“Ahhhh… George… so we meet once more. Please sit. Look after a drink?”

“It will be a pleasure.”

A short second of silence handed as George and Michelle took their seat reverse one another inside the parlour of Michelle’s personal mansion. It was solely after that they had completed their drinks did they lastly start their dialog. Out of the 2, it was Michelle who spoke first.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of getting the taxmonger go to me for a second time?”

“Tch.”

George couldn’t assist clicking his tongue in irritation as quickly as Michelle referred to him with that distasteful moniker. Nonetheless, just like the final assembly, Michelle was technically his superior and as such he wanted to point out respect to her, irrespective of how a lot he really hated it inside.

The one distinction between this assembly and their first assembly is that George now has some expertise in coping with this enigmatic noble woman. In spite of everything, how might he presumably neglect these crazed eyes she displayed when she referred to life as a ‘mere sport.’

Though George was conscious of Michelle’s inlying madness, she nonetheless held the favour of the Breetish king and was a royal admiral, with a good portion of the royal navy below her sway. If George wished to get out of this alive, he would want to play his playing cards fastidiously.

In a peaceful composed method, George answered Michelle’s query.

“As soon as once more, I’ve arrived on behalf of the king. He wished me to make you conscious that he appreciates your efforts and that he’s planning to reward you someday within the close to future. Nonetheless, he additionally has one thing that he desires ask of you.”

A glance of slight irritation appeared on Michelle’s face when she responded.

“Once more? What’s it this time?”

With a sarcastic voice, Michelle made George conscious of her issues.

“Does not he realise that being pressured to maintain your complete Panish navy at bay with solely a mere fraction of the Breetish fleet is already taxing sufficient? Or does he really feel that I am not working arduous sufficient? In spite of everything, if it is not just like the Paniards can be free to invade Breeton if I fail or something.”

In response to Michelle’s cynical response that had clear undertones of insolence, George might solely do nothing however proceed to maintain his calm composure. In a dignified method, George made his reply to Michelle.

“That… is none of my concern. Nonetheless, you’ll be glad to listen to that you could be chill out, the one factor his majesty presently needs from you is your opinion and counsel for an additional matter.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

When Michelle heard George’s response, she as soon as once more put a fake-pouting expression like she did of their final assembly.

“Now as an alternative of feeling used and overworked, now I simply really feel under-appreciated.”

George was astonished by Michelle’s response. Nonetheless, Michelle spoke up earlier than he might even say something.

“You possibly can chill out as properly I am simply joking. I discover that it helps to launch my stress now and again. Now, what is that this matter that’s so necessary that his majesty needed to ship you all the best way from Landon to my humble abode simply to acquire my ‘counsel?'”

Seeing that there was no level in reprimanding the younger royal admiral, George sighed solemnly earlier than he began to clarify the rationale behind this second assembly.

“It is about the newest crus-“

“We need not concern ourselves about it.”

George was interrupted by Michelle earlier than he might even end his sentence. With a considerably stunned voice, George questioned Michelle’s reply.

“Why do you say that?”

Michelle solely shrugged barely in response earlier than answering in a barely sarcastic voice.

“Is not it apparent? There isn’t any doubt that the Imperium of Drussia will clear up that mess lengthy earlier than we are able to even ship reinforcements, not to mention let themselves get taken over by that squabble.”

With glazed eyes Michelle calmly but boredly defined her viewpoint.

“Certain there could also be a 250,000 man robust campaign bearing down on the Drussian capital but when I ask how organised and coordinated they’re, what would you say?”

Shocked by how the dialog was turning, hints of shock leaked in George’s voice as he spoke.

“Properly… I’d say that they’re no-“

“Not very organised proper? Just like the more moderen crusades, this campaign consists of troopers from just about each katholic kingdom within the Eurrelpeon continent. Other than the Porrish who requested for the campaign, there are additionally Paniards, Ostrians, Fench and Hongarians, simply to call just a few.”

As soon as once more, Michelle spoke in a condescending tone that was a mix of boredom and sarcasm as she defined her ideas to George.

“Usually this may be offset by a army genius or perhaps a competent commander however with that buffoon designated because the campaign’s chief, I am stunned they did not bumble themselves to their deaths earlier than they may even cross the border.”

“If this is so, then why did the church even designate Stefanie because the chief of the campaign? I’d perceive for political causes as a result of it’s her nation in any case however the Pope might have appointed a bishop as the top with Stefanie because the second. Why danger issues with Stefanie?”

Michelle solely shrugged when she responded to George.

