Nathan steepled his fingers and leaned forward. “Gems. Gems and magical catalysts. I don’t need weapons, or battlemages, or anything else that might disturb the Lodge’s anti-war ethics. But the Lodge supplies Champion gems to the Imperial Army, and I lack those.”
Harrum blinked. After a few seconds, he stuck out his hand again.
Nathan shook it, and a partnership was formed.
“To a bright future, Lord Nathan,” Harrum said with a smile.
“Indeed,” Nathan said, returning the smile.
He didn’t miss the change in title. Bastions were the equivalent of knights—he was only Sir Nathan at best. But titles and honorifics implied respect.
More importantly, Nathan had finally secured one of his long-term objectives since arriving in this world.
He was finally beginning research into the magic and knowledge of his own world, that had been lost when he came here. Maybe it would take years to redevelop it, but Nathan had the power and influence to try.
His next test was whether he had power and influence over the Diet itself.
Chapter 10
“Nathan! It’s been too long,” Ciana chirped, waving her arm in the air as he approached her in the grand hall.
She looked almost unchanged since he last saw her. Her black and silver uniform hugged her modest figure, and she glowed beautifully as she beamed at Nathan. A single iridescent horn stuck out from her forehead, parting her platinum-blonde hair. Her horse’s tail swayed in time with the motion of her arm.
Ciana had been one of Nathan’s closest Champions in his world. He had recruited her after the fall of the Anfang Empire, and she had fought by his side for over a decade.
Right until the very end. She had protected him with her last breath, even as Kadria brought the castle crashing down on them.
He cast off the gloomy memory of Ciana’s death. The Ciana in front of him smiled at him, and that was all that mattered.
“I take it Leopold has kept you busy,” Nathan said.
Ciana rolled her eyes and huffed. “I’m at the end of my training. Everything is theoretical, or just drilling with the royal guards. I’m not a spellblade, so I can only go so far without…”
Licking her lips, she gave Nathan an upturned look that melted his heart. He had never seen Ciana look this cute before.
“Nathan… You have lots of portals to protect, right?” Ciana crooned as she stepped close to him.
He should have expected this.
Beside him, Sen and Sunstorm threw each other knowing grins.
“I do,” he said cautiously.
“That means you need Champions, right? And we know each other?” Ciana chirped, forgetting that she was trying to be seductive. She bounced on the spot, eyes wide. “You’ve taught me so much in our letters. I know it’s dangerous, but I’m ready.”
Nathan almost asked her about Leopold, but thought better of it.
The time had passed when he needed the old man’s permission for things.
Instead, he asked, “Is that your decision, then? To become a Champion instead of a Bastion?”
Ciana froze.
“You do remember our discussion, don’t you? You never asked about it again in our letters, but I assumed it was on your mind,” Nathan prodded.
She winced. “It has been. Leopold has been—”
“I’m asking you, not Leopold,” Nathan said sharply.
Several guards looked at him in interest, attracted by the sudden change in tempo. Ciana looked down.
The hall was no place to discuss this, he realized. But his true destination was the throne room. The Diet had finally started sitting, and the time to tackle political matters had arrived.
“Walk with us,” Nathan said, gesturing to a hallway.
Ciana fell into step beside him, although she hunched her shoulders at the looks she received from Sen and Sunstorm. The pair of Champions remained behind him.
Instead of heading directly into the throne room, Nathan took a detour through one of the interior gardens. A huge stained glass skylight cast a hazy image of Omria over the entire chamber. Her wings illuminated the walls, giving the appearance that she surrounded the occupants in her embrace.
Nathan cast a protective ward around them, so nobody could eavesdrop. Ciana gave him an odd look.
“I’m not a sorceress, but that didn’t feel like any magic I’m familiar with,” she said, her horse ears flattening against her head.
“Consider it to be Bastion magic,” he said.
“I’ve never felt Leopold use it, either. Or Maylis,” she said primly, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Consider it to be Bastion Nathan magic,” he corrected.
