Valkyrie's Shadow

Chapter 16

“Thank you so much for inviting me, Prez!”

Across the carriage from Frianne was a young woman with ash-blonde hair, tied back to give her a tidy look. After the door shut behind her and she settled into her seat, the woman adjusted a large pair of shaded glasses.

“I feel that I should be thanking you for accepting my invitation, Miss Erex,” Frianne returned. “I didn’t expect anyone to make themselves available under these circumstances.”

“We all gotta do our best for the Empire. Also, ‘Miss Erex’ feels weird. Dimoiya is fine – just like back in the Academy!”

The girl – Dimoiya Tila El Erex – was Frianne’s junior when she had attended the Imperial Magic Academy. Like most who had passed their second-year promotional examinations during the summer, Dimoiya had settled on her career choice and proceeded onto her senior year practicum. As the daughter of a baronial house managing one of the inner territories, she possessed little in the way of martial talent and had no interest in joining the Imperial Army. Instead, she worked to secure a position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In terms of her magical ability, she was a rare Divination-school specialist…though perhaps it was expected of a young woman who was well known as a sort of information broker in the Academy. Those carefree days were past her, however, and she had set her sights on bigger things. Dimoiya had matured greatly in the time Frianne had last seen her, but bits of her childlike image still seeped through her attempts to conceal it.

“Still wearing those glasses, I see.”

“Of course!” Dimoiya smiled brightly, “Unlike certain lucky people who have ocular Talents, I need to rely on magic items for the same benefits. I still don’t get why some seal theirs away.”

“Hmm…if Miss Furt was here, she would say something along the lines of seeing what people have hidden away inviting unwanted risks.”

Frianne was one who would agree with Arche’s reasoning. Ocular Talents could be convenient, but they were not all uniform in effect and potency. Some could be detected when employed and simply knowing what one wasn’t supposed to know posed very real risks.

“If I were to choose between knowing and not knowing,” Dimoiya said, “I would rather know. Ignorance is a terrifying thing.”

This perhaps recklessly bold outlook was the reason why Frianne had settled upon calling Dimoiya to accompany her. Out of the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she was the only one who was willing to have anything to do with the Sorcerous Kingdom. If it were any other major nation, such an opportunity would be highly contested.

Dimoiya was either on the road to spectacular success or catastrophic failure, and Frianne wasn’t quite sure which it would be. At the bare minimum, she thought it would be a good use of her not insignificant talents. Better her than some heedless imbecile who would visit ruin upon the Empire.

“You’re right,” Frianne nodded. “Ignorance is a terrifying thing, which is why I’m surprised that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn’t assigned someone to be more familiar with our suzerain. Even the Court Council only has Lord Vermillion – everyone else just sidesteps the matter.”

“They couldn’t be that bad, could they?” Dimoiya leaned back in her seat as the carriage went on its way, “I mean…we’re not dead or turned into Undead. They don’t demand that we deliver a quota of citizens to be tortured and turned into Zombies…we don’t even pay taxes or any tribute, for that matter.”

The relationship between the Empire and the Sorcerous Kingdom was such that one would decide that the Empire had become something like a trophy for the Sorcerous Kingdom. They simply existed as a member of its hegemony and the only significant thing that had happened was the implementation of measures presumably to keep said trophy secure. As a client state, the Empire would technically be deemed a protectorate…except their suzerain was the Sorcerous Kingdom so no one was naïve enough to think that. Everyone harboured one fear or the other about the suspiciously benign nature of their relationship.

Across the Empire, the Temples continued to expound upon the evils of the Undead. Being the enemy of all life and all that was good, they surely had some nefarious scheme in play. Many in the political arena thought that the Sorcerous Kingdom awaited sufficient justification to destroy the Empire so that no one could say anything when they finally did. A few in the Imperial Ministry of Magic theorised that the Sorcerous Kingdom kept them as a sort of ‘reserve’ – a self-governing and self-sustaining supply of future corpses that the Sorcerer King would eventually raise as an army in his bid for world domination.

“Even if nothing bad has happened so far,” Frianne told her, “we must not let our guard down. That Human officials have arrived could be seen as suspicious in itself. One might be wary if they had sent Undead or monsters our way, but sending Humans instead is terrifying in its own way. I fear to think of what they’ve already seen and heard amongst the citizens who are unaware of their origins.”

