Chapter 220

Chapter 220

While Kate and Tom were being welcomed slowly both Alana and Judy were having a hard time keeping up. They had spent most of their trip making plans of how establishing their temporary headquarters would go once they finally arrived but the age old saying kept true. No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

All of the other merchant organizations had kicked their interference into high gear. Under most circumstances a new face trying to make their way in the capital would provide them with a juicy target to exploit until they finally got their feet under them and that had been their initial plan. The recent announcement of a noble title hadn’t just changed the game map, it had flipped the board entirely, all of the noble backed organization simply took a step back as they couldn’t be seen bullying someone new.

“Has the ‘accident’ been cleared out?” Judy asked as a headache started to take place.

“Yes we got the goods out but they are trying to slow us down by having every one of our deliveries be anonymously reported so they will be checked by every guard patrol passing them.” Alana sighed exasperated.

Both of them knew that they would only have to weather the storm for a week at the most, once Ajax delivered his sigil their family would officially become nobles none of these other companies would try anything more.

“Perhaps I can be of some assistance.” a slick but well-meaning voice said from the entrance of the office.

“Who are you?” Judy asked.

“My name is Sebastian, I believe we have conversed through letters so far. I can tell that the situation has drastically changed so we decided to help you wait out the storm.” Sebastian had quickly left after ushering Ajax Silvia and Sam into the office with Aurora and Elija in order to come help here.

“And what are my grandparents going to ask for in exchange?” Judy asked, her tone only conveying her skepticism and no outright hostility, she had the entire journey to come to terms with who their mysterious partners were.

“This is but a simple gesture of goodwill from the company, as for your grandparents this is merely the first of many overdue apologies.” Sebastian answered.

“So be it.” Alana nodded as she accepted the offered help.

“I have to say I am more than a little surprised, even after months of tangential business your brother has yet to even so much as accept an apology.” Sebastian remarked.

“I am a merchant, Tom is a guard and Kate a healer.” Judy sneered. “All of us understand compromise and have had to deal with making the best of a situation we didn’t like with a smile on our face. If my grandparents' intentions are genuine our forgiveness would be much easier to win. Ajax is a delver and an adventurer, there is little he has had to compromise with.”

“On the bright side once you do get his forgiveness he won’t hold a grudge over it like the rest.” Alana said with a slightly evil grin.

“How do you figure that?” Tom asked.

“Well I have been using [Inject Mana] on all the trees and flowers on that field, while the bees have not had any major changes to them it seems like honey production has sped up considerably. At the rate they seem to be producing I think we will have to empty those hives three times just so they have room to store it.” Ajax explained.

“All these years later and you are still playing with plants and mana.” Tom chuckled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Silvia asked.

“I suspected once I found out he had mana but now it makes so much more sense. The reason why his small garden back in the village always produced all those rich and valuable plants was because he would pump them full of mana.” Tom explained.

“I actually wasn’t using [Inject Mana] back then.” Ajax corrected. “I just expelled mana near them, with [Inject Mana] I am losing a lot less mana, though giving too much at once seems to be destructive instead.”

“So when are you going back to the Academy?” Sam asked.

“Well my class is having a delve tomorrow but I was given the time off, what with all of you arriving.” Ajax said.

“Oh no! You are going.”

“Absolutely not, you have to go.”

Both Judy and Silvia jumped on that, sharing a quick glance and nodding at each other.

“What?! Why?” Ajax asked confused.

“You were just essentially granted a noble title, sure they may have given you the time to keep to yourself but now is the time to actually start forging connections with other nobles.” Alana explained. “Those people in your class are the highest standing nobles of your age and I guarantee you more than one of them might have an issue with the discovery you made and how it will impact the line of succession in their family.”

By the time the meal ended and Ajax went back to bed he was now thinking what he could do to help smooth over any grudges his new discovery may cause come morning.