(TLO) Chapter 145: Bamboozle (Patreon)

The sound of an annoyed yet respectful voice flittered through the air. It made its way through the door to fill his ears with its almost nasal displeasure. It was hurried and raised high enough to deter whoever the subject of their growing discomfort was, yet was low enough that it was clear they didn’t want him hearing it.

Lucas sat behind his office desk wondering who had barged into the adventure society’s hall to see him with such a fuss. He ignored the parchment he’d been reading regarding the summons of the adventurers involved in the fissure at the site of one of the Dead Accords that happened two weeks ago. It was already proving a headache and he was more than happy for the break from it.

Someone took the handle of his door from the outside and jiggled it once. With its rune lock in place it would take more than that to open it.

“Please, House, the guild master is busy.”

He recognized Samara’s annoyed voice anywhere and almost caught himself in a smile. There was something that always proved fun in seeing and hearing the annoyed woman.

Rather than rise to interfere, Lucas sat back and listened to the show.

It did not last.

Samara had barely gotten another word out concerning how busy he was and his need for no disturbance when the rune on his door handle shined once then shattered.

It wasn’t an impressive feat, not necessarily. However, considering runes weren’t things that could simply be shattered by just anyone, it piqued his interest.

The door opened and Jim walked into the office with Samara hot on his heels. She was a plump woman who seemed to fill out her body more than simply looking chubby.

“I’m really sorry, guild master…” she began.

He cut her off with a raised hand and a gentle smile. “It’s alright, Samara,” he said, turning unsmiling eyes to Jim. “You couldn’t have stopped him even if you brought adventurers with you.”

She bowed gently but not at the waist and he waved her off.

“You may go.”

She stepped out of the room backwards and closed the door after her.

Alone, he let the false smile slip from his face and turned an annoyed look on Jim. “Before you say whatever it is that’s made you annoy my lovely secretary, may I know why you would go against House Darnesh?”

“The young gold will be fine,” Jm dismissed his worries. “He needed to learn sooner or later that being a Baron’s puppet isn’t enough to intimidate a House.”

Lucas tilted his head to the side. “But it is, though.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’re just a different case. That’s all.”

“Oh.” Jim seemed thoroughly surprised. “Well, now he knows its not enough to intimidate me.”

“So why did you go against him?”

“Because he wanted one of my beneficiaries for personal reasons and chose to bamboozle his way into getting to him.”

“Bamboozle?”

“Strong-arm.” Jim shrugged. “Bully. Abuse his power.”

“Oh, I know what the word means, Jim. I’m just surprised you know what the words mean.”

“I’ve been learning commonly used words from the old era.”

Lucas made a gesture of indifference with his mouth before going on. “Now, what has made you annoy my amazing secretary and barge into my office?”

“The petition for the summoning of the adventurers involved in the Dead Accords incident.”

“You lock yourself away from the world in who knows where and no one hears from you in two weeks, but you choose to come out now of all times? Who even told you a petition had been submitted. For all you know, the matter might’ve been swept under the rug. The adventure society might’ve already made deals and promises.”

Jim shook his head as if tired of a growing farce. “The adventure society has made no deals or promises. The petition came in this morning and you intend on stalling so that it looks as if you didn’t consider it serious enough so they don’t think you’re willing to bend to the will of another Baron now that you’re one. What you choose to do is your business. However, whatever decision is made, none associated with House Darnesh will be present at the hearing or ruling.”

“And why is that?”

“Because House Darnesh’s obsession with one of mine will lead them to bias. And this is merely a foolish ploy to get in touch with him.”

This much held Lucas’ attention and he leaned forward to listen with hands rested on his desk.

“And which of yours, might I ask?” he asked.

“Oden,” Jim replied.

“The pure core Iron.”

“Yes.”

“Every one knows the obsession of House Darnesh,” he began cautiously. “Why not humor the young lord and allow him an audience with the boy. Considering the child’s amnesia, he might turn out to be who they’re looking for. And if he isn’t, then there’s no harm done. If he is, then he gets to be reunited with his family.”

Jim sighed in a manner Lucas could only describe as disrespectful. It was a sigh he’d heard from his father more than once when he or one of his siblings was not understanding something he believed a raccoon would.

When he spoke again, his words were sharp enough to cut God.

“A young Lord will not disrespect me and request of me a child in my care. I do not care if the child is the Christian messiah or the god of any of the stupid new religions. If he could not respect me enough to follow the proper channels in the beginning, then he must suffer the consequences of it.”

“Jim, you’re being petty.”

“Then let me be pettier.” Jim stepped forward so he stood directly in front of the desk. “House Darnesh will not lay any of its eyes on Oden. They will neither smell him nor hear him. This is my will. Should the adventure society play a part in supporting them, then I will act accordingly.”

A frown threatened to pull on Lucas’ lips. “Are you threatening the adventure society, Jim?”

“It’s not a threat. It is an assurance. I have brought to you a clear and obvious attempt of a Lord of the Baron to abuse his delegated authority. It is your duty to prevent it.”

“And if I don’t, what are you going to do?” Lucas asked, his anger growing at the touch of disrespect. “Fight me?”

“No.” Jim looked him in the eye and his next words were steel. “I’ll leave.”

Lucas paused. He searched his old friend’s eyes and found no bluff in them. His gaze was as steeled and resolved as the day he’d informed the powers that be that he would play a part in their war but would take no human life.

Jim’s reputation was not underestimated in the adventure society. His very presence as a House had become a sort of political boon to the adventure society over the years as people rose to power in different organizations. People who had been mages he had saved with his actions at the Baron wars. His very existence accounted for more than sixty percent of the respect the other organizations showed this branch of the adventure society. If he left for such a reason, the blow would be devastating. Other organizations would look down on the branch as one that bowed its head to the will of a simple lord for fear of a Baron. That would disregard all Jim had done for a lot of people during the war. Then they would swarm to Jim like flies to shit in attempts to recruit him.

He couldn’t have that. But he couldn’t simply cave to the man’s will.

“You will leave over an Iron mage?” he asked. “You will hold your importance to the society ransom?”

“I will leave because no one will comfortably use their given power for personal uses over me and mine. Not when I’m aware. My beneficiaries hold a level of trust over me. One of them is to uphold their confidence when they’ve done nothing wrong.”

“And the Iron mage; he doesn’t want to meet with the Lord?”

“No.”

Lucas sat back and stroked his beard with a massive hand. “And what exactly is it that you would have me do?”

Jim showed his disinterest in a dismissive wave of his hand. “Do whatever you please. All I’m saying is, none related to House Darnesh is to come in contact with Oden.”

With that, he turned and made his way for the door.

“And what happens if I say no?” Lucas asked, halting Jim. “What happens if I say I pity house Darnesh and agree that they should see the boy.”

Jim took the door handle in hand and opened it slowly, then he turned so that Lucas could see the certainty in his face as he spoke.

“No one knows where the Iron mage in question is. And once I step out of this door no one will know where I am. Your decision will determine if any of that will change.”

He stepped out of the office and closed the door behind him.

“You owe me a new rune lock!” Lucas shouted after him.

Alone in the silence of his office, he took a deep breath and folded his arms.

“Well, that right there’s a clusterfuck.”