Perspective 4 - The world is on fire

???: Sure, as long as this perspective serves to make a more peaceful world.

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What does the blooming of a flaming rose, the disappearance of two duke candidates, slave revolts, and peasant uprisings all have in common?

???: They are all a pain in the ass for me! Hah!

Count Telantra didn’t really like his job. He considered himself pretty good at it though.

After a knock at the door, his trusted secretary and advisor came in. She had a slender figure, wore glasses, and tied her black hair behind her head in a tight knot.

???: Drogo’s representative will be here in a few minutes. Did you really have to send those two to the labyrinth? Why do you always go so far for them?

She was, of course, referring to the two strays that Count Telantra had taken in nearly two years ago now. One dragon and one bloody rose. From Veronica’s point of view, they had been nothing but extra work.

Telantra: Of course, there are many things that the pair are better off not knowing. It would be a pain in the ass if they stopped trusting me just because of my business with Duke Drogo. Raya is smart but doesn’t quite grasp just how fragile the balance of power is in Artenia and the sacrifices necessary to keep such a thing from collapse. She will have her moment, but now is not the time.

Veronica: Artenia is on the brink of a civil war. You and I both know that this could be the incident that finally ignites the powder keg.

Telantra: Ever since the “Night of the Burning Rose” civil war has been inevitable. The vacuum created Marquess Witherton’s death has left the royalist faction in New Artenia fragmented and has weakened the demonic front, making many peasants lose their homes to beasts and increasing poverty rates across New Artenia–

Veronica: Yes, everyone knows that it was Lagrimas who did it but without any proof there isn’t enough justification to do anything! And here we have a living survivor of the incident who is looking to get revenge.

Veronica interrupted Count Telantra to make her point and the two stared at each other intensely. After a moment of silence hung in the air, the Count continued cautiously.

Telantra: You’re right, it is dangerous. Until Prince Jarod can assemble enough troops in New Artenia to fend off Lagrimas’s faction there is no way the royalists can win if war does actually break out. At the same time, they have no legitimate reason to send troops across the sea. The Old Artenian nobles are pressuring the royalty to not do anything. Until investigations can show proof of Lagrimas’s crimes there is only so much Jarod can do an ocean away from us. If we had Adam testify that it was Lagrimas’s men that attacked his home then that would be enough. However, if we did then then Lagrimas and Drogo would simply go on the offensive and actually start the civil war, resulting in hundreds of thousands of lives lost at the minimum. There is only one reason why they haven’t attacked yet. That is because the legendary relic of House Drogo, Ryuzu’s Fang, is missing. There are rumors that Drogo himself has gone out in search of it and was recently at Guileva.

With a mix of both deduction and information given directly to him by his intelligence networks Count Telantra summarized the grim situation of Artenia. Most of this was information that Veronica already knew but to hear everything so plainly still was enough to give her a minor headache.

Veronica: Right… I still think that it would be better to just hand them over though. You’d be rewarded handsomely and this city would be safe from Lagrimas and Drogo. Don’t tell me that you’re doing this because you’ve caught feelings for them or that your honor won’t allow you to break a promise. I know for a fact that your heart is cold, hollow, and incapable of love. So why do this?

The Count smiled at Veronica’s words and stood up, facing the window behind his desk that gave a view of the sprawling city of Celestia. However, he responded to Veronica’s question with yet another question.

Telantra: Veronica, what’s your opinion on the two?

She seemed slightly annoyed that the count had commandeered the conversation so easily but sighed in resignation and responded.

Veronica: I think Raya will become a strong figure in the future. She is intelligent and has charisma. Most of all, she managed to bring that boy, Adam Witherton, with her. To think that the son of a pacifist would become such a monster…

Telantra: Interesting, this seems to be a rare instance where we mostly agree with one another. Moreover, have you heard of the six monsters of the human realm?

Veronica: Everyone has, but it’s just a rumor. Six beings that are capable of decimating armies and leveling cities completely on their own. Do you believe in such a thing?

Telantra liked to talk about random things he found interesting quite often so Veronica had gotten used to these kinds of talks. However, It didn’t really make it any less annoying when he would dramatically monologue about worthless things.

Telantra: In my travels I was fortunate, or should I say unfortunate, to have met two of these six. The Old Dragon and Captain Blackbeard. Not many know this, but the Old Dragon is actually Kael Drogo. The other four are said to go by the Abyssal Princess, the Sentry, the Regal Arbiter, and the Mad Worm. The pressure that they exert by simply being in their presence is enough to kill many. But for some reason, when I looked at Adam with my Eyes, I saw something similar to those monsters. I call it the inhuman factor. To gain such overwhelming strength you must give up that which makes you human. Long story short, I think that kid has the potential to become a true monster. That is why I want him here.

Veronica: …Personally, I think that he’ll get himself killed before he ascends to such a level of strength.

Lagrimas: Maybe, but I’m still willing to bet on him. It’s better than letting those tyrants do as they please.

Veronica handed the Count his coat from the hanger besides the door and he put it on before briskly walking out the door.

Lagrimas: Now let's go meet our guest.

Veronica noted that Count Telantra was wearing the brooch that Raya had gotten him in celebration of the new year. She didn’t bring it up but wondered if Telantra had been telling the whole truth just a moment ago. Does he even notice how often he wears that thing? Though Veronica would throw verbal abuse at the Count whenever she got the opportunity, she knew that he was a better man than most nobles.

Walking behind the Count, she smiled to herself as she imagined him spoiling his children one day. He would be the type to be dragged along all day by his daughter.

She looked out the window to recompose herself.

Veronica: They should be pretty deep inside the labyrinth by now. Though I told them to stay in the upper areas only I wonder if they’re actually going to follow that advice?