An immediate uproar surged from the crowd, a wave of indignation aimed like daggers at the now dejected instructors.
"WHAT ABOUT THE HONOR OF GRUZIA'S FORCES?! HAVE YOU NO PRIDE?!"
"YEAH, WHAT ABOUT IT?! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LET FOREIGNERS TRAMPLE ALL OVER US?!"
"A DISGRACE! LEAVE THE UNITED IF YOU CAN'T DEFEND ITS HONOR!"
The torrent of acerbic emotions was overpowering, with Christopher being genuinely taken aback by the swift shift in sentiment against those they had, moments ago, regarded as heroes. It was manifestly clear that Gruzia's national pride was a sacrosanct entity, a banner to be wielded blindly to decry and throw their own to the wolves should they not meet expectations. As for the four accused, they could only grit their teeth while receiving the public's scorn and hatred. They knew they were miserably outmatched, which was why they had been unanimous in their decision. There was simply no path to defeating the General, no matter what effort they expanded to that end. After all, their training had conditioned them to acknowledge and retreat from hopeless situations, which this qualified as.
"HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT THIS FIGHT AND THEIR NAMES?!"
Out of nowhere, Alexander's voice, thunderous and commanding, pierced the shrieks of the crowd, bringing about the silence of all present. His face, previously painted with confidence and superiority, was aflame with fury. This spar's only intents had been to improve and see where he ranked in this world, with humiliation never even being part of the equation. Still, he had anticipated some public interest, albeit not to this degree, as he was familiar with the boisterous nature of these events. What he couldn't tolerate, however, was the disrespect shown to warriors realizing that they lacked in the face of a greater power. He was not, nor ever, a commander that espoused futile martyrdom when faced with overwhelming odds. No, he was one who had encouraged his soldiers to value their lives and not squander them needlessly. The crowd's fickleness also stirred memories of his beginnings when he and his troops had been regarded as nothing but mere circus attractions, a history he vowed never to revisit. The palpable pressure following his interruption had also made the vast room feel suffocating, a sensation the nobles immediately registered. It was clear they had gravely underestimated their foe.
"Now, I believe this concludes the spar. Thank you all for participating, and I'd still like to apologize for the disruption we've caused."
Lloyd's voice broke the stalemate, causing the murmur of speculation and gossip to stir once more. As for the General, he sheathed his sword and acknowledged his opponents with a nod before returning to Christopher's side, whose face beamed from the handsome fortune he'd just gotten.
640 gold coins
This unexpected windfall was a substantial boost to his plans, the spoils from this trip accruing beyond anything he'd ever imagined. And just as he was mentally cataloging them one after the other, he noticed that the bookie was approaching, his face marred by a despondent look.
"Here are your winnings."
He promptly offered two large pouches of gold, which Lloyd gracefully accepted and hid in his inventory, away from prying eyes.
"Thank you. It was a pleasure doing business with you."
The man grumbled under his breath and left hastily, leaving behind an ever so giddy man. It seemed that bearing the anger of powerful figures losing money was, at best, unpleasant…
"I really can't leave you alone for two seconds, uh…"
The scientist then turned his attention to Alexander, whose countenance broke into a grin.
"You seem to have benefited a lot from my little stunt. Just be grateful."
He sighed and acknowledged the truth in his words, although while also knowing there'd be inevitable repercussions. And as if heard by the Heavens themselves, he noticed that a group of unmistakably high-ranking nobles strode in his direction.
"Are you Merchant Lloyd?"
Their greeting was crude, but respectful. Clearly, their displeasure meant that they had bet against Alexander, yet he suspected that this was not the primary purpose of their impromptu visit.
"Yes. How can I help you?"
In turn, he had decided to take on a more courteous approach, since he couldn't afford any more enemies. Fortunately, it proved fruitful as it seemed to please the group, which then mirrored his tone.
"Your guard is quite impressive. Where are you from?"
"I'm just a wandering merchant looking for the best deals throughout the land. I don't really have a home."
This was his well-rehearsed background, which had so far served him well. Until…
"Really? I feel like I would've heard about you both, especially since half of our business is made of continental transactions. Oh, and sorry for the probing. I'm William Torry, third in line of succession, and the one in charge of the division overseeing said transactions."
The speaker was a handsome young man in his early twenties who, by all accounts, was well-versed in physical combat. He was also very different from the rest of the group, which seemed much more relaxed and carefree. However, his appearance wasn't what shocked him.
The Torry family?!
This wasn't good at all, since the last thing he wanted was to get involved with another superpower. But now that he had poked at his story, it was time to flesh it out some more.
"Really? Well, I'm not really known yet, but it's something I aim to change with my future venture."
He opted to avoid creating any fantastic or outlandish background, instead choosing to opt for simplicity, as he thought it more credible.
"Future venture? Can you enlighten us?"
The rest of the group suddenly became interested when wealth came into the equation, a reaction he had foreseen. It was simply the perfect diversion from inquiries about his identity.
"Well, as you may know, a merchant never reveals his secrets, but I can tell you this: I hope to transform the landscape surrounding the exploitation of magic crystals."
Those at the back then fell into a hush before giggling, catching Lloyd somewhat off-guard.
"Wow, your ambitions are quite remarkable! Many have tried before, only to end up ruined and without a future. I hope your plans lead you to a better fate."
This was news to him, now interested in what avenues his predecessors had explored. Still, he was not deterred, more than confident in his intelligence and drive. Even if the recently acquired book proved to be useless, he would persist no matter what, even if it meant starting from scratch. Without further access to the Vault, he had to tread this path with unwavering commitment, especially after his sizable investment in the refining tools.
William, on the other hand, seemed less dismissive about his claim, causing the group's mirth to slowly recede.
"I see… It was a pleasure meeting you."
The nobleman then, in a move baffling him, turned towards Alexander before offering him a wild proposition.
"If you ever leave his side, know that you'll always be welcome to the Torrys."
With his probing seemingly satisfied, he briskly departed with his companions in tow, leaving behind a stunned and silent Lloyd. This of course made Alexander erupt into laughter, as he couldn't help but pity him. On top of being abruptly and unceremoniously dismissed, he had also been seen as the weak link destined to fail, ultimately losing the loyalty of his retainers. This narrative couldn't have been any more hilarious, at least from the General's perspective.
"You're enjoying this way too much…"
After a minute, the engineer finally managed to recoup his rattled composure, deciding then that it was high time to draw the curtains on yet another eventful day.
⁂
"Your report is quite detailed. Is this all they've done so far?"
"Yes, Emperor. The most peculiar thing, apart from his acquisition of magic crystals, is the merchant's habit of visiting the library and not finishing what he borrows. Even his trip to the Vault was incredibly short, which is far too unusual."
"It's indeed intriguing, but I don't think he deserves much of our attention. Now, what's your thoughts on the chances of driving a wedge between them and coaxing the bodyguard over to our ranks?"
"Other than the merchant buying him a sword, they don't seem particularly close, with the bodyguard even acting as he pleases. I think the chances are great."
"Interesting. You've also said they had an altercation with Thomas Wixton, correct?"
"Yes."
"Hoho… I guess it's time to act."