A Chronometric Defect

The guard captain charges into our meeting room, nearly stomping her feet like a child.

*thok*

*thok*

*thok*

*thik*

"You ABSOLUTE godsdamn—"

I glare disapprovingly and interrupt her.

"Guard captain! Recall that you are in the presence of the lord mayor. While I may not be above you in stature, I too do not appreciate your foul language."

She raises her voice.

"Foul language. FOUL LANGUAGE?! Do you REALIZE you almost got us all KILLED?!"

The mayor shakes his head.

"Guard captain, such crass behavior will not be tolerated. Explain yourself."

The guard captain mumbles to herself.

{"Haa, I'm surrounded by morons."}

I raise an eyebrow. The mayor has no reaction. It's unclear whether he heard her.

"Listen! That TRAP you all put on the mirror—"

I interrupt her latest tirade.

"I'm sorry for not informing you; it must've been traumatic. How much damage did it do?"

She looks straight at me, somewhat bewildered.

"You didn't get a report from your mages, right?"

Hmm? What about them?

"No, but they are a bit self-interested. Never mind them— I thought that's what upset you. The mirror self-destructing near you. We know you're very sturdy."

She shakes her head.

"No. No no no no. That's not the problem. The problem is it DIDN'T blow up."

"It was... A misfire? That's rare."

She jerks her head back in quite the excessive reaction.

Why is she so upset?

"No! It was NOT a misfire! He saw right through it! Cast some spell to erase it right in front of me! I've never seen anything like it! EVER!"

The mayor speaks, visibly concerned.

"This dragon knows higher magic?"

Never. How can a dragon know anything but flame breath? That's common knowledge.

She turns to him, almost yelling now.

"Yes! You tell me if we should keep screwing with it! This dragon's NAME is PURE EVIL!"

Everyone at the meeting table sits back in their chairs like it was coordinated. Some attendants even take a reflexive step away from their attendees.

*shrk*

*skr*

*shrr*

*ckek*

*shk*

*crek*

The mayor speaks in a grim tone.

"Miss, if what you're saying is true, well... I don't want to speculate right now. Just know that false reports of such a nature are now and shall be punishable by death."

She looks annoyed.

"He ASKED you all to leave him alone. Told me to specifically tell you he, QUOTE, 'didn't appreciate the trickery.' Also, he agreed to exit the city late at night, per my earlier suggestion."

I take over again.

"A mere dragon accepted a human's words?"

She turns to me, seemingly a bit calmed down by now.

"You haven't seen this thing. It's no 'mere' dragon, mercenary coordinator. It really does look like a being of pure evil."

"Guard captain, why did it tell you its name?"

"It didn't like when I called it 'lord dragon.'"

Pff, ha. A beast deserves a title?

I lift my arm sarcastically.

"You called it 'lord.'"

She looks at me in a way I can only describe as 'unhinged.'

I lower my arm and shake my head. Women. Always getting riled up over nothing.

"I don't like being dead, so yes— I called it lord! Am I going to face trial for that, now, too?!"

The mayor raises his hand, then sweeps it horizontally at the wrist. That means 'halt,' unless he does it at his neck.

"Enough bickering. During times of crisis, we make errant decisions that need no explanation, for it is the crisis that drives us to make them. From the guard captain's words and behaviors, I trust she is very concerned for the safety of this city... Though she did call us all morons."

The mayor squints his eyes in disapproval.

Hum, he definitely heard her.

"From our guard captain's sworn testimony, I have decided. We will not make any further attempts to injure or expel the dragon. In fact, if it wants to stay inside that house? We will not provoke it. It does not seem hostile, never mind violent, as our trap could've been viewed as a transgressive or aggressive act. A casus belli so to speak; a reason for war. Therefore, we must not further incite its ire."

I note he's treating the dragon as an intellectual equal. A leader possessing great military strength.

Another person of unknown stature speaks. I don't pay any mind to the losers the major stuffs in his cabinet.

"Mayor, this—"

And neither does the mayor. He cuts them off while showing unbridled fury toward the speaker.

"'SHALL not be contested,' is what you mean to say to me and everyone here. I've made my decision. This meeting is officially adjourned."

A cacophony of talking erupts as the mayor stands from his chair at the head of the table.

{"Then, do we..."}

{"Unprecedented."}

{"My votes will—"}

Useless. These cabinet-stuffers are useless.

Several other people of unknown stature rush up to the guard captain and begin asking her rapid-fire questions.

{"Can you tell me which district..."}

{"What is the trade risk..."}

{"Can we expect a guard fee cut..."}

She's ignoring them, which is fine.

I clench my fists.

What's not fine is that they've decided to bow to a mere dragon of all things. One that has given itself a ridiculous name like 'Pure Evil.' They didn't even ask for my views and intents, much less those of my mercenary teams.

What good is my title as coordinator?

The leadership of this city, no— of this country. It's soft and rotten. This? This will simply not do.

I angrily glance at the guard captain. Moreover, THAT woman is the root of our problems.