>>386687
>>386721
Sergei has been hitting on Vivian every chance he's had, and people will better believe he was the regent's lover if he acts the part. Having her pose as his secret lover gives them a reason to meet privately at odd hours without having to explain why she doesn't just live with him.
Lets not forget that she's a rare hybrid of a rare species, and they were seen walking into the scummy part of town together. The people they want to deceive will remember that.

Also? "It's better you don't know her full name if you want to keep your cute hide."
She's flirting back, just more subtly.

>>386754
Probably a good idea.

Baron 2012/02/15(Wed)15:56 No. 386958 ID: 2ae337
File 132935016634.png - (70.31KB , 1352x1176 , 45.png )

"What about my mother? My family? Doing this is obviously going to make me enemies. Right? How am I going to protect them?"

"The Regent Estate is large enough to house a small town, they can simply live there for the time being. And it will certainly be safer than before with me about as your, ahem, 'mistress'. All the better to keep a close eye on you."

"Still, I really have no desire to become regent or have anything to do with moving up in position. Do I get any choice on the matter or is this going to be some weird form of kidnapping me like you said?"

"Actually it's more of a 'if you disagree, I'll kill you' kind of thing.

"Gah! How'd you get back there so fast?"

"Dear, I'm trained to kill before you realize I'm there. It's very easy for me..."

I see something that looks suspiciously like an eye behind you.

something does indeed seem to be behind the door.

say you'll do it if they wish, and ask who the person behind the door is.

Baron 2012/02/15(Wed)21:15 No. 387013 ID: 2ae337
File 132936935228.png - (91.44KB , 1668x1164 , 46.png )

"Um who was behind that door?"

"No one that needs to know what's happening. Decision time Sergei. Will you accept??"

"I-I-I-I-I"

"Or do I snap you neck?"

accept definitely accept!

>>387013
She is threatening to brutally kill you and you are getting aroused what the fuck.

kiss da girl

>>387015
I would imagine that is close to sergal romance.

you don't really have a choice in the matter here. just ask what is going to happen to you when this is over.

>>387013
"I'll do you - IT! I SAID IT!"
Then get a hold of yourself, and wrap your arms around her.
"You had me at 'Mistress'. The chance to go from acting to not is ample motive. You're a fascinating person, after all~"

>>387079
"Oh, and the note's a plant. The hit was too professional for them to bring something so simple and obvious to the scene."

>>387080
you sure about that?

>>387086
The word "probably" apparently failed to survive editing. It should read "Oh, and the note's probably a plant."

Baron 2012/02/16(Thu)15:55 No. 387173 ID: 93bbdb
File 132943652713.png - (95.04KB , 1704x1160 , 47.png )

Yes I'll accept. This is my life on the line! Why am I hesitating? Why can't I say yes? Why am I stuck on the first word?!

"I-I-"

Dammit, I'm gonna die and I'm aroused?! What's the hells is wrong with me?!

"I-I-I-I-I"

I can't even think straight! Come on, pull yourself together, don't panic! Don't panic!

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-Iiiiiii"

DON'T PANIC!

"Hmm? You wahMMMPH?!"

I panicked.

>>387015

That's just how sergals roll.

panic more or pass out.

Well now she might just kill you anyway. Good job. Now are you going to say yes or die like a bitch?

Baron 2012/02/16(Thu)22:52 No. 387249 ID: 2ae337
File 132946155161.png - (107.63KB , 1332x1528 , 48.png )

"Mmm I'll take that means yes?"

"Ye-er-yes! But on the condition my family is looked after!"

"I still don't know what you see in him Vivi."

"Hush Alicia! Well Sergei, welcome to the aristocracy."

>>387249
"Er, *ahem*, you know that note is probably a plant. The hit was too professional for them to have something so simple and incriminating on them."

>>387272
i dunno, it MAY be a plant, but it was not simple, it was in a code that no one here knew. and assassins usually are one shot killers, they run in and kill, expecting to die as well, him getting away was pure luck. professional is unknown.

>>387274
>it was in a code that no one here knew.
Sergei knew some of it. Vivian apparently knew all of it. Anybody in intelligence or their smuggling unit would be able to read it with ease.
From the description, 17'$ b4$1c411y 1337.

>and assassins usually are one shot killers they run in and kill, expecting to die as well, him getting away was pure luck. professional is unknown.
I said professional because they killed somebody, assumed their identity, kill their target, and escape. Combine that with illusion magic being rare and expensive and animating corpses being even more rare and expensive and you're looking at something that's clearly had a huge time investment.

The assassins who don't expect to escape? Those people aren't trained to be assassins. You hear about the ones that get lucky, but most untrained assassins fail and are forgotten by history.

Honestly, how can you be a professional if you can only do something once? 'Professional kamikaze'? 'Expert suicide bomber'?

>>387280
you are assuming the magic man and the killer are the same guy.
magic man makes a distraction and the killer closes in.

>>387302
No, I'm not.
Coordinated efforts make this MORE professional, not less.

