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86.41% Dragonborn Saga / Chapter 648: Recipe for Disaster

Chapter 648: Recipe for Disaster

A/n: I was out of town for the past couple of days so take this 2n1 double chapters. All the best… This chapter also has some past reveals. Buckle up.

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(Part 1)

"And for my first order as the Jarl of Solitude, I hereby appoint Jonhild Firemane, known to the public as Jon Dare, a Thane of Haafingar with all the rights to operate as a first-class law-enforcing official in this realm. The second who will gain this title is the Dragonborn whose name shall be withheld from the public due to security reasons. May the Light of the Divine bless you all and bless Haafingar."

Jarl Bryling of Solitude made the speech on the gates of the Blue Palace after she put her sword to rest and carried a hammer to fix the Palace's broken gate.

She was still with the hammer in her hand when a message came from the Elder Council that she was recommended for the seat of Jarl and was approved by the Emperor immediately.

Bryling kneeled before the Imperial Decree, issued Jon's title of a Thane, then turned back to hammer the dent on the gate as if nothing happened.

Jon heard the news when he was on the Dockyard overseeing the business reopening of the East Empire Trading Company office.

This time, the Company officers were waiting for his orders to start running their business.

"I guess my work here is done." Behind him, Thane Brina Merilis stood with still the same look in her eyes.

"I guess so." Jon said.

She was here taking a boat back to Dawnstar when she ran into Jon. Strange enough, this woman would rather headbutt than avoid him.

"It is a shame. You can stay here and be of good use to Bryling." Jon couldn't help but smear his salt.

"She is an upright woman, much more than I can ever be. Sadly, she is delusional like the rest of them." Brina said.

"You hate me this much?" Jon asked.

"Because you are by no means upright. You are not a bad person Jon Dare, I know that well or you would have never succeeded. But you don't care about the small people beneath."

"Is that so?" Jon asked, "Last I checked, Winterhold doesn't even have slums and Dawnstar's situation is just because someone is being as stubborn as an old goat."

"You see it wrong." Brina said, "What you see is that so long they work under you, it is all fine. Tell me Jon Dare, can I just be a small person, go into Winterhold, buy a shop, and run a smithy?"

"If you…"

"Before you answer, no one can." Brina said, "Because no one can rival the Dare Industries. A workshop that houses 70 Smithing Experts and makes them work with machines and tools, not a random smith can even acquire. Not even the great Eorlund Grey-Mane with a legendary forge can hold a candle to the Dare Industries anymore." Brina continued, "Not even Arcadia the Healer Alchemist of Whiterun is as good as the Dare Pharmacy. No mercenary in Skyrim is better equipped than a Dare Corp Mercenary. Not a single merchant is as fast as a Dare Ship or a Dare Caravan. Then they start losing business and fall into debt before they run around to who? To you, Jon Dare. You give them money, own half their business, and call it investment then all of a sudden, they just fall in love with you again. You see why, Jon Dare?"

"My methods of helping people are flawed?" Jon asked.

"No, they are almost flawless. So flawless you start missing the flaws that we were used to. When was the last time I saw two blacksmiths competing with each other over whose craft is better or two alchemists pranking each other with their brews? Where did that spirit go? Now, they all work to meet your supply and demand ratios with soulless eyes and pockets full of your gold… and something tells me you know what I am talking about too well."

Then she left on a longboat that was conveniently setting off just as she got in.

"I do know it too damn well." Jon sighed and sat on a crate watching the sea.

"Nevermind her, son." But Jonrad was there already drinking and offering his son a bottle, "All you've done was push those people forward to have better lives."

"Heh!" Jon smiled, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing." Jonrad replied, "Think of it as drinking with an old friend I don't really want to see."

Jonrad raised his bottle towards the Emperor's ship sitting at the mouth of the river.

"Any chance his first name is Titus?" Jon asked.

"Yeah. Used to work for him. You know how it ended." Jonrad said.

"He called me Jonrad when he saw me and I couldn't help but feel my stomach…" Jon said.

"Urgh!" Even Jonrad made that face.

The two turned around and spat in the river.

"God, I must have looked horrible when I was young."

"God, I must have had my face smeared with shit in the fight."

"Jo… Jorna… Jornaaad!" A drunken Nord man walked to him, "Daym… I see… four of you now!"

"That's a drinking buddy of mine I just met." Jonrad introduced, "His name is… I don't remember. Hands-Fuck-Beard or something similar, I dunno anymore."

"That's an Argonian name." Jon said.

"The only thing you take after me son is your tolerant attitude with other races." Old Jon praised Young Jon.

Jon pushed the drunken man away with a stick into a boat and the man went to sleep.

"Whatever!" Jon said, "So old comrades are bringing you down here just to drink with the drunken sailors."

