Chapter 465

As the prince leaves he takes with him the last of the stoicism Baron Nestor has. His straight posture haunches over, his controlled breaths turn into a rapid pant more than that warden Grievous can almost visibly see him age.

“Hmph.” One of the remaining guards can’t help it and a chuckle bursts out as he takes in the state of House Nestor.

“YOU THINK YOU CAN LAUGH AT US?” The baron’s young child rages, his uneven feet making his gain odd as he approaches the guard.

“You’d best stop right there.” The warden steps in front. “You no longer rule these lands.” 

“We are still nobles.” Baron Nestor says, though the fight has fled from his body after the small exchange with the prince.

“Not for long.” The warden’s words strike House Nestor like the nails sealing a coffin. “Your House hasn’t produced a single elite fighter in three generations, the people haven’t prospered under your rule and you offended a landed Duke. You should be glad the loss of a title is the worst that is happening to most of you.”

While the baron and his sons were struggling to form an answer to the warden’s words it was the baroness that spoke first, her voice quivering with fear. “Most of us?” 

“Despite your subpar treatment of the people most of you have only applied pressure in your dealing with the people and looked down on them.” the warden explained. “Your eldest even manage to for some positive relationship with our current mayor some years ago. Your youngest however will have to pay for his crimes.” 

“His crimes have already been judged.” the baron said. 

“Not his latest two.” the warden pointed out. 

“That was a bar brawl.” the baron pointed out. 

“A bar brawl does not involve having three retainers beat a man unconscious, especially after your son initiated the conflict.” the warden pointed out. 

“The second so-called offence was a whore in a brothel.” The baroness also joined in. 

“Yes, but Gryndor doesn’t have slavery.” the warden pointed out. “She has the right to refuse a client without a beating.” 

“Both of those happened a month ago.” The oldest of the baron’s sons said as he started to put together just how bad things were looking. 

“In the same way your family rushed his previous trials to ensure a favorable punishment, these ones are merely being delayed, not dismissed.” the warden explained. “The trials will take place after the loss of his title, as well as any protections it may have given him.”

“That lowlife peasant thinks he ca-” the disfigured man started to rage.

“If I were you I would take this as the moment to prepare for things to change.” Grievous warned House Nestor. “Even if your title is taken away you will still remain some of the highest leveled people in the area. Trying to get any so called revenge on House Hearthbound will see all of you dead.” 

“Even if they are a ducal house they are brand new.” The eldest son said. “I doubt they can wipe us out.” 

“You felt it earlier didn’t you?” The question caught all of them off guard. “After I saw how that boy changed I pushed harder than ever over the last decade. I even delved the fourth floor on my own a few times and I will soon be ready to try the same on the fifth. I gained over twenty levels doing so.” 

All of House Nestor knew how strong the warden was, the only people stronger than him in Lessis were the Guild leader of the Adventurer’s guild and the previous warden that had now retired. 

“In that same time the boy didn’t just catch up, he is now so powerful I doubt beating me is even a challenge at this point.” the warden said with a grim chuckle. “If I were you Baron, I’d make use of the lead I had while I could, because there will soon be a lot of people more talented than you or I coming here hoping to draw the attention of our new Duke.” 

“As always, I thank you for your council, warden.” the Baron said with a nod to his eldest son and heir. The man quickly got the message and subdued his disfigured brother as they started to make their own way out of the courtyard.

_________________________________________________________________________

“Ajax what is this I hear about special mud?” The prince asked as soon as he entered House Hearthbound’s temporary residence. “Does it have anything to do with your discovery?” 

“You shared that?” Tom was the one to ask the question but Ajax’s entire family was shocked to find out Ajax had shared the information on an experiment. 

“I kind of got a good Achievement out of it.” Ajax said as he rubbed the back of his head. “It actually happened about the time you should have started trying it out. We have to leave in a few hours but do you think we could go see the result?” 

“Sure.” His mother said as she turned towards the small meet and greet happening off to one side. “Theron, could you bring the carriages around?” 

