.^^ King Jean-Luke Vicar ^^

— Josef —

Formal clothes were never really my thing. Never had been. Ever. I was forced to wear a tux to my own wedding, and then to each of my children's' weddings, and also to three funerals, but that was all. As this was not a Wedding or a Funeral, but rather a party with some uptight noble who wanted me dead, I decided to play it safe.

Therefore, when I knocked on the door of the Estate, (a massive, two-story mansion that quite literally occupied a whole city block,) I was wearing my normal armor, but it was reworked to look very spiffy, and the leather was freshly oiled.

The guards stared at me for a few moments, and then flinched and bowed when I walked through them, not bothering to wait for them to speak.

I was currently unarmed, (at least to their eyes,) and so one of them began leading me to a large gazebo in the center of the mansion's interior courtyard, much like a Moroccan Riad, but with less an effort to conserve space and security, and more an effort to show off wealth.

Massive tigers were in cages to either side of the entrance, as well as cages with odd-looking Wyverns and other A-S Rank predatory monsters, and they all instantly came to attention, as the man down the isle their cages created smirked at me infuriatingly.

I frowned, and instead of allowing them to growl at me, I activated Intimidating Presence, then Dragon-Prince, and simply Snarled back.

Instantly, all sound from them all ceased, and they laid down in their cages demurely.

The Duke at the end of the isle looked shaken, falling back into his seat, while the man sitting next to him was staring at me impassively, then slowly raised an eyebrow up into his light brown hairline.

His armor was well-made, (though Identify wouldn't tell me anything about it,) being white with gold accents and filigree, though I could see signs of use, scratches and dents made by continued use. A sword hung at his belt, equally pretty, but without any bulky, eccentric accessory, and also showing signs of use, in the freshly-replaced leather of the handle, which hadn't been broken in yet.

I walked towards them, and bowed my head briefly. "Greetings. I was invited for a celebration of some kind, but I seem to have gotten the Date Wrong... I was promised fun and music, and this seems instead to be the Carnival."

The one who'd been calm hummed. "Carnival? What kind of carnival are you used to?" He asked softly, his voice clear and sturdy, one that you had to silence yourself to hear. A King's Voice.

"Well, There's Beasts and magic, and these ones are quite adorable once tamed, but not most people's idea of Fun, I don't think, just mine." I smirked at the continued confusion and fear on one of their faces, then frowned. "Ahh, but neither of you are real, aren't I right? A precautionary measure, because you thought I'd want revenge after you tried to have me assassinated... a baseless fear, I assure you."

I waved a hand to clear the air metaphorically, and hummed as the images disappeared, and the two people registered on my mind on the balcony of the second floor. "Hmph. Come join me for tea, at least! How rude!" I chuckled, and sat down at the small table that their illusions had been seated at.

'That tea is poisoned.' The Messenger growled.

'I am immune to Poisons, from both the Sage and Red Dragon.' I countered her point, and poured myself a cup.

The calm man appeared from the air, having stepped through calmly, and sat across from me. "So, you came, and you bring accusations of alleged contact with assassins against a member of the Royal Court?" He asked calmly.

"Accusations, sure... and a little more." I smirked, and sipped the tea.

The second man made it down the stairs, being apparently unable to travel as the king had, and growled. "YOU DARE-"

"I dare to do quite a lot of things, you'll have to be more specific. Also, when attempting to poison someone, do be less obvious about it? Everyone checks the Tea: pro-Tip; poison the spoon that stirs the tea. Much less noticeable. Also, I am immune to poison, so don't waste my time, hmm?" I nodded calmly, and set down my empty cup.

The king chuckled softly, interrupting the duke's enraged reply, instantly silencing the man. "That is true. Everyone Checks the Tea." He nodded, smiling calmly.

'I may have made a boo boo...' the Messenger whispered.

'What, that the king isn't as much of a puppet as you thought? Yeah, thanks!!!' I responded sharply, then leaned back in my chair. "Oh, and another thing; that letter, the one about the lost Pegasi, after your pet noble gave them to the assassins who tried to kill me? That was Bold, and I respect that." I grinned.

The king smiled, leaning back. "Thanks, I try my best to be a good challenge. If he'd known you were Rank SS+ now, Duke Kerrigan would have sent 8 S+ after you, but what's done is done, I suppose. I attempted to clean up his mess as best as was possible. The nobles wanted you gone, and I didn't see you as enough of an asset to move against them needlessly. You were an unknown, and I don't like Unknowns."

"I respect the calculation and balance that your job requires. Rest assured that I don't have designs upon the obligatory responsibility entailed therein." I snorted at the thought of me as a king.

He nodded. "That's good to know. But you came here with no intention of making peace, didn't you?"

"To be honest, I planned on killing Kerrigan in a Duel, and solidifying my position in this region, so I can soothe some of the damage he's done to the Dwarves. Then I planned on having you give me a proper title, not an Elect, or possibly just taking Kerrigan's, seeing as I would be Dueling him anyway." I shrugged, smiling viciously at the now-quivering man.

