Chapter 168: Halls of the Rising Sun

Chapter 168: Halls of the Rising Sun

Halls of the Rising Sun

Eastern Mansion

Lansius invited Ingrid into the renovated corridor used for training. There, Margo had prepared and lit seven candles on a table. The candles burned brightly, some made of tallow and others of more expensive beeswax. Meanwhile, Audrey stood a good ten steps away from the table and its lit candles.

Ingrid stood at attention, doubt clouding her face about what this demonstration was all about.

Audrey glanced at Lansius, who nodded back. She casually raised her right hand and, with a small motion, extinguished a candle without taking a step.

Ingrid’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. "That is impossible," she said, completely bewildered. She hurriedly approached Audrey, inspecting her hands and body gently, careful not to disturb her pregnancy, muttering, "How can I not sense anything?"

Audrey was delighted by her reaction, biting her lip to stifle a grin. Lansius and Margo exchanged glances and grins; they had seen it several times and were still equally impressed by it.

"Show me again. Can you do—" Ingrid began, but Audrey flicked her finger, and two more candles went out.

Ingrid then turned emotional, grabbing Audrey's hands with tears in her eyes. "It's impossible," she muttered, her voice filled with gratitude. Turning to Lansius, she said, "Even now, I can't sense a large magic from her."

"It looks like magic to me," Lansius said lightly. "Can you at least confirm that it is magic and not some other art?"

"What she did is clearly magic, My Lord. No question about that," Ingrid replied, regaining her composure. With a small circular motion of her hand, she extinguished a candle. "It is exactly what I taught her."

Audrey grinned. Lansius knew that Ingrid's words had validated her ability more than he ever could.

"But the question remains: I can see the fire, but not the fireplace," Ingrid explained. "My Lady, how do you do that? Since when?"

"Well, on my return journey, I tried to manipulate the wind aboard the airship and sensed something. Still, it was hard, and I gave up. Then, when I trained in archery, I could feel it more clearly and see it. That's how I managed to rein it in."

Ingrid furrowed her brow. "See, as in seeing shapes?"

"And colors," Audrey confirmed.

Ingrid just stared blankly before assuming a stance. "Tell me, what do you see now?"

"Around your right leg, I can see a yellow aura swirling around it," Audrey said, much to Ingrid's disbelief. "It's a fascinating color. I've never seen it before."

Hearing that, Ingrid showed a mix of emotions. Lansius could see she was happy, even grateful, but also equally troubled.

After giving her time to ponder, Lansius added, "I also noticed that her eyes sometimes turn golden, but I guess you've seen that already."

"Do you think it's related?" Audrey asked Ingrid.

"I'm not sure at this point, My Lord, My Lady," Ingrid admitted. Then, with more firmness, she asked, "But what powers this? I don't feel any source flowing from you."

"I have no idea." Audrey exhaled sharply. "And I don't know much about the source."

Ingrid was deep in thought. Meanwhile, Lansius tried to make sense of it all, saying, "If, as you said, it's magic, then clearly she's a mage, no?"

"But is it even magic?" Ingrid murmured, more to herself. Turning to Lansius, she explained, "I can't sense any, but it's clearly magic. Somehow she can do it without—" She stopped, realizing something.

While Lansius and Ingrid conversed, Audrey took a spare bow. "Mind if I practice?"

"Sure," Lansius said, thinking it would also give Ingrid more time to ponder.

Audrey didn’t bring her chest guard and arm guard but was confident enough to do without them. Besides the spare bow, she had kept two quivers for practice. She assumed a natural stance, drew, notched an arrow, and loosed. The piercing sound of the arrow slicing through the air was followed by a satisfying thud as it hit the straw mat at the far end of the corridor, cushioning the precious arrowhead.

Audrey didn’t smile at the solid hit; she merely pulled another arrow and repeated the process. She spent all her quivers and only then observed her hits.

"Good aim," Lansius remarked. Meanwhile, Ingrid approached Audrey. "May I inspect the bow?"

"Certainly," Audrey offered the spare nomadic recurve bow.

Ingrid tested the bow's draw and, at first, couldn’t draw it completely. She looked rather distressed, but on her second try, she was able to draw it fully. She carefully let the string rest without releasing it, her face brightening.

"What is it?" Audrey asked, noticing her reaction.

"My Lady, you may not realize it," she began with a shaky smile on her lips, "but somehow you've mastered strengthening magic."

