Chương 164: Step One - Loot Camp

Cave Entrance - North Rythian Forests - The Kingdom of Trangracia - Nexus. Local Time: 1020 Hours Katiya The dawn will come. That's what my mother would always say. It was a simple ward against nightmares, an assurance against terrors, and a constant reminder that the horrors of the present were nothing in comparison to the Eternal Day that was His Eternal Majesty's decree. The dawn would come, and with it the horrors of the dark would be kept at bay. This had been the case time and time again, all without fail…

until now. For on this night and this night alone, waking up didn't mean an end to the nightmares, no. It was merely an escape from one infernium to another. Because for each hour spent asleep, was another hour spent awake, not out of paranoia or battle strain. … It was spent awake hiding from the forest herself. Not its predators. Not her guardians. But the very forest that Lord Ignalius had sought to placate with his ill-gotten goods. … Every other hour was a scramble to whatever remained of elven-made heights.

The ground itself opened up without warning, undulating, squirming, twisting, and writhing like the skin of some unimaginable titan. The vines themselves pulsed with the life energies of the forest. Whilst the ground, the roots, the grass, and so on and so forth? Those were her muscles, hairs, and… whatever other unspeakable horrors of the flesh that existed beyond my ability to describe. This made the trees a fool's hideaway.

For despite my innate desire to scramble up their tentative safety, I knew that these were man-traps, snares for the ill-informed and the city-dwelling fools. This meant that only rock was safe. But that wasn't even guaranteed when most were covered by moss and dirt of some sort, including the cave's entrance. And so I sat still, muscles aching and arms and legs clenched against the tough fabric of the wagon's rooftops.

For these were the only truly 'safe' places amidst the living infernium that was this juvenile forest. I clung onto the few wagons remaining for dear life, unable to truly fall asleep, forever trapped in this state between restfulness and restlessness as each and every CREAK, SHRRRRK, and RUSTLE brought with it the CLANKING of armor and the CLINKING of metal. I dared not look. But I did so only to see body after body subsumed by the ground with only the occasional armor, coin, and blade left behind.

The forest was seeking retribution, payment for the offerings now considered inadequate by Lord Ignalius' hand. … Or perhaps… the forest knew of the grey lord's ill-gotten gains and merely refused to accept wares taken in cold blood. Whatever the case was, I had to keep moving, as each wagon was indeed challenged for their treasures, many crushed by the forest's curious vines. This meant I could not stay on one roof for long, as I jumped from wagon to wagon, the ground itself a threat if I ever dared touch it.

I continued this… for as long as I could… before exhaustion eventually overtook me. I knew not when I truly fell into a deep and ceaseless slumber. But I knew I'd survived when I finally felt that intrusive light of day. Though that sensation, as annoying and energy-sapping as it was, paled in comparison to the other that jolted me awake — a creeping sensation, slithering, climbing, and then wrapping and twirling around my leg. I attempted to scramble free, and in that panic I screamed." Mrrraaaowwww ow ow ow ow!"

Cave Entrance - North Rythian Forests - The Kingdom of Trangracia - Nexus. Local Time: 1020 Hours Thalmin My attention had shifted thrice now. It began at the foot of abashment, a shame demanding redress at the behest of the rashly betrothed whose commitment I'd seized without counsel, a decision driven only by the impatience of the foolhardy.

Then it shifted abruptly and without warning into a call to action — a shift back towards a goal so far removed from all my worldly concerns that it might as well have come from a different life entirely. But acknowledge it I did, addressing the matter with the repose I'd have given my earlier thought and preparing myself for what was bound to be a surprisingly brief jaunt into this fulfilment of the Academy's petty games.

Yet not soon after, and scarcely after a coherent string of acknowledgements had been uttered from my person, did another complication rear its ugly head." Mrrraaaowwww ow ow ow ow!" Or more accurately, its ugly vines. My eyes glanced over to meet a baxi caught in the crossfire of fear and disorientation. Her whole body leaped back from what appeared to be vines creeping up against her boot and leggings. I surged forwards, Emma cocking her head in confusion but soon following suit.

