Inquisitor's Promise (Act Two, Chapter Nineteen)

Aeneas has to keep his promises. His father's mission will be completed. And while he's at it, he will become Galatea's lord and Inquisitor. But love and politics are an explosive combination.

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Chapter Nineteen: Corporate Headquarters

“Sir Aeneas,” Princess Omaha greeted.

“Your Highness,” Aeneas acknowledged.

“Do you think yourself to be clever?” the princess said, giving Aeneas a look of bemusement.

“I don’t understand.”

“I have been told that Tsar Nikolai is currently moving towards Tokio, his force had received the Inquisitor’s privilege,” Omaha explained. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I have reason to believe that the Tsar will be of great help for us,” Aeneas answered.

“Is that so?” Omaha eyed Aeneas suspiciously. “I know you’re planning something. You always are.”

“That is true,” Aeneas admitted. “But what are you so upset about?”

Omaha gave Aeneas an accusatory look. “Don’t think that I haven’t noticed what you’re doing. I see what you did with Pep and Giulia. You’re even pairing Lavinia up with the Swarm King. I didn’t think you have it in you, Sir Aeneas.”

“I have no intention of doing that, princess,” Aeneas protested.

But Omaha rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced. “Of course you don’t. In any case, it’s clear that you are now attempting to pair me up with the Tsar.”

“And what’s the problem with that?” Aeneas asked. The Inquisitor asked this with all sincerity. With the heir situation in Texarkana, the marriage of the Tsar of Slavia to the Imperial Princess would be the best way to bring about the return of the Holy Empire. The vitality of the Tsardom would surely awaken the sleeping giant of the Imperium.

But Omaha did not see it that way. “Santa Claus is the same age as my father. Surely you see the problem with this!” she exclaimed.

Aeneas did see the problem with it, but not in the way that Omaha had meant. It was no secret that the princess had a terrible relationship with her adulterous father. And the other men in her family could scarcely be called reliable. Not her treacherous stepbrother nor her mentally wounded younger brother.

No doubt, such an experience had colored her interactions with the other men close to her, whether it be Nikolai or Aeneas.

“I understand, princess,” Aeneas said. “But surely you of all people understand the need for us to be prepared when entering the land of the Zaibatsu.”

“I do,” Omaha said. While she was not pleased, she could see reason. “Despite everything, I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I have my own business to settle with the CEO and his Zaibatsu.”

At the moment, Aeneas and his group were at the Lepanto. After saying farewell to Duke Caius and the Pacifica Duchy, they made their way back. The backtracking had been unremarkable and without incident.

In order to reach the Zaibatsu, the Lepanto flew west from the Upper Pacifica portion of Aloha. By going west, the Lepanto had crossed the Date Line which brought them from the westernmost section of the globe to the easternmost.

Finally, the Lepanto crossed over from the Pacifica Region towards the Eurasia Region and reached Tokio.

Located at the eastern end of the Eurasia Region, Tokio was the original home of the Zaibatsu and from there the Conglomerate state grew until it encompassed the cities and nations surrounding them. Out of the five faction powers of the Holy League, the Zaibatsu was the youngest of them all. Even younger than the Pacifica Duchy.

As Aeneas looked at the Tokio skyline below the Lepanto, he could easily ascertain the youth of the Zaibatsu. Outside of the window, there were colorful lights coming out of the building that seemed to be there just to be bright. On the outskirts, there were factories which looked plain. In contrast to the gothic or otherwise traditional architecture that dotted the skyline of 74^th century Earth, the skyline of the Zaibatsu’s realms was brutalist. There were very little decorative designs on the buildings themselves. Unless one considers bright advertisements to be decorative.

“These skyline look different than the rest of Earth, somehow,” Pep commented. The Lektros had been with Aeneas as they both viewed the vista below.

“Much of the lands of the Zaibatsu were plain. Unlike most other nations who simply took over the buildings left behind by the Dark Age Civilization, the Zaibatsu made their own skyscrapers. They would demolish the older buildings even when they’re still functional just to build a new one in its place,” Aeneas explained.

“I would expect nothing less from a nation run by a bunch of merchants,” Omaha said, joining the conversation. “Tearing down ancient buildings and replacing them with their own is an easy way for building contractors to make money.”

Eventually, the Lepanto made its landing.

The Sky Port of Tokio was located atop a series of skyscrapers that merged together at the top into one large facility. But the building itself was also the location of the Zaibatsu’s Central Office, the location of its de-facto governmental office.

Aeneas took his entire group outside of the Lepanto. The Inquisitor smiled as he spotted a group of airships that had landed in front of him. They were big, but nowhere near the size of the Lepanto. The ships bore the emblem of Slavia.

The Tsar stepped out of his airship, flanked by his heavily armored Tsarguards.

“Welcome to Tokio, Your Highness,” Aeneas greeted.

“Thank you, Inquisitor. But I expected something a little grander from the Zaibatsu given that we’re about to meet their leader,” Nikolai grumbled.

“You know how the Corporatists of the Zaibatsu are,” Aeneas responded. “A bunch of private businessmen who somehow got their own government.”

“No wonder the black cats made this place their second home,” Nikolai commented.

