Steel and Mana

While my Mother was still doing some rounds with the nobles, making deals behind my Uncle's back, I was left there to 'entertain' him... which meant I was sitting there, listening to him endlessly about his ideas and how he could change warfare forever... but they just don't get his genius ideas. Like... dressing someone up in complete plate armor, leaving only his eyes visible... Making him impervious to all damages. I was not even attempting to try and reason that the poor bastard would be unable to move at all.

I was groaning heavily, feeling my head would burst at any given moment, escaping my Uncle's clutches at the last minute... Damn it... Yuri should hurry the fuck up because I am on the verge of lobotomizing my Uncle! Or myself! Would my Mother be angry about it? Probably not... but I would surely get into trouble. I told Oleg and the rest to keep a close eye on the district and not let anyone leave it without questioning them. I also briefed them that I allowed every method they knew to use while interrogating and deciding on what to do. Either they would bow to me, or I would send them in and eradicate this gang of crazy bitches. While I was hurrying back to my room, I turned a corner in the castle, just so to run into someone, knocking our heads together and falling onto the ground.

"Ugh... sorry..." I groaned and said the exact words that my unfortunate partner parroted at the same time. Looking at him, I saw he had a girly face, very similar to my Mother's; the only difference was that he had short, dark-brown hair with his green eyes. Simply by guessing, I would say he had to be between 16 and 17... and if not for the male clothes, he could have fooled me.

"No, no, It was my fault!" He repeated, standing up as we looked at each other.

"Let's say we were both at fault!" I smiled, patting myself down, "My name is Leon... you are?"

"Elliot!" He bowed a little, "So you are my sister's son?"

"Ah... That is why you look like my Mom, huh?"

"Thank you." He smiled serenely, taking it as a compliment... shit, he needs longer hair, and that smile would be like a charming young lady's!

"I am a man." He exclaimed, speaking out of nowhere, making me flinch and shudder. Was my gaze that oblivious?

"Yes?" I... I just couldn't find anything else to say.

"I am a man. I am used to the looks you just gave me... haaaah... And no, I am not into boys, and no, I am not young; I am already 26."

"That is still not old..." I mumbled, now feeling awkward. But... he was more approachable than my Uncle, that is for sure!

"Thank you again, Leon~! It is good to meet you!" He stretched out his hand, and I grabbed it quickly; that was when we both heard my other Uncle waddling towards us from the corridor I had just come from. "Shit, the warthog is out of the pigsty? Come!" Without a question, he pulled me along, and after a few hurried steps, I ended up in the castle's library. "Here we should be good... he rarely comes here anyway."

"Thanks! I think I heard enough of the abysmal battle scenarios that he plays out in his head! He only wins them because he thinks for the enemy, too!" I moaned, still tasting the greasy, sweaty aura that he was surrounded with... I think I hurled a little then and there.

"Ahaha! True, true!" Elliot laughed with me, patting my back, and led me to one of the tables, "I was about to go back to my room to nap a little, but oh well, that can wait! Wine?"

"Thanks!" I nodded, seeing that there were still snacks and wine lying around with multiple open books. "Studying?"

"You could say that," He nodded, giving me a cup. "You see, even though my elder brother is the one who has the last say in things, he is only interested in those that fill up his personal coffers. I am left with dealing with the mundane part."

"How mundane?" I questioned, honestly curious about his part in the family.

"All the rest? The boring, economic part. I heard you visited the gang of those crazy ones?"

"Waaaait..." I stopped him, looked into my cup, and then glanced back at him. This guy was... dangerous. Was he not just like my Mom in appearance... but in mind too?

"It's fine." Elliott grinned, taking it from me, sipping up a little bit of wine before giving it back as he licked his lips, making me shiver. "Ahahaha! Sorry~!"

"Just so you know, I am also not into men! I already have a girl!"

"Good! Good! You should!" He nodded agreeingly, "I, too, have three maids I sleep with!"

"Pfft?!"

"What? Not to your liking?" He asked with a half-grin lingering on his face, and now I knew he was playing with me... damn you! You baby-faced bastard! Shit... I think I like this guy! It's much better Uncle material than the pig!

"Okay... okay... you got me. Was our meeting a coincidence at all?" I grunted, wiping my nose from wine.

"That it was! Although I was going to look for you sooner or later. It is about your plans."

"Plans?" I stiffened... did my Mother leak it? No... No way.