Though that brief sprint and, seemingly, our very presence alone were enough to ward off any unbidden incursions. As the vines seemed to withdraw straight back into the sparse canopy from which they came, alongside— … No. This couldn't… I blinked. Then, I began scrying the immediate area. It was with that second scry that my heart simply dropped, and my eyes finally acknowledged the sights that had seemingly awaited us over the course of our reality-defying epic.

"Thalmin?" Emma's words came through, carrying with them the cautious wariness that had similarly assaulted my senses.

"What… what the hell is all of this?" The earthrealmer's curious gaze rapidly evolved into a defensive posture as she held out both arms at this point, with both the alicorn-killer and her second still-unused weapon ready and waiting for an excuse to fire. I couldn't blame her. Not when the ground was a writhing, vine-filled mass… a receding one but an unnerving sight all the same.

"This… this is more than likely the result of Kaelthyr's promise, Emma." I spoke softly, deploying a privacy field and speaking only through her 'earpiece.' Emma's arms lowered as she repeated those fateful words spoken following our first interaction with the dragon." The bodies will be rent asunder. You will be spared… suspicion. You may take, loot, and plunder at your discretion." She paused as if to think those words over.

"But… but I thought she meant she'd be burning or eating them or something?" Emma managed out as we both cautiously observed the writhing and tangled mass of receding vines.

"Not… casting some spell to turn all of them into—""This is not Kaelthyr's doing. Or at least, not directly." I interjected.

"I know not if she had communed with the forest during our walk back into the cave, or whether she had done so sometime during our interactions. But she may have, in some enigmatic fashion, offered the flesh of all the fallen as recompense for our collective infractions." Emma didn't respond, simply urging me to continue, as it was clear that this was yet again another aspect of the living world she found to be… difficult to take in.

An expected reaction, from a people who seemed to exclusively dwell in environments of their own creation.

"Though this may simply be the forest's doing, with Kaelthyr merely anticipating what was to come. However, I find that difficult to believe, especially given the armor, weapons, and coin that clearly remain. But whatever the case may be, it is clear the forest has taken recompense for the damages we all inflicted."

"The damage Kaelthyr inflicted, mostly." Emma countered with a nervous laugh.

"What with her whole firestorm campaign the previous night."

"Aye." I nodded, letting out a dark chuckle in the process before finally turning back to a shaking Katiya. Katiya I knew not what had overtaken me. Perhaps it was the fear, the wariness, or the distrust that I'd grown of the ground itself. Whatever it was… I soon found myself leaping for Dreadwolf's arms, practically tackling the larger-than-life figure before settling onto his shoulders with a body still refusing to calm its ceaseless trembling. I dared not put boot to ground…

at least not in this forest, not anymore. Not when the ground itself had become—"Katiya." A voice emerged beneath my trembling form as two strong, glaived hands attempted to tug me down.

"I would prefer it if you didn't block my line of sight."

"Ah! I… Er, of course, Ser Dreadwolf! But I… I would… I do not… I… I no longer think I can. Not without angering the forest, and not without being eaten!" A deep sigh soon followed as the mercenary looked over to his golem as if attempting to find some way to accommodate my foolhardy requests.

"I… I c-can walk as well, of course, Ser Dreadwolf. Y-you have saved me twice now! That's two whole life debts! This… this certainly isn't the sort of behavior you'd expect of someone with such debts owed—""Katiya." Dreadwolf interrupted. However, instead of either reassurances to my concerns or even outright rage or apathy to my actions, I instead received… acknowledgement of my deepest worries.

"Your fears are warranted." The lupinor spoke plainly. So bluntly, in fact, that I felt my gut twisting inside of me.

"The forest has clearly marked those belonging to Ignalius' party, and by extension, you." I felt my shaking intensify as my grip on the lupinor grew tighter.

