Chapter 550

“You gave a new type of alcohol, one that’s a little Mana infused so that it’s stronger no less, to the dwarven ambassador?” Gryndor’s oldest prince laughed loudly inside the palace. “And you said you didn’t know politics, how much did you give him?” 

“A small barrel.” Ajax admitted before his grin turned a little evil. “Of the low potency stuff. Thought I might get something to bargain with if they liked it.” 

“Why couldn’t you be more like Ajax.” the king said with a sigh as he sipped on the new beverage in front of him. “While he also seems dead set on causing big political incidents that give me a headache there is always something we can gain from them.” 

“You won’t have to deal with them for much longer.” The crown prince said as he also tasted the new beverage. “Though I am glad you are still king for whatever it is the beastkin are trying to pull.”

“Your Highness, they have arrived.” A guard stopped at the open door and saluted while giving his report.

“Do you have finalized offers?” Ajax asked as he got up and started heading out towards the entrance of the palace. 

“Yeah, I do.” The crown prince sighed. “The Goldmancers are up to three spots, Steelblades have two, Smithmade has three, we have three ourselves, and to nobody’s surprise Silvertongues have five. Is twenty people all you are willing to do?” 

Working together with his grandfather and Alana, Ajax had come to the capital with a list of items that he wanted. The items were rare and all of them could be used to help secure the foundations of young retainers. Having the spots for the boon boost go to whoever would provide the item, and if more than one person had access to it they could bid gold on top to win the spot. It was easy to see why the Silvertonques had so many spots, they called in a number of favors they were owed to corner the market on five different items.

“That leaves four spots, who got them?” The king asked, also interested in the development. 

“Two spots.” Ajax corrected. “House Manashaper is also getting two spots.” 

Even if Ajax hadn’t been willing to give the two spots away because they were in-laws as he was sure the royal family would have liked to point out Lancel had been instrumental in setting up the duchy. It was a bad look when sixteen out of eighteen spots for such a unique opportunity went to the royal family, the three archdukes and one former archduke.

“You’re looking much better than the last time I saw you.” Their conversation was interrupted as Xavier entered the palace and saw Ajax.

“A little poison never hurt nobody.” Ajax joked back. 

Emeris tripped hearing the words, he knew exactly what poison Ajax had been exposed to and unlike Fealin he didn’t have the social Skills to mask his surprise at Ajax’s nonchalant attitude.

“Heard you had a little run in with some assassins of your own.” Ajax prompted them. 

“Nothing Rex couldn’t handle.” Xavier did his best to play down the incident.

“Aranor took out two of them.” Arianwyn said, joining in with the relaxed attitude. She and Xavier were standing much closer together now, it wasn’t as obvious as Elara and Benedict but it was clear something was happening between them as well. 

“Find any interesting dungeon floor?” Ajax asked, looking to move the point away from the attempt when he picked up the cue from the crown prince to move the conversation along. 

None of the floors the group had encountered had anything stand out, the one thing Ajax did pick up on was an odd humanoid floor Ajax could have sworn was based on Japanese samurai. He couldn’t be sure about it but from the sound of the odd building design that Anna had a vivid recollection of and the single edged blades the humanoids were using alongside arrows, not to mention the stealthy assassins dressed in full black that had throwing stars.

The group didn’t have much time to catch up before they were informed that they were awaited at court, many nobles were interested in how successful the elves had been with their delves. “You’re not going to join us?” Emeris asked as he saw Ajax head in a different direction. 

“Not if I can help it” Ajax said as he gave a small wave. “I’ve had enough of the royal court in the last few days.” 

Ajax had been smart to avoid going. With a dungeon in his duchy he would have been mobbed extremely quickly as the nobles got a better understanding of just how much progress the elves had made by delving the dungeons. It wasn’t just a matter of increased Stats but also of how their Skills had started to progress a little faster due to those extra stats.

“So you’re leaving for the Wild Lands?” Xavier asked as he, Anna, Benedict, Elara and Arianwyn had all joined Ajax for dinner. 

News of Ajax’s decision had made it to Xavier but the topic hadn’t been brought up in front of Emeris, Fealin or Leandra. They weren’t close to Ajax and there was a real possibility they might take advantage of the information to set up an assassination on him, especially with such a clear scapegoat available.

“If I stay, I am just putting a bigger target on my family.” Ajax said with a nod. “Not to mention that this is the perfect opportunity to push myself in a new way. I haven’t trained in camping and survival since I started training as a village hunter.”

Ajax didn’t count camping in the dungeon since it was completely different, the high Mana density and constantly roaming monsters made it impossible to compare to actually camping in the woods while also following a trail.

“Which also brings me to something I want to ask of you two.” Ajax said as he turned towards Arianwyn and Elara. “I want to buy information about any dungeon entrances you have outside the Wild Lands.” 

Ajax would be heading towards the Wild Lands furthest away from the beastkin. He would have called it North West looking at the map but much to his annoyance cardinal directions didn’t exist. Ajax supposed it made sense, with the Mana density varying between different places it would be pretty hard to believe and a magnetic field had developed on the planet, and that was without the interference of the Ascended races. 

One of the boost spots Ajax had sold was to Viscount Longfoot. Their family wasn’t the strongest but they were one of the older Houses, more than that an expedition into the Wild Lands was a right of passage for each generation meaning they had better information than anyone else in Gryndor about what to expect out there.

“We can work something out.” Arianwyn answered with a serious voice. “But only so long as we can agree you won’t be causing dungeon breaks.” 

It could be a very real issue. If Ajax pushed the dungeons to level one hundred and forty and then left, there was a very real chance the dungeon break could head towards Sylvanthal.

“I can agree to that.” Ajax wasn’t all too happy about that but from the information he had gotten from House Longfoot the dungeons they knew about had pretty high level jumps from one floor to another, if they didn’t it would actually have been worth it to try and expand the kingdom to include them. Giving up one extra floor per dungeon wasn’t that big of a deal, especially considering it would also make it much safer to return if the way back wasn’t filled with roaming waves from dungeon breaks.

The following day Ajax was ready to delve into the dungeon again. He wouldn’t be staying in the capital for more than a day following this delve and that should coincide with the elves leaving to return to Sylvanthal as well. 

“How’s uncle Lancel doing?” Ajax was surprised when one of the two people from House Manashaper asked him about his ‘uncle Lancel’. Ajax supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised that the rest of Lancel’s family were also retainers for House Manashaper or that they were talented enough to be given this spot.

“He’s been indispensable.” Ajax answered. 

Ajax’s answer caused a frown from the man. Despite being the same level as Ajax the man was quite a bit older than him. “I heard you weren’t a stuffy noble.” 

“Forgive my friend here, Duke Hearthbound.” The other spot from House Manashaper quickly spoke up. “He has no filter and he should know better than to insult a Duke.” 

“No, he’s right.” Ajax waved off the apology to the minor outrage of the rest of the people there for the delve. “Seems I spent too much time at court in the last few days. I’m looking forward to the fight with the Floor Boss. I hope it will be an interesting one.”