Patrick P.O.V.
“You could have brought your own supplies.” Jeff complains as Quinn continues to sample his food.
“We did bring our own.” Frank jumps in unhelpfully, “But those are emergency rations, all nutrition no taste. These are much better.”
I could see the vein in Jeff’s forehead was getting ready to burst but I didn’t care much. It has been a long time since we were last in this part of the kingdom, in fact it was after our last mission there that we remained in the capital for extra training.
“You know why we were the ones chosen for this?” Quinn asked.
“Most likely because the Duke knows us best of any of the squads.” I answer. “The crown prince doubts there will be another attempt on him so a friendly face is better.”
“I’m just glad to get out of the capital.” Frank stretches his arms. “I like the progress I made in these last decade and all but we could use a break.
“The king is about to step down.” Quinn points out. “There will be a lot of changes in the squads when that happens, we might even move up to squad two.”
We grew faster in this last decade than we did at any other time since the war ended yet I couldn’t help but feel as if we were slow. I know that the weaker you are and the younger you are the easier it is to make gains but I still remember Duke Hearthbound as the weak low-stated boy who bravely struggled against a vampire more than five times his level. Now he was strong enough to take a spot on one of the squads, only as a specialized antimagic fighter but that was still unprecedented for his age.
“What does the crown want from him?” Frank asked Jeff.
“Frank…” I try to bring him in line a little, we are not supposed to press for information.
“Come on, you have to be curious as well.” Frank complained. “They granted him the lands less than a year ago and already they are sending a representative to discuss terms weeks before he will arrive in the capital. That’s without mentioning the assassination attempt on his life.”
I maintained my frown but on the inside I very much agreed with Frank, something had changed, seeing as we were sent out after Jeff already had a two day head start and he was sent out on a moment's notice himself it had to be something recent.
“I heard he made an alchemical discovery.” Quinn offered, her noble contacts as always making sure she was a lot more informed of recent news than any of us. “Something to do with rock building.”
“We’re not going there for his cement recipe.” All of us fell silent as Jeff joined the conversation. “We’re all working for the crown so I can tell you that we expect the assassins came from the Empire but not on behalf of the Emperor.”
“He got hit by an elite hit squad, what did he do? humiliate one of their landed Dukes?” Frank asked, a hint of unmasked glee in his voice. Frank's newest niece was half elf and his opinions on the Empire had become more negative since he started babysitting her about once a week.
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“I don’t see how he would have humiliated a Duke.” Quinn frowned a little in confusion, the small frown showed how much she trusted us that her social Skills didn’t maintain her perfect blank expression. “House Hearthbound wouldn’t be taking part in any of the duels, not the Duke anyway.”
“There was an… incident. House Septimus almost injured the Duke’s nephew. The shadow cat intervened.” Jeff said. “Long story short the eldest heir of House Septimus dueled the Duke, and he lost. He also lost all their slaves to House Hearthbound in that duel. That’s why I’m going there.”
A new way to get reliable building material and a massive increase in workforce. That makes a lot more sense as to why the crown is so quick to react, the capital won’t have any large issues when it comes to feeding an increasingly larger population but shelter is another matter, if they don’t want the slums to expand rapidly even to the outside of the city they need to start building infrastructure.
“I can see how he might have provoked an imperial Duke to try and have him assassinated.” Frank said with a chuckle. “I do wish that we weren’t playing babysitter on the way there as well.”
A few noble families had decided to take advantage of the opportunity and attached a few of their youngest scions to the trip, something about a new academy in Lessis. I could tell it was all a ploy to try and make a connection with the new ducal House but seeing as everything was set up by Ajax Hearthbound the kids might end up really benefiting.
The two week long trip was calm and unpredictable. It was also very boring, we did pick up the trail of what we thought was a small bandit camp but it turned out to be just some village hunters who were sick and tired of increasing merchant prices and thought they were strong enough to make their own rules.
“Now this I could get used to.” Quinn said a minute after the carriage got pulled on the cement roads. I had to admit it was a much smoother ride, not only that but it also let us move a lot faster, I could see the horses straining much less to pull the carriages.
It was almost afternoon as we approached Lessis, the sun was high in the sky
“Patrick, so they sent you.” I clearly recognise Lancel’s voice, all of the squads know him from our training with Duke Manashaper, the champion level retainer was usually at the Duke’s side until he left the capital with Lady Manashaper.
“They sent a whole squad.” I replied. “ I doubt anyone will so quickly try another attempt after one failure, do you think they might try again?”
“Not under usual circumstances.” Lancel agrees with my assessment. “But then again there is nothing usual about Duke Hearthbound. Jeff, is that you? It’s great to see you again, why are there so many carriages?”
“New students.” Frank chimed in to the conversation. “ You know how things like this go, this is an opportunity to make a connection with a ducal House.
“I made sure all of the nobles brought with them a sufficiently heavy coin purse.” Jeff said as he approached Lancel. “Might I ask that I be led to my accommodations, in an hour's time I’ll be ready to meet with the Duke, I am here to discuss business.”
An hour was a very short time for us to explore the city, doubly so considering how much has changed since we were last here. The size of the city increased considerably, most of the new buildings were built with the same smooth rocky substance the roads were made out of and they even added an arena.
I sent Frank to have a look around and see what information he could find out about the school and the quarry that House Hearthbound had added since they took over. I knew that Rex would have most likely already done so as he passed through here but we’d return to the capital before he did so it was up to us to do at least a surface check of the place.
“You want to build a new city, on the edge of the lake?” there was something in the way Jeff said this that made me question what was wrong with building a new city.
“We are about to have an influx of twenty thousand former slaves.” Elija Hearthbound responded. “While we recognise that most will initially stay around Lessis and hopefully work in the quarry the city simply cannot house this many people long term, we will eventually have to build a new city.”
“I see they might be holding a grudge against the Empire for the attack.” Quinn whispered to me. “With the new city placed there House Hearthbound would be able to essentially cut off more than half the trade routes to the Empire.”
As logical as that sounded I couldn’t help but think there was another reason they wanted the city built there. If they were looking to strike back at the Empire as a whole through commerce Elija should be leading the charge yet both times Jeff suggested a different location for the city he looked towards Ajax.
“You know I blame you for all this.” Quinn said with a joking tone after spending three hours listening to the negotiations. “If you hadn’t insisted I heal up the kid the vampire poisoned a few years back we wouldn’t have had to stay and listen to all that.
“I’m quite glad you healed that kid.” Both Quinn and I turn to find Ajax standing right behind us.
“Duke Hearthbound, I meant…” Not even Quinn’s social Skills could stop her face from reddening with embarrassment.
While Quinn was struggling through an apology however I focused on Ajax’s presence. He had snuck up on us and I hadn’t even realized it until he spoke. I could feel a light sheen of Shadow Mana even now coating his entire body. Normally I would have been able to feel his Aura but after spending three hours in the same room it just became part of the background.
“It’s fine.” Ajax reassured Quinn with a smile. “I’m actually glad they sent your squad. We should be ready to head out in a day or two.”