"It is a custom to drink for three days after surviving a battle, boy." Jonrad said.

"Thank Goodness it is ending tonight then. And I don't get drunk anymore." Jon said and threw the bottle away.

"That woman frustrated you, huh?" Jonrad asked.

"Well… you know how it goes. I hate those memories."

"What memories?"

"Past life."

"You used to brag about them."

"I still do. I just don't like bad ones."

"Bad ones?"

"Being a powerless man… not being able to make a difference… everything is planned for me to do… hating that I'm worth nothing and my fate is in the hands of someone stronger, richer, and sleeps with enough women to make a pimp cry from jealousy."

"Now you're bragging." Jonrad chuckled, "But after that illusion realm you created for your past life. I see that it is too much for a person to bear sometimes. Too much in life you just forget it was all once this simple."

"Yeah. It seems I made too much progress and it upsets some people."

"But your past was a low-ranking law person. You didn't have the blood of your father like you have now or your family."

"I'm not talking about being a lawyer." Jon said, "I was talking about the exact thing you said after it."

Jonrad found his son's words puzzling for the first time.

"I became a lawyer out of my… rebellion against a father." Jon said, "He was my father alright but he was no family."

It was almost the first time Jon talked in detail about his past self.

"A father… but not family."

"Yeah… me and him with a big ass house and endless money. I just had to follow everything I was told. Be the perfect fiddle." Jon said.

"It is like I am getting to know about you for the first time." Jonrad said, "So you experienced life as a privileged child. Why did you turn out to be a poor wuss?"

"That takes us to the woman who was supposed to be my mother."

"How so?"

"Let's just say that having two mothers in this life is probably a compensation from the Heavens since I never knew who she was."

"You made the drink taste like shit now." Jonrad said.

"It always does."

"I know that I am your father, boy, no doubt. But to the other you in there… that man may have been your father, but he was never your daddy." Jonrad said in a state of drunken pride.

"You know what… I'm just too tired to lay the Itchy Curse on you." Jon said and walked away.

"Wait… Itchy Curse… the other day… that was you?"

Jon didn't listen and walked away fast but Nefertiti appeared before him.

"Something happened, hooman." She said.

"Alright." Jon crouched down, "Take me there."

The two disappeared via teleporting and after they did, a bottle was smashed at where Jon stood.

"Damn you… stupid lawyer son! You lawyers always make people feel itchy… bring shame upon your ancestors! Oblivion takes you all."

***

(Part 2)

"Master, you said that the future should unfold this way. But it didn't."

Beth offered Jon a timeline of her monitoring operation.

"This is… strange!"

"That's why I asked Nefertiti to tell you."

"Good job, girls."

"Can we go play now?" Nefertiti asked as she jumped on the paper at Jon's hand.

"Beth, you can have a break until tomorrow. And you kitty cat will also take a break before we can head out." Jon passed Nefertiti to Beth and started to compare his information with the report.

The Dark Brotherhood is Jon's next playground but it seemed that the unexpected happened.

In the Game, after taking the contract on the Emperor's Head from Amaund Motierre, the player has to kill three figures in order to approach the Emperor.

First, Vittoria Vici, the Emperor's Cousin. Once she gets butchered in her wedding, the Emperor will be obliged to attend her funeral.

Second, Gaius Maro, son of Commander Maro of the Imperial Secret Service and head of the Emperor's security. By killing him and planting false evidence on his body, the Emperor will understand that the attempt was failed, alienate Commander Maro whose son is a traitor, and have a fake sense of peace as his assassination attempt was already foiled.

Third, the Gourmet, an enigmatic cook whose skills are second to none on Tamriel. This man was supposed to cook for the Emperor by his request. Once the cook is killed, the assassin will pose as the cook and poison the Emperor.

The problem doesn't lie in any of the three but between the second and the third. Once the player is done with the second, a situation will occur in the Sanctuary of the Dark Brotherhood where the Keeper of the Night Mother, the jester called Cicero, will attempt to attack the leader of the Sanctuary, Astrid, and injures the Assassin Veezara instead.

After that happens, the player will have to chase after Cicero all the way to Dawnstar and deal with him. The player then takes the third kill on their hit list.

But what went wrong was the fact that Cicero didn't do anything. Meaning that unlike the game, this Cicero behaved out of line, and Serana, the one posing as the Listener proceeded to the third kill and isn't too far from the Gourmet's location.

"The Gourmet must live."

Jon immediately donned Greed as a cloak, called all his artifacts from around the Golden Dragon Isle, and opened a portal to the Nightgate Village.

Serana's signal wasn't too far to the west and Jon had to deal with things before she would do anything. He walked immediately to the Nightgate Inn and looked around the place.

"Huh! You're here, Captain?" The Voice of an old man reacted to Jon's appearance in the inn.