"You must leave the forest posthaste. For there is no safety while you still tread upon its domain." I tried to speak. I tried to respond. I tried with everything in my shivering chest to manage even a word. But nothing emerged.

"I am afraid I cannot escort you to the edge of the forest. For I have my own… quests to fulfill." The lupinor added, confirming my worst fears. However, just as I was about to lose hope, just when I thought all was lost…

"I will instead assign you a task and an escort." He remarked abruptly, causing me to perk both ears back up.

"Use any one of the remaining carts, and gather as much in the way of loose belongings as you can. Coins, purses, pouches, the stray dagger, helmet, and what-have-you. Anything that seems normal and mostly unenchanted." My eyes narrowed at this, not in any doubt but in confusion as to exactly what Dreadwolf was planning.

"I-if I may, Ser Dreadwolf. I am very much capable of completing your looting for you! I can drag heavy armor to the cart without any issu—""I would rather we not draw the attention of the authorities, Katiya." Ser Dreadwolf spoke bluntly. Following which, my fears once more returned in full. A lifetime of living in the dregs, of being in proximity to the scum of society, made it clear exactly what Dreadwolf was referring to. When stealin', don't go off stealin' from those that look too well-to-do.

And don't take anythin' that'd catch the attention of those who're buyin from ya too. Sometimes, it's worth more gold for them to snitch, than it is to actually do business with ya.

"R-right!" I acknowledged with a firm nod. Sir Dreadwolf really was a mercenary through and through… not even Lord Ignalius would have considered something so… plebeian. He… oh, His Majesty's Grace, he truly was the embodiment of chivalry amongst commone—"Katiya." I felt my whole world collapsing as my thoughts came to a halt.

"You do not have much time. Get started. I'll assign my steed to the cart of your choosing. It will lead you out of the forests, where we will then meet up."

"R-right! Y-yes, Ser Dreadwolf! As you command!" Emma I had no idea what I just witnessed. The whole exchange… had played out like a literal cutscene. Though what game, let alone what genre, was completely up in the air. Because it started to feel like Thalmin really was a magnet for the ladies. No matter if it was at home or abroad, in the heights of noble society, or even those as far from it as was humanly possible, he always managed to exude a certain sort of charm that he barely even acknowledged. … A charm…

which even perhaps transcended realities, if some of the more distant reactions at the IAS were anything to go by. Regardless, I stood by silently, keeping to my 'golem' persona, at least in front of Katiya, as the baxi went about doing something she seemed worryingly adept at — looting. And while I hated to stereotype, I couldn't help but acknowledge the expedience in her movements as she leaped throughout the remains of what the forest had spat out, scurrying through armor and cloak alike.

Thalmin had hovered by her side for the first half of the exercise, as if to ensure she was up to snuff for what he wanted out of this operation.

"Twice-forged manasteel, dipped in an electrum coating and enchanted at the moment of coolin—""Too flashy. Easily traceable. Next." Thalmin remarked, prompting the baxi to nod and to haphazardly throw the sword away.

"Dwarven-forged manasteel. No elven enchants, no big-name stamps, but several aftermarket enchants, either homebrew, or—""Pack it."

"Yes, Ser Dreadwollf!" This went on for several more rounds, as it was clear Katiya eventually got a hang of what Thalmin wanted out of this operation.

"Rainbow chainmai—"" No." Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Iridescent chai—""No."

"Irides—""No."

"Ahem. Iridescent-only-when-struck—""Then it's not iridescent chainmail. It's reactive chainmail, Katiya."

"Ah! Apologies, Ser Dreadwolf! S-so d-did you want this or—""How many did you get?"

"... erm, five?"

"Take one."

"Yes, Ser Dreadwolf!" I couldn't help but fixate on the back-and-forths with increasing interest, partially because of the window into the wealth of weapons and armor pulled straight out of a Castles and Wyverns game, but mostly because it served as a distraction. A way for my mind to just… decompress, to enjoy this part of the Nexus that I'd expected to be the majority, not the rarity of experiences here.