All three women smirked.
“You know that once you become a Champion, there’s no going back,” he said. It was a statement, not a question.
Ciana closed her eyes and looked up at the window above her. A long silence followed. They stood around her and gave her the time to formulate words.
“I’ve spent most of the last year watching Leopold,” she said eventually. “I hated him when he refused to let me come with him to Gharrick Pass. And you…” She choked up, but refused to look at Nathan. “You didn’t even bring it up. You answered my questions in letters, but ignored anything I said about the war. Then…”
He waited, silent and listening.
“Leopold came back,” she said, whisper quiet. “But not as the joyful, charming old man who helped raise and protect me. But as a man who could barely get out of bed, who worried constantly about everything, and pressed me to make a decision. I saw the cost of being a Bastion. To me, the choice had always been between being a warrior or a commander. But…”
“Command comes with a lot more responsibility,” Nathan said. “Sometimes, that also means you pay the price.”
“He’s aged more in the past year than he has in the last decade,” she said. “Mae’s with him more than ever. I don’t really know what path I want to go down, but that pain…”
Ciana looked at Nathan. Something glistened in her eyes, and it wasn’t the unbidden tears.
Despite himself, he reached out and wiped her eyes. She sobbed.
“I’m fine,” she mumbled.
“I know.”
“Heh.” She giggled. “Isn’t this the part where you sweep me up into a hug and tell me that it will be alright?”
“If you become a Champion, I can’t always do that.”
“Technically, it will sometimes be your job to do that to Nathan,” Sen chirped.
Nathan glared at her, and she winked at him.
“I did say I’d bonk you if you are overthinking things. Stop being such a downer,” she said, her eyes piercing into his.
There was no way for Sen to know what Nathan truly thought about Ciana. But she clearly knew the source of his hesitancy.
“Ciana,” he said.
“Yes?”
“If you want to become my Champion, then you are welcome,” he said.
She snapped upright, eyes widening as she beamed at him. Joy exploded on her face, and her ears and tail wagged in time.
“But,” he added, causing her to freeze, “you need to tell Leopold your choice.”
“Oh, is that it?” Ciana said, tilting her head. “He already knows.”
“Really?” Nathan asked, incredulous.
“Mmm. I figured you’d go into the throne room and ask him about me. This is…” Ciana blushed. “This is nice. I can see why the two of you like him so much.” Ciana looked at Sen and Sunstorm with a soft smile, and they nodded in return. “Leopold cares about me, but sometimes I don’t know if he really wants me to make my own choice. You do.”
Scratching his head, Nathan wondered if Ciana had played him. For some reason, this reminded him a little of Fei.
Never in a thousand years had Nathan thought he would compare Ciana and Fei. But here he was.
That thought caused him to narrow his eyes. Ciana was far smarter t
han Fei.
“I’m still going to make you tell Leopold,” Nathan said.
Ciana cursed. “Really?”
Of course. Ciana was far younger than the version Nathan knew, and more mischievous. She might still have the same decisiveness and intelligence, but he shouldn’t underestimate her.
After dragging her to the throne room and listening to Ciana stumble over her explanation to a smirking Leopold, Nathan acquired his latest Champion.
“I assume you’ll formally enhance her later,” Leopold said as he ruffled Ciana’s hair and ears, ignoring her whines of protest. “I also have three diamonds that I set aside for her long ago. Something that has proven especially fortuitous, given the current situation.”
Ciana pouted after Leopold finally stopped. “Was that necessary?”
“Allow this old man a final farewell to his apprentice,” Leopold said with a smile.
She blinked at him, mouthing “final” in confusion.
The Emperor sat on his throne, stroking his neatly trimmed gray beard with amusement. Next to him stood Maylis, who was an intimidatingly tall female Bastion with dark skin. A middle-aged cat beastkin also hovered next to him, and her strong feelings for the Emperor were plain to all.
