by Charles Dean
“What do you want?” the female guard said, glaring at Lucas. “Make it fast. Some of us have jobs.”
“I can’t imagine what jobs you’re doing,” Nick said.
“Hey, watch it, kid,” the male guard snapped. “We’ve got a lot of responsibility here. Do you know what type of people attend this institution? Inside these walls are the richest kids in the city, some of them even coming from prestigious noble family lines!” the guard bragged, puffing his chest up proudly.
“Yeah, Pelham is right,” the female guard affirmed. “Our jobs are more important than half the jobs in the entire Imperium! Don’t talk down to us!”
“No one was insulting your station, only pointing out your negligence,” Nick shot back. “Stop acting self-righteous when the only thing you two were watching was each other.”
“Shianne and I could see you,” Pelham explained disdainfully. “We just didn’t think you were worth talking to. But, since you’ve forced us into this conversation, out with it: what do you want?”
Nick rolled his eyes. “What would any group of people approaching a gate want? We want--”
“Nick,” Lucas warned, stopping him before he kept going. He didn’t know how much authority the guards had or how strong they were, but one thing he did know was that killing gate guards would be bad, and ticking them off might block his entrance completely. “I think it’s best you let me handle this for a moment.”
Nick looked as if he were about to defy Lucas and continue, but after a second, he shrank back and stopped his reproach of the flirtatious guards.
“Now,” Lucas began, turning to the guards and hoping his Charisma would work perfectly. “I think what my friend here was saying was that we would like to enter the academy, but we don’t know what type of paperwork or passes are needed to do so. Perhaps you two could help me out?”
The girl and guy both faltered in their anger, and their expressions slipped from ire to regular apathy. “Well . . .” Pelham began. “I suppose we could help you. The forms aren’t hard. You just need to go to the clerk and get a few things, something to prove who you are and that you’re proper members of the Imperium, not dissidents, rebels, or people who could be a threat.”
“Would this be enough proof?” Lucas asked, showing his ring.
“Th- That could--” Pelham paused. Lucas’s rank wasn’t insignificant. He was a Baron, the third step up in the chain of nobility, and the title indicated he owned more than a single piece of territory.
“It won’t,” the woman said. “I know you. I’ve heard about you from--” Shianne stopped before completing her sentence. “I’ve heard about you. You’re the dissident noble: just the type of person the paper and identification process is meant to keep out.”
“Shianne, you--” Pelham began what was likely a protest, but a sharp look from his companion quickly shut him up.
So, she’s already been paid off. Lucas was somewhat annoyed but not surprised. Gauging by Pelham’s shocked expression, however, Shianne was the only one who had been bought. Pelham hadn’t. More than likely, Lucas normally would have been able to pass through the gates without any to-do. With that in mind, he began casting Meddling Minds on her. “But,” he said, thinking about what words would weave the perfect effect. “How can I be against the Imperium, a dissident, when it’s my troops that defend its borders and my people that secure and maintain its land? I’m not some crazy rebellious noble out to hurt the Imperium: I’m just a simple man doing his best to improve it. That’s why I’m here . . .” He paused as his spell finally completed, and it struck her full on.
“Right,” she said. “I’m so sorry . . . I don’t know what I was thinking. You can enter right away. Don’t let me stop you.” She opened the gate as both Pelham and Lucas’s party looked on in dumbfounded surprise.
“What are you doing?” Pelham asked Shianne as Lucas extended a hand and gestured for his party to go ahead of him.
“What does it look like I’m doing, honey? It’s my job to verify that the people entering the academy are trustworthy. He clearly is trustworthy, so of course I’m letting him enter,” she explained patronizingly, as if she were speaking to a child.
“But, just a second ago, you were going to stop him. Why did you change your mind?” Pelham continued to question his girl, unable to process what was going on.
Lucas simply passed the gate and walked onto the campus, pretending as if nothing unusual had happened.
The girl snapped out of the spell a few seconds later, indicating that her Charisma was high enough that the Meddling Minds wasn’t able to last very long.
