Proofread by Thomas F
My blade cut through icy crystalline armor, covered in frost fire, and stopped at the neck, drawing a single drop of blood.
Immediately, the ice fire surrounding us went out, and a hundred icy lances stopped in their tracks. I looked around a large sparring hall, which turned into an icy wonderland.
There are cracks in the ground and walls, even with the enchantments running at full power, given this many breakages.
It's going to cost a lot to fix it!
"I thought this time I would beat you," Leila said and lowered her blade, while icy armor disappeared from her body.
"How close was I?" she turned and asked the Knight, who was watching from a distance. Only around him is there no ice; it stopped whenever it reached a meter away from him.
"Just as close as the last time you had sparred," he replied, and she sighed.
"I thought that with the mastery I had gained and the advancement I had made, it would be enough to fight equally," she said, before shaking her head.
"The artifact is very suitable for you; you are making fast progress," the Knight replied.
I am shocked by the advancement she has made in a short time. That diadem is really suitable for her. It made her spells really strong.
Though that is not the most amazing thing about it.
The amazing thing is that it is increasing her mastery of ice magic at a tremendous rate. If I had not been doing the same with my artifact, I wouldn't have lasted a minute against her.
"Still, you should take the utmost precaution when using it. It had killed the people who used it for a decade," I warned, looking at the Diadem.
"I know, and I remain always careful," she replied.
I said nothing further; she understood how dangerous that artifact is. Still, I have to agree; she is using it with quite a finesse.
We talked to the Knight for a while before walking out.
As we did, I felt the Knight's Aura spreading across the place, crushing the ice to dust. "Such control, it will take me decades to reach that level," she commented.
"Not necessarily, once you comprehend the method. Your control will make a massive improvement.
Methods teach a lot about the aura. Once she understood the method, her control would skyrocket.
We walked out of the underground into the park. "Every month, it looked like a different place," she said as her eyes roamed around before stopping at Artisan's Garden.
Since its inception, it has tripled in size, and it's still growing.
"Is my order ready?" she asked. She had ordered something custom-made, not for herself, but as a gift. To give it to Ignatius, whose birthday is coming up.
"It will be by the time you leave," I replied.
She is coming every month, staying for three days. Where she would spar and train. There is only one person in the Nakar who could spar with her; it gets boring sparring with the same person.
Here, she could spar with Sir Knight, me, Jon, and others.
"I forgot to inform you, but this came from my academy," she said, handing me a scroll. It is for me; I looked at the blue scroll with the emblem of Argitine Academy.
To Lord Silver, Lord of Greltheaven and the Velvet Garden.
The High Council extends its greetings to your house and lands.
The Academy has, for some time, taken an interest in the uncommon prosperity and reputation of your domain.
Certain resources and opportunities under your stewardship particularly interest institutions such as our own, and it is the belief of the Council that there may be grounds for a mutually beneficial partnership between your house and the Academy.
As such, we write to inquire whether Your Lordship would be open to private discussions regarding possible cooperation in matters of shared interest. The specifics are best reserved for direct conversation, should you wish it.
If this proposal is agreeable, the Academy will gladly dispatch an accredited representative to meet with you at a time and place of your choosing.
With respect,
High Mage Oren Caldus
Master of External Affairs
"Tell them I will only respond if the Grand Mage sends it," I said, handing back the letter.
I am not a common Lord. If they want to talk business, they will have their Grand Mage contact me. Clear boundaries need to be drawn, especially with an institution like Argitine Academy.
These people sitting in ivory towers think everyone should bow to them.
I need them, but they also need me.
If the letter had come a year ago, I might have responded. Then I needed their help desperately. For mages, enchanters, and alchemists, but now, I am no longer that desperate.
So if they want to talk to me, they will have to talk to me as equals.
Besides, they need me more than I need them. It is one of the best academies, but my legacy is also second to none on the continent.
I have things they need, and I will work with them, but not under unfavorable conditions.
