Feeling naked at this party while unarmed and noticing that many others that attended chose to wear their gear to the event, Tomoe decided a change of pace was necessary and donned his regular gear and weaponry. After all, a party needed a bit of security, didn't it? In the end, the rest of the attendees belonging to guilds were just as combat-ready, they just didn't need to openly display it due to their powers as wizards.

His primary goal for the evening was in play, and he was ready to serve. He didn't know the specifics behind why this party was so crucial, and why he would even get an order from the Bishops themselves to appear and investigate. It was the first time that the amateur cultist, glorified meat shield that he was, had received word from a Bishop at all. He was normally the sort of low-tier grunt that would get orders passed down the ladder until it eventually became a task relevant to him, but this was a direct order.

I'm a guildless mercenary who fought against the demon invasions. Yeah, that's right., Tomoe thought to himself, preparing a convincing cover story in his head in the event that somebody pressed the questions back onto him.

Tomoe re-entered the Grand Ball once more, the facade of an unremarkable, unknown mercenary already in effect. He entered the main socializing area and began conversing with others. Doing the best job he could at hiding his 'small town Joyan' accent, he allowed others to talk about themselves more than he spoke of his own fake past.

He was efficient in choosing who he kept as a conversation partner, and for whom he would make bathroom break excuses to dodge out of a pointless interaction. More and more he decided he would gravitate towards the nobility, who he could impress with his fictitious mercenary stories and learn any potentially valuable information from in return.

Thus, Tomoe began his search for another conversation partner who seemed interesting.

The ball was in full swing now, with nobles and mages from all over Fiore having come to celebrate the end of the war, and pay their respects to the king. All kinds of people, from highly respected mages, to disgraced holy knights, even a Lich had wandered into the cathedral. All here to do the same thing, Patrick surmised: lick the boots of the king in the hope of gaining something from him.

And there he was, the king himself. The pretender king who had been doing nothing but causing trouble for the nobles since he came to power. Patrick adjusted his cloak and stroked his moustache as he sipped the red wine offered to every guest. Swirling the liquid in his mouth, it took everything Patrick had to swallow it.

"Bah!" he muttered, under his breath, "serving this pathetic excuse for wine to mages I can understand, but to nobles? The audacity, the nerve of you, Reign." Patrick watched as Reign moved about the crowd, speaking to important figures that helped secure his position, the few allies among the nobles he still had left. Surrounded by his guards at all times of course, it would be ridiculous to try anything now. After all, plans were in motion that would upset the balance and Patrick, smiling at the edge of the room as he watched the proceedings, couldn't wait to see it all unfold.

Tomoe, with all the perception he had come to obtain from keeping track of the activity within the party during this job, had noticed a man smiling eerily in the corner near where he was. His focus seemed to be on the king, and the very idea that somebody would direct such an ominous look towards the king of Fiore himself intrigued him.

Jackpot, Tomoe thought to himself, pasting a welcoming grin upon his features as he approached the noble in the corner.

Dressed in armor and with a flashy sword sheathed at his side, Tomoe did his best to appear as a more honorable knight than he truly was. Somebody that could be trusted, and who could serve at a moment's notice. A warrior with his posture upright and his gaze ambitious. The Joyan figured that would be the best act to put on as somebody in the presence of nobility that so often enjoyed being pampered.

"Sir.", Tomoe spoke formally and with the most respectable bow he could manage while in armor.

Assuming the man would be open to conversation, Tomoe continued by looking out towards the party itself with disinterest and then looking back towards the nobleman before him.

"I can't say it's the best party. With all these dark guilds kickin' around, it's a wonder the king hasn't been attacked already tonight.", Tomoe spoke softly but with concern, and quietly enough that only the noble could hear him.

"I'm Tomoe, a knight for hire. And who might you be, mister...?", Tomoe took off his glove and held out his hand, awaiting a response with a welcoming grip.

A man clad in rusty, cheap looking armour approached Patrick, who's gaze only diverted from the King for a moment to take in the fellow before it moved back. It didn't matter how Patrick looked towards the King, since the royal was too far away for he, or any of his guards, to pay the noble any heed. The man, who Patrick had already dismissed as common rabble upon seeing his appearance, then tried to address the noble, and in that moment he revealed more about him than he likely intended. Cheap armour meant he didn't come from money, and addressing a noble as 'sir' betrayed that the man clearly had no idea what he was doing in this situation, having never been in one such as this before.

Patrick would then wait as the man started by commenting on the party itself, specifically the presence of known dark mages and criminals having been invited. It was truly disgusting, and Patrick couldn't fathom why the king would do it if not to spite the nobles. Make it seem to the people that, in the king's eyes, all his subjects were equal. We shall see how far that opinion gets you in the eyes of your peers, Reign, the noble thought as the man introduced himself as a knight for higher, before making yet another faux pas: referring to Patrick as 'mister', as if he were some common merchant.

