To Build An Empire

"The idiots here," Ash stepped into his office just as he sat down. "It's a perfect chance to go through with your plan. He wouldn't expect it, then again, he's an idiot, he wouldn't see a charging boar if it tore down a house to get to him."

Jonas felt giddy to finally get a chance to accomplish something other than sit on the Leviathan and watch his soldiers loot the constant flow of returning pirates and mercenary traders. While it was immensely lucrative, it bored him to death when they won every exchange without a single crew actually putting up any resistance.

Hell, they've even got a large number of the better mercenary groups to swear absolute loyalty after Gregor-who was constantly sent on these menial tasks-beat them black and blue with Jalen's help. Ash even appreciated their well equipped and powerful demeanors. Great heavy infantry she had said, which Jonas could understand.

Can't really beat back five-hundred six-seven giants fully clad in heavy plate armor with massive shields and larger halberds with blades that could probably cut a person in half easily, head to toes. They were just horribly unlucky to be caught on a ship were their size and armor put them in a disadvantage the second battle started.

From what Jonas saw, they could barely swing their massive weapons with how much the sh.i.p.s swayed, and their lumbering gaits was further hindered by the heavy armor.

It was the only situation where they actually lost men, fifty-four to be exact. But it was a good trade, to say the least, not considering the gold the mercenary band had acquired in their service.

With a flourish the idiot, whose name was Tharioul Unbera Von Jackrol-Thari for short-came in with his chin almost touching the ceiling. Today he wore a completely bright blue outfit that looked so ridiculous on him, Jonas couldn't help but laugh.

Huffing, the man sat down without preamble. "Monsieur Markus," he said in way of greeting.

"Thari! How are you?" Jonas said.

"Cease this! My name is Tharioul Unbera Von Jackrol! Tharioul! Not that bastardized version you casually use."

"It's good to see you haven't lost that arrogant attitude after tripping over your cloak last week. We thought you had killed yourself with how much you were bleeding. Didn't expect you to have such vitality."

"It is the noble blood running in me. No commoner would ever heal as quickly as I had." Thari looked smug.

Jonas laughed. The man was simply outrageous with everything he did. It brought tears to his eyes.

"What are we discussing this time?" Jonas asked as Thari noticed Ash stand closer to the door than normal. Though he just huffed then turned back to look at Medulis with a sneer, his nose moving like a bloodhound. It was like he could smell their common birth, it showed on his face.

"Why you associate with such common rabble is beyond me, Monsieur Markus. You are obviously of high birth with how intelligent and quick witted you are, but it detracts your presence to have these lowly ones around you so often. At least your butler, Frezar I believe his name was, has noble blood running through his veins...no matter how little."

Jonas frowned. He didn't have a problem with the friendly banter and jabs they threw at each other, but insulting his people hit a nerve he never noticed. His silence spoke volumes to Thari, as the man even took a moment to look apologetic for a second before raising his chin up in defiance again.

"Let's act like that didn't happen. Why don't we continue," Jonas suggested, gritting his teeth. He had to get through this to make everything that came after much easier on him and his people.

"Of course," Thari said.

Acting like he remembered something. Jonas pulled out the decree he had already prepared within another paper from one of his drawers. He folded them together to make it hidden from his eyes until it was already too late. He put it on the table and slid it forward towards Thari with a fake smile.

"Read this. I want your opinion on it like the one I had shown you previously," he said to top it all off. If this didn't work, he didn't know what will. They've exchanged pieces of information and strategy on paper before so it shouldn't look suspicious.

"Another unconventional strategy, Monsieur Markus. They are quite entertaining to speculate even if they are quite unrealistic," Thari said as he grabbed the paper but stopped short of opening it up.

He looked down at it with a frown before smiling and looking Jonas in the eyes. A twinkle in his eyes.

"Turn you gaze over there!" Thari suddenly screamed.

"What?" Jonas turned to see what Thari pointed at only to hear the crashing of a broken window.

Jonas felt his heart drop as he turned to see Thari's cushioned seat sprawled on the floor, the paper on the ground and Medulis rushing towards the window preparing an ice spear in mid-air. She looked out the broken window into the waters only to see a blue flash.

"The bastard had a teleportation scroll on him!"

Jonas felt numb as he looked at the other two. Ash had a dumbfounded expression and Medulis did her best to find him through her scrying. His hands felt cold to the touch as his brain froze, its processing power slowing down to a crawl-whatever that meant. He didn't even stare at the floating half-dozen of ice spears rotating around the mage.

"D-did that just happen?"