously I just told them what was necessary to made potions – basic instructions. This time I decided to touch the philosophy behind it.
- “Alchemy was, is and will be, the art of deities. It affects and changes reality. We are switching solid matter into liquid and liquid into gas, gas into liquid and liquid into solid matter. Solid matter into gas and gas into solid matter. We turn harmless weeds into cures and poisons. Memorizing receipts will only allow you to make some average potions, bit will never let you create something new. It’s an art. Just like music – you can teach how to play a lute from a book, memorize the chords and the strings you need to hit, but you will never make a breathtaking masterpiece by yourself until you let it flow through you! What do you feel when you think of alchemy?”
- “… It is something that allowed me to escape poverty and the life of a simple thug…” she admitted after moment.
- “An answer so very wrong and good at same time!” I smiled. “… you are looking at it as a source of money, try changing the perspective a little! It didn’t help you to escape poverty – it changed your life! It gave you perspective! It gave you reason!”
I continued my lesson, slowly depriving it of philosophy and using actual examples. As she learned to question the nature of every matter, she slowly started opening to questions! Questions breed a desire to gain answer, and that is followed by anticipation. And as you await for the outcome you start predicting it!
And then you finally find yourself still sitting in same chair as an hour ago, with the idea of making a new potion. In your mind you made it thousands of times, you FEEL what this potion is supposed to be.
That’s the beauty of alchemy. You can only predict what you will achieve, and what you achieve is made from your knowledge, passion and efforts.
Clarice stayed till morning. As soon as she tasted the real nature of alchemy, she didn’t want to let me go. Just like a hero-loving kid that makes the bard sing more and more stories about legendary warriors, as she was making me share more and more of my own predictions and possible combinations.
It was refreshing – having someone to talk about all the ideas that were swarming in my head.
Eventually I kicked her out of the factory, telling her that both of us needed some rest. As I was finally alone I took pieces of fur, laid them on the ground of the room and fell asleep.
I was awaken by a light kick in the guts.
- “Everyone was worrying about you!” It was Morgana. “…Really?! Sleeping in the factory? You are acting like a spoiled child.”
- “Shut up.” I groaned covering my ears. The sickness of the previous day finally hit me. It wasn’t as bad as usually.
- “You could at least inform a few people where are you going!”
- “Ok, mom, I am sorry mom. From now on I will behave.” I hissed sarcastically.
I was rewarded with another light kick.
- “Gisele was crying because of you, you better apologize her!”
I just snorted.
- “You have just acted like classic ignorant, who has no idea what is going on yet decides to interfere. For what am I supposed to apologize? That I was falsely accused of cheating? That she didn’t gave me an opportunity to tell her how wrong she was or that she cut off my arm?!”
- “… Your arm looks fine to me.”
- “I am monster, Morgana. I re-grew it. I am pretty sure that my other arm should be still somewhere in the guild.”
- “… Whatever, it’s a problem between you and Gisele. Running away from the problems won’t make any difference.”
- “I am not running away from it. I am tormenting her right now. She needs to suffer a little and rethink her actions. That whole mess wouldn’t occur if she would just sit and listen.”
- “I know no women that would just sit and talk as she would think that she is being cheated.”
- “Even after the other side would yell that she is mistaken?”
- “To be honest? I don’t give a damn. I am just living in the room next to yours and I couldn’t sleep because Gisele was crying loudly all night.”
…. So that’s why she acted. She doesn’t give a damn about our relationship. She just can’t sleep at night. To say the truth I am relieved, I started thinking that Morgana changed her behavior pattern, but she is still a bitch. Good to know.
- “… also, you shouldn’t be sleeping all day, you should…” her words froze my heart.
- “What did you say?”
- “… That you should take care of yourself?”
- “No-no-no! Once again, what time is it?!”
- “Hm? It’s already four hours after noon…”
I bolted from the room outside.
- “HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?! I DIDN’T FINISH WITH Y…”
But I was already away.
If I wanted to react to the Alchemist Guild’s aggression, I needed to care of a few businesses. At first, they reacted quickly for they thought that we wouldn’t resist, now they would take care of all the formalities in the Senate. So I need allies.
I walked from slums to noble district, yet I didn’t stop there, I kept moving onward – to the king’s palace. I walked to the front gates.
- “The hell do you think that you are going?!” a guard politely reminded me that I don’t look like aristocrat with formal business.
- “Tell Arthur that I came.”
- “For you, KING ARTHUR, and what kind of matter could his majesty has to discuss with…”
- “Just tell him I came to discuss the recent commotions in the slums.”
- “And why would…”
I started focusing my mana.
- “FOR FUCK SAKE! JUST MOVE!” I slowly lost my patience. “…Do you know what’s the problem with the city guards? You are fucking no one, what was your story? Lemme guess, son of a merchant, your father was failing miserably to feed his family so you started looking for a job. You weren’t smart so you could just work with your muscles. You joined the guard where you were treated like shit by your sergeant, then by nobles whom you were serving, you try to boost your ego by bullying citizens? Do you know what is the other problem with you? That all this time I was talking you did not react, which gave me enough time to cast a curse on you…” my last sentence made his eye widen. “… Legs filling wobbly?! Breathing gets bit more difficult? And all of this could be avoided if you just send someone with a fucking message.”
