Chapter 207: Fruitful

    “Haah, what a day.”

    Lady Luna plopped into her seat. She hadn’t done much other than sit around and converse with others, but the sheer excitement of the new experiences she had today was enough to drain her mentally.

    She closed her eyes, her white hair draping over her face as a pair of hands came from behind and started messaging her shoulders and neck. She let out a pleased sigh.

    “Heavens dear, I’ve not seen you this tired in months. Was your trip that exciting?”

    “It was.” She lifted her hand, brushing the large fingers of the man behind her. She felt the ring on his left hand, twice the size of hers.

    Anderson chuckled, “I saw that thing fly overhead almost a dozen times. It’s quite amazing. I’m honestly surprised that all those boasts weren’t exaggerations.”

    “They were not. If anything, John Cooper has yet to truly show us the potential of these planes and helicopters. I talked to him for a short time. He actually dared to say that the plane was slow. It was only after I asked some questions that he blurted out how he wants to make a plane that could go at least 3 times faster, saying that magic made it too easy to pull such a thing off.”

    “How fast did the plane go?”

    “They said he reached 500 miles an hour during his flyby, almost 10 times faster than a Steed.”

    “Hm, I can’t fathom going 1500 miles an hour.”

    “Neither can I. I also couldn’t imagine flying 15 thousand feet up in the sky. Yet I did. I wish you could’ve seen it, dear. It was inspiring.”

    Luna’s eyes sparkled, the mana flowing through her body alongside her emotions as she recalled the flight.

    Anderson stepped around her chair, his large body entering her view as he sat on the edge of the desk.

    “So, what’s the plan now that we know he wasn’t exaggerating?”

    “Get ready to fork out some money, and let’s hope he likes us enough to give us some planes first. Sawn is currently negotiating with the Kingdom in an attempt to draw up a new contract. The military wants those planes, and a lot of them, but he said he’s coming out with new designs soon that everyone will be interested in. Cargo planes, passenger planes, fighters, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and all kinds of similar variants for helicopters. It’ll not only take some time for them to build these, but they will also need to train pilots. To that end, we should prepare some summoners for pilot training. They will learn the fastest, even though John said that ordinary people are more than capable of learning and piloting aircraft.”

    “The Lord knows we have gaggles of summoners to spare. Everyone fuckin’ does. They will be on standby. Now, what will we do about the man himself?”

    Luna saw her husband’s eyes glimmer, smiling, “Are you that eager to get your hands on him?”

    “His potential is being wasted in this heathen-laden ground, and yet he’s still surpassing expectations faster than I can conceive them. I want the value he would bring when backed by my Order.”

    “I understand. But we can’t spook him. Let things play out as they may...” She paused, her smile disappearing, “Attach a squadron to him, though. Protect him. He’s good to nobody if he’s dead.”

    “Done. The little lad may find out though. His Aura is tender, like a spanked slab of meat.”

    “Hehe, I’m sure he’ll understand. He’s a smart boy. Also, there’s one more piece of unexpected news.”

    Luna looked at her husband, his smile growing as if he already knew what she was going to say.

    ......

    ...

    “He rejected the King’s offer to become a Viscount.”

    Shadowbane announced to her father, Chief Ironheart of the Raven Family, Duke of the Whetted City.

    The large bristly man turned to her, as did two dozen others. They were all lining a massive table within their meeting hall, Ironheart at the head.

    Ironheart smiled, then laughed, his voice shaking the walls of the hall.

    Sanel rolled her eyes, “You think I’m stupid? Of course I wouldn’t speak to him as such.”

    “I suggest you stop thinking as such as well. He’s a summoner and he’s got an Aura that can rival mine, maybe not in strength, but in technique and development, most certainly. He’ll know if you think of him derisively, and he doesn’t take kindly to contempt.”

    “Yet he’ll swallow his pride because the Talerria family is greater than his simple commoner mind can comprehend,” Sanel snapped, “He should be so grateful that his name is even coming out of our mouths. You think he would turn down a marriage offer from one of the richest Dukedoms in the Kingdom?”

    “He turned down a noble title from the King.” Talexia smiled a bit, “I don’t think you can fathom how much pride that boy has, and the fact that we’re holding this meeting about him and his invention means that he’s the one with the advantage here, not us. I understand that you don’t want to seem weak, but it’s obvious you won’t be able to approach him without scorn. That’s why you’ll leave handling him to me.”

    Talexia lifted her chin a bit, looking down on everyone at the table, “It is my daughter who he has a fancy for and I’ll be the one to decide how we handle John. I will think about marriage between them after their situations in the military calm, and if the opportunity does present itself, I want no objections from any of you, as well as your support when other households inevitably attempt to suppress us for claiming a genius enchanter. Until then I will be handling the changes in our businesses in regard to implementing these new planes. Be prepared to open the coffers. We’ll be spending a lot of money very soon.”

    ......

    ...

    The Auction House stood tall, at its height a single man.

    Few knew of him, fewer knew his name, yet all knew his moniker.

    “It’s a shame the Key Master made an impression before I even knew of him. Who could’ve thought? Perhaps it was the fault of the Church. Those prideful Catholics have their hands in everything.”

    He sighed and downed the rest of the translucent wine in his glass, reaching out and setting it on a tray beside him, held by a distinguished butler with a sharp disposition.

    The butler walked the tray to another table with a bottle on it, “I believe you’ve made an impression among all, my lord. He’s attended more than one of your Galas.”

    “He may know Vatsy but how much that affords is unknowable. Not even the King could bring out his obedience. He is rebellious, as evident by his conflicts during his time at the Magisterium.”

    “Did you not say he has thrived in the military? Was he rebellious there?”

    “No. He had no need to be. In that place, there is a clear enemy, and he truly is dedicated to the fight against them. That and his competence earned him great respect. This means he is compliant so long as he and his associates have similar goals. That, my friend, is how we will insert ourselves.”

    “A flaw in his armor?”

    “Nay, a doorway open to those who who are willing to meet the measure.”

    “You are wise, Lord Vatsy.”

    The butler bowed, raising his tray with a fresh glass of wine atop. Vatsy grabbed it, raised the glass to his lips and took a small sip, just enough to disperse the flavor over his tongue.

    He smacked his lips and smiled. His free hand brought up a file, the front page giving an overview of intelligence regarding John Cooper, including his compatriots, friends, lovers, enemies.

    He eyed one of the words, a list of aliases he has used. The American, as it pertained to the markets, was his most infamous name, only fading in the time he had been gone. Yet, occasional explosions that echoed off the dark walls of the Trenches or the ruins of Clockwork Association warehouses still kept the legend alive. Some said there were still some bodies throughout the Trenches, untouched lest someone bring forth the ire of the American once more.

    Vatsy eyed that name again and again, his foot tapping in anxiousness. Video footage of the most legendary Magisterium Championship in its history flickered through his mind. The weapons, the tech, even the way John acted.

    He knew it had to be true, knew that there was one other just in the Founder''s Market alone, a certain mask maker that had recently left for the Holy See. He knew of three others. He had given them monetary assistance in exchange for their labors and loyalty, and they had latched on to his fat wallet.

    Their common origins seemed to bring them together with even greater strength than familial ties. Only one of the three he helped had disappeared, but the other two still remained, continuing to work with him.

    He hadn’t gotten to this one fast enough but now, there was an opportunity.

    “The American... I didn’t think one of you corn-fed freaks would be sent here but that’s just my luck. At least someone was smart enough to bring some modern tech to these primitives. Now, we’ll be able to properly work together.”

    Vatsy closed his eyes and raised his glass, the butler standing beside his chair silently.

    “To a fruitful partnership.”