"You must be curious about my source?" Ludwig understood why the mood of his cousin had soured.
Ludwig knew too much, and he didn’t bother hiding it in order to pressure Amir through his information source.
Which worked perfectly, as Amir wondered how this man knew so much about him and why, while Amir himself didn’t see a thing on his own end.
It’s not like Ludwig had been blind to the problem, and he understood that it would co to bite him in the back in the future. It’s why he had given Sarlen full right to expose so of the secrets and relationships he had built in the world. All in an effort to hint that the two sides had nothing to hide.
But that was the problem here, the only thing Amir heard was the good stuff, he didn’t find any weakness that might make the two sides equal. Or so misunderstood Ludwig.
Amir doesn’t want Ludwig’s weakness, there is no need for it considering his grandfather already considers his cousin nothing more than manure for his own growth. And if Amir doesn’t accept this manure under his feet, then his grandfather won’t shy away from dealing with Ludwig in order to prevent any accidents.
So in his eyes, Ludwig was a dead man who didn’t know any good. And if Ludwig were to keep hiding or lying at this point. Even with all the good he did, there would be a limit to their cooperation, and it would show that Ludwig is not the kind to lower his head in front of him no matter what happens.
A sign that Amir’s whole mission is redundant and without any hope of succeeding.
But it seed that Amir thought too much of it all. As Ludwig after struggling over the answer for a bit, nodded his head and said. "I am limited by the contract, though it’s all to protect the identity of the person who told about you."
"But before you wonder, none of us an any harm, instead the individual who told about you mostly asked to support you in the barracks and nothing more. The rest, I found out on my own after so push, that’s all I can give at the mont." As Ludwig spoke such words, he placed his palm on his heart while taking the oath of a Knight.
Vowing that if the words he spoke held any lie, his heart would burn apart. And nothing happened.
Proving that he didn’t lie one bit.
"I hope this can clear things between us."
"Your sincerity is immaculate. I notice no lies, so I can respect you on that part." Reaching this point, Amir paused before getting straight to the point again. "But my question still remains unanswered. How did you learn about my personal details? Speak of the na, so I can deal with them."
Hearing Amir’s words, Ludwig understood that sothing troubleso had cropped up.
He can stop this discussion, he can end it here, and still enjoy the benefits of the cooperation.
But Ludwig was not a fool, through his life of being always on the edge of life and death and finding virtually no one who he could trust on the sa level. Ludwig understood that there was no need to make more enemies. More so an enemy that would work so close to him in the future.
So he had to give an answer. An answer that would satisfy this awfully cold cousin of his.
’I thought he was easy pickings.’
Recalling the small discussion he had with his source, Ludwig thought that Amir was a nerd who focused entirely on his hobbies and only got the attention of the powerful grand general due to his talent.
None of which Ludwig was blessed with. Instead, it was his stepbrothers and sisters who wished for his death, while his own father completely ignored the cruelty he suffered.
It’s probably because of all these experiences and surviving them that had made Ludwig complacent in so aspects. He looked down on this cousin of his who got to live an easy life as a mortal and the life of a king as a Prince, while he survived through hell with each step.
An arrogance born from experience. But the fault of not understanding Amir can’t be blad on him alone, even his source was unaware of the experiences Amir has gone through along with how cruel he can be to his enemies.
There is a reason why Amir can survive being suppressed by the Noble families and even fight back against them while hiding in plain sight.
This was his ability, this was Amir’s talent which Amir didn’t like to use much.
He was a tactician when the need arose and made his choices with cold calculations that would even put Ludwig to sha.
Truly a masterpiece cultivated by his Grandfather. Who doesn’t like to display his talents during the war due to his hobbies in chanics?
"I can’t give them away no matter how you ask cousin. But if you wish, I am ready to sign a contra..." Before Ludwig can say, a warning ca from his back. The voice of Sarlen shouting "Lord Ludwig, please don’t do this."
Though the warning went into Ludwig’s ear on one side and left from the other, as he stopped Sarlen from entering with a single gesture of his palm. "I know what I am doing, this is the best for both of us."
"Ho, wasn’t the prior agreent to have no contracts? Do you really value so much?" Amir asked with a smile.
He won’t stop his cousin from signing the contract, as this shows that this cousin of his is not a fool who can’t change his mind depending on circumstances. A smart fella that was worth his interest.
A fella that will live to tell the tale.
’He can be suppressed.’ Amir knew from the start that getting the na was virtually impossible. But he was going to use this as an excuse to suppress his cousin and get so assurance in the form of a contract that would be suppressing his cousin instead of him.
’Now we are at an equal level.’
"I would rather have an amicable relationship with Cousin Amir than a strained one." Ludwig smiled while requesting a contract from his n.
There was really no lie in Ludwig’s voice. Ignoring the fact that Amir was appreciated by the Grand General, Amir himself seed to be a talented man who was worth so sacrifices.
"Then I would appreciate your goodwill," Amir said while taking the contract and reading the conditions.
Ignoring the generic ones that did not harm each other and their interests, there was an important excerpt written in the contract that made Amir nod in agreent. "In three months’ ti, Party A would provide Party B with the na of the inforr that exposed the details of Party B to Party A."
There were so more specifications, but nothing more.
This contract was more barring on Ludwig than it was on Amir, a sign that Ludwig was ready to lower his head if it ant that this cooperation wouldn’t be limited due to a foolish and inevitable mistake he might have made earlier out of ignorance.
Which is why Amir signed on it with words. "I hope our cooperation can evolve into sothing more than sothing temporary."
******
Can it be considered that his plan was a success? Amir couldn’t say, the issue of whom this inforr was still remained in his head. But that can be put on hold as now he had obtained assurance that he would obtain the answer soon enough.
As for what this cooperation might entail? He had a straight discussion with his cousin and soon learned why Ludwig was in such a hurry to work with Amir.
’So a gathering for military elites?’ The destination was in Durum which was just a few miles away from the barracks.
’Sothing more troubleso forced upon .’ Amir’s world was a lot better before learning of the existence of this gathering, but now, he was forced to attend it after learning of its existence.
As this place might be where he will debut among the nobles, he needs to be careful otherwise, the impression he might leave on these snobbish elites might reach his Grandfather and probably earn him so sort of punishnt.
"Lavani, there is new work for you." Amir turned to look at his only servant in his place and then made a simple request.
"Find who will be visiting this gathering, and collect as much information on them as you can. You have three weeks... you can borrow help from Prince Ludwig."
There was no sha in borrowing help, this is what this whole cooperation was all about.
As for requesting it from Ludwig beforehand? Amir thought it was beneath him. He can’t show a weak side to his cousin, not so early in their cooperation. So he needs to use Lavani to do that instead.
On the other hand, Ludwig had fallen into deep contemplation without a single smile on his face.
While Sarlen remained on the side, remaining quiet.
"I wonder if this was worth it," Ludwig asked, but it was an answer, no one could give him. Only ti will tell.
"Lord, are you really going to expose our source? Won’t it cause an issue?"
"I have made a promise."
"Then you could have asked for leniency for our inforr, that way, we can ensure that nothing bad would befall him."
"If I had been any more forceful, our cooperative relationship would be in na only. This cousin of mine is not a pushover as the rest of the nobles are thinking."
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