My talk with the Baron went rather simply. 

Because it was a small city, there wasn’t much in the way of law and policy. The people of the town lived by basic rules like no stealing or killing, and other petty crimes were either dealt with personally or became a legal case heard by the city lord who would deliver his judgment. 

Other than that, everyone lived lives that weren’t complicated by any kind of extensive legal system. 

And beyond the city, the Baron had a single trading partnership with the nearest city called Silk Valley, a place known for their silks and fabrics as per the name. 

The Baron traded food with them since Northtown was home to vast fertile farmlands. They had enough surplus food to sell to and feed another city, generating passive income and allowing Northtown to slowly develop itself. 

This also meant that farmers within the city were very successful, and since food was cheap, it allowed other citizens to prosper in industries like hunting and stonecutting. 

Speaking of, stonecutting was another small industry within the city, though it was painfully underdeveloped. With the nearby mountains, there were plenty of resources like granite and limestone. But because there weren’t enough modes of transportation, the few stones that made their way down the mountains were forced to stay within the city, only being used for local construction. There was no way this small city could sell any significant amount of stone to other places. 

But I didn’t mind that. If anything, it allowed our city to build itself on a stronger foundation. Instead of hard mud or wood houses, they were using stone. 

And in the future when I expanded industry, those sources of stone would present many opportunities. 

Stonecutting and farming. These two things basically summed up the entirety of this city’s economic situation. I couldn’t really expect much from a small city, but it could definitely be worse. 

As for any kind of armed presence, there were apparently only 40 guards that were responsible for securing the entire city. And even they didn’t do much.

The city’s current population was about 23,000, which was both a large and small amount. In this world it was large enough population to be called a small city. But compared to the visions I had for the future, it was a pitifully small amount of people. 

I had been trained to manage billions, let alone a few thousand. 

Anyway…

The situation was decent, but there was much left to be desired. 

If I wanted to build this city into something greater, I would need lots of money, labor, and technology. And it would only take getting over the initial curve to begin growing explosively. 

That reminded me…

I would need to speak to the assistant my father sent. I had ignored him since we arrived, especially with the situation with Tiya. 

But getting my hands on my father’s investment and using him in order to manage the installation of an iron mine would be one of the foundations of my future. The iron, or more specifically steel, that I would produce from that mine would pave the road of my envisioned industry. 

However, even before handling the assistant, it seemed there was another issue I had to tackle first. 

And that was the intruder who greeted me within the Baron’s study, which I inadvertently requisitioned. 

My body suddenly tightened within my leather seat as another presence revealed itself in the room. 

But I didn’t panic nor retaliate, simply sitting there. 

There was only one possible suspect that could enter a room while escaping my senses. 

A Sorcerer. 

“I didn’t expect to meet yet another sorcerer so soon.”

“And I didn’t expect you to notice me so quickly. I guess a Duke’s son can’t be underestimated, no matter how pitiful the rumors are about you.”

“Rumors?”

My brow raised at the soft voice that graced my ears. 

Then, I saw the culprit take a seat on the edge of the desk, her lithe figure pleasing to the eyes. 

Short white hair and crystalline white-gold eyes. She was an exotic beauty I had never seen anyone like before. Truly a unique woman. 

But what rumors could possibly be circulating so widely about me that even a sorcerer knew them?

She crossed her legs while looking into my eyes. 

“Why, the rumors about you being the poorest son of the Duke Fawkes Family. A child who’s been nothing but a leech to the household, incapable of fighting for the position of heir, and has done nothing but embarrass the name with mediocrity. And you were so mediocre that you escaped the household and used your position to take a random city in the mountains for yourself in a pitiful attempt to make something of your name.”

She smiled while laying down all the slanderous rumors, as if amused. But I only smiled back. 

After all, the rumors were almost entirely true. 

I was a leech to the Fawkes family, a no good son who couldn’t hope to fight his siblings for the position of heir, and has truly embarrassed the family name after sitting at home for years and doing absolutely nothing. 

Only the last line was incorrect, but, considering the circumstances in which my father sent us off, I had a feeling things weren’t as simple with my parting gift as they seemed. 

Nonetheless…

I was surprised that even a sorcerer knew these things. It seemed news traveled fast, even in this primitive world. Or perhaps it was the doing of someone who didn’t wish me well. Or precisely the opposite.

The sorcerer before me seemed to find my smile interesting. 

“Are you not angry, young lord?”

“Well, I can’t be angry at the truth. The only thing I refute is the fact of taking the city for myself. While I am now the ruler of this city, I didn’t strip the former city lord of all his duties. He is now my assistant. After all, he knows this city and his people better than I do. But enough of that.”

I tilted my head slightly. 

“What business does a sorcerer have with me?”

“Well, at first I came to make sure that you weren’t using the girl who was to be executed a couple days ago as a mere toy for your own pleasures. In that case, my business with you would have been conducted by the blade of my knife. But…”

Her gaze turned, looking to another portion of the household where Tiya’s room was. 

“I see that I misjudged you. And it seems your sister is more than meets the eye”

“So you can actually see if someone is a sorcerer?”

I was surprised, because I wasn’t aware that sorcerers could detect one another. I hadn’t heard Grace speak of it even when she saw Tiya. 

The woman turned back to me and smiled. 

“I can, but that doesn’t mean all sorcerers can.”

“So you’re a special sorcerer?”

“I suppose you could say that. But, which sorcerer isn’t special?”

