Kanieta was startled for a second, then a predatory grin spread over her face. "You are not what you seem, are you." She said, suddenly watching the noble more carefully.

  "Oh, come now." Floralin smiled, waving her off. "I am exactly what I seem, and please, take a seat. There is no need to stand while we talk; we are not men who resort to violence at the first provocation. We are civilized ladies." After a beat, Kanieta stepped forward, taking one of the seats around a small table as Redgenald took up position behind her.

  Once they were both sitting, the noble continued speaking, "Just because I enjoy being friendly and enthusiastic does not mean I can not have a mind." Then the woman flicked her hair over her shoulder and batted her eyes at Kanieta, "Besides, men underestimate me this way."

  "So you are intentionally manipulating them."

  "Of course. That is the greatest strength of women. Equality is a nice concept, but when it comes down to it, if you take a woman and a man with the same psy reserves and age, the man will generally be more skilled with their castings and will win a conflict between them nine out of ten times. Not because they want to be, but because they have to be more competent. Women have social privileges ungranted to men, so we always have more options. And if we took a moment to be honest between just us girls, and one spy, women don't typically want to put in decades of effort to attain real martial abilities, or the functional skills of laborers, just for the sake of survival and providing our basic daily needs. Why would we? If we can convince a man to do everything for us, we achieve the same goal with a fraction of the effort. There is a reason the majority of women end up as campworkers while in the legion, and those women typically fall somewhere between average and beautiful in appearance."

  "I suppose... There is merit in what you say, but I can not agree with pretending to be something that you're not."

  "Come now, don't we all put on airs?" The noble asked, looking genuinely confused about why she had to explain herself. "Though, to be honest, in my personal case, I would say that it is more an issue of intentional ignorance or incompetence for anyone who doesn't suspect I might be more than I first appear. After all, I am a widow who can throw weekly soirées. The money has to be coming from somewhere, as only a fool would spend more than they can afford. I would have to be at least mildly intelligent to keep up my lifestyle."

  What could Kanieta say? Nothing really, and fighting about the topic wouldn't help her make a good impression, so she changed the subject, "Really? I was unaware that you are a widow."

  "Oh? Hmm, I suppose that is to be expected. My husband died quite suddenly a few months ago." As Kanieta opened her mouth to tell the woman she was sorry to hear that, Floralin waved off the comment with a flip of the wrist. "Do not concern yourself with empty sympathy. There was no love between me and my husband, and he was killed in a duel for some contested orchards, a rather stupid death if you ask me, but they were part of his family for generations, and held a sentimental value in his heart."

  Kanieta blinked, surprised at the total lack of grief from the woman talking about her dead husband. "Do not take this the wrong way, and I don't know if this is considered rude, but you do not seem to care at all about your husband's death."

  The noble's brow wrinkled slightly at the Kin's comment, then her face brightened in realization a second later as she explained, "I suspect that is a misunderstanding about our culture on your part, so let me rectify your assumption. Marriages within Olimpian society fall into two categories: business and love, with effectively none able to cross the gap between them. The general consensus is that a spouse is supposed to be the closest person in your life, someone to whom you can open up your mind and share everything. Before marriage, if you are unwilling to do so, the first assumption of your emotions toward them usually turns out to be true, and is something that will come out given enough time. The trend is that you start off and remain in love, or you never were to begin with, and it stays that way, seeing your marriage as nothing more than a business deal. Mine was the latter. At this point, I have observed all of the expected mourning rituals, and there is no point in pretending my marriage was anything more or less than what it was."

  "I understand," Kanieta muttered, her face shifting into an expression of dismay. "I don't know whether I should feel jealous of your people or pity them. To have such a connection can be as much of a curse as a blessing."

  "I would say for most nobles, it would be a curse, though for the low-born, it is a blessing. It is rare for those with the ability to choose to marry someone they truly love to not do so, but it does happen. Typically, in the third month of courtship, it is common for the families of the courting couple to host the unity ceremony, where the couple forms a union and bears themselves to each other." At the words, Kanieta felt her heart skip a beat, and her mind started to wander before Redgenald stepped forward.

  "I do not mean to sound rude," the man rumbled, his tone serious. "However, I believe you said our time here is limited, and we have yet to discuss the matter at hand."

  "Ahh, you are quite right, domine grumpy face." The noble responded, putting on a serious expression as she rapidly nodded several times, arms crossed under her chest. Turning to Kanieta while the inquisitor was at a loss for words, Floralin sighed, "Unfortunately, he is correct. Now, to answer your unasked question, you are right in assuming my…" She paused, her hand lifting to tap against her lips as her head tilted from one side to another in thought before finally finishing, "continued support of Senator Drelgath's actions has waned of late."

  "So you have come to the realization that the Kin are the superior option for your support," Kanieta probed.

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  "Oh, good ambassador," The noble waved her arm, her voice ringing with amusement. "That is rather naive of you to say, don't you think?" The statement caused Kanieta to blush slightly in embarrassment, but it did not stop the noble from speaking. "No, I cannot say whether one side is better than the other, and I doubt anyone will be able to do so with confidence for a while to come. What I do know is that currently, the senator is not entirely abiding by our agreement, and in doing so, is setting me up for some significant inconvenience. Whether the Letairry turn out to be good business partners in the future or not, I haven't the slightest clue. What I do know is that currently, the senator is taking risks I am not comfortable with, and he will not remain in his position for long because of them."

