“Duke, Lady Fenchel is here,” a guard informed him in his study.

“Flora?”

“It is Lady Vilma.”

Flora was referred to as Lady Fenchel by guards as well. Therefore, it was an understandable mistake. Besides, this was Vilma’s first visit to the manor on her own. He would have never foreseen this event.

“Mother?”

Did something happen?

“Let her in.”

Feeling tense, he welcomed his mother who was dressed in a commoner’s dress but in a very good quality. With her well combed sparking blond hair and her refined face, no one would dare think that she was an ordinary commoner. In fact, the quality of her dress didn’t even matter. The woman oozed grace regardless

“Mother, welcome. This is the first time you've ever visited me, isn’t it?”

“Indeed,” she replied with a smile. “I’ve heard that your wife is pregnant. Is that right?”

“Yes, it is true. She is currently with her mother, Lady Lena Flissing.”

“May I meet her?”

“Of course, dear mother. Please, follow me.”

When he brought his mother to Flora’s study where she was conversing with her mother, they looked surprised to see a seemingly commoner woman entering their quarters. Neither Flora nor Lena had actually met Vilma although the former was aware that the “Macomaco tea farmer” was his biological parents.

“This is Vilma Fenchel, my mother,” he introduced her to them. Both women were startled at the sudden declaration that the woman in front of them was the mother of the duke who, by the way, was dressed in a commoner’s dress. Kamil couldn’t care less what his mother was wearing because, in his eyes, anyone could see that she was a noblewoman. It was never the attire that made a noble after all.

“Lady Fenchel,” both said in unison while showing respect. Vilma leaned forward a bit as a show of respect as well. There was no need for her to perform a curtsy. Their ranks were about the same in social hierarchy although Vilma’s standing would be a bit higher than them in truth since she was the mother of the duke. But no one in the room was arrogant and tone-deaf enough to pick on such minor details.

“My name is Vilma Fenchel. It is an honor to meet you both, Lady Flissing and Lady Fenchel.”

“Likewise,” Lena beamed a smile.

“I’ve recently been informed that my daughter-in-law is pregnant. I’ve come by to see her therefore.”

“Milady, I thank you for your visit.” Flora, wearing a light pink loose dress, approached her at once. As the three women began to converse, Kamil excused himself out; He had no business in women’s talk. He wouldn’t even know what to talk about anyway. A while later, Vilma came back to his study.

“She is a nice girl,” she remarked with a smile. He smiled back from his desk. Crossing his fingers, he asked what he had in his mind.

“... Mother, what is the real purpose of your visit?”

She wouldn’t have paid him a visit unless she needed something. As wrong as it sounded, that was how it worked in nobility. This was especially true in this case since Vilma never once visited him personally.

She beamed a grin with a satisfied face. “That’s my boy,” she said proudly. Unlike Faro who had to be told explicitly in precise words, Kamil simply caught on. Visiting her daughter-in-law was a simple excuse to visit her son.

“This is about Faro. Something … happened to him.” She went on to explain the incident he was involved with and that he was crippled permanently as a direct result.

“Oh, my God…” He looked shell-shocked.

“He will live. That has to count for something,” she said with a bitter smile.

“Yes, but …”

I don’t think I can do anything for him, though…

“The guildmaster Brian did offer a job for him which is to become the guild receptionist. He seems to be very against the idea and told me that it’s a girl’s job.”

He did recall seeing only females at the counter although admittedly his experience with guild receptionists was fairly limited.

“He may be right, mother. I’ve never seen a male guild receptionist but I will say that I’ve run into only two guild receptionists.”

“Hmm…, so he might be telling the truth then.”

“Group leaders are generally males, and they are the ones who deal with the guild on their behalf. I can now see why they put up beautiful women at the guild counters.”

She nodded along in understanding. “In that case, there was something I had in my mind. Only you could do it.”

“Of course, mother. Anything you ask, I will consider it.”

“Would it be possible for you to train him as a butler?”

He saw where she was going. Faro was a thirteen year-old boy. He was getting dangerously close to coming of age without having a career path. In their society, it was crucial that a boy reaching their coming of age had a career or at least started a career. Faro had nothing at the moment. To make it worse, he was now crippled.

“Didn’t he used to be an apprentice carpenter? Could he not pursue that path?”

