Bab 165: Regicide for Hire
Michael lets out an irritated sigh at Loutiel's non-answer and decides to investigate later, once he was clear of the palace. "You haven't really answered my question, I doubt they'd just let a Chevalier sit around the palace doing nothing, especially when 'King' Gramont is marching to war." he asks while crossing his arms.
Loutiel tilts his head languidly as he tries to think of a way to explain himself, "Well, after the Coupe most forgot that I existed. I haven't yet been granted any land, I hold no great authority... And most conclude that my feats in Antomiers were but boasts of a lucky mage who was at the right place at the right time... No one cares to force me away, and both sides of this war believe me to be an ally." he says with a slight smirk, as if he knew the answer to a joke that no one else knew.
"Yeah, I don't believe that. The moment the Princess comes back you're getting your ass executed." Michael bluntly responds.
Loutiel shakes his head, "To you it might seem so, but to the Princess I am merely keeping her mother safe while held under hostage... And since I did nothing to assist the princess during her escape from the palace, King Gramont has no reason to glance at me. To be honest with you, I might be the safest person in the capital right now."
Yeah, Michael had honestly forgotten that the queen even existed... Though, even now that he remembered, he saw no reason to try and rescue her or something along those lines. Regardless, there was something else he felt forced to ask... "Sure, you're safe. But what happened to those orphans I asked you to watch over?" he asks with an accusatory glare.
Loutiel just scoffs and waves him off though, "Them? They're within my property in the capital. You'd be proud, they're still picking the pockets of people they shouldn't like the little criminals they are, even while I provide them with shelter, education, food..." he shakes his head, "Perhaps it just runs in their genes? Or perhaps your words to that Samara girl has convinced them that they're doing a public service?" he lets out an exasperated sigh, "Just try not to destroy this city and they'll be fine."
"I didn't-" Michael starts with a growl but Loutiel cuts him off.
"I know, I know. It's a jest! Hmph, people nowadays should let some weight off of their shoulders. You especially, Gandalfr, I can feel it from here. You're like a bundle of loosely tied, frayed threads hanging over a candle that inexplicably gets taller the longer it burns." Loutiel says, but Michael doesn't really understand what he's implying... He's angry or something?
"Anyway, since you are already here, I'd like to claim that favour you owe. If you ask me it's been a long time coming, but I've been patient... Well, I've had to be, since I think you're the only person capable of fulfilling my ambition..."
"What is it?"
Loutiel smiles and threads his fingers together like a knock off Mister Burns, "I want you to kill King Joseph de Gallia."
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Michael walks out of the room after leaving the guard corpse with Loutiel, much to the man's chagrin. His mind was heavy with Loutiel's favour, and whether or not he should even attempt it. He knew killing the King of Gallia would be far more difficult than even the idea of the monumental task might suggest.
Sure, Charlotte wanted payback against the King, but he only really wanted to kill Sheffield and take the Ring of Andvari. Even that seemed a little pointless now that they were so close to leaving this world.
Again, he still owed Loutiel a favour, even if looking after orphans didn't really compare to killing a powerful nations king... A favour was a favour though... Michael had verbally accepted the task, but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stop himself from just leaving the world at the first possible chance.
Shaking his head, Michael puts such thoughts to the side for now and goes back to his earlier plan of searching the royal suites for the Prayer book, all while imagining that Loutiel was still watching him...
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Michael eventually returns to his inn room as evening rolls around. He enters and finds Ralf tutoring Tiffania on micro-control of her magical energies while she was meditating. They quickly stop once he enters however, the latter asking how everything went.
He briefly explains his run-in with Loutiel and the context of their relationship before speaking of the favour the man had asked, causing both Ralf and Tiffania to frown in consternation.
"He wishes you to execute the Gallian King... Just like that?" Ralf asks perplexed.
Michael shrugs, "He knows I am the Gandalfr, so he probably trusts my abilities... He is also able to track and watch me at any moment so," he sends a pointed glance at his companions so that they wouldn't say anything to draw Loutiel's ire. While he might be able to kill the man now that he had some magical resistance, it'd cause far more problems than they could handle.
He shakes his head, "Have you guys found anything about Grimpt?"
Ralf nods, "We know where he lives, that he doesn't leave his residence often, and that he has 'prisoners' delivered to him often."
"We should deal with him soon, before he hurts any more people." Tiffania offers and the trio nod in affirmation.
"Yeah, I think even if he didn't have Derflinger I'd have done something about him." Michael admits.
"Ah, there was also one other thing... A young spy called Jojin calling you 'Batuman' wished for you to help rescue some people, as reward he would give you access to a spy network of some sort." Ralf says, rather dismissively admittedly.
Michael's eyes squint as he tries to recall who 'Jojin' was, but comes up blank after going through it a couple times, "Nah, we don't need something like that... I think?"
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