A mont later...
"So. Why so much mystery?" Ikaris asked Asselin seriously. "Does recomnding a Healer for to recrut really require that much caution?"
The nobleman sipped a sip of his tea elegantly, then putting it back down claid, "If you're looking for a good Healer, my clan can provide it."
Ikaris paused. Malia, who had regained her usual composure, confird Asselin's words, "He's right. The Solostar clan can et your requirents in this matter."
"Explain." The boy crossed his arms, staring at Asselin.
The blond boy sighed, then after sipping a second sip began to narrate,
"As you know, my Solostar clan was one of the three most influential aristocratic clans in the Kingdom of Hadrakin, along with the Torfiel clan and the royal family. This is not just because of my grandfather. What I'm about to say now is not confidential and the entire upper aristocratic circle of Hadrakin knew about it. However, I would prefer that it not get out in public now that I am a Lord of the Warring Lands."
Ikaris scrutinized him for a few seconds, then swore ceremoniously. "My lips are sealed."
Satisfied, Asselin continued, "The reason our three clans are unchallenged is because all of our descendants are known to be High Humans. A vague term to convey the idea that we look like humans, but all our attributes are far superior. Not to blow my own horn, but we're generally handso, tall, smart, strong, and magically gifted."
Kellam and Taguchi snorted. The blond boy put on a wry smile and sheepishly confessed, "The truth is, as is often the case, a bit more complicated. My Solostar Clan is known as a special race of humans: the Wenx.
"I rember that." Malia exclaid. "You told about them once. You are gifted with healing magic and are immune to all diseases. You also heal faster than other humans."
"That's right, but I hadn't told you everything." Asselin nodded." The term Wenx is a word invented by our clan to hide our true origins. Wenx exist in the Forsaken Lands, but other than being humans who live a little older and rarely get sick we have little in common. My clan has simply used this race as a cover. The truth is, we are Nephilims. Exactly like the descendants of House Morgunis."
"You're a Nephilim?" Malia was still unfamiliar with the word, but Ikaris had beco an expert on the subject.
Although he was surprised, the question that ca to him spontaneously was, " Of which Saint?"
Asselin's eyes widened unnoticeably, but he answered anyway in a steady voice, "Sylph."
Ikaris dove into his mories and the description of a certain Minor Saint flashed quickly through his mind.
'Sylph, Saint of Health and dicine. She was the second daughter of Zar. It was said that before she transcended her mortal condition her body had beco so strong that she could withstand and recover from all kinds of tornts. Her magic and dical skills were also legendary, enabling her to ward off the harshest of epidemics.' He recited ntally.
Sylph's statue was built in every clinic and hospital in the Forsaken Lands. It was one of the few Minor Saints whose number of believers could compare to that of several Major Saints. Although she was reputedly idle, miraculous healings were often credited to her, which explained the generous offerings her temples kept collecting despite her silence.
And she would have a whole clan of descendants? If Ikaris rembered correctly what Magnus had told him, Sylph had never married, nor had she given birth. She was known as an eternal spinster, living only for dicine.
Needless to say, he asked Asselin about this. The nobleman anxiously double checked that the isolating force field was still on, then apologized, "It's not that I don't want to tell you the truth, but it may not be without risk. I may be her descendant, but even though Sylph hasn't revealed herself in a long ti, I'm afraid it's still a taboo topic.
Ikaris understood his point. Unfazed, he calmly said,
"If you can't say it, it's not important. Getting back to my Healer, I guess that's where your clan cos in. Do you have a cousin or soone like that to recomnd? Why? What's in it for you? Don't tell it's because of our friendship. You've known Malia for a long ti, but you don't know . You have no reason to trust and reveal the secrets of your clan to a stranger unless you have other, less avowed intentions. You want to plant a spy in my territory to monitor ?"
Asselin stopped beating around the bush and answered frankly, "When I chose the Orchard Basin as my territory, I did not yet know that my parents and many survivors from my clan were still alive. My current situation is much better than yours, but it is not as optimistic as one might think. Cutthroat Island harbors a Tartarus Gate, but this region has hosted a Lord in the past. You knew it would be dangerous. Orchard Basin has never had a Lord and it is a totally undocunted area. I had no idea what to expect. It was okay when it was just and Toby, but with the arrival of my family, Charlotte's clan, and the other survivors they've gathered there are now over 20,000 of us."
'That many?' Ikaris and the others were stunned.
With that many inhabitants, Asselin could already establish a county. And those 20,000 inhabitants had all paid a substantial amount of gold to arrive through Tartarus Shade's Main Transportation Portal. There must have been many more survivors at the beginning, but the Solostar and Wymphine clans had sorted them out first.
Those who resided in Asselin's territory were the elite of the elite, or at least trusted people that these two clans could not do without. But then, what was the issue?
Asselin provided the answer in the next sentence, "20,000 people coming in all at once is a lot of people. Their entrance was noticed. The Orchard Basin is a wild and inhospitable territory filled with lush forests, plains and orchards, as its na suggests. The fauna as well as the flora are formidable and there's quite a few very territorial Magical Beasts and Spirit Beasts there. For the mont, only a few Magical Beasts near my village have attacked us, but the hordes of Demonic Beasts they have rallied have already caused hundreds of deaths. As I speak, my father and his trusted n are managing the front, but his best n are only Master Sorcerers. The few Grandmaster Sorcerers from my clan who served my grandfather stayed behind to buy ti. They have not been heard from since the fall of Anor. My father himself is only a First Class Master Sorcerer. With our bloodline, he can compete with Second Class Grandmaster Sorcerer humans at best. That is the equivalent of a mid-Rank 6 Magical Beast... If our population continues to grow and our territory continues to expand, we will eventually encroach on the domain of a creature we cannot resist."
Ikaris was growing more and more skeptical. "I don't see how I can be of any help..."
"I just want you to promise a way out. Not just for or Toby or my imdiate family, but all my citizens if my nation's circumstances reach a point of no return."
Ikaris did not readily accept. Welcoming so many refugees, including Master Sorcerers into his territory was dangerous but not impossible. Not right now, but in the not-too-distant future he was confident that he and Last Saint could handle such an influx of immigrants.
However, he still had to be wary.
" What else?" He pushed on with an austere air. "What you're describing is a desperate situation. I don't think you've been there before. Especially since my territory also faces serious threats. There's nothing to say that your people would gain anything by taking refuge in my ho..."
Asselin chuckled. "True, haha. I'm pretty sensitive to the physical condition of the living beings around . Toby doesn't suspect anything, but how could I not notice that your physical abilities have skyrocketed. You're still not a Novice Sorcerer, but you can already compete with most Body Sorcerers. If in the future my kingdom faces an enemy it cannot defeat, I would like you to honor your promise as an ally to co to my aid when the day cos."
"Is that all?" Ikaris questioned again.
"...And my Orchard Basin has only greenery. No mountains, no ore, nothing. Just greenery. I want to establish a trade agreent between our two nations."
"Deal."
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