"I vow to serve Lugnica, and the Lugnican people. May the Republic lead my way." Subaru took the hand off of the Republican Code, the same code he penned a mere month ago, allowing the Convention to begin.
The low rumble of the government members in front of him quieted down as the factions settled, the revolutionary surveying that changes that occurred in the months since the last assassination attempt on him (the most recent attack not included).
It seemed the punitive law on 'outside capital' has had its effects. Businessmen had to sell off and swear off their previous business as to not try and swing the government in their favour, the old faction crashing and burning as its survivors either sold off their assets, hid them, or called snap elections to be replaced.
The peasant crowd also receded. In the end, it took genuine knowledge and grit, administration was an actual problem so the dirtied crowd split off into the remaining factions. The revolutionaries had their pull for the more intelligently-oriented, the militarists for those who wished to wave a saber at their problems and the unionists-
His grip tightened on the lectern, his other arm in the sling over his shoulder tightening into a fist. The unionist wing has grown, black jackets taking several more rows, growing like parasitic fungi on the seats. Subaru did not know how it was possible to be so fanatically revolutionary yet at the same time so reactionary.
'Then again… if anyone will vote to disband the Convention and allow centralization…' He shook the thought away.
"Citizens! We gather here again to discuss the furthering of our great nation!" He looked down on the several written notes. "First and foremost,-"
"-the issue of the dying down militias." His new retinue sat in the same darkened room of the Four used to meet. "Or rather the instability and corruption that comes with their rank's deflation."
Of course, only one of the originals stayed in the circle, Heinkel, the man lazily sharpening his saber in one of the armchairs, blissful due to the lack of the hot blood that Chin used to bring to the table.
"Yeah, while doing it slowly does keep it at a… controlled level of discontent, the more die-hard elements have begun to rattle their bones…" Officer Hailey had in essence replaced Chin as the military element, but unlike his predecessor, the man was terrifyingly cool-headed. "Rather loudly, if one considers what happened as of recent."
"Bah, it's all humbug. Just some young men with nothing to do." Doltero Amule knocked some ash off of his cigar, the aged demi-human businessman of the Black Coin Company coughing dryly into his fist. "No one under my watch has done anything so extreme as to even express discontent."
"It is bizarre, Mister Amule. Maybe it is because you are more focused on how to tax them better?" Hailey responded with a sarcastic bite.
"Alright, alright, ladies, jus' 'cause the two of you have to both be responsible of the militia doesn't mean you've gotta make out in front of us." Halibel took the pipe from out of his teeth, grinning.
Hailey sighed visibly, "I find the appeal of the unionists towards these semi-trained and completely armed men more dangerous."
"Ye? Well then good news, their leader is a fucken' idiot." Halibel snorted, placing a thick stack of papers on the table. "Officer Regulus Cromwell won't sneeze without me knowing."
"Look, I'm not gonna get into your military organizing business, I got enough problems with the economy," Doltero turned to Subaru, grunting slightly as he breathed out the smoke of his cigar, "The production numbers are on the up and up, Northern worker riots have been quelled-"
"And the south seems to calm as well…" Subaru pronounced absent-mindedly, his fingers interlocked at his chest, unable to rise the arm in his sling too much. His meeting with the Gustekan Archbishop was a disaster, but it seemed that he got the point across. Cutting support was painful, but considering that he had allowed the rebels to escape into Lugnican borders, it was not that big of a betrayal. Now, he would not have as many religious riots on his hands.
"Yes, yes, so that part is over and done with…" Doltero paused, before hesitantly continuing, "Though… there may be a problem from the outside."
Subaru lifted his eyes, "That being?"
"Kararagi may cease trading with us. Considering that our little schtick is causing them a lot of slave riots and Hyena uprisings-"
It was Heinkel's turn to raise his voice. "Hyenas! They're scared of some bums who got nothing to eat?! Hah!"
"Quite the opposite," Hailey stared into the flame, "They should be scared…"
"Dragon's Gonads, Hailey, don't go into the whole revolutionary rant shit again," Heinkel flipped the sword in his hand admiring it in the light of the flames, "We get it, the poor and downtrodden yada yad-"
"No, for all of Mister Hailey's over-enthusiasm, I agree." Doltero cleared his throat, "Geh… Aside from slaves, the Hyenas are weak but they are numerous. A starving, desperate and homeless sector of the population, now while in my age my memory fails me, someone already used that before, did they not, hm..?" The pig-man turned his eye to Subaru, chuckling amiably.
