Chapter 11 preamble

Entreri allied with Jarlaxle again? It seems like a very odd combination, and for some people (I was one of them at first) it meant the most disturbing nightmare imaginable.I believe that there is no one in this world more cunning and scheming than Jarlaxle of the Dayet Mercenaries, the consummate opportunist and wily leader who can deftly maneuver through Rose's feces. Created a kingdom.More importantly, Jarlaxle, like any matron of Menzoberranzan, was brought up under the matriarchal social system. This mysterious Jarlaxle knew my father, Zac Nafein, and claimed that there had been a friendship between them.

How could a drow who had been friends with Zac Nafein befriended Artemis Entreri again?At first glance, this seems unusual, even ridiculous.On the other hand, I do believe that Jarlaxle's statements about past friendships are true, and I have no doubts that his current alliance with Entreri - and this is their second alliance - is real. From what I know of the two of them, I don't see anything suspicious in this union.Entreri had always been more inclined to hide in the shadows, as a weapon, to serve the highest bidder—no, not the master.I suspect Artemis Entreri never considered anyone his master.Even in the guild, he has always isolated himself as a mercenary.Of course, such an experienced mercenary could definitely find a place in the Dayet mercenary regiment, especially considering that their operations to occupy the ground required hiding their true identities and sending humans to show their faces.For Jarlaxle, therefore, joining Entreri was indeed a very favorable thing.

But between them, there is something else.From Jarlaxle's expression and tone of voice when he talked about the human, and from the fact that the mercenary leader went a long way to arrange the last battle between me and Entreri, I can tell that there is something between the two of them. , indeed there is something.The fight was arranged purely to calm Entreri's mental state, Jarlaxle could never have done it out of doing me a favor, or looking for entertainment.Perhaps he considered the killer a friend as well as Entreri's excellent skill level. But there are irreconcilable contradictions between them.

Because, while Entreri and Jarlaxle's professional skills complement each other's strengths, they have a hard time matching each other's temperament, or moral standards--two elements that seem to be necessary for a good friendship. Or maybe, it's not irreconcilable. Jarlaxle had a much wider heart than Artemis Entreri.Of course, the mercenary boss can do some pretty brutal things, but never for no reason.Practicality is the highest principle in all his actions, and his eyes are always on possible interests, but even under the influence of such efficient pragmatism, Jarlaxle's feelings often overwhelm his greed for interests. want.For example, he let me go a few times, and if he had offered my head to Matron Malyss or Matron Baenre then it would have paid off enormously.Could Artemis Entreri have been so generous?

That is totally impossible. In fact, I think that if in that tower Entreri learned that Jarlaxle had brought me back from my near-death situation, he would still try to kill me first and then throw a tantrum at Jarlaxle.That battle could well have taken place, and if it did, I believe Artemis Entreri would have found himself utterly defeated.Jarlaxle didn't have to do it himself, though he was rumored to be a good fighter and very cunning.All it took was a few of the pragmatic Jarlaxle's many deadly allies. This was the real reason why Jarlaxle was interested in Artemis Entreri and had him under his control.Jarlaxle had discovered the human's abilities and had no fear of him, for Jarlaxle possessed an excellent ability to form mutual aid alliances, while Entreri had none of it.Entreri would not try to kill Jarlaxle, because Entreri would need Jarlaxle's help.

Because Jarlaxle would find a way to make Entreri really need him.He weaves a web that surrounds him.In this web, everyone can help Jarlaxle and benefit from him at the same time; all security measures in this web--Dayette's mercenary regiment has many dangerous opponents-inevitably depend on Jarlaxle. Russo's control and his cool influence.He was the best opinion maker, the best diplomat, while Entreri was a loner, a man who had to dominate everything around him. The method Jarlaxle used was coercion.Entreri's method was control. But Entreri couldn't control anything with Jarlaxle.The mercenary leader's authority is too strong, and he is too smart, it is impossible for him to allow other people to control anything.

However, I still believe that their alliance will not collapse and their friendship will gradually grow.Of course, they will have conflict, and perhaps a rather dangerous one.Maybe Entreri knew my true whereabouts by this time, and killed Jarlaxle, or was killed trying to do so.But the longer this alliance lasts, the stronger it becomes, and their friendship grows. I say this because I believe that, in the end, Jarlaxle's outlook on life will prevail.Of the two, Artemis Entreri's abilities were limited by his personality flaws.The reason why he desires absolute control over others is precisely because he lacks the ability to trust others.While that desire has led him to be the best fighter I've ever seen, it has also led him to an empty being that he's just beginning to realize.

Therefore, Jarlaxle guaranteed the safety of Artemis Entreri, which was the basis for his hard work.Entreri, on the other hand, provided Jarlaxle and all of the Dayet mercenaries with clear access to the surface world. But on a personal level, Jarlaxle offered Entreri more. He offered him a chance to break through his personality, and let him discover that his so-called personality was not as indestructible as he had assumed.I remember the Entreri who escaped with me from Menzoberranzan, when we were both prisoners, but not in the same way.He had already joined the Dayet mercenary group at that time, but in the underground city, Artemis Entreri found an empty black mirror, and he didn't like it.So why is he back with Jarlaxle now?

It is a testament to Jarlaxle's charisma that most of the most cunning dark elves use this intuitive understanding to create needs and allies.The fact that Entreri was with Jarlaxle again told me that in the inevitable battle between their most basic views of life, temperament, and moral standards, the mercenary chief had won.Although I'm sure Entreri doesn't realize it right now.Jarlaxle helped him more because he was serving as a model for the killer than as an ally. Perhaps, with Jarlaxle's help, Artemis Entreri would emerge from his present empty existence.Or Jarlaxle would finally kill him at last.I think that no matter which of these two outcomes actually happens, the world will be a better place than it was before.

— Drizzt Do'Urden