Vol.2 – Chapter 62- Unexpected Meeting

.

.

.

The couple returned safely home after settling another part of Pliny's problems, from cleaning his chimney which was an experience unique for Mathias who had no idea what he was doing, but lucky for him Pliny and Haycien would guide him into finishing the job without messing up something. Besides that, they also brought another portion of food to last the old man more days, along with the freshly cut wood brought by Mathias and Vek.

Seeing that Pliny was doing better, the couple started their own planning once home with Mathias mentioning to Pliny about Edwin's workers starting appearing in the second to maybe third day since their visit.

Nevertheless, the old man didn't find problems and given his word he wouldn't chase them away, and help them with whatever he could.

"That's really something you shouldn't mind yourself, Pliny. They are paid well to do their job. If there's a need for something on the site, I will make sure to bring it for them, but until then, don't stress yourself and live your life in a better way."

Mathias's words hit a def ear with Pliny only murmuring something in agreement, but clearly the old man had his own sets of principles his mind was governed that couldn't be changed overnight by some youngster.

At home, the couple was quick to resume their process of planning out the future steps of their endeavor, with Fayrene telling Mathias as she walked toward her room, leaving him in the salon at the counter.

"I'll go start figuring out the amount of equipment we need at first, and what the cost might be. I should go to the Market and see the prices of the tailoring equipment."

"Fay, would the most efficient way of gauging the prices of the equipment by going to Inner City Tailoring Boutiques?"

"You think they will tell me what their tools cost? They are like a Guild, so everything stays in the guild, only members can get to such information."

"Right, I forgot about the model Guilds operating around here. My bad, still, this doesn't mean they will not share some information? Why not visit them, and ask in a friendly way about how much it would cost to make the scissors, fabric spinner, and all the equipment."

"What do you mean to ask "friendly"?"

"If it was me, I would first try the friendly approach just acting as a curious customer, and play them with my words to get my answers. However, if it doesn't work, there are other methods to make people talk."

"You know I will not act violent." remarked Fayrene who watched Mathias at the counter writing something, while talking with her.

"The greed of gold is enough to make even the tightest lips open up. Or use your spells, didn't the Archmage record a spell about Hypnosis? Have you read it?"

"I did, but it's too hard for me to cast it. Ahhh, I'll go take a look and see how those arrogant guys are doing their selling."

"That's what you should do, Fay. I believe in you." said Mathias with a smile on his face as he turned his face to watch Fayrene.

The young lady nodded her head, walking back to take on her winter coat, and taking off without waiting further for more questions to pile on her head, exiting and focused with only one direction in mind, the Grand Market and Inner City.

On another hand, Mathias while Fayrene went outside, started talking out loud with Haycien, being left alone, with even Vek going to the Adventurer Guild to take on some quests.

"It feels so weird right now."

{Why do you say that, lad?}

"It is too silent around. I got accustomed to being surrounded by people and watching them."

{You have the mentality of a crooked old man, that's why.}

"Haha, thanks I guess all the crooked old men should be proud of me, right crooked old man?"

{I am really proud.}

While talking with Haycien he began noting down all sorts of things which contained a lot of numbers and brief descriptions of what they could be used for, from (Salaries), (Employee), (Materials), (Advertisement) and so on, all being placed in an orderly fashion, something that pleased Haycien who Mathias discovered had a delicate touch, like 'Midas Touch' for logistics.

"Okay, okay, stop blasting my head with your experiences from the past. Military Logistic is good and could be used for managing the distribution of my business, but until one point, also your strategy is outdated."

Haycien when hearing this comment was fired up, and started pulling on the young man's tongue for an explanation since he thought his stratagems were unrivaled.

"Calm down, have I mentioned that they were not good? Your ideas are similar to Sun Tzu's when it comes to the military and that is the backbone for my world's military strategies and planning. But there are a lot of things you can make even more efficient rather than using a rough but still in its way efficient method. Like how Justinian in my story distributed his armies for the Sassanid War."

{Hmm, so that's why I felt slightly weird about that way of ordering your army. The chain of command is easier to maintain, while the army structure is split in a unique way.}

"Old Hay, is similar to your Legions but taken in an extremely detailed way. Anyway, I have to get information about the prices workers should get around here so I don't bleed too much money at the start."

{Why don't you message Fayrene to check on the salaries of the tailors or how much they would earn monthly?} reminded Haycien, while he was sitting on his couch on the inner dimension on the crimson ring, on Mathias's finger.

"Indeed, thanks, I totally forgot I can do that nowadays with Fay."

