A King

Lucas had been right about the number of people who tried to introduce themselves. Lake was just happy Lucas didn't mind beating them back with a stick. Lucas had insulted almost every person who had run up shouting their name and trying to shake his hand. Though there were a few Lucas actually spoke words with, and like Lucas had said every person worth their time had an entourage.

Now that they were inside it had calmed down. There were still loads of people around but they were all speaking quietly to one another, and only spared a few glances towards them. There didn't seem to be any rule actually forbidding talking at full volume so he asked. "Why did we come here exactly?"

Lake was here for a reason and at the moment all they would be able to tell the thieves guild was left. The left side of the castle was huge so Lake needed to get closer to the dot to figure out where it was. "We are here to meet the king, but we have plenty of time. Would you like to walk around the palace? It has a nice garden in one of the interior courtyards."

Lake had asked a question he already knew the answer to to tell Lucas they weren't close to the journal, this was a system they had agreed on before coming to the palace. They were here casing the joint, so they were trying to do so without making it obvious. "That would be nice." From now until the meeting with the king they would try to get as close as possible to the journal.

…

"What's that doorway lead to?" Lake pointed at a fancy red door that also seemed to be where the journal was being kept. "If I'm not mistaken that's one of the prince's rooms." Lucas knew Lake was telling him this was where the journal was, and that they now had their answer and where to tell the thieves guild to look. "It's about time for us to meet the king, let's go."

A few minutes later they walked into the most gaudy room Lake had ever seen. Every inch was covered in gold and jewels including the floor they were walking on. Lake didn't even need to ask Lucas which person was the king because even though every seat in this room looked like a throne the biggest was obviously holding the king.

Lake wondered why there were so many different fancy people on thrones but then he realized this was probably the king's entourage. It was kind of small compared to some of the ones they had seen earlier but sometimes quality was better than quantity. Lake bet the king's entourage had their own entourages and maybe it kept going.

Then Lake realized he was describing a pyramid scheme. The king had made it so every piece of information led to him. Where Lake had lived in his last life pyramid schemes had been illegal, because the people at the top were the only ones who really benefited, and not only did they scam the customers but most of the people who were a part of it.

"Hello King Leogerald." Lucas didn't really bow, but it was close. it was more of a head nod. Lake guessed this to be the most respectful thing Lucas could do without looking like he served the king. "Hello Guild Leader Lucas. I was surprised when you told me you would be coming today, with our feast in a few days there must be something important for you to come all this way."

Leogerald was obviously saying no one ever came to see him without wanting something from him, and Lake wondered if Lucas did want something. Lucas had made it seem like he only came to hash out the plans of the feast, and so Lake could tell him where the journal was, but why not have a third reason to do something.

"I've come to ask you the number of people you plan to bring with you. The person making the food is wondering how many portions she should make." Lake could tell Leogerald didn't like the question because he started to scowl. "Not much of a feast if there isn't extra food." This was an excellent point but Lake could tell Leogerald was just flaunting his power.

Earlier Lucas had said the king didn't have real power but if that was the case why was Lucas doing anything the king wanted. Why were they even throwing a feast in the first place? Lake only had one guess, and that was disinformation. Lake wondered if Lucas was afraid the king would spread lies to destroy the restaurants before they even opened.

It made sense to Lake that the person who controlled information could spread lies like they were truth. Lake realized people probably just gave the king what he wanted because it was easier than dealing with the repercussions. It was almost like how parents dealt with their spoiled children. They just kept saying yes even though it made the problem worse.

Lake wondered what was keeping them from just killing the king. If all the guilds and other equivalent organizations teamed up it wouldn't be hard to just get rid of the king. There had to be something actually keeping him power other than the information. "Sorry with there only being one chef who can make the food, there is a limit."

"If only one chef can make it, how are you going to open so many businesses?" Lake had really been expecting this king guy to be an idiot but maybe this world being so dangerous anyone with any power had to be pretty competent. He was clearly just doing exactly what Lake did, he was fishing for information under the guise of a conversation.

