Right after Ez had left the palace with Seban and his team on April 1st, as they walked behind John, Seban and his teams were unable to hide their curiosity. Seban walked forward and asked, what everyone wanted to ask him.
"John, we are indebted to you, for helping us. But we just want to know how you managed to do it?"
"Debt is a strong word Seban. My mum went out of control, and to stop her you killed her. Out of guilt killing your captain and friend you decided to sacrifice your freedom to protect me. So, looking at it from that point of view, it was me who owed you. I repaid my debt by freeing you. This is your life now; you can choose anything to do with, you don't owe me anything." There was a brief moment of silence as they took in what John said
"As for how I got you free, I will only tell you if you are prepared mentally to hear it. As you might not like what you might hear."
Seban nodded as he heard John. "I guess it had to be something that made the whole empire threaten, for the emperor to listen to you, without any objections. I am ready to hear it, as I lost all my loyalty to the empire the day, Captain died."
I smiled as I said "Well prepare yourself then. I kind of poisoned the whole empire indiscriminately. And only I hold the cure, while they are trapped in my hands."
Many of them became shocked. "The whole empire? But how?"
"Oh, so you guys are not shocked by the fact I poisoned them but rather how I did it?" I asked them in return, amazed at their surprise give in the wrong area.
"We have guessed you might end up this way, since the day Stella died. As life amongst politics and royal family never ends being pretty or flowery as someone imagines it to be.
Besides all, though you might have poisoned the empire, I don't believe you would want anyone dead. As living amongst the royal I myself understood a little bit of politics to know, a dead empire is no empire. So that means the poison you would have spread wasn't or wouldn't be intended to cause death, but rather cripple the stable economy of the empire to the point that it is on the verge of collapse.
Along with that, we are mercenaries, we had done more gruesome things than you can imagine, with our on-hand, things your poison wouldn't be capable of John."
"Well let's say I had a little help. Knowing more can be dangerous you know, especially when the emperor is really pissed." Seban understood what John meant. If they were to know how John did it, then the emperor will make sure to extract it out of them, which could ruin what John had planned.
"Anyway, I never got your names. I am John Field." John said as he stretched his hand for a shake.
Seban took the hand as he said "Seban, current captain of Rotten Rats." Seban was a muscular bloke, that towered almost 2 meters, with brown hair.
"Flint, strategist of the Rotten Rats." Said a young man in his late 30 with, tall and lean build, with green hair.
"Donna, information gatherer of this group." Said a woman with a very attractive figure and pink hair, that would make anyone think that she belongs to the red district.
"Mathew, my job is to scout, and get information from the tight-lipped." Mathew had short black hair, with a mean scar across his face.
"Rebecca, I am good at taking hits." Said a woman with a heavy muscular build, and deep voice
"Jemma, the healer," Said the last women of the team who had long blond hair, with a sweet charming voice.
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"David and my job here is specialised in controlling the playground." David had dark tanned skin, along with green short hair, with blue eyes.
I shook each of their hands one by one.
"Anyway, let's go to my shop. I have to make some cure for those buffoons." I said as I walked towards where my shop is.
"John, I heard that you are a great cook?" Flint asked me.
"I think so. Don't worry I will cook for you all. Besides, let's celebrate your freedom today." I said as I noticed all of them smiling at Flint and giving him a thumbs up.
And so, while the rest of the empire was suffering, 7 people were enjoying themselves in the little shop, in the middle of the female district.
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After John left the whole court was silent, as they took in what had happened in the past 30 minutes.
"Who wants to be in charge of distributing the cure?" asked Smith, with a tired voice.
No one spoke up, no one wanted to go anywhere near that psycho. After 2 minutes of silence James, the 2nd said "Since no one wants to volunteer how about, Jeff you take care of the distribution. Merlin, you take care of the protection.
Each of the commandment is to send a personnel with the cure team, to each fief or kingdom. Make sure, everyone consumes it, including the prisoner. I don't want, any of you holding petty revenge and not giving the cure to anyone in need.
The nobles and kings here are to make sure everyone receives the cure, and to keep an eye on the distribution unit, and make sure, they don't misuse their power. The same goes for the squad of the distribution unit.
I want this plague to be gone from the empire as soon as possible, and not a trace of it left behind. Even if it is for research purpose. Anyone found to have the plague still remaining in their city or kingdom, even after the plague is gone, their whole lineage will be wiped out!" Toward the end the emperor started raising his voice to give his command.
Everyone could see how much the emperor was pissed off at the plague and at John.
"Albert and Steven go check the status of the cure. Until this matter is solved no one is to leave the empire. Anyone found to have left will be stripped of their title and possessions. Court DISMISSED!" Shouted the emperor as he disappeared from his throne.
Albert sighed as he walked out of the court amongst the crowd. As he was walking en route to the restaurant he was joined by Steven.
"So close right?" Albert said
Steven nodded thinking how difficult it was to contain the emperor this time round as he nearly killed John out of his anger.
"More than that, him and one of those 3 are the most unexpected ones." Said Steven, as he still couldn't comprehend that one of those 3 could be John's original backer. They stayed as a neutral trio, not because they did not want to be involved in the power struggle, but their loyalty only lies towards the empire, not the emperor. They simply didn't care who the emperor was as long as the empire survived.
"To think it was one of them that helped nearly destroy the empire. Who you betting on?" Albert asked, trying to see who Steven would guess.
"I don't know, but knowing John I would say it is none of them because ..."
"John simply manipulated the whole court to believe it was one of them. Now no would believe them or us, even if we tried to explain, especially the emperor." Albert finished of Steven theory as he to believed the same thing.
"Right. Now they are in a tough spot, either they support John and move forward, or simply have to bear the antagonism of the everyone. Such fickle being we are Albert, we show great courage in fighting the impossible, but when left alone we feel so vulnerable."
"You and your words of wisdom. But that still leaves who helped him spread the plague, if not those 3? Only the commandment are capable of such feats." Albert pondered
Steven shook his head "You getting old has slowed your thinking old man. What if it wasn't the commandments but rather someone that has capabilities similar to a commandment."
Suddenly Albert stopped in his tracks as he turned towards Steven in shock. "You mean Merlin or Jeff?"
"Or both." Steven said
Albert shook his head "Jeff loves his family too much to do something like this, besides, his nephew and some of his best friends got affected by the plague to. He was the third most pissed off person in the court after the emperor and Smith"
"Then that leaves Merlin."
"I can't see it in him either. He is too lazy to leave his room and his research, hell I heard if it wasn't for his assistant threatening that 'there will be no empire tomorrow to fund your research' he wouldn't have came for the meeting." Albert said
"Then who? Could it be there is traitor amongst our own factions?"
"Maybe or maybe not. Maybe it isn't a commandment but simply a noble and John who has been planning this for ages. They must have released the plague at the same time throughout the whole kingdom on the 1st of March. Seriously, thinking about this gives me a headache."
"We are here." Steven said as he stood in front of the store that was the beginning of all headaches.