Цитаты из произведения So You Want to Be a Villain? — стр. 2

Threats are useless unless you have previously committed to the level of violence your are threatening to use. Make examples of the enemies you cannot control so those that you can will be cowed. This is the foundation of ruling.

“Gaining power’s a lot like scaling a tower, Chancellor. The longer you do, the more likely you are to fall.” – Dread Empress Regalia the First, before ordering her Chancellor thrown out the window

“You’re not a civilian,” Abase told me. “Use the warrior’s salute.” I raised an eyebrow but clasped his arm like he’d showed me. Praesi and their rituals. I’m surprised they can use a chamber pot without doing a special dance first.

“So,” I said. “Teach me swordsmanship.” He smiled. “I’m not going to teach you anything of the sort.” “That seems a little counterproductive,” I commented. “Swordsmanship,” he continued, “is the tame sport they teach noble children. It’s a matter of forms and rules, as useful on the battlefield as a blunted blade.” The…

“That’s your answer?” she growled. “It’d be too hard? Too hard, not to become another tool of the Empire instead of doing the right thing?” “I’m all for doing the right thing,” I replied flatly. “As long as it’s not also the dumb thing. This isn’t a story, you twit. We’re living this. If we fuck up, real people are going…

The sharp edge bit into the leather gloves she wore, drawing a thin trickle of blood as she stepped back and started circling around me. “First blood to me,” I spoke quietly. She laughed. “Last blood’s the only one that matters,” she replied, and rushed forward again.

“There’s only one choice in life, Squire,” my doppelganger said with a flash of teeth. “You can be someone who makes things happen, or someone things happen to. Let’s find out which you are, shall we?”

There’d been a sermon in the House of Light, once, about devils. The sister preaching had told us that the real ones, the dangerous ones, didn’t bluster about stealing innocent souls and breaking their word. They gave you exactly what you wanted and let you find your own way to the Hells with it.

“Catherine, I’ve done you the courtesy of not taking you for an imbecile,” he murmured. “This conversation will go much more smoothly if you afford me the same.”