Baron 2012/02/25(Sat)15:14 No. 388856 ID: 2ae337
File 133021165317.png - (62.52KB , 1344x928 , 49.png )

""Er, *ahem*, you know that note is probably a plant. The hit was too professional for them to have something so simple and incriminating on them."

"Oh, so does that mean you have the full note translated? Wait-you just said plant. Why would you think this is false?"

"Because if this was a coordinated assassination, then the suspects would not have been stupid enough to keep some written orders on them during the assignment. This whole thing about the Hegemony in the south may be a ruse for something else."

"Good thinking! My investment is already paying off it seems, and you've already given me a lead to investigate."

"So when do we leave?"

"If by 'we' you mean me and Alicia. Then yes. You on the other hand should head over to your new estate. You'll need to be sworn in before some Gamin family swoops in and starts to inspect the 'will' I left too closely."

"But what abou-"

"You're family? I know about all of them. Don't worry, they'll be sent your way."

"Yes but-"

"Your boss? I'll inform him shortly."

"Not that, I mean-"

"You're possessions, I'll also have someone go by to move everything from you're old home."

"I MEAN YOU! Are you going to be alright?"

"Oooh~ you're worried for me. How cute. Don't worry "honey", I'll be fine. No hurry along Regent, the city needs its leader back in office."

Well that's alright...I suppose.

Baron 2012/02/25(Sat)15:15 No. 388857 ID: 2ae337
File 133021172908.png - (68.13KB , 1424x1064 , 50.png )

This is the Regent's estate? This is a frekin castle! And there's someone by the front. One of them seems to want in real bad.

>>388857
You're still dressed as an officer.
Walk up to the commotion.
"What seems to be the problem here?"

Baron 2012/02/26(Sun)15:17 No. 389122 ID: 2ae337
File 133029823886.png - (217.31KB , 1824x2996 , 51.png )

Just like that? Okay.

"What seems to be the problem here?"

"You...are you Sergei?"

"Why would you ask tha-"

"Because out of nowhere, the late Regent Pako, suddenly has a lover named Sergei in local law enforcement, and decides spontaneously to name him heir. Normally I wouldn't mind, a bit of nepotism keeps the political crap at home to a minimum, but there are a lot of holes in this will of his. And the fact that he dies so soon feels like a coincidence."

"Well who are you then?"

"I am Dogol Gamin, Guardian of the Gamin family. You are law enforcement, you are a half bred sergal like the will describes, you must be Sergei."

"Oh, but uh-"

"Now don't lie, or I'll crush your skull. I raised Pako from infancy, and I know everything about him. Even things he kept secret from me, I figured out by his body language and his letters. Except this. Not even a hint. Pako was never this clever. Why would I not know about it?"

I asked the regent to keep it secret otherwise it would hurt my career.

>>389133
Said regent was shitty at keeping secrets.

"Are you so sure his body language showed nothing? The affair was indeed rather recent, and he seemed to me to be fairly worried about it. It was dangerous... but I've said a bit too much. Why should I believe that you're anyone other than someone with a weapon, which is very easy to get?"

>>389122
"I woke up this morning with a hangover, aches in novel and unpleasant places, a godawful taste in my mouth, and orders to meet with the reagent.
When I got there he flirted with me, made a few double-entendres about my body and tongue, told me to guard his daughter's dowry, made a rather humiliating joke about me 'not giving it up without a fight', said a few choice comments about my 'service history', invited my partner along for the ride, then excused himself.

Being in his will is the capstone of a long list of unpleasant surprises I've experienced today."

Or, alternatively:

"It would be dereliction of duty to talk about an ongoing investigation in public. You'll have to go much higher up the chain to get solid answers, and for fuck's sake don't ask in such an insecure place."

>>389142
Yeah, actually, this.

>>389142
This.

>>389142

Adding on to this good, if defeated sounding, dialogue:

"Sorry, it's just been a bad day."

"Dogol, as the sworn guardian of the Gamin family, you must know how closely their fate is tied to that of the Southern Islands, and the Empire as a whole. The late Regent Pako was quite capable of intelligently dealing with the problems I'm facing now. I would have loved for him to still be alive, so that the upcoming mess would be his responsibility, and I could continue to do my job. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be."

"I don't know if you're aware, but his assassin had a note that pointed toward a Hegemony plot. It is an obvious cat's paw. No assassin would be carrying incriminating orders on a mission. Someone else intends to instigate a war. We're all very lucky that the late Regent named me as his successor in his will, because if he hadn't, the noble families would be bickering over who to place as Regent even as the enemy arrived at our doorsteps. As it is, with a clear successor, the army can be mobilized properly. Do you follow what I'm saying?"

"I'm not happy about being Regent, but I intend to do the job as well as I can; as a loyal citizen of the Empire should. For the Empire, for my home, for my loved ones."

"I'll admit though, I'm all ears for advice."

>>389142
Perfect.

Baron 2012/03/01(Thu)16:53 No. 389766 ID: 011ec1
File 133064960890.png - (61.36KB , 1256x886 , 52.png )

"Well erm...I woke up this morning with a hangover, aches in novel and unpleasant places, a godawful taste in my mouth, and orders to meet with the reagent.
When I got there he flirted with me, made a few double-entendres about my body and tongue, told me to guard his daughter's dowry, made a rather humiliating joke about me 'not giving it up without a fight', said a few choice comments about my 'service history', invited my partner along for the ride, then excused himself.