Outside, the morning skies were dark and overcast; the streets were still soaked from the night’s rain. Their carriage shuddered as it left the First-class District and made its way down Central Avenue. Frianne studied the rather normal-looking itinerary delivered by Countess Corelyn for the hundredth time. They had requested access to several national institutions, including the Imperial Ministry of Magic and the Imperial Magic Academy. In addition, there was a tour of the First-Class District, the Slave Market and the Grand Arena. There was over a week’s worth of shopping and a desire to visit museums, theatres, libraries and even common residential areas.

It is what it is…

Or so her grandmother said. Frianne couldn’t for the life of her figure out what it ultimately all meant.

“So…what are they like?”

Frianne looked up from her reading.

“From their courtesy call at the Imperial Palace,” she said, “I can easily say that they are not to be underestimated. The Academy is dismissive of the old ways of the aristocracy, but these noblewomen do not appear to be incompetent by any measure. If anything, they may outstrip our best in unexpected ways.”

“Um, wow,” Dimoiya swallowed. “If it’s the Prez saying that, they must be pretty amazing. I guess that’s why you have those bags under your eyes.”

Her hand went up to touch her cheek in reaction to Dimoiya’s observation.

“Is it showing?” Frianne asked.

“Nope! The Illusion’s on good. No one should be able to see anything.”

The glasses Dimoiya wore were a magic item that could be activated to check for various things, such as the presence of illusions and magical equipment. The younger woman pulled out a notepad, placing it over her crossed legs.

“Is there anything I should watch out for in particular?” She asked.

“To be honest,” Frianne admitted, “our official intelligence on them is quite limited. Their houses were all minor ones when they were a part of Re-Estize, so they weren’t the focus of our espionage efforts. On our end, they were on the list of houses to keep and reeducate for when we finally annexed E-Rantel.”

“That’s a surprise,” Dimoiya murmured as she wrote away, “they always went on about how horrible Re-Estize’s Nobles were in the Academy.”

The superiority of the Baharuth Empire was impressed upon its citizens and especially upon the future leaders of the nation who attended the Imperial Magic Academy. While it was broadly true, it spread ideas that Frianne thought might lead to hubristic attitudes. She understood the usefulness that these efforts had in creating a collective identity for the nation, but those in Foreign Affairs needed to understand where the line between truth and propaganda lay.

“That’s probably not a topic you should broach with them,” Frianne said. “Three of the four – Corelyn, Wagner, and Gagnier – are scions of merchant houses, so they should be well informed with intelligence networks of their own. Too many people are willing to believe in the ignorance of others and it’s an easy way to trip up imperial officials. Wagner is descended from pre-imperial nobility, so her connections may be deeper than we think. Corelyn is especially dangerous.”

“Dangerous in what way?”

“Almost every way. She’s the same age as I am, but I’m fairly certain she can exchange blows with the dukes and come out ahead.”

Dimoiya stopped writing, looking up to raise an eyebrow at her.

“Hoookay. Maybe I should just avoid her if I can. What about number four?”

“Zahradnik is a Frontier Noble. She gives off the same loose feeling as ours.”

“Like Lady Rockbruise, then?”

“I don’t know,” Frianne shook her head. “Corelyn was representing them, so she was the only one who spoke. Based on what I saw of Zahradnik, she’s probably as strong as Lady Rockbruise; maybe even Lord Anoch or Lord Peshmel? I don’t really have an eye for that sort of thing.”

“So she can grab each of us in a hand and snap us in half without breaking a sweat. Got it.”

Frianne frowned at Dimoiya’s summary. She wasn’t wrong, but, hopefully, she wouldn’t carry that attitude around them.

Before long, their carriage stopped in front of the Mithril Garden Inn. Though Frianne knew of its existence, she had never been to the place before. Built on a run-down section of Mithril Street, the old smiths and foundries had been replaced by tasteful storefronts, restaurants and artistic venues. As they stepped into the entry of the boulevard, a wave of warmth enveloped them.

“Miss Erex,” Frianne said, “can you see what’s causing that?”

Dimoiya adjusted her glasses, looking around.

“There’s a magic item over the door, Lady Frianne,” she said. “Judging by the effect, it’s probably temperature-regulating utility magic.”

“That’s quite ingenious.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Rather than attempting to forcefully heat the entire space, they had entrapped it in glass like a solarium and used magic items to regulate the temperature of the air flowing into the enclosure. In addition to managing the ventilation, she suspected that other problematic areas where heat could be lost had magic items for the same purpose. Not only did it stay warm in the winter, but it would also experience a degree of cooling in the summer.

“Is that them, my lady?”

Frianne followed Dimoiya’s gaze to a corner of the central intersection of the market.

“I was afraid of this,” she sighed.

