Chapter 452
“How did you know they would be able to learn how to use their mana?” Xavier asked Ajax as they approached the capital.
While almost all beastkin could learn to use their mana, getting the skill was a different matter. That both of the slaves Ajax bought had managed to gain [Sense Mana] in a week under his and Lexi’s guidance was sothing very important to question.
“Desperation.” Ajax explained. “You most often gain skills when you are under pressure. I am sure both of them must have been pushed so close to death from their bad living conditions that they instinctively used mana. A little dedicated effort to use it consciously was all it took.”
Ajax was very happy with his investnt into new retainers. While both of the slaves still looked at him and Lexi with wariness after a week they stopped flinching whenever they raised their hand while in striking distance.
“I’m more interested in that eye the little gal’s got.” one of their guards said as he looked towards the painfully thin beastkin that was still wearing her collar. “I know about [Heat Vision], quite a few monsters with it but this is the first ti I t a person with it and they can explain what they see with it.”
Ajax himself was also very interested in [Heat Vision]. Initially he had hope she had the ability to shoot lasers from her eyes but he realized the absurdity and wasn’t disappointed. “Wish I could take those collars off them.” Ajax said, he wanted to start working on building trust and in his eyes those collars were the first wall he would have to knock down.
“Those collars are important for their protection.” Oliver repeated himself, he had made the sa observation a couple of tis since the slaves had joined the convoy. “As long as they belong to soone much fewer people would dare do anything when they are in town.”
Ajax’s next idea to build trust was to have the slaves join them for their als. That also backfired however as the two children wouldn’t touch any of the food before they were expressly told they could eat. After they were told they could eat, Ajax saw them practically inhale the food, almost certainly afraid soone would take it from them if it wasn’t gone as soon as possible.
“It’ll take ti.” Lexi reassured him. “So things just take ti.”
Lexi herself had grown a little attached to the two slaves as she saw them as her own students after helping them learn [Sense Mana]. Sothing she surprised herself with as she hadn’t expected to enjoy teaching as much as she had. She very much planned to help train House Hearthbound’s retainers in the future.
“At least there is no welcoming gala.” Ajax said as the convoy entered the capital. The whole place looked very much the sa as it did five years ago.
“They don’t want their nobles to get comfortable around you.” The prince said with his trademark smirk. “There will be a party you can’t skip out on after you exit the dungeon.”
“Why wouldn’t they want people to get comfortable around ?” Ajax asked. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Because of Kate.” The prince answered. “That soone of your status has a beastkin as a sister-in-law is outrageous to them.”
The prince had been purposefully loud enough that both slaves heard him and their wide eyes locked onto Ajax. They couldn’t believe what they had just heard, they quickly looked at each other thinking they must have heard wrong only to be t by the sa incredulous gaze.
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“You really should na them sothing else.” Xavier whispered.
Neither of the slaves’s forr owners had that many slaves to look after so the two of them had been nad with a placeholder nas, Snake and Monkey. Their new masters were supposed to provide them with new nas after they purchased them.
“I’ll have them choose their own nas once we cross back into Gryndor and I remove the collars.” Ajax whispered back as they arrived at their accommodations. The sa mansion that housed them during their previous visit to the Empire, though their ambassador had changed in the past five years.
Ajax, Lexi, Anna, Xavier and Oliver all went to bed relatively quickly. All of them wanted to prepare for their delve tomorrow. While none of them would be pushing their limits as they had done in previous delves they wanted to be at their best. The lack of safety due to not having anyone boosting them ant they always needed to be on guard during the delve.
Once he was sure that all of them had settled in and a squad had set up their surveillance, the eldest prince of Gryndor took one squad and headed for the imperial palace. Unlike their previous delves he didn’t need to stick so close to his charges this ti around, not only that but he other duties on this trip besides the safety of the new generation.
“Took you long enough to get here.” Zilfallon provoked the prince as soon as he arrived at the palace.
The prince took a mont to examine Zilfallon, instead of responding to his words or offering a greeting he showed his trademark smirk before answering the provocation with a simple backhanded complint. “You’ve closed the gap so. But you’re still not ready.”
The prince’s words had the desired effect as Zilfallon clenched his teeth. “Enough of this.” Solderon tsked in annoyance. “You said you have a ssage for father, co deliver it and you two can play your childish gas after.”
“Lead on.” The prince regained his serious expression as he and the ten man squad of elite warriors was led into the palace.
The small throne room they were led to was similar to the one the king of Gryndor used for important etings. It was also pretty packed. Besides the imdiate imperial family, there were at least forty other people there, only a little over half of them being guards there for the protection of the emperor.
“Welco, boy.” The emperor greeted the prince with a wide smile and open arms. “I haven’t seen you since the war.”
“My father thinks you’re a bad influence on .” the prince responded.
Back during the latest war the Empire had allied with Gryndor. The prince had t with the emperor frequently during that campaign. The emperor had been pushing for a royal marriage between the empire and Gryndor to build a stronger bond between the two nations. An idea that hadn’t been without rit before Shadow’s rise to prominence and the forced peace that followed.
“And yet here you are.” the emperor’s smile widened.
“My father sent
with a sensitive piece of information.” the prince responded as he made a show of taking in everyone present. “One not even my guards know about yet.”
The emperor’s face turned stoic as he took a mont to co to a decision. “Leave us.” The command sent everyone but the guards, the empress as well as their sons and grandchildren out of the room. “Go on then, what’s so important.”
“It’s about expansion into the Wild Lands.” His words instantly provoked a gasp from Sandor. “We have a very likely theory on how to expand safely into the Wild Lands.”
Everyone present knew that expansion into the Wild Lands will beco very important in the near future to accommodate the increase in population.
“A theory?” Solderon sounded outraged at the waste of ti. “Why not test it out then co here and share if it is important.”
“I’m sorry to have wasted your ti.” the prince quickly answered. “Anything concrete will most likely take a while to verify but we will let you know as soon as we do. After all only a fool would rush anything to do with the ascended races.”
The room beca so quiet even soone with a Perception of five could hear a pin drop. “You’ve gained insight into the ascended races?” the emperor sat forward on his throne as he asked.
The prince provided a quick explanation of what the agreent made between the ascended races regarding humanoids was, he didn’t share any of their sources however. “I would like to request access to any of your records that connect to this matter.”
“Ha, I thought you were lying at first.” Zilfallon laughed, drawing piercing glares from the squad there to protect the prince. “You’re only sharing this with us because if we poke the sleeping dragon it might not bother to check before it wipes you out as well.”
“What my son ans to say is thank you.” the emperor said. “I’ll make sure to share anything we find that is relevant. Have you shared your theory with any other nation?”
While the question sounded innocent enough the real intent was clear as day to everyone ‘can we use this to provoke another nation into self-destruction’.
“Not yet.” the prince said.
“You’ve given
quite a lot to think about,” the emperor said. “Not in the least being how you ca upon this theory. Do have a good evening, I look forward to seeing you again in a couple of days.”
As they prepared to take their leave the prince turned back, his trademark grin causing Zilfallon and Solderon to brace themselves. “Oh, before I forget. I highly recomnd increasing the guard around your dungeon for a short while.” the prince’s gaze becoming more predatory with every word. “Sothing to handle a level on hundred and twenty floor break at the very least.”
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