Time was changing for both Callum and Calliope, but they were still standing where they started. Once again, Callum found himself in King Leonardo's study. He had to add something here that nothing good comes out when he found himself standing at this place.
"Your Majesty, you called for me?" asked Callum in a polite tone. No matter how influential he or his best friend's became, they never forget the respect for this man. They owed their lives to this man, King Leonardo. However, it didn't mean they didn't repay what he owed to the king.
All three perhaps had repaid and he still didn't know how to repeat the same gesture as them.
When Callum was waiting for an answer, King Leonardo was staring at the place behind him blankly. When he heard Callum's voice again, he gazed up to find a young man dressed in the finest suit in an upright posture, waiting for him to speak.
Not wanting to waste any minute, King Leonardo said the words nobody had expected. At least, not Callum.
"Stop looking for Calliope Wilding."
Much to the king's surprise, Callum didn't react as he had anticipated. Then again, he had not expected the young man to jump in joy or sigh in relief either. There was a startling blankless in those dark orbs, so dark and deep that once lost could never be returned. Aside from darkness and depth, there was something else too. Tension. Apprehension. Uncertainty. And something bridled trying to break free and wreak havoc once freed.
Calum Facci knew quite well that something else was coming next too. But the question still remained unanswered as to if it was a time to be optimistic or…
The mighty king offered him a stiff smile as he next spoke, "I have a request to make."
Callum smiled in reply. He knew at this moment that something was coming for him. But didn't know what exactly. Nonetheless, he was certain that it was nothing good.
"Your Majesty, you are the king of our land. Words like requests didn't meet the requirement of your highest position. Your words are laws. We will do what you expect us to."
Although Callum's words were polite and good to hear, they were nothing but his beautiful attempt at glorifying his sarcastic tone.
The King suddenly laughed but the sound of his laughter described his helplessness.
At this moment, Callum was more than curious to know just who was this apt person who could make the arrogant king so helpless and tense. He was sure that Nash would start worshipping that person right away if he knew someone could do something like that in reality.
"Time has changed, Callum. Time has changed," The king said with a serious look on his face.
"I don't understand what his Majesty is trying to say," Callum said with a polite look on his face even when he had a dire urge to flip the desk placed between the two of them. He was so annoyed at this moment.
"You understand and know my position more than anyone, " King Leonardo began speaking. "Your book 'The kind of Maisean Empire-- A mere rubber stamp or a real ruler' speaks the truth and yet you raise the question that you don't understand what I'm trying to speak here?"
Callum didn't say a word as he was confused here why the king talked about that book. He wrote that book anonymously when he was a Political science student in the university. It was an attempt to understand the country's politics from the point of view of the youngsters of their generation. Who would have thought that the book would be an instant hit? After that hit, he released several other books with the same pen name. However, he couldn't understand what the king was trying to say here. And he didn't even know that the king was aware that he was the author of the book all along.
After the long pause, the king continued, "Not even I but every single person of the empire would refuse to believe that you can't see the clear truth behind the change in power dynamics. I am not who I was years ago. I'm nothing more than an empty vessel right now." He heaved out a sigh and then added," You are a rare talent. A righteous man. Well versed in politics. You could have shaped the murky future of our people. What a pity! What a pity!"
Even at this moment, Callum hadn't expected that the rug had been pulled from under his feet. The dream that the king coerced him to see was shattered by the very same man.
…
Author Note: In many countries with the change in power, the president (mostly in parliament form of government) and monarch (in countries with Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary form of government) are called Rubber stamps. There is a long ongoing controversy as to whether these figures are just rubber stamps( nominal heads) or real heads of the state/ country.
This is what I have been trying to portray here. The Maisean Empire is a country that follows the pattern parliamentary form of government with a Constitutional monarchy. Thus, the king said he is an empty vessel because the real power is vested in the hand of the prime minister who is the head of the government. Also, a king and Prime minister can't work together like two buddies which he was trying to achieve by using Callum but only if it was easy.
If you still have any problems regarding the world setting, you can comment all your doubts, I will try to ease them as much as I can.