The king nodded. "That would tie up a few loose ends for me, I suppose. Kerrigan did commit Treason, after all, and I have no reason to protect him, now that I've seen the results of your... Work."

"Thank you. The prejudicial policy this country has against Dwarves is irksome to a point I've never experienced before. I'll feel much better once I let some rage off my chest and also accomplish something constructive." I smiled.

"Indeed... Also; a partial solution to the issue with the Dwarves. Your flooding the markets with High-Grade Metals has erupted in the capital and other cities as a need for equally High-Grade BlackSmiths. Dwarves are born with a B+ Blacksmithing Skill. This is well-known. Seeing as all of the Dwarves are migrating towards your city, it's entirely possible that, simply out of Greed, the nobles will publicly disavow their previous views of Dwarves, as they can buy and sell this valuable metal, as well as the works created with it." He laced his fingers together, and stared at me probingly.

"Yes... what is Also likely, is the fact that the metal is an entirely new Recipe created by an Elfborn Half-Fae Red-Dragon Therianthrope will create tension between Elves and Humans, and strengthen the bond between elves and Dwarves, who will begin forging exclusively for the race who have never persecuted them from a position of power; thus beginning a bidding war with the elves selling the finished product for exorbitant prices, and the Black Market will be Flush with fakes and also the real thing, confusing the entire situation Ad Infinitum." I countered.

He blinked slowly, then grinned widely, leaning forward even more. "That is true, but I have recently negotiated an open trade agreement with the Elven Clans on the subject of weapons and armor; this to the symbiotic goal of protecting this kingdom from threats such as: the barbarian tribes to the north, the Elemental Scourge to the Southwest, and the Eastern Nihon Clans. Also, they do accept my family as their elected and born rulers, as I am Elfborn; therefore, my Royal Guards and the officers of my military will receive these weapons first, (yes at exorbitant cost, but that's nothing to me,) and from there they will be trickled downs and disseminated amongst the Upper ranks as better or newer blades are made, or when a soldier reaches the A- Rank, a Rank that allows them certain privileges, like better weaponry and being gifted a Skill by Me, the King, as well as the added benefit of an open invitation to join my Royal Guards."

I hummed, filing all that away, and asking one of my million questions. "You Gift your soldiers with Skills at A- Rank? Interesting process, and it does allow you a certain amount of oversight over them, allowing you to police your ranks quite efficiently... I'm impressed."

"Thank you." He nodded, and waved a hand. A new pot was brought to us, and I realized it smelled of coffee. "A favorite drink of mine. 'Soldier's Breakfast', they used to call it, but it is a rare find, these days. We drank it out of crop, apparently." He chuckled, pouring himself and then me a cup of it.

"Coffee, Yes. A favorite of mine as well, though I haven't seen any since coming here, I was almost afraid to ask someone what happened to it." I sipped the concoction, and sent the contents of the sip to the Hidden Space so I could separate the beans from the water and plant my own crop, later.

His eyes narrowed, staring at the cup and my mouth. "How did you do that?"

"A Skill of mine. It teleports small things for me, like arrows or small amounts of liquids. I just sent a sample of coffee to my Alchemy Laboratory to hopefully extract some coffee grounds, and from there build a bean, and then plant it and grow my own coffee plant. It won't be much, but I'll have a cup every day, which would be nice." I shrugged.

"Interesting... sell me a few of the plants, when you have them." He leaned his bearded chin on his fist.

"Sell me some beans, and the process will go much faster." I fired back.

He smiled and waved his hand again, and this time the person who'd brought the coffee handed me a small pouch, which held four coffee beans. "Make good use of them, and I'll only charge you ten gold a piece." He nodded.

"Mm. Done." I took two of the beans, and handed the pouch back. "It's a curious bean... slightly different from what I've seen before... almost Sumatran, or maybe Nepalese? Interesting. I'll breed a few different species', and try to vary the flavors a bit." I sent the bean into the Hidden Space, and sipped my coffee for real, this time.

"I look forward to it. Now! Let's get down to business! You want to Duel Kerrigan, but he's not a warrior." He hummed.

"Sounds like a personal choice that has cost him dearly." I shrugged.

"I don't disagree, but the law states he can choose a representative, and if that representative fails, then you may kill him." He nodded.

"Do I have to kill the representative? I have no grudge against that person, whoever they are." I sighed.

"No, you can accept a surrender, if you are feeling... generous." He smiled knowingly.

"Good, do we have all three witnesses?" I asked, glancing around and sipping the piping hot coffee with relish, the familiar taste reminding me of home. My wife had been incorrigible without her morning brew, which she took 'Black, like her soul'. She was a cutie like that.

"We have far more than three." He gestured at the balcony, and the dozens and dozens of guards pointing crossbows and longbows at me.

"No, I mean witnesses that matter. Those are just cannon fodder." I replied dryly, smirking mentally as several of them were intelligent to realize I wasn't joking at all.

"They're all S- Rank." He narrowed his eyes.