Turning to face the man, his cloak flowing behind him and his family crest gleaming in the light of the room, Patrick started, "I will have you know that you are speaking to Lord Patrick Miller Esquire, and you should refer to me only as 'my lord'. I am not a Sir, and I am certainly not a mister." It was then that a mischievous grin spread across Patrick's face as he spoke, his voice quieter before as he scanned the room for any watching him, "in fact, while we're on the topic of things someone is not, you, sir, are not a knight. A true knight, even one for hire, would know how to address a nobleman, assuming he wouldn't know who I am already. So I must ask, who are you truly?"

Patrick, who was one of the more intelligent nobles despite his portly appearance, was thinking a few steps in advance, already thinking of possible answers this man could give, and thinking about which each could mean for them both.

"Apologies, my lord. I must be cautious with the presence of such villainous forces engaging in this gathering, and thus I was fearful to explain myself. I see now that I was foolish to lie, and am in the presence of somebody of a higher intelligence.", Tomoe would state, retracting to bow in apology.

Upon returning to his upright posture, the Joyan locked eyes with the nobleman known as Patrick. While normally Tomoe would simply address such pompous and arrogant people by their first names and not worry about the consequences, he wasn't merely representing himself but his entire organization by being here. He had to play it smart, and thus decided the best course of action would be to tell as much truth as he could without revealing his true identity and who he really served.

"I am a ronin of Joya, and I have travelled far and wide in search of honor, power and coin alike. I'm not experienced in the ways of Fiorian politics and it has been a long time since I have spoken in the presence of a man of higher calibre.", Tomoe began, his eyes telling a sincere story and his posture confident yet unassuming in the presence of the lord before him.

The way Tomoe understood it, he had to appear humbled before the noble, under him in ranking, and yet confident enough of his own power to not appear so meek that he would be worthless. The Joyan proceeded with his appearance, posture and words making an effort to balance these things.

"Truth be told, I have come to this land in search of a worthy lord to serve. I have interacted with many people tonight, and if you'll permit me to speak truly my lord, you have piqued my interest as one above the rest of the individuals at this gathering.", Tomoe spoke plainly, bowing once more and awaiting the response of the one who might be the key to his entire plan.

If anything, the presence of the golden Kusanagi blade of Joyan design sheathed and tied with a peace knot at his side would give credence to his story as a ronin. The sword, even sheathed, was in sharp contrast to the rest of his equipment and would stand among the most beautiful weapons in sight among anybody to attend the ball that night.

Having seen through the facade the 'knight' had attempted to cower behind, Patrick listened to hear his reasoning. Apparently it was for fear of the evil people gathered at the ball tonight. It wasn't a particularly good excuse, but he finished it by complimenting Patrick's intelligence, so the noble decided to simply let it slide. After all, he wasn't all that interested in who the was was pretending to be, he was interested in who the man was.

A ronin of Joya? That was certainly an interesting development. Patrick knew little about Joyan ways, but he had heard of their systems, and the ronin by extension. Warriors without a master to serve, searching for, as he put it rather bluntly, honor, coin and power. It explained why he wasn't able to articulate himself as well in front of a Fioran noble and, by the looks of the man, he was telling the truth this time. A man searching for someone to use him, now there was something Patrick could use.

His flattery was beginning to turn a bit into obvious boot-licking, as he stated he was looking for a Lord to serve, and had decided that Patrick was the most interesting that he had spoken to. While it seemed very unlikely he had spoken to any of the other Lords, Patrick at least appreciated the attempt as the man bowed.

This bow changed everything. A glint of metal flashed light into Patrick's eye which he, rather annoyed, searched for the source of. The man's armour may have been old and rusty, but his blade was anything but. The sheath itself was beautifully adorned with gems and spoke wonders of the blade itself. Perhaps this man could be of some use, but it was his allegiances that would be tested.

"I must ask you, as a foreigner yourself, what is your opinion of Fiore's ruling system? What do you think of the monarchy that governs Fiore?"

It was a dangerous question, but one that Patrick could be safe behind by giving a false motive if pressured. But this could be where it all changed.

As Tomoe returned to a neutral stance from his bow, he thought to himself that this could perhaps be his shot at a partnership. Or at the very least, something to be learned more than anything the other perfume-addled fools present could give him.

The Joyan raised a hand to his chin in thought at the question asked, visibly giving it some thought. There was little doubt in his mind, of course, but he felt he still had to make it look as if there was a conscience deep in there. After he was certain a couple seconds had passed, Tomoe nodded and once more made eye contact with the noble before responding.

"As an outsider looking in, this system seems unnervingly relaxed. His Majesty is too confident in Fiore's defenses right after the end to a conflict; especially a small civil war such as the rebellion of the Holy Knights.", Tomoe spoke, then gesturing outwards to the guests in plain sight.


"Of which, it seems as if His Majesty has even gone so far as to allow the very rebels that had been fought against into this very event. More than that, he's allowing them to partake in the power of an ancient relic and to share the same room as him? Even with an infinite number of wizards and knights it is not the sensible thing to do. No ruler should put themselves and their peers in such danger when the alternative is to simply not do so. Though I'm sure this statement is one you've already spoken to yourself at some point this evening, My Lord?"