“Those guys really don’t know when to give up,” Dimoiya scowled. “They even come after little Nobles like me.”

In front of a lobby entrance were not the four noblewomen from the Sorcerous Kingdom, but two dozen men trying to get past a picket of maids, footmen and security guards. Frianne looked over at a nearby patrol.

“It looks like the knights are waiting.”

“Yep. Want me to do it?”

“If you don’t mind.”

Dimoiya checked over her dress, then walked past the men with Frianne’s maid in tow. Several of the men noticed and turned to approach her. The Knights pounced.

Five minutes later, the attainted were cleared away and Frianne walked up to the lobby entrance. Dimoiya sniffed at her sleeve and wrinkled her nose.

“Sorry for the trouble.”

“Don’t mention it,” Dimoiya said. “Gotta make some sacrifices sometimes, I guess. And it’s always fun to watch the Knights break them up.”

Watching the attainted and their antics had become a pastime of sorts in the capital. To Frianne, it felt like there was nothing that the people liked more than to watch those in authority fall.

Frianne and Dimoiya entered the lobby, where they found the four noblewomen awaiting them. Unlike the previous evening where they were adorned in fashions suitable for an audience at the Imperial Palace, Corelyn, Wagner and Gagnier appeared as wealthy merchant stock. Zahradnik remained in the dress that Frianne saw from before, looking like a watchful sentry as she stood over where the other three noblewomen were seated.

“The siege is lifted!” Countess Wagner rose with a cheer, “Hail to our imperial reinforcements.”

At least they didn’t seem upset. Frianne walked up to them, lowering her head slightly.

“I’m terribly sorry that you had to experience that. The Knight patrols cannot move until something happens that warrants enforcement actions.”

“We understand,” Countess Corelyn nodded. “Were there any issues on your end?”

Frianne suddenly recalled the deciphered itinerary.

“There will be no issues visiting the public establishments,” she said, “and I had a request for visitation delivered to the Imperial Magic Academy. I’ve also contacted some colleagues in the Imperial Ministry of Magic. We should receive a reply within the day, so it shouldn’t interfere with our schedule. Ah, my companion here is Dimoiya Tila El Erex, a senior of the Imperial Magic Academy and a junior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Dimoiya lowered herself into a curtsey.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, my ladies.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Erex,” Lady Corelyn smiled. “Strangely enough, the Empire hasn’t established a chancery in the Sorcerous Kingdom.”

“Ah, yes,” Dimoiya brightened, “if the position is still available in a few years, I was thinking of joining our diplomatic mission to the Sorcerous Kingdom as a member of the staff.”

Not that the Empire was planning any sort of diplomatic mission to the Sorcerous Kingdom. There was no way someone like Countess Corelyn didn’t know that, however. Frianne watched for any shift in her expression, but there was none.

“We’re not here in any official capacity,” Lady Corelyn said, “but I think it’s a delightful thought. If you learn quickly and apply yourself, a position as an ambassador might be possible.”

“R-really?”

Ah, I’m glad I picked Dimoiya.

In less than thirty seconds, Countess Corelyn had essentially packed Dimoiya away to be sent to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Anyone else would have baulked at this point or fainted on the spot, but Dimoiya genuinely wanted the position.

“I guess it’ll be Countess Erex soon, huh.”

Dimoiya rubbed the back of her head with a bashful expression.

“Ehehe…my parents will be so excited.”

And with that, Countess Wagner sealed Dimoiya’s fate. Not only had they swiftly manoeuvred the dazzled girl into a position of their choosing, but they had also demonstrated a solid grasp of imperial politics.

With so many houses subjected to attainder, the Emperor had many titles in the offering to those who distinguished themselves. The head of an embassy would normally be granted a minor title, but the Empire could not afford to offend its suzerain by appointing a minor Noble as an ambassador. As such, the position would, by necessity, include a promotion to Count at the bare minimum.

No one who had proven themselves capable of working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reckless enough to aim for that position except Dimoiya. As long as she didn’t screw up – Frianne doubted that she would – her becoming an ambassador was an inevitability.

Who ‘unofficially’ visits and turns someone into a Countess of the Baharuth Empire within minutes of meeting them?

How much of this had been planned? How much was recognized on the spot and exploited to its fullest extent? Was Frianne herself a pawn in their manipulations? There had been no promises; no official statements made…yet she did not doubt that everything in their brief exchange would come to pass.

Lord Anoch was right. Her grandmother was right. Her cousin was right.

The Sorcerous Kingdom was a nation of monsters.

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