Limping wouldn’t really affect carpentry after all.

“He…” She looked troubled. “Well, the carpentry company hinted to me subtly that he doesn’t really have talents for it. And now his path as an adventurer is gone.” She heaved a long sigh. “To be honest, Kamil, I am running out of options. He is running out of options.”

“Mother, I do not have an issue with training him as a butler. He also has an option to become a guild receptionist. He now has two choices. He needs to make a choice.”

“True. He is very reluctant to become a guild receptionist, which is why I’ve come to see you.”

“I am assuming here that Taro will inherit the farm?”

“Yes. As for Abel, it’s too young for him to make any decision. My concern right now is Faro.”

“Why did he become an apprentice carpenter to begin with? Did he not want to carry on the farm?”

She shook her head, looking downhearted. 

“I see… I will be honest, mother. A limping butler isn’t good, either. He can be one, but I am unsure whether anyone will employ a limping butler.”

Of course, he could use his connections to get Faro a job later on, but nepotism was something he was eager to avoid if possible. He was educated to avoid nepotism in Lux when he was younger, and Cezary reminded him frequently to avoid nepotism because it was “the first step for downfall”.

“Yes…, I see your point.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose.

“I think being a guild receptionist is probably the best for him. He wouldn’t need to move much. Actually, why don’t you let him inherit the farm?”

“Your father has decided that he won’t. He wasn’t happy when Faro said he didn’t want to farm. Besides, Taro has learned most of skills now. It would be unfair for Taro to be abandoned at this point.”

“Yeah…, I see his point actually.”

Unlike Faro, Taro kept his head down and learned what Grent taught him. Whether he really wanted to inherit the farm was unknown, but it was clear that he had no objections. It would be utterly unfair to let Faro inherit the farm at this point indeed.

“Your father doesn’t say much but he is very proud of you.”

“He is?”

“Yes, he has been utterly disappointed that neither Faro and Taro lived up to your standards, and I believe he has come to a realization that you were in fact special.”

He couldn’t really deny that he was indeed special although his definition of being special was vastly different from the perspective of his parents.

“And I think he is most pleased with the fact that you are the first son.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

She shrugged while smiling. “I don’t know. Anyway, I will be going. Come over here, dear.” She opened her arms, and Kmail stood up from his chair and approached her, exchanging a warm hug.

“Gosh, you are taller than me now. You aren’t a boy anymore.”

He chuckled. “I am going to be a father soon, mother. Of course, not.”

“Flora seemed really happy to be pregnant. Do take care of her. I don’t think she had an easy life.”

“Of course,” he replied curtly. He knew her past where her father wanted to get rid of her just because he couldn’t find her a suitable husband. Although he believed initially that Baptiste, her father, was more or less insane or broken, he came to realize his point of view after getting to know him. He was a proud man and wanted nothing but best for his children. It was either one or zero for him, and if his child was getting the short end of a stick, he was going to do something about it.

 

After Vilma left, he heaved a long sigh. It took him a moment to fully digest what happened to Faro. He was calm and collected when Vilma was present because the news was fresh and he didn’t have time to fully take it in.

“God damn it, Faro…,” he mumbled. “Why…”

He was heartbroken because he cared for his siblings. He cared deeply for his entire family and he wanted nothing but the best for his younger brother. Sadly, it was decided between him and his parents that they would not let his brothers know that he was their elder brother in order to avoid potential conflicts and troubles. If they found out that their eldest brother was a noble, even a duke at that, there was a chance that they might cling to him for support. Neither Grent and Vilma wanted that to occur understandably. They wanted their children to be independent for their own sake, and Kamil could not argue against that.

“A guild receptionist or a butler… Is there truly nothing else for him?”

A disabled person had no place in the society of this world. Anyone who couldn't pull their own weight was quickly discarded to reduce the burden on others. While harsh, it became the norm because of the raucous world outside. Food was limited due to restrictions in farming and hunting due to monsters. The Southern region of the kingdom was blessed in that sense because food wasn’t as scarce as other regions. Faro would have been thrown out to the wilderness if it was the North. Therefore, Vilma wasn’t overreacting. She had every reason to be concerned about her second child.

“I will call Brian. I need to ask him something.”