Tomoe then pulled back, subtly observing the noble's reaction while pouring himself a drink to wet his throat. Despite anything else, these were views that the Joyan legitimately held. There was not a single lie among his statements, giving way to a genuine cynic that sought a better system.

"I'm not wise enough to suggest a better system, however; but it is disconcerting to know that such carelessness is not reeled in and taken into consideration by anybody else. I've heard of other countries that run fine without a monarchy or royalty at all, even.", the Joyan finished, ending his last statement as if he didn't even realize he had said it.

The ball was in his conversation partner's court to pick up from here. Tomoe had admittedly taken a big risk with his last few sentences, but decided that it was better to hook the other party early on with the kinds of things that they might want, assuming of course that the Joyan was right in his assumptions.

It was obvious to him from the way he spat his words in bitter discontent to his questioning of Tomoe's political views that Patrick preferred that Reign not sit on the throne, but as to his reasoning? Or more importantly, his plan? Tomoe was still intrigued to hear about that. This entire thing smelled of something bigger than he intended to stumble upon. More and more, it was becoming obvious that SHE had sent him here for a valid reason.

A great number of feelings flowed through Patrick as he listened to the Joyan man, Tomoe. Intrigued at the man's suggestions and opinions, pleased when they aligned with his, impressed when the man remembered to refer to him as 'my lord', pleased once more as the man didn't try and pretend he knew every answer, and finally a mixture of shock and amusement as the 'knight' was so bold as to suggest a Fiore without a monarchy, without royals. Tomoe was a perceptive man, he had said everything he knew Patrick was wanting to hear. He didn't mince his words, the two clearly had similar interests, and Patrick had found a puppet he could use if it ever came to be required. This ball was shaping up to be a worthwhile event after all.

"That is quite a statement Tomoe", Patrick now using the man's name to show the respect he deserved, "In fact, there are many hear who would accuse you of treason for even uttering such words." Patrick's voice then went low as he continued, "I, however, will not turn you over to any authorities. I will let you off with a simple warning, however I will be owed recompense at a future date. You're opinions are echoed by other, more prominent, figures in Fiore. A day may be coming where the royal family will get out of hand. When that day comes, it will be mages and 'knights', such as yourself, who will be required to help keep the peace. I hope you can be relied upon to choose the correct side. Can I trust you with that Tomoe?"

Once he heard the man's answer, Patrick would seem content, and would straighten up, sorting his cloak as his voice returned to a normal level, "Do not forget my warning, young man. Now leave me, the time of nobles can be much better spent with peers than with the likes of you. Begone."

Patrick himself would simply click his fingers for a drink to be brought to him, watching Tomoe's actions for a brief moment more before returning to his fellow nobles. When asked why he spent so long conversing with a 'commoner', his response would be simple.

"He had no eloquence or etiquette and dared address me as 'mister'. He had to be taught how best to talk to a nobleman of Fiore."

-Exit-

Patrick had responded exactly as the Joyan would've liked, and in turn it seemed Patrick had also taken an interest in him. Tomoe was pleased at the result, and didn't think he could have asked for anything better. Rather, it was becoming clear that perhaps his purpose in being asked to come to the ball was to meet this Lord Patrick.

For HER, Tomoe would endure the lowest of lows and press on. He was certain that this was exactly what he needed to do. Being the kind of person who constantly questioned himself and what the correct path was, he felt oddly at peace in the moment knowing that he had been set up for a future task. What that task was and how it would impact his future was meaningless; more than anything he had the favor of a noble, and with it the influence afforded to one who served a noble. It would be a private matter, of course, but still one that Tomoe would look forward to eagerly to advance his own agenda. Even beyond that, their political goals did truly align with one another.

"I thank you, My Lord. You are very kind.", Tomoe responded with a polite bow and an expression of gratitude.

Raising his head once more, Tomoe nodded his head in response to Patrick's demand that he be paid back in a future meeting. This was the sort of thing that the ronin looked forward to, and played the part of a man in debt.

"I will keep the peace in the interest of a better Fiore, My Lord, you can count on that. It's obvious to me which side is the correct one."

Tomoe would then nod his head in agreement, accepting of their secret pact and agreement to meet in the future. The Joyan didn't dwell on it for long, desiring to keep up appearances in the ball, and continued as if that conversation didn't happen. At Patrick's dismissal, Tomoe agreed cordially.

"It was my pleasure, My Lord.", Tomoe replied, knowing full well that this was a secretive political game played entirely out in the open.

"If you'll excuse me.", the Joyan spoke, allowing himself to be dismissed with a small bow and breaking off from Patrick and the rest of the party.

Finding a cozy spot outside on a nearby balcony, Tomoe looked out into the chilly night air. His job here was done, and for the rest of the evening, everything else would merely be icing on the cake. A very delicious and devilishly conspiracy-driven cake. An amused smirk widened his features as he awaited the party's end.

---

- Exit -