73 Political Warfare

Trambelio Main Residence,

Main Office,

"Master, was it really worth it?"

Tamamo no Mae nigh whispered, a small sigh escaping her lips... The fox-eared Caster sat on one of the sofas in her Master's new office and admittedly, the red cushions were rather soft and comfortable.. so much so she'd dozed off more than once by now... Her tails rested calmly and yet, her ears paid attention to all conversations they caught wind of.

"You really have to ask that? Course it was."

Roman fixed his navy blue suit, a small grin practically etched across his suit as he spun around in the chair, staring at the ceiling with both hands held together....

A day or two, he wasn't quite sure had passed since he put down McDonell and effectively seized all Trambelio territories, the same time during which many of his undertakings were made public 'without his consent'... Bah as if, he'd never intended for his assets to remain secret.

The corporation he owned, had made it's head public, keeping it under wraps up until now and more than just the Magical World was in uproar following the revelation.... not to mention the sheer amount of attempts made at kidnapping him since then.. It was laughable really, humans trying to capture a literal Deity.

Roman casually flipped through a document on his table, whistling to himself.

There were many people who felt empty when they obtained something they aspired for.. Safe to say, Roman was most certainly not one of those people. He still felt a bit giddy seeing one of his plans bear fruit.

The base of operations? India... Why? Well, in the time period he began his operations, the country was fairly new and acquiring sizable parts of land away from civilization was a rather easy task... Once that was done, golems easily did the job of construction and once even that was done and the daily-goods department of his industries established itself as a necessity to the country's populace and economic situation... The government no longer bothered apart from taxes..

Why would they? They were even given discounts when buying the mass-produced weaponry and other goods that came from his factories.. The country itself didn't exactly have a shortage of talented individuals for his R&D departments but that really really wasn't what he based his operations there for (Didn't hire them)... just that the nation's state then was easy to use to his advantage, to make sure that no one came snooping around...

Not to say there hadn't been any attempts at sabotaging their operations or any spies but when the security system was one largely dependent on bounded fields for detection and making people 'lose their way', it was pretty muc impossible to do either... The bounded fields were self sustaining and even fucked with people's heads if they tried to enter for the sole purpose of taking away information or had any harmful intent really..

Of course that too was suspicious as all hell but it did the job.

Hey, it wasn't like he was really harming the nation and it's people was it?

That's right, he was a saint giving people jobs..not really, his workers were mostly golems or homunculi.. because they were rather... loyal.

".....Master really is a piece of work.." Tamamo couldn't help but let those words escape her lips, how could anyone blame her? This was far far too removed from what the norm! She was left shocked when she looked over Roman's shoulder in curiosity and that curiosity really did kill the cat.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Roman was quick to reply, turning towards the door, his gaze hardening.... He never was one to spend time simply idling by, and establishing all this had taken up the better half of a decade... Though, he admitted it was a bit outlandish for the corporation to be focusing on weaponry on one hand and daily-use goods on the other.

"Of course, it was meant as one." Folding her arms, the Japanese servant nodded with closed eyes. This was awe-inspiring and she was certain her Master might just end up becoming a servant some day..... Could you be a servant without dying though?

It was then that she spotted Roman staring at his hand with his one eye slightly wider, ".... I really don't like this development.." The Magician muttered to himself, observing his hand... He'd considered the possibility but really hoped it wouldn't be the case.

"The World is rejecting you Master.." Tamamo no Mae bit her lower lip, displeased.... Her master's hand was becoming ethereal... as in, no longer physical.... It wasn't amusing that Roman was only smirking and passing it through his table like a child.

"I'm a ghost now." Roman chuckled, "Boo."

".....I wouldn't mind being haunted by Master."

"....Leave."

Roman's smile twitched, their connection informing him that her words weren't a complete joke..., "That aside, I thought my own body would do as a vessel."

"Of course it wouldn't.." Tamamo facepalmed, sighing to herself and explaining, "A deity isn't inhabiting your body, you are one... That body is as much Divine as you are... Of course the Age of Man rejects it.." One way to solve this would be to simply make him being a God public and subsequently generate insane amounts of mystery to sustain his continued existence.

In the age of man, the age of the religion that was science, there was no place for the Gods and they would end up in the Reverse Side of the World, a place just for them..... Tamamo didn't even for a moment consider her Master would accept that..

