Chapter 467

Everyone gave a good natured chuckle at how large Bob’s eyes got as he couldn’t look away from the mountain of gold. Nobody blamed him, that was more gold than most nobles spent over their lifetimes, it was only the higher nobles and the heads of Houses that dealt with large amounts of gold. 

With a flick of his wrist Ajax pulled the top half of the golem back into a ring before tossing the ring to his grandfather. “It’s such a relief not to have all that gold with me at one time.” Ajax said with a sigh as he stored the other piece. 

“Don’t look at me like that, I’m not giving this one to you.” Ajax teased his sister. “I’m going to the capital, just let me know if there is something there you want me to get you while you help grandfather invest what I gave him.” 

WIth that Ajax stepped off to the side while his family started making plans on how to spend some of their newly found fortune. He instead approached the three beastkin that had been left slack jawed since the first pile of gold was shown.

“Why only them?” Theron asked, while the question was vague Ajax understood what he meant. 

“We had to leave the Empire unexpectedly quickly.” Ajax answered. “I had initially planned on freeing a few more on the way back.” 

“Does it have anything to do with the change in your aura?” Ajax was surprised at that. 

“You can feel that?” Ajax asked, he also noticed their conversation drew the attention of the squad members and the prince. “You’ve only felt my Aura for a brief time when I passed through before I went to the Empire.” 

“Much as I hate to agree with the imperials in any way, they are right about one thing.” Theron explained. “The difference is more than just physical. We do have traces of the instincts similar to those of animals. When I first felt your Aura, it provided a sense of comfort. Now, while the comfort is still there, deep down inside I feel inferior in a way that has nothing to do with strength.” 

Ajax knew exactly why Theron would be feeling that way, what surprised him however was that he could tell all that even though he was keeping his Aura under control. He didn’t even need to ask the question, a simple flick of his eyes prompted the two former slaves who had been taught to be attentive to their masters to answer the question. 

“I still don’t feel anything.” Jari said. 

“I didn’t feel a difference.” Nashara’s answer showed just how smart she was, she had only had a few hints but from the way they left in a hurry after the second dungeon delve and Ajax’s earlier admittance that it was an unexpected departure she put together when the change happened.

“They don’t have high enough Perception to feel Aura’s.” The prince said as he joined the conversation. “There is a hard break point at twenty five Perception, I expect that once they reach it the reaction will be exaggerated.” 

“I won’t explain what happened tonight, there is not enough time for all the implications that will come up.” Ajax said. “It’ll have to wait a couple of weeks until I return from the capital. Theron, you’ll be starting their training.”

Both Jari and Nashara winced at the word. Training was something they were used to as their former masters, despite being poor slave merchants were aware that slaves needed to have useful skills to sell better. It was simply lucky of them to have developed their skills before Ajax’s visit but after their last regular inspection.

“You’ll start with their diet.” Ajax’s words surprised them however. “It will take their bodies a while to adapt to the change, work with Kate to ensure they don’t eat too much but make sure they have enough.” With a joking grin he added. “After all, you saw we can afford it.” 

“Where can I help?” Ajax’s father asked, his voice carrying an undertone of fear. Everyone else had something they could provide but as far as he could see there was nothing he could provide to help, and it would be that way for a while yet until his [Blacksmithing] skill got higher.

“You can start preparing our workforce.” Ajax said, he knew what his father was afraid of but that wouldn’t matter for what he had planned. “You might not have the [Blacksmithing] skill to make anything I can use but I still learned quite a lot from you when I was younger. We are going to need people with the [Mining] skill, a lot of them since I plan to explore what riches we can extract from the mountains we have.” 

Before they returned to Lessis Ajax made sure to spend the majority of his mana to start the remodeling of the earth underneath his manor in preparation for the secret tunnels he hoped to make.

“Will House Nestor try anything?” Ajax asked the prince as they returned to the city. 

“No,” the prince denied. “ At least nothing the Warden won’t be able to predict and stop before it even gets close to your family.” 

“They were still the ruling noble family for the last few centuries, I wouldn’t want to underestimate them.” Ajax said. “Not with my family on the line.” 

“You have nothing to worry from most of them.” the prince reassured Ajax. “While they might have seemed domineering from the outside, deep down they are cowards. The only one who might try anything is their youngest and he is far too weak and stupid to outmaneuver the Warden.” 

“They are still nobles, cowards can react unpredictably when someone unworthy takes what’s theirs.” Ajax raised an eyebrow at that, he had seen many examples of this happening in the history lessons he had attended at the Academy.

“They won’t be nobles for much longer, and they know it.” the prince said with a grin. “You’ll be returning with a royal decree to strip them of their title. They’ll keep the wealth they have amassed but since most of that is tied up within the city their only chance at regaining a noble title is being knighted by your House.” 

Ajax’s instincts wanted him to buy out House Nestor from their investments in Lessis before they paid out tenfold once the duchy’s value increased, but he quashed that instinct. He would get his revenge when he’ll deliver the decree taking away their titles. Tom’ll get his revenge as mayor of Lessis, he’ll leave Judy and Alana to have their own revenge as they remove House Nestor’s influence from the city while without paying a copper more than they have to.

“Has your plan changed?” the prince’s words get a questioning rise out of Ajax’s eyebrows. “With your increased lifespan do you still plan to go out in the Wild Lands so soon?” 

“If anything, what happened only makes me want to leave sooner.” Ajax said, surprising the prince. “With how much faster I’m going to be leveling and how much stronger I’ve gotten if I don’t go soon I doubt I’ll be able to find a bond.” 

“Not everyone can form a bond.” the prince said with a shake of his head. “It’s not something to do with talent either, it's about finding a creature whose personality and power matches yours. It’s why it’s so hard for the talented to get bonds outside of newly born creatures.” 

“If the newly born can bond won’t that make it not true.” Ajax asked. 

“It’s more about perception, you see their potential which is at the limit for their species before any of their actual potential can be shown, they are too young to understand the difference in power.” the prince explained. “Since newborns are so malleable in terms of personality it gives even the talented a much better chance of forming a bond, for you however even a newborn won’t be able to form a bond because you already know even if they fulfil their potential they still won’t be able to catch up.” 

Ajax had to fight to keep back the denial, while the prince thought the struggle was Ajax trying to come to terms with his words Ajax was holding himself back from retorting that he could find a bond, among the ascended races. That however was something he couldn’t say or he won’t be allowed to leave the kingdom for as long as the crown could keep him inside.

With their recent discovery of how they maintained their safety from the ascended races, it would even be the correct reaction when hearing someone wanted to go looking for them.