/n/jackal-among-snakes-1520/c-633
chapter-632

Anneliese had gone to talk to Elenore, and after, she intended rejoin the research team—Argrave could feel her presence inside the parliamentary hall in his sister’s office. Raven hadn’t been lying in saying that they’d become a closed loop, sharing everything. Argrave had been lying in bed trying to think of what was to be done next to prepare when Durran came to him, spouting a rather outlandish idea.

“It was Garm’s idea, not mine,” Durran clarified as he stood in front of Argrave.

“Well… what… I mean, how… what’s the limit?” Argrave pressed, incredibly eager now that he’d heard the idea. He rose up off his bed. “He’s really willing to do that? If there were anything to get second thoughts about, this sounds like it. We’re going to have an army of the strongest people in history at our disposal—that’s what you’re telling me?”

Durran held out his hand as if to calm Argrave. “Just judging based on what Llewellen cost him, he suspects the upper limit for this matter is about thirty people. Still… he claims he’ll be able to remake them perfectly, A-rank ascension and all.”

Argrave felt like he was getting dizzy with greed after hearing that. “I’m almost tempted to ask if he’s exaggerating.”

“Check him with Anneliese, I suppose. I wouldn’t put it past him.” Durran shrugged. “There are two limits to it, though, insofar as resurrection goes. He needs either the location they died, or the location where their body is. Buried in the ground, mummified, cut into a thousand pieces—so long as the body ended up somewhere, he can catch their impression. He said it’d be best if their ashes were cremated and scattered, because that would extend the ‘net,’ so to speak.”

Argrave tapped the table. Though he had admittedly first thought of Castro, the man had died in Sandelabara. That place was buried beneath magma, now. With the limitation, he couldn’t be retrieved. But even with that limitation…

“I think I should help him pick the right people,” Argrave proposed.

Durran’s face scrunched up and he crossed his arms. “He was pretty adamant about doing this on his own after we get the body parts.”

“Hell, Durran.” Argrave paced around his bedroom. “We could bring back just about anyone. I could scan through the wiki for days picking out the right people.”

Durran held out a cautionary hand. “For my sake, I hope you be careful—he’s very attached to doing this, and if you try and usurp his role, I’m not certain he wouldn’t kill himself just to get back inside my head, torment me.”

Argrave briefly weighed if it was worth pissing off Durran to exert control over the project, but dismissed the idea—he didn’t care to make things tenser than they already were. Orion still hadn’t even spoken to him, and Elenore kept an unpleasant distance between them.

“He’ll at least speak to me,” Argrave hoped.

“I’m sure he will.” Durran nodded. “Considering how enthusiastic you’re being, I assume you don’t have any objections about this?”

“None at all. Rather, I’d have an objection if you didn’t go, now that I know Garm is fully willing.” Argrave rubbed his hands together. “Don’t worry—I managed to change Garm’s mind once before. I think I know how to get through to him.”

“I don’t think I sounded worried,” Durran said disaffectedly. “I’ll look forward to it. I’m sure the illustrious Argrave, leader of the Blackgard Union, king of Vasquer, ruler of all the Great Chu, will succeed where I failed. He can overcome any challenge, after all.”