If he could. He would. But punching a legate would carry severe consequences even more dire than current.

"You truly are stubborn," The legate dressed in elaborate robes scoffed, their furred canid ears flicking up in deep condemnation, "A King should want the best of his people, yet you want to remain in savagery and unfulfillment as you halt the progress of your country."

This was not the first time Pantheon legates had come over to persuade, no, there was no need to dress it up. They were here to harass the King.

Believe it or not, the Astra Kingdom has military might which rivals that of the Pantheon itself, which in effect means that the Pantheon cannot easily exert their influence over the Astra Kingdom.

As a result of such, the next step would be to lead the assault diplomatically. And owning all the states around the Astra Kingdom was a good advantage for negotiation. It was petty, but if you believed you were in the right, then it became wholly justified.

Though, if the two were to war and it became a battle of attrition, the Astra Kingdom would undoubtedly lose. The Pantheon just had so much land and resources at their disposal, but the costs to start such a war outweighed the benefits, especially with the Empire around the literal corner, forcing The Pantheon to take the 'peaceful' approach.

"I've made my stance, and I'm not intent on changing it," Edgar Ast spoke forcefully, "We, the Astra Kingdom, will not adopt the theocracy of the Pantheon,"

Edgar really wanted to strangle these bastards, but the repercussions of such an action would be severe, he was a man who could keep his patience.

"Oh my, you can deny us all you want, but think about your future generations, I believe this is a matter for them to decide, don't you think?" the envoy smirked, he definitely had something up his sleeve, "After all, you never know how long you'll remain at the top for,"

Edgar's expression darkened, "Are you threatening me?" He was tempting to cuss, but through sheer force of will he ground out a statement worthy of his stature.

"Oh, I would never dare!" the legate feigned sincerity, but it was easy to spot the mockery in his eyes, “But you have to keep in mind the interests of your subjects, arf?”

He actually hated how these guys spoke, thinking it’d be endearing to slap a ‘arf’ or ‘nya’ on the end of their sentences. He felt like he was dealing with children.

No, considering that these bastards don’t ever mature, he was dealing with children.

“We’re not asking for much, but with things how they are… It’d be difficult for a single tree in a forest to thrive.”

King Ast didn’t like riddles. But nobles liked to speak in them, making cryptography an essential skill for all royal family members. But King Ast wasn’t like all royal family members. He wasn’t the smartest of his cohort, but his cajones of supernova proportions propelled him to stellar heights.

“If you were to pay liege homage to u—”

And right now, King Ast had just lost all craps he could give.

With a straight left worthy of his Golden Mind rank, higher than Steel. He knocked out the legate in one solid strike. King Ast could feel his youth returning to him.

Consequences were the last thing on his mind at the moment, even as the paladins came rushing at him heralding cries of blasphemy, he simply pummeled them. These knights of The Pantheon found no help from their gods. For no god can stop a man’s just wroth.

There were many solutions to this riddle. Each with their own benefits and liabilities.

But there was one that was incontrovertibly better than the rest. The tried and true left, right, good night. That’s what King Ast learned. And that’s why he was the best cryptographer in all the lands.

…

“Is this a bribe?”

No, psh, bribe? “I don’t bribe.”

“This feels like a bribe.”

“Trust me, this isn’t a bribe.”

“Mmmm,” The gate guard eyes me for a moment, “If you say so…” Before letting us into the city. The capital city no less.

As expected of a man of great integrity, he could recognise good men like me after all.

“Oh my… That wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had prevised, splendid work my good man!” Dok slaps my back as he cradles plant under a tarp covered pot.

Man, that statement triggers me so much. So much. It’s not hard to get into a city. But placing my trust in these guys has always left me in the dumps, so it’s a no go that I took the lead. And naturally, with my competence, we didn’t get shot at the gates.

Sigh, what has life become? To think I became the one on the end of the bolts, when I used to do the shooting. Mmm, I’m gonna need some liquor. I’m too sad for anything else right now.

“Hey, Jeff!” Lily calls me out, “Where you goin’?”

“Pub,” I reply, “Just follow them, or don’t. Just don’t get abducted alright? And take care of Lazari…”

I’m highly aware that it’s all escapism on my part, but I just don’t want to deal with anything right now. And that Shiv character is rather unnverving. A demon in the flesh alright. Who else could just swear unprovoked? Ugh, the horror… Needless to say, I gave the knife back before I got my fingies cut. Just gonna stay away from all that demonic stuff. All of it.

Sounds very irresponsible of me to say, especially when Lazari is supposed to be under my care I don’t even know where I’m supposed to go in the capital, but future me will take care of it.

“Mm, I’ll fetch ya when you’re wasted.”

That’s nice to know. After receiving confirmation from Laffer, I go on a jolly ol’ journey to the local pub. It doesn’t take long to find, but the abhorrent amount of snow does make it a miserable trip to get there.

I stumble my way into the pub as I take a vacant seat at the counter. I get myself set up as I sit in relative warmth. Reminds me of the good ol’ days…

Now I feel old. Old and sad.

“You’re not okay, huh?”

“Indeed,” I answer without a second thought, whilst munching on some old, stale cake and sipping cheap booze.

Wait a second, who even asked that? I turn to my right, finding a mangled suit of armor staring me down.

The pub I find myself in is rather empty, considering the awkward time of day, so the person should be a sort of mercenary downing booze in the sunlight.

“Haha, long time no see,” The metallic grate sends ripples through my drink, “No need to look surprised. Did you really think a dumbass knight would be able to end me?”

The man starts speaking nonsense, acting extremely familiar like a long time friend.

“Are you… drunk?”

“Hol’up, hol’up. Jeffrey, are you actually ill?”

How does he know my name? I don’t let it show, but I’m actually rather perplexed.

This guy… His presence feels familiar, but I can’t quite place it. Is someone playing a practical joke on me?

Now that I think about it, there’s actually one person I know who has a strange presence that somewhat slips from me. “Traveller?”

The mangled armor freezes. Heh, he must be astonished I recognised him so fast.

“Traveler my ass… It’s Savage!”

Savage? It takes a second to register, before his previous clean image overlaps with his current, more smitten self.

“Holy shite! Savage?!” I knock over my drink, losing all control of my countenance for this brief moment. What a shameful act in front of an old comrade!

“We have much catching up to do,”

Indeed we do.

He draws a rusted dagger, his voice lowering a chilly octave “First up, when did you join the universal bad guys?”

Ah, shite.

“We friends, right?” Is all I can say.