Audrey furrowed her brow. "That's surely a jest. All that based on this bow's draw weight? But it's not that hard. Even Lord Lans used it for practice."

Ingrid turned to Lansius, who shook his head and said to Audrey, "I use my crossbow or your bow. I tried that spare bow once but thought it either needed some tuning or had gone bad, probably because we left it here without proper wrapping for winter. Likely the animal parts used to make the bow's limbs or strings got dry or hardened."

"You mean, you can't draw it?" Audrey looked surprised.

Lansius shook his head to confirm. "I can, but it's incredibly hard. I believe Ingrid used her magic. And yet you still shot two quivers' worth of arrows without even noticing it."

Audrey finally came to terms with her power. She looked at both her open palms, trying to understand what she had done. Then she turned to the others, asking, "You people are not joking with me, right?"

"Of course, I wouldn't dare, My Lady," Ingrid reassured her.

Lansius approached Audrey, whose eyes began to moisten, and gently grabbed her hands. "You have it within you. Whatever it is, now you're as good as Isolte."

"My Lady, congratulations," Ingrid said, her eyes equally moist. "I don't know how, but you're a mage. And I can train you further."

"To think I'm going to have Claire as a sparring partner," Audrey commented, not expecting anything.

"No," Ingrid said, steadying herself quickly. "It's best if nobody knows about her, not even Claire or anyone closest to you." She turned to Margo, prompting Lansius and Audrey to follow her gaze.

"I'll keep this a secret," the fair-looking lad blurted out.

That failed to reassure Ingrid. "Who else knows about this?"

"Nobody, I swear," Margo tried to reassure her.

Unlike traditional castles, the Grand Keep had space to house a large garrison of men. It featured only modestly high walls without multiple towers. From the outside, it didn't look grand or imposing, but its main function lay in providing a residence for troops and officers. It also served educational purposes and was equipped with training facilities.

In essence, it was a military academy with dormitories for its officers in training and active duty. It also had a dedicated barrack with ample living space to house the city's garrison. While the billets south of town would remain in use, this new facility provided better living conditions as Korelia's army continued to grow.

The Grand Keep also boasted state-of-the-art supply rooms, designed to store wooden barrels for longevity and spoilage prevention. Additionally, it had wells and cisterns that provided a reliable source of fresh water, especially in emergencies.

As for Lansius himself, the Grand Keep was primarily a refuge for emergencies and wouldn't be his main residence. Its only other significant function was to hold formal meetings, and now it was being used in that capacity for the first time.

The Grand Keep had a vast hall dedicated as an indoor training area. Its purpose was to allow the men to train all year long without concern for the weather. It was large enough for group sparring, had a tall ceiling for spear practice, and was long enough for crossbow and archery sessions.

The hall was decked with stone tile, gleaming softly under the ample light streaming in from the still unfinished tall, mullioned windows. In this hall, Lansius held the first meeting of the Grand Alliance, now effectively a Shogunate due to the presence of other lords residing in Korelia.

The arrival of the two lords and their closest retinues was greeted by sunlight that cast a warm glow over the hall, illuminating the intricate tapestries that adorned the stone walls. These tapestries were trophies from House Lansius' victories in Korimor and South Hill.

A long, polished table made of dark oak dominated the center of the hall, its glossy surface giving it a regal appearance. Around it, high-backed chairs were arranged, their cushions covered in rich brocade.

Standing to welcome them were Sir Harold, Calub, and Farkas, who served as moderators.

Lansius was seated at the middle of the long table, with Lord Jorge and Lord Robert in front of him. Despite Lansius' wish to keep things informal, they adhered to the usual formalities out of respect for the guests. However, that said formality didn't last long.

"So, we meet again," Lord Robert opened as he reached the table. Despite having a seat prepared by his squire, the old viscount didn't sit but walked around to grab Lansius' shoulders.

Lord Jorge chuckled at the sight and did the same from the other side. As he walked, he took a jug of spiced ale and poured it into the three waiting goblets, saying, "Pardon my thirst, but it's a vast place."

Lansius chuckled, and they drank from their goblets. Clearly, the lords had broken the rigid Imperial decorum, causing the moderators and other retinues to grin as they no longer needed to adhere to formalities.