Quickly opening his Friend Interface, and tagging Fayrene he sent her a whisper which she later responded, taking note of his new point they forgot to check, and as most of his notes were taken down for the Workshop, he only had to wait for Edwin to build his Workshop, and acquire the equipment and start hiring people to work for his enterprise.

Placing in order his notes, and taking them back on his inventory, he moved to write on his novel that reached the climax of the Sassanid Wars, where his character, Justinian, began pushing back together with Belisarius on the mighty Persian Empire after the war turned into double-edged sword for his ambitious of restoring the Roman Empire.

Haycien turned like a passionate youngster being part of Mathias rain of thoughts as he was placing on the sheet his entire inspiration and writing abilities to set a realistic war that could make the reader feel his emotions, with Justinian leading his Grand Army as if he was the chosen champion of God and Jesus Christ, boosting the morale of the Romans to its pinnacles.

{Good, I can confirm for you this war could be real. Now go, stomp and raze to the ground Ctesiphon, since they dared to wage war on you. Don't give them the chance to raise again.}

"Whoa, easy old Hay. By doing that, I will not be able to integrate the lands of the Persians as Alexander did. I need the Babylonian lands to fund my Treasury in order to expand in the West. The Germans might be seen as barbarians in that era, but their might is not a laughingstock. Belisarius needs all my support in order to win."

{Hah, I got rallied up, your words make sense. Forget it, I will go back to the reader's mentality.}

Mathias could only smile a bit, as he continue writing his story, and slowly the time passed, with Fayrene nor Vek to return thus far, but it didn't worry him, who was captured in that world he was writing, the 6th Century, an era that if it didn't have certain failures for the Eastern Romans, it could have assured in the Rebirth of the Roman Empire once more.

Nevertheless, in that process of writing the knocking on the shop door, was a swift awakening for Mathias who placed down his quill, getting up while stretching his body a bit.

'I wonder who could be? Maybe a player?'

Thinking that with Haycien also curious about who could be, it didn't take long for Mathias to arrive at the door and open it, only to reveal the sight of an old man wearing casual clothes, with silver-white long hair, and a full beard.

'No way, this is old Julius. Don't tell me he found about me and Jeanne?'

"Greetings, sir. How may I be of help?"

The old Archbishop who had free time to visit this youngster who was seeing his daughter, remained silent, glancing at the face of the crimson-haired youngster, who no longer was wearing his mask.

"Good to see you, young man. I just wanted to meet the youngster who managed to change my little girl. Is there any problem, young man?"

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

{Son, this person is strong. I can't tell you how strong because of my weakened state, but he is strong, a Transcendent maybe? Be careful of how you are behaving because I can do nothing to save you.}

'It's fine, old Hay, this is Jeanne's father, Archbishop Julius.'

"Please, welcome." replied Mathias in a calm way, while gesturing with his hand, welcoming his unexpected guest.

Julius nodded his head, stepping inside the humble house, that was like a small boutique, where he could see and smell the leather, and equipment for tailoring, and while Mathias took Julius to the couch Vek used to stay, the old man who passed past the counter could see the pages written, where he peeked for a bit to only read about some war.

It was unexpected to find such content from this calm-looking youngster, but he didn't bother himself since his visit had another target in mind. Settling down on the couch, he heard Mathias suggest to him in a calm way.

"Sir, do you want to be served with something? I don't have delicacies, sweets, but I can make you mint tea or serve with wine if you aren't on service."

"Don't be stressed about my visit, young lad, and I am not on service so some wine would do me fine. I am curious, how do know who I am, since we never met before?"

"It was Jeanne who shared stories about you, sir."

Julius remained serious, but his lips perked a small smile, watching Mathias walk toward the kitchen, and in the process, ask what type of wine did he wanted to taste.

"Ohh, you even got yourself a variety to choose, this is interesting. I usually drink Red one, so serve me with some red wine." responded Julius, who continued to observe the main salon and some of the mannequins holding the projects Fayrene completed that were put on display for maybe a future customer."

"You know, little Mathias, Jeanne told me about you and Fayrene, and this is why it got me curious to meet the two who managed to change in a good way my little princess."

Mathias who returned holding a bottle of red wine, and two wine glasses, heard that comment from Julius, and with a calm expression placed the glasses on the small table beside the couch, used to serve visitors waiting for their orders to be handed. Later filling the two glasses, he looked at Julius and asked him trying to find his opinion.

"Sir, you don't have a problem about my relationship with Jeanne?"

"What about it? You think I will be upset that you stole my little girl from me?" joked Julius while taking the glass and taking a sip, tasting the wine, immediately nodding pleased by the taste.