If Brian was offering him the job out of simple sympathy, then Faro shouldn’t take the job. He would be fired in future anyway.

 

“I’ve answered your summon, duke,” On a knee, Brian showed his respect.

“Guildmaster, I’ve been recently informed that the first son of the Macomaco tea farmer has been crippled in combat.”

He looked a bit surprised. “Words spread really fast then. Anyway, yes, it is true. The boy’s name is Faro, a thirteen year-old child. He was badly battered by a trio of dire goblins in the dungeon. Thankfully, our local healer was able to save him, alas not completely.”

“I was told that he was offered a job at your guild as a receptionist. Is that right?”

“Correct, Duke. You are awfully well-informed about this. I am assuming here that the farmer paid you a visit.”

He had no reason to deny this. It was well-known that the duke of Ceres cared about the Macomaco farmer since the tea brought in a sizable profit for the city.

“Yes, they did express a concern about the job offer.”

“Oh? Do they want a better offer?”

“No, it is about the validity of the offer.”

Brian cocked his head a bit. “I beg your pardon?”

“Are you offering the job out of sympathy or is the boy actually qualified for the job?”

“Ah, I see.” He smiled back, seemingly to have understood. “The boy is indeed qualified for the job. I did not offer the job out of pity.”

“What qualification does the boy have?”

“I don’t get the sentiment, but the women at the guild adore him. They all say that he is a pretty boy. Appearance is the most important qualification to be a receptionist, and the boy has got the look. Now, normally we choose pretty women, but there are male receptionists. After all, roughly half of adventurers are single women and they really do dig handsome men.”

His statement was convincing. Indeed, there were a lot of female adventurers because It was one of the few ways for women to escape their traditional roles. Additionally, male adventurers were often rugged and they certainly had no appetite for appearance. A handsome and pretty man would indeed be in demand among female adventurers.

“Of course, a receptionist would need to learn how to do basic paperworks, but the boy is capable of that at least. He is not a complete fool. It’s just that his physique and combat prowess is below average. I dare say he should have never chosen the path of an adventurer.”

“I see. I will pass your words to the farmer.”

“Thank you, Duke. Please excuse me. I have a lot to do at the moment.”

He had indeed been busy with arranging trade routes from Tantan and the labyrinth. He needed one more airship for smooth operations, but his money was tight; There was only so much he could do as an individual.

 

Once again alone in his study, Kamil walked around slowly with hands on his back.

Brian wasn’t wrong. I am convinced that Faro fits the role. Regardless, I don’t know how crippled he will be. His left knee was shattered to pieces… Potent healing magic did put them back but it won’t be the same as before…

He recalled Sir Martin having suffered from a lingering shoulder wound. Of course, Faro’s wound was worse than his although …

Martin would look fine on the surface at least. Faro would limp. It is something everyone can clearly see. This could well affect his marriage prospect as well…

It wasn't in women's best interest to pick a limping man as their husband. Only a nobleman could get away with such a disadvantage, and Faro was a commoner. At the same time, he wasn’t overly worried. Grent and Vilma had four sons together. Even if one of their sons ended up being single, it shouldn’t matter.

Well, perhaps he will meet somebody at the guild since it sounds like he will be dealing with a fair amount of women on a daily basis. Good luck, bro. I’ve done what I can do for you.

In solemn silence, he went back to his desk and began to do his daily paperwork.

 

The next day, Kerekes Izabella returned from her diplomatic mission with Atra. She had been away for about twelve days, which was a telling sign of how far the Atra capital was.

“Duke, I’ve returned. I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?”

“Good news.”

“Alright then, they were very much understanding and were willing to overlook the fact that your men had trespassed into their territory without permission.”

“Of course, they were being nice because they wanted something from me.”

She beamed a smile. “Here comes bad news, Duke, which I am pretty sure that you will reject.”

Kamil folded his arms. “Let’s hear it.”

“Well, you see, Duke, they have a royal princess -”

“I reject that offer,” he interjected at once. He didn’t even need to hear the full sentence.

“Of course, I did reject that offer knowing you’d reject it. It looks like they weren’t incompetent, either, and came up with a second idea.”