"Old Fultheim, I am the son, not the father. I told you last time to go visit the Dare Pharma and get your sight checked."

"Bah! A brat with an attitude." Said Fultheim, who is a regular at the Nightgate Inn and a friend to Jon's parents as well as the one who delivered him to Riften when he was about 1 year old along with Hilda. (Chapter 3)

"Old man, a quick question." Jon walked in the empty and started pouring some oatmeal in a plate before putting it in front of Fultheim, "You didn't happen to see an Orc lodging in this inn. Seems like a rich guy."

"Yeah, he takes the room in the cellar for some weird reason. He is out picking herbs so wait for him." Fultheim said.

"I would love to but I have to get to him before the others do. Will tell father you said hey." Jon pushed himself up and left.

"Suit yourself."

Jon hurried out and looked around the roadside in order to find the Gourmet who is an Orc. The place seemed empty so he utilized a spell to look for the man in question and there he was.

But he wasn't alone. There, Jon could see a man talking to the Gourmet and the two were very engrossed in their conversation.

"But for how much longer?" The Orc asked, "I have long since run out of ingredients to experiment on."

"Master Balagog, we promise you it will be within a week at the very most. This will help you establish your goals as well as ours." The other man replied who seemed to be a Breton after a further inspection.

"You people approached me with this proposition first. I really appreciate your patronage but I have a lot to get done and this barren wasteland has nothing left to offer. If you don't come to me in one week, I will leave for Solitude right away." The Orc raised his tone

"I understand. Please, meet us in Solitude after six days to give us time to prepare. If you go to Winterhold, you can take a fast ship to Solitude from there." The Breton said.

"I see. Be on your way then." The Orc agreed at the end.

This conversation was between the Gourmet and an Agent of an Imperial Faction. Jon guessed the Agent should either be a member of the Penitus Oculatus or one of Amaund Motierre's men.

In any case, Jon waited for the Orc to start heading back to the Nightgate Inn. On the road to the inn, Jon sat on a stone and had a bowl of green soup on his left hand. In his right, he carried a piece of bread that he would dip in the soup and eat from in supreme ecstasy.

"That is an interesting smell, my friend." And the terrifying voice of an Orc woke Jon from his dream.

"Yes, it is." Jon opened his eyes peacefully and agreed with the Orc.

"Are you sharing?" The Orc asked.

"Always." Jon nodded.

Jon offered a loaf of bread to the Orc who sat beside him and dipped it in the soup bowl just as Jon did.

"Hmmm… I like the spices… and the main ingredient leaves a strong breath too… a bit southern."

"Jute mellows."

"I see… finely diced… pretty rare outside Cyrodiil and Valenwood." The Orc nodded, "It had garlic and was made in chicken broth."

"Indeed. I prefer more broth than the usual recipe though." Jon said, "Salt, pepper, and vegetable oil to finish this spell."

"Simple yet marvelous. I say the secret is in the broth." The Orc said.

"Damn right." Jon laughed, "Normally people use beef and chicken broth but nothing can rival a rabbit broth."

"Do you happen to be the Gourmet by any chance? Hahahaha!" The Orc laughed loudly.

"No. That's you, silly! Hahahaha!" Jon laughed harder and clapped hands with the Orc.

Then the two stared at each other with their smiles disappearing.

"Damn!" The Orc said and offered a handshake, "I am not supposed to reveal this but you can call me Balagog gro-Nolob."

"Nice to meet." Jon shook hands with Balagog.

"And you are?"

"You can call me Daedric Prince of all Cuisines." Jon said.

"Ah!"

"People call me Jon Dare."

"Aha! The Jon Dare?" Balagog asked.

"Am I that famous?" Jon asked before laughing it off, "Yes, I am."

"Well, it is an honor to finally meet you, sir. I truly didn't imagine a dish this fine to originate from the freezing north."

"You mean this Molokhya? No, it doesn't originate from here. Nords have no taste buds last time I checked."

"Wow! So true. Neither do Orcs sadly."

"You and I are kindred souls in this harsh world, Balagog."

"So where does this Molokhya originate from?"

"Heaven."

"And does Heaven have a name or an address?"

"Heard of Egypt before?"

"No."

"That's that then."

"Well, Lord Jon Dare, it was a pleasure." Balagog the Gourmet said and stood up, "If you excuse me."

"Are you going to cook for the Emperor?" Jon asked.

The Orc froze for a second before turning towards Jon.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sir." Balagog replied.

"If you stay here, the Emperor's enemies will try and get to you." Jon said.

"I made sure that my identity is a secret, my Lord. Well… that until you found me. But I am sure I am of no use to someone like you." Balagog insisted.