"This is my father's village specialty, Cidarian Brewed Wine."

"Hmm, what I wanted to mention was the fact that I am an outlander."

"I know, she told me. If you are worried about that, I don't really mind it, even though your people left a bad impression on the ruling class with the first weekends since your appearance, by now you guys have slowly adapted and settled down, integrating with us. Just look at you boy, I could barely tell you apart when you first visited Fayrene."

"I only try to be myself, sir."

Julius remained quiet as he was drinking the wine, while at the same time he watched Mathias behavior with keen eyes, and with the first glass down, the young man poured wine in his glass again.

"Good wine."

Like this, what used to be an awkward interaction between Julius and Mathias, turned gradually into a casual discussion, where the elder counterpart began asking the youngster about himself, what he loved to do in his spare time, his adventure so far as a player, and later on after some couple of wines, Julius pointed at his face.

"Lad, you have an interesting power inside of you which makes me curious. There is logically no way that you could be associated with them, but at the same time is similar to their powers, the eyes and that type of hair, crimson red, in the early years of the Empire, only the first generation of the Royal family had such marks."

"I don't know what you are meaning, sir." rebutted Mathias such notions, trying to hide himself from Julius, evading the mentioning he was a Saharan, which made Julius to laugh waving the glass filled with wine in a casual way.

"Don't try to lie to me, little Mathias. When you will marry Jeanne, you will have to call me father. Go on, show me the Red Energy."

Still, Mathias was headstrong about his Saharan Identity, and remarked in a calm way, as if he wasn't guilty of anything.

"Sir, what makes you believe, I am a Saharan, just because of the hair? I am sorry to tell you, but from where I am, any person can dye his hair in such a color."

"Haha, that's a good point, but you are missing something important boy. I am the Archbishop of the Saharan Empire, only second to the Pope in the Vatican. I could say I had my fair share of runnings with the Saharan's that I got accustomed to their unique power, Red Energy. From the old Emperor, to Theodosius, to Juander, and all the smaller ones who have been raised in a fluffy hand."

Mathias and Julius gazed at one another eye's, ruby that a small flame burning in the iris against a pair of blue eyes that shined with a divine light, and their quiet stare down was broken by Mathias who sighed. What followed next was the young man downing his glass of wine, and asking again.

"You better don't do something stupid behind my back just because of who I am. I hate when people pull me in unnecessary trouble or in this case some political play."

"Worry not child, what interest would I have even if you are a Saharan? You are part of my family, and if I would have done something to you, wouldn't little Jeanne hate me? I don't risk such possibility for a small, tiny, Saharan, especially an outlander at that." assured Julius, in a serious tone, while he took the bottle of wine and directly took from there a big chunk.

Mathias who was getting counseled by Haycien finally reached an agreement with both sides outside and inside, and as if he released the quark of a champagne bottle, his Red Energy began showing out, covering his body like a veil formed by fire.

Julius when seeing the Red Energy being revealed smiled a bit, as if he was pleased with his judgment, but the more he glanced at Mathias the stronger the Red Energy the young man was showing was getting, to the point he questioned himself.

'Who is this boy? His Red Energy almost rivals Juander's in intensity. How? Well, it doesn't matter how, but damn, once this boy grows there are bound to be changed. He is full of charisma and courage, for journeying from Cidarian and reaching Titan while passing Gravelmark. How did he get past that mountain alive, I don't know.'

"This should be enough, right, sir?" asked Mathias who released his full Red Energy, something he hasn't do in a while since he was training to contain his energy in his body.

"Indeed, you could have stopped from just the first brief moment, but it seems you wanted to flex your powers to me. Would you respond to the question about how you acquired your powers?'

"No."

"Well, so be it. Do you still have wine, little Mathias?"

Retracting his Red Energy while Julius asked that, he gave him a weird stare while thinking in his mind.

'Old Hay, is this person trying to dry me of my wine?'

{Does it even matter? Just give him some more, don't be greedy, you have plenty enough.}

'I am not the beggar's canteen, okay? But, I guess I can't say no, since he might badmouth me to Jeanne for treating him like a vagabond.'

"I'll give you some White wine. Are you okay with it?"

"Argh, white does his job too."

Getting to the kitchen and picking another bottle from a cabinet, he felt a presence behind him, humming, at the sigh of his wine collection that he acquired, and remark.

"Son, you really got some good stuff right there. What is that?"

Julius pointed out at a bottle he marker with chalk, containing a C mark, which Mathias immediately frowned, but couldn't not respond to the curious old man.

"That's Champagne."

"What's that?"

"Carbonated Wine."

"Ohhhh, no idea what's that. Do you mind if I give it a taste?"

