Antony began building his own relationships differently. He mostly made small agreements making sure they were short terms with a clear exit clauses.
No exclusive trade unless there was an overwhelming reason. No military obligations Antony couldn’t fulfill. No recognition of another Lord’s authority. No "protection" clauses that quietly became submission.
It earned him friends but it also made some people suspicious.
One evening, Antony sat in the private dining room with Roxanna while Michael lay across his lap.
Dinner had ended nearly half an hour earlier.
Michael, however, had decided Antony’s robe was more interesting than sleep. The baby gripped the fabric with both hands.
He looked down.
"You’re destroying this, it’s expensive."
Michael kicked at him.
Roxanna sipped tea.
"He likes the embroidery."
"It’s expensive embroidery."
"You are a Lord," she said in an exhausted voice.
"That does not make fabric indestructible," he countered.
Roxanna smiled.
Antony freed one section but Michael immediately grabbed another.
"This is deliberate."
"Everything is deliberate to you."
"He’s intelligent."
"He is three months old, Antony, he just found out he has hands and legs."
"That’s what I mean, he gets his brsins from me," he excitedly said while trying to free his gown.
Roxanna just stared at him.
Antony pointed down.
"Look at that face."
Michael stared upward.
Roxanna’s expression softened immediately.
"He does look serious."
"See?"
"He probably needs to burp."
He sighed.
"You ruined it."
She laughed.
Antony shifted Michael upright against his chest.
For several moments, the room became quiet.
Roxanna watched him.
"How were the meetings?" She asked.
"Annoying as always."
"Successful?"
"Mostly."
"Then why annoying?"
"Because now everyone wants something from us. I miss the life we had before, it was calm and no one disturbed us. Now I have to schedule the time to spend with you and it’s annoying," hr complained.
Roxanna nodded.
"That’s what happens when people realize you have value."
Antony looked toward her.
"I preferred being worthless."
"No, you preferred being unnoticed."
"Same result."
"Not really."
He sighed.
"We’re at Rank forty-one at the moment."
Roxanna raised an eyebrow.
"That high?"
"Apparently."
"Congratulations."
"Don’t start."
She smiled.
"You’re upset?"
"I’m concerned."
"Why?"
"Because I’m still Red," he seriously said,his gaze meeting her.
Roxanna understood immediately.
"A Red territory climbing too quickly."
"Exactly."
Michael burped almost at the same time.
Hr looked down.
"Thank you for your contribution."
Roxanna covered a laugh.
Antony continued.
"Other Red Lords are starting to contact us. Orange Lords will notice soon."
"They probably already have," she said.
Antony went quiet.
That thought had been bothering him too.
Roxanna reached across the table and placed her hand over his.
"Sweetheart."
"I’m fine."
"You’re thinking too far ahead."
"I have to."
"No. You have to think ahead. That’s different."
Antony looked at her.
She continued.
"If you spend every day imagining every enemy who might appear, you’ll stop noticing what is actually happening."
Antony glanced down at Michael who had settled against his chest.
Roxanna smiled.
"Your territory is growing."
"Yes."
"Your people are safer."
"Mostly."
"Trade is improving."
"Yes."
"Michael is healthy."
Antony looked at his son again.
"Very."
"And I’m recovering."
Antony’s attention returned to her.
He had noticed that her aura had become slightly stronger over the last few weeks.
"How much?" He curiously asked.
Roxanna tilted her head.
"How much what?"
"Your power."
She smiled faintly.
"Returning?"
"Yes."
"Slowly."
"Percentage?"
"I don’t know."
"You know."
Roxanna took another sip of tea.
"Perhaps."
Antony narrowed his eyes.
"Honey."
"Sweetheart."
"How much?"
She sighed.
"Enough."
"That’s not a number."
"It’s enough that if a Red Core Lord does something stupid, you don’t need to worry."
Antony leaned closer.
"What about Orange?" He said with a smile.
She smiled back.
"Still not worried."
Antony leaned back.
"That’s both comforting and terrifying."
"That’s how it should be."
Michael stirred.
