There were twelve of them: House Vance guards in the Duke’s black and crimson livery, at the head of which was a man Elena knew—Captain Darrow, her father’s household swordmaster.
A C-rank combatant who had taught Elena’s brothers how to fight and who had looked at Elena as if she were furniture.
“Lady Elena…” Darrow said, not bowing.
“The Duke requests your immediate return to the estate, and the surrender of the slave.” “He’s not a slave,” Elena replied, affecting a casual attitude, a loose posture, and keeping her hands at her sides.
The muscles in her thighs tensed imperceptibly—the Shadow Step was already humming in her veins, waiting for the command.
“The paperwork was signed an hour ago.
You can confirm whether he is a free citizen in the registry.” “The Duke does not recognize unauthorized filings,” Darrow replied, his jaw tightening.
“That creature belongs to House Vance.
It was purchased with Vance funds.” “Fifteen gold crowns from my personal allowance,” Elena countered coolly.
“It is quite distinct from the estate.
Do you want me to show the receipt?
Or would you rather explain to the Academy why you tried to kidnap a free citizen from their premises?” The guards shifted uneasily.
They were household troops, not mercenaries, and they knew the fine details of ownership rights, as well as the fact that the Academy was completely neutral by decree of the Emperor.
Darrow took another step forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Lady Elena.
Your father is not a man to forgive insults.
You have insulted him by withholding information pertaining to a significant asset, which should have been reported to the family.
Additionally, you have created a significant distraction and drawn unwanted attention to a potentially profitable acquisition, which does not reflect well upon the reputation of House Vance.” He stopped a few paces from Elena.
“You will come quietly.
You will hand over the asset, and the Duke may forgive your…
indiscretion.” Elena looked at the dozen guards surrounding her, then at Darrow, and at Kael, standing by her side, his hand on his sword, his eyes already glowing crimson.
She could fight them off, could take them on with Shadow Step and Kael’s B-rank suppression runes, but it would be a pyrrhic victory at best, and most importantly, it would give her father reason enough to banish her from the capital.
Better to cut off the head of the snake with clever words.
“Captain Darrow,” Elena said sweetly.
“How much does House Vance pay you?” “What?” “Your wages.
Your bounty.
Your stipend.
I’m interested in what the current rate is for a C-rank swordmaster who would threaten his master’s daughter in a public corridor.” “That’s none of your—” “I’ll double your pay.” The words hung in the air.
“I’ll double your pay,” Elena repeated, “if you stop right here.
Not for good, mind you, only for this instance of this…
moment of weakness and misjudgment.
Just stand aside and let me and my property pass, and I shall reward you with the amount that would buy you twice the loyalty.” Elena unclipped a small pouch from her coat, tossing it to Darrow, who caught it instinctively.
“Fifty gold crowns,” Elena said, watching the glint of metal in the man’s eyes.
“A deposit.
We can discuss the remainder when I am in a position to do so.” There was a long pause as Darrow looked at the pouch, then at Elena, and something deep inside him unclipped.
Something that had not unclipped since the day he had sworn fealty to House Vance.
“You’ve changed, my lady,” he said finally.
“I have,” Elena said.
“I have come of age.
And I’ve learned that every man has a price; the question is whether he has the intelligence to accept the market value.” He looked at the pouch once more, then at the other guards, and he finally stepped aside.
“Move,” Captain Darrow ordered, and the troops did.
Elena and Kael walked down the corridor, and the next time Elena looked back, she could see Darrow watching her, calculating.
The most she would get for her troubles was a quiet transfer to the lower districts—not nearly enough, she knew, but she did not have the capital to invest in a simple bribe.
When they reached the North Tower and Elena locked her door from the inside, the first thing she did was kneel on the floor.
“You bought them off,” Kael said.
“I invested in them,” Elena muttered, her body shaking from the aftershocks of the still-ongoing fight.
“Darrow remains loyal to the Duke but sees me as a viable investment option.
For now, that’ll have to do.” Elena looked at her status.
[DEATH FLAG: 174 DAYS REMAINING – DELAYED] [ASSET #1 STATUS: FREE CITIZEN / PERSONAL SPONSORSHIP] [USER STATUS: FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT FROM HOUSE VANCE] [NET WORTH: 423 GOLD CROWNS (LIQUID)] [FACTION: VANCE PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS – ESTABLISHED] [NEW TITLE: THE IRON BROKER] [DEATH FLAG STATUS: DELAYED – ESTIMATED 14 DAYS ADDED] The numbers mocked her.
She was barely more than a pauper; four hundred gold crowns would buy her food for two months in the capital.
She did not have allies, she did not have friends, and she had an A-rank combat asset that was the crown jewel of every noble house in Terandria.
But at least her father could not kill her with a word.
Her thoughts drifted to the five thousand onlookers in the courtyard below as Kael sank beside her and took her hand.
“One asset,” Elena mused.
“Net worth: almost nothing.
Allies: none.
Enemies: the Duke, the Academy, the Ashford family, and possibly the Crown.
Portfolio value: incalculable.” Kael squeezed her hand gently.
“Compound interest.” “Yes,” Elena exhaled, rising to her feet.
“Compound interest.” She stood at the window, looking out onto the panorama that stretched before her.
Somewhere in the crowd, Celestine bellowed, her father was having a minor fit, and the Headmaster was delivering his report.
And somewhere in the lower quarter of the capital, the Trash Prince, the Crippled Knight, and the Mute Mage waited.
Assets #2, #3, and #4.
“Still with me?” Kael asked.
Elena turned to look at him, a smile playing on her lips.
“Yes.” The man standing by her side at the window drew his sword.
The smile on his face was just as warm as the point at her throat.
“So am I,” Kael said.
In the bottom corner of Elena’s vision, the clock was ticking down, but slower now, and somewhere in the mass of arcane words, new words had surfaced.
[ARC 1 COMPLETE] [PORTFOLIO: 1 ASSET] [NET WORTH: RISING] [DEATH FLAG: DELAYED] [NEXT ARC: BUILDING THE PORTFOLIO] [TICK: Arc 1 complete.
Financial independence achieved.
First asset emancipated and bonded.
Compound interest initiated.
The market is open.]