“Huh?” It took a moment for the minotaur beastkin to react. He was so engrossed in meeting Jari and Nashara. “Yes, Lady Hearthbound.” 

“Fluffy go grab Bob.” Tom asked his bond.

“Who is Bob?” Ajax asked, confused. 

“Someone very eager and very excited to meet you.” Judy replied vaguely. 

As they all exited the inn turned residence the carriages quickly turned the corner, following behind them was Fluffy with a young man held from behind by his tunic in the shadow cat's mouth.

Before Ajax could even get a word in, one of the scout’s from the royal squads asked two questions that cleared everything up for Ajax. “What’s cement? And why would you waste your Trailblazer Achievement on a social skill?” 

It was easy for the scout to put together that the man was a builder by trade, from the low level and age it was also clear that the man was decently talented in the profession, he could think of at least two other Achievements that would have helped him improve as a crafter even if they wouldn’t have given him an Epic skill.

“Ajax ,this is Bob.” Kate made the introduction, much to Bob’s embarrassment as his face flushed red in her presence. “He is dedicated and has an affinity for working with cement. Bob, meet Duke Ajax Hearthbound.” 

All the embarrassment fled from Bob’s mind and the blood rushed from his face as he quickly dropped to one knee once he realized who he was being presented to.

“A social skill.” Ajax said as he also examined Bob’s skills, without any privacy skills [Inspector’s Eye] had no issue laying everything bare. “You’re heading down the path of a foreman.” 

Out of the corner of his eye Ajax caught Lexi approving nod. While he was under no illusion that his retainers would get to know the real him once he returned and started living at the estate Lexi had drilled into him the importance of a first impression. One that would help cement his image in their mind while also inspiring them to push forward.

“Yes, my Lord.” Bob replied, his skill working overtime to ensure he didn’t stutter out his words.

The trip outside the city walls was quick, no longer did Ajax have to wait at the city gates to be let out, the guards cleared a path for their carriages as soon as they saw the approach. The manor was going to be built by the road leading to the capital so in the opposite direction from which they arrived at Lessis. 

The manor was clearly only half done. The stone walls standing tall even unfinished at the end of the concrete road wide enough to fit five wagons side by side. The first thing Ajax noticed about the manor was that stones were layers with cement as a binder, while his current mix wasn’t ideal for such use it shouldn’t be too hard for him to replace it at a later time slowly with the help of magic.

“This isn’t mud at all.” The prince said as he inspected the road. “It really took you less than two months to get all this done?” 

The road only stretched from the manor halfway to Lessis, the latter half of their short trip however was noticeably faster as the carriages and horses picked up more speed on the perfectly level road.   

“The locals call it mud because of the substance’s consistency before it sets, Your Highness.” Bob answered, his excitement in cement and his social skill working together to help him address the royal. “Also this didn’t take us two months to create.” 

“That doesn’t make sense.” One of the squad mages pointed out. “There is no way you could have gotten here fast enough to have more than two months to work on it.” 

“Ah, that’s not what I meant.” Bob said as he bowed his head in apology. “We did this in three weeks, we would have done more but we ran out of cement.” 

“How long did it take for it to set?” Ajax asked while the prince and everyone else was processing the words Bob just said. “And how much water did it need?” 

“It took about two weeks for a section to be set.” Bob responded dutifully. “As for the water, that is harder to estimate. Mages aren’t used to releasing water without a lot of force behind it so more than a few times we had to restart a section after holes were created. Your instruction keeping it just slightly damp at all times, especially while the sun was out worked perfectly however.” 

“That’s good.” Ajax nodded. “As soon as I return from the capital I need to make some more, how are we doing on setting up local production of the reagents?” 

“We’ve already started mining the rock.” Ajax’s father said with a proud smile. “We have almost a full warehouse of the reagents ready for you.” 

“A full warehouse?” the prince asked finally coming back to the conversation. “How much of this stuff do you need?” 

Ajax enjoyed the look of shock on the prince’s face as well as the one of realization on Anna’s as he answered. “Enough to pave all the roads in my duchy like this.”