Chapter 5

“Find anyone?” Remedios asked.

“We just left your house,” Liam answered.

“You never know…” The Paladin’s eyes shifted left and right, “Does anyone look suspicious?”

If he were to choose, it would be the liveried men that were wandering around in place of the Royal Army. There were more of them around since their trip to the garden market, forming gangs that didn’t seem to do much more than stand around looking intimidating. From what he could see, they had divided the Prime Estates into ‘territories’ ordered according to the lords who lived in them.

By the looks of things, his assignment was going to be more difficult than he had first assumed. He was confident that he could work his way around the Holy Kingdom’s soldiers, but many of the men that had replaced them looked like they were more in line with his own areas of expertise. A change in his approach was called for, especially since working for the Holy Order meant doing things that the men who now controlled the city probably wouldn’t like.

However, his most pressing concern was that Remedios was asking him whether he saw anyone suspicious in the middle of the street. On top of that, she was staring at people so intensely that they either unconsciously started grooming themselves or scurried away in fright. He wasn’t certain how many people had heard her, but Liam would definitely find his head screwed on backwards one day if she continued like this.

“Where do you usually report to when you’re working in the city?” Liam asked.

“The Royal Palace,” Remedios answered. “They aren’t having me guard the sovereign anymore, but the Holy Order’s main office is in one of the wards.”

It wasn’t a good idea to be seen entering the palace. He wasn’t even sure whether it was a good idea to be seen walking around with Remedios. With the Nobles taking over the city, however, checking in at guard posts probably wouldn’t turn up much.

“Then let’s head over there first,” Liam said. “It’s better than walking around glaring at people.”

He was pretty sure that someone like him couldn’t just walk into a Royal Palace, but Remedios simply changed direction and walked off without a word. Liam did his best to avoid notice along the way, observing how the city’s new security conducted themselves around her. To his surprise, he already found that things were getting worse.

In contrast with their encounter earlier that day with the Nobles’ men, the ones now didn’t put nearly as much effort into looking diligent or acting clean. Some behaved as if her presence didn’t matter at all, chatting amongst themselves and trying to impress the Maids running errands for their respective households.

They’re acting like they own the place already…

The sheer number of them probably played no small part in it. People got weirdly dumb when they acted in groups and thugs like the ones they were walking by gained confidence from numbers. In the Holy Kingdom, there was some truth to that as the average citizen wasn’t very strong even after they supposedly served in the army. He could probably count on things going a certain way as the city increasingly fell under their influence.

“Custodio,” a man in the uniform of the Royal Guard nodded at Remedios as they came up to the palace gate. “Who’s that following you?”

“A new guy,” Remedios said. “Captain Montagnés picked him up while he was in Kalinsha.”

Liam resisted the urge to look over his shoulder after they were waved through. The guards at the gate had barely looked at him. Was that how it worked in the Holy Kingdom? If one was famous or trusted, was anyone attached to them treated the same way?

“Was that okay?” Liam asked, “They don’t even know who I am.”

“A lot of people come in and out of the palace grounds,” Remedios answered. “It’s not just where the Holy King lives and holds court. The Temples, the Holy Order, the Royal Army, and the Admiralty are all headquartered here.”

They took a path leading them to the west wing of the palace. Inside a door over which the banner of the Holy Order waved lightly in the wind, a middle-aged man with bags under his eyes rose from behind the front counter to greet them.

“Cap–erm, Custodio. It’s your day off, isn’t it? Did something happen?”

“This guy happened,” Remedios jerked a thumb at Liam.

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“The Captain sent him to work under me,” Remedios said. “Is he back from the east, yet?”

“He should have been back a day ago.”

“Captain Montagnés is escorting penitents to the new shipyards,” Liam said.

The man shared a look with Remedios.

“If that’s the case,” he said. “He won’t be back for another two days, at least. Did you drop by the office to let us know?”

“We picked up some equipment as well,” Remedios said.