Surrounding all of them were a few royal knights and a few Champions.
Nathan played dumb as he said, “I take it diamonds are the best fit for Ciana?”
“She has an excellent aptitude for them, given her wilfulness. While the gem has a bad reputation as a jack-of-all trades, it excels in the hands of those who are equally masterful at everything.” Leopold’s pride in Ciana exuded from his words.
Even if Nathan wanted to choose a different path for Ciana, it would be hard to do so.
He looked at Ciana. “Do you agree?”
“Um, I get to choose?” Ciana blinked.
“Not all Bastions allow it, but I understand Nathan gave young Jafeila the choice.” Leopold’s eyes twinkled. “Perhaps you should consider it an honor. You are only the second of his Champions to have the choice.”
“The second…” she trailed off, then scowled. “Aren’t I his fifth Champion?”
“Sixth, if I count,” Sen chirped.
“Thanks,” Ciana mumbled.
Now it was Leopold’s turn to give Nathan an odd look, but nothing was said to explain it. Nathan doubted the look had anything to do with Sen.
“Um,” Ciana began to say.
Everybody looked at her and she froze, shrinking in on herself. After a deep breath, she steadied herself and faced Nathan.
“Do I need to choose now?” she asked shakily. “I haven’t really thought about my gems much. Before today, the most difficult decision I’ve had to make is…” She paused. “Well, it’s this one, actually, given I made it a long time ago. But otherwise, it’s just meaningless stuff. Who to train with, whether to speak up in a meeting. The gem I receive is life-changing.”
“There’s plenty of time. You’ll need to acclimate to your enhancement before I give you a gem,” Nathan explained. “That’ll take at least a few weeks, maybe even months.”
Her eyes widened.
“I’ll send the diamonds with Nathan,” Leopold said. “That way you’ll have them on hand, whatever choice is made. Although I understand you’ve made a rather interesting deal that might help matters?”
Nathan grimaced. So word had already gotten around about his deal with the Imperial Sorcerer’s Lodge.
“I won’t refuse three high-quality diamonds,” he said flatly.
With a chuckle, Leopold said, “I figured not. Onto other matters, I suppose.”
“Um, should I leave?” Ciana said, looking at the Emperor with wide eyes.
Waving his hand, the elderly regent dismissed her concerns. “Leopold trusts you, and you will become Nathan’s Champion. I have enough to worry about without distrusting those loyal to me.”
With those words, the tone of the meeting shifted. Ciana joined Sen and Sunstorm behind Nathan, although she looked uncertain as she stood at attention. Both Nathan and Leopold stood in front of the Emperor, who rested his chin on one arm.
“Is Her Imperial Highness not joining us, Your Majesty?” Nathan asked, increasing the formality of his speech now that the meeting with the Emperor had officially started.
For Nathan, this was his first meeting with Emperor Gorthal. He had only greeted the Emperor in passing in his implanted memories. In his original timeline, the fall of the Empire had taken place well before Nathan had a chance to meet either the Emperor or Alice.
That made it difficult to determine how formal he needed to be. Leopold was an old friend and drinking buddy of the Emperor, but still referred to him by title and honorific even in private conversations. Was that at request, or because Leopold preferred being formal?
“Alice is finalizing plans with Hans for tomorrow’s session,” the Emperor said. “And do not worry about titles in private. Leo is a stickler for them, but not everybody needs to pick up his bad habits.”
“Why thank you, Gorthy,” Leopold said drily.
The glare that the Emperor shot at Leopold could have killed him. Literally, given how easily emperors can have people executed. The beastkin next to the Emperor blushed and looked to one side.
“Alice should join us shortly. As should Anna,” Leopold said, continuing the dropped topic.
“Before they arrive, there are a few simple matters to take care of,” the Emperor said.
The elderly regent straightened in his throne. Then he stretched his arms out wide and gave Nathan a broad smile.
