Tiya stood before a mirror, twirling the new dress she had on.

When Grace said she would go shopping, she really meant it. As Northtown frequently traded with Silk Valley, they naturally had a lot of fashionable and comfortable clothing available for sale.

And Grace didn’t skimp. She bought Tiya an entire wardrobe. And after playing dress up for a few hours, Grace finally left her alone to go talk to Audius.

Now, as night settled, Tiya tried a few dresses on for herself, seeing which ones she liked.

She wondered what Audius would think of them, and she thought about how she never had nice dresses like these at her old home.

Nobody in the city was rich enough to just buy clothes as they pleased. Clothes were often patched if torn and used for a long time. The nice clothes were only taken out for special occasions, and only during birthdays or holidays did a family go out to buy more.

Tiya and her family were a normal farming family within the city. Laborious days were normal for them, as it was for everyone else. Tiya still had all the rough calusses on her hands that she occasionally picked at as they healed.

If not for her awakening, she would still be living that normal life.

Or, if not for her mother cursing her name and ratting her out to the city guard…

Tiya’s smile turned to a somber frown.

Her days recently had been filled with vast internal turmoil.

Thoughts of her family and if she hated them stirred in her mind for hours every day. Only Grace was able to pull her focus away from those dark thoughts with her chatter.

And whenever she saw Grace, she thought about how lucky she was that they came when they did.

If not for them, she would have already been hung.

To think that a Duke’s children had come so timely, and that they were also intent on saving sorcerers. Two miracles that led to Tiya’s life being where it was now.

It was why she went to Audius.

The young lord who had such a sharp eye and profound mouth. In the dungeon, his words made her chest tighten with emotion. And in the study, the sight of him made her eyes flutter.

He carried such charisma, and it was all the more reason that Tiya had pledged her loyalty right then and there.

She no longer had a family that loved her, and in front of her was a man willing to save her and protect her.

His actions proved that he was the one she wished to follow.

And his words in the study confirmed that conviction.

Don’t trust me until you trust what you’ve seen, he said.

To actually tell someone not to trust them, and to instead scrutinize their actions.

That was a leader worth giving your life for.

In her heart, Tiya had already made her decision.

Casting away thoughts of her family, she focused solely on what she might be able to do to serve her Lord Audius.

Perhaps discovering more about her power would enable her to do so. But practicing was tricky given the nature of her power, so she would need to wait a while longer before going outside to try things.

These thoughts pervaded her mind as she tried on a few more dresses.

But, when she went to go take one of the dresses off, she saw a figure in the mirror.

She spun around in shock, her power unconsciously leaking out and causing a black smoke to rise up around her hands.

“It’s okay, Tiya. I’m not here to hurt you.”

“Who are you?”

Tiya asked while backing away. But in her mind, she had a faint suspicion.

Gentle Snow stood and presented herself, looking at Tiya with her golden eyes.

“My name is Gentle Snow. I’m a sorcerer, and I’m here to extend an invitation.”

“...”

Tiya flinched when she heard the word sorcerer. Not unlike everyone else, she associated that word with that of the devil.

And she had never seen another sorcerer before, especially not one with the mysterious powers of Gentle Snow. She felt both threatened and curious.

“What invitation?”

“I’m from a militia of sorcerers, and we live in the mountain range north of this town. I’m inviting you to come with me, to join other sisters just like you, one’s who have escaped the persecution of the Order. There, you’ll live free and help rescue other sorcerers who might be in trouble just as you were.”

“...”

Tiya was surprised hearing that there was an entire militia of sorcerers. To think that there were many more just like her, all of them hiding in the mountains.

She wanted to see just what this militia looked like.

But…

“...I can’t.”

“No? Just so you know, I can bring you out of here without that Lord Audius knowing anything about it. You are completely free to make your decision, and nobody can stop you.”

Gentle Snow approached Tiya who had lowered her guard. She reached out her hand.

“You can come to our home, where you won’t have to hide. We all take care of each other there. And you will become one of our sisters.”

“...I’m sorry.”

Tiya didn’t think for very long before giving her answer.

