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~~((The National Ice Cream Day Special -- page 14 of 15))~~
Stoutamire interjected before Hector could respond. "Astute as always, Mr. Zaman. This is our esteemed guest from Atreya." He turned to Hector. "And Lord Goffe, this is Ravi Zaman of Palei. He is currently serving as a special advisor to the President, along with one other gentleman named--"

"Let's not spoil this conversation before it even begins by speaking of him," said Mr. Zaman. He had quite the enormous scar down the right side of his face, and his eyes were so darkly colored that they just looked like black marbles. He walked right up to Hector and offered him a handshake. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Goffe."

Hector saw no reason to be rude. "Likewise, Mr. Zaman."

"Ah, please, call me Ravi. I prefer it." He shot Stoutamire a look. "Not you, though. You have to keep calling Mr. Zaman."

Stoutamire merely returned a smile.

Ravi looked over the masked Rainlords next. "This is quite a group you have here. These are all your followers, hmm?"

Hector didn't much care for that question, but he didn't want to ignore it, either. "Something like that."

"Might you tell me their names, as well?" said Ravi.

Okay, that one, he did want to ignore. "What kind of advisor are you, exactly?" he asked instead.

"The foreign affairs kind," said Ravi. "In fact, it was I who advised the President to send ol' Stoutamire to request your help. Quite the persuasive fellow, is he not? I might have gone myself, but alas, my duties keep me here."

Hector made no response. The questions he most wanted to ask were about the man's apparent reaper, but the small crowd of non-servants around them made him hold his tongue. He supposed the reaper could've been partnered to one of the others in Ravi's entourage, but there was something in the way this guy carried himself that made Hector doubt that possibility very much.

Somehow, he just seemed like a servant.