Thanks to TehGramerPolise for helping with this chapter.

The walk down that purple carpet seemed to last an eternity; our steps echoing around the massive vaulted hallway. Our only companions being each other and the silent stone statues that lined the walls; as naturally we were late.

With any event like this, there's a sort of game that should be played with one's punctuality. For example, showing up early would have been an absolutely dreadful faux pas, as it would have made me to appear to be too eager to please, and thus submissive and inexperienced. Showing up on time means that you subject yourself to simply being one of the crowd, and since I fully expected myself to be key to one of the main events of the party that simply wouldn't do. So of course that leaves only being late, but of course just how late should one be?

Even in this there's a game to be played, for if one is just barely late, one might as well just be on time and not bother. However, just as being early would be a faux pas, so too would be being late enough to have missed the keynote speech to kick off the first dances of the party. As that would be perceived as insulting the host, and when your hosts are the Lord Electors that will be deciding whether you sit amongst their august company such things are not wise.

Needless to say however, I had timed it perfection, and thus we arrived at the entrance to the main ballroom, where a man in a suit… and I kid you not, a powdered wig, was about to close the door when he saw us. He paused his action and watched us impassionately as we approached.

"Name and title sir?" He asked.

"Baron Rowan Laisren, first of his name, Master of Laisren Aerial Manufactory." Neo replied for me, "I am Neopolitan Gialatta, first of my name, yojimbo to the Baron."

The man nodded, "Very well, sir… madam, the Electors address is about to begin, by your leave?"

I inclined my head slightly and the man turned about smartly and walked back into the room, "Baron Rowan Laisren, first of his name, Master of Laisren Aerial Manufactory." The man boomed, "Accompanying him is Neopolitan Gialatta, first of her name, yojimbo to Baron Rowan Laisren."

The man then stepped aside to allow us through; I took a deep breath, slapped on my most arrogant smile, and walked out into the room.

Wow oh wow… they just don't build grandeur like they used to.

I mean Maidens above, the splendor, the glory… crystal chandeliers, exquisite statues, freakin' indoor fountains, masterpieces of art lining the walls. The very floor itself was a tiled mural depicting various scenes from the founding of the kingdom and legends of Solitas' past.

It took just about everything I had not to simply stand there and stare for a moment; instead I swept imperiously into the room like I owned the place. Behind me, I heard Neo's footsteps falter for just a split second before following my lead.

Assembled in the room were approximately a couple hundred or so people, all dressed in fabulous fabrics of every description. There were some that were of the Merchant Nobility, but most of them of the High Nobility, with histories that could be traced back to before the founding of the Mantle. Moving in amongst them were more of the men with powdered wigs, all carrying trays piled high with drinks and foods. Raised up on a pedestal was a small orchestra that were playing a piece that I recognized from the great Solitisian composer Verdania's Eighth Symphony.

The moment that I swept into the room, everyone's eyes turned to me, all movement pausing for just that brief instant; save for the orchestra, professionals that they were.

All of those gazes were appraising, measuring up this newcomer to the Solitisian upper crust. Did I look confident? Was I a genius? A lucky fool? All of those assembled were experienced campaigners in the field of politics and intrigue, and I have no doubt that some were even breaking down their assessment of me to minute enough detail to the point where they were even guessing how I liked to take my coffee (straight, black as pitch; chicory prefered... Neo on the other hand is one of those heathens that pours an entire bowl of sugar in before even taking a single sip). My point is that they would search for any angle, any weakness that could be exploited; an examination as thorough as a any doctor's.

That all being said, it was only for that briefest moment, because the very next second, all of them were performing the same exact assessment on each other. Just how had their neighbor reacted? Were they pleased? Excited? Just what had they seen? Just how did this new Laisren Baron factor into their own plans?

Then of course, everyone returned back to whatever they had been doing before I had arrived, and soon, conversations resumed, and vittles were being consumed.

What I had just witnessed was the heart of a political beast beat, a dance of intrigue conducted with the steps of professionals. And I had to stop an elated giggle from bursting out of my chest.

Dust and bones… I was right at home.

I had scant reached the crowd when the orchestra quieted and a servant walked up onto the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, an address by one of our most esteemed hosts: Lord Elector Roth Harkin, third of his name, Lord of the most noble House Harkin. The Conquerors of Highfeather Mesa and the Defenders of Yungtau Pass."

There was a general applause, of which I of course joined in, and everyone turned their attention to the man as he stepped up onto the podium.

"Most esteemed peers of the realm." He began, "It is a privilege and an honor to host you tonight on the eve of the 123rd Annual Spring Mantle Ball."