Antony immediately lowered his voice.
Roxanna watched him with amusement.
"You carry him too much."
"There is no such thing."
"He’ll become used to it."
"Thats the point."
"Then he’ll refuse to sleep anywhere else," she quietly said.
Antony looked down.
Michael had already begun drifting off.
"That sounds like a future problem."
Roxanna laughed softly.
Over the following week, Antony’s regional rank rose again.
Thirty-eight... Then thirty-five... Then thirty-three.
Each increase produced more correspondence; scouts near the borders, merchants asking questions and Lords suddenly remembering Urelias Territory existed.
General Alric brought the latest patrol report into the council chamber one morning and dropped it onto the table.
"Three scouts yesterday," he said, his voice filled with tension.
Antony looked up.
"Identified?"
"Two."
"Who?"
"One from a neighboring Human territory. One from Lord Garron Serial."
The room became quieter.
Antony leaned back.
"Orange Core."
"Yes." Oren looked toward him. "Garron controls several territories south of us."
"Controls?"
"Influences is probably the best word."
"Same thing?" Antony said.
"Sometimes."
He looked at the map.
Lord Garron’s territory sat far enough away that Antony had never interacted with him directly. But several nearby Red territories carried his emblem.
He mainly provided protection arrangements while giving the territory made sure to maintain trade obligations and tribute.
Alric crossed his arms.
"His scout didn’t enter."
"Just watched?" Antony asked.
Alric’s nodded before answering.
"From outside the border."
Seris added, "Didn’t even try hiding much."
Antony frowned.
"So he wanted us to notice."
"Probably," Seris said.
Oren nodded. "He’s testing your response."
Antony tapped one finger against the table.
"What response does he want?"
"Fear." Seris shrugged. "Or curiosity."
Alric smiled.
"Maybe tribute."
Antony gave him a dry look.
"Very funny."
Oren looked toward the regional ranking.
Antony was now thirty-two.
Only four places below the highest-ranked independent Red territory in their immediate subregion.
Oren pointed.
"This is why."
Antony stared at the number, then at the surrounding territories. Several of them were already within Garron’s sphere.
He exhaled slowly.
"There it is."
Seris raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"The part where growing stops being fun," he said in an exhausted tone.
Alric laughed.
"You thought building walls and reviewing sewage plans was fun?"
"No."
"Then what part was fun?"
Antony thought about Michael smiling at him, Roxanna laughing in the garden, Dawnwing children playing alongside Mist Angel children in the new residential district, the market becoming too crowded,merchants complaining about road fees and the first school walls going up.
He smiled faintly.
"Some of it."
Oren noticed the change in his expression, then Antony looked back at the map.
"Double-check every trade contract connected to Garron’s territories."
Oren nodded.
"Already started."
"Don’t cancel anything."
Alric looked surprised.
"You think he’ll pressure them?"
"Probably."
"And you want to leave the routes open?"
"Until they close them themselves." Antony stood. "If we panic first, we do half his work for him."
Seris smiled.
"That sounded almost political."
Antony looked offended.
"Don’t insult me."
The others laughed.
The door opened and One of the guards entered and bowed.
"My Lord."
Antony looked toward him.
"What?"
"An official envoy arrived at the eastern gate."
Oren’s expression changed.
"From whom?"
The guard hesitated, then answered.
"Lord Garron Serial."
Silence settled across the council chamber.
Alric slowly smiled.
"Well."
Seris leaned back.
"That didn’t take long."
Antony stared at the regional map for several seconds.
Three months ago, nobody had cared what Urelias Territory did. Now an Orange Core Lord had sent an official envoy.
Antony sighed.
"Prepare the reception hall."
The guard bowed and left.
Oren gathered the papers in front of him.
"You want Michael taken upstairs before the meeting?"
Antony looked toward him, then toward the door leading back into the manor.
He thought about it.
"Yes."
Oren stopped and looked at him properly, eyes widened.
"No argument?" He asked.
"This one matters."
Seris smiled.
"Growth."
Antony ignored her and straightened his coat.