Vikiontyev

The man who owns the room.

He moves through the world like a landlord through a neglected property, noting every flaw and calculating the rent. His courtesy is a blade wrapped in velvet, his laughter a smoke screen for the appraisal happening behind it. He is not cruel for cruelty's sake, that would be inefficient. He is cruel because it amuses him, and because it keeps everyone else slightly off balance.

When he offers you a drink, it is a negotiation. When he tells a joke, he is watching your face. When he smiles, count your fingers. He wants to be disliked, it makes the eventual betrayal feel earned. But he is also, against all reason, the most honest liar you will ever meet. He tells you exactly what he is. The trick is that you will not believe him until it is far too late.