Chapter 501
School started off rather boring for Jake. It was an issue they everyone had anticipated but there was simply nothing they could do about it. It would take at least a week before any of the classes could start with sothing new for Jake to do, until then they had to get everybody else to the starting line.
The combat classes were the only places where Jake actually felt engaged at all. Oddly enough this led to Jake gaining his second Uncommon skill, though it wasn’t one any of his family were expecting him to gain.
“Hahahaha.” Xavier made no attempt to hold back his laughter.
“It’s not that funny.” Lexi rebuked him but even she had issues containing her own chuckles.
“I’m not sure how it ca to this.” Tom said with a defeated sigh. Jake having gained [Feigned Interest] was objectively a good thing. He seed to be taking after Ajax when it ca to interest in politics so the skill will prove valuable in the future events House Hearthbound would hold. But it was certainly not the reason they sent him to school.
“That might be my fault.” Ajax said from his spot where he all but sunk into the comfortable chair. “I may have put a bit too much emphasis on making sure he wasn’t a bad example to the other students by paying attention even if he already knew the material.”
Ajax was thankful that Xavier had co to visit, if nothing else he could relax for as they all caught up with each other. Every mber of House Hearthbound was glad that Ajax was taking a break; he had been pushing himself too hard in all of their opinions.
For the past few days Ajax had started the day burning through more than half of his Mana and Stamina as he started working on creating the secret tunnels for their manor. This wasn’t a simple Mana dump either, he would spend at least two hours carefully casting as he ensured the tunnels were not only perfectly safe but also hidden.
After his resources started getting below halfway Ajax gave his body a break as he followed up with a couple hours of Alchemy. He split that ti between teaching the alchemists of House Hearthbound how to reliably create road quality cent, the other half he spent on finalizing the formula for building ready cent.
“And what have you been up to?” Xavier asked, his tone may have been teasing but there was a bit of concern in his eyes as he looked at Ajax.
“I managed to finalize a building worthy formula for cent.” Ajax said with a proud smile. “It not only lasts longer but it also sets four tis faster than the regular stuff and will self repair small cracks if water is applied.”
“That’s quite the improvent.” Xavier eyebrows rose, he was impressed by how quickly Ajax had already found a formula that worked, though that was to be expected after getting ideas from master alchemists in the capital and the the cent research field being relatively new so big discoveries were still easy to make. “Are you going to be making roads from it as well?”
“No chance.” Judy beat Ajax to answer. “It costs ten tis more to get the reagents for that recipe. Not only that but one of the added ingredients might not be rare but it is certainly limited, we start buying enough of it to pave roads and the price will double in a month and only get worse from there.”
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“Not to ntion that the roads won’t be self repairing.” Tom added. “While the buildings can repair small cracks most damage in the road will suffer will be larger cracks or entire chunks missing.”
“The recipe is also much less forgiving,” Ajax added. “Novices can still have a decent success rate working with the road quality stuff but you need at least Journeyn alchemists for buildings.”
What Ajax didn’t ntion was that the new formula actually scaled up with mana infused ingredients. There were a few reasons he didn’t ntion this, the first being that he was still researching that part carefully as the mana infused reagents were very rare and expensive. More than that however it took a very skilled alchemist to use the resulting product.
Mixing the cent was a secondary alchemical process. With mana infused cent powder it was actually a requirent for a skilled alchemist to mix the cent at all tis before it was poured and more attention every few hours while it set to ensure that the Mana remained stable.
“I take it that ans your cities are going to start expanding very soon and that a population increase wouldn’t be as big of an issue for you.” Xavier was very interested in this last point as it was sothing the royal family was worried about for the capital. They had the highest density population in the kingdom and with the two dungeons present their people already achieved the highest levels, with the added stats more people would be able to safely delve aning an even larger Vitality increase.
“Shelter won’t be as large of an issue for us.” Silvia specified. “Food and other goods will still be a concern for us.”
Funnily enough the royal family wasn’t at all worried about starvation. With one of their dungeons being able to consistently supply large amounts of food in the form of a feeder floor it was only shelter that would beco an imdiate concern.
“Have you gotten a chance to play with Life mana yet?” Xavier asked, changing the topic. “So of those statues out there are quite big and intimidating.”
“Not just yet.” Ajax shook his head. “I’ve been strapped for Mana and Life spells need a lot of it.”
Ajax wasn’t exaggerating, following his alchemy he would usually spend a few hours training his hybrid fighting style until both his Mana and Stamina were running low. Following that Ajax would set up about three or four ritual casts using the ettin staff to gain better control. The people donating the Mana and Stamina for the casts weren’t as well stocked as the ten who powered his spell against the beholder, the cast was usually about half as strong accounting for the people not giving every drop as well. Despite the big decrease in Mana control was still a ways away.
“Well you look like you need a break.” Xavier said. “I’ll be planting the seed next week, you should co for that.”
“Oh we won’t miss it.” Lexi was just as interested in the planting of the fortress tree. “Will you be heading back to the capital shortly after planting it?”
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“Yes,” Xavier’s social skills instantly kicked in to cover for him. “Arianwyn and Elara along with a few other noble hopefuls from Sylvanthal will be arriving soon.”
“That’s great news.” Lexi said with excitent. “I missed both of them. Will they be here in a month?”
“Try two, maybe two and a half.” Xavier corrected her. “Unlike us they won’t be under a ti crunch to delve everything as quickly as possible. Theirs is as much a political trip as it is a delving one.”
“Should we be building an arena?” Tom asked.
Ajax initially thought his brother was joking but from the look on his face he clearly wasn’t. “You’re serious about that?” Ajax asked, sitting up at the serious turn of events.
“We are, or were at least, a backwater area of the kingdom.” Tom said. “There is no chance elven nobles visiting to delve our dungeons will all go without so egos being bruised to the nobles living all the way out here. I am expecting a few duels will happen.”
“That’s a great idea. With a proper arena any duels that happen won’t be taken as that much of an insult as more as competition.” Xavier nodded enthusiastically at Tom’s idea. “Though I wouldn’t worry about anyone challenging you, Ajax. I’m sure every single visiting noble will have that information drilled into their heads before they are allowed to leave Sylvanthal.”
Ajax responded to that with an overdramatic offended expression, though he said nothing to contradict his friend. He was also sure that while duels might happen he won’t be the one who is challenged. If anything Lexi was the one who would be a pri target and this would give her the perfect chance to show the people living in their duchy what she is capable of.
“Ajax, you might want to focus a bit more on the production of that building cent.” Silvia said. “It seems like we will need to build a lot more in the coming months.”
Ajax was starting to get excited at the idea. An arena would be the perfect construction for him to use so Mana infused cent as it would need to be a lot sturdier to contain the fights.
“Don’t forget to rest.” Sam said as he laid a hand on Ajax’s shoulder. “We have a few months and there is no reason to rush all that much. Take it easy and just spend a bit more ti making cent instead of training.”
Sam didn’t release Ajax’s shoulder until Ajax nodded in agreent.
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