"Alright, and once you're done, just tell my horse to 'go fast,' and she'll understand."

"Really?"

"Yes, really, now move it!"

"Yes, Ser Dreadwolf!" With that, Thalmin gestured towards me to move forward, as we now marched vaguely in the direction of the everblooming blossoms.

"If I may be a bit forward, Thalmin, it's clear you have a way with the ladies." I teased once we were out of earshot and once a privacy screen had been deployed.

"I am afraid I do not quite follow, Emma."

"Oh, I mean, I meant that as a jab. You see, it's just, I'm sort of seeing a pattern here with you and literally everyone around you. I know there's Asva, but then there's Cynthis, and now Katiya?"

"Perhaps." Thalmin acknowledged my observations tentatively and with a mild shrug of disinterest.

"Oh wait! There's one more hidden path I forgot to mention!"

"Oh?" He turned to me curiously.

"What? Don't you recognize your future princess-to-be?" I sprang the trap for the unwitting prince, catching him completely off-guard, if those pinprick eyes were any indication.

"Ah! The betrothal! Yes, that. That was a matter I wished to address from the very moment we left the caves, Emma. You see, I… I must admit to my latter… strategic miscalculations as it pertains to our dialogue with your superiors."

"Oh. So you consider our future prospects to not just be a miscalculation, but one of strategic proportions at that?" I responded with a sly, sarcastic lilt to my voice, jabbing the proverbial dagger deeper and causing the prince to retreat into what I could only describe as his version of a flustered response. One that consisted of a lot of failed attempts at disengaging eye contact, stoic looks of pensive contemplation, and anything and everything to hide the growing embarrassment brewing beneath.

"That's not— I— What I meant to say is—" The mercenary prince took a deep breath before burying his snout in between his two hands.

"I did not mean to offend, nor did I intend for that statement to imply as such, Emma. While you would be a very suitable, capable, and indeed honorable choice for a…" He averted his eyes once more before clearing his throat for the umpteenth time.

"... wife, I… I only meant this, and indeed the entire dialogue, in a purely political and pragmatic light. My rescinding of such sentiments has no bearing on you as a person nor on our friendship. I just wish to express my apologies for having taken your choice in that proposal away from you without prior delibera—""I get it, Thalmin, it's alright." I managed out in between dry chuckles before landing on a more serious note.

"Seriously, I get it. We were under a lot of pressure. Not to mention the whole fear of losing contact right at the last second. A fear that was clearly warranted, but one that made you accelerate things along at an exponential pace."" That was the strategic miscalculation, or a part of it, yes." Thalmin acknowledged with a sigh.

"There was just too much at stake. So much that needed to be said, and my desire to ensure my people's independence and potential future was secured on our first exchange—well… it was apparently so enticing that I'd be willing to act foolishly to secure it."

"I wouldn't call that foolish." I began with a pat on Thalmin's back.

"If anything, that speaks more to your character than it does detract from it. You have the makings of a great leader, a genuinely good-hearted one. It's just… experience that you lack. And hey, I'm not saying all of this from atop a throne of experience either. I think we just have to admit that there are some things we just lack. The first step to these sorts of things is acknowledging your limitations. Because there's no improvement if we don't even know what to improve, you know?"

"Indeed." Thalmin nodded slowly, responding to my pat with a pat of his own as we linked arms for a brief moment during our walk. We continued onwards like this for a few silent minutes before the EVI quickly made short work of my HUD and our intended objective.

"Wait, I think… yeah, that! Those are the flowers." I pointed, gesturing towards a patch of long, glowing, and iridescent pistils that popped out from the dense patch of shrubs. I ushered Thalmin towards it and after a careful push-through later, we found what could only be described as a truly otherworldly sight. These flowers… were almost like pre-made bouquets in a sense. Golden and blue with a hint of emerald, all clustered in an arrangement reminiscent of a cross between orchids and sunflowers.

