Chapter 9

Blue walls and casual wealth greeted Jack as he entered the sitting room. Two things were obvious to him immediately. One, this room was designed to calm people down. Two, it was designed to display soft power. In his personal experience when a person designs a room for hard negotiations, then the chairs in said room will face one another. It was meant to be both a confrontational and a casual display of intimidation. This room had chairs, couches really, arrayed in a square all facing inward. There were several overdressed people that resembled peacocks, already sitting in most of said chairs. The only chair with a vacancy was also the center of attention.

The people sitting down were glancing back and forth between the young woman lounging on the couch and himself. Though what really gave it away were the four guards in elaborate uniforms hovering over her. They attempted to pierce Jack with their eyes, the promise of a swift death clear if anything happened.

The woman wore a simple pastel gown. She had long golden hair, a color he had yet to see in this world, and light blue eyes. She gave the impression of a runway model that had discovered food and ate regular meals.

One of the peacocks leaned over and loudly whispered to another behind their hands. “I thought he would be taller.” That just served to stoke his annoyance into full blown anger. He was sensitive about his height, but he didn't know the players yet. It wasn’t his fault that these people were so tall. The shortest person he had met was at least two meters tall. So he continued to scan the room.

Jack took three steps in and stopped. He didn’t know anything about the political climate. He knew where he stood with the workers and his shadow. As long as he acted like he deserved their deference then he did, but these were the nobility. History classes in public school were full of records that showed just how dumb people who spent an entire life being pampered and told they were special snowflakes could be.

Finally after a few seconds of staring, the lady at the head couch waved him over and gestured for him to sit with her. “If you would join us Lord Adjudicator, we were just wondering when you would recover enough to make it over here.” The faces around him soured a bit.

Yeah, I’ll believe that when pigs fly. Bet they were trying to convince her to off me in my sleep. “As much as I would like to. Sorry I didn’t catch your name.” He waved at her in a please finish my sentence gesture.

She gave him a shrewd glance and a glare at Virtus who stood behind him. “My name is Laura, Grand Duchess of Westguard and heir apparent of the Eternal empi-“

“As I was saying Laura.” Jack said while interrupting her. “Where I come from, sitting so close to a girl you don’t know is considered by many to be an…invitation. So I am just fine standing here.” Yeah, he was laying it on thick, but they did not need to know that.

Everyone in the room erupted all at once at the conclusion of his words. The nobles were aghast and muttering to each other behind hands, the guards pointed weapons and were not-quite swearing at him, and the servants were gasping and moaning in afront at their ladies' treatment. Intimate suggestions must be taboo here or something. Perfect.

The Greco-roman atmosphere of the city reminded Jack of several fun facts from history class. One of which was the fact that the Romans went out of their way to incorporate public nudity and fertility rights into their culture. His probe proved that the residents here did not share that trait.

Chaos ensued for a nearly a minute while she examined him with new eyes. When the shouting started going from annoying to shrill, she lifted a hand and everyone froze at once. Except for her and Jack of course. They hadn’t moved or taken their eyes off of each other.

“Be that as it may. I am not offering any such… invitation. I merely wish to get the measure of you, the Sentinel would hardly choose a man that resorted to such brutish behavior. If you will do me the honor of sitting and conversing with us I would be ever so grateful.”

A man from the couch on her left bristled at that and piped up. “Your Highness, he didn’t even bow or use your honorific. Such a crass commoner should be stripped and flogged, at the least, for their impertinence!” The others were all nodding at his words.

The princess cut him off with a gesture. “The Adjudicator is no mere commoner, Lord Attis. His position is undecided at this time, so you better watch what you say.” Her implication was clear, in case he outranks you. Lord Attis paled before shrinking down in his seat.

Jack ambled over slowly, eyes searching for threats before spawling down companionably at the far end of the couch. He looked at lord Attis. “Bending knee to a woman in my culture is only done when a man, or a very liberated individual, wants to spend the rest of their lives with them...In matrimony. We bend knee to no other, not even our parents or our political leaders.”

