30 minutes later we finally found the papers and when I was about to leave I noticed that Klaus had a dejected look on his face while he turned around to look for some more files.
"...Hey, is there anything I can help with?" I asked hesitantly.
"What makes you ask that?" Klaus responded.
"I'm not sure, my instincts just told me to help you with something, perhaps any physical labor you need," I replied.
"Huh!? Physical labor!?" He sounded with a blushing face.
"Yeah, like perhaps sorting any files while you finish your work, or bringing anybody something they might need," I said.
'...Don't tell me he took that the other way…'
"Oh, let me think…I suppose there are some things I do need to be done that I could use a few hands for…" He paused briefly, "Would you mind helping me with a few things?"
"Hehe, as long as you're offering refreshments," I teased with a smile and walked over to him from the door.
"Haha, why of course."
I spent the next few hours in his office helping him with paperwork and physical tasks that he needed to be done, mostly so that I could help him get his work done faster and I could make him pay for what the emperor asked earlier today.
Before I knew it, it was lunchtime, "Oh, look at the time! Viscount Andraste, I'm going to get some food would you like to join me? Or if you don't want to leave I could bring you some food," Klaus suggested while getting up from his desk.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass. I have some of my own work I need to get done as well, see you later minister!" I said as I left the room.
"...I was hoping to chat some more…" The Minister mumbled.
While walking in the hallway I happened to run into Astrid, who didn't look the happiest at the moment. But yet I still decided to greet her and strike up a conversation.
"Good Afternoon commander, I would ask you how you're day is, but you seem quite troubled right now," I recited to her.
"Hm, oh, hello Lieutenant Colonel," She hummed while turning to face me, "I'm not troubled in the slightest, but how is your day?"
"Ah! My apologies and I am just fine, thank you for asking," I replied, bowing ever so slightly.
"Oh course, but what are you doing wandering the hallways?" Astrid asked in a cold tone, full of suspicion.
"You see, I came from the Minister of Foreign Affairs office, i was helping him with some work, and I am now about to head over to my office before the Peace Council," I explained.
"Is that so? Then if you'll excuse me I'll have to return to my duties, I hope not to see you unaccompanied by someone in the halls again," She jested, obviously stating that she was suspicious of me and wanted a servant from the palace to accompany everywhere I go.
'She may seem cold and distant, be she is so easy to read.'
"Why of course, till we meet again Commander Phrona," I said walking past her and continuing to my destination.
***
After the Peace Council, I went back to Klaus' office to talk to him and ask a few questions I forgot to ask before. I knocked on the door three times, but there was no answer, so I waited a few moments before doing so again.
"..." There was silence, then a few shuffling noises, "Coming! Oh! Hello Viscount, I didn't think you'd be back so soon."
"Yes, hello. Sorry for the intrusion, but I realized after the meeting that there were a few things I forgot to ask you, so here I am," I said smiling.
"Ho? Then please ask and I'll do my best to answer," Klaus smiled back.
"Right…anyway I came to ask about the banquet tomorrow," I said walking into the room, "More so about what all will be going on during it."
"Hmm, I suppose that is a subject of concern," He sighed and paused, "Honestly I don't know myself, I'd be better to ask someone else, like the communications minister."
"Alright, sorry for bothering you," I said walking out.
"Oh, you're fine…" Klaus said as I walked out, I noticed that as I left his face changed to a more serious one.
I was once again walking through the hallway to tend to another task I had planned, except this time I had a servant accompanying me. He was a butler and one of the Foreign Affairs Minister's people.
The butler's name was Gale Kieran. Gale had Silver hair and dark blue eyes, something that would remind you of a sci-fi-amine protagonist. He was wearing the palace butler's uniform, which was black and green with a purple accent, and dang, whoever formed the empire sure does love those colors.
Gale had pointed ears like an elves, but when I asked him something earlier and he responded I saw that he had fangs, which made me think he was a vampire. Gale was also about an inch taller than me.
"Pardon me M'Lord, but where exactly are you wanting to go?" Gale asked while helping me change into shabbier-looking clothes.
Oh, poverty. such a terrible thing that restricts people from doing what they want, and often a lot of times being treated how they want.
"I wanted to go out in the city and explore a bit, I'd like to get a good layout of the city, in case a battle does happen to occur."
"I see…" Gale paused and had a bit of a glare on his face then switched to a smile, "Then I'll go and prepare a carriage."
'I wonder what that glare was, perhaps he suspected me of planning something, or maybe…Well, whatever, it's probably nothing to be concerned over.'
I then grabbed my bag and put a pouch of money, the key to my scythe, and a few small dead geckos in it.