“Nathan, it is good to finally meet you,” the Emperor said. “We’ve only spoken in passing before, when you filled in for your father at the Diet. All I’ve heard about you is positive, and what you’ve done is nothing short of legendary. It is a shame that we never sat down for a good chat before this. Imagine the difference it may have made.”
Leopold shot the Emperor a look, while Maylis remained impassive.
“I’d said things have worked out despite that,” Leopold said wryly.
“Hah, yes.” A chuckle rose from the Emperor. “Despite the mess that happened between you and your father, I do believe you were fated by the goddess to become a Bastion, Nathan. You have a mix of talents that is rare. Political savvy, strategic and tactical knowledge, a calm head, sorcerous ability, and discretion. The latter is definitely one I’ve valued from Leopold during my time as Emperor.”
“Really? And not my friendship?” Leopold said. He shook his head. “I guess that means I’m not invited to drinks tonight?”
The Emperor rolled his eyes. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have complimented you on your discretion.”
Nathan remained silent as the two old men bickered. The situation was unfamiliar to him.
In Falmir, he had never become close to the king. He had always been a Bastion—a simple defender of the realm. In the end, that had helped doom Falmir and the royal family. He and Gareth had been kept out of their affairs, and the rebels had easily ousted the royal family given the opportunity.
He rarely let the thought linger for long, but he couldn’t help think it now. Wasn’t that the fault of Charlotte and Falmir’s royals as much as it was his own? Faced with the joviality of Emperor Gorthal and the friendliness of Alice, he found his past relationship with Charlotte somewhat hollow.
“Well, the past is the past,” the Emperor said, causing Nathan to jump. “We can only take the world as we see it. Getting bogged down in my mistakes has always been a sin of mine. But Leopold has been there each and every time to help me move through them. Even now, he’s helping me with this current mess.” His smile turned bitter. “But you, Nathan…”
“Yes, Your Majesty?” Nathan said.
The Emperor waved a hand angrily. “What did I say about titles?”
“I can tell that you’re Alice’s grandfather,” Nathan said drily.
A deep, booming laugh escaped the Emperor. It rapidly transformed into a r
asping cough, and he gripped his chest. Maylis and the beastkin bent over him in a panic, but he waved them off.
“I’m old,” he said. “Can’t even laugh without my lungs trying to explode.”
“Gorthal,” Leopold said, frowning.
“I’m fine.” The Emperor continued to wave off concern. “See? Back to normal. But I’m glad that you see me in her. Sometimes I worry.” Sighing, he continued, “Well, nevermind. There’s much to be discussed. But we should find the time to talk, Nathan.”
The next half-hour was spent discussing larger political issues. Nathan briefed them on his current recruiting activities. They discussed the rising discontent in the Empire about the new territory. At some point, they even covered the financial situation, although Nathan struggled to keep up.
“Sorry we’re late,” Alice said as she stepped inside with Anna and Narime. “Grandpa really wanted to be sure of our votes tomorrow.”
“So do I,” the Emperor said, smiling at Alice.
“Then ask him yourself,” she shot back. “How much did I miss?”
She looked between the three men with a questioning look. Behind her, Anna took up a position beside Nathan and Narime joined the line of Champions.
“Nothing too important,” Nathan said.
“Indeed,” the Emperor said. “Now that we’re all here, we can discuss the most important matters. First, the Nationalists have pushed for a joint sitting of both colleges. They failed to convince the new Federation dukes to resume war against Trafaumh.”
Narime coughed. Then Anna coughed and mumbled something to Nathan. He rolled his eyes as everybody looked at them.
“Do we have a name for the new duchies, Your Majesty?” Nathan said. Now that everybody was present, he sincerely doubted “no titles” was in effect.
“Hmm. Good point.” The Emperor stroked his beard again. “Perhaps we should call them the Amica Duchies?”
“That will antagonize the Nationalists, given it will sound like an extra archduchy,” Leopold warned.
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