Touch of Fate

Chapter 164: Negotiations for the Future

Mike woke at his usual time, and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading out. The rest of his party had been pretty exhausted last night, so he tried to avoid waking any of them up. A few of the other inhabitants of the dorm were up and moving, but it looked like the majority were also late sleepers.

While he was walking towards his first class, and by extension the meeting with the Headmaster, he spent some time firming his resolve in preparation for turning down the offered nobility. For all the benefits he would reap from the promotion, the accompanying obligations were too much for him.

There were a pair of figures standing outside his Basic Elemental Magic classroom. He recognized his advisor and Instructor Johnathan as they walked forward to meet him.

"Have you made your decision?" Emmanuel asked neutrally.

"I have."

The older mage nodded, "Just so you know, whatever you decided, you will continue to be a student of the University."

Mike wondered if that had even been in question, but not wanting to spoil the sentiment, he returned the nod politely.

"Well, get in there already. I've got a class to teach, and I can't rightly do that with the two of you jawing." Johnathan broke in, waving him on with a shooing motion.

Not needing to be told twice, Mike stepped forward and opened the door. The Headmaster was waiting near the chalkboard on the far side of the room, staring off into space with his arms behind his back. At the sound of Mike's approach, he turned.

"So good of you to come. I was planning on asking you if you had come to a decision, but due to the events of last night, it doesn't really matter."

"Ah, so you know about what happened." Mike replied sheepishly.

"Of course. It's not every day that a full size dragon flies into the center of a residential district in the middle of the night, and roars loud enough to shatter every window in a half-kilometer radius."

Mike winced, he hadn't really noticed the collateral damage in the heat of the moment.

As if confirming something for himself, the Headmaster nodded subtly, then continued. "Don't worry about compensation, the Embassy of Nirethial is footing the bill for the damages. I believe they are interested in making amends for instigating a fight in the middle of the city. The whole affair has given the Prime Minister enough reason to postpone further diplomatic talks with the group, until the intentions of the Dragonknights can be fully discerned. All in all, the kingdom came out ahead, thanks to you."

Taking a moment to think about the situation, Mike finally came to a realization. "You can't offer me a title anymore, since it would comprise my standing as a diplomatic representative of the Dragonknights. Now that my identity has been more or less revealed, you can't afford to have anyone question my authenticity."

"Close. You are wrong on two factors, though. Your identity remains secret, for now. However, the only thing keeping it hidden is the pressure we are applying to the Sun Elves. The events of last night have given us more than enough to hold over them in the short term, but it would probably be wise to act in the knowledge that you will be exposed at some point in the future."

Alexander ran a hand across his bald pate. A nervous tic, from the looks of it. "The second problem, is that people are already questioning your authenticity. After all, you've remained secretive. An enigma that many countries are trying to unravel. Thankfully, the sheer difficulty of acquiring a true dragon ally means that most will believe, simply due to your summoned creature, that you are who we claim you to be. As such, there should be no issue silencing dissenters, at least in the near future."

"That's good."

"Indeed. Now, as you mentioned previously, due to the delicate nature of the diplomatic situation, we can no longer offer you a position amongst our aristocracy. I was tasked with passing along the Prime Minister's hopes that we can continue to maintain a good relationship despite this. After all, in the coming conflict, we will need all the assistance we can get."

It was Mike's turn to rub the back of his head. This complicated political stuff was a little over his head. He'd managed so far, thanks to what he recalled from the stories he'd read in his previous life, but it was starting to be too much.

Figuring that since they were essentially taking advantage of his existence, he might as well be equally shameless. "While I have no problem continuing to assist the Kingdom of Almir, especially since I live here, I do expect to be compensated for my efforts."

This brought a smile to the Headmaster's face. "Of course. We expected no less."

Sensing that he wanted to end the conversation early, Mike broke in. "Before we conclude this conversation, I do believe we need to discuss my participation in the war."

The older man cocked an eyebrow, "Oh? Do you have some concerns?"

"I would like to speak on the involvement of my draconic ally, and what role he and I should play." Mike replied with some trepidation.

