Rimelion: The Exploiter

28. Debugging session

I bit my lip, the gears in my mind spinning. A civil war. It was both a disaster and an opportunity—my ticket to greatness, power, and, most importantly, money. I bit my lip, because there was something unspoken in his words, something that was upsetting me and something that the Captain would have a bad feeling about. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because you own an East fortification," he said, his voice heavy as he leaned forward in his chair. His expression darkened, sending a shiver down my spine. "That's why I acknowledged you as a noble, my dear niece. You can aid us."

"I won't fight her, if that's what you're asking!" I blurted out.

His approving smile twisted into something far more dangerous, and I swore I saw a flash of ice behind his eyes. It reminded me of the time I stumbled into a freezer full of whiskey—by accident, mind you.

"You will fight her," he said, his voice dropping in pitch.

Panic overtook me as I shot up from the chair, backing away from his intense stare. "But wouldn't—"

"With all the strength you can muster," he interrupted, his gaze drilling into me as though searching for a truth I didn't have. His presence felt suffocating, and I collapsed back into the creaking chair, powerless to resist. "You will accept her formal declaration of war and fight her army. For that, I will lend you a local infantry."

"I can't do that," I protested, shaking my head violently until I had to grab the edge of the table to steady myself. "Absolutely not! That would give her a casus belli, and the gods wouldn't grant the empire the Defender's Blessing!"

To my frantic words, he laughed. A deep, chilling sound. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed my objections. "She already has it, child."

"Uncle, with all due respect—no, she does not," I said carefully, forcing myself to think. My voice wavered, but I held on. "She needs to declare war against a worthy enemy, and no one with a large enough army would stay in her path. It's suicide."

For the first time in our meeting, his composure cracked, and a flicker of hostility crossed his face. "Not only are you powerful, but you've studied the God of War's rules," he said with a sneer. "You are my niece. You will accept her declaration."

"Or..." My voice faltered, a thousand dire options flashing through my mind.

"It is within my power to imprison you," he said with a victorious smile. "But I am not heartless. When you return to the capital, it will be as a hero who saved thousands of villagers."

"You won't evacuate them?"

"I should have known the princess cares more for her people than herself," he mused. "I cannot evacuate them. It pains me, but the sacrifices have been made. This plan has been in motion for hundreds of years—we established the settlements along the river solely for this reason.

"So when I return to the empire..." I met his gaze, my voice hollow, my body weighed down by resignation.

He nodded. "The Emperor will make you a Baroness."

"Fine." I sighed. "I'll do it." Was it foolish? Probably. But rising in the nobility so quickly was tempting. Not to mention the prospect of fighting Irwen in what might become the first epic battle in Rimelion. Could a gamer girl like me ask for anything better? "May I ask something else?"

"Speak, child."

This was my chance. I'd just agreed to something dangerous; maybe he'd be inclined to help. "There's a Fire Tamer's lair, and I want to eliminate the threat. Could you lend me a ship to get there faster?"