“Why are you riding that horse?”
Count Toreesso saw Marquis Dustitoz mounting a horse with the help of his [Knights]. They ushered themselves to the side to not disturb the march of the rest of the Commerro family and the [Traders] that accompanied them to Ascolitica.
The head of the Commerros looked at many of his family members with disgust and scorn. The Naveirei House had invited them, knowing that his position will be untenable as they sought to gain more favor for the rival house to clean their reputation from their association with the disgraced Gaviolos House.
“Your collaborator, that young Castellan has not contacted us yet for the past few days.”
“So, are you riding towards her?”
“Yes. I got a hunch, based on my experiences, that she might have been afflicted by an unfavorable contract. Might be a Key Feat.”
The former [Duke] rode towards nearby Semsella. His speed was further boosted by his riding Feat, although he can ride faster if he had managed to get all his magical treasures and his actual steed back at his estate.
He soon arrived at Kaminorian lands, galloping towards the hill of Semsella. His five [Knights] escorted him to the castle. The [Soldiers] guarding the castle quickly recognized his House crest embroidered on the former [Duke]’s lapel and they let him through.
Dustitoz barged into the Castellan’s office. The two [Knights] that guarded its doors froze in place by the former [Duke]’s Aura. His escorts watched them as their lord quietly sat down in front of the pallid Castellan Adriasta Kasta Kaminor.
“My lord.”
The Castellan bowed her head as she got over her initial shock. She had contacted his acquaintances to do as Numisley demanded within the terms of the [Bloodbound Contract].
“Poor denora…” Dustitoz held her hand, speaking in a patronizing tone. “I knew it.”
He looked around the damaged room. A lot of documents were still scattered around. There was still a burnt corner where a former [Assassin] used to be. Dustitoz had already figured out why she did not repair her office.
Dustitoz gripped her hand and his Aura swelled, trying to expel the [Bloodbound Contract] etched in her blood with the power of his authority. The Feat recoiled as it knew its illegitimacy. The air shimmered around him as he tried to expel the unwanted Feat like exorcizing a spirit.
It was gone. Color returned to the Castellan's face as she sighed with relief.
"Thank you, Marquis–"
"Duke. That bastard has a Rare Feat."
Dustitoz Gaviolos quickly corrected Adriasta, much to his chagrin. The young Castellan of the Kaminors was finally freed from the binding contract.
“That boy forced me to contact my acquaintances to back him up in the Ichoricon. But I resisted it.”
“How did he know about that? We, the nobility and royalty of Yhril only have that privilege.”
“Someone must have told him.”
-
Numisley had arrived at the inn late that night. He laid down on the cart that Palden’s horse is pulling, beside the sack of gold coins that he was paid by the Naveireis for supplying them with fish from Commerro lands. He was glad that they agreed with his request, although the issue of his inheritance would not be public until a certain time during the party.
Racieros restlessly tapped his scabbard, sitting beside Numisley. He wanted to ask Cultrost’s brother about Cultrost in general. “What was he like?” “What are the things that he would like?” These are the kind of questions that he wanted to ask, but he was a scion of the Thousand Bloodlines, however distant.
Although he also wondered what would be the Count’s reaction if he learns that he was a Naveirei. He assumes that the blood relatives he met would protect him from the wrath of the Count after he learns that he did not sabotage the party as he paid him to.
He saw Cultrost waiting on the bench outside the inn. Palden lifted Numisley down from the cart as Racieros hopped down.
“Numis? Racieros?” Cultrost jolted up from his seat.
“The negotiation went well. Don’t worry, brother.” Numisley embraced his brother briefly with his one free hand.
“He gained the favor of the Naveirei House,” Racieros added.
“So, what will become of me? Are you leaving Gildin Trading to me?”
“Partly. Not completely. You are still my brother, after all.”
“What do you mean?”