“True…”

I smirked before settling back into my seat, taking on a more casual pose. 

“So? Now that you know my sister’s secret and that I saved Tiya, what are your plans?”

“Well, I’m not so sure now. I can’t say I expected anything that’s happened. However, I think I’m going to take the girl off your hands.”

“Take? Why?”

I couldn’t say that I was happy with her proposition. Knowing the power of the sorcerers, I absolutely had plans for them. They were invaluable human resources that had the abilities to bend the laws of physics. In this primitive world, they could be the key to getting my hands on complex technologies that my Tool couldn’t yet build, or synthesizing materials that my Tool couldn’t handle. 

I didn’t plan on just letting the one sorcerer I had be taken away, or any others that would take refuge under my wing for that matter. 

It seemed the woman could see my displeasure with her suggestion. 

“I want to take her to our hideout. A small militia of sorcerers in the nearby mountains. We take care of each other there, and it's a safe place where she can be free, unlike in this place.”

“I don’t recall there being any settlements in the mountains. So you all are just a group of nomads, hunting to survive in the barren mountains. I don’t think that’s any place to send a girl who just experienced the trauma of having her own parents sentence her to death.”

“...Just about every sorcerer has had that kind of trauma. I think we would know best how to help her.”

“Then, maybe you should do so here.”

“..?”

The woman was surprised by my words. 

At that moment though, we heard a knock on the door. 

We were silent for a moment before I answered. 

“Come in.”

*Whoosh*

The woman disappeared in a flurry of snow, nothing of her presence left behind. I glanced at where she used to be before facing the door. 

I saw Tiya enter, now dressed in some of my sister’s clothing. It was a bit big on her though. 

“Tiya. What brings you here? And where’s Grace?”

“...She went to go buy clothes for me.”

“Well, you do need some.”

I nodded while Tiya seemed to muster some conviction within herself. She was tyring to keep her focus on me, yet was also deep in thought. 

I let her process things. Perhaps she had come here after making a sudden decision, and at a time when Grace wasn’t there to say anything about it. 

I wondered what she wanted. 

“...Young lord…”

“Don’t be afraid to say what you wish.”

“...Yes.”

She took a deep breath, lifting her head and looking into my eyes. 

“I… I wish to serve you, young lord. You saved my life, and I have nowhere to go. I no longer have a family, so I hope I can stay by your side. My power will be yours to wield. If that’s what you wish…”

Although she started by looking into my eyes, her head slowly bowed as she spoke more and more. 

And honestly, I was surprised by this sudden pledge of allegiance. 

In my silence, Tiya continued. 

“Your words in the dungeon… Young lord, there was no need to apologize for them. I understand that what you said was for the sake of the Baron. And… I believe in you. The Baron is a hypocrite. Everyone who kills sorcerers is a hypocrite. But you aren’t, and you saved me.”

“...Tiya.”

I stood from my seat, walking around my desk and standing a few feet away from the girl. 

“I can accept your loyalty, but I don’t want you to make too quick a judgment. You only know me by the few minutes I was before you in the dungeon. So instead of pledging your loyalty, I want you to observe. Listen to my words, scrutinize my actions. Understand the person I am before dedicating yourself to my cause. Don’t trust me until you trust what you’ve seen. Do you understand?”

“...Yes.”

Tiya nodded, her eyes full of determination. She even had a small smile. 

I gave her a small grin. 

“Go on back to your room. I wouldn’t want Grace to be worried when she doesn’t see you there.”

“Yes, young lord.”

“And call me by my name at least. It’s not like I’m much older than you.”

“...Yes, Lord Audius.”

She gave a curtsy before leaving the study. 

I walked back to my chair, taking a seat before sighing. 

“I guess she won’t be going with you.”

“Well, now I’m curious about what you said in the dungeon.”

The woman reappeared, this time right beside my chair as she sat on the desk. 

I brushed my purple hair back, giving her a glance. 

“I never did get your name.”

“Gentle Snow.”

“I guess the origin of your name isn’t a mystery then.”

“Not quite.”

She giggled a bit, but then her smile turned somber. 

“What you said…”

“About bringing your militia here? I meant it. I plan to save whatever sorcerers come my way. I’ll make sure they won’t be persecuted in my city. Of course, I can’t have the Order on my ass, so keeping your presence here hidden would be a temporary measure. At least until I have the strength to protect us.”

“...I see.”

She looked at me suspiciously but hopefully. And perhaps my words were a bit too optimistic. After all, within the Verlenium Empire, who would dare to do something that earned the ire of the Order?

But my sister was a sorcerer, and she had seen how I saved Tiya. 

I gave a bit more reassurance. 

“I’m planning on building my own manor. It’ll be even bigger than this one, but I’m going to place it beyond the public eye. When it gets finished, all the sorcerers can live there.”

“All of us? Sorcerers may not be plentiful, but two dozen of us is still a lot.”

“It’s going to be a big manor. Still, I’m serious about saving sorcerers. When you go back to see your militia tonight, you should let them know.”

“...It’ll be an interesting discussion.”

Gentle Snow hummed before sliding off the desk. 

“For now, I’ll take my leave.”

“Alright. And please let Tiya choose for herself when you go visit her. I don’t enjoy having my people kidnapped.”

“Hm.”

She smirked, then disappeared with a gust of snow. 

I sighed and laid back. It wasn’t fun knowing a random girl could move around completely undetected. It made me think about various protective measures that I would need to enact in the future.