Chapter 6: Chapter 4 - Spiders
Argo put some more strength into his hand, rubbing his temple.
Paperwork took the majority of the day, and now the issues of the Nobles residences as they were arriving, and the setting up of a Ball on short notice.
Stephan sat at his own desk, with his mountain of work, there as well.
They couldn't hire more staff, because between the two of them, they were keeping the ledgers completely clean and consistent, and if someone else came, they would have to be put into the work behind the bookshelf.
To begin with, Loch was never so busy.
It had just been one thing after the other recently.
As they say, when it rains, it pours.
"Have you dreamed recently?" Argo turned over to Stephan, who was staring at the ceiling, his eyes weren't as strong as they used to be and needed rest every so often.
Argo parted his lips, his hands still moving, "Somewhat. The ghouls have turned into paper work. My soldiers are fountain pens. It's a horrific scene."
"Mage Lightning turned into Scholar's Ink." Stephan shut his eyes, "What a sight."
"Indeed," Argo signed off a registration order for a patissier to come and bake all of the desserts, as well as assigned the budget for it in the same note, "What happened to the tail on Eida?"
"Eida?" Stephan took his arm off his face and lowered his head a bit to look at Argo through the paperwork, he thought for a second, "She's been approached by a few front runners. Wives and such. She should be at the Old Sparrow right now. Only noble place outside of the estate, they charge up the ass."
Argo laughed a little internally.
The Old Sparrow's owner knew the previous lord's family, before the heir died in the fighting against the yearly invasions, and the lord killed himself from grief.
That was the favorite of that bloodline for generations, and so, it was a hotspot with three floors, each for different ranks of people.
Commoners, Nobles and VIPS.
No doubt, the Eida and the other ladies were being treated well there, now.
"Is Roman working today?"
"Yeah, he should be there," Stephan squared his shoulders and stretched his back, before picking up his pen again, "He's prepping the export."
The export.
At least that was going smoothly this month.
The Old Sparrow was the first place that fell when he took over here, the owners son, Roman, was involved in some pretty off things, that Argo had fixed for him, and took over the Old Sparrow in the process.
The massive basement that was lost to records, over time, was being used as storage for organs of dead criminals, as well as a storage area for the 'Condiments', that were grown in the beasts forests, near the Endless Sea.
His nose twitched.
"The smells been leaking for a while, the door needs fixing," Argo stood up, and walked over, opening it, to try and figure out what was wrong with it, "Have Ichi come by before the Ball. Can't risk someone finding this…"
He turned his eyes, and then his head.
Stephan quietly grabbed his dagger, under his desk.
They exchanged looks.
The smell wasn't coming from the hidden door.
Rodrick had cleaned it some time ago.
The smell of lavender was still fresh.
Argo moved.
Stephan's dagger flew!
An arrow snapped in half mid air!
Argo reached under his desk taking the crossbow and firing out of the balcony, his eyes like dots!
Stephan was on his feet, when Argo pushed for cover after shooting.
As Argo dove, Stephan flipped the table, and ducked under it, another arrow flying straight and missing by a few inches.
Argo hid behind a wall and Stephan laid behind the desk.
"On three!" Argo shouted, as he put another bolt into his crossbow.
Stephan nodded, and grabbed the sword from under the coffee table just in front of the flipped desk in the center of the room.
He unsheathed it, and held it tightly.
"Three!"
Stephan stood up, and a flash rushed him!
He spun the sword, swatting it down, at the same time Argo stood in the opening of the balcony and shot again before Stephan grabbed his collar and pulled him behind cover!
A shout rang from some ways out.
A shadow stood in the hidden doorway.
The monstrous giant sprinted up the steps.
Stephan raised the pearly scabbard to try and get a peek out of the balcony, only for an arrow to split the scabbard!
There was some blood on the arrow.
Argo instantly ripped it out of the scabbard and threw it to the shadow, his lips twisting hatefully, "Fetch."
The giant shadow disappeared into the stairs.
Stephan glanced at Argo, "It's a well-trained one."
No sooner had he spoken, than a bolt tore straight through the desk.
Armor-piercing bolts meant to be used against horses.
They exchanged a look, and each dove to opposite sides of the room!
A crossbow takes a long time to reload.
They hide on either side of the balcony, with their backs as tight to the wall as possible, since those bolts weren't about to rip through the brick wall.
"Somewhere on a roof at twelve."
Stephan slightly nodded, and peeked his sword out, but there was no shot, and he couldn't see anyone there, they were gone.
Argo glanced at the sword as well, and slowly turned to look at the door.
"Lord! Lord! Is everything alright?!"
Marshall, the Captain of the House Knights.
"Stop disturbing us." Argo glanced at the door, and his voice was heavy and breathy.
Argo glanced at Stephan and grimaced, letting out a weak breath.
He looked like he wanted to vomit.
Argo shut his eyes tightly.
"Ah-, ah, I apologize Lord, we will leave now."
Stephan slid down the wall, the tension in his body was cut.
Argo frowned.
Once they were gone, he walked to the coffee table and ripped the bolt from it, taking the note off.
"...Do not interfere, is it?"
A Spider sigil.
A group that had roots in the decades, around Karlan's central region, a massive network.
They had not stepped on anyone but their homeland around the capital, for generations.
But now, they wanted to expand into the South, where the Endless Sea met the Shore?
He could only think of one thing, that would warrant such a thing.
Constance.
"Stephan."
"Your Highness." He was on his feet, his sword tightly in his hand.
Argo slowly turned to him, "Fish me an eel."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone