Next?

"With this underdo... I beg you pardon, 'Master Alchemist'?" - Mrak set the wine in front of his guest and leaned against the wall. The Ambassador's sense of smell was sharper than Garben's, and she immediately set the goblet aside. - "I haven't yet decided. But we have a... situation here. On the one hand, he should be sent quietly to the rack."
"Mmmmmmmm," Count firmly disagreed.
"On the other hand, if you and I are to talk about business, he is a third wheel," Mrak thought out loud, "By the way, I can deal with him not worse than the Inverland Executioner."
"Mmmmmmmmm," Parabalsamico protested even more loudly.
"Still, I have some doubts," Mrak suddenly fell silent, as he had no intention of informing Ambassador of the Count's 'key to the tricky cipher', "I may yet need him," the Garben concluded.
"Mmmmmm," the Count nodded, emphasizing his willingness to cooperate with the Spymaster.
"Do you have any water, Ser Garben?" Ambassador asked, "I'm not quite in the mood for wine tonight." Mrak looked around. Water, as well as food, was stored on the ground floor of the cottage on the moors. There was also her majesty's cloak and Lord Nero's gift scabbard. And a lot of other stuff that would be better to keep off Aida Saigaqh, the Gorgoth Empire's representative in Samreignia. "Should have bought a house with a cellar. Putting a torture chamber on the second floor was a bad idea!" - Mrak scolded himself. He would have looked from prisoner to door and back again for a long time if not for Ambassador.
"Ser Garben, I can go down for water myself..." - Saigaqh suggested. "The damned Gorgothian witch is reading my mind," thought Mrak obligingly smiling.
"You need not trouble yourself, Mistress Ambassador. I'll bring you whatever you want. Appreciate it if you'd read out the full list, though. So I don't have to leave you and my prisoner again"
"Chocolate," Aida nodded, "I would very much like chocolate." "So off you go to your beloved Za'Thras," Garben wanted to reply. But, of course, he knew the importance of etiquette.
"I'm afraid I don't have any," he lied.
"Indeed, Ser Graben?" - Aida pulled out a hairpin and put it on the table, "From what I know, your men requisitioned a cargo bound for Abberlore from Za'Thras," She parted her hair, "Are you trying to convince me that you've consumed all eight kilos of excellent Gorgothian chocolate in just two days?"
"I know nothing of the requisition. But I'll take a look through my private stock," Mrak grudgingly muttered and left the room, leaving the door open.
"Mmmmmmm?" - The Count pleaded.
"Silence!" - shouted Garben from the first floor.
When Mrak returned to the second floor a few minutes later with a mug of water and a slice of excellent Gorgothian chocolate, he caught the following picture. Parabalsamico, still gagged was standing by the window and trying to untie the knot in the rope binding his legs. Madam Ambassador was lying on the floor, apparently stunned. Or even worse.
Parabalsamico's eyes bulged with horror. Without hesitation he leaped through the window, ramming the glass with his head. Garben heard a distinctive crack and splash of water - it was the sound of Count's landing in the frozen swamp. Mrak wanted to rush after him. But before he did, he noticed that the ropes left by Parabalsamico near the fireplace were on fire. When he sorted that problem out and went in pursuit, Aida Saigaqh regained consciousness. She moved her leg so unluckily that the head of the Inverland spies sprawled out on the floor beside her. Outside the window, the Earl was flopping swiftly down the pathю The moment was gone as well as the prisoner. Mrak had no choice but to cheer himself up by the fact that he had after all regained her majesty's cloak (one unit) and the gift scabbard (one unit). "May the dragon devour him, choke with him, spit him out and devour him again!" - This time Garben did not hesitate to speak rudely in the presence of the noble lady.
Mrak could not get out from Aida what had happened while he was gone for water and chocolate. She was vague and confused, constantly clutching at the back of her head and complaining of a headache. When it came to business, however, she showed impressive poise and sobriety of thought.
At first, Garben thought he would be asked to "find" the cargo, which was "mistakenly" considered requisitioned. But matters were far more serious. According to Madame Ambassador, it was time to review the state borders of the Gorgoth Empire, Inverland, and Samreignia. The Emperor, she said, was tired of wasting money on maintaining the defenses of New Hardarm. He even agreed to hand it over to Inverland in the nearest future. Furthermore, the Gorgoth raids on the northern frontiers of her majesty's lands would also cease. For all these things to become reality Ser Garben just had to go along and accept Madame Ambassador's offer. Mrak, of course, asked if the Emperor was in good mental health and if his highness' appetite was alright. For returning all his hard-won gains to Inverland so easily didn't match up with the Emperor's former intentions. It turned out that the Emperor's mind was doing just fine. As well as his appetite. Because in exchange for his generosity he wanted to grab both, Cutthroat Castle and Aetherford.
"How's he going to do that? Last time I checked Gorgoth Empire had a peace treaty with Samreignia. As for Cutthroats and Aetherford they are under the protectorate of Samreignia" - Mrak inquired.
"I have a couple of ideas," Aida replied and took a bite of chocolate.

The event, which remains in Samreignia's history as the "Swamp Meeting," passed quickly and without significant bartering. Ambassador Saigaqh took her hairpin from the table, went down to the street, saddled her horse, and let it trot in the direction of Abberlore.
She was exceptionally pleased with the evening. Confused by this Parabalsamico, Ser Garben hadn't even noticed that the Gorgoth Empire was putting all the dirty work on him. If anything went wrong - the culprit could easily be handed over to Ferdinand II as a gift. Cutting Count's bonds was also easier than she had expected - a miniature dagger disguised as a hairpin was more than enough for this task. In addition, she took possession of Master Physalis' map. King Ferdinand II, with whom Aida has scheduled an audience in two months, was addicted to booze, gambling, feminine beauty and ...freebies.