He held up his arms to indicate the magnificent finery surrounding us, "Here, amongst the old majesty of our nation, we may feast and dance. Always, however, we shall seek new majesty to dwarf even that of old." He lowered his arms, "To that end, we seven Electors of the HIgh Nobility do formally revoke the Electorship of the Rashin family; no longer shall their representative sit amongst us. Although we do thank them for their service."

A distinct ripple leapt through the crowd, an almost electrical energy; yet there were only one or two murmurs. The rest simply waited in silence, attesting to the fact that this alone was news to very few amongst them.

If he was disappointed by the lack of a reaction, Lord Elector Harkin didn't show it as he continued.

"Of course, as you are all aware, this leaves one of the two slots for Electorship for the Merchant Nobility vacant."

I could practically feel the entire crowd lean forward, and even I found myself with my gaze fixed upon the man, hanging onto his every word.

"This of course shall be explained in due time; for now, please enjoy the festivities on this, a most auspicious occasion. "

There was a polite applause from all of those gathered, which of course I joined in as Lord Elector Harkin stepped down and the orchestra resumed playing.

I had barely stepped out onto the floor when my whole world became a whirlwind of activity. Most there had taken the time to read the guest list, and absolutely understood the potential import that my first invitation to the ball just so happened to be when there was a vacancy on the Merchant Nobility Electorship.

There was of course a fairly broad spectrum among those that went up to meet me. The most inexperienced came first, laying on dripping flattery. Those that were more politically astute waited their turn, trying to make approaching me seem as natural as possible. They were usually far more cautious of their praise, but on the other hand they were far more precise, coming off as much more genuine. Neo's head was practically on a swivel, her mismatched eyes appraising and searching constantly for any threat, and each time a new person stepped up with their own yojimbo she would size up her counterpart as we talked.

I had just escaped the attentions of a very enthusiastic merchant when a familiar figure stepped forward.

"Mistress Zheleznaya." I inclined my head in greeting, a small smile on my face, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The woman grinned and tossed her long silver hair, "Just greeting on this, your first invitation to the Spring Mantle Ball as the representative of House Zheleznaya." She then turned to Neo, "Has it been hard keeping his head small enough to fit in the room?"

Neo gave a small sniff, "No harder than usual." She replied.

I gave a slight cough, "Anyway, you said that you were House Zheleznaya's representative at this occasion, does that mean that the Baron will not be joining us?"

Camille nodded, "Indeed, he is currently consolidating some… assets. Personnel issues have been plaguing a new business venture of his, and he has decided to personally oversee a transition."

Such are the euphemisms that are tossed around at Solitisian gatherings as casually as one might remark on the weather. I nodded, "Very well, thank you for your warm welcome Mistress Zheleznaya, and please convey my regards to the Baron."

She gave a small curtsy, and then disappeared into the crowd.

"Interesting that he trusts her so much to handle the more legitimate business of the family." I noted.

"I kind of wonder if that's kind of the point." Neo mused.

I frowned, "How so?"

She shrugged, "Well think about it; both Madame Bianca and Belmorzh are crime lords… all of their wealth, power, and status could be washed away as soon as they are gone; stolen by a successor or a rival."

She gestured around us, "Everyone wants to leave a legacy for the future." She continued, "I mean, Mantle practically reeks of that desire."

I considered that, "So it's not so much that he's trusting her with a possession of his…"

Neo nodded, "He's allowing her to build a possession for herself, something that even if the criminal empires of her parents fall, they might still be able to leave her something for her future."

I have to admit, I was rather impressed by the insight. I would never have attributed such thoughts to the seemingly boorish Belmorzh. Yet what Neo said made sense, as well as casting the man in a very different light. I won't claim that it made me like the man; after all, he had attempted to beat Neo and myself to a pulp when we had refused to work with him. However, it did make me respect him a good deal more than I had previously.

I was interrupted from that train of thought by a crystal-clear bell that pierced the talking of the crowd. As one, everyone turned once more to the podium to see a servant standing up on the podium once more.

"Honored Guests, please join us in the dining room, the meal is to begin."

The crowd was led along a massive, vaulted hallway, its ceiling sheathed with gold and its walls covered with murals full of color and beauty.

At its end was a pair of massive, mahogany doors with intricate designs carved into their faces. They opened as we approached to reveal the Mit Halle der Konig, the legendary feasting hall of the royal family.

Its center was dominated by a series of massive, stone tables, upon which a plethora of meats, cheeses, fruits, and other delicacies were piled high. Buckets chilled with Dust crystals were centered between every four chairs, each filled with bottles of the finest wines in all of Remnant. The wealth presented was less staggering than it was nearly obscene. Just one of those buckets of wine represented enough lien to buy a small estate in the High District.

At the head of the table was a much smaller table with seven chairs, the seven Lord Electors were already seated there, conferring with each other in heated whispers.