It was clear to anyone that these were all warlords. To them, etiquette and formalities were just minor facades. The meeting began with Lord Robert pulling the nearest chair, which was empty since Audrey opted not to attend, and sitting facing Lansius. The moderators quickly moved another chair for Lord Jorge, who also sat facing Lansius.

There was no table between them, and they couldn't be bothered. Following their lords, their retinues also sat down. Sir Morton, Sir Michael, and Sir Omin were present, along with Sir Harold, Calub, and Farkas. The lords' squires were also present in the back row, keeping watch at the door and passageways.

"First, I have to say that I feel honored that you two lords came so early in spring," Lansius greeted as the host.

"What can I say? I promised," answered Lord Jorge. "And it's not like I'll let this old man mock me for being young and late."

Lord Robert laughed, commenting, "Oh, Jorge, you're getting better at reading my mind."

"Now, aren't we good honored Lowlandians for once, fulfilling our promises and all," Jorge jested at his own expense.

Old Robert snorted, "A well-behaved Imperial citizen, just like the Ageless had wanted." He then gazed at Lansius and said, "Well, we better start our discussion before we end up getting thirsty and start drinking."

Lansius stifled his chuckle. "Indeed. Gentlemen, I believe it's time to set some policies."

"I hope that policy allows me to ride an airship," Jorge commented lightly with a charming yet mischievous smile.

"Oh that," Robert exclaimed, then quickly added, "And also, where's the beastman? I want to see." The retinues in the back collectively shook their heads, amused. The old viscount was undeterred and continued passionately, "From childhood, I always heard and read about beastmen but never had the chance to see one. Can you please bring him here?"

"I think I could invite her," Lansius said, eyeing Sir Harold, who rose without hesitation.

"Her? That's even better," Robert was more than pleased. "Ah, to finally meet such a creature. I feel young again."

Looking at his counterpart, Jorge commented to Lansius, "I doubt we'll have trouble accepting the Lord of Umberland's membership in this alliance."

"I'll trust my instincts when I see one," Robert retorted, likely his honest reaction.

"Well, as we wait for the female beastman, why don't we talk about the South Trade Proposal?" Jorge suggested.

"Wise words" Lansius agreed, shifting in his seat. He noticed Robert's sharp eyes, indicating his interest. "The South Trade is ongoing. I have communicated twice with the Lord of Dawn via the Hunter Guild's hawk, and he reassured me that everything was in order. We can expect the first caravan this summer."

"Excellent," Jorge exclaimed in good spirits. "I have arranged some deals to build the small fishing village to have a harbor and warehouse fit for trading."

"How about the guild's reaction?" Robert's tone was careful. "I heard you gave a tepid response when the Guild wanted to participate."

Lansius did not answer quickly, merely nodding while formulating his reply. He noticed the sweet fragrance from the fresh lily-like flowers decorating the table they didn't use. He then gazed around to ensure that the servants who usually innocently listened from the corner were absent, as this place had yet to have one and this meeting was confidential and privy to the highest level. "There's a reason for that," he began.

"Certainly," muttered Robert.

"In truth, I need them. The Alliance needs them," Lansius emphasized. "But I also see that they could undermine our rule."

"They're always powerful if you let them be," Jorge agreed. "They have the money, the expertise, and the influence. Without them, it'll be hard to build anything worthwhile in Lowlandia."

Lansius leaned forward and explained, "The problem is, I have some inventions that, while beneficial to many, could be dangerous in the wrong hands..."

"Sounds like a trade secret issue to me," Jorge commented. "Perhaps the Alliance should behave like a guild."

"That's not a bad idea," Lansius said, grinning.

"Wait till I tell my wife that I'm also a merchant now," Robert laughed freely, joined by the other two lords and several of their retinues.

Afterward, catching his breath, Robert turned to Lansius and asked, "You did say inventions?"

"It seems we're going to see more than just the airship," Jorge remarked.

"Indeed," Lansius confirmed. "I have several, but as I said before, revealing them might lead to the guilds copying them recklessly."

"Worse, they could bribe and steal our craftsmen, depleting us of our own talents," Jorge agreed.

Robert looked annoyed, grunting, "I wish I could reach their homeland; that would make exerting our authority easier."

Lansius nodded. Robert was certainly right—they were dealing with organizations that operated within their territory but were based beyond their jurisdiction. The meeting had now arrived at a critical juncture: either find a way to ensure the loyalty of the Midlandian-based guilds or risk becoming mere stepping stones in the guilds' rise to power.

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