Winter Storm (Esdeath x Male Reader)

Plans and Drinks

"So before we go in too deep, how do ya want to do this?" Wave asked the interviewer in his house.

"How about you just go over what you know." The government historian asked.

"Well, as ya know, the months before, we were doing our separate things in the Empire. I was out at sea. Kurome was.... doing things. Night Raid had been stepping up their hits. So we got recalled back. Turns out he was there too. We had not met yet, but he'd been there longer than we were. The funny thing is, between all the big players in that game, it wasn't us that met him first."

Five Years Later

A month had passed.

At the moment, you hated your Imperial Arms.

It was not that they were terrible weapons or that you were bad with them. No, it had more to do with the unfortunate fact that you had to be stuck here at the Capital. This place was a center for corruption with an entire army that could turn a blind eye along with actively shielding it. But the so called Minister Honest, who clearly was in charge instead of the child Emperor, wanted to keep things under control. That included Imperial Arms.

Were you still allowed to perform commissions or services? Yes. But it was now under the very close watch of the Imperial army. More often than not in a combat scenario defending a village or otherwise eliminating bandits or Danger Beasts, they inhibited stealth and forced you to keep them safe. It was really more you babysitting them than the other way around.

Did they compensate you? Yes. In fact, providing room and board in the Capital would be nice under ordinary circumstances, and the pay was better. But it was really there way of keeping an eye on you. There usually was at least one Imp tailing you when you venture outside the townhouse you stayed in.

Did they help you understand your Imperial Arms? Yes. They gave the basic information and granted access to training grounds so as to better utilize the blades. But you could tell that they were withholding information, and you did not always dictate when you would practice.

It would be a nice life if it were not painfully clear you had to comply with a police state. There were people out there in need of a helping hand. And instead, you were becoming just a dog of the Empire. Still, you had to bide your time. Running off meant you would have more than just Talon Company on your tail, and the other hunter had vastly more resources to find the prey.

So it was best to simply play along. For now. At least you could relax for a bit.

Knock! Knock!

Or not.

With the twin blades ready to go, the sheathes on the left and right of your waist in case of attack, you approached the door. Opening it carefully revealed a man in an Imperial Officer uniform while you stayed in the shadows.

"Yes?"

"Mr. (L/n), the Emperor summons you." This person said in a neutral tone.

You sighed. "I'll be right there."

A minute later, you came out, hood drawn and weapons ready. Oddly enough, they were confident enough to trust a newer addition with his weapons. Nor was there a demand to removed the hood. Under escort by Imperial troops, you entered the Imperial Throne Room.