Anna P.O.V.

My heart rate jumped as I felt the mana gather behind me and then approach quickly. I had been told more than once that it was a possibility, the standoff at the first arch had also been a nudge in the right direction but I never thought it would actually come to this. When Ajax suggested that I pretend to have hurt my leg so that he would carry me through the arch I thought he was going too far.

“So you’re finally showing your true colors.” Ajax seemed calm, his voice even despite having just shattered the projectile coming for me like it was nothing.

Both Lexi and myself raised our staff instinctively, years of training shining through despite my emotional turmoil and shock. But all of this was nothing more than posturing, almost moved as well all looked to one another while Lexi slowly stepped closer to me.

“Come now Ajax,” Oliver started. “This can still end up going in your favor in a big way. All you have to do is help me out here.”

Well at least Oliver was quite as far gone as I thought, the ambush was one thing but it seems he isn’t that narcissistic as to think he can actually fight Ajax.

“My father has a good chance to take over the family once she is out of the way. Your family will be rich, we’ll make sure of it.” Oliver continues to tempt him. “You can name your price.”

To my great surprise a sinister chuckle rose from Ajax, at that moment I could feel [Emotionless] struggle with all its might to suppress the surprise and slight fear that he could actually be tempted. Should I make a counter offer, is he actually considering this?

We were no more than fifty feet from the arch, once we passed through it all we had to do was pass through the one we came out of on the next floor and we would be free. With Lexi next to me now we might have a chance to get out of here alive against Oliver who exhausted some of his mana with the mini-boss and was quite a bit away from us. But it would all come down to Ajax's choice, even if he wasn’t right next to me and across the room it wouldn’t matter since he would still be able to stop us.

Ajax’s chuckle cut off abruptly as the coldest tone I ever heard from him was spit out from behind clenched teeth. “It’s clear why the Goldmancers had you only focus on magic combat, even without the other skills. How you can be this dumb with all those points in Intellect and Wisdom is shocking to me.”

His words instantly calm me down, without my emotions running so high I internally berate myself for even thinking that Ajax would even consider the bribe.

“Are you that attached to her?” Oliver’s desperation rose with every word. “Do you know what it would mean to choose your own reward from a family like the Goldmancers?”

“Do you see me as a greedy short sighted fool?” Ajax asked back, his rage regressing or just being suppressed as the conversation continued. “Do you even process the offer you just made me?”

“Even if I was a greedy psychopath who would be willing to kill two friends on the word of someone he met a month ago this deal would be just bad all the way through.” Ajax continued with disgust. “Even in the best case scenario I still lose out.”

He wasn’t wrong there, this is why it is so surprising to me that Oliver would even try anything. Ajax taking any bribe here would make absolutely no sense, I knew Oliver looked down on common born people but this much?

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“You could ask for more gold than the average ducal house has and you think this is a bad offer?” Oliver sounded shocked by the refusal.

“Let's assume that the offer would hold true, let's also assume your father takes over the House next and honors that promise, lets also assume that killing both Anna and Lexi, since just killing one wouldn’t be a kept secret, wouldn’t get traced back to me in any way. That still has me losing out.” Ajax took out his hammer and made a step towards Oliver.

“You think saving her would get you more?” Oliver asked. “They’ll just say it was expected of you and give you a pat on the back.”

“Nothing changing in my current situation is better than taking your deal.” Ajax shook his head as he continued to advance while Oliver was slowly backing away. “Your father would at best take the head position in three decades. What I need is for my relationships to hold strong now, at this moment.”

Ajax was definitely right there, now was when he needed support the most. With his once in a lifetime talent and potential he just needed help now to set solid foundations, what good was a promise to him thirty years in the future, not that the estimate was even close to correct since I knew dad had at least another half a century in him.

A big questionable disaster like this would cut off most of Ajax’s allies from him just from him not having stopped it regardless of what other blame gets put on him.

“I tire of this conversation.” Ajax started his charge, sudden change in speed almost more than I could keep track of, I should raise my Perception at least a little.

I start channeling my own mana to help only for Lexi to put her hand on my wrist. “No need to bother the fight won’t be long and chances are we might get in the way just as much as we help.” Lexi’s comforting smile did a lot to help with the feelings of betrayal I was pushing down as I thought through how my own family ordered me killed.

I chose to focus on the fight just to take my mind off it. Oliver started retaliating, despite being overmatched without a doubt, he was still a very talented fighter. His casting speed was faster than anything I have ever seen from anyone so low level. I knew chanting was his best skill but to think he broke through the level 75 barrier already and even unlocked the ability to shorten the phrase.

Walls of ice sprung up between him and Ajax as ice lances started to take form. The most shocking thing of all however was what I was feeling from Ajax. I knew he had a way to empower his body with magic, I also knew from our first meeting during the skirmish he had a way to wipe away mana residue. But my [Sense Mana] was telling me he was actively weakening Oliver’s spells and using the mana he took from them to empower himself.

I had never heard of any skill that could do anything close to that. It had to be a Legendary skill since he was always using it without any drawbacks and it granted him so much power. It also finally made sense why he always seemed to get better the deeper in the dungeon we got, with more ambient mana to take the less he would use his own mana.

Ajax stored away his shield and axe and took out his bow as the sightline was broken by one of the ice walls, he drew back an arrow and infused it with wind mana as he stepped back into view and released. The arrow would have pierced Oliver through the throat if it wasn’t for his defensive amulet that knocked the arrow aside and into his shoulder.

The outcome that was all but guaranteed from the start was now upon us. Despite his skill and power with magic Oliver didn’t seem to have had any training in managing pain as he simply crumpled to the floor wailing as he held his shoulder in pain. I should look into getting a skill like [Pain Resistance] or even better [Ignore Pain].

“Don’t kill him.” Lexi’s interruption surprised me. “Tie him up so we can bring him back out.”

“Why not just kill him here and be done with it?” Ajax asked, he showed pure confusion however as if the difference between killing Oliver and restraining him was just the annoyance the second would be for the extra effort.

“If we take him out he can be interrogated.” Lexi said. “Stopping the assassination is one thing but if you help them root out the conspiracy publicly you’ll give old man Goldmancer the excuse he needs to give you a reward.”

Lexi was right, dad did mention that he asked Ajax to look out for me but this way no other branch could complain about him giving him a reward without also looking complicit.

“It’s not like I’m doing this for the reward.” Ajax said as he shrugged but also turned away, was that a bit of embarrassment I saw. “Stupid idiot actually thought I could be tempted to kill some of my only friends.”

We probably weren’t supposed to hear that second part but we had walked closer, I could also see Ajax deliberately squeezing the shoulder that still had an arrow stuck inside as he tied and gagged Oliver.

Too bad Oliver would still get the point for this floor as we all passed through the arch but it would be too much of a hustle to drag him to the entrance of this floor and then come back just so he won’t get the reward. Ajax dragged the tied up Oliver through the arch and Lexi and I followed.

“Thanks for the help, and good luck!” Lexi gave Ajax a hug that only slightly lingered, I wonder when she will finally admit that she has a crush on him?

“Good luck” I also wished him with a smile as I grabbed Oliver and the three of us exited through the arch.