"I know. You are of no use to the point where even only your contact knows your actual identity. And so, any man can claim that they are the Gourmet if they have your identity papers… which of course you keep as a secret."

"What are you saying, sir?"

"I am saying that they will kill you, impersonate your identity, and poison his Imperial Majesty Titus Mede II." Jon said.

"That's…" Balagog felt heavy in his heart and looked wary at Jon then at the bowl he was holding.

"What?" Jon felt offended, "Why would I poison you? I want to save the Emperor, you dolt."

Jon swallowed the soup in one go and threw the bowl.

"You need to run and I am here to help you get away. An asset such as yourself is too valuable to die here." Jon said.

"I… I can't." Balagog said.

"Why not?" Jon stood up.

"Because… for my dream to come true, I need the Emperor." Balagog said.

"What dream?" Jon asked.

"As you already know, I am the Gourmet, and I am an Orsimer." Balagog said, "People would assume the Gourmet is a Bosmer or even a Breton but an Orc, that would be impossible."

"So?"

"So in order to prove myself and my cooking, I need the Emperor to recognize who I am and from there, no one will look down on me because of my race. No one expects an Orc to be a cook, but an Orc that cooked for the Emperor, that's a different story."

"So your secret identity isn't because you're a mystery junkie but just a confidence issue."

"Confidence? You can kill me but you better not insult me. I've learned to cook in the most prestigious kitchens in Elden Root, my confidence can reach the Throat of the World. It is people that need to stop with their stereotypes and know that Anyone can Cook. An Argonian, a Nord, an Orc, a Rat… or even a Dunmer."

"Well, let's not go that far with Dunmer."

"Yeah, you're right… but I need to build a reputation first then gain support to open the best Restaurant in the Imperial City."

Balagog gro-Nolob seemed to have a lofty goal that even Jon can't ignore.

"So no matter what killer is coming, I can't back down here."

"I see… so… you want a Hype Master then?" Jon asked.

"A what?"

"A Professional Hustler… an Advertising Manager… a Popularity Campaign…" Jon explained.

"What's that?" Balagog asked.

"That my friend is a very serious business that I personally do. If you allow me to accompany you to Winterhold, you will have the Greatest Showman in Tamriel hustling for your Restaurant."

Jon joined interlocked arms with Balagog gro-Nolob and led him towards Winterhold.

Historians recorded that in a few years of this meeting, the chain restaurants of BFC (Balagog's Flavors Cuisine) became one of the most successful Tamriel-wide businesses associated with the Dare Investment plan. Its symbol, the Gentlemanly Smiling Orc, has become so widespread that most Orcs were always stereotyped as natural chefs.

***

Serana was well aware that the man who was standing in front of the Nightgate Inn's entrance was Jon, the person who has been moving her strings for a while now.

She expected to see him soon especially after the situation in Solitude but the latest rumor about him saving the city from a Dragon Cult attack was everywhere.

Also, he seemed like he was waving for her even though she made sure to never reveal herself yet.

"You seem angry at me." Jon spoke from a distance but with her heightened senses, Serana could hear him as if they were standing next to each other.

Serana walked at a normal pace to Jon and as she reached him, she looked at him and seemed greatly displeased.

"I have been doing Astrid's biddings for long enough." She said,

"True." Jon nodded.

"I came for you to stop my father. I know what you're doing is important and there are Dragons and the Emperor's life is on the line… but I didn't sign up to do any of this." Serana stated.

"And?" He asked

"I want out." She said,

Seeing the look on Jon's face change and him walking towards her, Serana didn't really fear him but couldn't predict what he would do.

"Will you be satisfied if I come with you and finish this once and for all?" Jon asked.

"I don't want to interrupt whatever important business you have going on. I know you are a Dragonborn and you managed to obtain two Elder Scrolls. I also know that you can protect yourself from my father but he will keep coming."

"I know." Jon nodded.

"Then? Are you letting me go?"

"Have I ever held you against your will, Serana?" Jon asked, "You could have walked away long ago and the time you spent among the Assassins surely have served you well. You are no longer helpless or needing help. You are beautiful, lethal, resourceful, and powerful. You could have walked away long ago."

"But you wouldn't let me."

"…" Jon felt that Serana was having another inner struggle and denying her own ability to proceed on her own if she wanted to.

"Let me ask you about that woman of yours, the one that used to be an Assassin." Serana spoke.

"Psycho? Did she do anything to you?" Jon asked.

"She planted my face to the ground when we ran into each other in Riften once." Serana then asked, "That was you sending her after me, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't." Jon denied.

"… To be honest, I lost a great deal of trust in your words since that night." Serana said.