While we were on our way to the empire I came up with the idea of getting small bone creatures, like lizards, to use as place markers, which made me decide to go lizard hunting every time the carriage stopped for us to rest.
A few moments later, Gale came back and escorted me to the carriage, he then accompanied me around the city acting as a guide, when I went to use the restroom, only then did I get a chance to use my bone lizards, where I then connected a string of dead mana to relay the lizard's movements onto the paper to make a map, and then I hid it and went back to Gale.
"S, any more places that you would recommend, or would like to see while we're here?" I asked coming back.
"Hmmm…There is one, but it's a restaurant, and it's almost dinner time…" Gale admitted.
"Then I guess we'll be eating out tonight!"
"Huh!? But, Your Grace-"
"Are you trying to disobey my orders?" I said in a cold tone, cutting him off.
"No, I'm sorry, but what did you mean by we?" He replied.
"I just thought it'd be nice if we ate together, but if you don't feel like eating with me then I guess you'll have to go to bed without dinner," I jested.
"!" Gale jolted the blurted out, "No! I mean, I would like to eat with you, please give me the honor of being at your table!" He said bowing.
"Heh, why of course, I would be delighted to have someone to share a meal with," I said smiling with delight at my victory.
***
Two days later we held another peace council, this time we talked about things related to, well, non-peaceful things.
Everyone was currently around a war table, arguing over what action to take against a random attack in the south by one of the Demon King's brigades.
Whilst people were in the midst of their arguments, Emperor Arik was wearing a pondering face and had his arms face, while The Crown Prince and I just watched.
Just as I was about to whisper something to Prince Emeric a loud bang sounded throughout the room, everyone turned their heads towards the cause of the loud noise; His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Arik.
"Haaaa," Arik said standing up straight with a cold expression on his face, "I can't think with all of this bickering, if you want to help come up with ideas to face our current problem then please, ask for permission to speak before you all start arguing!"
"..."
Everyone was silent, clearly afraid that if the Emporer got any more mad they'd be punished.
I suddenly came up with an idea though, not necessarily one that came with risks, so I raised my hand for permission to relay it.
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel?" Arik said, directing everyone's attention towards me.
"Pardon me, but I have a suggestion," I then paused for a brief moment, "Considering that the situation in the south isn't posing a threat to the citizens' lives for right now, why don't we send a few people out there to get a proper assessment of the situation?"
"Excuse me," someone had said and the emperor nodded in their approval to add on, "I think that would be a wise choice, considering we still don't know the exact situation down there."
"...I quite like that suggestion, thank you Lieutenant Colonel for giving us a real solution to the problem," He then looked around the room at everyone else, "That's the plan we'll go with for now, any objections?"
The room stayed silent, nobody raised their hand to speak, and there were no objections given. Which honestly made me quite surprised, either my suggestion was really that good, or everyone was just that scared of His Majesty.
"No objection? Good, council dismissed," Arik said leaving the room.
I decided to head back to my room for the night, I was once again accompanied by Gale, he honestly reminded me of one of those suspicious servants you'd see in the movies that would have a second identity.
When I got to my room I first decided to take a nice long bath to wash, then I sat on the balcony and smoked for a while, before finally deciding to go to sleep.
When I had finally gotten into a deep sleep I was thrown into a dream, which felt more like a memory.
In the dream, there was what seemed to be me, or at least Lev, and in front of him was none other than the servant who reminded me of the two life servants from the movies, Gale.
Instead of wearing his butler attire, he was wearing all leather, and his eyes were red and he had claw-like nails. He was standing in front of me, or Lev's body. Gale was standing in front of a dig door, he looked like he would attack Lev if he tried to get passed.
Lev was glaring at Gale with a pissed-off expression, and Gale was just standing there with a smug smile on his face.
"Are you just going to stand there or what? If you're not going to do anything then just leave, you're wasting your own time," Gale jested.
"Shut the hell up, you're in my way and personally, I wouldn't want to waste even more of my own time having to fight you, so move out of my way," Lev said in a sharp, cold tone.
"Ho? Feisty are you, I really don't get why the Demon King assigned me to you, but you're starting to piss me off."
"Looks like we have mutual feelings, so instead of standing there move aside, I'm sure you're precious King wouldn't want to see his servant return as a corpse," Lev replied.
"HAH! You're dead meat bucko!"
"!"
I woke up with a jolt of condition and worry.
'What the hell was that?!'
As I tried to piece
my very odd dream together I got dressed and then jumped at a knock at the door.
"Pardon me Your Grace, but His Majesty has called for you," Gale's voice sounded