Chapter 441

The meeting began with a quick recount of Ajax’s exploits during his trip, his gaining two Legendary affinities drew a lot of attention and from the composed look Duke Manashaper wore Lexi had already told him about that beforehand. More than that however what draws their attention is the amount of dungeon floors Ajax has cleared.

“There have been a handful who have cleared one hundred dungeon floors, so we know that there is no Achievement but what about one hundred and fifty?” Archduke Silvertongue asked. 

Ajax was still a little wary of the archduke's Steelblade and Silvertongue, unlike Goldmancer Ajax had only met the two of them a couple of times in the past and while they were backing him their relationship wasn’t as close as the one he had with the Goldmancer family. 

“There is no point in getting into hypotheticals.” the crown prince cut off the tangent. “We will find out when he gets there. “This meeting was called for another reason.” 

“Then why recount his exploits?” Silvertongue argued amiably. 

“Because they affect the situation at hand.” the king said. “I have to admit I never expected him to try a floor boss.” With that he explained Ajax’s solo fight with the ettin.

Hearing that Ajax took on an ettin more than twice his level left all of them staring at him wondering if he wasn’t crazy. “What were the rewards?” Archduke Steelblade was the one who asked. 

“First is the one I’m sure you’ve all already heard rumours about.” Ajax answered. “The ettin’s staff could be taken out of the dungeon.” 

“That’s what was wrapped up?” Archduke Goldmancer became much more animated. 

Ajax went on to explain the staff’s effects. Unlike what he expected, the four high nobles took the staff’s effects in stride. “That is certainly a powerful heirloom for your House.” Duke Manashaper praised. “I would caution you about relying on it too much, however. What was the achievement?”

It was the prince who explained what the achievement for killing a floor boss twice your level was, though he made sure to leave out even the small guesses he had made about what Ajax’s reward Trait had been. He then also explained all the other Achievements they found out about.

“This has the potential to be an unmitigated disaster.” Archduke Silvertongue was the first to break the silence that lasted for a few minutes after the prince finished the explanation. “We’re all but forced to form an expedition to attempt a forty something team to kill a floor boss but one saboteur and we could lose the most talented young combatants of the next generation.”

“I don’t see how we can pass that up, risky as it is.” Archduke Steelblade said. 

“This is where the staff becomes much more relevant.” Ajax said, drawing their attention back to him. “In theory before I reach level fifty five I could take nine people with me and have them power my opening spell with all their mana and stamina before killing the floor boss in a one on one. It’s possible the System wouldn’t count it because of my solo Achievement but it's just as likely that it would.” 

Ajax very much expected that the System wouldn’t allow such a big loophole , still he was more than willing to play into the possibility in order to secure even a short period of peace and prosperity for his new territory.

The next thirty minutes were spent strategizing how to best rope in the most influential Houses into silencing their objections to Ajax’s duchy and title.

“You do know you’ll have to at least propose before my granddaughter can join you at your new estate.” Duke Manashaper’s Aura pressed down menacingly on Ajax’s shoulders for a brief moment.

“I was already planning for it.” Ajax said honestly, he was planning to propose on their return from the Empire.

Duke Manashaper gave a nod of agreement and dropped the topic before the crown prince moved on to the next. 

“This brings us to the next volatile topic.” the crown prince announced. “Ajax’s lands will upset the already fragile balance of landed nobles in Gryndor. To counteract this we will have to expand our borders and a few landed nobles, including some of you here, will need to move their borders to adapt.” 

A chill so cold it could jumpstart an ice age ran down Ajax’s back as he heard the proposal. He made no effort to hide the dread that came over him for a moment at those words. 

“What’s wrong boy?” Duke Manashaper was quick to pick up on Ajax’s reaction.

“You need to be careful when expanding.” Ajax barely whispered the warning but everyone heard it clearly.

“Of course we will be careful.” Despite Archduke Steelblade’s respect for Ajax he still scoffed at Ajax’s fear of expansion when he hadn’t yet even set foot on the border to the Wild Lands. “While expansion can be dangerous its not that scary, we know for a fact the beastkin had started a few decades ago back when we still had spies reporting back with frequent updates.” 

“It’s not the monsters that trouble me.” Ajax responded. “It's the ascended races.” 

“Scary and powerful as they may be, dragons and phoenixes have been felled before by powerful expeditions.”Archduke Goldmancer tried to reassure Ajax. “Some of the most powerful heirlooms of the nobles come from their remains.” 

“A battle during an expedition wouldn’t break the agreement.” Ajax jerked his head in short movements signifying his disagreement. “Invading the territory of an Ascended race while expanding the kingdom could result in the doom of Gryndor.” 

“What agreement?” The king unconsciously used his social skills on Ajax for a moment before he restrained himself and gave him a brief apologetic look before motioning for him to speak.

Ajax went on to explain the short history lesson the dragon had given him all those years ago and how he had come to learn of it as well. None of them would have believed Ajax if it wasn’t for their truth telling skills, all saying he believed every word. 

The crown prince excused himself for a moment to send a few servants to the library to fetch every single recorded instance of an ascended race attacking humanoids they had.

“They’re all toying with us?” Anger and frustration could be heard in Archduke Steelblade’s voice as he finished digesting the news. 

“You met a dragon!” Duke Manashaper was focused on a completely different aspect. “Were you able to get a glimpse into their magic? Did you manage to recreate any of it?” 

“Unfortunately not.” Ajax's answer, while disappointing, did nothing to dampen the excitement Duke Manashaper felt.

“I have to say that there is quite a lot of support for agreement to be real.” Archduke Goldmancer said, his eyes unfocused as he tried his hardest to remember conversations he had long ago looking for facts he had initially dismissed as not important.

“And what evidence is that?” Archduke Silvertongue asked. 

“The ruins.” Archduke Goldmancer said. “Almost every ruin that could belong to previous humanoids bears a long scar of rampant destruction coming from the direction where ascended races are thought to reside. We always wondered why they would stop with one kingdom or empire and leave the rest to live but with the agreement it makes sense that they are only targeting the kingdom that overstepped.” 

“We don’t have the time or the information to hold this discussion.” the king’s eldest son said with finality. “It will take time to comb through our records and Ajax’s time in court quickly approaches, as important as this revelation is now is not the time.” 

“Do you have anything from the dragon?” Archduke Silvertongue asked, out of all the nobles here he was the one most dubious of the encounter. Not because he thought Ajax a liar but because he knew how easy it could be to confuse a young boy of only ten right after a horrifying incident like being kidnapped by a vampire.

Ajax’s eyes instantly darted to the gauntlet on his hand before they went to the eldest prince. The prince was the only one who knew how he managed to avoid destroying his weapons through his casting style but he had always remained silent on anything regarding the gauntlet.

“That’s where you got it!” It gave Ajax great satisfaction as he saw him put the pieces together, the prince’s eyes wide with a look of realization. 

Ajax could only give a helpless shrug in return but made sure to flash a grin reminiscent of the one the prince always gave him when he got one over on him.

“This has been a most enlightening discussion, much more than I had first thought it would be.” the king said before everyone could focus on exactly what item the prince was referring to. “Nevertheless we don’t have the time to continue today, Ajax’s rise to a landed Duke is supposed to happen in twenty minutes and we’re all to be in attendance. We’ll pick up where we left this in two days at dusk, you’re all invited back here.”