Greetings and well wishes, Lady Tome.

I hope your initiate year has proved fruitful and have full confidence that you will pass the ensuing qualifiers. I, and the kingdom, greatly anticipate what you will contribute as a summoner, a caster, and an esteemed noble.

It is a little crass to go into my personal affairs but I must in order to get to the reason for this correspondence.

I have been given the honor to serve as an advisor to the king after the recent events surrounding Gordon Senior. A boon for my house and the kingdom, if I may shamelessly brag. I hope to lead Harvest in a new direction, against some of the backward traditions installed and propagated by the old nobility. To create a kingdom where one’s vision matters more than one’s father.

My new position affords me greater access to the kingdom’s matters and a specific matter has caught my attention. The king is preparing a new decree. One that will make the summoning and contracting of certain races illegal throughout the entirety of the kingdom.

One of these races will be succubi. Given that you have contracted two and have close ties to the Grimoire family, this decree is sure to affect you strongly.

My new position is too fragile for me to exact any influence on this decision. Truly, if I’d spent the last ten years as an advisor, I doubt I could influence this decision. The actions of Gordon Grimoire Sr. and the Grimoire family have rattled the crown. I would go so far as to say that the entirety of Burning Earth terrifies the noble families who have lived under their seductive and tyrannical rule for generations.

Another circumstance that ties my hand is that the party spearheading this hunt are my own compatriots who share many goals with me. While we disagree on this action, we must remain united. I do not have the clout to turn the carriage around, so to speak.

Knowing your capabilities, I will not attempt to hide anything from you. I am actively helping in this agenda, to give my party more power. The eradication of the succubi from this realm will be quite the coup and will be the platform from which we build a better Harvest.

However, we have left plenty of avenues for people of consequence, such as yourself, to use to maneuver around this decree. I have heard many whispers of those willing to ‘shelter’ the Grimoire family, and yourself by extension. One of which would be working for the crown, though I do not think that would appeal to you much.

There exists another option. The laws regarding the treatment of foreign officials are old and haven’t been used in centuries, but they are ironclad. Diplomats of foreign governments, especially foreign royalty, are not subject to many restrictions. They certainly cannot be detained. Neither can members of their family, including their spouses.

I highly recommend this course of action. Not only would it allow you to disregard this decree, the authority of a diplomat would provide many opportunities, bringing prosperity for both your family and the kingdom at large. The world has been divided for an age. We are in a position to change that.

If you require any advice on how to continue forward, my daughter Maxine is well-studied in kingdom law. Another of my children will be arriving at the Grand Hall soon and will also avail herself to you.

My primary concern is for your well-being, but we can also do great things together. I look forward to your decision.

Sincerely, Marquis Maxamillius Guiness.

I toss away the letter and grab my glass of Herbanacle, sipping on it while I contemplate the words of our sponsor. “How much do you want to bet that he spearheaded this whole decree to diplomatically force us into helping him build ties on the elven continent?” After all, I can call myself a diplomat all I want but if there is no communication between Harvest and Violet Dusk Province, it’s an empty title.

“You are so suspicious,” Kierra says with a smile. An approving one.

“That’s because people are nothing but snakes in flesh suits.” I don’t trust the marquis’ good intentions. If he really cared, why didn’t I get this letter the moment this decree was discussed? If it’s coming from his party or group, he should have known months ago.

I guarantee if he was elected as an advisor, he has been a member of this cabal for months, perhaps years while garnering their favor. I wouldn’t be surprised to know that this has been cooking for over a year and our good marquis was in the thick of it.

“So? Are you going to use his idea?”

“Do I want to peacock amongst the socialites as the face of the elven nation? Introduce your mother to the king and almost certainly start a war? Because there is no way she’s not going to kill them for their games. She wanted to kill me for the hell of it. Maybe you too.”

“The reason we have not fought each other at our full strength is because she rather not kill me. Nor I her,” my wife reminds me.

“Unfortunately, she’s not related to any member of Harvest nobility,” I scoff, downing my glass and refilling it. “I don’t like being someone’s puppet. Saints damn it, we were planning on visiting your mother soon and maybe working something out.” See if I give a damn now!

“You cannot be surprised by his greed. He is the wealthiest man in the kingdom. One doesn’t become that by checking their ambition.”

“One also doesn’t become that by poking sleeping dragons.”

“Then it is too bad that you insist on posing as an exotic lizard as opposed to a monarch of the sky.”

I scowl at her, which she ignores while taking another drink. “Well, let me go burn a few towns. That’ll bury this decree.”

“It could.”

“Not everything needs to be solved with violence, you deviant.”

“There are few problems a sword can’t solved, dedia.”

“Few, but they exist.” I huff. “You do have a point though.” Should I get angry at a dog for barking? A cat for being a cold bastard? A person for scheming for their benefit? All are creatures doing what comes natural to them.

“While I am upset with the marquis, he isn’t my servant, my friend, and barely qualifies as an ally. His investment in us doesn’t mean he stops working other ventures. He owes us nothing and so far, I don’t think he is targeting us.”

“Then you forgive him?”

“Of course not! Saints damn him to the abyss, if I find out that he had anything to do with this stupid decree, I’m going to light the Guiness Company on fire!” I swallow the rest of my glass and pour more Herbanacle, filling my glass to the top before taking another large gulp. “If he thinks I’m going to be scared into running to my mother-in-law for help, he's got another thing coming. Fuck! Are the others as bad as this?”

“Mm. Maybe. Depends how you see them.”

“That was a very vague yes.” I grab the next letter while gulping down my drink.