Chapter 474

Lexi P.O.V.

I wake up expecting everything that happened to have been a dream. I knew Ajax was thinking of proposing, and I knew it would make sense but when it all happened it still took me by surprise.

Him down on one knee asking the words “Will you marry me?” I answered before I even processed the words. The celebration that happened afterwards helped everything settle in as real as our friends congratulated us before what felt like every noble in the capital came to give us their own congratulations and well wishes.

“Why did you ask me yesterday?” I ask Ajax, I can feel he is already awake.

The timing of the proposal is the one part that doesn’t line up. Knowing Ajax as well as I do the proposal should have come right before his departure from the capital, that would have left enough time for the celebration but nothing for the politics that follow. 

“Because I didn’t want to risk it coming across as a consolation.” Ajax answered as his arms tightened around me. “Whether or not tomorrow’s delve grants you the achievement or not I asked you to marry me because that is what matters.” 

It’s sweet how thoughtful he is. While is not usually the romantic type he took care when planning the proposal, he even inconvenienced himself to ensure I never doubted his reasons on the small off chance that the system decides to not grant us the Achievement.

The rest of the morning passes quickly and quietly like the calm before the storm. We have breakfast with my family before we all get ready and head towards the royal palace. Ajax looks like he is preparing to face the crowd, his inexperience showing since he won’t be the one in the spotlight. 

Even with our marriage everyone already knows what his next move will be, establishing his - no, it's ours now - establishing our duchy. His delve plans for tomorrow would cause a feeding frenzy but that is all kept under wraps for now so everyone will just be continuing yesterday's parade of well wishes, with a few people perhaps approaching us with a gift as well. It is my grandfather, and more realistically my father that will be questioned from all sides.

As soon as we arrive at court every eye is upon us. News of our engagement is the main attraction and that will likely continue for the next week at least. But while every House sends someone towards us it's easy to see that all the people that are truly in charge of their House are heading towards my parents and grandfather.

While I don’t put my guard down, something I haven’t done in social gatherings like this since I was nine, it's easy to relax myself slightly and just enjoy the moment as I revel with my betrothed as we take the next step in our relationship.

“My most sincere congratulations, my lord.” Knight Bonehammer says as he approaches us. 

I remember meeting the man over dinner in the short time we spent in the capital before we departed for the Empire. As I remember the man was looking to tie his House to House Hearthbound, something that seemed like a mutually beneficial agreement but like a lot of things it simply went off track when House Hearthbound had to relocate to their new duchy on such short notice. 

Listening in on the conversation between Ajax and the knight it was easy to see the man was asking if Ajax had need of his family here in the capital or if he should start looking into relocating their home to our duchy. 

The answer to that was obvious knowing Ajax’s plans. A quick glance between us was all it took to ensure our agreement before Ajax tacitly suggested that House Bonehammer should start looking into relocation. The one thing Ajax needed the most from his retainers right now was for them to help him lead the populace of his duchy by example. And nowhere would this be needed more than in the schools he planned on opening.

It was easy to see the populace rejecting schools. Most people wouldn’t see the value of a well rounded education, it was simply human nature to reject change. The best way to work around that was also by taking advantage of human nature, by sending the children of his retainers and allies to school he would be creating an incentive for everyone to do the same. 

I actually planned on introducing a test each child had to take before they were allowed to attend classes. It would be meaningless, but the simple idea of a barrier to entry, even one that everyone would pass, would get people more interested in attending.

“Ajax, if I can have a word.” mother cuts in and pulls the two of us off to one side for some privacy.

“What is it?” I ask, worried that somehow our deeper relationship would already cause Ajax problems. After all, it was when good things like our engagement happened that allies would usually want to share in the wealth, and House Manashaper had been a noble house for centuries so we had our share of allies.  

“We’re curious about what your plans regarding your farming plot are.” my mother asks, and it all clicks for me. It's easy to see my father’s political genius behind this, Ajax doesn’t have the people to properly manage his garden, especially with all the information we recently gathered about how to improve the mana density he’s been slowly cultivating for years. By offering to take care of the plot he is helping him while also getting access to the perfect place to reliably grow some mana infused reagents.

“Ahh,” Ajax blushes slightly as he rubs the back of his head in embarrassment. It is endearing to see how much he is already treating my parents as family as he lowers his guard slightly and openly shows his emotions. “I was recently made aware that I’m not in a position to tend to that plot for the moment. My plan was to collect a few bees to help speed up the population efforts of the hives in the duchy before asking the royal family to take over management of the plot.” 

Access to such a mana rich garden would be boon for almost any House, even the royal family. The royal family had actually been quick to move and brought up every other plot of land around it as they realized Ajax’s success in revitalizing the area.

“What if we were to offer to take care of it for you?” mother asks. “House Manashaper will still be based out of the capital and we would be in the perfect position to ensure the continued growth of the plot. We’d even be willing to invest into gathering the fertilizer in exchange for the use of it.” 

I had of course shared a lot of what I had learnt during our travels with my family. The knowledge was sure to make the rounds to every noble House in Gryndor in due time thanks to all three archdukes and the royal family having access to the information but before everyone found out the people who were first aware would be able to get everything at a discounted rate.

“You would?” Ajax was happy, it was easy to see why. While the garden was a boon for anyone who had access to it, for Ajax it was currently a problem that he needed to handle and my family was offering to not just take care of it for him but effectively pay him for it as well. 

“Of course. You would actually be the one doing us the favor. Despite all you have shared with us our own garden is still a few years behind.” It had taken a while for the mana density in Ajax’s plot to show significant growth. Once it did we also started our own following his methods but it was still three years behind.

Before the conversation could go any further we could see Xavier approaching us. It was easy to see that while he would be publicly congratulating us he was here to get me and Ajax for the meeting regarding the delve tomorrow, the crown prince’s position next to the small exit that led deeper into the palace only went to make it that much clearer. 

“We’ll also have to talk about which of our retainers you’d like to join you once you depart for your duchy, but we’ll have time for that after your delve.” Mother’s words cause Ajax to give a thankful nod. 

With our engagement House Manashaper would finally have the perfect excuse to lend out some of their higher tier retainers to help House Hearthbound prosper without it looking like they were exerting undue influence on the newest ducal house. Xavier, as well as Anna, Benedict and myself had been trying to think of ways to ensure Ajax had access to some elite retainers before he had time to train his own but we were always limited by how much it would look like political meddling. 

“Ajax, Lexi congratulations once again.” Xavier said as he reached us. “If you’d please follow me I believe we have a few things to go over in private. Lady Manashaper.” with a small bow towards mom, Xavier led us towards his father ready to escort us out of the court.