I looked at the Count Javin's estate through Aelios' connection.
As I mentioned before it didn't match with the vibrant city and stood out like a sore thumb. The estate was sparsely guarded. There were not even a dozen guards that I could spot and even they looked disinterested in this job.
They didn't have any pride or glow that usually came with the job of a guard of a noble's estate.
[That is the estate Aelios. Activate your Ethereal Awareness. I want you to be aware of every minute fluctuation that happens in that estate and the rest of the city. Keep an eye on the surroundings too and as soon as you spot the man with the features that I described, alert me.]
I sent the message to Aelios through our mental link.
[I will Sir Tej. Please rest assured.]
I cut the connection of with Aelios. I stood up back in my tent, stretched my body lazily and went out. Bubble was waiting for me there.
"Sir, Tej. What was that weird energy wave? Are you okay?"
Bubble asked. His voice was shaking slightly and his expression was of a little kid. He was really concerned about my well being.
"Don't worry about it. It was just my meditation session. Whenever I end a good meditation session, that mana wave occurs. It is the aftereffects of the really good gains I gained before. I am sure you observed that too."
I spoke with a smile.
Bubble's fat face also broke out into a grin as he nodded.
I patted him on the back and both of us went to do our daily tasks. I didn't want to start with the Deputy General. Instead, I went to the Citizen barrack area to meet with the young lady and her child.
She was staying the newly built stone house. It was neatly constructed with all the basic defenses.
"So, how are you doing? I hope you like the new home."
I asked.
"Thank you, Sir Tej."
"Why are you thanking me? This is what you are supposed to get. It was yours since the start. I didn't get you any other benefits. You don't need to thank me at all."
"No, Sir Tej. I know that the situation is not as simple as they are letting us to believe. If it wasn't for you, this wouldn't have happened at all. Your article changed our situation. I never knew, a few words on a paper have such an impact.
Thank you once again."
She bowed deeply.
I couldn't help but break out into a satisfying smile. I looked at the newly built array of houses and took a few pictures. Inside and out. As I promised, I added that article into that day's list.
However, I already started thinking what I was going to stir up next.
I finished that day's tasks and went to meet the Deputy General. The pictures for the last blue assignment of the day.
By the time I reached his tent, the two guards standing outside stopped me with their spears. They were twins. Both bulky. Each standing exactly at six and a half feet tall. They were carrying heavy long spears. They wore shiny armor with gorilla patterns on them.
They were not any runes or inscriptions. They don't have any particple purpose. In fact, the armors were standard military issue. But I knew what those gorillas meant. They were symbols these two brothers claimed to be the insignia of their household.
Not the one they were born into. But the ones they were going to establish.
"You are not going in there."
The twin on the right spoke.
"I have already scheduled a meeting. It is about the Deputy General's glory in the war. If I don't write it, nobody will have any idea about it, in fact it won't even exist. So, you better decide if you really want to stop me."
"Nice try. Deputy General already told us that you would pick random excuses to get into the tent today. We are not buying it."
I frowned at this. Not because it was the left side twin that spoke at that moment. But because it was a bit hard for me to understand why the Arun think that I would want to make excuses to enter his tent.
After all, I was more interested in making excuses to get out of the camp, not go deeper into it.
"What are you talking about? What did you hear from Arun?"
I asked them directly.
"Nope, we are not answering. Deputy Commander also said that you will ask this question."
"And did he tell you what to do if I constantly insist on it?" I asked.
"Yes, he told me to carry you like a baby and put you to sleep." *PAK* The left side twin answered and the right side twin smacked the shit out of his brother's face.
"You fucking idiot. Do you even understand what you are talking?" He yelled out loud. Those were basically my thoughts too. Until that point, we were on the same page. However, the next moment…
"He told us to do that when he tries to break in. If he insists, we need to stop acting like idiots and insist on not letting him in."
So, you might have an inkling of their personalities by now.
I shook my head and yelled out loud.
"Deputy General Arun. I need you to allow me in. This is a really good glorious mission you have prepared for yourself. So, I would like to finish my task of taking pictures and get back to my tent.
Unlike most people here, I need to actually show my work."
I didn't hold back.
*BOOM*
With an explosive sound I felt a wave of mana hit me in the face. I almost fell on to my but.
*BOING*
Bubble actually did. And that was just the sound effect in my head. Bubble might have been as bouncy as a beach ball, but he most certainly didn't make that sound.
Anyway, following the mana wave, the tent's flap flew open and the Deputy general came out.
"And the greatest warrior of the southern front appears in front of me."
I spoke with a smile that wasn't exactly a smile. It was on my mouth, but it wasn't in my eyes.
"Tej, the first chance I get. I will rip your limbs and feed you to these Sea Demons. And I am going to savor each and every moment of it."
"Then, who is going to take your interview and the pictures as you weave a story to cover up that murder?"
"Do you really think you are the only reporter here? With all your visits to the barracks, you must have paid a little more attention. There are other reporters from the Gazette office. They are just not working because the King wanted to dump all the work on you.
So, once you become the 'work', I am sure the King will understand when someone else writes an article about it."
"Seems like you are a little rusty on the treaty laws Deputy General.
I am the acting head of the gazette branch. To write an article about my death, an Elder from the Mage association's international headquarters will be here and they will perform a thorough investigation. Of course, that is only if I died as you described.
With you watching over me.
I highly doubt even the King will want that as I am sure the association despises nothing more than the politics of kingdom effecting their operation."
Deputy General was about to speak something when all of a sudden someone came out of the tent.
It is a familiar face.
"Dhana?"
"Oh, good. You are here."
She spoke and turned to Arun.
"Is this what you are stooping to now, Arun? Barring him with force? I already got the go ahead from the head of the bureau. Tej is currently eligible to read the demonic texts that we obtained in the war.
And that clearance extends to all the fronts, not just this and his clearance is equivalent to mine, which means it is higher than yours.
If you still try to block him, I will use force. Not you."
I widened my eyes on disbelief.
"I got the clearance?"
I asked Dhana, completely ignoring Arun.
Dhana smiled and nodded.
"After I gave the copy to the Deputy General here, I contacted Duke Paras directly. After putting in the request, you got the clearance. It didn't even take much effort from me. But that doesn't mean you don't have to repay me.
You have to.
Big time."
"Of course, you need not ask."
I sidestepped Arun and walked into the tent.
Did I mention that it was luxurious like a presidential suite in a star hotel room?
Its worth repeating again.
I was led to central part of the tent which acted as the meeting room.
It was a long board meeting table that could hold sixteen people in total. One head, one tail and the rest on either side.
Dharma was already there along with some assistant generals and commanders with a bit high clearance. There were several archaic scrolls and parchments laid down on the table. Attracting my gaze, and interest.