The Martial Unity

Of course, Chairman Deacon knew better than to argue and push for it any further than he already did. Guildmaster Bradt Patrick held the final say and had done far too good a job at painting Chairman Deacon’s proposal as unreasonable.

(‘That miserable serpent…’) He gritted his teeth. “Guildmaster Bradt, I am merely conveying a proposal centered around a potentially dangerous issue. It may be an unconfirmed fear, but I did not rise to the position and power that I possess today by having dull instincts and intuitions. I believe that this issue will escalate, and merely wanted to nip it in the bud. However, seeing as you have denied my proposal, you will naturally take full responsibility for what ensues. I apologize for wasting the precious time of the Guild Forum, please, let us continue down with the remaining agendas seeing as how much time my paranoia has wasted.”

He could not hammer his proposal through, but, he intended to at the very least pin the blame for anything that occurred regarding this matter on the guildmaster. Furthermore, by self-deprecatingly pushing the matter away and moving the meeting along, he made it a little more inconvenient for Guildmaster Bradt to be able to strongly retort.

Optics and perception mattered, if Guildmaster Bradt pursued the matter any more aggressively than he already had after that, then it would reflect badly on him and would send the message that he most likely has a personal interest vested in the matter.

Guildmaster Bradt’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he nodded pleasantly. “Of course, Chairman Deacon, you’ve always been a man of reason. Let us proceed with the next matter, then.”

The rest of the forum proceeded along fairly smoothly and normally as the Shionel merchant Guild addressed the many agendas for the meeting. Several bills were passed, and several executive decisions were made before the meeting ended, and the many cabinet merchants constituting the Shionel Merchant Guild dispersed.

That went for Guildmaster Bradt Patrick as well. His distribution and communication empire was not going to run itself.

He walked past the guards in the main branch of his company, nodding the many guards that saluted him, before heading into his large extravagant office.

“Hm?” his eyes narrowed as he noticed a conspicuous envelope sitting on his table in the center with all of his other tabletop items and documents shoved to the side.

It was an incomprehensible sight.

He picked up the envelope with furrowed eyebrows.

[To: Guildmaster Bradt Patrick

From: The Voider]

There was no address on the envelope, indicating it did not arrive by mail. That meant that someone placed it in his mailbox?

(‘No…’) His eyes narrowed as he looked at how someone had placed it bang in the center of the table, shoving the other things aside in a crude matter.

It was to gain his attention and interest specifically.

(‘Someone unauthorized placed it here in that manner to do that, without a doubt,’) He realized as his eyes narrowed.

“Guards!” he bellowed to them.

“Yes sir!” They got down to one knee, bowing their heads.

“Who entered this office in the time that I wasn’t there?”

“…No one sir,” the guards replied.

“…” The guildmaster’s expression grew colder as he realized that either his guards were bought, or someone had infiltrated his office and placed the envelope there without any of his Squire-level guards noticing.

Both outcomes were not good news.

“Bring me Feliton at this very moment.” He instructed them to summon his personal secretary and chief of staff.

Soon enough, a short and petite woman entered the office. “You called for me, sir?”

“I want the log of all those who entered the premises today, and those that entered the inner section of this branch immediately,” He commanded her. “Also, I want a detailed security check and a forensic analysis of this envelope, he gestured to it on the table.

He was not a fool. Opening a strange envelope that was illegally deposited into his office on his table, addressed to him was not safe. There were plenty of ways this could pose a threat to his life if he opened it. Maybe it would release a poisonous gas that was concealed in it, maybe it was a highly compact bomb.

He was the head of state and head of government. He could not afford to casually open such unknown items and objects in person. Assassination attempts on his life were routine, but this was a strange incident regardless.

He was always accompanied by Martial Seniors at all times, however, the culprit had infiltrated his office when he was away, along with the Martial Senior protecting his life.

(‘Is it really from the Voider?’) He narrowed his eyes. Given that the Voider was clearly an individual with covert capabilities having avoided detection and leaving nothing behind that they could use for an investigation besides that he wielded a weapon, most likely.

He did not expect to be contacted by the person that had stolen from the guild that he was the leader of, that was something no criminal that engaged in this kind of crime would ever bother doing. There was a good chance that this was just someone impersonating him for some sort of scam.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was the real deal. If it was, he could not help but be very curious as to why this person would go out of his way to not just contact him, but forcibly draw his attention in this manner.

(‘I should at least read it if it really is a letter and not some contrived way to try and kill me.’) He thought to himself.

That possibility always was there, but he did not think that it was particularly likely. Making the assassination weapon stand out rather than blend in and catch him off-guard would be an extraordinarily foolish decision, and he did not believe that anybody who possessed the ability to infiltrate his office would make such a foolish decision.