Chapter 147

"So, what's the name of your order?"

"Didn't I tell you?"

I looked slightly surprised at Emgyr, though he was well aware that I was just playing and he himself was the reason our previous conversation hadn't gotten to this point.

"My omission..."

I shake my head playfully.

"...My name is David Martinez, head of the Aldecaldo Order. Next to me is my deputy for magic, sorceress Triss Merigold, and my deputy for general affairs, Panam Palmer."

I alternately pointed first to my redhead and then to the mulatto.

"How long has your order been in existence?"

"No..."

I shrugged, it was the Order that hadn't existed for that long. In fact I created it after I met Ciri, before that we existed as a clan that specialized in smuggling.

"Smuggling?"

The emperor's voice was filled with interest.

"Exactly. We specialized in it, preferring to move illicit goods across the border. We didn't do the obvious nasty stuff like drugs, though. I myself was a mercenary before I became head of the clan--

"Pfft!"

Triss snorted loudly.

"Is something wrong?"

Emgyr looked at her with a pinch of interest.

"Just his words about the OBVIOUS mercenary..."

She shook her head with intonation, emphasizing the word "usual" to make it clear what had caused her to react that way.

"He gained popularity rather quickly and became one of the best mercenaries of the city he lived in, and he lived in one of the most dangerous cities of his world."

"You're exaggerating..."

I shook my head at such words from Triss.

"Well, the danger of the city maybe, but that doesn't mean I'm going to forget that the most famous mercenaries were born in this city, and also that this city was usually where the most high-profile bookings took place...

She grinned, but I wasn't going to argue with her. I said my opinion, she said hers. I decided to stop there. Emgyr looked from Triss to me with interest.

"A mercenary, then?"

"Uh-huh.

"I can pay obviously more than my daughter can pay..."

I snorted.

"There's not enough money."

"Doubtful..."

Emgyr shook his head, and I couldn't figure out what he was trying to accomplish. I had just told him that I had founded an order to protect Ciri and help her in her endeavors. And he's trying to buy me...

No, if it were Vee, she might have been flattered by the offer, but I'm not her. Emgyr can't know that, though, and he's trying... but I don't know what he's trying to do. Whether he really wants to buy me, or whether he's trying to see if I'll betray his daughter.

"...she's still a nobody. I mean, she has status, but it won't help her outstrip my abilities. So how much do you want, so you can at least keep my guards from rounding her up and sending her back to the capital?"

"Father, I think we've settled this matter..."

"It seems to you..."

Emgyr looked mockingly at Ciri, who clearly didn't like the fact that I was trying to be bought. She knew I wouldn't help her father, though, just as I wouldn't stand by if she was attacked.

"And yet no. I'm not going to help you, and I'm not going to stand by if your people risk attacking Ciri. Perhaps in the short term, it would be of some use to me..."

I shrugged.

"...but that's only if you forget about concepts like friendship, honor and trust. So I suggest you forget about any plan where you force Ciri to obey."

"I see..."

Emgyr seemed to lose interest in this conversation and quickly turned the topic to the weapons my men were armed with. And I supported the topic by telling Emgyr about the weapons, but in such a way that he could not repeat it.

Ciri was ignoring Emgyr, and the emperor was blatantly ignoring his daughter, which caused some tension that didn't interfere with our communication. The Emperor's constant hints, in which he continued to make me various offers to work for him, didn't interfere with our communication either.

Naturally, I pretended as if I didn't notice these hints and suggestions of his and in general mine is a stupid mercenary. Mine is muscle and zero brains. I had already said everything I wanted to say and therefore didn't see the point in responding in any way.

No, if Emgyr hadn't been Ciri's father I would have thrown him out of the fortress by the scruff of his neck, and I wouldn't have even opened the gate to do it, just threw him diagonally upwards so that he flew over the wall and that would have been the end of it. But he had to put up with it for Ciri's sake...

Triss rubbed her foot lightly against mine under the table, as if to tell me, "Hang in there, I'm with you. Together we can get through this ordeal."

I had not been patient for nothing, however. For when I called one of the representatives of the Aldecaldo Order to escort the emperor to his quarters, I noticed the satisfied smile that appeared on his lips for a few seconds.

"Trump..."

Ciri gave an unequivocal characterization of Emgyr.

"Perhaps, but he's not only your father, he's also the emperor... And I think he's satisfied that he didn't succeed in getting David on his side."

Triss looked at Ciri.

"Yes, perhaps as a father Emgyr is disgusting, quite possibly he was an equally disgusting husband, however as an emperor..."

She shook her head.

"I'll say more..."

I decided to continue after Triss, who interrupted to take a couple sips of wine.

