“Marriage, sir?” Nelson repeated, turning red. “Oh, erm, no. None at all.” He looked down at the ground. “Most women my age tend to go packing the moment they meet the Colonel.”
“Your grandfather was a Colonel?” That was an impressive feat. I had no idea that rambling old fool once held a rather high rank in the battlefield. Perhaps that did require some leeway, or at the very least my respect.
“Indeed. Seven years in the Saltpeter Wars, back when gunpowder was all the rage. Cursed times those were. Course, I was just a boy,” Nelson said. “Anyway, to answer your question, no I am painfully single and until the Colonel dies and my sister inherits the household, I will probably remain that way.”
Interesting. He was revealing some tactical information here so casually, I doubt he realized the implication of my questions. “So she’s the firstborn, your sister I mean?”
“No, she just has more luck with love, I guess. She’s got a fiancé. He’s at sea now, but when he returns, they’ll be wed. My grandfather doesn’t have much patience for firstborn favors and all that. So he said the first of us to get married and have a kid gets the inheritance.”
I cracked a grin. “Do you want to be the Gentleman of the House?”
Nelson shrugged. “It’s a powerful estate. I love my sister and all, but I’d rather be running the show than her.”
“How long until her beloved returns from his voyage?”
“That’s a great question. He’s a trader and an explorer who often needs to be away for long stretches of time. This latest venture is the one he claims will ‘settle him down for good.’ So who knows?” Nelson said.
“Tell you what, Nelson. Let’s put aside this whole little episode and try to work together, shall we? Because I might have an arrangement you’ll enjoy.”
Nelson tilted his head, curious. “What do you propose?”
“If I can find a suitable bride within my family, one willing to marry you, would you enter the marriage as an ally and equal? Both Houses retain their autonomy and we never have to worry about these incidents again?”
“If you find me a wife who can stand the Colonel, I’d even provide a dowry,” Nelson said. “Hell, he might even step down early.”
Wouldn’t that be convenient for us both?
Chapter 19
A most curious thing happened once I had finished my dealings with Nelson Frankinson. Once all my business at the battleground had been concluded, I was instantly sent right back to the Institute, where I had been originally standing. Yet, I was no longer inside the financial notaries’ office; rather I was in some sort of lounge with long sofas that lined the walls.
Several men and women, all far better dressed than I, were sitting on these couches, staring forward idly, not moving or even blinking. They looked to be entranced with something. Servants sat beside them, reading through the newspapers that had been provided on the round tables scattered throughout this room.
Beside me was Archibald, leaning back on a chair and smoking from a long hookah pipe. “How did your affairs go?” he asked once he noticed that I was moving around.
“Ugh, my neck,” I groaned, rubbing it as I stretched out, standing and feeling everything crack at once. “How did I get in here?”
“You had the Battle Stare, so they kindly moved you to one of the noble lounges. You’ll find places like these scattered all over the country. A spot where you can go to sit and safely defend your territory,” Archibald explained. “At least, that’s what the burly guy who carried you said.”
“No…I was teleported,” I said. “Zipped right to the battlefield.”
“I can solemnly swear that you were here the whole time,” Archibald said. “And I assume you will be paying the bill I ran up for the various amenities I’ve purchased? Babysitting a comatose Gentleman is not in my job description.”
A slight nausea overcame me, not enough to make me completely sick to my stomach, but I was suddenly becoming aware of my need to eat and attend to my various biological necessities. In some ways, it was like waking up from a long nap, one that happened involuntarily after studying for thirty hours straight.
“So teleportation has not been discovered,” I mumbled, disappointment quickly falling atop me. It was just a mere kind of projection, a mystic transfer of the senses to a false body. This was a well-known form of alchemical magic that was often used by tricksters and salesmen in order to cover large areas without ever having to leave the house. But this particular magic was so powerful I had truly been convinced my body was somewhere else completely. What a shame.
