As if he had not just seen someone skinned alive, the count starts laughing.

"Bahaha!  You are a great guy!" 

I watch his face turn red.  Yep, still laughing.

"Ahaha... This - pfft - is the - heh - most delightful thing I've ever - hahahaha..." 

His loud laughter is starting to aggravate my headache.

Let's try not killing him... 

Due to the splitting headache, my control is slipping.  There is no time to carefully shift.  Instead, I leap.

"Urgh!"

The count stops laughing and frees his arms to grab his throat.  He is choking.  Candy-corn lips and Ms. clearly underage are flung to the ground in the process, but they seem too drugged to mind.

Curiously, the scholarly fellow simply continues sipping his whiskey; must be good whiskey.  Maybe I'll try it after I killed him. 

My head is still pounding.  Luckily, Colossus the Second catches my eye.  He is big enough for me to do something drastic.  Multiple images compete in my head before I settle on one outcome, one vision. 

He screams while his skin and then his flesh turn into hot chocolate.  Within seconds, only his bones are left.  Meanwhile, I jumped on the table to avoid my newly created shoes getting soiled by the molten chocolate. 

Well, I should not kid myself:  my main goal was jumping on the table.  Coming up with fake justifications for impulsive actions is a waste of time. 

Immediately leaping to an if with such a big difference was enough to take the edge of my headache. 

After all, except for the color, the hot chocolate has little in common with human skin.  I'm surprised that leaping from a skinless human covered in molten chocolate to chocolate-covered bones was less demanding.

Since I stabilized the situation, my attention returns to my main target: the count.  He is no longer choking.  Judging by his blue lips it's because he's finished.

"Damn!"

Oh well, if he was that week, I doubt he mattered anyway. 

Now, who's still alive?  We got the scholarly fellow, candy-corn and Miss clearly underage.  Scholarly fellow finally put his whiskey down and is staring at me. 

"What's up?"

"I am wondering who will win, you or the king."

"How do you know the count?" 

"You mean the viscount?" 

"Count, viscount, it hardly matters to me."

"There is a difference."

"I am aware.  One is annoyingly longer than the other."

"Would a man who values his time not choose another method to get what he wants?" 

"Some things are worth the time, others are even necessary."

"Turning that man into chocolate was necessary?" 

"Do you know where the king is?  If so, I'm happy to continue this little AMA."

"If not?" 

My gaze falls on the two drugged chicks.  Except for him, they are the only ones left.  I sigh.  It's better if they don't come to their senses. 

A layer of ice starts forming on Miss clearly underage's silver dyed hair.  A second later, it covers her face, her neck, her shoulders, arms, torso,...  Spreading faster and faster until finally even her feet are entombed in blocks of ice.

Next up, candy-corn... 

"Wait!" 

Huh?  I did not expect this fellow would care about anyone but himself.

"I'm waiting."

"I do know where the king is."

"And when are you planning to tell me?" 

"After you promise me that you will not kill or otherwise harm Miss Lin."

I don't even need to consider that offer.

"That's Miss Lin, correct?" I ask and point at candy-corn.

"Yes." 

"Deal.  I promise not to harm her if you lead me to the king of the KLF."

"I'm King Luis."

"Really?  You don't look like someone who could punch through a human body.  Besides, your security is abysmal."

"I see.  You must be looking for my general, Duke Kaos."

"That's an ominous name."

"..."

"Well, where is he?" 

"I fulfilled my promise.  Kill me and keep yours."

"..."

The hell?  Did I get played?! 

"You seem like a pleasant fellow.  Why don't I give you another chance and..." 

"Don't.  I won't tell you."

"..." 

I like this Luis fellow.

"Luis, let's be mates!" 

"..." 

I give him my best grin and pick up his glass of whiskey from the table, emptying it in one gulp.

It's good.  Probably the best I've had. 

Luis looks at me strangely.

Turning my back on him, I put my bag on the table and start searching for something to shift into rope.  Although we just became mates, it doesn't mean I suddenly trust Luis. 

"Why won't you kill me?"  Luis asks in a strange tone of voice.

"Because you're my mate, of course!" 

I can't give my mates just any old death.  The last time I made a friend it took me two years to think of an appropriate death for him.

Dental floss, great!

I break the casing open and take out the role of floss before I start to unravel it.  Nothing happens until one end of it touches the floor and a change happens: it turns into a sturdy cable.

"Are there no limits to your ability?" 

"Ability?" 

"It's transmutation, I assume."

"Limits?  Yes.  Transmutation?  No." 

The rope is complete.  I turn around to find King Luid holding a knife to his throat.

If he's that determined... 

"By all means, don't let me keep you."