The Headmaster frowned, "There are substantial tactical and psychological benefits to having a true dragon in our ranks. Especially if it is accompanied by a Dragonknight. It would be great enough benefit, that I would be willing to risk war with the Sun Elves to accomplish such a thing. If it is a matter of payment."

"I'm not saying that we won't participate, but I am concerned about how things will play out, should we prove successful. Even though I am merely appropriating the mantle of Dragonknight, I want to avoid taking actions that would sully their legacy. Assisting the Kingdom in their efforts to defeat a hostile invader bent on their destruction is one thing. It is quite another to take part in a campaign of vengeance and conquest once the initial invasion forces have been defeated."

[Besides, I have a feeling that the real Dragonknights would take a dim view of me playing the conqueror in their name.]

Throughout this diatribe, Alexander's frown continued to deepen. "Would you have us leave this transgression unpunished? Let the Tennundians get away with their unprovoked act of aggression? I've already lost friends and comrades. People I had known for decades are dead because of their greed."

Suppressing the urge to take a step back at the sudden rush of hostility, Mike answered as firmly as he could manage. "If I am to play the part of Dragonknight, then I must do it fully. Regardless of what their historical actions might have been, the order has become legendary for its virtue and pursuit of justice. So, while I will assist the Kingdom in its efforts to repel the invaders, I will also work to ensure that a resolution to this war occurs in the meeting rooms, and not on the battlefield."

Alexander blinked, before sighing deeply. His face took on a melancholy cast that seemed to age him a decade in mere seconds. "That is a fair demand. I apologize for losing my temper. It has been a trying couple of weeks for me. We are in desperate need of allies, and I should not quibble about future conquests while our country's future is still on the line. You must understand, the current invasion force represents nearly the entire Tennundian military. They have wagered everything on this campaign. Should we defeat them, it would be an unprecedented opportunity to crush them once and for all. We might once again know peace on the central continent."

Mike nodded. "I can understand that sentiment, but unless you intend to massacre the populace, they will still be a conquered people. One that will bear a great deal of resentment to their Almiran conquerors. I suspect that a generation or two would be all it would take before the spark of rebellion ignites, and war broke out again."

"There are steps we could take to prevent that."

Thinking back to the history of his own world, Mike doubted that, "Possibly, but do you really believe it would be the beginning of a lasting peace?"

The Headmaster was quiet for a few minutes, while lost deep in thought, before finally replying. "I suppose that all it would take was a weak ruler, or another dynastic struggle, and the Tennundians would be fighting for independence once more." He sighed. "However, this is a discussion for another time. Perhaps we can agree to solving the immediate issue before concerning ourselves with eventualities that may or may not happen."

"Alright. So long as the discussion is not forgotten about."

The Headmaster gave him an even stare, before nodding. "I won't forget. So the question remains, are you willing to join the fight against the invaders?"

Mike paused for a moment, considering the alternative one last time, but finally agreed. "Yes, I am willing."

"Good." He replied simply, before continuing, "Johnathan will have some instructions for you pertaining to your role, once the Call to Arms is issued. He will be your nominal team leader, so please direct any questions to him."

And with that, he marched out, leaving Mike alone in the classroom.

[He seems like a decent enough person, although I'm not sure if I fully trust him. Despite his military attitude, he talks a bit too much like a politician.]

Soon afterwards, Instructor Johnathan stalked in. "So it sounds like you've decided to throw your lot in with us. Well, kudos, but you still have a lot to learn before you're ready for real combat."

"You do know I've fought in multiple battles already, right?" Mike replied.

The instructor gave him a hard stare. One with intensity and the promise of violence.

"Sir." He corrected himself.

"You've been in skirmishes, not real battles. You try those showboat antics of yours in a real fight, and all it will earn you is an early grave. You think the enemy doesn't have powerful warriors and mages? If you expose yourself in a flashy manner, they'll swarm you faster than flies on a corpse. You might be powerful, but make no mistake, death can come for you just the same as everyone else. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!"

"Good. Now we have a few minutes before the other students show up. Take your stance, and we'll see how much you've improved since last time."