The Duchess wasn’t sure how Adam had mao put her on the back foot. She was certain she had held all the cards, a Adam seemed far more rexed. With each versation, Adam had grown far more fident, and after speaking of the Iyr, he had finally broken out of his shell.

  “You spoke of a business which deals with ented ons?” Dalia asked, finally pushing forward towards what she really wao talk about. There were many things she could tolerate, all for the sake of their retionship with this business he had mentioned.

  “We are,” Adam firmed. “I would have brought my axe, but I was told to leave it behind. Luckily for you, my brother was allowed t his axe.”

  Dalia had spent much of her time in the political world. Guilds, unions, domestiobles, fn nobles, pirates, beasts, all tried to harass her in order to try and topple her from her throne. She couldn’t help but feel the st sentence was somethi to threaten her.

  Jurot reached for it, and the knights went for their own bdes from beside the Duchess. Jurot did not pause however, holding up the axe as bdes were drawn, but were stopped by a motion of the Duchess’ hand. Jurot held her gaze, holding the axe in front of her. If he truly wa, he could have split her skull in half, even if the three guards tried to stop him.

  “May we cast Identify on the axe?” the Duchess asked, reag for the on, feeling its power as she gripped it.

  “Please do,” Adam said, before his thoughts quickly fshed to the most perti issue. ‘They ’t just figure out it’s me from a simple Identify spell, right?’

  [No.]

  ‘ they find out it was me?’

  [With greater magic, yes.]

  ‘Hmm…’

  “May I tell you what it does?” Adam asked, hoping that she had limited access to greater magic at this moment.

  “You may.”

  “It’s an axe which assaults both body and mind, with the strength of an eveer on. It holds three charges, which smite one’s mind, but with great strength, that greater thahe on itself. It may evehe wielder. The charges are regained over several dawns.”

  “It holds a Greater entment?”

  “Yes.”

  “You work for an enter who created su item?”

  “We do.”

  ‘If that is true, it is no wohat you would not wish to work under even my family,’ the Duchess thought. “You may enjoy the desserts. Our pastrier has knowledge of recipes from the federacy, and is familiar with Aswadian cuisine.”

  “Fancy,” Adam replied, before eating more of the dense desserts, which seemed to be ing out by the tray full any time they were even half empty.

  As the minutes passed, with Jaygak eagerly enjoying the desserts from beside Adam, the others also ehemselves, though with not quite as much vigour. The tea was subtly fvoured in parison to the desserts, and Adam could taste how the different coloured fkes danced on his toh unique fvours. ‘Damn. I o hire this chef.’

  The Iyrmen spoke their tales to the Duchess, who didn’t seem to mind spending so long with the group.

  ‘Does she not have any other people to meet? I thought nobles were meant to be busy? Oh, who am I kidding, a noble life is easy mode for the most part. She probably o che any of her stewards to make sure they don’t get too much power thought. I wonder if her treasurer is siphoning gold from her? Is there a guard who is in love with her? Is there a guard and maid romance? Damn, I bet there are so many cute stories in this pce. Unless she’s the kind to behead people for doing anything she didn’t like…’

  A guard returned with the axe an hour ter, with a small piece of paper that was furled up. She uned the ribbon and checked what it said, before handing it to a guard who would dispose of it.

  “Your enter is truly great,” the Duchess said.

  “They are,” Adam firmed.

  The Duchess, noting how Adam had been vague about their identity, and even their gender, decided against asking for more specifics about their identity. “What is their goal?”

  “To ent.” Silence filled the air for a moment. “We deal with everything else, of course, as the Chief Executive Officers. Though, there are the Directors above us, three of whom are the parents of Iyrmen who are here, and then above them are the President and the Enter, the President being my Aunt, Jurot’s mother.”

  ‘A simple structure.’ The Duchess looked to Jurot, whose mother was the President, seemingly holding the same rank as the Enter. She robably the one who dealt with the business if the Enter only wao ent, given the opportunity by the Iyr’s great resources.

  “Do you sell bespoke ons to nobles?” Dalia asked.

