I was eating my breakfast at the famous cafe in Invit. On Earth, young people love to chat and enjoy time while exploring food.
I am also the same, enjoying breakfast with the new menu at Invit. I ordered a menu called Atlantic cod filet and poached lobster, and it was very good. The tender, fresh fish made my mouth water, and the rich lobster made me fly.
"Hmm...." Without realizing it I made a sound because it was so delicious.
Tanka and Levian looked at me like a kid, "Is that so good, Master Akion?"
I nodded. As long as I came to this world, I never ate seafood, seafood including steps, that's because the Sanktessy sea is full of sea monsters.
"You try to eat." I put the plate in front of him. He looked doubtful. A knight sat with his master. That alone is considered rude.
"Eat. No one knows who we are here."
"I permit, my Master." I purposely used the word teacher, so he would know I was talking to him as a student.
Naturally, students respect the teacher and consider themselves below the teacher.
He nodded slowly, and cut the lobster.
Putting it in his mouth, I saw him chewing. Levian's face lit up. I know it. He must be feeling intoxicated with his convenience.
"Tanka, you eat too." I glanced at her and found something surprising, Tanka had finished eating without being ordered. She smiled guiltily.
A waiter came and put down my dessert called Classic Invit baked cheesecake with strawberry compote. Wow, that's an interesting look. Each of our desserts arrived. While we were enjoying our desserts, there was a commotion outside.
Several soldiers ran in one direction. I just smiled, they must have found something very interesting this morning.
"This is my best breakfast." I said after finishing eating. Poor Sanktessy, unable to provide much high quality food.
"Does Akion want to bring the chef home?"
I saw Tanka quickly. It was an interesting idea to bring their chef to my house. However, the condition of the Sanktessy region is not yet stable.
I have to finish this and that. There is still a lot of homework to be done. I move my hand.
"Not. There's much more important." I rejected Tanka's idea in disappointment.
We left the breakfast cafe that morning. The crowd grew large, they seemed to be having a hard time keeping up. We walked opposite the center of the crowd.
Who cares about the two humans, father and son I stripped naked and hung in an empty field with derogatory writings on them?
I tried hard to clench my lips together so as not to laugh at the thought of them in such an embarrassing position. Rather than taking them out, making them lose face was much better. Hurting them in one hit is easy, but making them suffer for a long time is even better.
Levian looked suspiciously at me. He must be thinking I caused the crowd.
"Hey, Count Invit and his first child are hanging upside down from a tree in that empty field!"
"That's karma for those who always raise taxes!" The girl laughed.
Their unhesitating whispers made Levian stare intently at me. Yes, he knows now I'm the cause.
I pretended not to know and asked Tanka to talk to divert her suspicions.
**
I have bought a gift for Renia, my prettiest sister. I bought her a pretty and cute dress for her, Tanka gave a little advice on that.
This dress definitely matches her blonde hair, she will look like a doll. Too bad, we used horses not carriages, so I could only bring two dresses for her.
Yes, I also have to be frugal in order to build the Sanktessy territory. We got on the horses, all the Invit business was done.
My father would have been shocked by the fact that I had paid off all our debts. Even more shocked, if he knew about our family's vast treasures.
I imagined his touched face. He was a gentle father figure, who actually did not really like power. So that he often rolls alone without taking sides with any party, and ends up being taken advantage of.
The accumulated debt made it a strong restraint for Sanktessy. Father is too naive. They are too naive.
We walked when the sun was over our heads. Tanka took cover under my cloak, she said he would sleep to increase her natural energy.
Fairies gather energy just like humans, they meditate. In Tanka's case, because she was a high-level fairy, even in her sleep she was able to gather that natural energy.
While I do not understand how Mana is. Akion is a swordmaster, he can use aura, but not magic. The magic user swordmaster was something even more so.
They understand the use of Mana well. As we passed through the exit, I saw Verion waving at me. His friendly smile made me uncomfortable.
His slightly red hair covered part of his eyes because of the wind. A jet black mole is under his right eye, when he smiles, for some reason I remember the samurai x character, kenshin. But I still feel uncomfortable.
"Master Akion, I am Verion. Yesterday we met." He greeted me kindly. With this unfriendly face, I tried to repay him as best he did.
"Of course I remember you, Priest Verion." He's still smiling, there's something he's hiding it seems.
"Can you spare some time?"
We used horses to head to the location that the priest Verion directed. He looked so skilled at riding a horse, his style was as dashing as Levian's.
I looked at his white back. In the sunlight, he looked like an arrow that shot towards the bullseye.
"Master Akion, why did you agree to follow him?" Levian spoke to me while still controlling the pace of his horse.
"Who knows." Levian was silent with my answer.
He respects my answer, and knows that I choose to remain silent now. Actually, I also don't know why I followed Verion.
