Chapter 33 : Private Meeting

Chapter 33 : Private Meeting

I follow Sebastian through the house outside. 

When I arrive a very odd scene greets me.

The king's carriage is there right in front of the mansion, The king's waiting outside his carriage. The head assistant Loyd is there right next to him. Behind them is another wagon with a cage. Then followed by six other carriages that are a bit less fancy. Behind them a bunch of guards then like 200 or so other people and wagons filled with supplies, they round the corner so I can't see them all.

As I start to approach the king and Loyd. Loyd starts sweating bullets. I ignore him.

"Welcome to the Moonlight District king Raymond"

"Please call me father."

"I refuse" 

I can't help but retort. He looks a bit dejected.

I look at Loyd

"Hello Loyd"

He jumps. His eyes are swimming. WTH??

"What's wrong?"

He doesn't answer. The king gestures toward him with his hand.

"He's afraid of you"

"Of me?"

The king slaps him on the chest. He straightens up and calms down.

I think a bit. Ah must have been from that time.

"I am not your enemy Loyd"

Loyd falls down in full dogeza.

"Please forgive me, Lord Hero. Due to my negligence the messenger arrived late. Please spare my life"

I look at him and start laughing.

"Is that all, don't worry about it."

He looks up, I help him to his feet.

He's holding his hand behind his head apologetically.

"See, I told you"

The king's looking all smug.

"Mmmmm! Mmmmm!"

It's coming from my left. I look over. There's a girl tied up in the cage.

I move closer, It's Shanon. 

She sees me approaching and goes silent. She's trying to hide herself and make herself as small as possible.

I hear the king approach and stand right next to me in front of the cage.

I point to her and look at the king.

"What did she do?"

"She's also scared of you"

The king sighs

"We had to put her to sleep for the last week of the trip, otherwise she would have run away."

"Then why did you bring her?"

"My instructions were clear"

He holds up his hand and whispers.

"Management"

Management!. This is serious.

"Sebastian!"

"Yes Lord Kaijuu"

"Fetch my wives, have them take care of her."

The king puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Sebastian"

"Yes my king"

"Do not release her until they are both here."

"Understood, Right away"

I gesture to the king to follow me.

"This way king Raymond"

we pass by Loyd

"Get your people squared away, talk with the head maid over there for instructions."

I point to the head maid standing next to the entrance of the mansion.

"Yes Lord Hero"

He bows

The king catches up

"You've become a real Lord since the last time I saw you"

As I turn to look at him as he speaks I see a woman wearing green disembark from her carriage. Blond hair and are those elf ears? She even has the ladylike green gloves that comes up to her elbows. I'll ask later, we have more important matters to discuss. I proceed into the mansion, the king follows.

My Study

We immediately encrypted the room and sat down.

"Before we begin Lord Kaijuu, should we perhaps have drink first?"

"What's your poison?"

"Jonas Brothers Whiskey"

"15 Years?"

"How did you... Management"

"Management indeed, king Raymond"

I go get the bottle and 2 glasses from the bar.

We both have a glass in silence. Then the king starts.

"Let me begin by telling you a few things, but first I must apologize."

"What for?"

"Firstly I lied to you, forgive me, It is not our custom to award a bride to the king's benefactor. I just followed instructions."

The king puts his glass down and continues

"I've been informed you've been contacted by Management before"

The king stops me from talking by holding up his hand.

"This is the third time they contacted me, Let me tell you about it."

I nod and lean forward.

"The first time they contacted me they ordered me to marry Roka's mother, I obeyed"

"What was the fallout?"

"The fallout or as they like to call it 'Butterfly effect' doesn't always happen, In fact in this case the fact that I married her I inadvertently saved her from being killed in a robbery later that same year. She wasn't in town the day she was supposed to be stabbed to death, since she was living in the palace."

"I see."

"The second time I was ordered to bring 8 Guards with me to the Forest and attack an orc. If I failed to comply I was warned my kingdom would fall 3 years later. They also told me you would be the cause. I made you an ally as they instructed and forced the marriage to my daughters. They even gave me the plan to save you when you went into a coma. I gave you this title and land to manage all according to instruction."

I lean back.

"Wait let me process this for a bit."

I get up and pour myself another glass. The king holds his glass up. I pour him one.

We drink.

"Ok, so what did they say... I mean how was I going to destroy your kingdom, If I didn't meet you?"

"They told me you would have continued using the same method you used to gain so many levels on your trip from the East Empire to the Shadowfall kingdom. With your power growing out of control and no love in your life you started to become paranoid. Then one day you just snapped. You would have singlehandedly destroyed half my kingdom before we could kill you."

I'm getting a headache. I'll ask anyway.

"Why do you heed their warnings, have you ever thought of disobeying?"

"Heavens no, Lord Kaijuu--"

"Please call me Ryu"

"Ryu-san all kings and emperors are warned at their coronation ceremony about Management. They say specifically 'Ignore Management at your own peril'. They then tell you about the Salt King and inform you that your blessing comes from management. Mine was the Force Awake Stone."

"I see, please tell me more about this, salt king"

"Very well. The salt king was one of the first kings. His name was James Tailor. Management ordered him to imprison his wife of 12 Years. He refused to comply. The date specified passed. The following morning he was found sitting on his throne, his body turned into a solid salt pillar. He was still wearing his kings garbs used for audiences with the crown on his head. There was a letter by management ordering all coronations to warn the would be kings and emperors at their coronation from that point forward. Failure to comply would result in the same fate as the salt king."

"I need a drink."

"I agree."

We drink and talk about this and that. 

Eventually we get shitfaced. 

I black out.