"How are things in the baronies?" I asked. We talk regularly, but it is different talking through spell and face-to-face. "Good, Grimvale is keeping his forces on a leash," she replied.
I could tell she is excited about the prospect of fighting them, and given the rise in her strength, she could now take both Dane and Lockridge at the same time.
Her strength had increased immensely, but not in the most important area.
Aura method.
Until she learns it, I will maintain an additional presence of Lv. 40 with her. The Barony is important.
I cannot take the risk, given our assessment and intelligence, which states that Grimvale will attack the moment he gets the chance.
"Though monsters are making trouble, they have changed the strategy."
"Now, along with attacking directly, they are also spreading their numbers in every direction," she added, and I sighed. It had been a recent change.
They have been doing that for about two months. They had done that before, but not in such numbers.
"It was a good thing we had formed a protective network," I replied. This one, I am quite proud of since I started it immediately after I took over the baronies.
They had patrols and guard posts, but I had invested more and put more people into it.
It is done on purpose to create a wall. So, no monster could sneak in and attack the caravans. I focused on the trade from the beginning and benefited from it.
The trade had increased greatly since I took over.
"Still, the few incidents that have happened have been regrettable. Especially the ones that happened in the territory," I added.
The monster attack had killed people in her territory and had attacked two caravans. It was sudden, and we were surprised; I increased the forces immediately after the incident, but it did some damage.
"I hope you will increase the forces around the southern part of the baronies. If a sudden spike in monsters occurs," she requested.
Her barony, being closest to the EMR, bears the greatest brunt of it.
There is already a company of soldiers, with mercenaries and hunting units, constantly on the move. Dealing with monsters that come too close.
The area is also being watched by land and aerial scouts.
"I will send a platoon," I replied. She opened her mouth but closed it. I can only spare a platoon.
With monsters spreading their numbers, I had to do the same to deal with them. I also need to keep sufficient numbers to deal with the tides of monsters.
There is a shortage of men, but recruitment isn't an option. It's not sustainable.
Even with our financial condition slowly improving. We are in no state to increase the number of forces by large numbers; we are barely managing with what we have.
"How are the nobles?" I asked. "Busy. Developing their territories, negotiating with their families, and complaining about you."
I laughed; I know what they are complaining about.
Many of their people are more than happy to provide me with information about them.
"I am only nudging them in the right direction. I do not want my nobles to become nobles like the empire," I stated. They are complaining about the directions I am giving them about fixing crime and the culture of their territories.
Briberies, assault, corruption, and other things.
They are doing well in acting against them, because if they do not. I do not give them people, potions, and other things they need for their territories.
These are only soft measures.
I have also coded some hard measures as well. Until now, nobody has forced me to use them, but I will if I need to.
She said nothing and just walked beside me, looking at the surrounding park as it took shape.
"It looked different from the designs," she said. Ah, she noticed. She is one of the only two nobles of Nakar whom I have shown the design. It wouldn't even be called a park when they are finished.
"I wanted bigger canals, but Amellus suggested a different approach," I replied.
She said nothing, but a frown appeared on her face. I could feel her activate her skills and cast a few spells. I didn't stop or say anything.
Over a minute later, her eyes turned normal, and she turned to me.
"It will shrink the land," she pointed out, and I smiled.
It's a different approach from the one we originally planned, and a bigger one, but it will require less effort than widening canals and managing other changes.
It will also save us a lot of money and make it even more beautiful.
I didn't plan on making such a big change after finalizing the design, but when Amellus showed me. I couldn't stop myself from agreeing.
"I wish Dad had been alive to see this; he would have been proud to see this," she said, her voice turning emotional.
I said nothing to that.
I don't know whether he would agree with the park, but he would definitely love what I am doing with the legacy. That man loved such things.
I didn't say my thoughts out loud.
She is trying to build a connection. Unfortunately, time had passed for that.
To me, she is one of my nobles, more than she is my sister. She had a time to be a sister to me, but that time had passed. Now, I do not have the desire or time to focus on that.
I might someday, but not now, not today!