“I wish to stay here. Lord Audius saved me, and I’ve pledged myself to him. Besides, he wishes to save sorcerers as well. Perhaps, you all could come here instead. Lord Audius would welcome you with open arms.”

“...Isn't that a thought.”

Gentle Snow gave an odd smile while retracting her hand.

“Well, it’s okay even if you don’t join us. I will be visiting this place often as our business has not yet concluded, so if you change your mind, just tell me when you see me. And…”

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Gentle Snow tapped Tiya’s nose.

“I don’t believe you’re supposed to offer refuge for an entire militia of sorcerers without your lord’s command. That could cause him lots of trouble if we were to all suddenly appear on his doorstep without prior notice. Don’t you think?”

“Oh, y-yea. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just be sure to know what your lord wants before carrying out actions in his name. Now, do enjoy the rest of your night. And stay safe, Tiya.”

With that, she disappeared, leaving Tiya in a small daze.

……

…

“You win.”

“Told you.”

I smirked while glancing at the figure who appeared beside me.

Gentle Snow smiled playfully and sat on the edge of my bed.

“Now I’m really curious as to what you said to that girl in the dungeon. She’s hung up on you.”

“I made her realize that I don’t save sorcerers simply because they’re sorcerers. I do it because they’re no different from everyone else, just children and young women who had a bad day. Still, my words then were more so for the Baron, who has since realized the error of his ways. When faced with your hypocrisy, half decent people tend to rethink themselves and choose a side. The Baron chose correctly.”

I fiddled with the book in my hands, a book on the nearby geography and its features. And I could feel Gentle Snow’s eyes on me as I did so.

“...I’ll be returning soon.”

“Get some rest before you do. There are empty rooms throughout the manor that you can use. I know a hike through the mountains isn’t easy.”

“Then I’ll accept your generosity.”

“Not that you had to ask me anyway.”

I smiled and lifted my gaze.

For a moment we just stared at each other, until she stood and bowed toward me just slightly.

“Thank you, Lord Audius, for saving Tiya. You have the appreciation and gratitude of the entire Sorcerer’s Militia.”

“No need for the formality, Ms. Snow. As I said, I don’t do this because you’re sorcerers.”

“Mm. Then, I wish you a good night.”

She left with those words, leaving me to myself.

I had a small smile as I continued reading my book.

………

……

I heard nothing from Gentle Snow the following day.

And although I didn’t attain much information from her, I still considered our encounter valuable.

Now I knew that there was a militia of sorcerers in the mountains next door, and I had also sown goodwill with them. If they considered settling within my city, then I considered our relationship a success.

Still, I would need to give it time. Not only would those sorcerers need to wait and see before making such a big decision, but I would have to let my image grow within Gentle Snow’s mind before being able to ask for information on the nature of sorcerers.

It all came down to time.

So I focused on other tasks.

Right now, construction on my new manor was top priority.

Currently I planned on building it on the western side of my city.

I didn’t want to build it toward the east since that’s where the river was located and by extension, all the farmland. The south wasn’t viable since that’s where all the trade and production was.

As for the North, that’s where all the stonecutting, hunting, and quarrying occured. Again, too many people.

So, the most unoccupied and out-of-the-way region was the eastern region that faced the border.

I was going to build my manor there, in a place within a small forest that wasn’t too far from the city yet out of the public eye.

But I didn’t have the proper materials to build my ideal manor. It wasn’t that my manor was going to be a castle, just that I wanted it constructed out of something a bit more modern than poorly cut log and uneven stone.

And my solution was actually incredibly simple.

In the morning, I called upon the Baron. Compared to when I first arrived, he was quite a bit more somber, like he had come back from a war. Considering he was someone who earned his noble title in battle, the inner turmoil he faced must have been great if he had been hit so hard.

But he looked better than a couple days ago.

“Baron.”

“Lord Audius. You needed me?”

Baron Hviral entered the study where I had yet another book in my hands. I looked up at him and closed the book.

“Yes. I was wondering about the stonecutters in this city. Are there any companies or organizations that specifically handle stonecutting and its transportation?”

