Chapter 439

Ajax was surprised how tired he had felt for the first week where he stopped his training. He spent most of the day sleeping as his body recovered, with Lexi, Anna, Xavier and Benedict doing much the same. Harold had only needed a couple of days to recover but he was older and more experienced with such things as he had spent time at the border with the Wild lands. 

Once he had finally recovered, his mother and Alana decided it was time to bring him up to speed on what he could expect when he got back to Gryndor. 

“A lot will have changed since we left.” Silvia warned him. “When we left the news that you would become a Duke upon your return was only a rumor and even then it wouldn’t be a landed Duke.” 

“It’s honestly a good thing that you are heading straight to the Empire.” the prince said, drawing everyone's attention. “You will get your title and your lands as we stop by the capital, you’ll have a few days at best to handle the most pressing issues yourself before your family can start the relocation to your new homestead.” 

The idea was simple but it basically allowed Ajax and his family to skirt a lot of the political fuss that came with his new title. Under normal circumstances Ajax would have been expected to spend time in the capital following his ascension in title while his family established a manor in their territory.

With his trip to the Empire Ajax can simply bypass his time handling the politics of the capital and return from the Empire straight to his own lands where his family would have finished the initial steps to start actively managing their territory.

“Are you sure it's wise to grant him a Dungeon?” Anna asked with a note of concern. “Even if managed fairly it will still cause endless complaining.” 

“It’s the best of all the bad options we have.” The prince said with a sigh. “By strictly enforcing his fair management of the dungeon we hope to keep the nobility squabbling over his management of that instead of on the absurd amount of targeted resources he will be pulling out of it with his new Boon.” 

Ajax’s ability to somewhat predict floor combined with his Boon wouldn’t be something that he could keep to just his family, it was simply too polarising, not just because of what it could mean for House Hearthbound but because of how it would affect the high end goods market in the kingdom and the power relationship between noble houses. It wouldn’t be anything all that drastic immediately but the smart nobles thought in terms of centuries down the line.

“Won’t they notice the deception?” Ajax asked.

“It’s not like we are trying to cover it from everyone.” His mother explained as she quickly caught on to what the plan was. “You already have a good relationship with a number of important noble Houses as well as the royal family. They will know what is going on and will help you keep things under wraps in exchange for some more favorable terms in any deals we will make with them.” 

“It’s not like we expect this to work long term.” the prince admitted. “We are just trying to buy you time to get established, there is a good chance my brother will ask you to start accepting requests for somewhat targeted goods in a decade or so openly from most high end noble houses.” 

Ajax wasn’t sure how to feel about that. On the one hand he didn’t like that he would be socially pressured to share his ability like that, on the other hand he could understand why someone possessing such an ability, even if earned entirely through the hard work of the person, couldn’t be allowed to hoard it. 

“The noble houses were already divided in their opinion of you even before you finished the academy.” Benedict mentioned. “I think it speaks highly that most of the ones whose members you interacted with regularly during your time at the academy support you. But that still leaves almost half the nobles in the kingdom being hostile to a commoner of your strength being raised into the ranks of the nobility as an independent.” 

“The lands you are being given will also exacerbate the issue.” the prince said. “The Barons and Viscount that rule there have had numerous issues of abusing their people in subtle and not so subtle ways in the last century or so.” 

“Are you so sure that I’ll be better?” Ajax asked as he digested the information. From the odd looks he was receiving from everyone around him Ajax clarified. “I don’t mean that I won’t try to be better but I don’t know how to rule a duchy, a good intention can sometimes lead to a worse outcome.” 

Ajax knew that the royal family was taking a huge risk by backing him like this, to the point that they are very well risking a civil uprising if things go wrong. He very much intended to repay their trust in him but at the same time he also wanted to ensure that the people he would end up ruling over would have their lives improved.

“There is no need to be so worried about all this.” the prince smiled. “It will take you a while before you change your outlook on life but it's important that you understand there won’t be so much pressure coming on you so soon. For all your power you still show your age.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ajax asked. 

“You think that everything has to go perfectly right away.” The prince shook his head. “When you think of the future you look at the next decade, that is one of the things that will have to change. A decade is the short term.” 

“Ajax, this is one of the flaws that the nobles who disagree with your rise are right and something you will have to work on.” Lexi said as she took his arm. “You are not yet twenty five years old but with the amount of Vitality you already have and the amount you are sure to gain in the future you will rule your lands for the next two millenia.” 

Lexi's words broke through to Ajax and he froze as he tried to process the scale they were talking about. As much of an advantage as his life on Earth had been for Ajax so far, it had also came with the downside of rooting his mindset from the beginning in the short life of humans. Two thousand years was something Ajax could understand logically but not something he could fully appreciate, the advances in technology that were made in the last two hundred years on Earth when he’d lived there certainly didn’t help. 

“I still don’t see why you’re granting him his own title like this.” Harold’s words drew a number of glares, some so sharp that he raised his hands in surrender. “What I mean is why not grant him the title under his relationship with Lady Manashaper.” 

Harold did have a solid point. Had Ajax married into house Manashaper none of the nobles would have had any serious issues. It was a long standing tradition that generational talents would usually be bound by marriage into the nobility, their issues were with Ajax being granted the title without any tie to an existing family. 

“It is paramount that Ajax is able to make decisions for himself, that is the reason.” The prince instantly disagreed. “Had Ajax simply joined another House instead of being granted his own he wouldn’t have been the head of the House and it risked too much.” 

“You don’t have to worry.” Lexi said as she squeezed Ajax’s hand in her own. “You won’t be dealing with this by yourself.” 

Lexi was quick to pick up on Ajax’s worries and was quick to reassure him. While she knew that there was no way she was going to catch up to him in terms of combat power she was confident in her ability to help him as a newly landed Duke. 

“You’ll also be mostly dealing with the big picture.” Alana cut in. “Tom’s started to prepare himself to take up the role of mayor for the city your estate would neighbour.” 

Alana’s words were the ones that brought most comfort to Ajax, he had a lot of ideas about how he could improve things from his Earth knowledge but putting it all into practice was not something he saw going well. Giving the idea and having someone else who better understood how to implement it would work out much better and free up his time to continue pushing himself as a fighter and as an alchemist. 

“Of course you first have to deal with the royal court for a few days once you arrive and are granted the title.” the prince said, his kind smile shifting to his trademarked smirk.