Everyone had a look of shock pass over their faces at Jack’s bold statement. A girl ensconced in a different couch spoke next. “Then how do your commoners defer to the nobility? Do you have some other tradition for that?”

Jack chuckled softly. “My ancestors tarred and feathered the last ‘nobles’ that made claim to our land.” He leaned in to stare at the girl and spoke softly. “Then they exiled them back to their homeland.”

Another spoke up. “You have a surname. Only the nobility is allowed to have a surname.” Many more questions were being asked at the same time. To the point where it was impossible to pick any of them out.

“Ahem!” Laura cleared her throat and commanded. “You are all dismissed! I wish to speak to the Adjudicator alone.”

They heaved and hawed about how valuable they were and how they needed to be part of the ‘negotiation’. That mattered little as they were soon frog-marched out the door.

The princess turned back to face Jack. Her calm demeanor was washed away and face was red and her hands were balled into fists. “Well, what is it exactly that you want? Do you have any idea just how many powerful people you just alienated with that stunt?”

He grinned back at her. She was speaking like a normal person now. He was going to call that progress. “Oh my master, the Sentinel, made my position quite clear. I am here to evaluate you! Not the other way around. Since I got here it’s been a mad dash to figure out what is going on and where I need to be. My patience has run thin. What I need right now is an education so I can learn more about this place and what it is that I need to do. Those are my demands!”

She took a deep breath, obviously trying to master herself. “We can arrange that. My father has already decided to send you to the academy branch of the University so you can learn the basics of being and Imperial citizen. What I called you here to talk about is different.” At this, she stood up and bowed to him. “The Throne would like to formally apologize for your abrupt summons to this world and we ask for your forgiveness in this matter. It was not the Thrones intentions to send you into… that place with no support or an explanation. We are still investigating what exactly went wrong with the ritual and will seek to remedy it.”

Jack recalled walking out of the medical wing just an hour before. All the beds were full of broken, bleeding people. Pallets had been placed on the floor just to accommodate them all. Laborers mopped the walls and floors with mops stained pink from all the blood that sprayed everywhere. Those people had paid dearly for trying to summon the Adjudicator. Frankly, he was surprised that she was able to pull herself together so soon after such tragic failure… and now he felt like a jerk.

He cleared his throat while trying to figure out how to make his next request tactfully. His hands found his empty pockets and realized he had no idea where his next meal was going to come from. That made his next move clear. “It is not a problem, I would be happy to forgive the empire if they were to provide some starting capital and a guide for me to live off while I get my bearings.”

The princess sighed in relief. Her shoulders visibly relaxed. Throwing money at the problem was the easiest way of dealing with this to her. A glint of shrewdness set off her sapphire eyes.

“We, the Imperial family, would like to extend you an opportunity to enroll in the academy branch of Laurentius University as a freshman. Freshman courses start tomorrow and we would be grateful if you would seek education and acclimate to your new environment there. Will you accept?”

As Jack heard this offer, a dark suspicion began to form in the back of his mind. They must have been planning to send him to this university all along. Otherwise, why would they choose to complete their ritual the day before? But what choice did he have? At least this university was a place where he could get his hands on more knowledge. They had to have a library with a history and politics section for him to peruse.

“I accept your offer.” He replied simply.

The princess let out a very unlady-like sigh of relief, completely ruining her posh air of majesty and grace. She turned and called out. “Lillian, come here for a moment.”

There was a rustle of a curtain before a woman stepped out. She was tall and slender with dark skin and raven hair. Her governess dress was a cascading shade of greys and browns. The two women were a study in contrast. “You called, my lady?”

“Yes, for now you will be in charge of guiding and teaching our ways to the Adjudicator for the foreseeable future. I will arrange for a sum to be transported to his dorm room by courier tomorrow morning.” She stood up and patted her dress. “Is there anything else?”

“Yes my lady, do not forget to rise at a reasonable time and to eat proper meals while I am gone.” She hid a small smirk behind her hand as the princess stomped off in anger, muttering under her breath.

She turned to Jack. “If you will follow me, sir, I will show you to your dorm and answer any of your questions.”