Chapter 228: Fortune Gathered, a Warrior Gained

Before Cassian could answer, Darian spoke up.

[Darian Frost: Who are you to speak of House Frost like that? Without the Realm’s laws protecting you, how many times would the Jade Court have been destroyed already?]

[Corven Talcrest: And without those same laws, how many times would Riftward have been destroyed?]

Corven sounded delighted rather than offended.

[Corven Talcrest: I’ve heard a great deal about you, Lord Darian. Would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner?]

Darian’s name had become almost as famous as Cassian’s. Over the past few months, he had called on support far beyond the reach of an ordinary House Frost heir.

Some had even speculated that he descended from a lost branch of the family that had remained on the Homeworld for a thousand years. House Frost had issued a public denial and threatened legal action against those spreading the rumor. Only then had the speculation begun to subside.

Whatever the truth, winning such an influential heir’s favor would greatly improve Corven’s position within his own family.

Darian was almost impressed.

[Darian Frost: You really have no shame at all. Cassian, you deal with him.]

The Jade Court was still the recognized authority. Apart from heirs such as Darian and Seraphine, few Crown Lords dared speak to one of its royal kinsmen that way.

Tobias could argue with Black Banner Lords all day. Ask him to trade insults with Corven, and he would suddenly have nothing to say.

Cassian thought quickly.

The Jade Court’s demands were ridiculous. But since it had made an overture, he saw no need to turn another power into an immediate enemy.

[Cassian Vale: How about this? I can supply the royal princesses with ten Eclipse Chapterhouse Blueprints a year, at market price.]

[Cassian Vale: As for the other demands, I know you enjoy a joke, Lord Corven.]

[Cassian Vale: I have work to do. We can talk another time. Oh—and don’t forget the office you promised me.]

He closed the Channel.

In the alliance Channel, Darian immediately began teasing him.

[Darian Frost: Our dear Governor, compromising? I never thought I’d see the day.]

[Nessa Fenwick: Your dear Governor? Since when did you two become so sweet with each other?]

Darian flushed with annoyance.

[Darian Frost: Nessa, are you asking for trouble?]

The others struggled not to laugh.

Fortunately, Seraphine changed the subject.

[Seraphine Valcrest: The Jade Court won’t be satisfied with that. Enemies ahead and behind. If it joins forces with the Black Banner, things will get much harder for us.]

She rubbed her hands together.

[Seraphine Valcrest: More exciting too, of course.]

[Elara Vayne: That seems unlikely for now. We’re heroes of the Crown. Unless...]

[Cassian Vale: Unless Divine Province founds a Nation, or even contests the right to establish a greater Domain. Then we’d threaten the Jade Court’s rule.]

[Cassian Vale: But that day will come sooner or later.]

The words left them excited and uneasy in equal measure.

Darian laughed, glad of a chance to move on.

[Darian Frost: Our first Fortune aggregation finishes in two days! In half a month, everyone will be living in a Region with a hundred Fortune.]

Even Cassian brightened at that. The Jade Court’s sudden demands lost much of their weight.

——

Two mornings later, the day began like any other. Yet Cassian and the rest of Riftward Marches’ Lords were all awake early.

Brilliant golden light suddenly filled the sky. Lords narrowed their eyes against the glare as a notice appeared before them.

[Fortune Duel concluded. Your Region’s alliance has won.]

[Region Fortune +6.]

For an ordinary winning Region, six had become twelve. All five hundred winners now had at least twelve Fortune.

The Marches erupted.

[My resources changed again! I can’t stop crying!]

[Don’t cry like that. I thought you were the one who’d mutated.]

[The space is expanding! I’m an ordinary commoner, and I get to live in an expanded Region! In an older sector, you couldn’t even think of settling somewhere like this without a million Aether. How did I get this lucky?]

[Hard work matters. Choosing the right place matters even more!]

[I wish the people who didn’t make it could see this.]

[Some fought in the Capital. They just couldn’t hold on until the boss came back. They were heroes too.]

Darian, who was overseeing the aggregation, wasted no time. He reorganized the alliance into two hundred and fifty Regions and activated another Fortune Duel Writ.