“I guess that’s rare enough, these days,” the man placed a form on the counter. “We haven’t needed to equip a new Squire since Alvarez’s kid two months ago.”

“How many Paladins are left?” Liam asked.

“About fifty,” the man answered. “You picked a good time to sign on – there’s plenty of work to go around.”

Fifty Paladins for a country of millions…

From the sound of it, the Sorcerous Kingdom would have more Paladins than the Holy Kingdom in a few years.

“Done,” Remedios said, flipping the form around.

The man picked up the form. His face soon twisted into a befuddled expression.

“You could outfit a hundred Squires with this much,” he said. “Gustav is going to vomit blood when he sees this. Where the hell did you go?”

“The garden market. We went into the city first, but they didn’t have any leather.”

“What is this world coming to…” The man shook his head, “The fleet couldn’t come in any sooner. We need to get trade going again.”

“Can’t you just trade with Re-Estize?” Liam asked.

“According to the Admiralty, no Merchant ships have arrived from Re-Estize or anywhere else since shortly after the war.”

“There’s still a land route, isn’t there?”

“There is,” the man replied, “But no one would think of taking the land route when shipping by sea is so much cheaper. The highway to Re-Robel has become dangerous, as well.”

“What about the shipments of grain from the Sorcerous Kingdom? Shouldn’t they be a sign that it’s safe to trade again?”

Remedios’ expression immediately soured. The man quickly sat back down and busied himself with paperwork.

“Go ahead and pick out a surcoat in the back,” he said. “I’ll speak to the Captain about, er…”

“Liam,” Liam said.

“…Liam’s recruitment when he gets back. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“How many reports have you received since the Royal Army started preparing for their campaign?” Liam asked.

The man looked askance at Liam, then glanced at Remedios. He arched an eyebrow when she nodded.

“What type of reports are you referring to?”

“Anything that the Holy Order or the Royal Army might be called on to handle regularly.”

“Hmm…” The man looked up with a thoughtful expression, “Not many, recently. We haven’t gotten any at all since the morning.”

“Isn’t that weird?” Liam asked.

“The Nobles sent five times the men that the Royal Army had to police the capital before. It would stand to reason that such an overwhelming number of policing forces would reduce incidents to nearly nothing. I know that you’re probably excited about joining and getting some work done, but, to the rest of us, this is a welcome reprieve. If you’re that concerned, you can come around in the morning and take a look at the daily report. That should have everything you’re asking about.”

“We’ll be back in the morning,” Remedios guided Liam away from the desk. “My shift starts then, anyway.”

“See you then,” the man said.

“When does your shift end?” Remedios frowned.

“It doesn’t,” the man let out a helpless chuckle. “I almost have enough mana to pick myself back up again, so I’ll survive the night.”

Liam was pretty sure which spell the man was talking about. The Sorcerous Kingdom used it all the time on the intelligence agents in training. It refreshed the body but not the mind, so the man’s fitness for office work was in serious doubt.

“What was that all about?” Remedios asked once they returned to the pristine lanes outside the palace walls.

“Aren’t the reports that we were talking about confidential?” Liam asked.

“Yeah…”

“Then we can’t talk about it in the middle of the street,” Liam said. “Let’s go back – I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

He felt a bit embarrassed talking like that, but Remedios seemed to prefer people being direct with her. She looked happier talking with Hernando than she was with the simpering Merchants running the other boutiques.

“Hey, Carla!” Remedios shouted before the door to her manor finished swinging open, “Get some dinner started!”

Liam cringed at the sound of her voice, glancing at the neighbouring manors. He never liked drawing attention to himself, and Remedios existed on an entirely different scale when it came to that.

“I have a personal question,” Liam said, “if you don’t mind…”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Are you a Noble?”

“Sort of?” Remedios replied, “More like urban gentry. Our family has served the Holy Kingdom for generations and we’ve always been pretty strong.”