"I am actually not surprised you ran into each other. Jullanar oversees my interests in the Thieves Guild in Riften and she picked up the hobby of hunting Vampires for the Dawnguard. But this is my first time hearing that you two ran into each other before Solitude." Jon said, "On the other hand, you seem to have been doing problems, Cute Little Fangs. Psycho wouldn't have targeted you unless you showed your nature as a Vampire and left a witness."

"…" Serana couldn't say anything since Jon wasn't wrong.

"How about this to restore trust between us." Jon smiled, "I'll drop off whatever I'm doing and go deal with the Dark Brotherhood situation together."

Jon's made Serana extremely worried with his proposition but if he is finally planning on taking his Role as the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, she has nothing to complain about.

And so, the plan of assassinating the Emperor started to go in a clear motion.

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A/n: 13 Early Access Chapters on P4treon and MORE! ➡️ https://linktr.ee/donovel ⬅️


next chapter

Chapter 649: Dear Dear Cicero

Is it Eid? Is it Holiday? No! But it is another 2n1 Chapter! My hands hurt. I should divide those chapters into two from now on.

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(Part 1)

While the situation was unfolding in Solitude, Whiterun was having its troubles going on and the one who was in the spotlight was Jon's sworn brother, Wulfur.

Wulfur has joined the Companions and moved to Breezehome manor in Whiterun to keep an eye on things. In the notes that Jon gave him, there were many secrets and future events that made Wulfur not know how to think about it all.

Jon said that Wulfur can either save Kodlak White-Mane from an assassination attempt launched by the Silver Hand werewolf hunters or leave Kodlak to die which will open the door for him to be the Harbinger of the Companions.

The problem was that this attack will happen when Wulfur leaves to slay the Glenmoril Witches per Kodlak's request and Jon doesn't know how to stop it from happening unless Wulfur convinces some of the Companions to protect Kodlak personally.

For that, Wulfur could only turn to Aela the Huntress but her reaction wasn't anything special since she didn't imagine that some bandits like the Silver Hand would find it easy to break into Whiterun and make trouble with the entire body of the Companions.

It took Wulfur 4 days to travel to where the Glenmoril Witches were, kill them all, and return to Whiterun. The whole process was done at the fastest speed he could achieve but just as Jon foretold, the Companions were attacked and Kodlak White-Mane was killed.

Wulfur wasn't the kind to get attached to many people but Kodlak was a good old man whose honor was known across Skyrim. Seeing the old man stabbed and torn with the red of his blood mixing with the white of his hair made Wulfur silent and sad.

"Kodlak… I am… sorry."

Aela was the one to first get on her knees and cry over Kodlak's body. Farkas and Vilkas were in grief and Skjor swore vengeance and headed off.

"Let us move the old man somewhere else." Wulfur asked Aela who nodded and started going behind Kodlak's head to hold him from his shoulders.

"You don't need to. Farkas and I will…" Vilkas wanted to carry Kodlak instead of Aela since she was overcome with emotions but she shook him off her shoulder with a violent jolt and waited for Farkas to carry Kodlak in front of her.

Vilkas made sure that Aela and Farkas put Kodlak's body on the biggest table and rested his axe in his hand. Meanwhile, Wulfur approached Vilkas.

"I've brought the heads of the witches Kodlak wanted." Wulfur said.

"That should wait. This ritual must be done later." Vilkas said.

"The more we wait, the longer his soul stays in the Hunting Grounds of Hircine. That's not what he wanted." Wulfur said.

"Then you know how this ritual is done?" Vilkas asked.

"I do." Wulfur nodded.

"I see…" Vilkas nodded.

"We can't bury him before getting vengeance." Aela said, "Wulfur, you will come with me."

Wulfur looked closely at Aela as she walked away fuming with vengeance. He turned to Vilkas and asked.

"Where is Skjor?"

"I don't know. He just left and nobody could stop him." Vilkas replied.

"This is bad." Wulfur didn't feel good about this situation.

Originally, Skjor was supposed to die in the fight with the Silver Hand earlier than Kodlak but because Wulfur refused to turn into a Werewolf like the rest of the members of the Companion's Inner Circle, this situation wasn't triggered.

Wulfur headed out immediately and looked for Aela. When he found her, she was already readying her sword.

"Where is Skjor?" Wulfur asked her.

"We're going after him." Aela replied, "He heard of a location where the Silver Hands are hiding and he's out for blood."

"What location?"

"Gallows Rock. A man there called Krev the Skinner is an old-time enemy of our kind… Skjor wants his head."

"Shit. Let's go."

Wulfur and Aela headed out to Gallows Rock where Skjor should be. From the notes Jon left, this location is where Skjor may die.

***

Jon and Serana traveled together through the woods of Falkreath for the first time in a few months. Jon was cloaked and hooded like the creepiest person on Nirn and Serana's eyes were glowing in the dark like the second creepiest person on Nirn.

"Hmmm…"

"What?"

