Chapter 709

“I take it that you’ll be leaving the capital soon.” Xavier asked as he entered the meeting room. “Or are you still dealing with the fallout?”

“I’ll head back with Ajax once he is done here.” Lexi said as she put down her cup.

Lexi had already been in the capital, news that the war was picking up meant that Gryndor had called up a few more of their champions in case they needed to send an extraction force, among them was Duke Manashaper so Lexi had come to the capital at her father’s request and was taking care of matters for house Hearthbound while she was here.

The reveal that Brightstone had fallen to Highmountain had come only a few days ago and it had caused some issues with the deals that House Hearthbound had already made through their ambassador. Being here already it fell on Lexi to try and solve most of those issues before they had a chance to get any worse.

“I’m just glad the war is over and that he’s coming back.” Lexi admitted. “He barely got a chance to introduce Aurexion to us after he got back from the Wild Lands before he was gone again.”

“He was a key player in the Republic still being a nation, according to my uncle.” Xavier said, but Lexi already understood that. Just because she understood it didn’t mean she had to like it however.

“Oh, I know how successful he was.” Lexi assured her friend with a small laugh. “The Empire’s attempts at getting close with our House had only increased as the war dragged on. It’s easy to imagine what might be spurring them on.”

“And how is that going?” Xavier asked. He didn’t want to push the matter, especially since he also considered Judy a friend though they hadn’t met more than a few times. Still the outcome of that courtship was important to his father and grandfather so he had to at least ask.

“A friendship between them has formed, I think it helps that Zilfallon is extremely immature for his age while being extremely dedicated to getting stronger.” Lexi answered.

“Judy is looking to grow in power?” Xavier was surprised by that turn of events.

“No, she is looking to grow as a merchant.” Lexi corrected. “Something the rest of her family was trying to get her to go a little easier and to not push herself so hard. Until we found out that a dragon that very much likes his hoard full became part of the family. She has made some extreme progress with her Skills especially since she has been trading with part of Aurexion’s hoard.”

“Oh I heard the complaints about that already.” Xavier chuckled, even the less valuable parts Aurexion had allowed her to sell were rare in humanoid lands and their value was extreme. The crown had several complaints about House Hearthbound pulling them out of the dungeon instead with the boon Ajax could help people get until some spies figured out where they were all coming from. The knowledge of the source only made the complaining get worse of course since it became clear Judy had been drip feeding the items into the market to extract the most profit. “Nothing romantic though?”

“Not a chance.” Lexi shook her head. “Immature and charming as he is, Zilfallon is still more than twice as old as her grandfather and she was still raised as a commoner. The marriage might happen if the House would need it to but with Ajax’s star on the rise there is no need.”

“Damn I was hoping it wouldn’t fall to my cousin.” Xavier let out a sigh.

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“They are planning to wed her and Zilfallon?” Lexi was surprised.

“No, her and Sandor.” Unlike Judy and the rest of House Hearthbound the royal family had no direct reason to dislike the young imperial prince.

“Is another war that likely?” Lexi asked. “We haven’t had anything more than a few skirmishes with the Empire for a couple thousand years.”

“Both the beastkin and the dwarves have united as one.” Xavier dragged his hand down his face as he let out a deep sigh. “I doubt the elves will follow their lead, they are too proud and while Sylvanthal is in a similar position to Brightstone where they can be pushed, the threat of Ajax and Aurexion coming to weigh in on the conflict alone should deter Deepwood from trying.”

“But you still think they’ll make a tight alliance with each other.” Lexi finished for him.

“Dad does.” Xavier nodded. “He even thinks it might be good for us since with our alliance with Sylvanthal we might get access to Deepwood’s dungeons again. But that does leave us as the odd ones out. We’ll need to either make a close alliance with the Empire or absorb them.”

“You think we can absorb them?” Lexi raised an eyebrow. “They had more champions than we did last I checked, not only that but while the overall strength is similar a few of theirs counter some of ours almost perfectly.”

“You’re underestimating how strong Ajax has become.” Xavier also had a hard time believing what his uncle had told them. He knew Ajax was special but becoming a pinnacle at such a young age was something he still couldn’t accept. “ Even my uncle sounded a little afraid at times.”

“Aurexion has that effect on most people.” Lexi still remembered her first time feeling the dragon’s Aura.

“Not Aurexion.” Xavier denied. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this but you’ll probably figure it out soon after Ajax returns. My uncle sounded pretty sure that in a fight Ajax and Aurexion could take out the rest of the reinforcements we sent to the Republic.”

That caused Lexi’s eyebrows to rise. That was four champions and two full squads. “And not only would Ajax and Aurexion win but they wouldn’t be able to even escape from them.” If that was the case Lexi agreed that she understood why Ajax and Aurexion would be seen as enough to guarantee their win over the Empire.

“How is the expansion going?” Lexi decided to swap the topic after putting her tea down.

“I think we’ll have another tournament soon.” Xavier said with a smile. “Maybe we’ll get a chance to take part in this one.”

“What?” Lexi was surprised. “There was something valuable so close to the border that we just passed by all these years?”

“We didn’t pass it by.” Xavier shook his head. “As soon as the expansion efforts started Deepwood, Sylvanthal, the Empire and us all headed straight for the same thing. It might be a little ways out there but the expansion will be big enough to include it in humanoid lands soon. And with Ajax confirming there is no Ascended there for now…”

That’s when it clicked for Lexi. All four nations wanted to claim the dungeon for themselves. It was three days away from the border so it would take time for a proper road and everything else to be built but in the next couple centuries all of that could change. An extra dungeon would be something they’d all be willing to fight for.

“It might be fun.” Lexi acknowledged, especially if she had a chance to do a few more delves before the time came. “But is there even a point to having a tournament?”

“What do you mean is there a point?” Xavier asked. “It’s how these things are usually settled to avoid a war, with four nations involved I don’t see a way to avoid it.”

“That’s not what I was getting at.” Lexi giggled a little. “I wonder what should House Hearthbound do with another dungeon under our control?”

“You want to claim the dungeon as a whole?” Xavier was shocked. “It’s nowhere near your duchy.”

“True but from what you said nobody can even come close to challenging Ajax.” Lexi pointed out and she could see the moment Xavier made the same connection she already had. “Since he is younger than fifty and under level one hundred he can participate in all three sections.”

Xavier didn’t get a chance to respond to that as one of the palace guards knocked on the door before opening it to deliver a message.

“The champions have returned.” He said before bowing and taking his leave.

The elites were still a couple weeks out but the champions and the squads could cover the distance much quicker so their arrival was expected at any moment. Xavier and Lexi both rose and made to follow the messenger.

“Would you and Ajax want a room in the palace?” Xavier offered since the Hearthbound manor in the capital was under renovations to make it fit for a ducal family, the neighboring mansion had been gifted to House Hearthbound and their home since they became nobles was undergoing a considerable expansion. “I know it’s not finished yet and you were hoping to have it done by the time the war ended.”

“We’ll be fine, thank you.” Lexi smiled. “I still have a room in my father's mansion and he’ll be ecstatic to have Aurexion back.”

Left unsaid was how much she had missed Ajax, a secondary factor was that Ajax’s input was also going to be needed for certain parts of their duchy but that could wait a few days before they went there.