"No. If there is anyone we cannot afford to overturn right now, it is Kararagi. Aside from trade, as Halibel said-"
Halibel picked between his teeth boredly. "Aye aye, looks like the Kararagian City States and the Vollachian Empire had a sit-down and decided that if any of them gets a lil' too uncontrollable for their liking, they'll send in the army to back each other up."
"So, while the threat is real, we are better off not utilizing that opportunity for now." Subaru scratched the back of his head, "So you were saying Doltero?"
"Well, some merchants banded together and proposed the Financier Treaty. Bars us from trading. Vollachians cheered that, but considering that the Gustekans rely on our food imports-"
"Dragon's Gonads! Who gives a shit about Gustekans, we got their bitching out of our ears for now, get on with the point!" Heinkel sneered, reflexively taking out his flask.
"The Treaty was proposed by a certain Hlockard-"
Subaru sighed loudly, scratching his temple. Of course, this would come back to bite him. "And let me guess, that same Hlockard proposed that the Lugnican forces aid them in returning slaves?"
Doltero nodded, "That was the overall air of the agreement he was proposing in turn of the treaty. Made a huge stink about how the Republic steals the assets of many a hard-working Kararagian-"
Hailey visibly grew red, looking away. "Dirtbag…"
"Now now Officer Hailey, while I understand your disgust at this, there may be certain opportunities-"
"There are no opportunities." Subaru cut Doltero short.
The businessman froze slightly, "President Sir, I of course meant-"
"We are NOT reinstating slavery. Under no pretense. There is no middle ground on this position." Subaru stood up, walking towards the flame and stretching his open palms towards the flames to warm himself up. "And besides, considering that many of their luxury goods come from our manufactories in volumes they could never achieve, I bet they won't get a majority in their council."
"And what if they do..?" Doltero grumbled.
"Then," Subaru turned his head. "We shall deal with it. Our weapon production is growing after all, and 'the project' is progressing, correct?"
The aged businessman turned his head, taking a puff of his cigar. "Well, I suppose…"
"Very well then, besides, we were getting off-topic." The revolutionary turned around, interlocking his hands behind his back. "The deflating militias are beginning to fester. From Halibel's reports, much of the minor order that has usually been created by local forces is now being damaged as the militias disarm but there is no one to plug the gaps."
Heinkel snorted, testing the blade with his finger. "Whatever you're thinking, I'm not giving my boys off to drag drunkards out of fights."
"No, however I wished to propose a different solution." Subaru looked over to Officer Hailey, the man nodding and clearing his throat.
"While we have established the pipeline of militiamen to the military, I would like to establish a middle ground between military service and demobilization." Hailey paused, flipping open a paper, placing it on the table, Doltero staring on curiously, Halibel rolling his eyes as he noticed the writing.
"Kapitalpolizei? Ain't the guard enough, really propose rippin' the Vollachians' guard system off?" The spymaster chuckled.
"Quite the opposite, I prefer to call it an improvement. Unlike it being the 'weakling trash bin' of the army, like within Vollachia's forces, those who are rejected from the army may opt for an examination to join the KP. That way, while we will have the slightly less physically capable, the KP will not devolve to the brutishness of the militias and may even receive the more intelligent." The officer raised a finger, throwing his gaze at the whole room.
"A more ordered militia so to say. One which follows us, rather than who has the loudest mouth." He finished enthusiastically. "And besides, the Guard's just more of the military. Maybe good for the Capital, but outside? We need a less elite but functional force!"
"Yes, however, we would need to organize testing, arm these men, have uniforms, feed them, and so on." Doltero coughed, taking another drag of his cigar. "How are you going to pay for that, steel-heel?"
Hailey frowned, opening his mouth, Subaru cutting in instead. "While Hlockard may be against us back in his homeland, the works of his company have given us some budget to play with. Restorations are beginning to pay for themselves, and as I already said, the manufactories are also starting to ramp up. All in all, the Karlpolize seems like-"
"Kapitalpolizei-" Hailey murmured.
"-the KP seems like a good tool for our reinforcement against the manpower leaking to the black jackets and the persistent problem of the Independent Territories." Subaru finished.
"Hm, I thought the roads and the cities were secured." Heinkel pronounced boredly.
"Well, the great vastness of our nation does bring its own problems." Hailey responded with a hint of sarcasm at the 'great'. "Combing through the forests only works so much. We raze the Independents' hideouts in a city, give it a month, they sneak through by simply walking through the front gate in civilian clothing and it starts all over again. The landmass is too big."
