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‘Hmm,’ said Voreese. ‘I suppose when you put it like that, it ALMOST doesn’t sound like the most moronic thing he could’ve ever done. Almost.’

‘I am not trying to defend his actions,’ said Axiolis. ‘I am merely recounting what I have been told.’

‘I get that,’ said Voreese. ‘But jilting one of the most powerful individuals in the entire world? That is some top tier stupidity. I mean, what did he think would happen?’

Axiolis only bobbed his head.

Lorios, however, decided to chime in now. ‘Okay, well, if nobody else is going to do it, then I guess I’ll play devil’s advocate here and try to defend Eric’s behavior--at least a little.’

‘Ha,’ said Voreese. ‘Go on, then. I can’t wait to hear this.’

The usually quiet reaper had everyone’s attention but Zeff’s now. ‘I will not pretend that it was a wise thing to do. It certainly was not. And the consequences of it have been terrible beyond measure. However, I’m sure you all remember Sai-hee’s reputation from those days. She was widely regarded as the gentlest and most peaceful of the four emperors. The compassionate “Peacemaker” was very well-loved all over the world. Many even mentioned her in the same breath as the Goddess of the Light herself--that was how saintly some people viewed this woman. And even today, some seventy years later, that reputation is not completely gone.

‘However, she also had a reputation as a bit of a “pushover” as well. As in, people thought she was SO nice that she would never raise a hand in anger or do anything unreasonable--certainly not to anyone who hadn’t committed some sort of crime against humanity. She was the “pragmatic one” among the emperors. Many people even believed that she was virtually a higher being. The purest and most perfect type of human. I know, because I was one such person. I genuinely thought that about her for a while. So I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility that Eric Olmos may have viewed her that way as well.’

‘This is why hero worship is dangerous,’ said Voreese. ‘You can never really know what evil any given person is capable of until it’s too late.’

‘I would agree with you,’ said Lorios. ‘But my point is, Eric probably thought that, ultimately, she would forgive him. Because that was her reputation. Pure and gentle and forgiving.’

‘This is why I don’t trust saints,’ said Garovel.

‘It is as Arkos once said,’ said Yangéra. ‘“The brighter the light, the harsher the shadow it casts.”’

‘Egh, that’s why I never liked that guy as a philosopher,’ said Voreese. ‘You could interpret that any number of ways to make it fit. Hell, someone could be the bright light, and the harsh shadow could be someone else who resents them. Or it could just refer to a single person hiding their true nature. Therefore, that “wisdom,” although it sure sounds nice, is fucking useless.’

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‘You mean the rumors about an actual “affair” within the Richland Affair?’ said Voreese. ‘The forbidden and sexual kind of affair?’

‘I am afraid so,’ said Axiolis.

‘Ooh. And you’re saying Sai-hee was involved in it?’

‘Yes. And so was one of our kin. A bold and brazen lad by the name of Eric Olmos. I met him on the occasion of the Generational Rite.’ Axiolis paused to look over his audience again. ‘Which, I suppose, you may be unfamiliar with?’

‘It’s a coming-of-age ceremony, I presume?’ said Garovel.

‘Yes,’ said Axiolis. ‘A chance for the families to gather and present their children who have recently reached adulthood. Eric was only one of twelve whom were presented on that occasion, but you would hardly have guessed such, had you been there. Most people at that age are timid as a lamb in front of so many relatives whom they have likely never met before, but not Eric. He adored the attention--and handled it gracefully, as well. Rarely have I ever seen such a naturally charismatic young man.’ His hollow gaze fell on the still-meditating Diego Redwater. ‘That one there is not entirely dissimilar, I suppose.’

Diego opened one eye and looked around with it. “Is that flattery I hear? Because I sure wouldn’t mind some right now.”

‘You should not be allowing yourself to be distracted by our words,’ said Axiolis.

“Oh, c’mon, I have to pay at least a little attention to what you guys are saying. What if we get attacked?”