“Hey! Wait!” Shianne cried, shaking her head clear of the befuddling effect of Meddling Minds. “Stop what you’re doing! You weren’t supposed to enter!”
“Uhh . . .” Lucas looked back and did his best to look absolutely confused. “What are you talking about? It was you who let us in. Why are you trying to stop us now?”
“Because! I . . . I don’t know why I let you in, but I know that you absolutely can’t go into the academy!” When Lucas didn’t show any signs of complying and turning around, she drew her weapon and began walking toward him.
“Easy now!” Lucas said. “I’m sure we can work this out. How about we go to your superior and ask them what the meaning of this is. If you’re so confused as to go back and forth on your word, your boss will surely know what to do. Let’s go ask.”
“That’s a good idea,” Pelham said. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but strange things are at work here, and I think our supervisor would know how to handle this best. I’ve never seen you flip-flop on a decision. Let’s just report this to the captain and be done with it.”
Ah, a good honest man concerned about his girl, Lucas thought ruefully. He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as Pelham’s honesty unwittingly put pressure on Shianne. Since she was clearly doing something she shouldn’t--trying to block a noble from entering--she wouldn’t want to involve anyone else, especially a superior officer. Her attempts to thwart his entry would be questioned, and the whole ruckus would likely get her reprimanded, demoted, or even discharged. No matter what, her comfortable little life flirting with her boyfriend at work would be completely over.
“Yeah, let’s go. Pelham, was it? Do you mind leading the way? You seem like an upstanding guy. I’m sure you could take a moment to show us there while Shianne keeps the gate safe,” Lucas suggested.
“No problem,” Pelham said. “I’m worried about Shianne, so we should stop by a medic on the way back. Even if the captain doesn’t tell us to.”
“That does sound like a good idea,” Lucas said agreeably.
“No, no it’s okay. There’s no need to see the captain. Just . . . umm . . .” Shianne’s abrupt approach had been halted, and she now stood rooted in place, clearly torn between doing what she had been bribed to do and not wanting to be found out. “Just let them through. Yeah, let them through. That’ll work. Go on. Get.”
“But we don’t know our way around,” Lucas said, pressing the issue and enjoying the show as he watched stress and anxiety build up across Shianne’s face. He wanted to make her squirm a little more for trying to block him. “Maybe we need to see the captain anyway.”
“Look, the campus isn’t that complicated.” Shianne was obviously growing annoyed at having to continue the conversation she now so clearly wanted to get out of. She pointed to the closest building and said, “That’s the building you want. The headmistress is in there.”
“Thanks. You’ve been really kind. Would you like me to inform her about the incident at the gate? I can have a nurse sent out to check on you, make sure you’re okay. I think Pelham is right: this should be looked at,” Lucas said, giving her a grin. Since Pelham was too busy looking at her and not him, Lucas even made sure to mouth the words “It was me” just to taunt her.
“Just go!” she shouted, her face now red with anger. “You’re taking up too much time, and our jobs are too important to leave unattended.
”
“Yeah, that is what she said,” Nick laughed. “Her job is too important not to be done right. We need to get that doctor out here immediately. We definitely need to report this issue to the headmistress.”
“No!” Shianne protested even further. “Just go! I’ll be fine. I am fine. It was a momentary lapse in judgment. I never--” She bit her lip and shot daggers at Lucas with her eyes. “I never meant to question a great noble like yourself. Please accept my apology and leave.”
“Well, since you asked nicely . . .” Lucas replied. The whole ordeal, taunting and teasing her, had put him in good spirits. “That was fun,” he told the crew as they departed.
“Did you really Meddling Minds a random NPC just to get her to let you through?” Nick asked.
“I almost couldn’t keep a straight face, boss,” Bonnie said. “I didn’t think you’d actually go that far.”