"It is my deduction so far, but I guess you will use them to be your hidden weapons against a rival noble, yes?"

"You could say that..." I murmured, looking at him without blinking, slowly sipping my wine.

"What if I... help you out?"

Mother did mention she had a younger brother she would like more to sit where her older brother does right now... Was her hand in this? Or was this some kind of dirty play between nobles I read about so much? He didn't press on after his question, letting me think. Whenever I looked into his eyes, he never looked away and just smiled amicably at me.

Was this a trap? My instincts told me it wasn't... and I trusted my gut. Then, this Uncle of mine was someone with ambition and someone who was ready to jump into the fray to grab power for himself... but how far would he be willing to go?

"Why?" I asked a simple yet complex question, and now it was my turn to wait. I watched him refill his cup and taste the wine before he leaned back in his chair and answered me.

"Because I tolerated them here for the same reason. I was using them to slowly gain more and more power over the city guards. You see, I am planning a... mmm... let's say, a hostile takeover against my Eldest Brother. He is unreliable, unfit, literally mind you, and worst of all, going completely senile. If he remains leading my home, he will drive it into ruins."

I was totally floored by what I was hearing. For one, he was speaking so candidly and openly that I was at a loss for words. Then... there were the phrases he was using. What the... hell?

"Surprised?" He asked with a slight chuckle.

"Yeah. A bit. So... I spat into your soup?"

"Kinda. But I can adapt. I already did and came up with a new idea! Care to listen?"

"Please. I'm all ears!" It was better to have an ally who is competent... than one who is a pig... so let's see what he has to offer!

"Here is the deal... whatever you are planning will sooner or later drag the Empire's eyes onto our little corner. Now... we don't want that to happen without providing any solution right after. Any sign of destability here would make them dispatch the military and replace us with new puppets. The thing is, they don't really care who sits here... as long as their back is protected and we pay our tithe every year!"

"They have time for that? Or the manpower?" I asked, genuinely curious about their resources.

"Of course! Anyway... what I am saying is that we will work together. I already had much evidence planted within those animals to lead back to my good old brother!"

"What makes you think he would take the fall?"

"He would have no say in it!" Elliot continued, "The evidence I would provide to the Empire's agents would be enough. If you are backing me with it... then it would be done even more quickly. They would take him away, make me the new baron, and everyone would live happily ever after!"

"Are you a fox in a man's skin?" I asked, but he just laughed at it, not answering. "What if they decide you or we are too much of a hassle and decide to kill us all?"

"The Empire is pragmatic. Putting me into power is much easier than raising a completely new family! Yes... That... could happen. But... the chances are slim."

"But not zero."

"Risk is with us in every facet of life. I could have run into you while you held a knife, and bam, you just stabbed me to death!"

"What a specific example!" I shrugged, shaking my head while Elliot continued smiling, looking at me.

"It was how the 17th Empress was murdered, and her cousin took over the Empire. Soooo... it is not as farfetched as you would think!"

"Huh... I see... You are ambitious, huh?"

"Not overly so!" With a yawn, he stretched, looking so relaxed that I couldn't help but yawn myself. "I know my boundaries. I just want this region, and it will benefit you too! We work well together, and I really love my sister. We could trade more openly and profitably, and I have some friends in other regions. I could open up more trade routes than my brother! Case in point, the pig is looked at warily and hated by many because he is too shrewd of a businessman. Always squeezing out as much profit as possible! I am much more mellow... much more easier to work with."

"Well... you are selling yourself expertly! Hmm..."

"You can think about-"

"No." I shook my head, standing up and patting myself down, "I am already determined to go through with my plans, and if you are lending me a helping hand, I will take it. I am doing something essential, and any aid is appreciated! You scratch my back, I scratch yours!"

"Ahaha! Good to hear it!" He jumped up, stretching his hand out, which I grabbed as we shook on it. "If you want, you can scratch my back in the bathhouse!"

"Errrr... thanks, but no thanks...."

"Joke. It was a joke." He added with a wide grin, but... I somehow was not sure of it. Or... shit... this guy is insanely good at confusing someone! "I will go and speak with Louise and tell her everything. Then, we can sit down and work out the details, hm?"

"Sounds good; I am still waiting on the bandits' answer anyway! It is better than listening to the pig one more time; how we should tie four crossbows together to make a repeater!"

"Yeaaaaah... and you didn't even hear about his idea of giving wings to knights who would jump down from the walls, gliding above the battlefield and throwing javelins..."