Lake was sure Lucas knew this as well but he still answered. "The chef is in the process of training apprentices that will be the ones to open the restaurants." Lake didn't like how simple his plan sounded in one sentence but the king seemed to find it very interesting. "If the skills are teachable, how are you going to keep it under your control? It won't take long for the Dark Guild Alliance to kidnap one of the apprentices and make them teach their own chefs to do the same."

Lake hadn't even thought of this and it had almost happened to him. "We were going to make them take the loyalty." Lake could tell Leogerald wasn't impressed with this solution. "All it would take is one curse master to undo that. If you drop the prices of your restaurants and give free meals to areas experiencing famine, I'll make sure you know before someone can nab one of your chefs."

This one sentence made Lake realize why no one dared to kill the king, he was beloved. Instead of making a deal that would benefit him like a cut of the profit, he asked for something the people needed, and no matter if his intentions were actually pure, if anyone hurt him the people of the kingdom would make sure they paid.

"I can't drop the prices in the restaurants, but I agree to the free meals." Leogerald smiled like he was going to agree, and said. "Ok then I'll tell you 50% of the time someone is going to take one of your chefs." Lake couldn't help but smile when the king said this. It was clear Leogerald had the advantage in this negotiation.

Lake understood now what Lucas had meant when he said the king had no real power over him. If Lucas wanted he didn't even have to agree to any of the king's demands. Technically the king was on the sidelines just watching the guilds fighting and wasn't making anything happen. He just watched until he saw something he could use to his advantage.

Once he had a juicy piece of information he just played both sides until he got a yes. If Lucas said no the King would let the Dark Guild Alliance take one of the chefs, and then ask them to do what Lucas had said no to. The king had no power to make anything happen, he just knew that it did.

"I'll drop the prices in the cheaper restaurants, but we need the upscale restaurants to stay expensive if you want us to be able to feed all the starving people in the kingdom." Lucas had clearly phrased this in a way the king liked because he said. "It's a deal, once I see if the food is safe I'll sell you the land you need for the restaurants."

It seemed the king was also the king in a traditional sense, but owning mass amounts of land was actually the least impressive thing about him. "I know you can't take my word for it, but as someone who eats it I can say it's safe." This sounded like the end of the discussion to Lake, so he waited for Lucas to give him the let's go look.

"It was your idea originally correct?" Lake looked up to see the king was looking at him. "Yes king Leogerald." Lake wasn't sure how he was supposed to address Leogerald. Lucas was the Guild Leader so it made sense he was equivalent or greater than the king, but Lake was just a member so he was probably supposed to show more respect.

"How'd you come up with it? It's a very good money making idea, and the fact someone of your age would be the source is very odd." Lake thought back and remembered he had thought of this plan to screw over Solomon because he thought Solomon was untouchable because he was Lucas's favorite which he thought meant Solomon made the guild a lot of money.

Lake had been wrong, the real reason Lucas protected Solomon was he was innocent Lucas didn't seem to really play favorites. "My plan was to make someone else as important as my enemy so when I killed them no one would care." Lake didn't want to risk lying so he just told the truth. The truth didn't matter anymore, Solomon was innocent and Lucas already knew Lake was a conniving bastard.

"Babababahahahbabahahaha. Good ideas usually are the result of something stupid like that." It seemed Lake had made the right choice Leogerald loved what he had said. "How would you like to marry one of my daughters? I'll give you the pretty one. We can always use smart people in the family. If you do a good job one of your children might be the next king."

"Just because you call her the pretty one doesn't mean she's good looking, it just means she's better than the others." Lucas grabbed Lake and started dragging him away. "Goodbye King Leogerald I'll be expecting your list of people you'll be bringing by tomorrow."

"No need to send a messenger. I'll be bringing 70 people but I would like if you placed that boy at the same table as my daughters. He can see for himself if she's the pretty one." Lake could hear Lucas grit his teeth as he said. "That's no problem." Lake didn't see what the big deal was, it wasn't like Lucas had any daughters he had asked Lake to marry.