Annan's plan worked. Before long, the Minister of the Empire's Imperial Ceremonial Affairs Department stormed into Annan's treehouse with a trusted aide.
"What did you do to Isabel, you bastard!"
Apparently, the second sentence had done the trick.
"Don't get worked up, Uncle Ollie."
Uncle... Ollie!?
Minister Frimond Oli's eyes widened.
Annan brought over a chair and handed it to the aide. "Please don't misunderstand. Nothing happened between Isabel and me. I just miss her..."
"You're not allowed to miss her!"
"Let me explain," the Skeleton King said.
Only then did Minister Ollie seem to notice the Skeleton King. He regained his usual composure. "Lord Leonafa."
"Minister, Annan has been here for days, but no delegation has come to visit. We needed someone to break the deadlock..."
Minister Ollie looked as though he understood. "If that was the case, you could have sent a letter explaining..."
Then he shot Annan a fierce glare.
"Instead of letting this fellow run wild."
"My apologies. That was my oversight."
Annan cut in. "Isa—"
"Don't say that name!"
They settled into conversation, mostly between Minister Ollie and the Skeleton King.
If one overlooked his undead nature, it was easy to speak to the Skeleton King as one would a sovereign. He had, after all, received his invitation as the "Sovereign of the Land of the Dead."
After several dozen minutes, Minister Ollie and his aide left the treehouse.
"Minister, was it wise for us to act on our own?" the aide asked quietly.
"There's nothing wrong with playing along with our Champion Sorcerer." With the outsiders gone, Minister Ollie regained his composure, a cold edge entering his voice. "The elves have gone too far."
"I'm worried Annan won't understand what you're trying to do for him."
"Don't worry... The Champion Sorcerer built Free City