“I’m more concerned about the spell’s potential impact on real people,” Liu said, warily eyeing the golden necklace that let Lucas cast that spell to begin with. “Since the game designers never really expected anyone to play the Imperium, and thus never intended for anyone to play as an Enchanter, I seriously doubt if anyone ever balanced the spell’s impact on other players or its direct effect on NPCs.”
“Nnn . . .” Katie added. She was the only player on whom Lucas had cast the spell and followed up on. “It was . . . powerful. His suggestion clouded my mind and absorbed my focus.”
“That’s . . . creepy,” Bonnie said. “I’m glad boss is the one who got that class and not Nick. He would have used it for all sorts of . . . Nick things.”
“Sounds like you’re the first one who thought of it like that,” Nick said.
Lucas frowned. He had been in a good mood a moment ago, having taken a little pleasure in watching the corrupt guard get her momentary comeuppance, but now that the subject had shifted to the spell again, and not for the first time in the last week he had spent with them, he walked faster, forcing the others to keep up. “So, when we get in there,” he instructed, “be careful not to say anything that will get us in trouble. We need the headmistress to not only approve of us but also want to allow us to set up shop somewhere within the compound. If we don’t find a place to stay, we’ll be in trouble.”
“But we don’t need homes for all the soldiers just yet,” Liu argued. “Steve and the others can stay in the merchants’ quarters. It’s not like anyone will be targeting them for assassination like they will us.”
“Yeah, you’re right about that,” Lucas agreed. “But either way, we should try for somewhere that's big enough for all of us. It will make my job easier not having to worry about where everyone is or track them down at a moment’s notice. We’re not going to be dealing with the same run-of-the-mill lowbies here that we were on Hesse, and I need to know that they can distract higher-level intruders, even if they can’t kill them, and give us enough time to make preparations.”
“You don’t have to pretend to be so cold or calculating,” Liu said. “We know you’re just going to miss us and that you like having people to fetch you foods when you’re being lazy.”
“Speaking of which, when is Hanna, that amazing cook and maid of yours, supposed to be here?” Nick asked.
“She’s coming in with Linnaeus after she finds a suitable replacement to manage the dungeon,” Lucas answered.
“Do you really trust her to be able to pick someone out?” Nick asked.
“Why not? She’s very clever. And the dungeon needs a master. Smash, Saba’a, and Fred can’t handle everything on their own. There still needs to be a final boss,” Lucas said.
“Only the two charming nobles need enter,” someone called out from behind the door they had just arrived at.
“Lucas froze when he heard the powerful woman’s voice. It was filled with so much authority that it felt like Lucas had hit a small wall when it struck him.
“Seriously? Are we going to keep running into this stuff? This is such garbage,” Nick grumbled. Yet despite his protestations, he did as he was told and waited outside while Lucas and Liu walked through. When Lucas entered the building, he discovered enough doors on either side of the long hallway to instantly be reminded of the early cartoon detective shows where people would pop out of one door and rush to the other over and over again until eventually bumping into each other in the middle. There had to be at least twenty of them, and none of them were labeled.
“Well, now what?” Lucas asked no one in particular. When he did, the fourth door on the left opened up, and Lucas, taking it as an invitation, walked through with Liu.
“Greetings, Baron Lucas the People’s Executioner.”
There was no one in the room, however, only a small table with three chairs, three cups of tea, and three plates filled with pastries on it.
“Please, have a seat.”
All three of the chairs automatically slid backward, offering themselves up.
I don’t remember spells like this being in the game . . . Lucas glanced over at Liu, who looked just as confused as he felt. Not knowing what else to do, he walked over and sat down. And then, when his butt met the chair, it pushed itself forward again until it was properly situated at the small table. He looked at the chair’s feet curiously and discovered that there were tiny gold tracks set into the floor that went into the wall. He was instantly curious as to how exactly the mechanism worked, but the door slammed shut, drawing his attention back to the woman who had appeared in front of it.