I paid Archibald’s outrageous bill, took care of my food and bathroom needs, and then hit the road, returning home as quickly as possible. There was a grogginess that came with returning back to my senses from that avatar form, one that made everything feel somewhat like I was in a dream. Eventually that faded and once my head was clear again, I had pulled up the Grid to see what my rewards were for defeating the Colonel.
Defensive Victory!
Location: Haverton Vineyards
Aggressor Defeated: The Frankinson Gentry
Repair Cost: 10 Fire Spice
Salvage: 200 Mana Crystals
Please Select Type of Restitution:
- Renumeration: Gain 500 silver.
- Repair Funds: Aggressor pays the repair cost. If they do not have the resources to do so, they become indebted to you and cannot fight you again until they have repaid what they owe.
- Waive Restitution: May curry favor with the aggressing party.
Gentry Rank 2/5 has been achieved!
Select one of the following benefits:
- Unlock 1 Unit Upgrade
- Unlock 1 Building Upgrade
Plenty of salvage, another rank upgrade and a little bit of my loan paid off? Not a bad deal for only a meager 10 Fire Spice. I’m guessing that the barricades were fairly cheap to replace and Fire Spice was the one resource I had plenty of. Frankly, I was better off now than before the fight. Then again…getting attacked also greatly risked my land. So while it was nice gaining the benefits of victory, I probably shouldn’t try to get into fights if it could be avoided.
I pondered what to choose for my upgrade. This rank only gave me 1 type of upgrade. Buildings or Units…hmmmm. My biggest problem in the last fight was a very unfortunate enemy type. Those damned little imps who were designed to explode upon their demise had completely derailed my defensive strategy. The destruction of my barricades had left me quite vulnerable. But…what if they had been present in my regular maze at the Burning Barrows, they would have quickly opened up a pathway to the Karrack Towers. I had to take pains to avoid that from ever happening again.
So my best bet here was to select the building upgrade and give my barricades the Bronze Lining ability. A static damage reduction of 30% across the board would ensure that they could withstand an explosion from a single Ignition Golem. Maybe even two! Keeping the barricades safe was an extremely high priority. Certainly worth the single upgrade. I might even consider getting the increased health as well, come next upgrade. Or would that be overkill?
Our carriage returned home from the city and I couldn’t be happier to see the beautiful metal gates of our estate. The stress from the recent battle had drained quite a bit from me and I was ready to take a break, kick off my shoes and just relax. Maybe I’d even read a primer on elemental infusions. That was always a great way to blow off some stress.
The staff appeared quickly at the front of the gates, opening the doors for the horseless carriage and then lining up at the entrance. Eight maids, four servants and two gardeners, the entirety of the house staff, here for some reason. No wait, that’s right. They were here to greet me. Somehow, I kept forgetting that I was now the one in charge of everything. Then again, there were so many irons in so many fires, I could barely keep track of anything these days.
Lily was standing at the head of the line, waiting patiently for me
to disembark. I stumbled out of the carriage, legs numb from being cooped up for so long.
“Welcome home, Master!” she said, beaming at me. “Your guests have arrived just a few hours ago! A Miss Avaline and her dear mother, Sophia. They have been given guest rooms and are unpacking now.”
My heart immediately leapt into my throat at that. All thoughts of relaxation faded. They were really here? My “sister-in-law” and niece? What would I say to them? What were they expecting? A million questions raced through my head at once as the reality sank in. I was about to meet the two people who knew my brother more than I ever did.
Lily sensed my distress almost immediately and gently placed a hand on my shoulder, to reassure me. “They are in good spirits. Our invitation was well received. I’ll have the servants prepare a bath for you. Take some time to rest and then you can meet with them for tea.”
“S-shouldn’t I go and see them right now?” I stammered. I don’t know why I was so anxious to meet them but here I was, heart pounding a mile a minute. Perhaps it was just the thought of meeting someone who knew my brother so intimately. Would they have fond memories of Eric? Or was his named cursed to them? What would they think of me by proxy?
