Whilst waiting for Alexander's arrival at the main hall, Lloyd decided to observe his surroundings. It had already been a short while since the altercation between him and Thomas, meaning that rumors might have already started to spread. He watched for the minutest of fluctuations: body language, fleeting glances, subtle alterations in the rhythm of conversations. It was crucial to deduce whether trouble was poised to pounce, or whether it was still lurking in the shadows.
As for the former King, he had already been notified about the situation, which annoyed him. Retaliation was always inevitable when going against influential figures, with humiliation often being the catalyst; a universal constant transcending the boundaries of realms. Additionally, and despite Gregory's promise, Alexander was under no illusion that their actions were going to be free of consequences. The manager's hurried departure following the incident also pointed in that direction, since he associated it to this mess' cleanup.
When the mythical man finally arrived, the hall fell into a hushed reverence, with the collective focus gravitating once again towards him. He was still equipped with his intimidating armor and sword, which made Lloyd at least understand both their admiration and fear. He simply looked like a beast cloaked in the semblance of a man on the edge of a violent outburst.
"There are a few fascinating individuals in this crowd."
Alexander's statement briefly surprised the scientist, since it made perfect sense. If the powerful had nothing separating them from the masses, they wouldn't be here in the first place.
"What are we doing today?"
It was finally time to kick their plan into action.
"I think we should shop for materials first, because I really want to see what these magic crystals are about. As for the slaves, we'll acquire them during our last day so we don't hamper ourselves."
"I agree. I'm also interested in their weapons' quality and prices..."
And on that note, the duo vacated the building before making their way to the vehicule. Holding the door was the very same butler, as well-mannered as before, and Alejandro, who appeared fairly tired. Alexander's 'skirmish' had clearly taken its toll.
"You're here! I hope I didn't come by too early."
"No, it's fine."
"Glad to hear it. So, where are we going today?"
"I'd like to first shop for some materials and magic crystals, to which I can allocate 50 gold coins. Is it possible?"
The request did not surprise Alejandro, as it was Gruzia's specialty. However, he was a bit miffed about their budget. Was this really all he could afford, especially with such a bodyguard?
"Edwards, I assume you already know where we're heading?"
"Of course."
It was the first time he had heard of the butler's name, and he had to say it suited him well. Once everyone settled aboard, their journey began, which offered a window of opportunity for him to ask some of his questions.
"Alejandro, who's the United Inn's manager? He seems much more important than what he's letting on."
The soldier immediately straightened at Gregory's mention, a reaction that surprised both the engineer and the General. Had he touched a nerve?
After a short silence and sigh, the guard inhaled deeply before eventually deciding to answer.
"You have a good eye. But to really understand his character, we have to go back several years. You may not have realized it yet, but the United Inn wasn't always like this. Before Gregory's tenure, it served as a sanctuary for the noble class, a place where the influence of the Emperor was much weaker than everywhere else in the Empire. It thus effectively acted as a counter-balance that kept both parties in check. However, a sudden shift occurred 15 years ago when a large coalition of nobles decided that the Emperor's decisions, which had grown bolder and more assertive, had become too harmful to their interests. As you can imagine, this sparked a sinister plot to usurp his power."
Christopher wasn't really surprised so far, but more so curious about where Gregory fit into that narrative. Without pausing for too long, Alejandro then continued, his voice carrying the weight of long and eventful years.
"What they didn't know, however, was that their group had long since been compromised, causing their plans to immediately reach the Emperor's ears. But the nobles were not foolish, and they quickly realized that their coming betrayal had been uncovered. This grave violation of trust, ironic I know, triggered a fierce reaction from them, which was the acceleration of their schemes and the rise of their armies against Gruzia, a Draconian move nobody had foreseen."
This left Lloyd visibly taken aback. He had never anticipated a history of civil unrest in what looked like a peaceful domain.
"Obviously, their hypocrisy and treachery sent the Emperor over the edge, leading him to enact a decree calling for the immediate execution of whoever had raised their swords against Gruzia. This was when Gregory came into play."
Alejandro deeply sighed once more before continuing, his voice now solemn.
"At that time, Gregory was the Emperor's right-hand man and his highest, most decorated strategist. His achievements at that point were already remarkable, ranging from successfully repelling attacks against tens of thousands to suppressing domestic dissent originating from foreign powers looking to ensnare Gruzia into their sphere of influence. Not once had he failed an assignment, making him the perfect candidate for this campaign."
The scientist became even more flabbergasted. Despite his appearance, Gregory was someone more extraordinary than he could have ever imagined.
"Of course, the nobles' coalition knew what it was up against, but it had faith in its strategists, believing their tactical prowess to be close enough to Gregory's. It hoped that this shortfall could be offset elsewhere on the battlefield, but as you may have already guessed, it was the gravest, and last mistake they'd ever make. The 'coup' only lasted 3 days and culminated in the culling of the 20 000 strong noble army. Not a single member of the families involved was spared — children, the elderly, both men and women — not a single exception was made. It was the most brutal episode in Gruzian history, resulting in Gregory earning the chilling moniker of 'The Butcher'."
Lloyd couldn't help but feel his insides squirm. This was cleansing behavior, something that was sure to leave a deep mark in the psyche of everyone.
"This resounding 'success' came at a price, however. Gregory's tactics had been so savage and ruthless that the traumatized public, despite being witness to the horrifying bloodshed, demanded he be relieved of his duties. It was clear that, even when factoring the nobles' betrayal, they'd never forgive someone who'd slaughter his own so easily. With tremendous pressure mounting every day, the Emperor then finally relented, announcing that the strategist would be transferred to a managerial position at the United Inn, therefore calming much of the unrest and putting an end to the horrible saga."