Reincarnated as a Phoenix

Chapter 35 - Back on Track

(Temporary Perspective Change)

"Ah, chancellor Marcello and captain Jekyll, please take a seat and join me and Leone"

(Marcello) "Ah Alistair, it's a pleasure to see you again"

"Greetings your highness"

We're back in that meeting room when I had to share the news that the border city had been destroyed.

It's been a while since I've seen everyone, the chancellor even looks like he's aged another decade or two. Sure, he was an old man before but still, the city incident has taken a lot out of him. I know it's slightly ironic me calling someone old, my hair is completely grey now but the chancellor is still a few decades older than me.

This prince really does give me a headache, you can never tell what he's thinking behind that damn smile. Dealing with the chancellor is one thing, the prince is a completely different matter, it still beats having to guide soldiers on the frontlines though.

As for Leone, she really isn't fooling no one. Despite the time we spent training Ikarus being alright, it was in spite of her being there. The expressionless white witch, the immortal bitch, the heartless maiden, so many names I've heard soldiers refer to her as, her personality is a black as the void itself. If she wasn't so damn effective, she would've been burnt at the stake hundreds of years ago with the previous generations of royals.

I'm honestly shocked I managed to put up with her for so long out in the woods, she's someone you really cannot afford to piss off though.

Still, I can remain professional around these people despite my dislike of them all, they fortunately still hold the best interests at heart for this empire, even if you exclude all the corruption. It's more of a matter of the lesser of two evils though, I've seen first-hand what those rebels are like down in the southeast, cruel evil bastards.

Me and the chancellor both take a seat at the long conference table near the other two people already seated and the prince begins to speak.

"Do you know why I sent for you both today?"

"No idea Alistair, is there an issue?"

'I'm just going to remain quiet till I'm spoken directly to'

"Yes, there is an issue but I'll get onto that in a second. Jekyll, has everyone who was stationed outside been sent away?"

"Of course your highness, everyone guarding the room was sent away before we entered"

"Good... let's get onto what I wanted to ask. How is the situation going in the east? How is the war fairing?"

"Alistair, if I'm allowed to spe-"

"He didn't ask for you to speak, did he Marcello?"

The mage quickly shuts down the chancellor down, I guess she was right to do so seeing that he asked me the question.

"I've always appreciated your honesty Jekyll... so, the situation?"

The chancellor always has a tendency of trying not to anger or upset someone, I think that's why the prince wants my opinion here, he won't get me beating around the bush.

"If you want pure honesty your highness, then that's what you will get. To put it simply... fucking horseshit"

...

I thought that might get that response; my bluntness has always been favoured since the city incident though, the chancellor looks like he's shitting bricks from my response though.