“You will refer to the Duchess as Her Grace, and you will speak only when spoken to,” Sir Maria stated firmly as she guided them along the pathway towards one of the many gardens of the Duchess’ estate.

  The nd around was green, bs of grass as far as the eyes could see. Adam spotted dozens of buildings of various different styles, each with their owion of greenery, each different to any other, from the flowers to the trees, none appeared elsewhere. Adam could see guards every so often too, but most of the figure he saw were the help, servants adorned in a dark blue, almost navy, except darker, closer to bbsp;

  As they marched for at least ten mihey approached the archway made of all manner of flowers and greenery, and were weled inte square garden. The pathways were t, as the pathways for the eate were, with bushes of all manner of flrowing around the garden.

  Around the garden were several tertiary tables, which were guarded by a single heavily armuard, whereas the table in the tre, a semicircur table which had no further tables between it and the exit, was guarded by at least a half dozen guards.

  It robably the fact the Duchess sat at the tre of the ft edge that there were so many guards. She sat at an angle, one gloved hand ying on the edge of the table, her loved hand over it. She was beautiful as one might have expected, with tan skin that was trasted by the silver jewellery she wore. Her hair was darker thaypical Aldish, her eyes a beautiful hazel.

  She wore dress of deep blue, like the o depths, and a neckce made of pearls, each catg the light in a way to make it seem like there was a rainbow sea stantly rippling among them. She wore a silver spaulder over one shoulder, with s of silver eg between each segment, matg the rest of her jewellery. Resting at her side phicule dagger settled in white leather.

  The guards around all wore pte mail. All carried bdes at their side, with most also holding shields. Those at the exits wielded long spears, while those he Duchess carried bdes at their side, each made of what looked to be silver. The two warriors beside the Duchess were both female, and were almost identical to Sir Maria, with identical equipment and near identical stature.

  Servants also stood all along the side of the walls behind the Duchess, like statues.

  “Good m, Fate’s Golden, and to Sir Vonda Littlesea,” the Duchess said, motioning with a hand to the various tables, though there were four mais opposite her for Adam and his closest three panions. She also motioo the seat on her side which was free, though it y towards the edge. Sir Vonda took her p the Duchess’ side of the table.

  “Good m, Yrace,” Adam replied, before taking his seat opposite her with the other Iyrmen, while the others settled themselves around the other tables, which were nearby.

  “I am Duchess Dalia Eastsea of East Port,” she said, shifting her hands slightly. The servants nearby moved silently, attending to the tables nearby, silent as mice. “I am gd you have accepted my invitation.”

  “You honour us, Yrace.”

  A servant brought over a cy teapot with detailed, intricate patterns, as they poured the tea in for the Duchess. Adam raised his brows towards the cy pot.

  “Do you like the tea pot?” The Duchess asked.

  “Yes, Yrace. Is it from Persevia?”

  “You’re familiar?”

  “I am, Yrace. I bought one during my first year of adventuring. It might have been two years almost to the day, actually, si was noonval at the time. I haven’t really drunk from it much retly, so I probably should be buying some tea with my winnings.” Adam chuckled lightly.

  “How long have you been adventuring?” Dalia asked, as though she had no clue, but her eyes were those of someone who khe answer of such a question.

  “Two and a half years, Yrace. Started on the first of Dawnval a couple of years ago, the same as Jurot here.”

  Jurot nodded, but said no more. He khat she knew, but since Adam had asked him to firm, he decided to at least nod.

  “Your brother, the Iyrman,” she said, looking to Jurot. He looked like the typical Iyrman, with his dark hair, dark eyes, and scarred skin. He was dressed like a true savage, though she had heard that it was only for the sake of the oners. Their typical attire was simir to the attire of the Aswadians to the south, the same attire which she preferred to wear, rather than the poofy skirts of Aldnd.

  “It’s impressive to lead so many Iyrmen.” She g the other Iyrmen nearby, taking in each of them with her calg eyes.

  “Thank you, Yrace.”

  Ohe moment passed, she eyed Jurot up once more. “Jurot. Ju, of the Rot family.”

  “Yes, Duchess Eastsea.”