“You’ve been on the road, you deserve some time to rest,” she said, her voice gentle and soothing. “A Gentleman takes his time to meet his guests; he rushes to see no one.”
“Right, right. Thank you,” I said, nodding. A bath would help calm my nerves. That and a few glasses of brandy.
As I rested for the afternoon, bathing in a rather spacious clawed tub, my butler found me and was quick to update me on the situation. It was a little embarrassing to be spoken to while in the tub, but he paid no mind, standing at a proper distance to where he couldn’t see anything. I was a little more prone to allow him to stay once I noticed the large silver tray of meats, cheeses and wines he carried as he entered.
“Forgive the intrusion, Master Richard,” Sigmund said as he placed the tray on the table beside the tub. “But I figured you would be eager to hear my thoughts on the situation?”
I nodded at that. I should be relaxing in theory, but try as I might, the primer on elemental infusions just couldn’t get my mind off the task at hand. “Please,” I said, putting the book aside. “Tell me how it went.”
“I was well received by the young lady and her mother. They both know that I am primarily responsible for ensuring they were being taken care of financially, so that put our house in a good light. They accepted the invitation to stay, but I could sense some underlying hostility in Sophia, so I didn’t dare broach the subject of our intentions. She is a sharp one, the mother. Suspicious, curious and not entirely flattering in her mentions of your late brother, Stars rest him.”
“And the daughter?”
Sigmund shrugged. “She just seemed happy to be out of the house. That town is rather small and there’s little to do other than fish, work at the fish market or repair fishing equipment. Certainly no place for an ambitious young woman to be. I feel we’ll have a much easier time convincing her to join our little quest than her mother. Which leads me to discuss strategies here.”
I could sense Sigmund’s plans. “You want me to convince Avaline first and rely on her enthusiasm to persuade her mother to join our estate, don’t you?”
“You are either perceptive or I am unoriginal, sir,” Sigmund said. “What mother can resist their child’s pleading?”
“You’d be surprised,” I said. I knew little of having a mother, but having read my own dear mother’s journals ranging around my time as a newborn, I knew she would do anything to keep me safe. Even if it meant going against my own wishes someday.
“Let’s do it the other way around,” I said in between sips of the wine. It wasn’t particularly good, but it had alcohol in it, so I didn’t much care. Hopefully this stuff wasn’t coming from Haverton. Else I’d have to give everyone at the vineyard a severe tongue lashing. “Let me talk to the mother and see where she is at first. Work on the strongest opposition instead of the weakest.”
“I wonder if your resemblance to her husband would cause some bitterness,” Sigmund mused as he produced a towel for me, draping open wide, inviting me to come out. “You very much have Eric’s eyes and his nose. Let’s not hope she holds that against you.”
Chapter 20
The door to the tearoom opened, prompting me to look up from my seat. It had been twenty minutes now and Miss Sophia was sure taking her time to meet with me. Perhaps it was revenge for my refusing to meet with her right away, or maybe she had been sleeping. Or maybe twenty minutes had not passed, and I was just so anxious it felt like it.
A woman entered the room, wearing a plain brown tunic with little color to it. She was in her late thirties, with deep, deep wrinkles in her eyes that gave her a very world-weary appearance. There was little vigor upon her face; instead she wore a grim expression that radiated a negative energy. Her raven hair ran down her shoulders, displaying that she was a peasant. For one to wear their hair up was a sign of either wealth or class. It was clear she was uninterested in putting on airs for me.
“By the North Star…” she whispered, putting a hand up to her neck in surprise as I stood to greet here. “You look just like him.”
“Ma’am,” I said, bowing to her. “I am Richard. Eric’s brother.”
“You are most kind for hosting my daughter and me. And for allowing your brother’s pension to flow my way unimpeded,” Sophia said as she strolled into the room. The door closed behind her and she sat down on the couch across from me.