At the far end of the table was Lord Elector Gelbauch Rathers: the house of diplomats and schemers that had taken over when the House Drummond had fallen from grace.

To his left was the Lord Elector of House Talguard, Aurantius. They were an old, dignified house, full of famous warriors and heroes. They claimed to be able to trace their lineage back to Sir Ursakar, a member of the Four Knights of legend. Looking at him, it wasn't hard to see how that claim had gained traction. He was a large man, with spiky black hair and a broad face. Despite the occasion, he was dressed in heavy plate armor that covered everything but his head; the front of which was decorated with a heap of medals, all detailing past deeds. Of all of the High Nobility the Talguard probably took the responsibility of keeping the Grimm in check the most seriously. Which meant that they were one of the few that had kept their teeth sharp for battle.

To his side was the matron of House Ronston, Addie. The mother of Yarrow Ronston, I wondered if she was angry at me for that incident all of those months ago. The Ronstons were infamous for their ability to hold a grudge.

Sitting in the middle was Roth Harkin, who seemed to be listening to the others, only occasionally nodding or shaking his head to what they were saying. I had heard that he had been gradually taking more of a leadership role on the Electorship Council, and the way that all of them all faced him as they talked only served as a subconscious hint that it was indeed the case.

To his side was an elderly looking man with a shock of red hair, his hooked nose extending out from beneath a set of sunken, beady eyes. Carmesian Rouge, still alive despite some whispers of attempts to take it. He of the group said nothing, just simply staring straight ahead with a scowl on his face.

Feerum of the House Steelhammer sat next to him, the Steelhammer were a family famous for their… go ahead… guess… let me give you a hint, it isn't baking. They had crafted the weapons of kings, queens, emperors, and heroes alike. It had even been them who had engineered the first transforming weapons, although their term for it: Switch-blades, never caught on. Of all of the High Nobility, they had been the most supportive of my mother, although that support hadn't meant anything when Serroi had come knocking apparently.

At the very end of the table sat a hooded figure, who gestured animatedly with their arms as they spoke. Presumably that was Fedha of the House Cognita, a family of scholars and archivists. They were the house responsible for the public records and databases, including but not limited to, the blood bank for identification. They mostly kept to themselves, but they were a key part of what made all of Solitas function.

So distracted however, were all of them, that even as the crowd entered, none bothered to even look up. Before any insult could be caused, the head servant quickly took charge.

"The serving staff will now see you to your places." He declared, the serving staff moved like a well-oiled machine, going to each person and leading them to their designated seat.

To my slight surprise, the head servant headed directly for me, "Baron Rowan Laisren, right this way."

Needless to say, the rest of the room practically paused at this development, everyone's eyes fixating on myself, Neo, and the servant as we walked down the length of the table, to where one individual sat alone; his only other companion a balding, heavyset man with a bushy brown mustache that stood behind him.

As we got closer, I got a better look at the man's features. He was an average sized man, with strong shoulders, and a narrow face, dominated by a prim-looking mustache. His hair was swept back, and he was wearing a white suit, all of which made him look like a model businessman.

The servant pulled out the chair for me and I nodded gratefully as I sat down, Neo taking position behind me to mirror the man's own servant.

"Ah, Baron Laisren," The man across from me inclined his head, "So good to finally meet you in person."

I put on a smile and nodded, "I might say the same about you; Baron Elector Schnee."

Jacques Schnee, a man who had gone from a nobody to one of the most powerful people in Solitas by saying some wedding vows. Not that he wasn't without his own ability, far from it. He had taken a company that was already one of the premiere Dust corporations and had systematically destroyed his competition until it was the only one left standing. He had left the entire business world astonished as he had emerged from those bloody trenches victorious; however, he did not catch many unprepared.

You see, while I've heard that since my departure from Solitas he has gone about the task making himself a full monopoly on Solitas, but at the time that was not his goal. HIs goal was to be the only Dust producer on industrial scale required by companies like mine. In that endeavour he was immensely successful; companies that had stood since before the Great War fell one by one to buyouts, bribery, and suspicious attacks.

It was a straight-forward enough tactic, if he could hold the Dust that practically all of the other Merchant Nobility depended on to produce their products, then he would rule the Merchant Nobility. The issue is that the Merchant Nobility in preparation had started up their own Dust refineries and secured their own mines. He was still a powerful man, and companies still bought from him, but he did not gain the total control he had sought.

That had all been during my uncle's time, since then he had secured himself one of the two Electorships for the Merchant Nobility. Now, apparently he wished to talk to me more or less alone, as I noted that despite all of the other guests being seated, we were a good ten or so spaces from the nearest other person.

Curious, I briefly wondered if the head table originally had nine seats, and if the reason why the High Nobility Electors had been so incensed was because the good Baron Schnee had not deemed them of this little move.