Their patterns — seemingly etched in gold and intricate in their composition — crisscrossed throughout each petal, creating this shimmering effect that caught Thalmin in a daze of interest. They were… beautiful. Truly. But part of me couldn't help but feel like they were overshadowed by… just about everything else up to this point.

"You know, I have to admit, this… this feels really underwhelming after…"" Breaking a fundamental tenet? Defying the Crown? Establishing an illicit line of Status Communicatia? Going down the same path as the rebels did in the war?"

"Y-yeah, when you put it that way, finding some flowers really does seem kinda… trivial in comparison."

"It's our cover story, Emma. It doesn't have to be anything more." Thalmin reassured just as we both began plucking the flowers and shoving them into one of Thalmin's special magical pouches.

"Though I do hope this next request may be just as trivial." He uttered abruptly.

"Go on?"

"If I am not mistaken, with the acquisition of this attuned crystal, you now have regained the ability to send limited letters of sorts back to Earthrealm, correct?"

"Yup! Well, hopefully. There's always the possibility of some hiccups during the assembly process, but I think it's gonna work out just fine. Why?"

"Provided you have space in your correspondences, I would wish to pen an official rescindment of my proposal."

"Oh." I acknowledged with facetious disappointment.

"So we're calling off the whole Earth-Havenbrock alliance thing then? As well as the request for weapons, aid—""W-what? No! I meant the marriage proposal!" Thalmin immediately barked back, his features darkening if only for a moment until he got the gist of where I was going with this. I couldn't help but let out a long stream of laughs. Which was followed up by a none-too-amused expression on the prince's face.

"Yes, yes, very funny, Emma. I will attempt to be less vague with my requests henceforth." He sighed out in relief.

"So to be clear, would you be amenable to attaching a letter along with the rest of your correspondences?"

"Sure thing, Thalmin. So long as it doesn't have videos or other heavy file attachments, text will do." I clarified, all the while giving the EVI something annoying to chew on over in the translation and localization department. Which, judging from Thalmin's reaction, seemed to work well enough.

"You have my gratitude, Emma." He bowed curtly as he attempted to hide his growing discomfort at the deployment of the ARMS in this venture, especially as it began picking at the flowers with both inhuman speed and deadly precision. Yet in spite of this moment that should've brought quiet contemplation, it was clear something was brewing beneath the prince's features, a gnawing turmoil that eventually bubbled over following the completion of our flower-picking ventures. … Only a minute after it'd started.

Which I credited mostly to the ARMS.

"Emma…" The prince began, following the satisfying vvrrRRRPPP! of his special satchel.

"Yes, Thalmin?" Thalmin"What do you imagine will happen now?" I finally managed out. In between bouts of self-doubt and greater periods of internal contemplation, I eventually came to address the proverbial dragon in the dungeon — the question of exactly who would come to weigh their stamp upon my proposals and precisely how this would happen. Emma's posture quickly shifted as we both moved back towards her bi-treader, remaining static by its side if only to give this conversation the gravitas it deserved.

"Everything's going to be sent up the grapevine." Emma began, her previous air of playful facetiousness all but evaporating in one fell swoop.

"First the threat assessments, then your proposals. The former's going to be deliberated on first, with immediate, short, medium, and long-term action plans laid out. Following which, either sometime after the immediate actions are carried out or even during them, your proposal will naturally emerge as one of the talking points. At which point, it'll become the biggest talking point, second only to the Nexian Existential Threat question…

though honestly, your position and proposal are going to be strengthened because of it. At least, that's how I see it. I'm not a politician, but my time with Dr. Weir, Captain Li, and heck, even Aunty Ran and my parents has taught me a lot about these sorts of things." I nodded along slowly, taking a deep breath as I leaned against a tree.

"Emma." I began firmly.