Being in his will is the capstone of a long list of unpleasant surprises I've experienced today."

"Why does this not surprise me? That Pako was always doing stupid things, it's a wonder we let him become Regent."

"So does that mean that-"

"You may be Regent for now, but that does not mean I will let you off so easily. Especially the method of his departure. How do I know you were not the one who killed him?"

>>389766
"Because I have a long history of trying to avoid attention?"
Drop your voice and move in close

His daughter was about to get married, and she's not too bright or strong-willed. With her being next-in-line for the regency, that puts her fiancee in a position to be the de-facto reagent through her. Since you don't marry into power if you aren't interested in power the regent may have suspected his future son-in-law would have moved to eliminate him through an agent and seized control. Optionally, he could eliminate his wife and seize control.
If the regent had a pretty good mind for tactics then he could have expected a power-grab from the somebody in line for the throne. If he expected a power-grab from somebody in line for the throne, then the surest way to counter that is to change who is in line for the throne and announce you have done so.

"I can't tell you about the investigation but I can tell you a few facts which are not directly related.
The regent's daughter was about to get married. She has the makings of a weak ruler, but her fiancee doesn't.
Rumor has it that his behavior was mostly an effection to cover a sharp mind.
The first time I met the regent was he ordered for me to be sent to him."

Move back a bit and return your voice to normal
"Sorry, but for anything better than rumor you'll have to contact the investigative force. I'd hurry, since once the royal investigators arrive nobody will tell you anything.

>>389796
Also: Get on IRC some time. Discussing things is fun!

>>389796
wow that is.. a bit heavy handed. okay a lot heavy handed.
you are just pulling facts out of your ass. and he could know some of the things you say are false. keep it simple and short.
"you don't, and i doubt anything i can say will change your mind, so you will need to take it on the word of a officer."

>>389797
Yeah I know. I never seem to find the time. Damn Syndicate eating all my free time!

>>389820
oh yeah, the other cops will back your alibi.

>>389821
Might be best to not offer him to ask the other cops as they might reveal that he didn't know you before today.

"When I was guarding the dowry with my partner I found a recently killed slave so I sent my partner to call for reinforcements before getting attacked when the slave reanimated. They saw the guy who poisoned him but where unable to catch him."

>>389822
No. No actual details. The less he knows the less he'll be able to piece together before everything's been secured.
Everything I'm saying to tell him is either rumor or easily verified fact, but will send him off chasing geese. Any cops he questions that actually give him answers won't say anything that contradicts what's been said, assuming it doesn't outright support it.

Beyond that? It gets him investigating the fiancee, which is something we want done.

Be sure to point out that 1) You sure didn't want the responsibility of being Regent, you liked your old job and 2) There's a political storm brewing and the Gamin Family Defender could do a lot worse then cooperating with the new Regent to make sure that the time of troubles ahead doesn't prove to be ruinous.

>>390087

And I mean ruinous for everyone, not just the Gamin Family. Everyone on the island has a stake in this.

"Because I have a long history of trying to avoid promotions and the spotlight.
"If you really think I'm the kind of psychopath who can murder someone in cold blood and fix his own promotion from nobody to local bigwig then you're not much of a judge of character. If you want to make sure though, which is diligence I can respect, you check with my department who the heck I am and what my record is like. I suggest you do that when you go talk to the people running the murder investigation.
"In the meantime would you please do me a favour and stop yelling shit that might get one or both of us killed where everyone can hear you?"

Baron 2012/03/11(Sun)23:55 No. 392062 ID: 2ae337
File 133153531227.png - (180.68KB , 2456x2004 , 54.png )

"Because I have a long history of trying to avoid promotions and the spotlight. If you really think I'm the kind of psychopath who can murder someone in cold blood and fix his own promotion from nobody to local bigwig then you're not much of a judge of character. If you want to make sure though, which is diligence I can respect, you check with my department who the heck I am and what my record is like. I suggest you do that when you go talk to the people running the murder investigation."

"Hrm. I suppose you are somewhat competent."

"In the meantime would you please do me a favour and stop yelling shit that might get one or both of us killed where everyone can hear yooooough!"

"I stand corrected."

Baron 2012/03/11(Sun)23:58 No. 392063 ID: 2ae337
File 133153549177.png - (28.43KB , 974x826 , 55.png )

"You're an idiot. But a useful idiot."

"Ughbur? Blufblmbldmmm."

"I suppose I'll let you keep your title. But don't expect me to leave any time soon whelp."

"Yermmlup."

"Oh right, I forget my own strength. Oh I'll just tell you the news when you can remember who you are."

I'm gonna end the quest here. It's slowing down too much, and with my finals coming up, I can't really pick up the pace. When I make the next chapter, I'll pick it up at a later point.

>>392063
>quest hiatus for finals and such
Sounds reasonable.
Do come back once in a while and /draw/ occasionally, if only as a stress outlet.