"I just had a word with my brother. Things seemed to have diverted from the original plan… again." Jon said.

Serana looked at him and wondered how many plots can one man keep running all at the same time.

"Can you give me some advice?" Serana asked.

"What?" Jon paid attention to her sudden question.

"The way you do things… how often do things go wrong?"

"Well… all the time. HA!" Jon couldn't help but let out a burst of strong laughter.

Serana never expected this answer at all since in her eyes, Jon was always the meticulous mastermind and the resourceful guy who knows his way around every problem.

"So, what do you intend to do with the Dark Brotherhood?" Serana asked.

Jon looked around the wood of Falkreath before deciding to reply.

"Astrid is hungry for power. She will try to get rid of you who she thinks is the Listener so she can remain in control of the Sanctuary. Her little scheme is futile though since I am the real Listener." Jon said very proudly.

Serana narrowed her eyes before shrugging her shoulders, saying "Whatever!", and following him along the woods.

"But the Assassins still won't listen to you. They don't know who you are and they have no intention to trust a stranger over Astrid." Serana said.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you." Jon said, "Back in the day, the Dark Brotherhood used to have a lot of traitors. Some caused great damage to the order that they needed to perform a Purification on whole sanctuaries sometimes"

"Purification? Like purging them all?" Serana asked.

"Exactly. If the Black Hand suspects one traitor to be hiding within a certain sanctuary and they pose a great danger to the entire Order, purging the bad stock would be better than infecting the whole field." Jon replied.

"But there are no fields anymore and all the stock is in one barn. You burn it and you have nothing left." Serana said.

"How so?" Jon smiled, "I have you."

"You know I don't intend to be your Listener Substitute forever. I need to get my business done on my own." Serana said.

"Well… in that case, we have him too." Jon said nonchalantly.

"Him?" Serana asked.

"Oh! Your senses are so dull."

Jon immediately moved his hand and broke a tree trunk.

*Squeak*

Once he pulled his hand out, a figure of a man came out of the trunk and flew over as Jon flung him across the woods.

Jon and Serana walked to the poor fellow who landed badly on his back and he saw the creepiest pair on Nirn looking down on him. In truth, his appearance can count him as the third creepiest person on Nirn.

"Hello, Cicero." Jon spoke in a sinister deep voice.

***

(Part 2)

"L- L- Listener… Lord Listener."

"Oh, yes, dear Cicero."

"Can you please… put me down?"

"Oh, poor poor Cicero… can I, though?" Jon wondered dramatically.

"Well of course, of course, you are… the Listenerrrrr." Cicero said cheesily.

"Hmmm… you truly can't keep a gentleman like myself in an entertained mood." Jon complained, "What use of you as a Jester if you can't hold your ground being hanged upside down?"

"The problem is… I am lacking any ground to hold at the moment, Listener."

"Don't get too smart with me, my dear." Jon flicked Cicero's forehead.

"Truth of the matter, dear Listener… Poor Cicero is not that good of a Jester… he can be a servant… he can be a fool… but never could he jiggle balls or stand on ropes."

"Heh! You can jiggle blades just fine." Jon laughed unintentionally, "Dear Cicero, no need to fear. I have only been testing you but it seems you are a true servant worthy of praise. Your devotion, your sense of duty, and your incredible care of our Mother all these years truly touched your little brother's heart."

"Truly? Oh, Listener… how… how… how wonderful! You witnessed… you knew… Cicero was all alone… all lonely… but there was Mother with me… and she never spoke… oh, Dear Mother, she must be lonely now… she must be waiting… Listener. Please, let me down so we can go and see her." Cicero spoke and whined.

"Of course… but you have to convince me first, Cicero. Convince me that I can put my trust in you, dear brother." Jon approached Cicero but the latter couldn't see Jon's face under the cover of Greed.

"I will… Cicero will prove himself to the Listener… all for our Sweet Mother… Brother." Cicero spoke and Serana rolled her eyes from drama poisoning.

"You please me, Cicero. You truly do." Jon said in obvious ecstasy, "Now tell me… how did you hold your urge in and didn't attack Astrid even though you know the rotten greed inside her?"

"What… What do you mean?" Cicero started to hesitate before answering.

"Oh, Cicero my dear, you are breaking my little fragile heart." Jon turned around and put his hand on his head in an artistic pose of melodrama.

Serana, who was sitting by the fire, watched the two mad men and couldn't help but be amused with the performance Jon gave so she started to pick up nuts and crack them with her fangs in harmony with the crackling firewood.

As for Cicero who was tied by a magic rope and hanging upside down from a tree, he was having very eerie vibes about Jon.

"Dear Cicero. Please be truthful… your answer means the world to me." Jon said and repeated his question very seriously this time, "You hate Astrid for the traitor she is and you could have taken many swings at her lately. Why didn't you? What stopped you?" 