“You will be my [Knight]. There’s a loophole in the copy that Thewardn gave us. A non-Human can be an [Knight] if a [Baron] and above sponsors him. That means you can still be beside me.”
“And?” Cultrost expected a catch.
“And what? You can still accompany me everywhere.”
“I’m not Human. I’m adopted. I’m a barbarian from the desert.”
“Barbarian? You’re the most civilized Satyr I ever met. And so what? We were raised in the same house. Raised by the same father. We are here, far from home to claim our parents’ inheritance.”
“Numisley specifically asked Lord Escribanorr to make you a [Knight].” Racieros barged in. “It is his only condition if they want him to join the Naveirei House. I wish my brothers could…care as much as your brother cares about you.”
Cultrost held back his objections because he knew that Numisley would stubbornly counter his logic. And he was right.
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“You always want to be a [Knight] right? Or adventurer. But there’s no proper Knight Orders back home.” Numisley teased, knowing that he read books about them in their father’s study. They share the hobby of reading their father's books. They had the largest collection in Renimburg, and they had shared some of them with their friends back when they were kids.
“W-what do you mean?” Cultrost drifted his eyes towards Racieros and shied away from his gaze.
“Hey, there’s nothing bad about realizing your childhood dream.” Racieros warmly smiled at Cultrost.
“By the way, since we got gold, we need to go to the castle tomorrow,” Numisley announced.
“The castle?”
“Clothes,” Racieros interjected, staring at Cultrost’s open chest under his cowhide vest. “Lord Escribanorr offered your brother and you to dress you up for the party, and tutor you two.”
“Well, I do need some new clothes after all. Some bling and bang. We’re going to the castle tomorrow.” Numisley added.
Cultrost stared at his clothes and realized that it makes him stand out more, aside from being a Satyr.
"Tutor?" Cultrost asked.
"Yeah. Some basic information that we need to know." Numisley answered.
"Numisley is the only one that will be tutored more. I have no idea what Lord Escribanorr has in store for you." Racieros added.
They soon retreated to their rooms. Although Cultrost was excited, his expectations were tempered by the fact that he was a Satyr among Humans. Of course, it will be like jumping into a pit of snakes where their snide stares and venomous remarks will poison the soul.
The next day, Numisley woke up early. He met Raudaeiz at one of the tables in the inn, eating an early breakfast.
“What did you find ‘round this city?”
“[Priests] here make it impossible to breach the castle. Even without that, there are no possible entries except for the three gatehouses.”
“The robes roaming around.”
“Yes. Something tells me that the [Priests] in this kingdom are the greatest threat to us. Those who break the law. When they got close, it was like they could detect criminals. Us.”
From the quick rundown that Thewardn gave before they left Ovespuerte, the Divine Decree is the reigning religion of the Human Continent, with various other sects that interpret their laws differently. They are the “Religion of Law”, a force to be reckoned with.
“Thank you for this information.”
“Good thing we didn’t go through the plan. The Count’s plan.”
Numisley handed a portion of the gold they earned.
“I’m sure that I can trust you not to run away with the pouch. Go back to Ovespuerte and build your gang for me.”
“I don’t know who’s exactly the players there.”
“This is what’s the gold’s for. Pay Thewardn–wait, he has this client privacy thing. I mean, I trust you know what you’re doing, yeah?”
“Yeah. I want to get out of this town as soon as possible.”
Numisley held up his hand, and Raudaeiz weakly shook his hand. He and his henchmen left the inn after Numisley, Cultrost, and Racieros were fetched by a carriage sent by the castle.
The carriage stopped within the bailey, in front of the keep. A [Servant] appeared to receive them.
“My lords.” His eyes drifted to the red Satyr accompanying Numisley and Racieros, the latter he recognized as one of the nobility. “Marquis Naveirei is expecting you in the [Seamstress]’s room.”
The [Servant] imbued the three of them with a concealment Feat. Although it was not exactly something that makes people invisible, it conceals them from curious eyes, with the exception of perceptive people.
