A Casual Collection: Season 2

Ep8: The Negotiator

He wasn't the same for the first few days after getting the 5000G. He spent most of his time around the castle, wandering around like a banshee while waiting for his new weaponry. Going to his first kill didn't help him in the long run; it had only been a temporary distraction from the memory of his family, and soon enough, more mental baggage to drag along. Soon, the new sword and guns were delivered to his doorstep. A longer, better blade with a red line down the middle, with freshly refurbished pistoles to go along with it.

His mood seemed to lift as he admired his new weapons, but the last kill was still on his mind. Her perfectly contempt face staying in place after taking a bullet to the chest as he trailed his finger along the smooth metal of the gun. Not even this was seeming to help him with the nagging feeling...

The coffee that was served every morning became his escape from his thoughts. He could drown memories in a jittery feeling and a scalding hot liquid going down his throat. Before he knew it, it had added itself to his daily schedule.

On one of his jogs out of the castle, he saw a sign for the post. He ended up being drawn inside, sending a letter to his father before continuing to the tavern. Waiting for a letter back ended up eating away at him more, until he decided enough was enough. He went up to visit the king, who was ever eternally lounging on his throne. "Never thought I would get a chance to talk to you again," Geo went, pulling out a board with pieces spread out on it. "A game of chess?"

"I would like to request a day off," Lao said matter-of-factly. Geo's smile diminished out of disappointment, but it never left. "Already? I'm sure it hasn't been too long."

"I have family matters to tend to," he explained, never leaving the last stair of the staircase. "I need to ensure they are alright."

"Any other details I should know about?" Lao shook his head in response. He didn't feel the need to be an open book to Geo. "Very well then, but while you visit, do you mind converting the realm for me?"

"What?"

"This is my condition." He started setting up the board as he explained. "I honestly do not know where you have come from, but there is a good chance it is still affiliated with the Order. It is always hard to convenience someone of an ideology they go against. However...if we use a pawn that is already on their side, it suddenly becomes a matter of a simple errand." He knocked the white bishop off with the white pawn, replacing it with a black bishop instead to complete the horrible chess analogy. (Not that Lao knew) "The seed is planted, and then they can finally learn the wonders of co-existing with mamono."

"Sorry to stop your plans, but I am not exactly the best person to be convincing,"

"Then I will send Addianas with you. Deal?" Lao was unsure of how he would convince others to join the faction, but it gave him a chance to visit his family with notice. He accepted the deal and went back down the steps, to in his thoughts to remember that Geo wished to at least play a game of chess before he went. He sped down the spiral staircase, stopping to retrieve his weapons before continuing out of the castle. He took a map with him to find his way back to his hometown, not bothering to wait for his escort. He didn't need to in his eyes, as the knight could easily catch up.

It wasn't as easy for Add as he thought. He managed to get halfway through the industrial town before he heard the familiar pattern of metal on pressed dirt. His head was suddenly put under a headlock as chops repeatedly hit his dome. "Agh!"

"Idiot idiot Idiot idiot!" Add kept repeating as he punished the cadet for making him run for so long. "Do you know how hard it is to run in armor!?"

"You have never not worn armor! Ow..."

"That isn't the problem," After one last good chop to his head, he lets him go. "Now I'm sweating too much under this. You are lucky you have your blue robes on, light and breathable...now where are we going?"