113 Plans II (1/2)
”A matter of state, you can call it,” said Li as he crossed his legs.
Alexei raised a brow. ”You wish to dabble into this world's politics? I did not believe your interests to lie beyond your land.”
”Part of my interests lie in protecting my land, so when politics has the potential to harm it, you can see how my interests would get piqued.”
Alexei put his hands together, his stick like fingers interlocking as he leaned forwards a little, his attention sharpening.
”Did something occur?” He paused to think. ”It is quite hard to believe. None would be foolish enough to challenge you. To even disturb your land by a hair would be an infinitely monumental risk to undertake.”
”Nobody has taken any actions against me yet. You can call this more a preventative measure.” Li verbalized what was on his mind without dancing around it. ”What do you think about deposing the duchess?”
Alexei, for the first time, had his steely, calm exterior shattered with shock. ”I must ask first, what pushes you towards this course of action? Has she moved against you?” To himself, he muttered, as if to convince himself more so than anyone else, ”My spies have not reported to me anything, and I did not believe her so foolish to wrong you.”
”Like I said, a preventative measure.” Li felt he owed Alexei more of an explanation considering how much the vampire had helped him out. ”Spurred on because of the fact that I've heard a concerning report that the duchess is performing cloning experiments.”
”Ah, that is what has gripped your concern.” Alexei took in a relieved breath. ”There is no reason to worry yourself over such a matter, a matter I had deemed trivial enough that it was unworthy of mention to you.
I understand she has some means to replicate her heroes, but the capacities are extremely limited. She has yet to replicate anyone of notable strength, let alone Sunstar himself.
Nor does she seem to have the ability to clone any being other than heroes whose numbers are already few. And it would seem that she has already abandoned such experiments many years ago, for my spies have not reported any activity in that area in five years at the least.”
”It's not so much the idea of cloning that gets to me. I understand she must have limitations on it considering she hasn't used it to do something outrageous like clone me or anything of that sort, but it's the idea that there's far too many secrets that make her too unpredictable a variable to consider.”
”And that is why I am here.” Alexei put a hand over his heart, just as his subordinate had done so before to Li. ”I am your eyes and ears beyond this little town, and I consider myself a watchman of all that is to come, of all that may bring forth chaos. The duchess is most certainly my foremost target with the Praetor to the north being secondary, and I can guarantee you that I have a tight surveillance network around her. Any secrets I perceive that are of merit, you will know.
The moment she oversteps her boundaries and positions herself as one who cannot uphold order, then I will strike, but before then, I simply cannot.”
”Is that so? Why not?” Li did not ask to accuse, merely to get an explanation.
”Vivienne has been a master of statesmanship. To the people, at the least, she has been a paragon of hope and generosity, a means to stand tall against the tyranny of elves, beastmen, orcs, goblins, and dragons to the north.
And though her mind may be focused almost solely upon maintaining her power, she yet still understands the responsibility that comes with it. She will never forego the good of her people, not simply out of the goodness of her heart, but because to do so would mean to forego her power.
That is why she does not make a single move against you, even, as I hear, accommodating your needs, letting you circumvent laws and live freely. She understands more so than anyone that to draw your ire is to threaten the entirety of her reign, and that is why I have faith that she will not make a move against you, for she is no errant jester to throw away her life and rule.”
Three solid knocks echoed from the doors, and Alexei waved his hand, temporarily undoing the magical seals riddling them. The vampire maids came in. One of them brought in a tray of tea while the other two took away all the alchemical vials and gadgets laid upon the table. When they left, closing the doors behind them, the smell of acrid chemicals was replaced with the deeply natural and herbal scent of jasmine.
Alexei did not touch his tea and instead bowed his head to Li. ”I implore you to have faith upon me. I guarantee the safety of your farm from the duchess, and the moment she oversteps her boundaries, I shall be there to end her so that you will never have to drench your hands in blood.