41 A Deadly Servan (1/2)

(The following morning, at the inn)

I rushed over to the inn as soon as I got up and was immediately scolded by Mei.

Mei: ”Where were you?! Come and explain yourself!”

Steven: ”I'm sorry. Uhh, a lady lost her child and I helped her find him. But it was already dark so, as thanks, she offered to let me stay the night.”

Mei: ”That… is understandable. But do not do it again. Bao was worried and asked if she should look—”

Bao: ”I was not!”

She cuts Mei off mid sentence with her yelling.

I look around and see the innkeeper, Fang, was lost in a book at a table. We were across the fountain from her and Mei already sits us down to brief us in her plan.

Mei: ”Well, it doesn't matter right now. We must keep our focus on the Lord. Fang was very kind to share what she knew and we know that there's an event occurring in a couple of days.”

Steven: ”Good, what do we do when we see the Lord?”

Mei: ”I wish there was some other way we could go about things but with how elusive he is, we're left with no other option but to murder him.”

Even someone like Mei would have to resort to something like this. This guy is really sneaky!

Mei: ”The Lord of Meinu, Abram Pavlov, is a dangerous individual. He acquired his status through violence. We have tried many times to bring him to justice, but anyone we sent has mysteriously vanished. Any witnesses have been silenced and evidence vanishing. You can understand why we are after him.”

Steven: ”And this event is the only way to get close to him, isn't it?”

Mei: ”It's our best chance. It'll be his birthday and he'll be too worried about who came to pay their respects.”

Killing someone isn't something I enjoy. We'll be doing it in front of a mass of people to top it off. I haven't been this nervous in quite some time. My hands are sweating and shaky.

I pardon myself and go to our room. If things go bad who knows what would happen. I lay down on the bed and try to remain optimistic. If this is my way home, then let them come! He was a murderer and a thief, so it really won't impact too many people in a negative way.

Fang comes in with surveyor's rope and a small wooden case full of grooming supplies.

Fang: ”Mister Steven Omeo?”

Steven: ”Yes, did you need something?”

Fang: ”Lady Mei had asked me to take your measurements and to groom you to standard for the event.”

I stood still like a mannequin after I removed my armor. Her hand shifted across my body with the rope measuring me precisely. I felt like I was at a tailor in Everhand with Kanna and Yuuna. She worked with such skill as if she were an artisan.

Fang: ”I wager you're tired of running around in that red tunic, Mister Omeo. I'll get you into something more formal by tomorrow.”

Steven: ”Thank you, Fang, but do you have to do so much for us?”

Steven: ”Are you?”

Fang: ”We went to the same school together.”

It would explain why we're here basically rent free. After my measurements, she pulls out a chair and sits me down. Opening the wooden box and drawing out a comb, shears, and a razor. She starts off by passing her fingers through my hair.

Fang: ”Your hair is beautiful. It's a little greasy, but I can tell that you take good care of it.”

Steven: ”Is it easy to tell?”

Fang: ”Very. You haven't cut your hair in about 4 weeks? That's about when you left your home according to Mei.”

She's right!

Fang: ”We should shave this stubble of yours as well. You'll need to blend in as one of the Lord's servants. A good figure of them happen to be Elven.”

Steven: ”Why a servant?”

Fang: ”Elves aren't too discriminated around here, but with the higher classes, they are. Dress you up as a servant and you'll be invisible to those idiots.”

She wraps my neck in a towel and gets started with a small bit of water magic. She trims my hair starting from the top of my head and slowly working her way down. I watched as some of my strands of hair fall to the floor. After she finished, my head felt lighter and cold. I wished that I could see myself in a mirror.

Fang: ”Perfect…”

She combs my hair and finishes with my outline. It was time for my stubble. She grabs a straight razor and cuts against the grain of my hair to get as close of a shave as possible. Always rinsing to reduce friction. She rinses my face with her water magic that was really cold and I was left with a really smooth face afterward. No nicks, cuts or stubble.

Fang: ”I'm impressed with myself.”

Steven: ”Thank you, Fang.”

Fang: ”As I said, I'm doing this because I wanted to.”

It's probably only me, but I feel lighter on top. I go downstairs and check on Mei, who was quietly reading through a book when she notices me.

Mei: ”Steven do you know how to act as a servant of a household?”

Steven: ”I was—err—still am, a servant.”

Mei: ”What did you do as a servant?”

Steven: ”Maintain the wellbeing of the members in the household. I cooked, cleaned, delivered, repaired, shopped.”

Mei: ”Alright, not bad. I'm asking because you're going to pose as a servant during the event.”

She reaches into a satchel and pulls out a small dagger, a ring, and a vial of poison.

Mei: ”The plan is to poison him. The ring has a container in the bezel with enough poison to kill 20 people. The dagger is a final resort. Abram won't be easy to get to, but with you as a servant, you'll be right behind him and it'll be too late for him to react.”

After showing how the ring works, she takes out a drawn map of the estate. The house is surrounded by gardens and courtyards with lots of cover to move between. The house itself is large and spacious. Lots of hallways and rooms that I could use to get away or get close to someone. The Lord should be in a dining hall, drinking and eating his life away as people around the town will be paying their respects to him.

Mei: ”You could go straight to the kitchen and poison his food before serving it. When everyone is focused on what's going on, Bao will cut across the estate and raid his office for anything incriminating. After she finds something is when both of you can get out.”

Bao will be at the event ready to get me out once the deed is done. Mei's not allowed to show her face as she's the heiress and would draw controversy if caught. It all sounds simple on a map, but it's surely easier said than done.