In that instance, he either really was powerful enough to flaunt the Lord Electors, or he was simply arrogant enough to believe he had that kind of clout. Either way, I would have to be cautious until I learned just which it was.

"How have you enjoyed the festivities so far?" Jacques asked.

"Marvelously," I replied, "I don't believe any words would do the grandeur of the Royal District justice."

"You may be right. I myself find some of it a little overbearing, but I suppose that it is impressive enough on one's first time seeing it."

Oh. It was going to be one of those then. The tone in which he had delivered those words, dripping with just the right amount of world-weariness and patronization to be insulting…

"I suppose so." I agreed lightly, "When one reaches your age, they must be somewhat sick of the splendor surrounding them."

Jacques' right eye twitched just a tad, an obvious and amateurish tell, while I kept on my pleasant expression. I had laid just the right amount of stress on the 'your age', letting the Baron that I too spoke this language.

Rumor had it the man had a portrait of himself in his office behind him from when he had a color in his hair other than white. Personally I found such a thing tacky, and it revealed that there was a certain amount of ill feeling towards Father Time.

Behind us, our companions were engaging in their own little duel, Neo's mismatched eyes staring right into her counterpart's own blue… purple… huh…well that was neat.

The man's eyes were rapidly changing colors, shifting between all of the other colors of the rainbow, Neo was hiding it well, but I could tell that she was slightly annoyed by the performance.

"-Baron Laisren?" Jacques asked, with a tone implying it wasn't for the first time, and I brought my attention back to him; damn it, he had timed that well… nothing for it but to give him the point.

"My apologies, my mind was wondering, what was the question?"

"I was asking just how it felt to now be a part of Electorship."

Hearing those words rocked me, breaking my smile, and my whole facade in general, just as he likely knew they would; and I stared at him in confusion.

"Pardon?" I managed.

Jacques Schnee's eyebrows went up, "Oh my, have they not told you? They were supposed to announce it before the feast."

I frowned, "No, I'm afraid nothing of the sort."

Jacques shook his head, "My mistake, I just arrived you see… well then." He stood up, "Allow me to rectify the situation." He lifted his glass tapped it with his spoon. Instantly everyone's attention riveted onto us.

"All of those assembled today… we celebrate today, the power and majesty of the Kingdom of Mantle." I glanced up at the head table to see a mixture of emotions, Roth Harkin himself had a pleasant enough smile on his face, but the glass in his hand shook slightly as he set it down back on the table. The rest were a mixture of shock, irritation, or in Carmesian Rouge's case, scowling indifference.

"Not only that," Baron Jacques Schnee continued, "But we celebrate the newest member of the Electorship. Please welcome to our most esteemed council, Baron Elector Rowan Laisren!"

What Jacques Schnee had just done was a risk that was almost too wild for me to contemplate. He had utterly stolen the thunder from the Lord Electors. Not only that, but because the other Electors wouldn't be in view while people listened, he very much was implying to all involved that he was the one who had decided to give me the position. That had also been behind his statement to me; because the one who awards a title is usually himself above it, even if just psychologically.

In one stroke, Baron Elector Schnee had usurped not only the Lord Electors, but was also attempting to subordinate me as well. I could feel a drop of sweat forming on my brow as time seemed to freeze.

If I stood up now, I would be joining in that wild risk. After all, we were sitting together and apart from the Lord Electors. It looked for all the world like we were together in the ploy if I decided to play along.

On the other hand, if I even hesitated, I would appear weak, uncertain, and certainly subordinate to Baron Jacques Schnee. If I remained sitting however, then I would be dooming Jacques Schnee's power play, but also any chance that I would have on sitting as Baron Lord Elector; perhaps even permanently. There would be no getting the sight of the Baron Laisren stuck to his seat as more powerful people played the game; seemingly completely cowed by the risk of incurring the High Nobility Electors' displeasure.

In that very moment, my mind was blank as I felt the weight of all of the gazes upon me. No doubt there were some in the room had thought through the consequences of any action I took even faster than I had.

So what the hell did I do?

Lie, cheat, steal… survive.

I stood up, and waved a hand to the crowd.

There was just the briefest moment of hesitation from everyone in the room. All of them knew the power play that had just unfolded before their eyes, and all knew their futures hung in the balance. For whoever clapped first would be undoubtedly singled out for it later.

Then Camille Zheleznaya rose to her feet, her hands slowly pounding together, a wide smile on her face. That opened the floodgate, and all of those assembled rose as well, applauding wildly.

"Thank you!" I yelled out to all of them, "Thank you so much for giving to me the opportunity to serve on the Electorship. The most prestigious position in all of Mantle." Then I turned to Jacques Schnee who nodded, a beaming smile on his face. I extended a hand, which he clasped warmly.

"But I decline." I declared.