“Sometimes, the passage of a single sentence could be the trigger that changes history.” - Old folk saying.

“Greetings, Master Sudaksina, we are but travelers from our homeland, here to offer an opportunity that you might just find appealing,” said Kino as she made a slight bow in greeting. At the same time, however, her hands flashed to form certain gestures that the Lichdom’s agents used to identify one another. “We know it is rather impolite to intrude upon your time without prior notice, but believe that you will find our offer… worth the while.”

“Oh? You think so, do you? Very well, I shall give you a few minutes of my time,” said Sudaksina in reply, while his eyes lit up as he noticed the gestures and he made a few gestures in reply with his own hand that he disguised as gesticulating while he talked. “Please follow me to my office, where we can have a discussion in more privacy. Dursa, brew some of the good tea for us, if you please?”

“Right away, master,” replied one of the clerks as he left, presumably towards the kitchen.

The three naturally followed Sudaksina to his office, which, like his appearance, exuded a sense of class without being opulent. Rather than things decorated with gems and gold he opted for tables and chairs made from a dark-colored hardwood native to the region, polished to a shine, with comfortable, plush cushions placed over the seats and backrests.

“Ah, thank you, Dursa,” said Sudaksina when the clerk politely knocked, then came into the office bearing a tray that had a slender bronze tea kettle and four bronze cups on it. The man quietly set the contents of the tray on the table, one cup before each person, then poured tea to fill each cup three quarters full before he bowed and departed, leaving the kettle behind. “Now then, Miladies, what news did you bring from the homeland and how may this humble one be of service?”

“There is not much in terms of news from the homeland noteworthy enough to share, we’re afraid, but on the other hand, we did bring a message from Master Ayub in Lushan,” said Kino after she took a sip of the tea. The tea was fragrant and had a pleasant tinge of sweetness to cut through the strong herbal bitterness, one that probably originated from the leaves used. “He asked for us to convey that the camel’s back is nearly broken.”

Kino had no real idea what the message meant, even if she had some guesses. It was commonplace for deep cover agents to have the wandering agents pass on messages on their behalf without informing them of the meaning, as it was safer that way. After all, one could not divulge something they had no knowledge of.

“I see… That is unfortunate,” said the man with a wistful sigh. “Ayub is in charge of a wide-spanning information network that includes our northern neighbor the Shahdom. We had been hoping that they would grow a spine and strike at the Empire, which would likely throw this place into a difficult situation, but alas, they apparently decided that subservience was the way to go. Cowards.”

“By that token, I presume that you are unhappy with the road taken by this empire, then, Master?” asked Eilonwy with some curiosity. Sudaksina was obviously a native of Vusila, and while an agent’s overarching loyalty to the Lichdom was unquestioned, most of them tended to have a fond spot in their heart for the nation they were born and raised in.

“Indeed the case, Milady,” replied Sudaksina openly. “All this… expansion and conquering and uplifting our people’s quality of life on the back of others are very short-sighted policies, ones that likely wouldn’t be able to hold up to scrutiny with the changing of times. Even if this Empire is left unbothered by its neighbors and allowed to do as it pleases, I doubt that it would be able to keep itself together for longer than a generation or two.”

“Should the Empire find itself stopped, or worse yet, defeated, then such a collapse might come even sooner. The Assaduni to the south have proven to be very capable at stopping our armies, even if they have yet to hand us a resounding defeat,” he continued. “If they find themselves victorious, then I might well live long enough to see this so-called Empire crumble with my own eyes.”

“Would that not affect you negatively as well?” asked Kino. “I mean, you yourself are clearly a wealthy Vusilan in good standing, Master.”

“That is only to be expected. It would be little different to when the Empire conquered the nations around it,” said the man rather nonchalantly, as if the topic did not involve his own survival. “I would have to rely on others like Ayub to help see me through, but I like to think that helping fund their operations in the land of the nations swallowed by this Empire would help endear me somewhat to the people there, since they aren’t keeping their source of funding a secret. If that doesn’t work, then it is just my fate, I guess.”

“It is the risk that all those from our lineage would have to live with anyway,” he continued with a relaxed smile. “We might have the discreet support of the Lichdom, but distant water often fails to make it in time to extinguish a fire close by, and while some of us have actual power, most of us here still suffer from the whims of the nations we live in, is all.”

“I wish there is more that we could do to help…” said Kino rather remorsefully.

“It’s fine, Milady. All of us who were born and inducted into the knowledge know of the risks we are taking,” said Sudaksina in a consoling tone of voice. “We have our lives of wealth and affluence thanks to the support of the Lichdom, so it is only right that we take some risks on its behalf as well. We would be thankless ingrates otherwise.”