-After Dinner-
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Leroy made it to the Mansion fit as a fiddle the following day. The Flame Vortex was still refining the recent gains and wouldn't be done anytime soon. He looked back at the smoke from burning the Hamlet and Temple location down with a smile. It was good adding the oil to create a chemical burn.
Welcomed very gratefully inside the Mansion by Tang Xui and Jasmine, he was informed they ran into no trouble in regards to leaving the battle a day before earlier. After getting away from the immediate area they were not attacked and had a clear path to the Mansion. The people from the Hamlets and the surrounding area that came with them settled into the abandoned homes around the Governor's Mansion
The Governor approved of a means to make up for not protecting them better.
However, they were forced to remain as the North Guards refused to head back with reinforcements and Tang Ansui pressed that they had other problems to deal with. Such as the Governor's family and Alchemist Oda's strange behavior. Informing of Rebel activity, safety for the group was more important than going back to save Leroy and a bunch of children.
At least those of the Dark Rose and North Guard pressed when convincing them to stay.
After a meal and a little embarrassment given to Tang Xui to marry their son, the Governor allowed everyone to go about the mansion Main Hall to do their own business until later. Leroy moved around unlocking some of the doors with a little bit of his lighting Qi.
Quite easily with knowing how to pick locks and having very deft hands. Taking control of the formations was easier than he thought it should be but the maintenance on them was almost non-existent.
He also kept an eye on Alchemist Oda. Thanks to a little encouragement during dinner, the man made some Pills that were shared with the others. Leroy just inspected it and tucked it away for earlier. But he at least knew now for certain that the Ambiguous Qi before was actually Death Qi.
'How did I not know this?' Troubled, Leroy made a note to check his journals back in his room. 'I feel like I knew this already. There is Life, Antilife, Undead, Corpse, and Death Qi that correlate in that order. Why did I forget the last one and why can't I cultivate it?'
Seeing his troubled look, most just chalked up to the battle he fought. Even Jasmine and Tang Xui thought he was putting on a peaceful front and were really troubled about the battle.
They were quite happy the others went back to the Akademy and made sure to try to find out from them what happened. They didn't fully believe that Leroy and company just fought everything that came their way.
The Undead Alchemist Oda had tried to get Tang Bo and Xiao Mei to speak with Tang Xui about marrying the young noble of the Mansion Toda. Of course, they played off as best they could before saying no outright to getting involved.
Victoria was also very adamant about not marrying him and used the excuse that he was to weak to marry. This caused the Dark Rose Guards with her to back that statement up and use the "Pride" of their Noble Rank and future prospects to not marry one weaker.
There was also the fact most of the territory and resources were gone. Whether from the Undead issue or the Rebels pilfering the area, they were pretty broke and only had their name and reputation left.
A North Guard made it over to Leroy at one point. He was one of the unic guards that belonged to Jasmine's protection. At the Foundation Establishment Realm at such a young age, they had high hopes for him. He would make a decent guard with his loyalty and steady resolve and inability to do unsavory things to her.
At least they assumed so.
"Leroy, how are you doing?" Joshua asked kindly.
To Leroy, it reeked of false kindness and his smile was just a little crooked.
"Hmm, good." Leroy turned to look the other in the eyes but also pass him. Not too far away, he could see Jasmine who looked bored and deep in thought, Victoria with someone named Silica a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator as her personal Guard, and Tang Xui talking with each other freely about something. 'Well, they are up to something according to body language.'
A small group of Dark Rose Guards were to tired to really mingle and just stood waiting for orders.
His eyes moved over to another as he saw Governor Lord Toda, talking with others. Specifically talking with Tang Ansui and by the looks of the latter trying to latch onto a member of the Clear Tang Family or at least his part of the Tang Family that has power in the Akademy.
"You think he is trying to marry his daughter off? Such a shame." Guard Joshua stated as he looked where Leroy was looking. The distaste was evident but also weird hearing from a member of the North Guard.
"It would be smart not to. Better for someone like Victoria marrying him." Leroy turned to him, proposing questions of his own. Something about the Unic bothered him even more. Namely facial features that shouldn't be there. "What do you think about me becoming a guard of Jasmine? As a man that traveled and was unwilling to obey stupid orders, you would think your King would put an end to that proposal of her."
Joshua didn't know anything about what happened before and was part of the North Guards who already arrived.
"Best to go and do it. But remember that they have their tricks so be careful. Some of the tests are ghastly to become a guard of the North Kingdom." Joshua leaned in when he spoke, getting right into Leroy's comfort zone. "They sometimes damage the up-and-comers on purpose. Not everyone is perfect and certain cuts are made by mistake."
His eyes looked to Leroy's groin before going back to his face.
"Heh, foolish thing and a good way to have weak guards." Leroy said with a straight face as he understood what the other was saying. But too close to him, Joshua's facial features were scrutinized by him even more. "Messing with the cookie batter before the cake finishes baking. Just a way to have several "lacking" guards in every way."
