Intermission

A man with a preference for dark robes with golden accents looks out of a window. He produces a pocket watch from his robe and glances at it.

"She should be arriving soon..."

He takes another look out of the window. This city may look similar at first glance to Lun'roco, being largely made of sandstone. But there is a distinct difference, only noticeable for those that look for it. Beltharion is indisputably better at administrating his city compared to his previous master. That is why he chose to conspire with him after all.

"I've arrived. Please excuse my tardiness, Master Jesha."

He couldn't even hear her approach. Every penny he paid for her training must've paid itself off many times over by now.

"I take no offence. Leaving them waiting for a bit should be alright. Did you receive my letter?"

The redhead gives a satisfied smile.

"I've received your orders and completed this additional task on my way here."

"Perfect, I expected no less from you."

He starts walking down these opulent, yet still tastefully decorated halls. His redhead subordinate follows.

"So how was your time in Lun'roco? I would've thought you'd need a few more years at the least."

"I decided to expedite the rebellion."

The man raises his brow.

"How so, pray tell?"

"The scarlet cough entering the slums was no accident; I tampered with the doctor's examination of the new slaves."

"I just assumed they truly were that incompetent. No one caught on?"

"Of course not. I had also been sabotaging their garrison by altering ledgers. Adding but a single zero at the end of a number can prove very devastating indeed. They thought they had ammunition for their crossbows for multiple days. In reality, they didn't have even a tenth of that."

"Clever."

"I've also relayed your 'Inheritance'. The kid was the one to open the gate as well."

"An associate of mine tells me that an Isayah Zareth has joined a caravan bound for the north. We might see him yet again."

The redheaded woman places great importance on what her master thinks of her. Seeing as he holds that bastard child in high regard, she decides not to tell him about what sparked the rebellion: her sending someone down the mine to capture the brat.

"Maybe so..."

The two of them reach a large door. Jesha pushes it open with gusto, his attendant diligently closing it behind him.

"How dare you!"

An elderly man dressed in bright purple robes yells at Jesha in utter disbelief.

"Not only are you a lowly upstart, but you dare to keep us waiting as well?"

It was true; he kept them waiting on purpose. He wanted to enrage all the other council members. Beltharion, the only one in on this scheme, was the one still keeping his stoic face.

Jesha takes a seat on the chair that would've been reserved for Zareth once. Only one chair still remained empty now. His attendant takes her place standing at his side.

"Need I remind you that but 50 years ago, every single member of this guild was a 'lowly upstart' just like I am? You fools are getting conceited in your old age."

Another snarky insult that hits its mark; the old men sitting around this table are all practically fuming.

"Unless you manage to solve that whole debacle with the salt mine down south, you will be no member of this council. Do not forget that."

Jesha laughs.

"I am retaking Lun'roco as we speak. It is only a matter of time now."

They grumble to themselves, clearly dissatisfied about his success.

"Now then, shouldn't we start talking about the issue that warranted that meeting in the first place? Or did you already start without me?"

A shorter man starts to speak.

"As you are all aware, we are facing a grave issue. Some of the elves seem to be regaining their magic. We've sighted some of them invoking the powers of old, the very same ones that should have died with their large tree."

The meeting carries on with all of them only complaining instead of offering any solutions. Jesha lets them dance this very dance for quite some time, simply smiling and observing. As their fervour slowly dies down, he speaks once more.

"We don't know the how or why. We should capture one of those mages and get that information from them."

While the old guard hate to admit it, they do agree.

"The holy order of the sacred flame, which has dedicated itself to killing elves, should be capable of accomplishing that task, given a little sponsoring and restructuring."

If they are to equip them with the best that human technology can offer, even magic will prove no issue for them.

"As their leader I had a certain religious fanatic in mind, the eldest daughter of the fallen noble house of Melode from the Colmare Kingdom: Emillia Merode. She was discharged from the guard of some noble due to concerns about her growing zealotry. She'll be just perfect, I promise."

"Do you know no shame?"

The man in purple flares up like a volcano.

"Do you think we can't see what you are trying to do here? That you are trying to instate the elder sister of your bodyguard as the leader of your elite group of warriors?"

The man was certainly right; standing to his left right now was Sophia Melode, the second daughter of the late duke. They both were deeply loyal to him. He was indeed guilty of all the accusations thrown at him.

"Once Olbrecht arrives, I will call a vote to throw you off this council."

The one chair still empty would be where this Olbrecht sits.

Jesha's mouth creeps into a frightening smile.

"Sadly, Olbrecht will not be joining us today."

"What is the meaning of this?"

A guard burst into the room.

"Councillor Olbrecht has been killed on his way here!"

Jesha, too, is a snake, after all.