She appeared to be somewhere in her late twenties, and she was wearing a form-fitting, tight red cocktail dress. The bodice displayed a beautiful flowery lace design that almost distracted Lucas’s eyes from the way she perfectly filled it out. Her golden hair was pulled back into a long French braid, and she was sporting the most disappointing flat expression as she walked into the room.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Xun Guan and Baron Lucas,” the woman said as she walked across the room and seated herself in the remaining empty chair. “I’ve been looking forward to your arrival since the moment you left the court.”
“Were you there?” Lucas asked. How is it that everyone already seems to know what went on when I came directly here aside from a small detour and stopping to kill some upstart whelp and two incompetent guards?
“I was, and I wasn’t,” the woman answered, picking up the cup of tea in front of her. “If you would . . .” She gestured to Lucas and Liu’s cups.
“How does that work?” Lucas asked, finding the vague answer vexing.
“I had ears there,” she answered cryptically, “but I wasn’t personally in attendance. I wish I had been, though, since it would have saved me the wait, which”--her grin curled up ever so slightly--“was a little disappointing.”
Lucas shrugged as he reached out and took his own teacup. “Sorry I don’t live up to your expectations.”
“Yet. You don’t live up to my expectations yet,” she corrected.
“So, does this mean that you won’t hear me out?” Lucas asked, not entirely sure how to take her meaning.
“Well . . .” The woman paused. “I think I’ll have to allow it. After all, the king himself is forcing my hand on this one. He said that this is a battle between you and the other nobles and that I am not to take sides--which is a shame because I did so want to end your campaign at the gates and shatter those precious dreams of yours.” She laughed at the idea as if something had struck her fancy. “I love watching a man like you break, watching you crack into a thousand little pieces of glass, and then sweeping them up and tossing them in my drawer with the rest of the shattered ambitions of silly fellows.”
Lucas did his best to measure his response even as he read between the lines and panned out the information she was handing him. Even if she wasn’t personally on his side, she was filled with helpful information. She’s working with the nobles, and the king has actually begun to move by making sure that I’d have a place to establish myself.
>
“Is the drawer filled to the top?” Lucas asked, sipping his tea.
“It was,” she answered. “But don’t worry: I made room just for you.”
“That’s kind,” Lucas said. “But I thought you said the king wasn’t going to allow you to interfere?”
“Mmm . . .” she moaned, resting the cup against her lap. “You’ll have to forgive me, Baron, but I’m the type of girl who both loves being bound and testing exactly how tightly the bindings are. If the king says I can’t break you one way, I promise you, I’ll find another. I’ll add you to my collection of . . .” She let her eyes wander across Lucas. “‘Big men’ who were simply . . . lacking.”
She’s doing this to me on purpose, Lucas realized, trying to keep a check on his thoughts. He had met this type of woman more than once during his tenure as a CEO. Some people were willing to use every tool in their arsenal--looks being one of them--and weaponized anything they could in order to get what they wanted. They had been the type that felt no shame about any facet of their being and would play with men like putty. Lucas had been fortunate enough to have Yu Hua to shelter him then as she was a woman to whom no other woman could compare or compete with. Now that he was alone, however, this woman’s tone, words, and outfit were all working in unison to fog Lucas’s mind.
“So . . . what? Is this your ploy? To scare him?” Liu asked. “You want to try and intimidate him before we even enter the academy? That’s not going to work. Lucas is better than that.”
“Hmm . . . no.” The woman shook her head. “I think my first step will be to assign you a brand-new combat instructor. A few of the instructors are eager to assist you, having already heard your declaration, but I think I know just the perfect one. As for the next step, well, I think I’m going to find you the perfect place to live. Then I’m going to make sure that you have access to the best foods we can provide. And, then, to top it off, I’m going to make sure that everyone, every single teacher and guard, knows exactly how much you hate it when people are helpful.”
It’s not like an enemy to tell you their plan or how they’re going to mess with you so upfront, Lucas thought as he studied the woman’s face. He was incredibly suspicious of this woman and her motives. After all, she had plainly said that she was going to mess with him at every possible turn, except where expressly prohibited by the king, and then even told him how she was going to do it.