At least there was one thing that Roble seemed to have done right – or at least the Custodio family. It also explained a lot about her behaviour. She wasn’t raised as a Noble, so she didn’t act or think like one. At the same time, she was a famous strong person from a line of strong people that probably didn’t have to watch themselves when it came to their conduct.

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Remedios sat down on the stairs as they waited for their food. In the courtyard, the manor staff was laying out a candle-lit table under the starry sky.

“Do you usually eat like this?” Liam asked.

“No,” the Paladin snorted. “I usually just wolf down whatever comes out of the kitchen door.”

It was no wonder that the staff was all smiles. They probably hadn’t used much of their training in the Custodio household.

“So,” Remedios said, “what were you up to when you asked about those reports?”

Liam peered up at the eaves overhanging the courtyard, which were covered in red clay tiles. He wasn’t sure if he should say anything since it would probably cause Remedios to harry him for information day after day. If he named any names, he imagined that she would put a Remedios-sized hole in the wall as she charged straight to whoever he mentioned.

“I wanted to see what Hoburns was like before and after the Nobles brought their men in,” he said.

“But you heard what it was like,” Remedios said. “We were drowning in work and then it got better.”

“That doesn’t really say anything,” Liam said. “We need to see what’s going on for real.”

“What does that even mean?”

He plopped himself down on a patch of grass at the edge of the courtyard, crossing his legs and leaning against a cool marble pillar.

“What are the Nobles like, here?” Liam asked.

“The Nobles? They’re just Nobles. You have good ones and bad ones. Most of them are annoying, though.”

“And the people? The common folk, I mean.”

“They’re good people,” Remedios told him. “They’ve been through hell, but things will get better.”

“Is that what you think?” Liam leaned his head back, examining the eaves again.

“It’s what I know,” the Paladin said.

Liam pushed himself back to his feet. Remedios looked up at him as he went up the stairs to the second floor.

“Where are you going?” She asked.

“Chamber pot.”

“But…”

He entered the closest room on the second floor, opening the shutters and crawling out. After pulling himself onto the rooftop, he padded silently over the clay tiles until he found what he was looking for. Kneeling on the eaves overlooking the courtyard was a nondescript man dressed as a common labourer. He didn’t look very strong at all.

An expendable…

Liam grabbed the man by the collar and hopped back into the courtyard, using his weight to drag his mark along with him. The man let out a startled shriek before thudding onto the grass. Remedios shot to her feet, her longsword coming out in a flash.

“What in the–”

“The Holy Kingdom is under siege,” Liam told Remedios as he kicked the groaning man onto his back. “And this is the face of your enemy.”

----------------------------------------

What in the gods’ name is going on?

Remedios lowered her blade as she stared at the stunned man on the ground. Under siege? The face of their enemy? He looked like a common citizen, next to indistinguishable from any other labourer working to rebuild the country.

“Miss Custodio,” Carla came running from the kitchen. “What–”

The Maid covered her mouth and let out a gasp when she noticed the man groaning on the floor of the courtyard.

“Shall I have someone call for the soldiers, Miss Custodio?” Carla asked.

“Don’t,” Liam said.

Remedios narrowed her eyes at Liam’s response.

“What do you mean by ‘don’t’?” She said, “This guy was on my roof, wasn’t he? Since when did you figure out that someone was there?”

“When I said ‘confidential’,” Liam replied.

“…but that was back at the palace gate. Wait – are you saying that this man is a spy?”

“We’re starting from there?”

They held one another’s gaze for several seconds. Liam looked down at the man.

“Uh…can you heal him? His shoulder’s in pieces.”

Remedios sheathed her weapon and knelt to treat the man.

“You had better start making some sense,” she said.

“If you call for the new men,” Liam told her, “this guy is probably dead.”

“The law isn’t that harsh.”

