74 Actions Have Consequences
London, England,
Trambelio Subsidiary Mansion,
"Ah... home sweet home.... I should have this place torn down."
Roman's comments were, as erratic and strange as always... The Magician walked with the help of a black cane, looking around at the mansion's luxurious interior, a shit eating grin on his face.... He'd already vacated the main Trambelio Residence and ordered golems to tear the place down, just because he could....
One of his sisters screaming 'murderer' in his face as he left had been a rather enlightening experience but Roman commended them, they didn't change colours when faced with his 'feats'.. No they just plain hated him... fortunately, he didn't quite care about them.
"Master..... I request you not do that." Thea spoke calmly, eyes closed and hands held over her stomach, ever the dutiful maid..... while she understood her Master's sentiments, they'd lived here for as long as she could remember... It had a special place in the homunculus' nonexistent heart.
"Very well." Roman granted the request without much thought, putting both hands on his cane.... how long would it be wondered? Till the nobles' pride was outdone by their desperation? It'd be a terribly amusing sight...
"Roman, as fulfilling as it was...." Melvin Weins fixed his glove, walking up behind Roman, "You sure antagonising nearly all nobility was a good move? Not that I mi-.ugh..." He coughed blood, disoriented.... The Weins were a branch family of the Trambelio and Melvin was about to become the head... his allegiances weren't hard to figure out.
"Course it was... Hell are those lot gonna do? Throw tantrums?" Roman shrugged, glancing at the grey haired young man with a thin smile, his eye shining... They really weren't in a position to be acting out their desires.
"There's also.... You got away.... scot-free.." Melvin spoke in breaks, being careful to avoid speaking too much so as not to vomit blood, "I don't think..... they'll be too.. pleased..." The magus huffed, hand over his chest, this illness really wasn't a nice thing to have.
"This is just painful..." Roman sighed, patting Melvin's shoulder softly and retracting his hand... He had just done something he should have done much sooner, healed the illness plaguing his friend... though, it would be gradual to avoid Melvin feeling indebted because, even if he was a shitty person, Melvin had still helped him many many times.
".....What was the point of that?" Melvin was confused by Roman suddenly touching his shoulder.
"Just felt like it." The Magician only shrugged, not bothering with explanations.
"Then, as I was.... saying.." Melvin continued with a small cough, "They'll even be discontent..... with the twelve lords.. The latter might be forced... into acting." This was actually worrying, what Roman had done warranted severe repercussions... Him getting off without so much as a fine was enough to upset the facade of a power balance they did have.
"How can they do that?"
"The people matter too..."
"I mean....." Roman raised his hand, a shit eating grin forming on his face as he did, "How can they make me act against me?" He displayed the back, or rather, the crest engraved into the back of his hand... The Trambelio Crest, signifying the current Trambelio Lord and by extension, Lord of all branch families and the Lord of the Democratic Faction as well as the Lord of the Department of General Fundamentals...
Now, one might wonder how the last title fared against the former two and normally, it really wouldn't.. The Department itself, General Fundamentals, was imperative to the Magical World.. Why? Well, any who studied at the Clock Tower would know that one quite literally begins their studies in said department and then goes on to others.
Located in the main building, much similar to Big Ben... The Department of General Fundamentals was the very core of the Clock Tower. Of course, they could try to depose him but that would mean outdoing a man that laid waste to an entire modern city with chantless, single-action spells.
"Oh...." Melvin stopped short, his smile twitching.... This was just...., "Great!" He clapped his hands together enthusiastically, greatly amused... Fucking with Roman would be akin to digging one's own grave..., "The Weins will support the Trambelio as always." The pale haired magus bowed with a hand over his heart, smiling.
"Or rather, you will always have my aid, Roman."
"...How many times have I told you to be stop being a faggot?"
"Fag....what?" Melvin tilted his head in confusion, smiling much like an excited child... The good news made him more giddy than the one it actually benefited.... Roman had delivered more than what was promised! "Anyway, what about the rest of the Democrats? We going to strong arm them?"
"Who do you think brought me the crest?" Roman resumed walking, all the while looking for anything that might have been disturbed in the month that he'd been gone...
"The Democrats..." Melvin put a hand on his chin, racking the gears in his head to come up with a satisfactory answer.... unfortunately, thinking really wasn't his strong suit... Fortunately though, this was easy to understand, "Ah, they want to be true to their beliefs..... And also don't want to risk losing you to the Aristocrats...." That was a very real risk seeing as the Aristocratic Faction had taken his side for seemingly nothing in return.
"So, my dear friend, tell me... Do they have the luxury of hating me?" The Deity smiled widely, letting out a content sigh now that his survey of his mansion was finished.
"Not if they value their lives and standings." It was the simple truth... In a matter of days, the man before him, despite not having one eye and having to walk with aid, had amassed enough wealth and power that no one, quite literally no one was capable of openly going against him..., "I wonder when they'll come to terms with the destruction of a city." ... That too was a feat warranting more attention than it was getting at the moment.
For a magus to do something like that in the 20th century was insane nay... impossible.
"Now then, off with you. I need to pamper that kid I took in."
Roman shooed away one of his oldest friends.
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"Are you enjoying yourself?"
"..."
"Clearly not."
Roman slumped over, oozing a slightly depressed aura... How was one supposed to take care of kids again? He didn't exactly have much experience in the 'normal' part of familial life.... Here they sat, with a mountain of desserts ranging from varieties of cakes to ice cream sundaes and yet... Sakura was just staring at him with those dead eyes of hers.
"Why?"
"No reason really." The magician answered truthfully, relaxing back into his chair with a laidback smile....., "Story of my life really..." Roman chuckled, realising the sheer stupidity of his words... even if they were the partial truth.
"How?" Sakura questioned, understanding his answer to be a lie... It had to be one right? He definitely had something to gain from helping someone as wretched and filthy as herself.. Why else would he bother?
"....Is it really that hard to fathom?" The raven haired Magician couldn't help but speak up, releasing a sigh soon after... "Yeah, I get you." He softly patted her head, he wouldn't trust anyone that was genuinely nice to him either, sounded too shady, "I won't say my treatment was the same as yours, you make me seem lucky. All I got was a few attempts on my life.."
Perhaps this way, Sakura would understand that he really didn't mean any harm.
The purple haired girl listened on, finding no lies in his words... not that she was amazing at discerning them in the first place.
"But I do at least get what being discarded is like somewhat... So just think of it as my attempt at one-upping my own parents." Roman smiled, closing his one eye... The sole reason they'd given him money was because it would stain their image if they didn't... Money that he used even if he didn't need to,
"Just enjoy yourself."
Sakura only gave a small nod in response, she couldn't help but think he was a little weird though... Really, was that reasoning supposed to console her? ....Still... taking a bit of pity on him, to avoid making him feel bad... she indulged herself a bit and reached for a spoon.
It was at this moment that Thea walked in, lowering herself and whispering in Roman's ear, "The Tohsaka, Matou and Einzbern documents related to the Grail have been delivered to Lord Marisbury Animusphere." The homunculus smiled warmly at Sakura before excusing herself, having fulfilled her task.
"That's my end of the deal upheld... Lets see what the prodigious Marisbury can cook up."
Such was the nature of their deal, in exchange for his support, Roman would aid him... It was just mutual aid past the complicated shit it actually involved.
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