The core matter of the deal was who would end up governing the settlement. Obviously, Atra would want the settlement to be theirs since it is within their territory. This meant that they’d send their own governor there and oversee development of the settlement. The problem, however, was that the settlement was already developing naturally without a governor. At the moment, Brian, the guildmaster of Ceres, was handling things on his own. This brought up an interesting prospect of a guild-driven settlement, meaning yet another neutral city like Ceres. Atra, to their credit, didn’t exactly have a huge problem with this prospect. The region was considered already abandoned. If a settlement somehow rose from ashes, figuratively speaking, trade routes would form, bringing in profits from a seemingly dead source. Secondly, none of the folks at the location was from Atra, meaning even if they sent their own governor, there was only going to be conflicts due to language barriers and cultural differences. Those at Atra recognized the issues and concluded that it was better to leave things to Kamil. At the same time, they were at a negotiation table for a reason. They had to gain something. Their first offer, which he rejected even without listening in full, was taking a second wife from the Atra royalty. They expected him to refuse this, and Kerekes did refuse it. Thus, the second offer was suggested.

“They would like to build an embassy in Ceres and another in the new settlement, which is yet to be named. They want a presence in your court, Duke.”

It was at this point where he called for Cezary for his opinion on the matter.

“If I were you, I’d take the princess and be done with it,” he pointed out bluntly. “At least with the princess, there is a chance that she will be on your side if you charm her enough. Those ambassadors will never be on your side.”

While he did have a point, Kamil wasn’t going to marry another woman. One woman was enough for him, period. This was non-negotiable for him.

“Should I reject this deal then?”

“Well, not exactly. You do nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“There is no point in making a decision now because there will be someone from the Kingdom of Egra soon to contest whatever decision you make. Therefore, there is no point in making a decision that won’t stick. Let us wait and see what kind of trouble your former kingdom will bring.”

Kerekes beamed a crooked grin as if silently agreeing with him. And just as he claimed, Isaac Knell arrived in Ceres after a few days.

 

“It has been a while, Lord Knell,” Kamil greeted him at the airship platform. 

Isaac looked around and noted, “It looks like it’s not a town anymore. It’s a city.”

Stone walls were mostly done. All roads were cleanly paved. Houses were all brand new. Indeed, no one could call it a town anymore at this point.

“I am ashamed. My fief, Rokk, is just a backwater village compared to this,” he lamented openly.

Kamil smiled but said no word so as not to offend him in any way. Rokk did benefit from the airship. However, unlike Ceres, there weren’t many business opportunities. With the lack of additional income, the development of the town became stagnant. It did, however, gain roughly a thousand permanent residents which was around a 33% increase in population. Ceres, in contrast, gained approximately four thousand people at the moment, which was around a huge 80% increase in population. With 9,000 people, it was no longer a town but a city. What was perhaps more important was that there were still people migrating to Ceres despite the fact that there were no longer any active airships transporting people. Due to the spread of airships, those who wished to move away were purchasing tickets and taking rides to other places, one of which was Ceres. And, one of the prime attractions to the city was the abundance of jobs. With Estana sending occasional migrants to the city, Nestor expected the total population to exceed 10,000 soon.

“Duke, I am pretty certain that you know why I am here,” said Isaac while they were walking toward the manor casually. A pair of guards were following them from a short distance.

“Does it have something to do with Atra?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I did advise the king not to interfere, but he was adamant that this was a chance.”

Kamil sighed. “Can the kingdom even afford another war? With Atra, it will be only ugly.”

Atra was unlike the Siwen who were corrupted and incompetent. Additionally, their territory was huge. This could become a really ugly war, and he was glad that he wouldn't be a part of it although it would be foolish to think that he wouldn’t be involved either way in some shape or form.

“Although unofficial, we’ve formed a secret alliance with the petty Kingdom of Narr. They’ve promised to join, should the Kingdom declare war on Atra.”

He is telling me something he shouldn’t be saying to an outsider…

“You are telling me too much, Lord Knell,” Kamil noted.

“You are on our side, no?”

Is he probing me?

“I am not.”

“Even if you were a part of the Kingdom just a few years ago?”

“Lord Knell, Ceres is a small settlement. I have an army of just a thousand men. No matter what side I take, I won’t affect the tide of war.”

“Your army perhaps won’t. But you alone can with your magic.”

Kamil grimaced. Isaac wasn’t wrong. However, he had never used his magic to specifically kill people. He had little intention to go after people unless it were those who were responsible for the Bronn massacre.

