Gaius Octavius
“Of course, you’re welcome inside, boy. Come and dig in – I am having lunch now.”
“Thank you for having me, Father.”
Anyone who entered the Consul’s office was going to be met with the strange sight of a lavish meal at the heart of the office, where all documents and furniture have been pushed to the side in favor of a feast on the floor fit for ten men being devoured by two.
“So, my boy,” Father said as he scooped up some of the Hummos with bread, “what’ve you been up to lately? Any news you’ve got to share with me?”
“Indeed, I do.” I said.
Hiding behind the dignified speeches father gives the public, the rambunctious attitude he shares with the legion, and the doting care he showers his family with lurks a mind sharper than a spear’s tip and a silver tongue whose honeyed words can push and pull at the hearts and minds of the people. The man’s wit and charisma are so great, in fact, that I have no doubt he convinces himself of possessing all of these traits.
In any case, it is thanks to his kindness that I am no longer dancing to the tune of my noble House.
“With the procurement of the rank S beast developed by the former scion of House Alypius, our arsenal grows yet stronger. With some more nurture, we will possess another potent weapon to point towards our enemies – or, failing that, release it in their midst. A rank S True Demon Lord is no laughing matter for anyone to deal with.”
“Hmm, hmm, guud vurk shon!” Father said with a mouth full of food.
“Did House Alypius attempt to take back control of the beast?”
“No, they didn’t. Senator Alypius only offered the barest hint of token resistance before conceding control over it. Whatever his plans were, taking the beast from him was no skin off his nose. If I had to speculate, obtaining a rank S demon lord seed monster was either unnecessary or a hindrance to his own objectives.” I answered.
“Hmm… that Petrus is a cunning one. Manipulating his own son into doing the job while secretly aiding him in growing the monster is definitely something he would do. He probably wanted to claim a victory for his House over a dragon, with little to no reason to keep the beast afterwards.”
Father drained an entire cup of wine in one go, before putting it down quickly and sighing in satisfaction.
“With that mess settled, I suppose it’s time to make a decision.” He said.
“Go and give the senate my tacit approval. The window of opportunity is still open, even if only barely.”
I bowed my head.
“As you wish, father.”
I stood up and made for the door as father merrily toasted another cup of wine in my honor. This was not how I expected war to come to the Republic, but I suppose that how it started was irrelevant in the face of its inevitability.
***
“So, any clue what you’re getting?” Asty asked us as the six of us, the Major, and Legate Floria Ventor, our original tour guide to Romellus, guided us to the location of the legendary blacksmith.
We were going early to give time for Vulcan to craft the pieces before the closing ceremony arrived.
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“I am going to see if he can make me one of those really rare and expensive portable cauldrons. Brewing potions on the spot is going to make my life so much easier!” she sighed in happiness.
Normally, Asty had to prepare all the potions before any expedition or battle, which makes her unable to proactively handle situations as the rise up. Combined with the ability to make use of quickly perishing ingredients on the spot as well as not having to worry about running out of stock, a portable cauldron was indeed a fine choice for her. Whatever enchantments the blacksmith can add onto it only serve to sweeten the deal.
“I am asking for a luxurious, enchanted beauty and cosmetics kit.” Aptera said.
“The most gorgeous face in all the world deserves the best in make up as well. Anything less would be a tragic loss for the people of the continent.”
Asty groaned and rolled her eyes while Aptera was up to his usual shenanigans. That said, enchanted cosmetics equipment had a powerful synergy with his abilities; I am sure he’ll be getting a lot more out of it than he’s making it seem.
“I will ask for an enchanted crown.” Asten said.
“Huh? Why would you do that?” I asked.
“Isn’t that a waste?”
Asten shook his head.
“Not at all. The Theocracy’s strength lies in its diverse population of beastmen as well as its powerful clerics and chariot archers. What it wields in human resources, it lacks in the crafts.”
Tamery is a country with strict control over classers, education, and social mobility. It’s not surprising that their craftsmen lag behind those of the other nations.
“Why a crown, per se? Why not a weapon or a piece of armor?” Durreg asked.
“If Iona is the nation of freedom and liberty, then Tamery is the nation of order and piety.” Asten responded.
“A powerful item that can boost the legitimacy and influence of the Pharaoh over the nation would do far more than any single piece of gear ever could, and it can be passed down from one Pharaoh to the next and remain in use constantly – instead of collecting dust in the treasury. Of course, the other nations wouldn’t agree to have their people make such an item for us without exorbitant prices, nor would the Theocracy be willing to place itself in another nation’s favor needlessly, so this is the best opportunity to obtain such a national treasure.”
Legate Ventor chuckled politely.
“I am impressed, contestant Hatshepsut. It would have been easy to order something useful to you personally, not that there is anything wrong with that. But putting personal gain aside for your people’s benefit is something I respect.”
Asten politely thanked the Legate and looked to Nico, who read the unasked question and answered it out loud.
“I am going to ask for protective chest armor.” She said.
“I have dedicated my life to my God, and I don’t regret that choice in the least, but I want to repay my family for their continued support. If this piece can keep my brother alive, then I’ve done both my parents and my brother all a favor. Like the crown, it can also be passed down from one Sept family head to the next as an heirloom.”
It was Durreg’s turn next, and he smiled politely as everyone looked curiously at him. After all, what could a dragon possibly want from a human blacksmith?
“To be honest, neither I nor my mother need anything in particular in terms of gear, so this reward isn’t too relevant to me. But the same couldn’t necessarily be said for my little sister, so I’ll ask Vulcan to make a soul-bound weapon that can grow with her. Mother is a rather strict parent and instructor, so she’s probably going to have her daughter learn to fight without access to weapons or tools. But even mother can’t do anything about a weapon if my sister binds it to her soul first.” He snickered.
“Call it siblings’ solidarity or an attempt to draw out the most of my sister’s potential, but that’s the best thing I can think of, even if it’ll come at short-term punishments. A weapon that grows with its user isn’t going to be a problem even if it started out as a blunt, wooden stick.”
Asty nodded with great approval at Durreg’s decision, and Aptera was uncharacteristically quiet as he listened to both Nico’s and Durreg’s choices. Soon after he was done, it was my turn.
Now that I thought about it, there wasn’t anything the blacksmith could make for me. Unlike auntie, mom wasn’t as strict about her training methods, so Madeil didn’t need an early equalizer like my other cousin did.
Mom was also a talented enchanter and had connections to talented smiths on the isles, so this mysterious ‘Vulcan’ was unlikely to create anything I couldn’t get my hands on anyway. Still, it was nonetheless a good opportunity.
“I am going to ask for a necklace.” I said to the surprise of my teammates.
“A necklace? That’s an accessory that’ll fly off your neck in the middle of a fight rather quickly, don’t you think?” Astekhu asked.
“No, Asty, it’s not for me.” I laughed.
“My mom has given me a lot, and I want to return even a little of her kindness if I can. The necklace is just a gift to her, but I’ll be asking for the most gorgeous thing they can make with their skills and budget!”
If Vulcan can enchant feelings and memories to the necklace, then that’s even better. That’ll be better than any gift with a practical use I can give; especially since mom can make better with her eyes closed.