"You're speaking with the presumption that I know the system by which these processes are based." I leveled my eyes against Emma's visor. At which point my message was quickly received as Emma simply nodded once, placing a hand where her forehead should be for added effect.

"Right, sorry, I… I was just going with the flow there."

"It's quite alright, Emma. It's just… I need to know how this is going to work. I want to know the inner workings of the beast I'd just tentatively sold my soul to." I spoke in a half-jocular, half-nervous huff, trying my best to placate my lingering doubts over my admittedly brash actions. Emma paused, taking a deep breath before nodding once more.

"Maybe I should set the scene here." She offered with a nervous huff, one that didn't do much to assuage my concerns.

"The IAS is a uniquely positioned executive-mandated entity overseen by a larger, likewise uniquely positioned departmental advisory directorate known as the United Nations Science Advisory." I blinked rapidly, cocking my head ever so slightly in confusion.

"Executive-mandated? Departmental Advisory Directorate?"

"Okay, you know what, that's probably setting the scene way, way too much there." Emma managed out nervously once more, taking a longer moment this time around to ponder a — hopefully — concise response.

"What's going to happen now will depend heavily on how Director Weir and Director-General Seong-min, as well as Captain Li, the Unified Command Staff, and Secretary Nguyen, are all going to pitch this to the First Speaker and First Secretary. Moreover, it'll be one of the biggest tests to executive restraint and executive 'debt' in recent history, if not most of the GUN's history, second only to General Secretary Li's Dissolution Gambit."

I took a deep breath, nodding along, especially at the introduction of all the other players that hadn't yet been introduced during our admittedly brief correspondence.

"Director-General Seong-min being…"

"The incumbent head of the GUN Science Advisory and, by extension, Director Weir's boss." I nodded slowly in acknowledgement.

"And am I correct in inferring that this 'Unified Command Staff' is a sort of war council?"

"Yeah! It's a 'council' of sorts, made up of the heads of each of the 7 branches of our armed forces."

"And Secretary Nguyen, I'm assuming, is Captain Li's superior?"

"Ultimately yes. He's the sitting civilian head of the Department of Defense, which our entire military is answerable to. The First Spea—" I raised a hand, halting Emma in her tracks.

"I am aware, Emma. You have informed me of the nature of your… dual sovereigns before. The former chosen by the masses, and the latter appointed by some council of ministers and scholars or some such."

"Yeah, that's more or less it!" Emma beamed before reaching to rub the back of her neck.

"Sorry, I was probably getting ahead of myself there."

"You need not apologize for a desire for forthrightness." I acknowledged before outstretching a hand in kind.

"Even if that forthrightness borders on zealotry." I chided softly.

"Let us resume the course."

"Alright, so! When it comes to your case, I can only feasibly see two paths for it to be pushed through. Both are equally valid, legal, and probable in their own right. But only one will result in the expediency you clearly want out of this." Emma continued with a sharp breath before starting a series of wild gesticulations.

"You have the expedited executive route, or the winding and very explosive 'assembly' route."

"You see, the IAS was established with a charter-entrenched confidentiality clause. This means that for the duration of said clause, all affairs happening within the IAS, would be subject exclusively to the eyes, ears, and authority of the Executive branch. This includes the First Speaker, First Secretary, and the entire cabinet."

"The cabinet being every'ministerial' head, I imagine?" I offered.

"Not exactly." Emma countered with a nervous breath.

"For the sake of brevity, let's just say that it's limited to the 'important' ministries, what we refer to as the State Advisory Board. If we were to include every department, well… let's just say that in our quest for interstellar expansion, we've had to create so many niche and esoteric departments that it would result in bureaucratic deadlock if not something right out of the First Intrasolar War. But I digress. The important thing to note is this — the executive route, i. e.

, the current status quo for the IAS would be the safest bet for a quick and decisive decision on your list of proposals. It would also allow me to more easily guess what the final answer will be, as well as the way it might manifest." I took a moment to pause, refusing to board the bi-treader just yet, merely… standing, processing everything up to this point with analytical intent. Everything up to this point felt familiar.

