Chapter 8: Chapter 1 - Part 7
"It seems that we will be the talk of the capital for a while, Vinter."
Saud chuckled.
"Events like this one are not seen every day and I have the impression that many noblemen will be attentive to what you do from now on, my lord."
"I took that for granted." Daliant's gaze hardened. "Blue blood is not interested in competition. The king has made more than one enemy with that declaration."
"You too, my lord."
The earl snorted.
"The grand dukes and earls of the kingdom have more important business to attend to than being aware of what a war veteran does in the confines of the kingdom."
"I'm just asking you to be careful. You know already, my lord, the next few months are going to be key to your aspirations."
That was something Daliant was well aware of. He had gambled, investing all of his savings in developing his lands. A bad decision, a third party involved or even a misfortune could mean his fall from grace. Although to be honest, after the Heresian campaign, there were few things in the world that truly terrified him, and certainly reducing his income to zero was not one of them.
The earl turned his head back and glanced at the slave clinging to his waist. He had bought her several simple dresses, but suitable for life in the countryside. What use would a ballroom dress in the middle of a virgin valley serve her?
"I don't think we have introduced ourselves yet," he said in flawless Elvish. "My name is Daliant Aderion, nice to meet you..."
"Seritia. Seritia Lyndion."
He had a superfluous conversation with her for a while, he told her about the valley they were going to, the conditions of the land that he expected to find and the climate of the region. She told him about the place where she was born and raised, although very vaguely and without going into details. Daliant had the impression that the girl preferred not to continue discussing the subject, so as soon as he could, he fell silent and continued to watch the path ahead.
"A human nobleman speaking Elvish?" He heard one of the dwarves ask the captain of the guards in his own language. "Is that normal, Dakross?"
The leader shook his head.
"No way, it's the first time I've heard one use the language. I don't know much elvish myself, but from what I've heard, this dude masters it."
*So now I'm a dude instead of a lord, huh?*
"Do we know anything about the place we are going to?"
"Not much. A bum fuck valley and a lot of slaves. He probably intends to use them to build a village as quickly as possible. The idea is not bad, but he only brought slaves and no pioneers. It seems our master is a pretty weird dude."
"Weird? What is strange about me?" Daliant asked the dwarves in a thick accent.
They both stared at him with their mouths open.
"First elvish and now dwarvish?" The vinter asked with a laugh. "You are a box full of surprises, my lord."
"Surprise box or not, show a little more respect towards your lord, understood?"
They nodded. Dakross gulped.
"M-my lord, how did you learn our language?"
"I was in command of an elite dwarf unit during the assault on Arkays."
"Arkays? The Heresian campaign?" The dwarf was amazed with the answer.
"Yes, I led the assault on the breach in the wall. My unit was the first to break through enemy defenses. Too much blood was shed that day."
Dakross whistled.
"It is not every day one meets an earl as brave as you, master."
Daliant dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand.
"I was born the son of day laborers. I have earned the title on my own merits."
"Then I can rest easy knowing your competence in the military arts." The dwarf smiled with a smile that seemed perverse to the earl. "I hope that one day we can fight together."
"And I hope that your wish won't be fullfiled any time soon."
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