Chapitre 128: She Enters Nine Tails City
The group stood there for a good long moment, as they watched the fleeing fox-kin. Then the entire company broke out into laughter. They removed their masks, displaying the same faceless features. Now that the trick was done, the faceless part separated from their actual faces. The lumps of white skin dropped to the floor, reforming into Quinn's slime clones.
Among them, Quinn was doubled over with laughter, banging the ground as he gasped for breath. It was only once he had re-absorbed his slime clones that he was able to stop laughing enough to speak.
"That was the most satisfying encounter I have ever had with those wretched creatures!" Quinn said, chortling.
Soon enough, he was able to recover from his near uncontrollable laughing fit. Yet, for the rest of the day, he would still break into laughter. The thought of those fox-kin fleeing as if their tails were on fire was just so satisfying.
"That was a mere child's play." Robin chuckled. Then her expression became somewhat more serious. "I'm afraid we can't use such an elementary tactic when we're up against the strategist."
"Isn't it our objective not to go up against him?" Christian asked, confused.
"Let me answer that." Quinn interjected. "Our Strategist is a highly intellectual person. As an intellectual, there are only three different kinds of people to him: those he considers his superiors, those he considers his equal, and those he considers inferior to him. Each different kind of person gets different treatment." Quinn shrugged as he shook his head and sighed.
"To those superior to him,he shows deference. But, those inferior to him aren't even qualified to meet him on speaking terms. They can only be manipulated as pawns on his chessboard. It is only when we can prove to be his equal that he will hear us out."
Robin grumbled. "I thought as much. As an intellectual, he sure does have no small amount of pride."
Quinn nodded. "Tell me about it. I was lucky enough to accidentally be considered his equal by a misunderstanding due to him overanalyzing my actions alongside a well-placed bluff. I cannot actually beat him in a battle of wits."
"Then, can't you talk to him for us?" Christian asked.
"In order to obtain his seal, you must gain his approval." Quinn shook his head. "He will definitely not approve of you if he does not meet you."
"And that is why I said I need to adjust my mentality." Robin said, frowning as she stared into the flames. "There are two main things I want everyone to try their utmost to do during our stay in the city."
"What are they?" Jasmine asked.
Robin held up one finger. "First, don't promise anyone anything-gold or otherwise. Say nothing without fully considering the consequences of your words to anyone. Since it is the Strategist's city, there will most likely be like-minded swindlers."
Chelsea, and everyone else nodded. Jasmine laughed.
"Doesn't that mean that we should sew Christian's mouth closed? He's more likely to get himself caught in every net he encounters."
Robin smiled, looking at Christian. "No need." She didn't explain her reasons, but simply continued her instructions. "Second, I hope that you will co-operate with me in following all orders that I will demand of you, down to the very last detail."
"We'll do our best!" Gerard saluted. The others were a step behind, but they also agreed.
And with that, they once more piled into the carriage. Robin stared silently out the window, calculating situations in her head. It was similar to the scenario planning she had gone through during guard training for protecting her older brother. Quinn sat up front with the driver.
When the fox-eared soldiers at the city gates saw Quinn, they smiled and called out to him.
"Hey, I haven't seen your mug around in a while. How are you doing?"
"Fine. I met someone from my homeland along the way, out travelling, and they were on their way here, so I hitched a ride with them. Since they're new to the area, would you give them a rundown of the rules?" Quinn said.
"Sure! No problem!" the guard said. "There are only three rules in this city. One, do not kill. Two, do not lie. Three, keep your word. And remember that the law is magically enforced, here."
"Don't I know it!" Quinn chuckled. "I won't forget the time you swindled me out of two gold coins when the entrance was free."
"Yer fault for getting duped, Quinn. You know the rules say nothing about stealing." The guard smirked. "Although we here wouldn't mind another extra gold coin for drinks after hours."
"Aishh...take it as me being soft-hearted then, and get you and your guard mates something good with this." Quinn flicked a silver coin at them.
"Will do, heheh. Welcome to Nine Tails City. You should enter the city more often, Quinn."
"Nah. I get the feeling that my pockets would be emptied much faster, should I do so." Quinn chuckled.
"Ye'd be right, ye'd be right. But we'd be much better off for it." The guard snickered as the carriage began to move again.
"See you later, Braum." Quinn winked.
Inside the city, Quinn made it clear to the locals that this carriage was under his protection. The word games the common folk used were of no use against him.
Before they reached the inner walls, Quinn explained to them.
"Past the inner walls there's a restriction that folks are not allowed to swindle anyone under the roofs of the inns. The ironic part was that the innkeepers were swindled into making it a rule." He chuckled. "So now they can't go back on it."
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask this for a while, but what did the guard mean back their when he said that the laws are magically enforced?" Gerard asked.
Robin looked at Chelsea and Jasmine. If anyone would know about it, it would be one of those two. Surprisingly, though, it Was Keith who spoke up.
"Well, it actually is rare enough for the regular people not to know about, so Allow me to explain." He stood up and used the magic chalkboard.
"There are certain demons who are better at using mana than others, to the point where they can also manipulate their surroundings to a great deal." Keith drew a stick figure with squiggly lines radiating out from it.
"These demons have a surrounding area of influence called a domain." Keith circled the stick figure. Then he drew another stick figure outside the circle.
"If you are outside that domain, nothing happens. But, if you enter into that domain..." He drew another stick figure inside the circle. "Then, unless you have a high willpower you can't avoid being affected by the domain. This is one of the reasons why the strategist is a formidable opponent."
"So, for the laws to be magically enforced, doesn't that mean that Mr. Argon Nine Tails has a domain that covers the whole city?" Robin asked.
"You're pretty sharp." Keith noted. "Yes. The fact that the rules are magically enforced means that the range of Argon's domain can cover at the very least the entire city. This kind of ability was a nightmare for our troops fifteen years ago."
Christian hissed as he drew in a sharp breath. He could already imagine the ordered troops suddenly falling apart due to confusion.
"I can understand Gerard not knowing about it." Robin nodded. "But, Christian, how come you don't know about this stuff?"
Christian made a face. "It's because of my fighting instructor. He would beat me into shape in the mornings, but I was usually so tired that I would fall asleep during my history lessons."
"Oh? So you weren't just skipping out to have fun?" Jasmine asked.
"D you honestly think I had any schedule leeway to waste my time in the town? Especially during the times when the instructor was at the castle, I would have no energy after the morning." Christian made a bitter face.
"Hmmm...But, then how did you get to know that group of friends of yours?" Jasmine asked.
"I snuck out on days when the instructor wasn't in the capital." Christian explained. "That's another reason why it's just so blasted difficult for me to leave the citadel. They caught on to my methods from my youth."
Jasmine rolled her eyes, and Keith sighed. Christian had grown from a small troublemaker into a bigger troublemaker. Who had said that the wild and troublesome becomes wiser with age? They had obviously never met Christian.
"Oh. It seems we've arrived." Sir Drago commented, looking out the window.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone