L'Empereur ch 6 preview (Patreon)

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Mazarine Pothos

"Cardin," she found herself saying. 

"Yes?" 

She took in a breath. "You know how I said I was going to go and follow you wherever you went, since it's, ya know, the reason for my whole life's existence?" she said. Beside her and with a face of stoic calm, Cardin nodded. "Yes, you did say that. A bit dramatic but yes." 

Her cheeks reddened slightly as she forced her eyes away from the building, from its flashy lights, gaudy exterior and highly charged and provocative posters. "I draw the line here. There is no way in hell I am stepping foot inside that building," she seethed, her gloved hands turning to fists on her thighs. 

Said building that Cardin's card said was a strip-club, of all things. Now, Mazarine was a healthy young woman with her own needs that she took care of when it needed to be taken care of. But, she was a healthy young woman with certain standards and beliefs, such as modesty. She wasn't going to waltz into a strip club if she could help it. She would be recognized and her outfit wasn't exactly the most subtle. 

''I'll go myself then," Cardin said, his hands reaching for the taxi's door. Mazarine's eyes widened as she gave out a panicked cry. "No!" 

That stopped Cardin in his tracks as he glanced back to the red-faced Mazarine. a thin line on his lips. "What's the matter, Mazarine? We need a construction company and the card says we can get help from this place." Mazarine cursed quietly to herself. 

"There has to be other companies, other places we can talk to for help," she reasoned through red cheeks. "I mean, who sets up a consultation office in a strip club!?" she all but yelled. Outside, pedestrians who were nearby glanced at the fluffy-hatted woman strangely before picking up the pace in their walk. Cardin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mazarine, we have no choice. You heard it straight from Russel's mouth that all our contacts are closed to us. We cannot use my beloved father's network. We are going to go and talk with R & N, get what we need, and be back home for supper." 

Her eyes darted around in a panic. She had to protect the Young Master's chastity from such depraved displays of skin. He was bloody fifteen for Brother's sake! "You're fifteen," she tried again. "You can't get in there." 

"I'm taller than you," Cardin pointed out. "With how I talk, I could easily pass off as twenty or something." 

"You're fifteen! You cannot go there! Why are you so fixated in getting inside a strip club of all places? Are you a pervert?" she accused him. Cardin raised an orange eyebrow. "Didn't you offer to take a bath with me back in the manor?" 

Her face took on a whole new shade of red. "I'm your bodyguard, Brother's damn it! I have to make sure you are protected!" she shrieked. Cardin rolled his eyes as he opened the door and stepped out. "Well, do your job and protect me, wherever I go. I'm going in." 

Immediately, her legs moved as she squeezed herself out of the taxi door, her eyes wide. Cardin was already across the street now, a look of absolute determination in his eyes. "Gods above, I hope no one I know sees me here," Mazarine whispered to herself as she got out of the taxi to catch up with Cardin, doing her best to cover her face with her hat. 

"I don't get how you are so nonchalant about this," Mazarine muttered, her heels clicking and clacking against the worn pavement. The strip club they were going to enter was in Vale's most terrible districts, both in terms of infrastructure quality, social conditions, and morality. A perfect place for a den of sin to thrive. 

"I think I would like a balanced and growing spreadsheet at this time than seeing some tits, Mazarine," Cardin said, catching the eye of a heavily muscled man standing before the doors of the club. Mazarine glanced at Cardin curiously, her embarrassment of stepping into a strip club momentarily forgotten. "You're fifteen, you're not supposed to be thinking of spreadsheets." 

''I wasn't exactly raised normally, you know." Cardin remarked dryly to her as he went off to speak with the muscled man, most likely the club's bouncer. Mazarine however stood still for a moment, processing what Cardin had told her. Now, she knew that her upbringing wasn't exactly normal however as she was literally raised to be a musketeer-huntress. But even the, she could remember that she grew up normally enough to have a childhood. At that, she thought of Francis Winchester. The more she thought of him, the more she felt...off. 

Was this the sort of man her father wanted to serve? A man who would exile his children into the far boonies. the risk of his death apparent? Would restoring the Monarchy be that worth it when the man that would sit on that throne be...well...a frankly terrible person? 

She shook her head. The Musketeers of the Guard do not think, they obey. 

"As the King commands,'' she whispered to herself as she walked over to Cardin's side, hearing him talk with the bouncer. 

"The club's closed so beat it, kid," the doorman said gruffly. A part of Mazarine was incensed at the man's casual dismissal but she knew that this was simply how the proles talked. Still, the man could be at least a little bit polite. 

"I have a card," Cardin said, pulling out the quaint little trinket Russel gave him. "I'm here to speak with R & N." At that, the bouncer's face changed. 

"Oh." He leaned back in, opening the door slightly. "He's inside. There's some stairs that's going take you to the second floor. There's going to be a red door at the far end, you walk in there." 

''Got it," Cardin nodded as he waltzed inside the den of sin. Taking a breath, she made to move. The bouncer on the other hand gave her a curious glance. "So who're you? His woman?" 

She stopped, blinking. The way that bouncer phrased his question and the fact that they were in a strip club made Mazarine think of an image. It was of her, clad in lingerie and with her hat, dancing on a pole as Cardin watched her, his eyes glowing with lust and his pants ti-

She killed that image quickly. 

"I'm his bodyguard," she introduced herself, fighting back how her cheeks were turning pink. The bouncer however shook his head. "Yeah, sure. As you say, lady." 

Grumbling, Mazarine went in and immediately, her eyes were treated to the palace of degeneracy. It looked very much like how one would expect of a strip club. Gaudy sinful decorations and facades, poles for strippers to ply their trades. And...her eyes widened. Was that a cage with a pole in it? At the far end, there was a bar, a glass wall behind it and filled with spirits. The most notable lacking thing however were the customers and the strippers. She remembered that bouncer say that they were closed. That was a relief for Mazarine as they could then go about their business without Cardin's eyes getting treated to degeneracy. 

"Nice place," Cardin remarked, his eyes scanning the room. "There's a lack of tits and asses though." 

"They're closed, Cardin." Mazarine said, rubbing her nose, "And what was that you said now, about being more interested in spreadsheets than tits?" 

Cardin barked a laugh. "I mean, I'm honest with that I'm going to focus on that but it's not as if I would say no to tits and asses. I'm fifteen years old after all. My hormones are going wild and seeing women makes me wild." He added with a leer, at her. 

Mazarine felt very conscious, as her hands moved to cover her chest. "W-what do you think you're doing?" she demanded. 

''Being fifteen," he said with a infuriating smirk. 

"Eyes on the prize, you pig!" Mazarine stammered. 

At that, Cardin laughed, turning for the stairs that would lead them into the second floor. Grumbling under her breath, Mazarine followed. Their path then led them into the door the bouncer had spoken of. Curiously, it had a sign that said open. Why would a consultation office say open when it was nestled in bigger business that said closed? Then she realized that the consultation office offered it's services only to people who knew what they were doing and asking. 

Her eyes quickly narrowed. 

If Cardin was putting himself into something that was even more illegal, she would put her foot down. The only reason she was willing to go along with this was simply because they were desperate. Just because they were desperate didn't mean that she was willing to see Cardin sell himself into the illegal life of crime. 

And so, she knocked on the door. 

"It opens!" a cheery voice bid them to enter. She twisted the door knob and in came Cardin. Following after him and closing the door behind her, she could see that they were in a office of some kind. It looked tame, quite tame to what she was expecting. There was a desk and chairs in front of it. Her eyes however settled on the man seated behind the desk. His hair was orange like Cardin's, combed in a way that covered his right eye. On the desk, was a black bowler hat. The same hat which was on the calling card. 

"Come in, come in and take a seat!" the orange-haired man invited them. Cardin accepted the man's invitation, going along and planting himself on a free seat. Dutifully, Mazarine took her place behind Cardin, her rapier clinking with each step made. The sound of it got the orange-haired man's attention and briefly, they shared a look. Mazarine's message was clear. 

Don't try anything with Cardin and she wouldn't take her rapier out. 

As if knowing what she was thinking, the man smirked at her, which made her frown, before he returned his attention back to Cardin. "Well, it's not often that I get clients such as yourselves here in my office," the man began speaking. Mazarine resisted the urge to raise her eyebrow. Clients such as yourselves. Did this man know who Cardin was? Who she was?

"Well, if the business is good, you might be seeing me again, as a repeat customer." Cardin spoke up, his back resting against his chair. "For trust's sake, my name is Cardin Winchester. And you are?" 

''I love repeat customers!" the man said happily. "It only proves that my services are more than satisfactory and they are, I assure you." He added with a smile. "My name is Roman Torchwick. I'm the R to the R & N. So, what can I do for you?" 

"You were recommended to me by a friend of mine." Cardin began, the now named Roman giving him his utmost attention or looking like it.. Well, Mazarine thought. He certainly knew how to make their customers feel important. "He tells me that you can help me in finding a construction company to develop land." 

Roman leaned back, a contemplative look on his face. "Well...that's an unorthodox request. My services tend to be the more...practical side. But I'm not the one to say no to a paying customer..." He trailed, looking at Cardin carefully. 

"Money will not be an issue," Cardin said firmly. For a moment, Mazarine gave him a look of concern. While she knew that his inheritance was absurd in the amount of zeros there was, the rate that he spent it all was concerning. While he hadn't exactly been spending it on frivolous things as she feared he would do, he was still a teenager after all, there was a point when one had to be frugal with their money even if he sat on a generous hoard. 

If Roman Torchwick knew, he certainly did not care. He simply smiled, leaning in with new interest. "Well, consider my services yours. I have a few questions. Don't worry, nothing too intrusive. I just need to know details about what you are doing so that I can have a better idea of what to say to my contacts." 

Cardin nodded. "The land being developed is outside Vale, in Western Anima. It's a undeveloped village at the most. I have plans to turn it into a proper city. I need a developer who can work outside the kingdoms. I want everything. Electric grid, water systems, developing docks and more. I want it all. Furthermore, I also want people who know how to run them." 

"That...that's a big ask," Roman commented. "That's going to take some time to organize and gather." 

"I'm in no hurry and Winchestown isn't exactly going anywhere," Cardin shrugged. 

"Fair enough. So, is this going to be a purely human thing or...?" Roman once again trailed. 

"I don't particularly care, as long as they are good at their job. The people that you find, I'm willing to accept sketchy as long as their...foibles are not too overt and malicious. I want sensible people with talent, not psychopaths on a power trip." Cardin then added. Roman nodded along, typing onto his scroll. He leaned in slightly, smirking at the mention of 'sketchy'. 

"Sketchy? What makes you think that?" Roman asked, amused. Cardin gestured at the room around them. "It would take an idiot of epic proportions to not realize that it's suspicious for this office to be inside a strip club, on Vale's worst street. There's also the fact that you are Roman Torchwick, Vale's rising name in its underworld." 

"So you do know who I am," Roman laughed, preening at the recognition. He leaned forward, folding his hands on the table. "Now, I'm aware that you're big money, old money. But aren't your types the ones that deal with fellow fat cats? Why come to me of all people?" 

"He doesn't have to answer to you, worm," Mazarine said, having enough of Torchwick's tone. To think that they would have to turn to a crook of all people, it made Mazarine feel dirty for even breathing the same air as him. 

"Mazarine, please," Cardin interjected, giving her a look. She grumbled under her breath, returning to standing at attention, all the while resisting the urge to wipe the smirk off Roman's face. "Now back to business...I also have other things for you to do. I'll put up a complete list in paper form." At that, Cardin took out his scroll and tapped a few buttons. Interest flashed in Roman's eyes as he glanced into his scroll. For a moment a confused look came onto him as he looked up back at Cardin. 

"What do you need artists, musicians, and voice actors for?" 

''Reasons," Cardin said, utter seriousness on his face. 

"I see...well. Tell you what, don't tell me." Roman said, putting his scroll aside. "This will really take a long a time, kid. And some of these people will not move out even if you offer them millions not until your village is nice and safe." 

"I'll be making sure of that," Cardin declared, his hand patting the baton on his belt. "I want you to advance the construction company first. Gotta make sure that the town is nice and set up, after all. Once things have been built, I want those other people I asked for." 

"Alright then." Roman said with finality. "There's a construction company I know, a bit small time and struggling for work. Their foreman is...difficult but he's honest. Well, the only few honest people with connections to guys like me. I'll have to organize a ship to get his guys and equipment moving. I'm also going to have to go and organize supplying them. He'll be expecting lien up front to move and as for me..." 

"Your account?" Cardin asked flatly. Not a second later, he was standing up, enthusiastically shaking Cardin's hand. 

"A pleasure doing business with ya, kid!" Roman said cheerily. "I'll get in touch with you as soon as I get things moving." 

"Likewise, Torchwick." tersely replied Cardin. Roman waved him off. "Come now kid, we're business partners! Call me Roman, you've earned it." 

"As you say, Roman," said Cardin as he promptly released his hand from Torchwick's grip. Cardin then turned, heading for the door "Come on, Mazarine."

Mazarine followed after him. But before she left, she turned slightly to look at Torchwick and to her displeasure, he was smirking at her. Rolling her eyes, she went ahead to rejoin Cardin, taking her eyes away from Roman and that pink and brown haired child watching her from the corner. 

As she walked, she paused for a moment. Was that child always there? 

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A/N: The grind continues.