They all turn to her, at this member of the household who remains as dead and still as a marble statue. Sophia Elise continues, not even a pause in her voice as she focuses on that donut in her face. “Since I am going, we shall bring the legionary with us.”

  The ceramic demon doesn’t move, simply existing as a point in the world from its tactically advantageous position a few steps away from the table.

  “... the legionary.” Zai narrows his eyes at the towering body, at its extremely obvious presence. “We bring it along? You want to bring an Impericutta legionary, a Blade of your Silver Throne, as a second guard to a casual lunch with the Mayor of this town?”

  And as if on command the faceless form shuffles slightly; the clink of its ceramic armor resounding like the rattling of dinner plates.

  Elodie clears her throat, attempting not to contradict what was a Fourth Princess and her own personal guardian. “With all due respect Ma’am, bringing a legionary out into town, and in such a public space, would practically be announcing your presence to everyone. They’d start asking questions, and those questions have answers no lie can deflect.”

  It's definitely a bad idea, now that Sophia has had the chance to really ruminate about it. This thing was probably not the most *inconspicuous* member in the Imperium's human arsenal of guardianship; less of a surgical scalpel and more of a battering ram through the castle gates with its forty pounds of armor and machine gun.

  Something within this Fourth Princess facepalms at her. Maybe think before speaking, idiot!

  Wait… Another thought process begins, raising its hand to silence the rest. We are thinking. Let ‘em cook.

  Sophia comes up with the next part of her plan without a pause. Cold blue eyes staring at this ceramic demon, at her own personal living weapon. “Legionary, without your armor do you believe you can pass as a private guard?”

  It’s hard to even imagine such a task for the blades of the Silver Throne, and those two Tiancin individuals at the table almost have to remind themselves of the fact that there was a human being situated inside that suit of armor.

  From all those historical battles on horseback and now from the drop-bays of an assault aerostatic, all those children’s songs about demons clad in white riding over the Wailing Fang to steal them away as orphans were suddenly a bit more… human.

  But that question implies something, and even through the ceramic faceplate they can feel the discomfort emanating from within the holy armor of the Impericutta legionary. An order implied but not outright spoken by the progeny of its living god, an immediate contradiction to what was supposed to be an oath taken to the most grand of purposes.

  Elodie attempts to save this half-comrade, half-allied monster of war; a blade caught by the hand. “I advise you, Sophia Elise: forcing Red-99 into breaking its Fourth Oath may result in a more violent end to this confrontation with the Mayor than you’re comfortable with.” She takes a breath to make eye contact with the Dominion Guardswoman. “If needed, I can go along for some support. As long as weapons are provided, of course.”

  Sophia Elise wants to bury her face in her hands, the rawness of embarrassment flushing her cheeks and her brain like ice water poured directly into her cranium. Why is it that every time we cook it always turns out to be a disaster? Literally and now figuratively!

  The Dominion Guardsman crosses her arms at this offer. “No offense, but I don’t have much faith in whatever field work you Silver Hand Agents get up to. If there is someone watching my back I’d rather the doll do it than you.”

  “Didn't have a good experience with us?” The ‘Priestess’ smiles at her, trying to find that nerve buried deep within this inferior Dominion's own guardian of royalty. “Come on, have some faith in your new allies. You don’t think I can manage a little protection detail?”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Zai Tianci can see that emotion welling from his guardsman’s chest. He speaks softly: not a command nor warning, but a subtle reminder of that mask she wears as well. “Mori…”

  “Very well.” So instead the Guardsman goes after someone closer, more compromisable. “Sophia, would you allow a Silver Hand Agent such as ‘Elodie’ here to work as your guard for this encounter?”

  The Fourth Princess of the Imperium, the rumored player of the shadows and secret holder of the Empress’ Silver Hand, stares emotionlessly at the Guardsman, at her politically married husband, this ceramic armored Blade of the Silver Throne, and finally at the Priestess Elodie Chasseur.

