A month has passed since Cherié woke up with limbs. She has registered with the adventurer guild and has reached rank C, though i did help with her contracts. Thanks to the DNI we have far better coordination without needing verbal communication. 

I've been hearing rumors about the succession crisis in the Valorite Empire. It appears that the Emperor has fallen ill due to a undercooked boar. I guess the chef is getting executed. 

I decide to head to the empire to do some intel gathering, after all war is profit, no matter the type. As we make our way there Cherié asks me what we're doing. 

-Master what are we going to do in the empire? 

-I told you not to call me that. We're going to be gathering intel about the empire. 

-What kind of intel?

-The usual, Noble secrets, embezzlement, corruption, the kind of things people pay to know or keep secret. 

We go from town to town doing adventurer work for alibis and conduct some espionage. We find the usual stuff like embezzlement or corruption, but occasionally we find a high ranking nobles secret affair or the fact they're a pedophile, some are even serial killers or junkies. 

We soon arrive at the imperial capital Valortinium. We enter a tavern to listen to rumors. Cherié decides to order a salad and some cold cuts. 

-Keep your eyes and ears open Cherié. 

-Huh? 

-Those adventurers are talking about the increasing conflict, that man in the corner is listening to everyone and that girl who just walked in has been looking at us the entire time. 

-?! 

The short brown haired girl walks by and slips me a note and sits down at the bar to blend in. I wait for Cherié to finish her food before we leave and head to where the note tells us to go. 

We enter a warehouse and see a low table and several sofas placed around it. I detect a dozen guards hiding around us. I notify  Cherié through her DNI to prep herself. 

-{Cherié, we're surrounded, prepare for anything.}

-{Understood.} 

We sit down on the sofa and see a  lady in a cloak and the brown haired girl from before come towards us. The cloaked lady sits across from us while the girl stands behind her. The lady takes of her cloak revealing her crimson ponytail, fiery red eyes and porcelain white skin. 

-Princess Valerie Valorite correct? (Snake) 

-I see you've done your homework. (Valerie) 

-I like to stay informed. (Snake) 

-I see, then you'll like my proposal. (Valerie) 

-I assume you want me to dig up some nobles dirty secret. (Snake) 

-Correct, but not just one noble but an entire faction. Michelle give him the list. (Valerie) 

-Here you go Sir. (Michelle) 

The brown haired girl hands me a list of nobles ranging from lowly knight-baron to a duke. Some I've already dug up dirt on some I've barely have any intel on. I ask the princess about the rewards. 

-What's the pay? 

-A 100,000 per noble. 

-Then we have a deal. Shall we meet here in 2 months?

-Very well then Sir Snake, but are you not going to ask why? 

-I find it best that i don't know, but if you wish. 

-I prefer my subordinates know why they work for me. I wish to see the first prince to sit on the throne, i fear the second prince is nothing but a puppet for the nobles to manipulate for their own greed. 

-Why don't you join the race? 

-I would pull more supporters from the first prince than the second. Besides, i wish to roam the world seeking adventure but i want to ensure the stability of the empire first as is my imperial duty. 

-In that case we better get to work. 

I get up and leave as Cherié follows behind me. We begin touring the empire using our adventurer work as an alibi and sneak into nearly every noblemens estate collecting incriminating documents and all sorts of closet skeletons. We even spy on nobles on the first prince faction, can never have to much intel. 

In 2 months we return to the capital to hand over our findings, in the end we walk away with 3.5 million as payment. We're even given a little extra bonus for being thorough. 

And with that the second prince's faction is in shambles. 

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(A.N school has started so I'll have to slow down uploads, but don't worry i won't be ending chapters with cliffhangers)