  "And what exactly is your agreement with the senator?" Redgenald asked, speaking up again, having regained his composure.

  "Do you really think that if I were in a position to tell you such information directly, I would have gone about this in such a convoluted manner?"

  "Yes," Redgenald stated. "If not simply for your amusement, then because it would preserve your reputation with all the secrecy."

  "Oh," Floralin exclaimed, clapping her hands together and giving the inquisitor a radiant smile, "Aren't you a perceptive one. It's a pity your career was effectively ended by sending you north, though I suppose you have overcome that hurdle quite well. Anyway, you are correct, a noble's word, and thus their reputation, is the truest form of currency among high society. Even if I know with certainty that the incompetent fool is destined to break our contract and drag me down, I can not be the first to break my word."

  "If that is the case, then how are we going to discuss the topic?" Kanieta asked, becoming annoyed with the convoluted conversation, as she thought she had escaped such double speak.

  "Ahh, here's the thing." The woman said, her smile widening. "I have brought you here for the purpose of having a frank conversation, but not with me."

  At her word, the bookcase in the back of the room opened, and White stepped out, closely followed by a grim Kathren and Green. The secret passage closed with hardly a sound, and as it shut, the noble settled into her chair, flipped open a small wooden box sitting next to a stack of paper and ink well, grasped a gaudy file from within, and started polishing her nails. "Do not be concerned with me, go ahead and tell them what you have discovered, Scout Green."

  Eyes flicking over to the noble woman, Green raised an eyebrow at the inquisitor, receiving a grunted, "Just ignore her presence," in response.

  "Okay." The scout shrugged, then took a moment to think before he continued, "From what I can tell, Lady Meridies' estate is used as a gathering spot for secret meetings every time she holds a party."

  "Soirée." Corrected the noble, causing Green to pause before continuing.

  "During her soirées… those in the know enter secret passages littering the estate, and make their way to a chamber under the manor."

  "A facilitator, nothing more, nothing less." The noble said out of nowhere, not looking up from her work. "With assurances that the meeting being held would not tread upon the ground the Kin so fervently warn us about. As far as anyone is concerned, it is just a group having a simple, secret conversation in a secure location."

  "Now that," Redgenald said, his voice dripping with condescension, "is naive. What other reason than nefarious purposes could they desire a room isolated and away from prying eyes and ears? If they were just having simple discussions, then having it in their own homes would be more than adequate."

  "A risk," Shrugged the woman, seeming indifferent to what she was allowing to happen. "And yet the Republic will be radically changing sooner than later, with all the new races popping up. If a side must be chosen, it would be better to take the one that has more time to plan and collude with others than the one scrambling to catch up."

  "So we weren't here and they were, and you picked a side. Now that things aren't going the way you want, you are attempting to switch teams." Kanieta said, her eyes narrowing at the other woman, who didn't respond in the slightest. "What did you discover in the tunnels, Green?" The Kin asked when it became clear there would be no answer.

  "Honestly, not much," Green said. "After we entered the tunnel, all we did was walk down it until we came to a door. The sound from the other side traveled through a crack that happened to be in the wall, but we couldn't see anything. However, from what I overheard, there wasn't much talking. A man named Hawthorn was brought into the chamber, and soon after, he started shouting to be released before he began screaming. The yelling lasted close to half an hour before it finally ended, and everyone exited in silence. After that, we waited a few more minutes before leaving, and upon exiting, White took us to another tunnel entrance that brought us here."

  No one said anything for a moment after Green finished, then Kanieta sighed, "I told you that the Letairry can never change."

  "I doubt that," Floralin cut in, a frown on her face. "No people are entirely stagnant. To say they can't change would mean that they aren't alive… Or something is keeping them that way."

  Snorting and waving a dismissive hand, Kanieta responded, "That's a philosophical point more than anything. What matters is that they always seek to dominate those around them, and it is the first thing they attempt when they encounter a new people. Just look at Southtown, Basetown, and now here in Olimpia as examples. Their strategy is the same and unchanging, and rather simple-minded once you start looking for it."

  No one said anything to refute her point, but the conversation didn't linger on it long as the inquisitor spoke up. "I would assume that Senator Hawthorn Dekakant is the man that you overheard being broken. He is associated with one of the blocs that are becoming known as the Neutral Faction. There are several groups within the overall party, but I believe he represents one of the larger ones. If he is compromised, it is possible, likely even, that he could guide his constituents to support anything the dark elves desire."

  "Senator Dekakant was invited to my soirée, and accepted the invitation… Though I have yet to spot him this evening." The noble said, her tone neutral and impartial.

  "This is a matter I must bring up with my order," Redgenald stated, stepping toward the door, only to stop as the noble spoke again.

  "Hmm, I wonder who would have any idea what was happening if an Inquisitor decided to abruptly leave a party midway through the night," Floralin said, but this time her voice was dripping with malicious pleasure. "Oh, I just can't imagine who would think anything of it. But I wonder… if some old friends might be able to carry a message in a time of need."

  From the corner of her eye, Kanieta saw Redgenald's face suddenly twist with rage as he looked at the noble, before it became a blank mask of indifference, though his eyes still burned with anger. "Look at the time, we have been away far too long! We might miss the plate painting!" Lady Meridies exclaimed as she hopped up, brushing off her skirt and beginning to exit the room, calling over her shoulder, "Stay here for as long as you like, but I do hope you rejoin us before the end of the festivities."

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