"...as emperor, he did the right thing and probably wouldn't be upset at all if he managed to win me over to his side. I think it would be a sign to him. A sign that you need to be surrounded by the right people because you can't find them."

Ciri pressed her lips together.

"Are you saying he doesn't have those thoughts right now?"

"There is..."

Triss said it without hiding a chuckle.

"But at least now he doesn't think you're a total loser. He's not going to stop trying to get David on his side, of course, but he's at least not disappointed with the way you pick your people."

"Who needs his approval?!"

"You..."

Panam decided to take part in the conversation, though while Emgyr was in the room she preferred to keep silent, the Emperor himself pretending that my swarthy girl did not exist. And that offended me more than the gore of his attempts to buy me off.

"...Just trust me, you need his approval if you want to become a great empress who can save so many lives."

"I want to..."

Ciri covered her eyes.

"Then be a little more restrained. You need to make Emgyr realize that you're a player in your own right-- remember, not a figure, a player.

"I realize that."

Ciri glanced at Panam with a disgruntled look and downed her wine glass, then quickly shook the rest of the wine on the floor and set it on the table. She swallowed the wine with difficulty and gave a slight wince.

"However, this arrogant asshole does not become pleasant in communication because of this understanding. And I will become a player in his eyes not soon enough and he will not care about all your strength. Rather, he will think that you play me..."

I shrugged after hearing Ciri's last words.

"He'd be partly right. All people play each other."

"I know. The only difference is the ratio in which we play each other. And I'm well aware that my debt to you is now growing..."

"Don't be silly..."

Triss gave Ciri a light slap, which was duplicated by Ian.

"you're making up some kind of debt. You're the one who called me and Ian sisters, so don't get any debt."

"Okay..."

Ciri smiled.

"All righty then."

Yen nodded contentedly at her named sister's words.

"But that doesn't mean I'm gonna forget what you've done for me and will do for me."

Triss grinned at these words from Ciri.

"You don't have to, just don't think we're gonna bill you. Yeah, and David won't."

"Hey!"

I looked at Triss indignantly.

"Actually, I was just planning on reminding our future empress of how much we've done for her and milking her not for favors for the Order..."

My indignation was easily faked, and my open and slightly teasing grin told the girls that I wasn't serious. At least not serious enough to take everything I said as a hundred percent true.

No, I was definitely planning to use Ciri and her position, and she knew it, but I wasn't planning to do anything to hurt her. And she understood that as well as Ian and Triss did.

"If you harm Ciri..."

Lightning flashed on Ian's fingers, though there was a slight chuckle on her lips.

"...if you hurt her..."

"Ian, well, you don't have to..."

Triss shook her head.

"...Of course David won't cause trouble for Ciri, because I have fire magic and if he does something..."

A very kind smile appeared on Triss' lips, blue fire dancing around her hand.

"Well actually, we were just planning on getting a lot of benefits..."

Panam joined the conversation, but I honestly didn't realize whose side she was on. She was either on my side or supporting the girls' joke, trying to make them have more reasons to make fun of me.

"Yeah, and if anyone's against it."

I looked at the spellcasters.

"I can whip one and leave the other to Scorpio."

Ian grinned, licking her lips to show that she wasn't frightened by the prospect, but rather interested. And Triss looked at me with a look that made it clear... she'd like to do something like that, too.

"Eh... Two perverts."

I shook my head.

"Hey!"

Both warlocks looked at me with great indignation.

"What? Am I wrong?"

"Well actually wrong..."

They spoke remarkably in sync.

"I don't know what you're thinking... But Ian and I just have a pretty broad outlook."

"If you say so..."

I shrugged at Triss, who realized that her words hadn't convinced me that she wasn't a pervert. I didn't really think she was, though; it was just a good excuse to mock the girls a little.

"Hmm. Come on, Triss, who tried to ask me for a unicorn?"

I blinked... I'm not a big fan of the witcher world, I only played the third part, but there was something about a unicorn... It's a shame that time has worn off...

Although wait...

If this is what Ian is talking about, and in the current context...

"You guys are perverts..."

I shook my head.

"...I haven't had sex on a horned horse yet."

"Why don't you give it a try?"

Yen grinned provocatively.

"No thanks and I think we've gotten a bit off topic and Ciri is just glad we're not discussing her relationship with Emgyr anymore."

"There's no relationship."

"And that's not good..."

This I said with the girls in unison.

"Ciri. We're not asking you to throw yourself around his neck and scream, "Daddy, you're the best," but at least establish a business relationship..."

"Okay..."

Ciri sighed, but acknowledged our rightness.

"...I'll give it a try..."