“I will not go out of my way and murder people with my magic unless I have a just reason for it. Do not expect my assistance over your petty war.”

“Petty war, huh…,” Isaac trailed off, casting a vacant look into the distance. “You are not wrong. It is petty.”

He was never truly on Karsten’s side. He aided him to get what he desired. Even so, he was grateful for the opportunity he had granted him. After all, he became a landed noble in spite of his commoner origin. In his knowledge, not many kings would grant such a favor, and it was also possible because of wars. Like or not, wars were what propelled him onto where he stood currently.
When they arrived at the entrance of the manor, Isaac complimented.

“Holy God of Life, this is mighty impressive. It looks like a fortress rather than a manor.”

“Our circumstances dictated us to build something like this. It’s nothing special.”

He downplayed it, but the manor was special for several reasons. One, it was really hard to infiltrate because there were only two entrances: The main gate and the entrance via the balcony above. There used to be a third option in ventilation holes, but they had been barred. Essentially, there was no backdoor to utilize. Spying from a distance wasn’t even an option because it was within a mountain. Additionally, the manor had its own water source underground, meaning no maids would go out of the manor to collect water which had traditionally been where spies exchanged information. Finally, given the fact that Karla chose local women only for maids, there were very few paths to gather information for outsiders. The only reason Isaac was able to arrive in Ceres was by studying their airship movements. He really didn’t know much about the whole situation and was walking pretty much blinded, deprived of any internal information.

“Before getting into the mining business, I had no idea that the miners used earth mages to loosen up the soil and move rocks,” he said. Men could do only so much with just pickaxes. Therefore, they hired earth mages or those with earth affinity four at least to loosen up the soil.

“They use the exploding fire crystals as well in case of absence of earth mages,” Kamil added.

“We are unable to afford those crystals unfortunately,” Isaac said sadly. His copper mine broke barely even. Any further spending was out of the question for him.
Once inside, he was served a cup of Macomaco tea which he reacted in awe.

“You live a king’s life, Duke,” he said while taking a sip. “Even in Keviel, the tea is hard to come by.”

“Would you like a pouch? For your family.”

“Oh, yes, they’d love that. I am grateful for your offer.”

Once pleasantries were out of their way, it was time to discuss the elephant in the room.

Isaac declared, “The king will soon send a diplomat to Atra to weigh in on our position as a third party.”

Kamil retorted, “Pardon my frankness, but what position?”

“The fact that Ceres used to be a part of the Kingdom just a few years ago and that you have to trespass our land to reach the settlement…” Sighing, Isaac shook his head dismissively. “I know it’s weak. In fact, it sounds ridiculous.”

As weak as it may have been, it did hold some weight.

“Lord Knell, does the king really desire yet another war?”

Sipping his tea, he cleared his throat. “He holds a belief that external conflicts bring houses together. Add in the fact that discontent voices from houses are progressively becoming louder…, it is a solution, yes.”

“What discontent? What has been happening?”

“The lords do not like the fact that the king has taken yet another city. He holds too many fiefs, and the vassals are questioning whether their liege trusts them even.”

He does not trust them at all.

He continued, “Additionally, the failed marriage between Daniel Flissing and the second princess has created a gap between the Flissing and the Egra because the divorce process dragged on. It is still ongoing, preventing Daniel from getting remarried.”

“I beg your pardon? How is that still ongoing? It’s been nearly two years now?”

“There are … a few aspects which neither side is backing off…” He rubbed his temples, looking exhausted. “Dowry refund issue and then how the divorce would be written off … and then trying to erase Lady Egra’s past deeds… It’s been… ugly. In short, the divorce is not final yet although it has officially been announced as final on surface.”

Meaning Daniel was unable to get remarried. Thankfully, he found his woman in Esther.

“Anyway, with the Flissing’s loyalty in question, the lords are wondering whether the Lux Fenchel would side with the Egra or the Flissing. If it’s the latter, a full blown rebellion is a possibility although distant.”

“So, the king wants another war to calm the water for the time being at least.”

“That is the gist of it, yes. But it is Atra. It won’t be easy. Estana was going easy on us. They won’t.”

Kamil nodded along in agreement. “I strongly advise against any conflict at the moment,” he weighed in his opinion, fully aware that it won’t be heard.