“That law doesn’t matter!” Liam snapped, “Not when it comes to this. The fact that this guy is trying to spy on the strongest Paladin in the country on nothing more than the suggestion of learning a secret means that things are way worse than you think.”

She looked away from Liam to Carla, who had come to look curiously over her shoulder at the injured man.

“Does that make any sense to you?”

“Yes, Miss Custodio,” the Maid replied.

“It does?”

“The Royal Army is gone,” Carla told her. “Out of the country. The men who had come to replace them aren’t soldiers from the Southern Holy Kingdom, but retainers of lords belonging to the royalists.”

“Which means that they’re loyal to the Holy King,” Remedios said.

Carla quietly shook her head. Remedios’ hand went to the sword at her hip.

“Is the Holy King in danger?” She asked.

“Of course not,” Carla answered. “It is through His Divine Grace that the royalists have acquired so much power. They have little to gain and everything to lose by attempting to oust the Holy King.”

They’re here to help by the King’s command, which is fine. But they’re ignoring the law? No, there’s no proof of that. And what was that about acquiring power?

“I’m lost,” Remedios declared.

“Yes, Miss Custodio.”

“That’s fine,” Liam said. “It’s unreasonable for anyone to expect a Paladin to see things the same way that a Rogue or Noble does.”

How old is this kid, again?

Never mind his age, he was saying things that she had never heard before. Gustav’s missive said that he was originally from Re-Robel, but the people in Re-Estize didn’t seem all that much different from the people of Roble when their delegation passed through there.

No, more importantly…

“What do you mean by ‘under siege’?” Remedios asked. “Are we under attack by someone? Is it the Sorcerous Kingdom?”

“Hah? How did you…never mind. I said it just now, didn’t I? This is the face of your enemy.”

“But he’s just a regular citizen,” Remedios said. “Unless you’re saying that Fiends in disguise are causing this…”

Liam stared at her.

“What?” Remedios frowned.

Carla cleared her throat.

“Miss Custodio,” the Maid said as she produced a length of rope from somewhere. “What Liam is saying is that, by acting as they believe they must, the people have become a sort of army that unknowingly undermines the societal fabric of our country.”

“So they’re not doing it on purpose, but being tricked into it?”

The Maid instructed a pair of footmen to bind the man and toss him into a spare room before returning to the conversation.

“Rather than judging matters according to one’s guilt and innocence or good and evil, it is better to examine the situation by analysing cause and effect. I suppose that may be difficult for a member of the Holy Order…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I meant no offence, Miss Custodio,” Carla said. “I suppose it is fundamentally the same problem as we’re discussing. It is commonly said that, to a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. The Holy Order, however, is the hammer itself and anyone can see what the world looks like to you through your words and actions. You are a weapon forged for a specific purpose, and so you act according to that purpose. The same logic applies to everyone.”

“Where did you learn all this from? And how does Liam know the same thing?”

“Any properly educated Noble would understand what I speak of,” Carla said. “One cannot govern the people if they don’t understand them. Well, one could, but the results would be catastrophic. As for Liam, commoners may be ignorant when it comes to matters of governance, but they aren’t stupid. When a Noble comes up with a policy, his subjects will – in the ways that they know – quickly figure out ways to exploit the advantages of that policy or evade its pitfalls. I suppose Liam is remarkable in the fact that he has transcended the thinking of the common man.”

“I don’t think it’s that special,” Liam said. “Everyone knows about that stuff you’re talking about.”

“But it remains ‘common sense’ to them,” Carla said. “And common sense is a cage that not many people escape from. You, on the other hand, have some realisation as to what creates that common sense, which in turn allows you to act upon that which dictates the behaviour of those who are caged by it. If my father encountered an individual such as yourself, he would immediately offer to make you a retainer of House Vigo. Actually…”

Carla moved closer to Liam, smiling as she fluttered her eyelashes prettily at him.

“If you distinguish yourself, marrying into the family is not outside the realm of possibility.”

