Dragonborn Saga

Chapter 741: 46: The Blank Coin

Hey, guys. Eid Mabrouk though it is over. Got a little busy lately. Anyways, here's a new chapter.

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Entering my father's office, an overwhelming sense of insignificance washed over me. The vastness of the room was accentuated by the towering skydome above. At the far end stood a circular library, elevated on its own level and accessible only by a winding staircase. Dominating the space was my father's colossal desk, its size rivaling half that of a typical conference table.

In Father's office, the walls were adorned with numerous Van Brosa paintings, although they were outnumbered by maps of every known region—nearly double the quantity. Amidst this opulent display, Father's collection of weapons, pistols, and exotic artifacts was strategically arranged, adding to the overall grandeur of the space.

In contrast to its function as an office, this space was intended to resemble a museum. However, I am not an expert on men's hobbies, and being a collector is not the most questionable among them.

"Finders Keepers, huh? Is this how you are trying to justify your ill-considered visit to the Black Market?"

Seeing Father showing his displeasure after supporting me out there, I am sure he is disappointed to some extent. Even though it was weighing emotionally on me to see him like that, I knew better than to mess with my chances.

"I just want a straight answer, Father, and I promise you everything will be explained. I may as well get praised."

"Vivian... Vivian." Father sighed as he double-mentioned my name, "Let's pretend I am someone who has ill intentions towards you. What do you think I can do with such a piece of news?"

"As for my haters, they should all know better by now. I survived their shaming marriage incident, an attack after my life, an investigation trying to pin a murder on me, and lastly the finals where I had to endure a man-made inferno of exams. If I were my hater, I would tread carefully and know that I don't make such mistakes." I replied while making the last sentence clearer than ever.

"Fine. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Finders Keepers, Daddy?"

"Finders Keepers, Vivian."

I couldn't help but smile. As a man of his word, my father may just go crazy after knowing what I got.

"I don't want to rush the good things or be over-enthusiastic myself but I managed to liberate a pretty good craftsman from the hands of the Blackguards."

"You... liberated?"

"I paid for his freedom."

"So you knew better than to buy a slave."

"Obviously."

"Hmmm... it still may hold little importance if someone wanted to slander you."

"I was planning to hide the Duergar I discovered."

"Hold on, I still don't have all the details... You liberated a Duergar craftsman... and the Blackguards just let it happen?"

"They had no idea he was a craftsman. Well, he was part of the craftsman slaves pen but since he was useless to them, they listed him as a laborer before accepting my money."

"How much did you pay?"

"Around 50,000."

"Too much for a laborer, too little for a craftsman."

"I used up half of my brain just to annoy them enough and acted all sorts of crazy so that I could get him."

"Hmmm, now I am curious."

"A Metallurgist."

There was a slight pause as I said so and my father kept looking at me.

"How did you find out about his skill?"

"I used unconventional means but the signs were clear, yet hidden under a few layers of soot."

"If he is a Metallurgist and you bought him his freedom from the Blackguards, they won't sit still and will do anything to retrieve him."

"Can they? He is a free man now and since he works for me, he is practically one of your subjects."

Father looked at me and sighed realizing that I pulled his leg into trouble with me this time.

"You are just like your mother." He said and massaged his temples.

"She gave you a lot of headaches too?"

"You have no idea... it is like... you've grown to be a lot like her all of a sudden."

I know that the topic of my mother is one of the difficult things to talk about with him but seeing him bring it up, I couldn't help but ask. But his answer is that I am growing to be like her which may mean that she lived in circumstances similar to mine.

I can only imagine right now but I am not too keen on finding out as long as Father is not the one telling things to me.

"So, back to the topic at hand. That Metallurgist, he is now a free man but you managed to take him in, right?"

"Yes. As you can imagine, he lived a life that pushed him to the edge of both body and mind but he was very compassionate about a certain topic. He seemed to have a lost wife and he wants our help to reunite with her."

"Good. This will keep him under your care for some time but you must keep it a secret."

"Of course, I will. I wasn't planning on telling you before you agreed on "Finders Keepers"."

"Vivian, I have a handful of Metallurgists working under me, why would I need the one you just acquired?"

See that answer just now? It will be something completely different tonight.

But just as we were settling on how to act according to the coming situation, a secretary walked in.

"My Lord, my Lady. Lady Agatha is asking to meet with Lady Vivian outside."

"Alright." Father signaled the man to dismiss.

"Aunt Agatha is looking for you, better not keep her waiting." He said as he was dismissing me as well.

"I am somewhat disappointed with her. I thought she would support me." I spoke my mind.

"Seeing how she acted today, I say she likes you a lot already." He said while examining the documents on his desk.

"Thanks, Father, I will go see her now."

Agatha Moore is my father's aunt, making her my great-aunt. She is the oldest member of the board of directors and has a lot of influence being the Director of Imports herself. She has filled that position for 40 years and so I expected some support from her but she was rather against my enterprise.

In fact, most of the ones who supported me were the male members of the board whereas the female members were all against me.

