Payback

Clieve's Champer Clive: Trouble with the ledgers? Shouldn't he be asking Otto for help?

The Mess Gaute : Clive, did you get my letter? Clive : That's why I'm here. Gaute: Shhh! Otto might be listening! Clive : Is this better? Gaute: A little. ListenI have some bad news. It turns out the hideaway may be slightly behind in its payment to certain lenders. And...it may be my fault... But I swear to the goddess, I thought I had the numbers square! Sadly, that square turned out to be more of a...circle. A zero, you might say. I can straighten it out, I swear, but...it's going to take some time, and... ...I'm going to need help keeping it from Otto. Otto : Bit late for that, I'd say. Gaute: There you are! What a surprise! Otto : So lie me get this straightyou forget to pay our lenders what they're due... ...and instead of coming straight to me... you get Clieve to come to you, in the hope he'll dig you out of the hole you've dug for youself. Clive. The man in charge of the place you\ve been cheerfully trying to bankrupt. And you thought this was a cunning plan, why? Well, Who needs paying? Gaute: Oh, just Martha...... and the Dame...... and, well, Lady Charon. But only five hundred talents. Otto: We owe three of our most trusted friends five million gil? Gaute: Each. Five million each. They lent us the bulk of the money we used to rebuild the hideaway, you see, and, well, I must have made some sort of... oversight. Otto: Those ledgers were my responsibility. And it was my decision to entrust them to you. This is my fault. Clive: Do we have that much to hand? I can always ask my uncle Otto: No, we don't. And no, you won't. We've lightened Lord Rosfield's purse enough. After the king's ransom we had off him, he deserves better than to see our begging bowl. Besides, we'll need to learn to stand on our own if we're going to make this work. Clive: Alright, but that doesn't mean you have to shoulder the burden yourself. Is there anything I can do to help? Otto: There might be. How do you fancy taking these to Martha and the Dame? Clive: Rocks. Otto: Rocks, he says. Worth a thousand talents apiece, these are. A little something Cid and I set aside for... when times got lean. And I reckon fifteen millions in overdue debt probably qualifies. Just hope our associates' eyes are a bit more discerning than yours. Clive: I'm sure they will be. Otto: Should be me making the rounds, really... ...but you know how it is with this place. Orders to bark, arses to wipe, and all that. Clive: I know. Which is why I don't mind going in your place. Otto: Gaute. Do you know why I only gave Master Clive here two star rubies? Gaute: Because...you'd rather Lady Charon killed me? Otto: Because I'd rather Lady Charon killed you, yes. Gaute: Well, I suppose this is goodbye, then. Clive: Don't worry. I'm sure Charon will understand. Gaute: Really? Do you think so? Clive: No. I don't.