  “We will soon, Yrace,” Adam replied, smiling slightly. “I’m sure you uand that creating such great ons takes time, effort, and requires particur materials. The Enter is ied in, for now, allowing a single noble family exclusive access to magical ons for some time, before allowing more noble families eventual access to magical ons, until opening it up to more, potentially.” ‘I really should have rehearsed that…’

  The Duchess gnced betweeher Iyrmen. Each who had parents in higher positions, while they themselves were quite high up too. Then her eyes fell to Adam. Adam, who was the one leading the group, speaking on their behalf, and on behalf of the Enter. “Why is it that you hold such a high position in the business?”

  “A few reasons,” Adam replied, smiling. “I am det at magid the Enter and I have a fairly det retionship. I am the Head Alchemist of the business, or I will be o starts rolling. I’m also close to the President and the Directors, and of course, having aive who is my brother also helps. Long story short, right pce, right time. Fate, one might say.”

  “I have heard that you were an alchemist,” the Duchess stated, noting how lucky the Half Elf was. “You had some business with Sir Harvey, though it went poorly.”

  Adam wiggled his ears. “I’m not Human enough for some people.”

  It made sense for Adam to be fairly high up in the enting business due to his skills and abilities. Jurot’s axe was also a great ons, perhaps matg even the greatest ons the entire nd had to offer. A Greater Enhanced on, and even if it held one charge, it would have been coveted by all manner of beings. Even if Jurot was an Iyrman, this on was worth risking one’s life for it.

  “This exclusive deal with the Enter, how long would it st, and how many ons would be offered?”

  “That depends on the offer,” Adam replied. “The Enter is ied in knowing how many ons they will o make, for how long the exclusivity tract will be, and how much each on will be bought for. Of course, the Enter will also take into sideration all these factors from all the families which will make an offer.”

  “Which families will be offered such a ce?”

  “Any noble family of suffit rank. I believe it goes King, Duke, Marquis, t, and then Baron?”

  “That is correct.”

  “Then t and above, for now. I came to you first due to yifts, Yrace.” Adam held her eyes for a long moment.

  The Duchess fshed an i smile, as though she had no idea he had accepted for such a reason.

  “We have the authority to discuss a tract, and we will bring it back to the Enter to discuss it. Though yifts were great, the Enter no doubt wished to inform the Duchess first of the situation, before all other nobles.”

  “I will remember the Enters iions,” Dalia firmed. She wondered if that was true, or if it was because he feared her. “I will not poach the members of the United Kindom. If the Enter has need of any materials to work with, we would be surely be willing to gift such as a show of good faith.”

  “You have gifted us more than enough, Yrace.” Adam gnced around towards the knights. “I will be sure to keep in mind that the Duchess has offered us not just the greatest gifts, but the most insightful gifts.” Adam bowed his head towards her slowly. “We will take this into sideration when we send out word for our business.”

  The Duchess thought about pushing for a deal now. She was sure she could do so, but sidering how well everything had gone, she decided against it. If there was no enter behind them, she wouldn’t have been so free with her gifts, and would have pressed them into her service. However, though Adam was a det warrior, and Nobby seemed great too, the Enter was worth more than every single person within Fate’s Golden bined. “Many special materials flow within this city, such which will be offered at an appropriate price, if you will refuse them as gifts.” Adam smiled. “That is greatly appreciated, Yrace. I suppose we shouldn’t take too much of your time. It was our honour to meet with you.”

  “Yes,” she replied, simply.

  Adam and the others prepared to leave. The Duchess had sized them up. The others were det enough warriors, enough to fill out the lower ranks of her guards. If they were Experts, she could have offered them det positions, but poag any one of them could have offehe Enter.

  The Duchess stood and began to lead them out towards the nearby carriages. “If your business finds trouble i Aldnd, for one reason or another, you may send word to my estate. The silver pque should be proof enough of your affiliation with my great family, but if it is not, I will send a letter to deal with any minor matters which may occur.”

  Adam remained silent for a moment, thinking about the silver pque she had offered to them within the scroll. “Thank you, Yrace.” ‘She probably is the best choice…’

  The Duchess allowed Adam live thanks to the Enter.

  Adam is the Enter.

  Does that mean Adam saved Adam's life?