‘I’m sure Zeff would be happy to slap you,’ said Axiolis.

“Mm,” said Diego. “As generous as that offer is, I don’t find it particularly motivating for some reason.”

‘Regardless,’ said Axiolis, ‘I brought the subject up, because I suspect that Eric’s charisma had something to do with why Sai-hee fell in love with him.’

‘Ahhh,’ said Voreese. ‘Seduced by a younger man, was she? At least, I’m assuming he wasn’t nearly as old as her, considering the Richland Affair was only about seventy-five years ago, and she’s currently, what, pushin’ six hundred?’

‘Something like that,’ said Axiolis.

‘So what’d this idiot do to piss her off so much, then?’

‘He promised to leave his fiancée for her. And then he didn’t.’

‘Ah. A truly classic douche maneuver. That’d do it, alright. But if she knew he was already betrothed, then I mean, she’s partly to blame, too.’

‘Again, I cannot speak to the validity of the details, but the story goes that his parents had arranged a marriage for him to a young woman among the Richland aristocracy--the very same ones whom they had recently helped secure new territory. And when the aristocracy heard about the possibility of Eric’s elopement, they increased the promised dowry by such a substantial amount that it caused Eric to change his mind. “For the future of House Olmos,” was the argument put forward.’

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‘Okay, well, you can still give us the basic gossip, right?’ said Voreese. ‘I mean, you’re a damn reaper, aren’t you? This kinda shit is what we live for.’

‘She’s not wrong,’ said Garovel. ‘I’d be interested to hear more from you as well.’

Axiolis gave a small sigh. ‘If you insist.’ He turned to Yangéra and Lorios first, however, who had both been rather quiet this whole time. ‘Would either of you care to tell the tale?’

‘Oh, no, thank you,’ said Yangéra.

‘Yeah, you go ahead,’ said Lorios.

Axiolis paused again, perhaps considering how to begin. ‘Well... the Jungle Wars had been raging on and off for some years when it happened. In fact, that was ostensibly the root cause behind it. A number of Melmoorian and Corricoan aristocrats claimed that they sought “a true end to the conflict” and so decided to break away from their respective nations and form their own.’

‘Richland,’ said Voreese.

‘Yes,’ said Axiolis. ‘The name is not a misnomer. They managed to get away with a considerable portion of the most arable land in the region, as well as seventy percent of the diamonds that had been the chief cause of the conflict from the beginning.’

Voreese laughed. ‘Gotta admire the sheer audacity it takes to even attempt something like that, let alone to actually pull it off. That’d be like runnin’ up to a group of guys who are already fighting, waiting until they’re a little tired, and then just kicking them all in the balls.’

‘Mm,’ hummed Axiolis. ‘They certainly managed to anger everyone at once with that move. And my Intarian brethren helped them both acquire and secure their wealth.’

‘How did Sai-hee factor into it?’

‘She had been trying to broker a peace between all of the warring nations for decades. She had even managed to succeed, though only briefly. There was a cultural hatred that was born during those conflicts, and I imagine that proved difficult to overcome in a sustainable manner.’

‘So she blames you guys for prolonging the war?’

‘My understanding is that she believed she was getting close to achieving a true, lasting peace which would have been to the benefit of all parties. Whether or not that was actually the case--well, that is something we may never know.’

‘Hmm,’ said Voreese. ‘Still seems like a strange thing to blame you guys for. Why not the audacious pricks in Richland?’

‘Oh, I imagine she does reserve some hatred for them as well,’ said Axiolis. ‘But there was also... another element to it.’

Voreese perked up at that. ‘Oh? Do I sense something salacious in what you are about to say?’

Axiolis tilted his head at her. ‘You have heard a few rumors, I presume?’

‘I may have,’ she said with a smirk. ‘What can I say? I’m a gossip-loving girl at heart.’

‘Yes, well... from what I have been told, there was at least a degree of truth in those rumors.’