"Humph, so people think." Joshua excused himself and walked away faking offense. Another tell that something was wrong. 'This man is a little too dangerous, if he joins it would be troublesome on several fronts.'
Another North Guard came over, one Leroy all ready dealt with before. Camilia bowed her head to him and thanked him for covering the escape of her and the others. She offered him a Storage Bag with a few resources inside.
If Leroy didn't know any better he would think she was trying to flirt with him.
"Princess Jasmine does not want to be indebted to you." Her face was pensive as she wanted to ask what he talked to Joshua about. That and she wanted to ask if he was going to become a guard. 'If he does, I will pay him back for before.'
"I understand." Leroy was using Spatial Sense and the Metal Seed to pick up the conversations of the others in the hall. One thing he heard that confirmed furthermore something was going to happen was a plan for an ambush. "I am not going to join her guards but I know of a way to help you stand out more. But it might get you killed."
He put on his best smile as best to use her to get this done and possibly Tang Xui. He couldn't really use Victoria as her allegiance could be anywhere really. Even though she is alive because of Jasmine and Tang Xui.
"That dangerous?" Camilia couldn't believe it. But she listened all the same and was already using an Inscription Device on her waist to let Jasmine hear the conversation as well. Leroy was aware of it because of the small Qi signal that appeared but was ok with it. "I will make sure not to fail. I will make sure nothing happens to me."
She blushed at the last part and felt foolish for saying so.
Relaying Medically that Joshua was not an actual Unic or that he may have been swapped out with someone he told her his facial features do not match an actual unic. As well as his increased muscle mass that actually rivals one like himself. It was almost impossible for a Unic to develop that way without vast resources.
Camilia understood the Unic process that the male guards go under as she herself had been trained to do the procedure for up-and-coming guards. Informing Leroy that they did the procedure early as five years old made the situation even worse.
Joshua was also not a Body Cultivator and was given like so many others who display talent, Qi Stones to let them accumulate and break into Qi Refining before going through the full stages of Body Tempering and then breaking through that most Personal Guard of powerful families did.
The more the two compared notes, and the process, the more Camilia became angry. She excused herself and went directly to the Princess who excused herself of fatigue to go and rest. Victoria joined her as the two wanted to catch up in regard to the fighting before.
"Hmm. Time for some fun." Leroy moved throughout the place after leaving it in the female guards' hands about what to be done. A small note given to Tang Xui for she could do what she felt was best as well. He headed for the Library as the Governor said they were free to use the place as their own. "As I live and breathe, quite a lot of books here!"
Knowing no shame and wanting to complete more of his Tehcnqiuines and hoping to learn a little of the Territory, he got to reading. Even the shrinking down of his Spatial Sense to help him pursue books helped a little.
Leroy found a few interesting Books but nothing to help his techniques. He did however increase his studies of Herbalism. Finding books on the various Herbs that grew in the region and how to handle them.
"Deathbloom Flower..." He was on this particular passage about a Flower that grew out of Corpses when Alchemist Oda entered. "..troublesome Flower but not to much."
"Oh, some just do not know how high the sky is." Alchemist Oda was impressed with Leroy and his accomplishments but he was not going to admit it with everything at stake. "How would you handle the damage it causes to the flesh?"
"First I would..." Leroy started explaining to him as he was not going to really be involved in what was going on and was here to heal if needed.
The talk that started off as a way to inform the younger Herbalist turned into a discussion of colleagues instead. With Alchemist Oda going from a friendly frown to a genuine smile and a look of anticipation.
.
Within the Mansion-
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Guard Joshua just broke away from his fellow guards and moved to report the situation. Unaware that he had been exposed, he informed a figure that came out of the shadows in the Keep.
"Is everything on track?" The figure asked.
"Yes, master." Joshua answered while kneeling on the ground. "Beast Princess Jasmine is tired and retired to her room with Lady Victoria. The Nascent Soul Realm personal guard is also with them. As for the others, they are nothing with the help of a stimulant to boost my prowess if they survive the ambush."
"A lot has gone into taking all the resources in this territory, I even ruined my birthplace and disgraced my ancestors, make sure both Jasmine and Victoria do not survive. The blow to the Noble Factions will distract them long enough to allow them to gain a foothold in a few locations." The figure started to dissolve a little as the Qi that powered it faded. "If you are able to implicate Doctor Leroy it would be a boon to the Rebel forces."
"I believe I can find a way. Leroy was asked about the Guard position offered by the Beast Princess, I am sure this can be spun to our advantage." Smiling, Joshua was happy to take care of the person who foiled their plans at the Akademy. "Just leave it to me Master!"
"Very well then." Fading away, a Formation Tablet broke apart. The body of a servant crumbled to dust at the same time.
"Master has gotten better at his Summoning arts, this servant was just alive yesterday." Cleaning the location up, Joshua moved to finish making rounds. 'It was fast, but at least the amount of resistance they can muster has been reduced.'