  This is Sophia Elise’s domain, her mastery of intrigue and the coughs of silenced sniper rifles and poisoned bottles of wine demonstrated perfectly through her words as she stops eating this donut. “Wait, Elodie is a Silver Hand?”

  There’s silence at the table, letting the sounds of singing birds and rustling leaves enter into this royal court through the open windows.

  All heads turn to face Sophia with excruciating slowness, like rusted machinery forced to move again.

  Her brain hands her her next words on a satin pillow atop a silver platter. You should ask them again, it’s obvious that they didn’t hear you the first time.

  Exactly, and make sure they hear you this time.

  Sophia raises her hand like an elementary school pupil. “Elodie Chasseur, you’re an Agent of the Silver Hand?”

  And the targeted individual is now forced to answer her traditionally superior officer, stuttering as she does so. “Y-yes? Were you n-not aware?”

  I mean, you had your suspicions… Sophia’s consciousness committee informs her. But you thought she was just a bad priestess…

  Sophia nervously chuckles for an agonizing ten seconds as nobody else is in on her ‘joke,’ those next words really penning the lie. “Y-yeah of course, it was really obvious r-right?”

  Agent Elodie shoots down this golden duck with her utterly deadpan response. “I hope it wasn’t, I like to keep myself as… as inconspicuous as possible. Of course, if you had your suspicions please do tell.”

  The embarrassment that washes over her is like swallowing rusty nails, and that scowl on her face folds to a light grimace.

  Guardsman Mori Fushimi is the first amongst the Tianci delegation to recover her composure, and she speaks after the Silver Hand Agent. “Elodie, I hope you realize by playing your hand here you are soft compromising yourself as well.”

  “Oh don’t worry about that.” The Silver Hand waves away this concern as if clearing the air of smoke. “I get the feeling the majority of our intelligence operations in the Dominion are about to be blackballed anyway. Especially on the east side given the current political state of Ensolia. Maybe it is a good time to start fishing for a promotion.” She narrows an eye at the Princess in their midst. “Somewhere closer to home perhaps?”

  Once again, there’s silence as they wait for her answer.

  Sophia’s internal committee clears their throat, reading into the request from this Agent of the Throne. This Elodie is letting on a bit more than what’s actually saying. So right now she’s actually asking for a lil’ quid pro quo here, a favor for getting you all those donuts and keeping an eye on you. So you better give it to her~

  The Fourth Princess plays the game. “Agent, if you are requesting a favor for reassignment I’d be happy to give my recommendation for it. And being my guardian for this excursion into hostile territory would be… appreciated of course.”

  Sophia bites her tongue. We don’t even know how the hells to get any transfer paperwork done this far away from any official lines of authority (much less what sort of forms to fill to get it done in the first place), but at least it’s a good thing to say to her.

  Elodie twirls her fingers, that smile once again on her face unflinching. “Well, I am just doing my job~”

  Zai Tianci keeps the conversation on schedule. “Then Sophia and I will accept this invitation? We’ll be accompanied by both Mori and…” He takes a moment to really try and discern something from this Priestess' smile, but decides otherwise. “... Elodie. Should I suggest that the Legionary remain in close proximity to the property?”

  “Yeah that’s for the best.” Guardsman Fushimi nods along with the plan. “I suggest a meeting timeframe for an hour at most. More informal than anything else.”

  The Legionary speaks from within its suit of armor, tactical and cold. “What mission parameters are expected to be compromised in this action?”

  “Non-zero chance for an ambush there, maybe he’ll have a few enforcers out there to… intimate us.” Mori nudges. “I suggest you go armed for a fight, Doll.”

  It nods, or whatever could be considered a nod behind the lifelessness of the monster.

  “Dress code.” Zai puts up the final point.

  There’s a dress code?! Sophia panics internally.

  And that politically married husband of hers reads her perfectly, a hand raised to calm the spiral before it goes down. “Please don’t concern yourself too much. It won’t be too… obtrusive.”