"Asymmetric warfare… Unless the Vollachians stop supporting them and we behead their leadership, the best we can do is just constantly push them out." Subaru sighed, in the end, his own tactics were being used against him.
"I 'ave a general grasp of their manpower. If they needed to field an army, 'hey would already." Halibel tapped his pipe. "Aren't they tired o' this?"
"Vollachia has declined sending Hoshin back into our welcoming arms, they know that if the bitch eats Razor the Counter-Revolution will collapse in on itself." Subaru slowly paced in front of the flame, counting the number of steps…
"Right, right. A unified front." Doltero coughed into his hand. "After all, what can hold the monarchists, beastmen, Gustekan-affiliated priests, and rural backwaters… If you were a single enemy, but did not lead them to a single goal, they would bicker themselves into obscurity…"
Subaru stopped, his heel clicking as he straightened out. "Alright, for now, our course is set. Halibel, continue monitoring the Independents and Unionists, further continue to look into the merchants."
The spymaster mhm'd before looking away, as if completely not curious in what he asked next, "And Ott-"
"Ex-representative Suwen is my responsibility. Leave him to me." Subaru cut through, his voice gaining a cold note.
"O' course." Halibel nodded, tightening his kimono's belt and exiting, his steps no louder than a whisper.
"As I understand-" The revolutionary turned to Heinkel.
"Yeah, yeah, nothing to report," Heinkel had put away his sabre, now sitting with his usual flask, taking a swig, "The battalion count is growing, though we have no reserves for now. And the production ain't as go-"
"That would be me." Doltero chuckle-coughed. "The army is grabbing all the steel, meanwhile the nation needs some, if not for export, then at least for construction."
"Well you better fucking stop then." Heinkel growled, "Where's the nation going to be without the army?"
"And where will the soldiers return when they're not needed?" Doltero answered humorously, "Come, Hussar, this is unfair to the populace. The manufactories need to produce things for civilians as well."
Heinkel turned his head to the revolutionary, but was met with a disagreeable stare. "From the reports, Heinkel, the production of steel has grown considerably, while I understand growth and maintenance, there's enough for everyone to go around. Besides, don't you think some should go to the medical field?" Subaru decided to push the painful topic to shut the Hussar up.
"Phst. Fine." Heinkel frowned as he stood up, taking another swig. "We'll figure it out…" But even as the Hussar also marched out of the room, Subaru could hear him mutter, under his breath. "Beastfuck…"
Hailey checked the straps on his cuirass and sighed, standing up, "I will take my leave as well. I suppose I am to continue administering the remnants of the militias and…" He nodded to Doltero, "We will discuss the Kapitalpolizei, with Mister Amule. Good day."
That left only Doltero and Subaru in the room. Waiting for a few minutes, the revolutionary slid into one of the armchairs, hissing slightly as he cradled his damaged arm in the sling.
"They surely got you good, did they not?" Doltero hummed, putting the stump of the cigar into the ashtray on the small table they placed in-between all the chairs.
"Certainly…" Subaru took out the dust box, putting some on his gums and breathing a small sigh of relief.
"And yet, barely a word about it in the meeting." The beastman business magnate pronounced thoughtfully. "Never took you for one to avoiding problems."
"There isn't much to discuss. The quicker this institution is wiped out of the republic, the better." Subaru leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes.
"And finding the people responsible?" Doltero, meanwhile, sat forward. "Are you satisfied with a singular suspect, that man-"
"There is NOTHING. To. Discuss." Subaru did not open his eyes, but his words filled with prickling frustration.
"Hm… Do not mind me, President. I'm an old man, just muttering about my own." Doltero tried to cool the situation.
A pause…
"In the end, this is a business between me, and Halibel, Mister Doltero." Subaru proclaimed to the silent room. "Be so kind as to not forget that."
Doltero took out another cigar, and picked up the cane from the side of his armchair, silent. "I suppose you're right… President… just don't overdo it, old boy." Subaru could feel a slight tensity in the businessman's voice. Of course there was, he just let himself slip.
'Od, I hate them. I hate all of them…'
'If I could just kill every one of those careless freaks. No diligence in them…'
"Sure, just keep course with the industry." His voice sounded far away, uncontrollably far away, like he was sinking in.
A click of the door, he was alone now.
'No diligence in them. No diligence in them. NONE! No diligence. Slothful! SLOTHFUL!'
"My brain…" Lowering a knuckle to his lips, he put it between his teeth, closing his eyes, suddenly feeling vertigo. It felt off-kilter it was long since-
'Oh they're all all all so revisorial imperial differential nefarious! No diligence in them! NONE NONE NO-'
A click of the door. "Sir?"