Within him, I felt something mysterious and it attracted me. His smile makes me uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean I want to stay away from him.
In the deep forest of the Invit territory, I saw a large tent standing. Several soldiers were alert when they saw us. I glanced at Levian.
"Watch out for something," I ordered. Verion got off his horse, entered the tent then returned to my face.
"Master Akion, please come in," he begged. I entered the tent, there lay an old figure like my father. I recognized that face, the face of a man full of charisma and a great thinker.
He was the controller of commerce, the heart of the trading center in the Elperanda empire.
Marquis Kingston.
Verion helped Marquis Kingston to sit down.
"Thank you for coming here, lord Akion Naal Sanktessy." His voice was weak. "Sorry, you have to see my pathetic form." He laughed softly.
"It's okay, I can understand that. What business does Lord Marquis Kingston want to see me in?" I get to the point.
He laughed, "You are such a brave young man,"
"Naturally, you are a swordmaster." He glanced at me sharply, in the silence, I could tell Levian was ready to raise his sword.
"Don't be so wary, Knight." Marquis Kingston seemed to not only have a sharp brain, he also had sharp eyesight.
"I want to ask you a favor."
I dragged a chair, and sat on it.
"It seems that the explanation will be long, and full of secrets." I smiled at him. Marquis Kingston was shocked. He knew who I was, a person who was so serious that the veins on his face stiffened.
"You do have sharp intuition, lord Akion." How could I not understand? He's a Marquis, and we're not far from the center of the Invit realm. Instead of meeting there, he would rather meet me here.
"Explain to me. Accept it or reject it, I will think about it after receiving your explanation, lord Marquis Kingston."
In the trade union he leads, it turns out that many rotten rats are stalking his life. No wonder he was framed while passing through the Invit territory forest, which was not notoriously dangerous.
That was the reason why he sat down so weakly, a fire elemental attack magic managed to penetrate his body's defenses and inflicted quite a bit of damage.
Verion had treated it, but it couldn't be cured perfectly. Then, he heard about me being in Invit, a very good coincidence for him. He wants me to take care of him, and he will pay off our debt.
"Too bad Marquis Kingston, I have paid off our debt." His face pale.
"I also have to return to my territory soon to take care of many things."
He racked his brains, "Master Akion, how about I help establish your territory? "
"Isn't that an overpayment for my poor territory?" I was deliberately humble to know the real meaning.
"No, this is for me and my son."
I squinted. Child?
"From your face, I can tell you are surprised." Marquis Kingston smiled. He took the glass of water Verion had given him, and drank it a few sips.
"As you know, I need to get back to Kingston territory as soon as possible to take care of that crazy bastard." He growled, his face red.
"They want my power to support the Imperial family. You must know that the title of crown prince is still up for grabs."
I nodded slowly.
"Imagine, if they had a trade union, making my family subservient among them. Then the party who managed to make it, will have a big hand in winning."
I agree about that. High wealth, good trade routes, and smart trading, have high benefits for gaining votes. Marquis Kingston had indeed not sided with anyone.
Just like Sanktessy, he's in a white position which is actually a disadvantage. Even a family as large as Marquis Kingston dared to attack, and it seemed that they were taking advantage of Marquis Kingston's only son.
"So you're saying that your life and that of your son are being targeted? And if you both die at their hands, they will use someone else for the wealth?"
"Exactly..." he answered quietly.
"Your son is unknown to anyone. Isn't that great? He'll be safe," I replied casually.
He looked at Verion beside him, those eyes looking telepathic.
"Master Akion," he said doubtfully.
"If you want to transact, then convince me and don't hide too much," I complained.
"Father, it's okay. Introducing, I'm Verion Kingston." The priest named Verion bowed respectfully to me, looking guilty for their petty lie.
"So you've been hiding it in the holy shrine in Invit all this time?"
"I have only been there for two years, Master Akion."
I looked at Verion's face, maybe he's the same age as me. He could inherit the title of Marquis of Kingston at this age if anything happened to his father.
"Why now?" He should have stayed hidden.
"They have managed to sniff out my son's whereabouts. Verion is not a fighter, Mister Akion."
"Okay. Put that matter aside first."
"Now about my advantage in helping you guys? The Kingston area is quite far from here. A month. I have a lot of business to attend to in Sanktessy." My forehead is slightly furrowed.
Yes, piles of work piled up. Then, Sanktessy's eldest child is out of nowhere. Harzem is a crazy female player.
"You just need to take me to Redvet village. There is our magician waiting."
"Still it took four days to get there. Especially with your current condition."
"We have magic paper that can teleport. I'll give you the paper, and not just one." Marquis Kingston's face was full of conviction at that.
His deep gaze as if sinking in my heartbeat, I know this is something step and precious. Wouldn't I have saved the other days?
CONTINUE.....