I snapped my fingers breaking spell
- “So… I would be very grateful… If you would… Please… consider… sending a message to the king… That
The guard moved behind the gates in a hurry. I heard him telling the butler to deliver a message and organize a group of guards in case I would appear to be a persona-non-grata. Ah, I would do everything to see that guards face after same butler returned telling that I am supposed to be let in.
- “His majesty is pretty busy, so we do hope that you came with a really serious matter, sir… “ the butler allowed himself to say in a harsh tone. “… also, we would truly be grateful if you would restrict yourself from casting spells upon the palace guards.”
- “My business is kingdom-changing and trust me, I have no intention of wasting my mana just to prove my point. Your people should be better trained.”
- “We will take this into consideration, sir, but you also have to understand that many. many people wish to see his majesty, and you… well…”
- “Are looking like a scum?”
- “...Are not exactly looking like a serious conversation partner.” the butler agreed with me in a more polite form.
- “I was dining here a month ago, I doubt that in this country there are many white haired mages. You could remember me at least.”
- “Many different individuals are coming here, it is hard to remember all of them, even so…”
- “Weird?”
- “… Exotic like yourself.”
- “You. I like you. You are insulting people without letting them know that you are insulting them.”
- “Sir, it was never my intention to…” I just give him my irritated look. “… this way, sir.”
I was lead into a private office. The king was sitting by a table covered in papers.
- “Zariel, in the future, restrict yourself from causing a havoc on my property.” Arthur said without looking at me. He was lacking his usual politeness mixed with arrogance.
- “Ho? I came here from the dwarfish kingdom with some juicy gossips and this is how you are welcoming me?”
He smiled with the corner of his lips. He appreciated my tease.
- “Is that so? You witnessed some important events, didn’t you? Some events you want to share?” he looked at the butler. “… thank you, you can leave.”
- “Sir!” butler hit his boots together, bowed and left the room.
- “Feel free to start.” the king said, inviting me to the table in front of him.
- “Before I start, there is a matter I want to discuss...”
- “Let me guess, as you said to the messenger – certain events in the slums?”
- “Indeed.”
- “Involving illegal activates?”
- “Unfortunately.” I let out a weak sigh.
- “You know that this matter will be discussed by the Senate, not me?”
- “I do, but I came for your… possible… willingness… to start a new company. Legally.”
- “The alchemist guild has a great influence. Even on me.”
- “But lately they lost your sympathy by acting without your allowance.” I pointed out sweetly.
- “You sly bastard.” He smiled widely. “… You want to turn the tables during the Senate meeting… You really want to challenge them?! It is sooo tempting to let you do as you please, mostly to see that bitch’s irritated face. The problem is, that your organization would be weak, especially at the beginning – unable to fulfill the army needs. And as you know, we are at the state of war. We are sending supplies to the border. It is the BEST time for the alchemist guild to hold the kingdom under their boot…”
- “And here I start talking about the dwarfs…” I thought that he couldn’t raise his brow any higher. I was mistaken. ”… you see, a certain event took place as I was there… A local warchief of the greenskins united the tribes and started attacking weaker cities and mines. They were a whole army, so each clan separately couldn’t stop the invasion. So…”
- “… Don’t tell me they elected a king…”
Arthur already started joining the threads. Indeed, there was a problem with dealing with dwarfs – they didn’t really act like one kingdom. If you would deal with one clan, an other would try to harm your contacts. If you were buying or selling a good from them, and your trade route would follow though the land of other clans, you would have to pay insane taxes.
But, as a king was elected…
- “Even better. One clan head died without a male offspring, so his clan was represented by a woman. She won election.”
- “Aaand this is where I stop you. They are highly patriarchal society, there is no way that they… wait, you are serious!”
- “Of course I couldn’t let such possibility go, so I got myself and Gisele involved in the war. I would allow myself to skip boring events from the front. In the end everything ended nicely and both me and Gisele were named as friends of the nation.”
- “NO!”
- “Yes!... and, after a feast I spent some time one on one with the queen and held some political conversations… I could have… suggested… that starting a trade with you could be beneficial for both sides…”
- “… She agreed?”
- “Of course that no. She never saw you before. But… I was asked to deliver this letter.”
I gave him a little envelope.
Oh, he jumped on it like a kid on Christmas presents. I knew what was inside. An invitation to start a diplomatic conversation. Or in other words: an invitation for a meeting to know each other better. Later, if he wouldn’t screw up anything, they could start having trade pacts.
- “Want to have my advice?” I asked the king who put the letter down. “They are proud, so show respect to their culture and elders. But if they would offend you, just answer with the same. They may try checking if you are a good material for a friend or just a bootlicker. Don’t try to please them too much, don’t make deals that would benefit only one side. Instead of saying humans and dwarfs while discussing business keep talking
- “…Kid. How much of this did you plan in advance?”
- “Oh, most of it was just a lucky coincidence.”
- “… Kid. I have the right to appear on the meeting of the Senate. I will be there and you will have my support… Just, bear in mind that I will not help you in any way. It will be all on you. I simply would proclaim that I have no problem with you starting an organization on my ground. You have to deal with the mages by yourself.”
- “Fret not, Arthur. I have everything prepared already.”
I smiled widely. Gaining the favor from the king will make everything easier. I put the first piece of the domino on the board.