Subaru opened his eyes, moving his hand away from his mouth, "Something the matter?"
The Guard blinked, clearly a bit unsure on how to respond. "No, sir, simply that most of the Representatives left the meeting and you were still inside, we thought there may be cause for alarm."
"No, I was simply… gathering my thoughts. I will be out soon." He nodded to the Guard, the soldier saluting and disappearing behind the door.
The Revolutionary relaxed a little and looked at the darkened room, taking a couple of seconds to take in the warm glow on the cobble walls. It has been so long since he has simply… sat down…
Suddenly, his hand began to whine with a dull pain, the man sitting forward to see what was wrong in the light of the flames, 'What…'
He must have not noticed before, but his knuckle was bitten, heavily bitten. How had he not noticed that he was biting down when he put it up to his lips..?
Subaru looked at his fingers, the healing fingernails staring back with a webbing of scarring. Had he overused it? Or was it?
His Return by Death had begun malfunctioning, was this another sign of the Witch's claim on him weakening?
The Revolutionary rubbed his eyes. He hadn't slept… He hadn't slept… When did he last sleep…
"I should get home…"
Walking up the stairs towards his room, he noticed the same guard again, the young man barely covering the look he gave his boss.
"Find yourself a girl?"
The soldier looked down, bashful. "Y-yes…" A breath in. "Sir, yes, sir! I did find myself a beautiful dame!"
"Good! It is one less workplace hazard for all of us." He slapped the Guardsman on the shoulder. "Any commotion from the Guest's quarters?"
"None that I've noticed." The soldier sighed, "Though the healer that got brought in murmured a lot."
Subaru nodded, taking off his overcoat and throwing it into his room, and entering into the Sin Archbishop's room.
"Is she any better now?"
The aged healer lifted her head, giving the Revolutionary a warm smile. "Ah, Mister President-"
"Is. She. Any better now?" Subaru repeated the question as he sat down, putting more pressure into the question, taking some dust and putting it on his gums, and looking over the face of the sleeping Capella.
'"Sleeping"… Not very accurate…'
"While young Miss does not show many signs of awakening, her mana flows much more strongly." The healer nodded to herself, "Yes, she is quite an extraordinary girl. Considering what you relayed to me, I rarely see people survive such awkward blows to the head."
'People do not sleep for several days in a row. A coma.'
"But I must ask, Mister President," The healer wrung her hands a little, Subaru predicting what would come next, probably Capella's bizarre biology.
"I may be mistaken, but does young Miss have two hearts?"
'Of course. Hard to miss. But there is always one good thing in being up-top.'
"She does. An inborn defect, but I plead you do not mention it to anyone outside, it would distress her greatly…" He nailed the healer with a focused look, "It would distress me as well."
The healer lifted her hands, smiling guiltily, "Of course! Of course! I simply wished to make sure I am not getting old and hearing things, heheh."
"Well, I suppose you do not lack any competence for the time being." Subaru nodded to her reassuringly. "Would you say the Guest is stable?"
"Oh yes, oh yes! Her deep sleep may not be passing but her situation isn't any more dire than those affected by a sleeping curse." The old woman nodded to herself.
"Very well, then I will release you from service for the night." The Revolutionary expected some hidden relief within the healer, only noticing sudden horror on her face.
"Have I disregarded something, Mister President!? I-" The healer was on the verge of panic, "I am assured she will wake up, I simply-"
"No no, your services have been exemplary, I simply believe that keeping you away from home for several days is a bit inhumane." Subaru nodded towards the window, the sunset burning over the roofs of the reconstructing city, light snow falling on the backdrop of a red sky. "You have a family of your own, do you not?"
"O-oh! Of course, my youngest is already trying to get into the Revolutionary Guard!" The healer's eyes would suddenly get a bit glassy as she clearly lost herself in thoughts. "Oh he's such a good boy, if you could see the way he can ride an Earth Dragon, some even say he's better than any knight in the old Kingdom!"
"Mhm, mhm." The Revolutionary nodded politely but could feel himself lose interest. The woman was clearly pleasant, but the age and parenthood must have acted on her in a softening and lonely manner.
'I do wonder…'
"Oh, forgive this old lady, I tend to forget myself." The healer waved apologetically, beginning to pack her salves and books into her bag, "It is quite difficult to find a place to discuss nowadays, everyone is rushing and arguing and building…" She would put her hand over her mouth, "Of course I did not mean that your administration is-!"