A bit more convoluted than anything an adjacent realm might come up with, but familiar all the same. This felt like the bickering and squabbling, or more accurately, the constructive jockeying that came with ministerial politics. Or perhaps even, privy council and royal court politics. I just had to remember that not only was the Sovereign of Emma's realm divvied in half, separating their powers into one of State and one of Governance, but that the latter half was elected by virtue of the entire populace.

This already greatly diminished the effectiveness of what I knew and the dynamics of things to come. Though I could not be less prepared for the next 'route' Emma would propose.

"But here's the thing." Emma continued, clearing her throat in the process.

"The confidentiality clause is the lynchpin which will determine whether or not your proposal's going to remain within the executive, or whether it'll be opened up to legislative scrutiny. And boy howdy, Thalmin, if the latter option opens up… the floodgates will rain hellfire, I'll tell ya that much." Emma managed out under an increasingly nervous chuckle, prompting my eyes to narrow and my heart to beat harder.

"The 'assembly' route, you mean?"

"Yes. So, if either the First Speaker or First Secretary feels the need to, or if the mood in the cabinet somehow shifts, or something cracks, well… the confidentiality clause just might not hold. There's several legal maneuvers that could be done to facilitate this. Last I heard, Weir's extension on the clause was already on shaky waters as is. So that's why I mentioned that both routes were equally plausible. It just really depends on how willing the First Speaker is to accept Executive debt."

"Explain." I urged.

"You referenced that term once before, and against my better judgement… I would rather you expound on it." Emma nodded, gesturing for me to finally get on the bi-treader, which I did so reluctantly.

"Okay. So — and keep in mind that this is me explaining it, so I'm not a political scientist or anything — Executive Debt is a term that's used to describe a political sentiment, a sort of 'tab' that's run up by the First Speaker and First Secretary when the Assemblies and their voters feel they've pushed the limits of executive power. It's unquantifiable, and more so a 'vibe' that comes up within the People's Assembly and General Assembly, but that unquantifiability is what makes it so dangerous.

Or at least, dangerous to our leaders, I mean. It's good for the general population and the Assemblies as it keeps our leaders in line." I blinked, half of those words registering, with the other half… being lost to the winds of this ride. And though I narrowed my eyes at Emma's latter sentiment, growing… concerned by her giddiness at undermining her leaders' authorities, I needed to keep this conversation focused.

"Overreach of what exactly?"

"Well… overreach of the powers that the First Speaker and First Secretary both hold, respectively. Decisions, which are made without the advice, knowledge, or consent of the People's and General Assembly. Actions which are not yet illegal, mind you, because that's an entirely different story and grounds for impeachment. But actions that either straddle the line of legality, are technically legal to the letter but against the spirit of the law, or that are completely and justifiable legal…

but just so happen to be against the general vibe of the assembly or public sentiment at the given time." I nodded slowly, warily, coming to terms with what seemed like lunacy — the bending over of the Dual Sovereigns to the will of the masses. But then even looking past that, I came to an even more startling observation…

"So even by your own rules, even if justifiable, 'executive debt' is possible? Just because of the whims of the public and their representatives?"

"Yeah… well… the simple answer is yes? But again, it's very circumstantial, Thalmin." Emma laughed nervously.

"Again, there's context to everything. And when it comes to friction between the Assemblies and the offices of the First Speaker and First Secretary, well, there's a lot of context to unpack at any given time. Would it help assuage your concerns if I said that the latter scenario, which is admittedly fickle, rarely comes up? Like, I can count in both hands the number of times it's happened and resulted in anything big." I sighed, nodding slowly in the process.

"The fact that it's both hands is still concerning… but at least that's all there is to it, over the course of a millennium." I took another moment to pause, to ponder the forest and just how… simple things were here, a sharp juxtaposition to the madness of Earthrealm's politics.

