Queen Regent Beatrice Black sat in her ornate estate, not a grandiose throne room by any means, but it had a large chair in a room of black and purple fabrics.
By her side was her advisor, Lina Madison. Far more level headed than her sister, she was the one who kept the policies and books in order while Beatrice did more important things, like this meeting with a mercenary, for instance.
"So, you're the Dark Avenger? The strong, swift hero who delivers riotous vagabonds and all manner of scofflaws to the court's custody?"
Kaneko remained silent for a really long time. "...Ye-"
"Why are you so small? I can accept that you're a girl, but you're simply smaller than many children I've seen in this country. How old are you, eight? Nine?"
"...F-forty three..." sputtered Kaneko. Things like this are why she opted for stealth and discretion when she could help it.
"I'm more confused than ever by that response." Beatrice looked ready to throw Kaneko out of her home.
"I learned how to maintain this apparent age strategically from a Tibetan monastery."
"..."
"A Tibetan monastery in Peru."
"You! ... you just say sillier things every time I ask so I'll stop. You're here because the onsen is going to be the location for a business meeting tonight between local and foreign merchants and I want you to tell me their crooked dealings. Do you think you can handle that? In between third grade homework and making up nonsense?"
"Y-yes ma'am." Konoko really was honest, and the absurdity of her life just drove her further into the shadows. She knew already that the local businesses wanted to form a breakaway society from the monarchy, because a Peruvian Tibetan monk had texted her as much earlier while she was at a café. This was going to be interesting.