"I guess taking the Einzbern crest and documents has it's uses." Roman only smiled, quickly hiding the hand under his table just as the office door was opened and an old woman walked in, "What brings the Lady Valualeta here?"

"Bo- no, Lord Roman... It pleases me that you know of those that you should.." Inorai walked up to him with firm steps, finally stopping a few inches away from his table. She put a hand on her hips and stared down at him, her gaze unfeeling and unsettling as ever, "I come with an invitation."

"Oh my... Ignoring the shit coming out your mouth, what makes you come all the way to me?" The Magician smiled widely, his gaze managing to unsettle even the fortress that was Inorai Valualeta Atroholm...

It felt as if her every move was being observed and noted.

It really was... Though it was just one of many passive skills doing it's job.

"It seems your tongue's reputation isn't unfounded." Inorai smiled slightly, tilting her head a bit to the right and sitting down, without asking for permission.... A power play from her.

"Oya oya... for a lady to sit down without permission, did your parents not teach you anything? Well of course they didn't, otherwise my Master wouldn't have had to prove himself." Tamamo spoke unfiltered, a few fingers over her mouth, her gaze ridiculing... She really didn't like the magi nobility.

"For a servant to talk so brazenly.. Girl, do know your place." Inorai seemed barely fazed by the blatant insults, even if they were true... She was a being made to manoeuvre the political battlefield, losing her cool would show weakness.

"Last I checked. The Valualeta were under the Trambelio." Roman chided in, smiling calmly.... even if calculating his moves was no longer a necessity, he did it out of habit anyway.

"'With' not under, we supported your father.... You too would be well off controlling your tongue." Inorai closed her eyes, smiling warmly... Her expression betrayed her words completely.. She rather liked him now. The sole reason for inviting him personally lay in the fact that he stood to inherit the Trambelio name now.

"Oh please.." Roman snickered, blowing her off... It was as if she didn't know just how many nobles had been declined at the door over the time he'd taken over... They all wanted his good graces now that he took over.... Not that he blamed them though, hating them would be childish... It wasn't like one of them had been forcing him to remain hidden... They were simply too mentally retarded to realise what they were doing.

"Then..." Inorai found herself somewhat genuinely taken aback, "You already know?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about." Roman simply brushed off the question, again... It was amusing to see them scurry around after all...., "I would be careful about assassination attempts though..."

They were interrupted by a thud..

"Master.... I found an insect crawling around."

A severed head landed on the carpets covering the floor, fresh blood dirtying the expensive fabric.

"Not again!"

"...What is...." Inorai looked at the head unbothered, used to seeing such bloody displays of violence.

Roman only smiled, "An intruder probably...."

"Master, are you sober?"

The one who'd hunted down said intruder appeared by Roman's side, smears of blood on her grey shirt and blue jeans, even on her hair.... Tamamo no Mae huffed seeing the War God of Echigo cause such a mess so early on in the day.... It was as if battle was the only thing the weirdo knew.

"We should drink again sometime..."

"You might end up defiled."

"What makes you think I'd mind?"

Inorai's coughing stopped that conversation short, good thing it did, "Is this supposed to be a show of power, Lord Roman?"

"Not really, it's a coincidence." Roman shrugged, not caring if the older woman believed him or not, it truly was a coincidence.. he totally didn't have anything to do with it.

"Well, no matter.. We, Valualeta, formally invite you to a gathering in a fortnight.. You'll find attending to be rather fruitful.."

"I'll be there." Roman clapped his hands together and gave her a thumbs up, though his face seemed to say, "What took you so long?"

Needless to say, Inorai felt she was coming to realise just why and how he'd been able to hide himself so well for so long.

"Oh and, a show of goodwill from the Democratic Faction..." Inorai reached into her sleeve and pulled out a jar, placing it on the table with her eyes closed, "Rest assured, most of us hold no grudge over your actions."

"The Trambelio Crest?" Roman eyed the container curiously, that 'gathering' was a ploy to show their stances towards him wasn't it? "You said most..."

"Well of course, there are those that treasured your father more than our beliefs."

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Review?

The political warfare through undertones and concealed threats begins. You also got a bit of an explanation on how Roman gets his money... he just produced it out of thin air at the start but at this point, he no longer needs to.

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Name the first power that comes to mind that isn't related to the elements.

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