  “I have heard of yrandfather’s exploits. A great warrior, aill appears to be as such, even after losing an arm. I have heard he had an issue with a Viander of an order. They fought, aook an arm. One must admit it is quite impressive he could do so, sidering his ck of a shield arm.”

  Jurot let out a snort of satisfa, crossing his arms as he puffed out his chest. “Grandfather is strong.”

  “Your cousin, Nirot, is also a part of yroup?”

  “She is,” Jurot replied.

  The Duchess eyed up the young warrior to the side, as well as the other Iyrmen around her, noting the tattoos they each wore across their foreheads, and how they were the same as the others beside Adam, save for two, that of the Kan and Jin families. ‘The same tattoos as the pair who pced quite high.’

  “I am unfamiliar with your family,” the Duchess admitted to Kitool.

  “Our family has preferred to remain within the Iyr i times,” Kitool replied, simply. It had been a long while sihe Ool family had anyone make a great name for themselves out in the world.

  “The Gak family,” the Duchess said, gng to the Devilkin, “I am more familiar with. If I recall, your family assisted us during the Demonic Devastation.”

  “One of reatest tales,” Jaygak firmed. “Whe Port he Iyrmen, we sent many. My aor, Jogak,” the Devilkin said, before smirking slightly, “fought hard to assist the Duke of the time. Some of our family were cut down by bdes from the front, and others, through the back.”

  “It was a terrible business,” the Duchess firmed.

  “The debt aid.” Jaygak’s lips formed a wider smile. One of the many stories of the Gak family, but one which all Gak children learned shortly after being taught about the various Bckwater Crises.

  The Iyr never fets, and it’s debts were always repaid.

  The Duchess held Jaygak’s firm gaze for a while, before she bowed her head. “I wished to meet with those who had made a name for themselves i times, and iour. The rising stars w in Aldnd. I wao offer you all roles, though I do uand some of you Iyrmen, but not all of you are off limits, I presume?”

  “It depends on the offer,” Adam admitted. “Though Nobby here is one of mine?”

  “Yours?”

  “He has a tract with me at the moment,” Adam expined. “Yrace,” Adam added, clearing his throat. “We trained him up, well, mostly Jurot, and he’s going to work for us for a while to pay that off.” Adam decided against mentioning his real pn with Nobby, si would give her an easier time to try and take the boy from him.

  “Would you take an offer from the Duchess of East Port into sideration?” the Duchess asked, before sippiea.

  Adam lifted his cup up, feeling the warm vapours of his tea, smelling the fruity st. “I will sider it, Yrace.” He sipped the tea, which tasted faintly of berries.

  “I hope you will take it into sideration, since I have spent some time thinking about the matter,” the Duchess stated, though Adam uood it held some threat. “I would give you a position as a Vice Captain of my guards, and you would be paid appropriately. Five hundred gold upfront, one hundred gold for each month, and five hundred gold each Twilight Month. I will also gift you a magical item once you have reached five years of service, and an additional five hundred gold for each five years thereafter. If you work well, there is a ce for you to reach the rank of Captain of the Guard, and a potential knighthood.”

  “In another life I would have accepted su offer, Yrace,” Adam replied. “Unfortunately, a potential knighthood, and what works out to be a couple of hundred gold monthly, doesn’t i me. I make a det sum as an adventurer, and, as you’ve mentioned, I’m quite the rising star.”

  “Third pce is a det rank to achieve,” the Duchess stated, staring at the Half Elf. It wasn’t just the pay, but the fact that it was simple work, work which didn’t require him to face against wyverns and other creatures.

  “It was a shame that my oppos were quite high up on the hierarchy of nobles, otherwise I would have been allowed to take first,” Adam replied, sipping more of his tea.

  “I watched the fights personally,” the Duchess admitted, noting how hard Adam was fighting back against such a statement. “You were quite impressive, perhaps the most impressive of all the warriors to fight. You were wise enough to uand your position then.”

  Adam let out a sigh as he stared into the woman’s eyes as she tried to put him down. ‘Rex. Don’t get yourself killed because of the ego of the rich. I should try to get used to it, since I’ll to live within this world. Should I make a revolution in this world so we don’t have to deal with it any more?’

  Viva revolution!