In Jon's mind, very important questions were running around.

First, Cicero the Mad Jester should have attacked Astrid before Serana would go after the Gourmet. This would lead Serana to hunt him down before going after the Gourmet. However, Cicero didn't act against Astrid even though she keeps undermining the authority of the Listener and the Night Mother all the time.

On the other hand, Wulfur reported to Jon that Kodlak White-Mane had died despite the warnings they tried to give the Companions. Moreover, Skjor of the Companions was supposed to die in the same quest when the player becomes a Werewolf and joins the Circle but as Wulfur didn't accept to be a Werewolf, Skjor didn't die. Still, once Kodlak was killed, Skjor headed off to the place he was supposed to die in order to avenge Kodlak and will probably end up dying.

Somehow, Jon hasn't figured out the formula of how to save people who were supposed to die in the game from dying.

In the case of Wulfur, he killed Sibbi Black-Briar and it worked.

In the case of King Torygg, he tried to warn him from facing Ulfric unprepared but Torygg died.

In the case of Vittoria Vici, he entered her life and tore her marriage apart before faking her death and it worked.

But that all depended on luck.

So is it Luck or Fate that decides things? Why does the Future feel like it is set in stone sometimes? And why doesn't it feel like that the other times?

"So Dear Cicero, why didn't you do it?" Jon asked.

"I… Cicero wanted to… Cicero always felt like doing so, O Listener… Astrid always hated Us… Cicero, that Vampire, the Listener… and our Mother." Cicero said, "But I knew there was something… Cicero knew… He can always tell… that the Vampire wasn't listening… The Listener must be favored by the Night Mother… but she didn't act that way… She felt like lying but told words that are true…" Cicero said before reciting the unholy words.

"Darkness Rises when Silence Dies." Both Jon and Cicero spoke the words.

"Yes… the words… You say them but you actually know what they are… but the Vampire didn't understand them… I was fooled like Astrid and the rest but I realized…"

"Realized what?"

"That the Listener is walking Among Us in shadows. That he sees us and we cannot see him and whispers words to his Speaker. That he knows everything." Cicero said, "The Night Mother may not speak to me but she shows me signs and those signs were many. I could hear them… walking… trotting… snoring… yawning… scratching… watching… and growling."

Jon and Serana narrowed their eyes and looked at each other before raising their indexes as if they realized what Cicero was talking about at the same time.

"Hissing and purring sometimes?" Serana asked.

"Yes… sometimes." Cicero confirmed.

"I think I know what he's talking about." Serana said.

"Right." Jon held his head as there was no use for Cicero anymore.

With a swift swing, Jon cut off the rope tying Cicero and let the jester fall down on his back.

Cicero landed with an expression of pain on his face but he hurried up and freed himself quickly.

"Listener… O Listenerrrrr… thank you… thank you dearly." Cicero said as he groveled to Jon's feet, "But what is it? What is it that Cicero felt? What is that he heard? I was always trying to Listen but the signs were never as clear as before."

"I can't believe it." Serana held her head.

"Is it… the Unholy Sweet Maiden… the Night Mother? Did Cicero hear her signs correctly at last…"

"It was a cat, you dumb moron!" Serana said, "He uses a Cat Familiar to infiltrate the Sanctuary. That's what you always have been hearing."

"A cat? Cicero heard a cat? The cat was the sign?"

"By Oblivion! You stupid?" Serana didn't take shit from Cicero and cussed at him.

A round of banter and madness started between Cicero and Serana while Jon sat alone thinking.

Cicero was led to believe by his wild imagination that there are signs of the Night Mother going in the sanctuary while it was just Nefertiti when he sent her out to communicate with Serana and spy on the Assassins.

Nefertiti usually values her privacy and doesn't seek attention but she is usually playful. However, once she sticks to the shadows, it is very difficult to spot her by someone who isn't trained in Shadow Magic which is a lost art.

On the other hand, Cicero is a complete nutjob, he spent years hiding in Dawnstar's sanctuary and talking to a corpse. While that would just be regular lunacy, he was always close to the influence of the Night Mother. His stealth and overall aptitude as an Assassin are top-notch without relying on anything magical. Jon himself is not that good at stealth without relying on Magic.

Dark Senses, Cicero has acquired something akin to that but that still doesn't mean anything to Jon. What he wanted to know is how Cicero diverted from the main storyline without major interference from Jon while the Companions didn't divert that much with Jon's direct interference through Wulfur.

Possibility? Future? Fate? Law of Causality?

"I can't figure it out." Jon said.

"Hm?" Serana and Cicero looked at him with questioning faces.

"Nothing." Jon said, "My Growth is stuck again and I think the answer lies somewhere around a certain topic. It is not a problem now but I'll need a long break later to organize my thoughts."