Mei: ”Will you be ready?”

Steven: ”I will.”

…

(2 days later)

It's the day.

Bao had already walked in through the main entrance and got passed the guards. Now I have to find my own way in.

After some circling around, I find my way in with a couple of other servants that were just entering. I blended in perfectly with the other Elves. This seemed like a solid enough way to get in until a Demon runs up to us in an angry voice.

Event Organizer: ”You damn stupid sons of bitches! Get in line now or I'm going to bust your head in!”

Steven: ”Excuse me—”

Event Organizer: ”Excuse me? Fuck you! I ought to kick your ass and send you to the red room.”

Servant #1: ”He's a temporary, sir. He's supposed to be at the wine cellar.

Event Organizer: ”I know why he's here, dumb shit. Now get him out of here before I lose my shit!”

They guide me down in the basement to the wine cellar and leave me with a broom to sweep. I just realized I was the only one in here. I guess the stress of being a servant to a corrupt official got to them or I'm just late and everyone's already working. I hear the door open and hide behind a barrel. Peeking out and I see another servant, like myself, mumbling to himself.

Head Servant: ”What kind of wine goes good with lobster?”

This is my chance!

I walk up to him offering help.

Steven: ”Could I help, sir?”

Head Servant: ”You? I'm busy right now. The Lord wants wine with his lobster.”

Steven: ”Why don't you offer him Baise Guo?”

Head Servant: ”Well, what the hell do you know about Baise Guo?”

Steven: ”It's a dry full-bodied white wine. It'll taste like a blend of apples, bananas, lemons, pears, pineapple, and often a touch of butterscotch. It's perfect with lobster, crab, and shrimp.”

Head Servant: ”Well, no shit. Maybe you're not so worthless after all.”

The one time being an alcoholic works in my benefit.

Head Servant: ”Put the broom away and bring the bottle upstairs.”

I had done as instructed and paused as soon as I had gotten on the first step. This bottle will be offered to Lord Abram Pavlov himself! I saw this as my chance and tried to open the bottle but was stopped by the cork. The only other way is to poison the glass.

I headed upstairs into a very large kitchen. Servants were running around, preparing food. It was just like my old restaurant! The Head Servant was barking orders at everyone when he notices me and motions to come to him.

Head Servant: ”Pour a glass and serve the Lord. I have to deal with these idiots, so you'll have to serve him.”

I took full advantage of the opportunity and poured the glass. I went into an empty hallway and poured half of the vial into the glass. Putting on my best poker face before presenting myself to the Lord. He was disgusting. He ate himself to the point of looking bloated. He looked like a huge, red blob of gluttony.

Everyone around him was sucking up to him, claiming he was the best leader and how he should be King. And just like I predicted, he had some pretty scary looking bodyguards behind him.

I looked around and spotted Bao blended in at a table with some of the other guests. She was watching and ready for us to go after I've finished.

Steven: ”My Lord, the finest wine, as you instructed.”

Abram: ”Haha, like I said! Come! Have a drink with me!”

Uh-oh…

Steven: ”Uh, my Lord, I have chosen to abstain from alcohol.”

Abram: ”Bah! Have a drink!”

Steven: ”My Lord, it's at the behest of my doctor.”

Abram: ”Fine, get him out of here!”

Everything seemed to be going perfectly when I felt a hard thud against the back of my head. I had just been hit with the pommel of a sword and quickly dragged away. I could see my own blood dripping, leaving a trail as we end up on the other side of the estate in a room, splattered with the blood of others.

Guard: ”You'll wait here and be a good servant by the end of the week… if you survive this red room.”

He laughs maniacally and stomps me repeatedly. He feels my dagger against his boot and begins searching me, finding the dagger and vial.

Guard: ”What's this vial?”

Steven: ”My… medicine.”

He uses my dagger to stab me in the thigh. I cry out in pain as he forces it in deeper. He's getting angrier by the minute.

Guard: ”Don't fuck with me! What is this vial! I bet it's poison, you little shit. Fuck!”

He rushes to the door and freezes in place before losing his balance and collapsing to the floor. I was confused until Bao had kicked the door in with a dinner knife in her hand and wrapped in a dark mist.

Bao: ”I followed your blood trail.”

Steven: ”Wha-what did you do?”

Bao: ”Magic. It doesn't matter, we have to get to the office. Abram is already convulsing.”

She sees my injuries and realizes the dire need for medical attention. She unbinds me from the chair and uses healing magic with her Dark element. The pupils in her eyes started glowing a royal purple, indicating that she was using lots of her magic.

It stood out to me for some reason.

The blood from my wounds had stopped spilling and close up. We can't rest now and we're still in the estate.

Steven: ”Bao, there was a side entrance I used. It wasn't very guarded and we could get out through there.”

Bao: ”I still have to go to his office.”

Steven: ”Alright, let's go.”

I get my dagger back from the hand of the guard and run down a hallway. We could hear screams coming from the dining hall. Abram is more than likely dead by now.

We're hunted now. We ran straight down the hallway to his office. I open the door and I'm greeted with a knife to the right side of my chest. I retaliate with a left hook, knocking the guard into the wall before I fall to the floor in pain.

Bao: ”Healing magic is a thing, but that doesn't mean you should go and get yourself killed, you moron!”

Steven: ”Just get what we need, damn it!”

We were delayed by my injuries. I stood guard by the door as Bao tore down the office, grabbing piles and piles of documents and letters. She hits the gold pot when she finds a letter with lots of names and incriminating evidence with it.

Bao: ”This looks like it!”

Steven: ”Is that all?”

A loud banging on the door interrupts us.