[A Region alliance has initiated a Fortune Duel...]

Fresh cheers rose throughout Riftward Marches.

No one was looking forward to the next results more than Cassian. His Domain Aether Vein responded to Regional Fortune.

Riftward Region had risen from eighty-two to eighty-eight. Another two rounds would carry it past a hundred, securing the Vein’s Intermediate grade. In another twenty-odd days, the Region should have more than a thousand Fortune.

"A thousand should be enough for an Advanced Vein," he murmured. "What new effects will that unlock?"

And a Region with a thousand Fortune... could it produce Legendary resources?

That thought brought the Legendary Dragon Tomb Blueprint in his inventory to mind.

Bone Dragons ranked toward the lower end of Legendary troop lines. But a weaker Legendary troop was still a Legendary troop.

As the first wave of excitement settled, Cassian posted a pinned announcement in the Marches Channel.

[Cassian Vale: To everyone in Riftward Marches: this was only our first Fortune aggregation. In half a month, I promise you’ll all be able to live in Regions with a hundred Fortune.]

[Cassian Vale: Before long, all the Homeworld’s Provinces will have joined the Homeworld Channel. The Provincial Ranking will open in turn.]

[Cassian Vale: Its rewards include Fortune and attributes. The leading Provinces will also receive National Fortune. I don’t need to explain how important that is.]

[Cassian Vale: Our opponents will include every power across the Homeworld—all three hundred and sixty-five Provinces. The Black Banner is only one of them.]

[Cassian Vale: Great opportunities lie ahead. Build your strength as quickly as you can. We may be few, but our ambitions don’t have to be small.]

Replies flooded the Channel.

[Your command is our law, boss!]

[With advantages like these, we’d be ashamed of ourselves if we didn’t work hard!]

[Starting today, five hours of sleep. That’s all I need.]

[Let’s build the boss a Nation worthy of the gods!]

Word of the aggregation soon spread across Divine Province.

In Westmere, Corin Alder looked at the reports and sighed.

"Why does it feel as though an ordinary Riftward Lord has better conditions than I do? I’m a Marches Commander."

Dain Torren answered in his deep voice.

"Go and be an ordinary Riftward Lord, then. I’ll be Commander for you."

Corin rolled his eyes. Who said House Torren produced nothing but wooden-headed fighters?

Then he fell quiet. After a moment, he spoke again.

"Dain. I’d like you to go and serve Cassian. What do you think?"

Dain stared at him.

"Don’t take it so seriously. I was joking." He gave Corin a light punch. "Our ancestors told us to guard you Alder bastards, generation after generation."

Corin laughed.

"What age do you think we’re living in?"

"Doesn’t matter. A thousand years from now, their instructions will still be their instructions."

Corin’s expression softened.

"They say even a pig in Cassian’s Domain eats better than we do. You’ll grow far stronger with him than with me."

Dain still looked confused, so he added, "I’m counting on you to protect me once you’ve become strong enough."

After some hesitation, Dain finally nodded.

"If you want me to go, I’ll go. But let’s be clear. Cassian is a hero of the Crown. I won’t spy on him. I wouldn’t know how, either."

Corin burst out laughing.

"Who asked you to spy? Follow him wholeheartedly. That’s all I want."

——

Corin’s proposal surprised Cassian.

When the veterans attacked, Corin had sent Dain to help—a Warbound Lord whose personal strength surpassed even Seraphine’s. Now he was sending the man to serve Cassian permanently?

Cassian used the Mindseal Tower’s Truth function after Dain entered Forgotten Shrine. He questioned him directly about his purpose in coming. Dain’s answers confirmed that he had not been sent to gather intelligence from inside Riftward.

Corin was more generous than his famous ancestor.

Cassian returned the goodwill.

"Don’t worry, Corin. Dain can stay in Riftward Region. I’ll make sure he eats well and lives comfortably."

"Then you have my thanks, Cassian."

Two more days passed.

At last, the day arrived for the Contest of Champions’ first-stage results to be announced.

For some, it would be a day of celebration. For others, anything but.