"I take no offense." Subaru shrugged it off, not moving off of his spot on the chair, watching the woman put on her medicine bag and then wrap herself in the thick shawl, just right for the winters in the Capital. "Would you like me to send a Guardsman to accompany you?"
"Oh no no, that will be fine." She smiled and bowed a little, "Those youths lighting the lamps tend to walk the streets, I should be fine."
"Well," Subaru stood up, and opened the door, letting her pass, "Thank you for your services, have a good night. The pay-"
"Ah yes, do not worry," The old woman smiled warmly, "Just keep doing what you are doing, Mister President."
"The pay will come to you tomorrow, have a good night, Miss." Subaru softly closed the door to Capella's room and turned back to the bed in which the Sin Archbishop lay.
Tak, tak, tak. His boots clicked on the room, feeling very loud in the utter silence of the room. He looked down, a towering figure over the bed.
'I could kill her here, if not for the seal...' His functional hand slowly moved forward, moving the cover to her chest, exposing her bare neck to him, the nightshirt that was pulled onto her unbuttoned, probably by the healer.
'I… could just…' His fingers closed around her throat, so deceptively warm, so deceptively alive, the pulse under his palm strong and stable. It always terrified him, how this utter beast, disgusting thing, could make it out that it was human.
'Such a disgusting beast… Such a SLOTHFUL BEAST…'
His grasp tightened. It tightened. It tightened some more. 'You do not deserve… to be…' TIGHTER. TIGHTER. SMOTHER THIS BEAST IN ITS CRIB. SMOTHER IT WHILE IT SLEEPS. SMOTHER IT. SMOTHER THIS SLOTHFUL BEAST. KILL IT. BREAK IT. BREAK IT! BREAK IT! BREAK IT YOU SON OF A BITCH! TEAR ITS HEART OUT, BREAK ITS NECK! MAKE IT PAY FOR ITS MURDER, FOR ITS SLOTH-
His heartbeat hammered into his ears as he felt the seal on his hand begin to warm up. This was a warning, a warning for her not to kill him, in case she forgot their agreement. But it worked the other way around as well.
'This. Is. Right. Just. Let. Me-' In a maddening moment, he understood that he did not care if it killed him as well as her. She deserved it. He dese-
"ghak-" It was a pitiful noise. A choked little sob, a final gasp for air, that came out of the Archbishop. A thin pleading noise.
And just like that, he felt himself wake up, his hands relaxing, as the beat of his heart in his ears turned to a shocked ring. What was he doing? Why was he doing it?
'This isn't… This isn't rational…' He lifted his hand off of her neck, looking at his shaking fingers, observing them like a doctor observing a particularly curious corpse, as if they were not his own. 'This isn't…'
~coff coff~
He lifted his eyes at Capella, the Archbishop coughing, red marks on her neck. Tightening his hands into his fists, he calmed himself. This was just a slip of the mind, just a slip. In the end, he knew they would kill each other at some point, but he wasn't some violent backstabber let alone if it would take him with her.
"Hah, hah." As the roaring madness retreated, he suddenly felt extreme exhaustion, losing his breath as the adrenaline evaporated away. How much strength did he put into that action? That… MURDER ATTEMPT!?
His mind was a mess, he could note it. It was exhaustion… no, it couldn't be just exhaustion…
"Od's sake." Pulling the cover-up to the Sin Archbishop's chin, he would turn away, exiting the room. He needed sleep, just a little bit. Just for once, to sleep until he woke up by himself.
But that was not to be. "Sir!" The Guard had called from the first floor of the apartment. "There is someone to see you!"
The wooden steps creaked as he came down. "Who is it?"
"Not su-" The Guard had his weapon in a forty-five-degree angle, not actually trailed at anything but easily aimable in case of a sudden attack, this causing Subaru to also tense up.
"Ah! Good evening, sire!" A shadow nearly slipped between the Guard and the door, the young man pushing it against the door, grimacing.
The Revolutionary did not recognize the person who came in, but his eyes instantly trailed the black jacket the figure wore, the semi-militarist style easily visible even in the badly lit corridor.
"Dragon's Gonads, you soldiering basterd! It's just an invitation!" The figure would pull out an envelope, waving it. "Just an invitation, no need to get violent!"
"From whom?" Subaru stepped forward, snatching it out of the figure's hand, trying to make out the sender in the moonlight.
"Ideologus Regulus Cromwell, sire! He wishes to talk to you! He said it's VERY urgent!"