“Indeed.” Aeneas nodded. “Now let’s go see the CEO.”

Aeneas, Nikolai, and their respective groups made their way to the lobby of the Central Office. Many in the group, especially Omaha, were incensed at the idea of having to wait for the CEO to see them. Aeneas knew that this would be the reaction from his teammates, so he deliberately left out the part where he had to set up an appointment beforehand through his nav-comm.

Tsar Nikolai took this opportunity to talk with Omaha.

“It had been a while, Princess,” Nikolai greeted warmly.

“It has,” Omaha responded. “I heard you managed to truly unite the Tsardom and knock some sense to the stubborn Cossacks. That was brilliant of you. I suppose I owe you an apology.”

The Tsar chuckled, though inwardly he was elated to have received such praise from the aloof princess. “Don’t worry about it, princess. I have heard that you’ve stopped your brother’s coup with the help of the good Inquisitor. You have grown strong, Omaha.”

The princess looked away in embarrassment. “Thank you, I suppose.”

The Tsar noticed the discomfort in his interlocutor. As he looked around, he acutely felt everyone’s presence. He could see Pep and Giulia talking to one another. Lavinia was trying to get Aeneas’ attention, but the Inquisitor was clearly in his own world at the moment. The Tsar also noticed Shaka from afar. He knew from his correspondence with Aeneas that the pathfinder had acted as his bodyguard ever since the incident in Texarkana.

Nikolai briefly considered taking Omaha aside to a place where they could truly talk in private. But he decided against it. That could wait.

Meanwhile, Aeneas was truly not looking forward to meeting CEO Honda. The Zaibatsu had most likely played a part in his father’s death, and possibly his mother’s.

Eventually, a secretary came up to Aeneas and told him that the CEO was ready to meet him. About time.

Aeneas’ group went several floors up through the elevator and was eventually brought to a large luxurious room. The Inquisitor recognized this as the Main Office of the Zaibatsu. He spotted CEO Honda sitting on a chair behind a large table.

“Uwee hee hee welcome, Inquisitor. Please take a seat. I’m sure uniting the Holy League had been difficult so far,” the stocky CEO said.

Aeneas simply nodded in acknowledgement as he took his seat. The rest of the group followed suit.

The CEO took a look at Aeneas’ group and couldn’t help but chuckle. He eyed the women and fixed his gaze back to Aeneas.

“I see that you have gathered yourself a group of cuties around you,” he said creepily. “I don’t think the Inquisition will approve.”

“I assure you, Mr. Honda,” Aeneas began calmly. “It’s nothing like that.”

“Is that so?” Honda asked, unconvinced. The CEO once more glanced at the women and could see that both Lavinia and Omaha were clearly upset by the Inquisitor’s statement.

“Yes. I made a promise to Lady Galatea de la Mancha,” Aeneas declared. “And I do not break my promises!”

Aeneas was not quite sure what drove him to make such a bold declaration. He had even waved his arm as if he was a theater actor. Perhaps it was Pep and Giulia being engaged to be married. The Inquisitor could see everything coming together, and he was not about to be stopped by some pudgy old man in a suit.

In response, Honda laughed heartily.

“I see,” he said in between his chuckles. “I have heard the rumors. I’m sure my daughter would be disappointed.”

Aeneas groaned inwardly at the mention of the CEO’s daughter. He had completely forgotten about her but knew that the felinid girl had exhibited clear signs of a crush on him. But then again, he had yet to see her.

“Where is she, anyways?” Aeneas asked.

“Uwee hee, that is the problem,” Honda said. “You see, Inquisitor, I am in a bit of a pinch. My daughter, Kunoichi, she had been kidnapped.”

There were gasps all across the room. Everyone in Aeneas party was surprised to have heard this.

“This would explain her absence,” Omaha mused.

“I want her back,” Honda said. “If you can save her from the villains who took her, then I will give you my allegiance in your fight against the Grey Globe.”

“A quid pro quo?” Giulia asked in disbelief. “Spoken like a true corporatist!”

“To be fair,” Lavinia interjected. “This had been how our papas have dealt with Aeneas. We can’t pretend that Mr. Honda is any different.”

Giulia huffed indignantly in response.

Aeneas paid little attention to the chattering women and was more focused on the man in front of him.

“Who kidnapped her?” Aeneas asked.

The CEO shifted his eyes weirdly in response. “Er, Bashan Voronin. He called himself the Dark Lord of the Cabal.”

Aeneas could hear a loud thud behind him. That was Tsar Nikolai banging his hand on his armrest. The Inquisitor made a mental note to question him later.

“Dark Lord?” Aeneas raised his eyes in confusion.

“In his hatred of the Church, he had dedicated his life towards undermining the Holy League,” Honda explained. “And he adopted the personal Dark Lord for he opposes the Light that the Church brings, as he said himself.”

“We can’t let a man like him loose,” Aeneas said. Of course, the Inquisitor was also curious of how the CEO could know so much about this Dark Lord. But he put that aside for the time being.

Honda then stood up and reached his hand towards Aeneas.

“Shall we say, deal, Inquisitor?”

“Deal.”

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