Leniver sat and stared at General Enteles. Setting the tone for what would follow, he did not know General Enteles but from what he had heard he was respected, and yet, Leniver’s mere presence said that there was something deeper and more sinister. But then again, everything is sinister nowadays.

He poured the two a drink, keeping his small and short while topping off the General’s. It was instinctive, he truly did not understand what the knowledge in his brain meant for him, for his past, clearly there was more to it than the General was letting on.

He slid the glass across the table taking a sip to coincide with the General’s, yet a lot less.

“General.”

“Your Excellency”

Leniver studied the man, detecting a small faltering in his eyes.

“I have some questions, if you would enlighten me.”

“Of course, Your Excellency”

Another falter, Leniver was inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. He drank from his glass signaling the General to do so as well, which of course he did.

“General you see, I wish to know more about my past.”

“Of course Sire…”

Leniver had to admit, he did not care for the bullshit that came out of the General’s mouth next, but it was well rehearsed. The much was certain, he answered a little too well.

“General?”

“Yes sire?”

“Are you guilty?”

“Guilty of?”

“Are you?”

“No? Sire?”

Absolute Bullshit. Leniver had to stop himself from having the General carted off then and there, if he did so it would not be of value to him. He slowly walked to the door and locked it, with lock and key of course.

He walked back to General Enteles and turned to him.

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“General, don’t lie, you wound me. Do you really think I’m stupid enough to believe that? I am no bastard child of Recardia, am I? So tell me General, Who am I?”

“You are Leniver de Recardia, Your Excellency, I am not lying to you.”

Leniver kicked the chair from under the General and buckled his knees, then slapped him across the face, hard. He pulled the hair on Enteles’ head and stared into his eyes. He could feel his eyes pulsing with anger.

“Are you suggesting I am stupid, Enteles? Because I assure you, nothing, absolutely nothing, you say could convince me of that. I am not Leniver de Recardia and if you want to live you will tell me who I am.”

Leniver studied Enteles’ face and watched his reaction. Enteles didn’t want to die and he wasn’t noble enough to die to hide a secret no matter how important. Just that fact that he was considering this confirmed that.

“Atio de Symondius”

“What's that?”

“You are Atio de Symondius”

This was certainly an interesting development. But first he needed to deal with Enteles

“And you know this because?”

“We have a covert facility on the banks of the Tiverous, I can show you.”

“So you want to side with me now?”

“Yes”

“You know Enteles, they say, if you manage to turn someone to your side that means they’ll turn against you eventually”

“No, Sire I-”

Leniver shot Enteles in the head, walked over to his desk and took a sip from Enteles’ glass. It was always easier to break the drunk.

He sat back in his chair and continued drinking, this revelation was quite a lot for him to bear, it did not do him any favors that he now had an entirely new set of problems to deal with.

Gerrarian military personnel hid their faces behind a mask, which would be beneficial to him in this situation, yes, but only to hide his face in Romaria. If his connection to Atio leaked, or if he had a public display in Gerraria large enough to draw unwanted attention by someone privy to Atio’s face. He would be in huge trouble.

Thankfully, and for the first time in history someone said this, he had a large face scar.

Leniver sat in the chair just inches from the body of the now deceased General Enteles, he didn’t enjoy the blood that was splattered all over the place, it was sickening. Yet he continued drinking while staring at the General, deep in thought.

Leniver had a stomach to handle violence that was true, and this was a necessary death, he couldn’t have had a loose end that was tied to a time bomb running around with nothing to keep him in check.

Leniver called for his private guard. He had spent the week getting accustomed to them, altering training regimes and policies to garner respect, it was time for the pay off.

“Captain, the general seems to have attempted to assassinate me.”

The captain was unfazed, it was clear he could tell this was cold blooded murder, perhaps not as cold as it was in reality, yet in this instance it was best to keep the cogs of the wheel hidden behind a cold metal panel.

The captain nodded and dragged the body away, sending maids to clean up. Leniver was glad to see investments pay off. He wasn't a businessman, not really, not even in his life as Atio.

Atio, so he really was him, sure he had his suspicions seeing the small instance of him using the Gift of Sym but he hadn't given it much thought. Not least because of how outlandish this was.

He hadn't found Atio’s face anywhere, the Gerarian Army was good with keeping faces of Generals under wraps. Assasination attempts were commonplace on both sides during the Continental war.

This Trade War was far less critical but Leniver could tell the Gerarian Army was taking it seriously, furthermore, being the Chancellor's family led to him gaining far more privacy than a regular General. Of course the Chancellor wasn't afforded the same treatment, it was simply bad politics to hide behind a literal mask.

Leniver studied his hand, hand singular, regrettably it seems the real Duke Recardia had cut his left off. He sighed and stood up. He would have to study the Gift of Sym, but perhaps it could be a good political tool. Leniver hated politics to a tee however he was basically being forced to play their game.

To not do something is not the same as to not be able to do something. Lenvier may not be happy to play politics but he knew how to play the art of trade and he would have to address the estate soon, and when he did some things would have to be made very clear.

By the time the maids cleaned up the blood, he was heavily drunk to the point he passed out on his desk.