"Ooh, goodie, they get to feel superior as they die screaming." I raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

He chuckled. "Your arrogance is continuously amusing, Josef Von Eisenberg. I will make a bet with you: defeat the Champion that Kerrigan thinks I don't know about, and I'll give you his lands and property and even his wealth, just like a normal duel, but I'll also give you his Rank, that of a true member of the Royal Court. You will be the new Red Duke, and your House will be Royal, for as long as you are loyal."

"The Red Duke... it suits me. Alright, let's get ready to rumble!" I grinned, and stood up, walking over to the isle of beasts, and then pushed them each back to the wall, one by one, until I'd cleared a large space in the middle of the courtyard.

The Duke, perhaps sensing his imminent demise, spoke quietly to a servant, and then sat down at the table, without any indication of fear, which was my first clue. The servant, however, smelled of terror, so I stepped in front of him, and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"A-Ah, pardon me, Duke-"

"I don't plan on killing you, Kerrigan. I plan on making you my Subject, and then simply changing how you run things." I explained calmly.

The king glanced at me. "Really? That's awfully... forgiving?"

"No, not at all. He's working for free, after all, and his entire family is losing their Claim to Royalty. Also, it's nothing to do with repentance or forgiveness, it's pragmatism. He understands how to run this Dukedom, and he will continue to do so, just under my banner, and with the mindset that dwarves are a partly-nonrenewable, naturally-existent economic/militant resource, and they will all be treated with respect in the future, for the good of the entire kingdom. He will tell his barons that, and by virtue of greed and the trickle-down effect, they will all, eventually, treat the Dwarves with respect that will slowly, hopefully, mend the multigenerational rift between our races." I explained calmly and precisely.

He chuckled. "I suppose that does make sense... and I like how you think. But no, I will begin the process myself. You need not rely on him. Also, I'll provide you a very gifted advisor to handle the dukedom. It's swiftly becoming one of my more economically profitable, after all, I can't have it run by an idiot like Kerrigan." He added dryly.

"My king!!! I assure you-" the illusion servant protested, then flinched, his cover blown.

"See? He's an idiot. Even when his life is on the line, his ego overpowers his logic." The king frowned at him.

"Ah. Then, in that case, never mind, I have no need of your pompous, elitist arse. So, you're not running away. Sit." I shoved the illusion Kerrigan into a seat, and the illusion faded.

I smiled, and took the seat opposite him, next to the new woman, and she raised an eyebrow at me. "Hello."

I glanced at her, surprised by her looks, and hummed. "Impressive Glamour. Almost like a Fae. I'm Half-Fae, you know."

The beautiful new woman tilted her head at me, then spoke sternly, in a near-monotone. "Yes, I can tell. You are a Mountain Fae. I'm half Mountain-Fae, and half River Fae. Pleased to meet you. I'm going to kill you in a few moments."

"Actually, and Unfortunately, I'm going to have to maim you horribly,-and then heal you, don't worry!- but I don't want to, because I'm actually a very nice person, and I don't relish harming other sapient creatures." I responded just as calmly.

She tilted her head the other way. "I find that both pleasant to hear and emotionally attractive. Such a shame." She said in that matter-of-fact tone, then whipped a sword at my throat.

I stepped towards her, chest-to-chest, (as I realized she was now the same height as me,) and then gripped her throat swiftly, as her eyes widened in momentary shock. "I'd like to submit for the record that I am aware this sounds odd; but submit, please?"

"Not happening!" She grinned savagely, and I hummed as my skin started to ice over, but then my internal heat and the immunity to temperature removed it instantly.

"I'm immune to Elemental Magic, my dear, on account that I am both an Elemental Phoenix ArchMage and a High-Magic using True ArchMage. Please surrender." I sighed.

"How rude!" She grinned again, and then kicked me in the nuts, true to her aim.

I groaned slowly as I realized that her strength was nearly equal to my own, as was her constitution. "Okay... my apologies, I underestimated you... hey, if we both survive this, you wanna get a drink sometime?" I grinned childishly, and then drew my sword just in time, letting her blade deflect at an angle away from my throat.

"Make you a deal: we both survive because you surrender, and I'll buy." She laughed, and riposted, shoving me away from her swiftly, then spun low, swinging a heel at my kidneys.

I grinned and jumped over her leg, kicking her chest on the downswing. "Reversal! I'll buy! You just recommend a Tavern! I'm new here in town!!!" I laughed as we bantered pleasantly, her speed and strength nearly equal to mine, while my skin was slightly more armored, and her attacks held more magic than physical attacks.

Soon, we were deadlocked, and we both knew it. She had some sort of skill to see any attack that would actually bleed her, and then dodge it, and I had a superior set of reflexes, so neither of us could touch the other.

Then, she decided to up the stakes, by ripping open her buttoned blouse, and exposing her chest, which was glorious, and the movement of her breasts quickly enthralled me, which was quite surprising. I wasn't the type of guy to ogle a woman, I had much more respect for women than that.

Either way, I had no choice but to stare, it seemed, and then she used the halt of my movement to stab me in the chest.