Soft footsteps sounded on the carpet outside the living room.
"You're still awake?"
The footsteps paused. Olmedo turned into the living room.
Annan gazed out at the deep night beyond Free City without looking back. "Everyone knows I'm busy with official business. I never rest."
Olmedo knew why Annan didn't sleep, but she didn't call him out on it. She sat across from him.
"Are you thinking about Maria?"
"Maria? No, something much bigger..."
Only after establishing himself as a man burdened by concern for the realm and its people did Annan say, "There was a Holy Council meeting just now. It concerned the Rikaner Kingdom."
"Did the Kingdom ask you for peace, or accuse us?"
"I'd say both."
Annan recounted what had happened at the council meeting.
"...I told him that once you start a war, you can't expect it to follow your rules. He was no match for me in an argument. He kept going on about how much he cared for his people, so I asked him, 'Does the Plague not exist? Shall I tell you how the Ize Bay Massacre happened?'"
"How foolish. He tried to debate a Sorcerer in front of an audience." Olmedo was a good listener. She knew when to speak without interrupting his flow, yet still encouraging him to continue, much as a Succubus knew when to be gentle and when to raise her voice.
Sorcerers might not be born politicians, but they were certainly born persuaders. Even Bards couldn't compare.
"Heh."
Sure enough, Annan continued in high spirits. "I asked him, 'Remember the Shadow Town incident? You trapped a group of Ratfolk that had wandered into Shadow Town. Your Cavalry wanted to prove they were no worse than the Snow Mountain Fortress Cavalry, so they prepared to attack. Instead, the Ratfolk