Tsk tsk tsk, feminism is wasted on them!

As I got out of my father's office, I could see a number of directors and partners gathered in a place and talking amongst one another. As soon as they saw me, some of them bowed to each other and walked out while others walked toward their offices in different directions.

As for the ones who remained, it was my father's cousin, Uncle Tristan, and my great-aunt, Lady Agatha. The two looked at me and I could feel they were acting friendly.

"That was... uncalled for." The Prince leaned on his knees and started to catch his breath.

"Don't lean. Back straight, chest forward."

"Yes, yes."

"And I told you to not wear your ring."

"I'm not wearing it. I even left it with Edmond."

The instructor looked at Edmond, who was lying backward on a chair with his face covered with a book.

"Is this really the most diligent of your men?"

"Don't mind him, instructor. He hasn't slept for two days straight."

The instructor nodded understandably but seeing that Edmond was sleeping unbothered almost 15 meters away, he became rather impressed and terrified.

"Young prince, you either use magic or blade, I find it bothersome you can't still make your mind."

"Why not when I am good at both?"

"No one is good at both. I know that your potential is immeasurable but you can't just..."

"Don't tell me what I can't and I can't do, sir."

"I am sorry, your highness. I overstepped my place."

"It doesn't matter. Let's do this again tomorrow."

"If you excuse me."

The instructor bowed to the Prince and walked out of the training room. With that, Prince Liam shook his head and let out a short chuckle.

But just as the instructor opened the door to walk out, a short young man walked past him through the door and straight to the Prince.

"I have news, your Highness." Ian Grayson spoke but as he turned and saw Edmond sleeping in the position, he paused his steps and let out a sigh, "But I guess Edmond has already informed you."

"Yes." The Prince held up a cup of water and drank from it, "Vivian is at it again."

"The Black Market this time, of all places, she may have been up to us."

"I checked with our men." Edmond spoke in the same pose he was, "She was there for a slave."

"Then isn't this a ripe opportunity, Your Highness?" Ian asked and turned to the Prince, "We can corner her this time."

"It doesn't matter." The Prince said, "We acted hastily the past few times. Vivian always finds a way out."

"But she got too close." Ian argued.

"Or she just had her own reasons." The Prince shrugged, "I am leaving this matter for Edmond to investigate."

Ian seemed a little dissatisfied with the Prince's passive attitude and his eyes kept looking around as if he was thinking.

"Relax, Ian. You can keep conducting your business the way you always do."

"Your Highness, you know how I feel about the Moores getting this close under my nose."

"So what? Everyone in the Capital knows the Moores and the Graysons have been out for each other's throats since the two Houses were founded. Go home, Ian."

"Yes, Your Highness. Have a good night."

The Prince watched as Ian went out as well before shaking his head and kicking Edmond's leg.

"Mhm?" Edmond lazily removed the book from his face and looked at the Prince.

"This goblin, Ian. You said he was getting closer to Matilda." The Prince asked.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com

"You know Miss Matilda has no shields for others. It seems he was convincing her to help him publicize his next business venture." Edmond said.

"I find it bothersome."

"Well, if it is Miss Matilda, I'm afraid it is not wise to limit her freedom."

"Vivian would have chewed that goblin and left him in bits if he got close to her with such an offer."

"Missing Vivian, your Highness?"

"What is there to miss when she keeps jumping on every little opportunity to remind me that she exists." The Prince said before a smile betrayed his face that he had to hide quickly by drinking water again.

Edmond fixed his posture and looked at the Prince. He noticed that smile and didn't mistake it for anything else.

"She was the perfect candidate for Queen. A shame what happened!"

"What had to happen." The Prince corrected him, "Matilda is far more valuable than Vivian even though she doesn't hold a candle to her abilities."

"You are still not letting that out of your head."

"A 0.01 grade, Edmond. A hundredth of a... fucking grade."

"Yep, let it out of your system."

"DAMMIT!"

Furious, the Prince violently kicked the table next to him, letting out a roar of frustration. This emotional outburst was the culmination of all the pent-up feelings he'd been harboring since graduating.

"And she let me have the first place. SHE! LET! ME! HAVE! IT!"

"Oh boy!" Edmond rolled his eyes as the Prince kept kicking things.

"I can't, Edmond. I just can't." The Prince said and sat on his ass, "I can't endure it with Vivian. I had to let her go. I feel like shit."

"Just remember I was against it."

"You were. It is a matter where there is no right answer. I was being greedy back then and I still am. House Moore needs to return under my wing no matter what and her brother Robert is our safest bet."

"What about getting Princess Charlotte engaged to him?"

"Queen Janett and Lady Shu will soon bite our heads off before we get the chance to."

"Then we have to do what we have to do. Get Vivian out of the equation and make Robert the heir."

"Right." The Prince nodded, "Let's not get after Vivian regarding this slave thing, though. I am sure she has some way to retaliate. Leave it to Ian or Robert to do something stupid about it again."

"Not doing things is what I am good at."