“Er…”

Liam shrunk away from the Maid, his eyes darting back and forth. Remedios grabbed Carla by the collar and yanked her back.

“Where does this leave us, exactly?” Remedios asked.

“Nowhere,” Liam answered. “I think everyone ‘knows’ what’s causing this, but all they can do is go along with it.”

“But we can do something about it, can’t we?”

“No, not unless you feel like becoming a criminal.”

“Hah?”

“The issue is rooted in national policy, Miss Custodio,” Carla told her. “Specifically, the economic policies enacted by King Caspond and championed by the royalist faction. Not only do they incentivise competition without limit, but they also define the ‘winners’ in certain terms that promote certain behaviours.”

“And what ‘terms’ and ‘behaviours’ are those?”

“It’s nothing complicated. On the contrary, it is precisely because they are simple that the people have embraced them. In general, it’s the notion of ‘productivity’. Everyone can translate it into things that they can understand. Heads of cattle; bushels of grain; goods manufactured and profits earned.”

“But you Nobles always want that.”

“It’s not the same,” Carla shook her head. “We Nobles tax that productivity. If those taxes are wisely put to use, our fiefs may thrive, but most commoners only see taxes as an obligation. The Holy King’s new policies, on the other hand, incentivise the pursuit of productivity with rewards that the vast majority of people could only dream of before.”

“You make it sound as if people are inherently evil,” Remedios said.

“Not evil, Miss Custodio,” Carla shook her head. “As I said, people do as they believe they must. They make what they think is the best choice. For themselves; for their families; for their homes. That is perhaps the most insidious part of it all. The new policies present themselves as the best option on every front…but even you must know that there is no such thing as a perfect solution for everything. As a noblewoman, all that I must do to understand where these policies will lead is ask two questions: what is the cost – economically, culturally, and spiritually – and who is paying for it? The answers to those questions only inspire dread.”

But those policies are supposed to help.

Everyone knew they had hard times ahead of them, but the important thing was that the war was over. They just had to tighten their belts and work hard to rebuild and turn things around. The Temples would make sure that the people didn’t stray from the path of good. Even the Nobles that had been a thorn in Calca’s side for her entire reign were cooperating.

Surely, that meant things would get better? Except they weren’t. She couldn’t clearly articulate her thoughts like her sister or Carla, but she could still feel that things were slowly, but surely, drifting in the wrong direction.

“There must be something we can do,” Remedios said.

“We can be a pain in the butt,” Liam replied.

“Oh, Miss Custodio is very good at that,” Carla smiled. “In fact, she is in the unique position of being an unstoppable pain in the butt.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“Liam is right, however,” Carla’s smile faded away. “Taking direct action against the changes sweeping over the country will most likely land this entire household in a jail cell and cast doubt upon the integrity of the Holy Order. Our challenge lies in the fact that any move that you make to remedy the situation must lie within the bounds of the law and those laws have already heavily skewed things in favour of those that you must act against. For the time being, the most one can do is be a ‘pain in the butt’.”

Remedios closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She couldn’t follow most of what Liam and Carla were saying and what she could make sense of made it seem like the situation was hopeless. They could be pests, at best. She had long become sick and tired of being in that position.

“Where do you think is the best place to start?” Liam asked.

“The royalist faction is currently enjoying an unprecedented degree of comfort,” Carla answered.

“Won’t exploiting that angle that be dangerous?”

“Quite the opposite,” Carla said. “They have so many of their creatures in the capital now that their masters will assume that any minor incident that occurs was inevitable. We hold the initiative to promote narratives of our own choosing.”

“We’re not making up stories to attack people with,” Remedios scowled.

“We won’t,” Carla said lightly. “It isn’t necessary. People will make what they will of what happens.”

“And what exactly is going to happen?” Remedios asked.

Liam’s gaze travelled up the stairs to the room where the captured man was bound.

“We’re going to be a pain in the butt,” he said.