Cultrost was as amazed as Numisley was when he saw the castle from the inside. Each hall was a sight that he only imagined from the books that he read from their father’s study. What soured his awe is when he saw the strange stares of the other [Servants] who managed to see Cultrost. It reminded him that he was an alien within this kingdom.
They had arrived at a room populated by mannequins wearing unfinished dresses. Escribanorr was expecting them, watching the young [Seamstress] sew the foundations of a thin dress. A sharply dressed attendant was standing beside the [Marquis].
“Welcome, Numisley Naveirei and Cultrost Gildin.”
"Greetings. Uncle."
"Lord or Marquis. You refer to nobility by their titles. At least in public, among nobles outside our House."
"Thank you for granting my request. What will you do with my brother?"
"For now, I’ll tell him the same pertinent things. Etiquette. Among the nobility. You are the supplier of a portion of the fish from Ovespuerte. The lands of the Commerros, most of them are trying to appease our House and the kingdom for the crime of participating in the coup a decade ago.”
Escribanorr gave a pointed look towards Racieros Commerro. Racieros simply glared back, but the [Mage Marquis] simply shrugged.
“I do hope that the Commerro House’s future heads will be more sensible.”
Racieros saw the substance behind his words. A promise behind the curtain of wordplay. But he knew that his blood was not pure enough for the position. His thoughts were interrupted by Escribanorr’s thunderous clap.
“[Chamberlain]. Procure these two clothes that will fit.”
With a snap of a finger and the activation of a Feat, two clothes appeared in his hands.
“[Seamstress]. Adjust the fit.”
The [Seamstress] nodded. With a needle and thread, adjusted the threads of the two outfits with a Feat. As if the clothes had a mind of their own, they adjusted certain portions of their cloth to perfectly fit the two brothers.
Numisley and Cultrost were assisted by the [Servants] within the dressing room. Numisley wore a long beige overcoat and a thin doublet and Cultrost’s entire head was covered in a shemagh and a shirt that covers most of his red skin. Even his hands were covered with worn cotton gloves that awkwardly fit his callused hands.
“[Chamberlain], are Lemurian shemaghs still allowed under sumptuary law?”
“Yes, Marquis.”
The balding [Chamberlain] curtly spoke, only speaking when requested by his lord.
“Why do I have to cover my skin?” Cultrost removed the cloth wrapping his face so he can breathe and speak properly. He always disliked covering his face unless necessary.
“Lord.” Escribanorr corrected Cultrost’s address. “You need to be presentable for the party. Sumptuary law states that non-Human and Demihuman [Merchants] must cover their inhuman body parts in events hosted by the nobility and royalty.”
Cultrost bit back his bitter words about the kingdom and its laws because he knew that his words will affect Numisley’s standing with his blood relatives.
“I understand.”
The words simmered in Cultrost’s tongue. Racieros felt Cultrost’s bitterness as he gazed at his face. Numisley held his brother’s shoulder as they followed the Marquis outside the room. Throughout the day, Marquis Escribanorr lectured Numisley and Cultrost about their role in the party. For now, Numisley’s true origins are to be hidden until what the Naveirei [Marquis] deems as “the right moment” during the party, somewhere near the end of the party. They rehearsed Numisley’s lines
They are free to make connections and low-stakes deals with the nobility, but they are reminded to be mindful of their status as the Merccanten, the merchant caste of the kingdom, within the caste system imposed by their faith; at least before the revelation.
The next few days, the Marquis taught them how to talk and address the nobility. Elucidated on Torregorn’s court culture and the Divine Decree’s laws. A few observant [Servants] and curious [Courtiers] that accompanied the other Naveirei’s members noticed the two young [Merchants] who had somehow been summoned to Marquis Escribanorr’s office day after day.
Day after day, the Count of House Commerro sent secure messenger pigeons and counted debts on their way toward Ascolitica.