As I made my way down the corridor, Thorpe's voice caught my attention. "My lord, there you are," he said, walking toward me and James.
"Thorpe, there you are. All is well with the tasks?" I asked as he fell into step beside us.
"Yes, my lord. The tasks are being carried out, and Captain Kalrick will collect the funds in the morning," Thorpe responded, though his expression seemed troubled.
I noticed the hesitation in his demeanor and pressed him. "Thorpe, spit it out. What is it?" I asked, disliking the uneasy look on his face.
"Well, sir, Marquis Raven and Captain Farling are waiting in your office," Thorpe said with a deep sigh.
At this statement, all I could muster was a muffled "Oh." James, on the other hand, seemed noticeably more alert at the mention of Captain Farling's name.
"Careful, James," I warned, recalling a past incident. "Last time you were careless with Captain Farling, and she almost castrated you in a duel because you kept annoying her."
"Yes, my lord. I shall try to contain myself," James said, attempting to downplay the situation, though it was clear he wasn't fooling anyone.
Upon arriving at my office, I opened the door to find Marcel seated comfortably in one of the chairs. Marcel was a slender yet toned man with shoulder-length silver hair and hazel eyes. His dignified appearance and refined manner gave an impression of wisdom and mystery. Standing behind him was Captain Suling Farling, whose presence was equally striking. She had a curvaceous yet toned physique, dark hair cascading down her back, and captivating green and light brown eyes. Her tall stature exuded confidence, and the light mascara she wore highlighted her expressive gaze perfectly.
I stepped toward my desk and addressed Marcel directly. "Marcel, why are your armies active at this time? I wonder."
Without missing a beat, Marcel responded in a calm, measured voice, "I am annoyed at Baron Gaston, and because of that, I'm going to conquer his city tomorrow and kill him in the process."
I raised an eyebrow at his bluntness. "What did he do to annoy you, Marcel?" I asked, trying to understand what provoked such decisive action.
"It was discovered that he is a Bloodcultist, and his city engages in human trafficking to supply the parasites for farming purposes. No offense, Kael," he said, glancing briefly at me.
"None taken," I replied smoothly.
"So, Baron Gaston is a Bloodcultist," I reasoned aloud. "That would mean he serves either Envy or Lust, given his proximity to their territories."
Marcel shrugged, unconcerned. "Doesn't matter which. He's going to die. Besides, I never liked him. He's a slob. It was only a matter of time before I decided to eliminate him."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward James and Thorpe, who stood near my desk.
"Well," I continued, leaning back in my chair, "he and Baron Zacks are often seen in contact. Have you investigated Zacks as well?"
"Yes, I'm still investigating him," Marcel replied.
I sighed, clearly irritated. "Barons and those in that region are always making unnecessary noise. It's always annoying."
Marcel's expression turned cold. "The less talent they have, the more pride, vanity, and arrogance they display. These fools always find other fools to applaud them."
"Well, in any case, just be careful. The last thing I want is for you to end up like me," I said.
"Yeah, I'll make sure to stay cautious," Marcel replied. "By the way, Master sent something for you. He mentioned that he found them just as you requested."
As he spoke, I noticed a wooden basket at his feet. He picked it up and signaled for Thorpe to bring it to my desk. When I opened it, I discovered a rather large egg inside. Looking up at Marcel with a puzzled expression, I waited for an explanation.
"Master said he recently visited the volcanic region, specifically near the Bargean Swamp, where he found this," Marcel explained, leaning back in his seat. "I'm sure you know what that means."
"This is a Komodo Dragon egg," I realized aloud. "Which means I can finally obtain a familiar."
"That's correct," Marcel confirmed. "By the way, I heard you've conquered two outposts. Are you finally planning on expanding your influence?"
"Not in the slightest," I replied flatly. "It was Norman and John's idea. I'm simply following their advice because I see no downside to it. Besides, Marquis Malcray was willing to pay handsomely to clear out the people occupying those castles."
"Mhmm," Marcel muttered. "Master hated the idea of you being sent out of the Alliance's reach. But don't worry, he's trying to get you back."
Not liking the concern in his tone, I reassured him, "I appreciate Master's loyalty, but the last thing I want is to return to the Alliance's sphere of influence. I quite enjoy the peace of my current location. Wouldn't you agree, considering you've moved as well? Don't you enjoy not having to deal with their tiresome politics?"
Marcel's expression darkened slightly. "Don't even, Kael. You know damn well how much I despised that place. It's the same reason I keep telling Master to leave things as they are. But you have to understand, Kael, Master is only worried about a massive attack. If that happens, he's too far away to provide us with timely support."
"Yeah, I know," I acknowledged. "That's likely what bothers him most about this whole situation. Still, I don't think either of us is too vulnerable. We're not far from each other, after all."
Marcel nodded in agreement. "In any case, I'll be off to bed, Kael. It's late, and I have many heads to detach from their shoulders tomorrow. Don't perform the familiar ritual until I've finished my conquest."
With that, Marcel departed, Captain Farling trailing behind. James couldn't take his eyes off her as she left, and his expression earned him a swift slap to the head from Thorpe.
"You absolute moron. Do you ever learn?" Thorpe snapped, glaring at James.
I could do nothing but shake my head at their antics.