Dominic shrugged when he saw the man’s confusion. "Hobbies are good for a man to have, and I have a knack for magitech orbs. You’ll see once we arrive in town, but I also had some success making new magitech for the military during the conflict with Dagos."
Elder Manif nodded. "I have heard about that. It is said that the Cygnia Army advanced remarkably quickly during the conflict, and that they made a Duke of a Wavemates Prince for your contributions.
It’s not common knowledge out in the desert just what those contributions were, but given your lineage, it seems more likely that they were magical than anything else.
That’s why I had asked if you were formally schooled."
Dominic sighed dramatically. "Sadly, the horns refuse to be hidden, and no respectable facility would take me as a student during my youth."
The Elder’s face wrinkled with suppressed laughter at Dominic’s description of the situation. The horns weren’t so much the problem as his reputation and name. Many sects quietly took in Sorcerers of various sorts.
But nobody wanted to be the Sect caught harbouring a war criminal.
However, if Cygnia had not realized who he was, or if they had decided that it was less important to consider his past than his present capabilities, then they wouldn’t mention that the Duke’s reputation was absolutely terrifying.
So, they ignored the obvious.
"It shouldn’t be an issue to send a tutor to the Manor to assist in your studies, Your Grace. We’ve got many skilled candidates. Though, it seems you’ve found some assistance already." Elder Manif replied, with a glance at the veiled maid. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel※fire.net
"Ah, not so much. This lovely lady is not my tutor, but an Acolyte of the Purity Sect, and now a veiled maid in the employ of the Duchy. My wife, Princess Alexis, has a particular preference for skilled help."
That caused hushed whispers through the Sect.
The Duchess was not only a Princess, but she was forming a veiled maid force. In normal circumstances, that just meant that they were not ladies in waiting, and kept their faces covered to avoid attracting suitors.
But the way that Dominic said it implied that it was more than just that.
If the Princess was really reforming the old assassin force, they had candidates who would eagerly apply for the training. They were a mercenary sect at their core, and a lifelong appointment as a Royal Lady’s Veiled Maid would be a dream job for many of them.
Perhaps the Duke needed a butler’s student?
The position of Butler normally went to a most trusted and capable confidante, often someone who missed out on a Royal Guard appointment, or who had retired from such a position.
It took years of training, and memorization of all the Noble’s personal preferences as well as political alliances in real time. But it was also a highly respected lifelong appointment. However, if one of their Acolytes was chosen to train for the position under a new Duke, who surely needed people, they had a good chance of getting the job.
The Elder’s mind was racing with possibilities that came to a crashing halt when he saw the assembled armies outside Wistover.
"Your Grace, are you under siege?" He stammered.
"Oh, right. I forgot to mention the soldiers. No, we’re not under attack. We have Royal Guests from Mitfield and Axbridge currently at the Manor, and their men are stationed outside the city.
They’re not hostile." Dominic explained.
The aging mage clutched his chest as he slowed his breathing.
"Good, good. You had me concerned there for a moment. I can guess what the situation is, given recent events. Where did you have available for us to set camp?" He asked.
"Within the Manor walls. There is a large clearing near the hay fields where you can set up, and then we will arrange a meeting with the Infrastructure teams about building a mage tower and school."
Behind Dominic, the maid shifted to whisper in his ear. "Get them to teach everything. A mage school attracts a lot of attention, but a Private Academy that also teaches courses on magic is more subtle."
Dominic nodded slightly so she could see that he understood.
The procession stopped at the walls, and the Duskblade Sect paused for a moment to take in the defences of the Keep. It was beautifully done, but the magic suggested that it was not Elders of a Mage Sect who had done the defensive magic.
That was true. It was Techno Wizards and the workers of the Infrastructure team, plus the Acolytes of the Purity Sect.
However, it was sturdy and well-designed.
"The defensive fortifications were recently reconstructed, but the Manor is well-equipped to handle guests. Please, do come in." Dominic explained.
"Your Grace, might I ask why you opted not to have a moat?" One of the Elders asked as they approached the gates.
"The foundations of the keep are deeper than the water level. Difficult to undercut. But the primary reason was practical. I have a sensitive nose, and I don’t like the smell of stagnant water." Dominic replied.
The Elder nodded, then smirked when one of his companions pointed up at the walls, where riflemen with magitech rifles stood guard.
The logic of a magical fortress was not that of a standard fortress. You didn’t keep a moat, you added one when you needed it. For a keep full of magic users, digging a three-metre trench around the walls and filling it with water was not an impossible task.
It implied that they didn’t expect to be attacked by a force that could overrun them before they could set proper defences, but with twenty thousand soldiers outside of town, that was probably true until the Royal Guests that Duke Dominic had mentioned were gone.
Dominic let the maid down, and she silently signed to him.
[I will go find Beth and get some soup. Fresh bread as well, if they have it.]
Dominic nodded. [I will settle them by the fields and then calm the goats.]
Letting the territorial horned menaces loose on guests would just be bad manners.