"So, what exactly happens after incurring said debt? Why are your dual sovereigns so seemingly afraid of the ire of these Assemblies?"

"It depends." Emma began with another shrug.

"For the First Speaker? It's easier to explain. Simply put — it affects their public image and standing. It affects their chances on their next election campaign, and that's assuming if their party even allows them to run again at all. Speaking of which, it'll affect their standing in their party as well, and it'll affect what lasting legacy they leave behind. It'll basically be a make-or-break of their career. But as for the First Secretary? Well… that's more difficult.

The First Secretary's role is by its very nature, quite controversial and at odds with the Assemblies. That's why they don't often exercise their authority save for matters that directly pertain to them such as the megaprojects and overarching national agenda programs. So if they're seen to be incurring executive debt? Well… it risks the very office of the First Secretary, which may incur long, long amendments and reforms to the constitution in its entirety. Though I doubt it'll ever get that far."

Silence punctuated the final beats of Emma's long-winded explanations, the soft whirr of her bi-treader and the serenity of the forest once more serving as a momentary reprieve from the utter labyrinth of political processes that I should've expected from such a novel form of statehood.

"Alright." I finally began after a long reprieve.

"So if I am understanding this correctly, depending on the whims of your dual sovereigns — if they are willing to push through this perceived debt — I will either be facing the judgement of a select few learn-ed ministers… or the seemingly volatile beast that is your Assembly?"

"Yeah! But er, it's Assemblies, plural, Thalmin. The People's Assembly that's voted in, and the General Assembly that are the delegates sent in by the state governments of individual states—""Yes, yes, yes. I recall." I interjected.

"So tell me, what exactly would happen if this were to end up in the 'Assembly' route?" Emma tensed up for a moment, before lowering her head in a moment of emotive contemplation.

"I can't say for sure I'd know the outcome, Thalmin. It's… way too much for me to analyze. But I can tell you that it's going to be a far longer, much windier, and tougher path towards achieving your aims. See, if this opens up, your proposal's going to be scrutinized by our entire Assembly. And there's undoubtedly going to be committees — temporary auditing bodies — set up to scrutinize everything the IAS has done up to this point.

And because of the way things are set up, we could have multiple committees — tens, maybe even hundreds all established concurrently. Many of these will flounder and die, leaving the real intense ones to continue their scrutiny. But yeah, that leaves your proposal to more eyes and more deliberations before approval, Thalmin." I nodded. Though that nod came not with acknowledgement or understanding but with a sense of complete and utter bewilderment at… everything being presented.

"I see." I spoke reflexively, though not entirely truthfully. Everything described and the systems within was a labyrinth of power teetering on madness. Ilunor's words on that fateful first sight-seer came to mind almost immediately.

"A mire of madness." … 20 Minutes Later"So where does the military fit into this?" I inquired bluntly, both impatient and completely at my wit's end. However, before Emma could even respond, we were met with yet another sorry sight." Mrrraaaowwww ow ow ow ow!"

There at the edge of the forest stood a triumphant and proud kelpie, standing high and mighty over what I could most charitably describe as a pile of wooden planks and a caved-in roof with only one post remaining erect, its lamp still hanging precariously by a hook. A silhouette of a baxi beneath the tarp roof of a wagon was all that was discernible amidst the rest of the debris, prompting me to march forwards before pulling away the tarp to reveal a frazzled Katiya, who promptly leaped to my side.

"Ser Dreadwolf! I… I am… I am incredibly ashamed of my misconduct! B-but the kelpie! I patted her for a good job, but then she up and—""It's alright, Katiya." I managed out under an exasperated sigh.

"It's… it's quite alright." I turned to the rubble beneath the baxi, cocking my head in the process before placing both hands by my hips.

"This is manageable." THWACK! The lamp post fell. CLINK! Followed by the lantern. FWOOOOOSHHHHHH! Ushering in flames that set everything behind Aquastride ablaze.

"This is fine."