One week later...
Lucian stroked Togo's feathers, "You can't go with me to the South, buddy. The weather is too hot for you there."
The bird ignored him, preening its feathers, until Lucian poked its head, "Stop that. You will make yourself bald."
Togo bit his finger as if saying: Baldness is not an option for me, peasant.
Lucian thought of a way to keep Togo cool, and ended up cooling it with his body temperature, which was how Togo let itself be petted without complaining.
The fan above their heads worked hard to keep the heat from becoming unbearable inside the carriage. It was powered by the wheels which kept it rotating when in motion, much like a clock that needed to be wound up to continue moving.
It was actually Celine's idea. He just brought it to life and made it possible, because 'she couldn't afford to sweat in the summer and ruin her makeup'.
Celine was surrounded by such heavy protection that she couldn't even send him a letter to let him know that she was alright. Not even Togo could reach her, and had stayed by Lucian's side ever since he left the Lost East Walls.
It would take time before the victims took a step against the church.
In the meantime, Lucian wanted to set a greater foundation for his plans in the Southern Alliance.
Roland was making sure to pass on to the southern leaders the information that the Diamante Kingdom suffered a heavy loss, especially the two ruby knights.
And how the Southern Alliance should take the opportunity to launch an attack and reclaim their territory.
There were around two hundred small kingdoms making up the Alliance.
The smallest had only five thousand people under their control, the biggest around a hundred thousand people.
Of course, the golden mine belonged to the most powerful kingdom of them all, the Kingdom of Nareon.
It wasn't uncommon to see smaller kingdoms in the Southern Alliance change their rulership from one year to another.
Scythe and Savage had become kings over the years, having around fifteen thousand people each under their control.
They overthrew their old rulers and took their place, gaining the title of hunter kings.
Their harem has also increased in numbers, but not in quality, something Scythe complained about.
He had around forty children with fifteen different women.
Savage also had a massive, chaotic family.
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Savage's palace was nothing like the luxurious northern estates, but it was far from crude.
The walls were built from pale stone, holding the sun without cracking under it. Open corridors connected one courtyard to another.
Fountains were placed in spots where the breeze could carry their cool breath through the halls.
Lucian moved through it in light robes suited for the climate, loose fabric layered just enough to shield his skin without trapping heat.
"Lucian," Karolaina, Savage's main wife, welcomed him with a smile on her face, "It's good to see you again."
Lucian bowed his head to the lady, "My Lady Karolaina, it's been a while."
A horde of children ran past Karolaina, screaming and laughing, "Uncle Lucian is here!"
They crashed into him, almost knocking him off his feet.
Savage walked behind them, "Hey, don't break him! We need him in one piece."
He didn't know that Lucian had reached silver rank. If he knew, he would have ordered his children to launch a full-blown assault on Lucian to test him out.
Honorifics and such were long forgotten among hunters. While servants in the north would bow their heads to their master's guests as a sign of respect, Savage's underlings were loitering outside of his palace and enjoying the sun.
All the household chores were done by Savage's wives and his children. It was quite the sight to see a king's child scrub the floors and wash their own clothes.
Lucian was used to their lifestyle and didn't mind the casual treatment, "Good afternoon, your Royal Highness."
"Ugh, northerners and their manners," Savage waved his hand around in annoyance, "Get in, and try to survive my horde. I think the oldest is already thinking about marrying you. It would be a shame if you were to die early."
A shy girl in a corner peeked at Lucian, quickly hiding behind a tree after they locked eyes.
Lucian was dragged to a dining room by the children while Savage went to deal with some issues in the city.
Hunters that successfully tamed their beasts behaved like true pack leaders until it was time to increase their mark rank.
"Uncle Lucian, do you have a mate?"
"Yes, I do."
"Is she prettier than our moms?"
"I think so."
"Are you going to have children with her?"
"Yes."
"Can we play with them when you do?"
"Of course."
"What's her name?"
'Celine.'
'Her name is Celine.'
Lucian patted a small child on his head, answering the question in his mind, "You'll get to know her when the time comes."
The child's eyes sparkled, "Is it a secret?"
Lucian smiled, "Yes, it is. Don't tell anyone else, okay?"
"Okay!"
Karolaina showed up to save him from his interrogation, "That's enough of that, go and help your mothers."
"But..."
"No buts."
The children looked at the ground, sulking, and then ran away.
Lucian watched them leave, thinking about how to raise his own kids. He didn't want to be an absent father, but at the same time, he couldn't stay away from his business for long.
He sighed, knowing he had to work harder to afford some time to play with his children.
"You look like a man who has a lot on his plate," Karolaina made him sit around the large table in the dining area, serving some tea.
"Is there a way to visit your daughter? The one you married off to the Nareon king?"
Lucian went straight to the business once they were alone in the room, his fingers playing with the cup of tea on the table.
Karolaina sat down on the opposite side, her eyes becoming more serious, "We can bring some gifts to her for her birthday, that's usually how I visit her. That is, if you want to risk being seen in public, of course."
"That would be a problem. What's the king's current rank?" Lucian asked.
"Seven marked, one step away from becoming eight marked," Karolaina's face was grim, imagining this period of her daughter's life, "The elders are very active, eager to have another eight marked within the kingdom."
Lucian doubted poison would work on the king if he was that high ranked. Confronting a ruby equal in battle was a death sentence.
He would have to use a different approach to get his hands on a gold mine, which was his main objective.
"How hard is it to claim a territory for yourself?" Lucian was in need of more fighters, especially marked hunters. "Any recommendations for a beginner like me?"
"Are you insane?" Karolaina didn't look happy with his question, but immediately understood when he released his aura, "You weren't ranked the last time I saw you."
While waiting for the answer he asked for, Lucian pulled out a mask from inside his robes and put it on.
It covered his whole face, including his eyes. A thin mesh was placed on the eyeholes, making him see through them, but no one was able to see his eyes.
It was a mask he bought from the southern festival, with the face of a smiling demon on it.
╔═══ Author's note ════╗
I rewrote my first chapter 1.1 yesterday (26.2.26), kept the core, and would like some opinion on it. Check it out, please.🙏
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