The tea was already set up, but it was customary for the tea servant to enter after our initial greeting and begin serving us. Sophia probably did not know the custom and began fixing herself a drink, clattering quite a bit as she mixed sugar, honey and milk straight into the tea, taking full advantage of our hospitality.
“Before you start whining, I know the custom,” she growled. “But I’ll be damned if I let some prissy tea slave skimp out on the honey.”
“Servant,” I corrected. “To be a tea servant is one of the highest positions in the estate.”
“Right, right,” she said, still focusing on stirring her tea. She made a rather loud cacophony while stirring, the spoon clanking left and right into the walls of the cup as she worked it. Her hands were trembling a little and I realized that she was just as nervous as I was.
“Sophia, I’ve invited you both here because there is some business I wish to attend to.”
The woman swallowed hard, continuing to stir, not facing me. “She has no claim…” Sophia whispered. “Please, please realize he never legitimized her. There is no reason for you to tie up loose ends. Please.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “Sophia, I fear you’re a bit confused.”
She finally looked up at me and I could see equal parts fear and bitterness in her eyes, tears welling up while a scowl formed. “You think I don’t know how this works? I know I had no choice but to come here when summoned. No matter what kind words your butler said, I know that ultimately you’d get your way.”
“Please,” I said putting a hand up. “Relax. I’m a friend here. I mean, you were my brother’s lover and well, the mother of his child. I would count you as a sister-in-law, truly.”
Those words took her aback and she frowned. “You are the inheritor of the entire estate, are you not?”
“I am.”
“And…you clearly know that Avaline is your blood, right?”
“Indeed, I do. But I’m not after either of you. First off, I know full well you were cheated out of a marriage by Eric. And because of his…well, his unfaithfulness to you, Avaline is deprived of her rightful part of this estate,” I said. Sophia began to relax a little, hands unclenching the teacup. She still held the drinking vessel up, as if it were a shield to protect her, but I could see her come to the conclusion that she had misread the entire situation.
“And well
, I will confess that the Blake Estate and the gentry as a whole are in dire trouble. As of right now, I have two living relatives. Two. That’s it. My little sister who is barely three and is painfully uninterested in politics…” This joke elicited a laugh from Sophia. She lowered the cup more now, becoming more relaxed. “And Avaline.”
“But she is not legitimate,” Sophia replied.
“Exactly. The reason I have asked you both to come here is because I intend on legitimizing her. I want Avaline to be a part of the Blake family.”
I had expected Sophia to smile at this revelation, but instantly her eyebrows narrowed, and she sat straight up in a strong defensive posture. “Why would a nobleman ever possibly add a peasant to their lineage? And a bastard at that? What could you possibly be up to?”
“I am sorely in need of allies,” I explained. “And Avaline is of age. No doubt she is looking for a husband. So…” I trailed off for a moment. “I thought perhaps an arrangement could be made?” Sophia merely looked at me, puzzled.
“You wish to arrange a marriage? What?”
“Er, well, it’s like this…” I was quick to explain the whole of the Great Game, or at least the parts that I understood. Namely, the key rule about relatives being unable to fight one another. She seemed to understand some of what I was talking about, namely that there was some big reason why there were no new wars in our land, despite the previous era being one big free-for-all.
“I understand now,” she said. “So you want to legitimize Avaline, then marry her off to someone in order to create an alliance for your house. You nobles have the strangest of customs. But…marrying into money is never a bad thing.”
“So you’ll agree?” I asked.
“It’s not really my decision to make. My daughter is a bit of an independent thinker. Hates living at home, but we’ve not really the means to send her anywhere, even with your late brother’s pension,” Sophia explained. “So I suppose you’ll need to convince her. Though I don’t know how much convincing it’ll take. She always said she’d do anything to avoid marrying a fisherman. Guess it’ll be time for her to prove it.”
Gentleman's Wars: The Rules of Engagement: A Tower Defense LitRPG Series (The Great Game Book 1) Page 12