“...Yes, I believe so.”

He nodded.

“They’re located in the northern region of the city. I believe they’re called the Rock and Stone Foundation. They handle everything related to stone processing and trading in the city, also working closely with a construction organization as they built most of the houses and buildings here.”

“I see. I want you to call their manager here. Tell him I have business with him, and that he’ll want to bring a chemist.”

“Of course. I’ll send one of my men right away.”

“Thank you.”

The Baron left. And as he exited through the door, another figure appeared within it, the two passing by each other.

I smiled at the entrant.

“Ah, Sir Campbell. I apologize for the last few days. I’ve been awfully busy getting settled in.”

I stood and shook the man’s hand.

My father’s assistant that he sent with me.

He was a skinny man one might associate with a wimpy scholar sheltered by the white walls of luxurious mansions.

But Sir Campbell was the furthest thing from wimpy. Sure he was skinny, but he had a deep and ruthless gaze that could make one quiver. He was the kind of man who could take a life without a second thought, one who could order thousands to battle and not so much as flinch when most of them died.

And that’s exactly what he did. None of the people who stood with my father were ordinary, especially since he was a war general. And while Sir Campbell wasn’t near the top of the list of most accomplished or renowned when it came to my father’s assistants, he definitely wasn’t low.

I hadn’t heard much about him other than he was one of the commanding officers who took orders directly from my father, and he did so with unwavering loyalty and dedication. He also handled some form of logistics, so when the war ended, he became a financial moderator who worked for my father.

Now, he was here with me as my ‘assistant’. How much I could actually tell him to do, however, was the big question.

Still, I only needed him for one thing.

The iron mine, and the reason I chose this city.

Sir Campbell nodded back to me, giving some professional courtesy despite his stoic disposition.

“Lord Audius.”

“Have you settled well in the manor? I know it isn’t as spacious as my father’s.”

“It’s enough. The escort has also begun their return to Fawkes City, besides two of my own trusted men who will stay here with me.”

“I see.”

Fawkes City was named after my father when he took up residence there.

And I was surprised to hear that Sir Campbell had his own men, because as far as I knew, everyone who was a part of the escort was a highly trained guard, someone who could serve as the guard of my father’s personal estate. Nobody there was ordinary.

Sir Campbell sure had his cards to play.

But that wasn’t one of my concerns right now.

“So, has my father given you more information on the iron mine? I don’t wish to delay the establishment of something so profitable.”

“He has.”

Sir Campbell grabbed a small bundle of papers that he carried inside a bag.

He laid them out on a table between us.

“The iron mine is a large surface formation to the east along one of the major branches of the Ridge River.”

“The east. Great…”

I sighed while thinking about my manor. Was I going to have to hide it in the mountains?

Sir Campbell continued.

“It hasn’t been touched due to the river branch being an obstacle for easy excavation. And, there are no other nearby cities that can take advantage of it. So it’s been sitting there untouched. Now, your father has granted you jurisdiction over it. If you take his loan, you will be responsible for not only the excavation, but paying him back.”

“Has my father given me a deadline for this loan?”

“He has not.”

Sir Campbell’s voice lowered.

“The Duke has given me no information regarding repayment. Should you take the loan, you only need to worry about using that investment properly. And the Duke has given me full authority to manage the finances he has entrusted to this endeavor. And, my first stipulation is that not a single coin will be utilized outside of the business of iron mining. Should you violate this rule, Lord Audius, I will not hesitate to repossess everything and leave. I will not allow the Duke’s money to be wasted.”

“I understand, Sir Campbell.”

I raised my hand with a smile, prompting the ruthless accountant to back off.

“Rest assured, my father’s investment won’t result in a loss. I’ll consult you before spending. But, I ask for at least some flexibility. I don’t want you to misunderstand my spending and deem it a misuse. For example, if I desire to build a bridge over the river near the mine, and that requires stonecutting and processing, then I need to make sure that I can allocate the funds accordingly. You may manage the finances, but I still make the decisions as to how the money is used to further our goal.”

“...”