"Break?" Serana asked, "How long?"

"Not sure." Jon replied, "But for the time being, I'll act based on the things I know."

Jon cracked his fingers and chased the noisy thoughts away.

"Let's focus on Purifying the Dark Brotherhood for now." Jon said.

"Alright." Serana was happy to finally rid herself of those pesky assassins.

"O Listener… Cicero wishes to punish every last one of them. Please! Allow me to be your hands and feet." Cicero said.

"Fine. But how can you trust me, Cicero?" Jon asked.

"Listener… Cicero doesn't need to trust you, Cicero only needs to perform his duties as the Keeper. The Listener as well must keep to his duties. If any of us fail with that, trust will be the least of our problems." Cicero said in a menacing smile.

Jon sighed then turned to Serana.

"And you, I'll offer you an opportunity." Jon said.

"I'm listening." Serana replied.

"The Dark Brotherhood may be nothing now but it is a group that has a lot of power when managed properly. They may not be much compared to the Volkihar Clan but you will get many benefits if you have any personal agenda you need to be done." Jon offered.

"I prefer independence." Serana said, "And our Promise to stop my father didn't include that."

"True." Jon nodded, "But at the end of the day, you are a Daughter of Coldharbour. If Molag Bal decides to use his influence on you, you will be nothing but a plaything that he can track and control as he wishes."

Serana made a dejected face since bringing up Molag Bal's control over her was something she wasn't that much proud of.

"I mean… if your Father asks any of Molag's servants to capture you, it will only be a matter of time." Jon said, "But if you put yourself under the influence of another Patron."

"The Night Mother?"

"No, Sithis." Jon said, "Sithis never limited the freedom of anyone since his Chaos requires absolute freedom. On the other hand, his retirement plan is an eternity of Darkness compared to Molag's entirety of Servitude."

"I had my fair share of both Darkness and Servitude." Serana said.

"However, this time it will be on your terms." Jon added.

Following Sithis is much better than being subject to Molag Bal in Jon's opinion. However, Oblivion is one thing, Aetherius is another, and Sithis is a whole different subject.

Choosing between an afterlife of complete slumber within the domain of Sithis or choosing an afterlife of servitude as a subject of Molag Bal.

"Just to get away from Molag Bal, I will try this Path to Sithis for now." Serana decided to take the 7-day free trial option.

"Alright." Jon replied, "Now, to the most important subject. The reason why the Dark Brotherhood hasn't been functioning properly is there is no Black Hand."

"What are they exactly?" Serana asked.

"Oh dear… for you to not even know the basics." Cicero said, "Cicero will educate you, Vampire…"

"Just the ruling Council of the Dark Brotherhood." Jon said, "Consists of a Listener and Four Speakers who represent the Thumb and the other Four Fingers respectively. I, the Listener, am the Thumb. Serana, you can be the Index Finger. And, Cicero…"

"My Liege." Cicero bowed.

"You are the Keeper of the Night Mother but because there are many vacant spots in the Black Hand, you will be the Little Finger."

"By your orders. Cicero lives and dies for the Night Mother." Cicero seemed actually very happy with the promotion.

"As every finger has a claw, each of you can have one personal Assassin as your arms and legs. They will be your Silencer so pick them carefully and keep their identities to yourself and those you trust. I have my own Silencer decided." Jon said.

"I'll recruit someone I have been keeping my eyes on." Serana said.

"And Cicero will pick one after the Purification is complete." Cicero said.

"Great." Jon stood up and asked, "Serana, I believe that Astrid gave you a spellbook. Have you taken a look at it?"

"Yes." Serana handed over the book, "She said that this spell was one of the last things she could salvage from the last Brotherhood hideout. It summons a Spectral Assassin from the Void of Sithis. I summoned the guy but he creeped me out."

Jon opened the book, memorized the spell, then passed it to Cicero.

"Learn it."

"Yes, Listener. Cicero understands."

Jon kept muttering the words and skillfully cast the spell in a few minutes.

There was no void when this conjuration happened. It was as if the void itself was forming something from nothing.

A summon from outside the realms of known reality. Nurina would beat Jon up if he doesn't hand it to her for study.

But that wasn't the case for now. The summon which formed in front of the group was taking the form of a ghost yet with a very vivid look in his eyes and an outstanding ego in his behavior.

The ghost walked out with confidence towards the campfire where the three gathered.

"I live… Again!"

Jon smiled as he finally met a soul that goes back to the events 200 years ago. The man who guided the Champion of Cyrodiil when he was but a mortal assassin.

The Legendary Lucien Lachance.

——————————

A/n: 13 Early Access Chapters on P4treon and MORE! ➡️ https://linktr.ee/donovel ⬅️


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