“I am on the same boat, but the king has never really listened to others when it came to wars. He has been proven mostly correct…, so far. And he is not entirely wrong about this, either.”

“Lord Knell, where do you stand?”

Isaac was too open to him. He was letting out information he should have never given to an outsider. He had his own agenda.

“I am not a blind idealist. I know wars have their places and I am not against war that has justification. Having said that, I am vehemently against this war.”

After a long sigh and another sip of the tea, he continued, “Duke, I have a simple dream, which is just to live out the rest of my life with my wife and daughter. I want nothing more. Rokk is all I need, period. We will have to be frugal, but I will make it work. Having observed you for years, I get a sentiment that you, too, pursue a similar, if not the same dream.”

Kamil gave him a solemn look. He wasn’t wrong. In fact, he was right on the money that they shared a very similar outlook on life. Aside from exacting revenge, his life goal was exactly like his. 

“You’d be right,” he admitted. “I desire nothing more than peace. Of course, I am not naive enough to demand world peace. I just want to maintain peace for those around me.”

Isaac nodded firmly, steeled resolve in his eyes. He noticed this and asked.

“What are you scheming, Lord Knell?”

He looked around as if wanting to make sure that there was no one else.

“This war, I want to make sure that it will be Karsten’s last,” he proclaimed in a whispering tone.

This guy…

As far as Kamil was aware, Isaac remained fully loyal to the king. He wasn’t a greedy man. He was honest and competent. He was the last person he expected to scheme treason. At the same time, if a man like him was going this far, there had to be reasons.

“Do you want me to take your side?”

It was an important question. Because, if he took his side, he would be going down with him, should things go sour. Even if he was successful, it was still a life-altering decision. He had no intention to go with Isaac’s plan if he was asked.

“No, I want you to remain neutral.”

“Then…, why are you telling me this? Isn’t this unnecessary?”

“I want you to be my plan B. If I fail, I will be executed. Should that occur, I’ve arranged so that the butler of my manor would send my family here. I want you to shelter them. I expect nothing else. Just provide them enough so that they won’t go hungry.”

Isaac Knell…

Those who committed treason often did so for personal gain. He was different. He was planning to commit treason for the sake of the Kingdom.

“My mentor who you’ve killed, his name was Gregor. He often told me to get out before it’s too late. I realize now that he was ultimately correct. I’ve failed to get out in time and am stuck with this situation now. I can no longer leave due to my family. I am chained to this Kingdom now.”

“Do you resent me for ending Gregor?”

He let out a hollow laugh. “Nope. He predicted that he’d be killed one day. He said karma would bite him eventually. I assume karma got to him, correct?”

He wasn’t wrong. Karma did get him. It was unfortunate that Kamil couldn’t explain why.

“I really do not know what he has done to earn your ire against him, but he always knew that he wouldn’t likely meet the God of Death naturally. I’ve got to hand it to him; He was a genius. His foresight was nothing short of excellent.”

A genius with earth affinity of ten… Under a different circumstance, he could have become a hero.

“Lord Knell, you have my word that I will look after your family IF things go wrong. I pray that it won’t end up that way.”

Isaac beamed a bitter smile. Whether he would be successful or not, he was venturing into the unknown. Once the talk was over, they conserved a bit more in casual subjects, and he departed for Atra as a diplomat. Looking at the airship taking off and heading toward Endal, the capital of Atra, he heaved a long sigh. It was at this point that Nestor approached him from a distance.

“Duke, I’ve just reviewed a word that a missionary from Rem has arrived in Ceres. He wishes to speak to you.”

“Rem? What is that -”

Then he recalled: The holy Kingdom of Rem.

Sighing, he replied, “Do I have to speak to him now?”

His mind was pretty disturbed at the moment.

“Ehm, I don’t see why you have to meet him right away, but he would like to have a word with you as soon as possible.”

“Fine, I will meet him tomorrow morning. Is that soon enough?”

“That should work, Duke.”

Turning around, he walked toward the manor.

If Lord Knell is successful, Karsten would be killed. The issue here is that I want to be the one who ends him, not anyone else… Now, if he fails…, then what? I can’t even fathom…

He shook his head while walking.

“This is getting too complicated…,” he whispered to himself.