"..."

'I do, since I only have some bottles.' thought Mathias before responding to the old man, who took his silence as a sign of approval.

"I take it as you don't mind." commented Julius who picked that bottle of Champagne, and grabbing on Mathias's shoulder in a carefree way, returning to the salon, and started drinking the champagne, while their talk got to another point.

Julius seemed to be taking a big interest in Mathias wine collection, and the young man was at his mercy, not knowing how to stop this old man from drinking more and make a deep hole into his collection.

It was when the door of the house was heard opening, and bringing inside the voices of two girls talking in a friendly way that, Mathias and Julius turned their heads from the coach they were drinking, to notice Fayrene and Jeanne return.

*Burp* "Lad, I will take my leave right now. It was nice meeting and talking with you, but I will not disturb you no more."

Meanwhile, Mathias grabbed hold of Julius's arm, stopping him from leaving, while telling him.

"I want repayment for all the wine you drank from me."

"What are you some syndicate thug to ask your father to repay his consumption. Wasn't you who offered the wine willingly."

The two old and young were struggling, bickering on another, and Jeanne's voice resounded surprised for the new guest sitting in a friendly way with Mathias holding a bottle of wine in his hand.

"Dad, what are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to have a meeting with an important person you didn't disclose?"

"Darling, aren't I meeting an important person right now? My future son?" responded Julius in a shameless manner, making Mathias look at the old man with slight admiration, seeing such a display of shamelessness.

"You haven't caused Mathias any trouble?"

"No, darling. It is all good, me and little Mathias have got to know each other rather well. Dad will have to go, so as not to make it embarrassing for you youngsters."

Fayrene who was also meeting Julius for the first time, looked slightly awkward at the silver haired old man, but after she heard a cry of pain from Mathias where later Julius raised on his feet, following by greeting Fayrene in an easy going way.

"You should be Fayrene. Thank you for taking care of Jeanne and guiding her with things, I, an old man my age couldn't understand. Your clothes are splendid by the way, and I will be the first one to bless your future workshop with orders for the Church clothes."

Hearing that she couldn't help but be shocked and taken aback, into almost rejecting such offer, but swiftly Mathias voice rang in her ears, remarking with a tired voice.

@Mathias: Don't reject it, Fay. It took me hours to make him agree to this offer. Also, he is fine about me and Jeanne so there's no reason to feel dejected.

@Fayrene: It isn't that you dummy, don't you know who this person is? The Archbishop!

@Mathias: A cheap alcoholic, who didn't show mercy on the collection of a young connoisseur, and even devoured his Champagne bottle's.

.

Fayrene didn't go on full discussion mode with Mathias who felt the insane strength of this old man who from how Haycien described, only touched him with a small fragment of his divine powers into making him release his arm.

Going with some pleasantry, the young lady didn't stop the guest from leaving, and with a pure smile at Jeanne, he left the small boutique, leaving out only the couple of three inside.

"What was that all about? The Church clothes? Mathias you have a lot to talk about." mentioned Fayrene who walked toward the couch, giving the young man a wierd stare.

On another hand, Jeanne remarked in a pleased way, about the outcome of this interaction between Mathias and Julius.

"You shouldn't worry sister, from what I could understand, Mathias wine were really on father's taste, and because he never carries money on him, he pays people back in such ways. Favors."

Mathias who began cleaning, picking up the bottles, turned his head at Jeanne and rolled his eyes at her, making her react in a cute way, by asking. "What?"

"That old man is hard to deal with, and I had to do a lot of advertising for the workshop in order to get such benefits out of his pockets."

"No, I know him the best, he is a prick at times, I know that, and wouldn't even have remorse if he would drink his friends liquor. Him doing this means that he likes you, and also wants to give you a shoulder pat in his own way." replied Jeanne while stepping closer and pinching Mathias right cheek.

"Okay, miss Princess, you are the best. Now someone help me clean this mess, there's too many bottles around here."

The girls looked at one another, and later at Mathias, and began chuckling at the situation he was, replying in a cheeky manner at his attempts at rallying some support, and later going to Fayrene's room, leaving him alone to deal with the bottles of wine spread around the table and on the floor.

"No."

{It is what it is, son. This is your mess, not theirs. Hmmm, but take the nice part from the interaction with that person.}

'And what that could be?'

{You got on his good side, and got a strong ally?}

'That should make me happy?'

{Don't start again being afraid of the consequences of being connected with such an important person. Boy, you are a Saharan, what do you need more to understand.}

'Give me a break, tell that to all the people who would gladly take my head if they knew who my real identity was.'