"Well?" The Duke said, lifting his gaze to his subordinate. He frowned, raising his callus palm to his fiery beard. He narrowed his eyes, revealing the scar the Master of Swords had given him near his lip. "What is it that you need that you had to barge in uninvited."
Arms poised behind his back, the Master of Swords lifted his gaze to the amber light bathing the room with light. He searched the room before his gaze returned. "Altair, the boy sparred against your brother's Fifth born."
"And?" The Duke said, growing more intrigued.
"Laros lost. He lost badly." Veltos said, " Two fractures in his skull and a damn near broken neck. It was brutal. I recorded. Shall I send it to your Neuralink? I've sent it to your Brother already."
The Duke frowned momentarily and shrugged, giving in to the curiosity. He'd remember a boy no more than eight last they met. But never placed much importance on him, not like he did his Mother.
"Send it."
A chime silently rang through the Duke's head as a virtual video appeared within the center of his eye. Revealing all that occurred hours before. "The way his sword moved. That's not our fighting style. Do you recognize it? It's quite refined."
"I don't."
"Find out then. It's surely at least a B-tier swordsmanship, if not higher. And hand Laros a booster. I want him up on his feet by tomorrow."
"Understood."
"Now this boy, Altair. What can you tell me about him?" The Duke inquired, leaning back on his chair, revealing his bony face. "Surely you must have recognized him before? What's his skill?"
"He was an outsider. So I didn't put much thought into raising his skill. A mistake I see now." the Master of Swords started. "The boy has definitely been conditioned since birth. He is ahead of his class, whether it's stamina, strength, or skill. I just never thought he'd destroy an Awakener with such ease. "
"So he's not an Awaken yet.' The Duke mused inwardly.
"He had a nice personality. A little mischievous if you ask me. But became more reclusive with the death of the slave girl he befriended, which led to him becoming more distant. But overall, he's a nice kid. Kind, courteous, cute. He's very likable. "
"Do you like him?" The Duke questioned, finding a smile.
"I do. Altair knows when to talk and when to keep quiet. He is very calculating."
"You sound as if you're speaking of a woman." Chuckled the Duke. " Do you suspect resentment? You said he was close to the slave girl, right? Kids tend to be unaware of social hierarchy. So it's not surprising he got close to one."
The Master of Swords thought for a bit. " I think he resents me. Not our Noble House. But he's a child. Naive of the fact no man wants to kill a child. Slave or not. But I can dismiss his concerns. And bring him closer to our house, but it might take some time."
"Then I shall let you handle this matter. And keep that idiot nephew of mine in check. I don't want his foolishness to bring down our house's name."
"Of course, my lord." Said the Master of Swords with a short bow.
The Duke lowered his gaze, lifting the documents scattered over his desk, preparing to turn in when a sudden thought came to him. " The Reverend Mother is to arrive tomorrow."
"Shall I speak to Flinn? He's responsible for—"
"No. I'm asking you." The Duke said and looked at him. "Why do you think she's here?"
The Master of Swords gathered his thoughts: "The GCA carries a monopoly of over Seven Tier five solar systems of genetic codes. When they found Earth, they allowed us to enhance our talent. But as a result, we became their property. I suspect that's why she's here: To check on her cattle. With the integration of cloning, genetic enhancement, and interdimensional breeding, humans have risen remarkably quickly compared to others."
"The Genetic Clone Association (GCA) Is a powerhouse we need." The Duke voiced, tightening his fist. "The Reverend Mother's arrival isn't about checking her stock. She doesn't need to arrive personally for that."
Astonishment tightened its hold over the Master of Swords as he stiffed. " My Lord, do you mean to say you wish for a seat at the table? The Empire will not be pleased. At least not without a cut."
The Duke smiled and thought: With the rise of Babel Tower, dungeons continued to pop up each year, granting unlimited resources. In my territory alone, I control about sixty-five dungeons, seven being S-Tier. I don't need the empires permission. It's my personal property. And if I can earn a seat at the table within the GCA, the Aros family's influence and power would skyrocket.
"What if we don't give them a cut?" The Duke stated firmly, staring at his most loyal knight, advisor, and friend.
"Getting in bed with the GCA is dangerous. There are many abilities they hold we cannot even fathom. We can deal with the Empire, but the Aros Family can't deal with them both." The Master of Swords said, a deep sigh wishing to expose itself. "And let's not forget. The GCA has been fascinated with Earth's Dungeons since the beginning. They underestimated the powers of Babels Tower and paid for it by giving us weapons, enhanced genetics, and Cyberwere. We got too powerful too quickly for them to enslave. Remember how furious they were when they learned of how quickly we grew? The Reverend Mother killed her Predecessor over such a mistake."
"There's no proof of that." The Duke said.
"Does there need to be? We have all investigated it. And despite there being no evidence, it's the only logical solution. The GCA wants Earth, but the Empire has repeatedly refused to grant them rights to our land. The Emperor wishes to keep Earth's Monopoly to himself. A wise move if you ask me. After all, while Earth wouldn't win against the GCP due to our treaty with Genisis, not even the GCP can forcefully occupy our land.
"Not to mention, with each generation we produce. We grow stronger. The GCP is on a deadline. And it's us who hold the cards. In a few thousand years, Earth will be at the top."
The Duke leaned back into his chair, excited for the Reverend Mother's arrival, yet frightened simultaneously.
Tomorrow, the fate of the Aros Family would be decided.
"I will speak to Flinn, but Veltos, I do not want any mistakes. No one can know about this. No one." The Duke solemnly swore. " Not a single mistake can occur."
"And what of Tenebrae, My Lord." The Master of Swords mused flatly, letting her name resound. "I have no idea who she is nor why she's here. But she does as she pleases. And works when she wants. Surely, she's not just a lawyer."
Bile crept up the back of the Duke's throat at the mention of her name. " I owe her. But she's not a threat. Ignore her. She usually keeps to herself anyway. But just to be sure. Drop by if you can. Let's cover all our bases. You never know, right?"