“How ought to I do know? Or extra importantly, why ought to I care? For all I do know, the katholic church might simply be testing the Imperium of Drussia. Whereas it’s lead by a buffoon it will nonetheless take a army genius to come back up on prime in opposition to that campaign. It’s nonetheless a 250,000 man robust campaign in any case.”

“You’d actually imagine that the Church would waste 250,000 lives on a ‘take a look at?'”

When Michelle heard George’s reply, she laughed for just a few quick moments earlier than she responded.

“I additionally believed that supporting a tiny insurgent state in opposition to two highly effective kingdoms, one in all which was probably the most highly effective on this planet thoughts you, would result in the delivery of one of the highly effective empires so far? However what do I do know? I’d simply be getting fortunate on my guesses.”

George couldn’t assist silently gritting his enamel behind his calm smile in response to Michelle’s mockingly sarcastic reply. Nonetheless, he determined to permit Michelle to proceed talking.

“In addition to, it is not just like the annihilation of that campaign will value the Church an excessive amount of. Have you ever ever heard of ‘birds of a feather flock collectively?'”

Though George opened his mouth to reply, it will appear that Michelle by no means supposed to let him reply as she interrupted him.

“Do not reply that. The purpose is, everybody collaborating in that campaign, together with the knights and nobles are very prone to be as thickheaded as Stefanie is. I do not imagine anybody who is not affected by mind harm would convey themselves to work below that buffoon.”

With out warning, Michelle instantly broke out into laughter as she spoke, leaving a surprised George speechless as he listened to the maniac admiral go on a tangent.

“In reality, I might say that the Imperium is definitely doing the Church a favour! They are going to wipe out all of their incompetent belongings for them! Maybe I give the Church lots much less credit score than they really deserve! If that’s their plan, I have to commend whoever conceived it!”

Nonetheless, Michelle quickly abruptly modified tones as soon as once more. This time, she spoke in a methodical, calculating method, which was utterly in contrast to her cynical perspective earlier than.

“Anyhow, that’s my perspective on the campaign. So in my trustworthy opinion, the Porrish campaign is nothing his majesty ought to actually concern himself about.”

“I see. I’ll relay this to his majesty after I return.”

As soon as once more, Michelle swapped tones as she spoke. Nonetheless, to George’s annoyance, she returned to her unique cynical tone.

“You perceive? Then please, if you return to Landon, would you kindly inform his majesty that I admire the gesture of sending somebody as famed and famend because the noble taxmonger to to talk to me on his behalf.”

“Tch.”

Though George was in a position to hold his calm composure, a few of his bitterness leaked into his voice as he spoke.

“I’d additionally admire it for those who did not name me such a degrading identify…”

“Oh however after all. Please excuse my lack of manners.”

Like earlier than, Michelle placed on a faux pouting expression whereas talking.

“It is simply that it has been awfully boring these days. All I have been doing lately is sit on the sidelines and watch others have all of the enjoyable with out me.”

George’s eyebrows rose in slight confusion when he heard what Michelle needed to say.

“Sitting on the sidelines? Watch others have all of the enjoyable? What do you imply by that?”

To George’s shock, Michelle appeared to sigh genuinely earlier than she responded.

“I imply that whereas Maxwell and the Drussians have have been off conquering just a few nations, what have we performed? Nothing however defending our borders and ensuring that our commerce routes are secure. Whereas I do benefit from the good present that Maxwell is placing up, I’d additionally fairly choose that we go on an offensive quickly.”

“Do not be ridiculous. The king could tolerate your eccentric tendencies however that is out of the query. I apologise if that sounded impolite however it’s merely the reality.”

George did not know what kind of response to anticipate Michelle however to his nice shock, Michelle replied in a peaceful, nearly benevolent tone.

“It’s as you say. Properly. It was a pleasure having this second with you for a second time George.”

Glad that he can lastly go away this cursed mansion, a real smile grew on George’s face as he made his response.

“Oh please, the pleasure is all mine.”

Earlier than he stood up, bowed courteously and left.

…

“The king could tolerate your eccentric tendencies however that is out of the query.”

These phrases from George nonetheless echoed inside Michelle’s head even after he was lengthy gone.

All that Michelle did after he left was rise up from her seat, and look out the window. She stared out onto the ocean and at her private fleet that lay earlier than her. A battle-hardened fleet that consisted of dozens of warships, all of that are at Michelle’s beck and name.

Though, Michelle was beforehand advantageous with being subservient to the Breetish king, she had no actual ambition aside from having enjoyable in any case, it has began to change into obvious that if Michelle really wished to have enjoyable, then she will now not settle for the restrictions of serving below a monarch.

Quickly, a malicious smile grew on Michelle’s face as she spoke to herself.

“The king does not must tolerate my eccentric tendencies… if he is now not king…”