The return of the inquisition

A couple of days later you come to consciousness mid-way through the morning. This time Melona and company aren't trying to sneak up on you, so your outermost wards give you fair warning of their approach. All of the inquisitors are present, as are all the previous dinner guests, but many of the troops and lower ranking officers are missing. Within a few minutes of conversation you hear that some have stayed behind to enure the King's peace in count Velcorrin's lands. Or rather, the former count's lands - it appears that he chose to take his own life with a vial of poison as soon as the inquisitors located his secret escape tunnel.

Melona is quite displeased that he won't be standing trial, but for you this is quite advantageous. Dead men tell no tales, and all that. When you start asking about what they found you get quite a surprise. Not only did Count Velcorrin have his fingers in a dozen dirty pies but his eldest son was also involved up to his eyeballs. The inquisition are always carefully watched in case they accuse innocent lords for their own ends, so as a result they are quite public about what they find. It's rare for them to speak of so much so quickly, which tells you they have real, solid evidence of his actions. Sure enough, diaries and dark ledgers are mentioned - Velcorrin was deep in debt and he and his heir were making deals with illegal ****-traders, foreign kings, organizers of underground '**** games', pirates - yes, even though his lands didn't border a coastline... the list goes on and on. It even includes some cabal that wanted to overthrow the king.

You have to conceal your thoughts when Melona is near, but it's such a list you let one slip out.

"Yes," she says in response to your thought, "it would almost be easier to list the things he wasn't involved in."

"Who will replace him as count?" asks Lessia. She may not be as politically savvy as her sisters but she's still a princess and must have been **** to learn an enormous amount about successions of every kind by her teachers.

"That's not the inquisition's business. However, I suspect the entire county will be reorganized."

"Really?"

"Yes. He and his heir are both dead, his other son died years ago in mysterious circumstances. The only family closer to him than a great-cousin died two months ago. The family line is extinct, with the possible exception of a single great-cousin who was exiled for treason. It's up to the King and his councillors, but I see no option other than to tear it down and begin anew."

That leaves both of you speechless. You did know some of Velcorrin's troubles, but you didn't realize how withered his family and finances were. His **** now moves from convenient right up to fantastically useful, a thought you fight to keep hidden. "Will you be staying for dinner again?" you ask her.

"The inquisition can only impose on a lord once a month."

"It's not an imposition if I am the one offering. Besides, most of the catgirls are still gossiping about the first dinner. It does them good to see and hear more human beings."

"Don't they go into the capital?" asks Melona.

"Many of them do, though it's a recent trend. And many more are rather shy."

"Well then - it would be my pleasure."

Most of a day later...

With more time to prepare for a formal dinner, and a previous dinner under their belt, Lessia and your catgirls manage to do a fantastic job. You use the opportunity as an excuse to send many more catgirls out into the city to fetch various ingredients, wines and so forth. A perfect way to ingratiate them to the various local merchants - a cute girl with money to spend is a very welcome customer.

At the mansion other catgirls are eager to spend time with the soldiers. As they are no longer on the warpath things are more relaxed. Most of the lower ranks are going to be heading home soon, you would imagine, so the Sargents and lower ranking officers are less concerned about discipline than last time. A bunch of catgirls who are very curious about the art of combat are a novelty, and Yvonne, Renee and many former mercenaries lead the way in asking questions and testing skills.

None of your girls can remember any formal training, of course, but the fighting styles and skills they once learned tend to shine through. And catgirl reflexes and dexterity mean that even some girls who were never given any form of martial training are still so quick and accurate that they can give each other a run for their money. It's a spectacle - none of these soldiers will have seen so many women in one place eager to learn to fight.

Shortly before dinner Sargent Major Corvy comes and finds you. He's a man of few words, he grumbles a lot and you're sure that he knows more about war than any two other people in his army. "You've got quite the pack of dangerous women here," he says, sounding impressed. "Lots of potential."

"I can only claim credit for curing them. With so many catgirls born compared to catboys they're naturally more inclined to hunting, stealth, combat - all the things human women are generally happy to leave to men."

He chews that over for a bit. Then he says. "You've fought. You feel the winds rising?" It's half question, half statement.

As someone who has spent a lot of time on the battlefield you know he means the winds of war. You nod. "What gave it away?"

"Larders are overstocked but you're sending out for more. You've got outbuildings, freshly built, on the road in - easy to remake into strongholds. I saw the well seasoned wood, the cured leather, the fine iron ore ready for the forge." He nods to himself. "A man prepared and all that, but you're so prepared it'll cost you if you're wrong."

"I've always liked to be prepared, but you're not wrong. What does the inquisition think?"

He sighs. "That's not a battle they can fight. They told me long ago - they keep nobles from betraying the King, but if the floodgates ever open they have to stand aside and stay in the monasteries. Otherwise everyone says they put the new King on his throne." He paces and adds "But nothing's started yet. Not while the King still lives. Men that retired now, or found service elsewhere, they'd be able to stand and fight."

"It's funny you should say that. I happen to have been looking for experienced soldiers - especially those who would make good trainers. Many of these catgirls were probably trained in combat once and it would be a shame for them to forget those skills."

He nods. "Wouldn't be me alone."

"Good. As you've seen from my preparations I'm feeling a lot freer with gold and silver than usual right now."

"That never hurts," he says. "There are others that feel the same as me. Not just here, but elsewhere too. If I had the time to talk to them. What about family?"

"From the sound of things I will soon have some new lands. That's the way these things almost always work out - each of the nobles around Velcorrin's county taking a bit here and a bit there. It would only make sense to bring families in to settle that land. And every army prefers to have their families behind them."

Corvy nods again and shakes your hand. "How much time do you think I have?"

"I believe the King will live another two months, possibly a bit longer. And I expect hostilities will begin somewhere within two months after that."

"One other thing," he asks. "What are your thoughts on soldiers and catgirls -eh- what's the lordly word for it? 'Fraternizing'?"

"Given I've got an entire mansion full of young and curious catgirls I expect it. The fact they can't have children with humans without a spell is quite the advantage."

"Right, right. But what if some want more than a night of fun?"

"There are plenty of churches nearby. Not that I want it widely known, but I do feel responsible for these catgirls. I can't offer a huge dowry for each one, but I can provide plots of land, some funds and loans to start things off - particularly for girls who've already got some little ones to care for. I do want to see these girls have a chance at happiness."

"Perfect. I think it'll go a long ways to convincing some people to join you."