"You observed far too much for someone of your age," said Dean. It wasn't like he didn't know about the information which Ajax told him. But he didn't expect Ajax to know about it and take actions due to it.
Many cultivators wouldn't realize the differences until they are too old. The higher the grade of the technique, the better it lays the foundation to the cultivator at lower stages. This well known to cultivators who are at peak Duke or at King stages. At that level, they already have enough experience and could easily find out the differences.
Though Dean wasn't at such a high cultivation, he had enough experience and contacts due to his job to have found out the same.
"Ok. I get it," said Dean. "You are not after their spear technique itself, but want to learn different kind of water element techniques. Probably get a few tips and hints which you can use to improve your mastery of blood techniques."
"Yes, more or less," agreed Ajax.
"If you plan to just improve your blood techniques, why not use a sword. You are a real talent at it and you can have your family's techniques as a reference too. Learning spear is an extra burden. Isn't it?" asked Dean.
"But I also want to learn spear as I believe that their techniques would be best implemented with a spear as all of them use them same weapon and have a dojo for it," answered Ajax.
"So, your idea is to keep provoking him and betting him. Slowly escalate their bets and finally bet with him to gain a look at his family techniques. You also probably accept a contract to keep them secret and such thing which they will ask of you," said Dean. "It wont work as expect."
"I don't intend to provoke him into betting his techniques. That will unnecessarily earn me both his ire and also his family's. I always intended to befriend him," said Ajax.
"Huh, you think he would give it to you willingly?" asked Dean. "I would really like to know what hare-brained scheme the kid thought of?" he thought.
"I am not continuously provoking him. I am also to make a friendship, but I will always put him on the edge. I actually would rather be on the same team as him in the hunters. It is better be on the same team as him and help him improve faster. I intend to be a kind of teammate the pushes him to grow stronger and gain his confidence before suggesting him to have a look at his techniques to help him learn and improve faster," said Ajax.
"Moreover, training alongside him regularly would also give a chance to see the different ways he practices and allow me to add such things in my own methods," continued Ajax.
"So, you expect to be able to still defeat him easily after he became a knight stage cultivator?" asked Dean.
"Hey, I was one just a few months ago. I am sure that I can still manage to put in a good fight," said Ajax.
"Apart from that, you should also be able to understand and teach different mana techniques for him in order to pull that off," added Dean.
"I think that is possible. I am a genius of sorts, if you haven't realized already," said Ajax with smile at his lips. He knew that he spouting nonsense, but he still said it boldly appearing confident.
"Don't you think you are being a bit over confident?" asked Dean.
"Ok, you might think so. But I guess you don't really have a problem with me if I can do it, right?" smiled Ajax.
"It actually would be fine. Still I advise you to stop this silly thing with Jean. I know that you can probably get Jean hooked, but his father Jeremy isn't the same as him. He is also a schemer and currently serves as a commander in charge of the western border. He will quickly guess it," advised Dean.
"I have already started it," said Ajax. "Why would I stop. Even if his father understands my attempt. Are you sure, he would forcibly intervene. From what I heard it isn't his style and it isn't like it wouldn't help his own son improve faster having a good rival."
"But you will earn the contempt of the Creek family which is not good," said Dean. "I believe that you want to get back to your roots some time in life and return to your rightful place as a prince. It is not sensible to earn the ire and contempt of the noble families with such behavior."
As he heard Dean, he suddenly felt that Dean was right. All this time, he had been acting like he was a loner. It was like his memories of his past life had him confused and he believed that he had not supporters or relations.
Though his current situation made him one, he cannot forever continue to be alone. He was a prince, a member of royalty. In this world, many would consider his birthright to rule. Just mentioning his identity could gain him many supporters after he gained a decent bit of strength. But at the same time, he also needed to make sure that he didn't earn some infamy or ire of the various clans and families.
"So, what would you have me do then?" asked Ajax. "I hope you have an alternative."
"There is an alternative," said Dean. "You can actually get it from the family directly. You just don't know since you were always handed any method you came to know about."
"They can give it directly to me? Really? How come I never heard or read of it?" asked Ajax.
"It is because it is not written and is not talked about openly," said Dean. "It doesn't involve challenges or fighting them too. It is just plain business."
"What?" asked Ajax getting up surprised. He was sure that he had chosen the most easy and fast way for him to learn spearmanship of the Creek family.
"Ok, I understand you are finding it hard to accept, but I will explain," said Dean sitting on a chair while signaling Ajax to do the same.
"How much do you know about the Creek family and their situation?" asked Dean as they sat down.
"Just the basics. Jean's grandfather was originally a baron but they managed to become viscount due to their services to the kingdom. He was married to the daughter of the Marquess Brown. Their territory is at the southern edge of the kingdom on the border beside some forbidden forest," said Ajax listing out everything he had learnt about the Creeks from his time as a prince. In the royal castle, his tutors taught him general geography and politics of the kingdom from which he retained some information which could easily list out.
"Ok, not bad," said Dean. "The location is right. But you are missing a few important parts."
"The forbidden forest is actually an independent territory. It is not part of any kingdom or empire. Filled with monsters but no ruler beasts which are close to the strength of a king stage cultivator. So, it is not considered a beast territory. On the other side of the forest is the Highbrow empire. The Viscount actively make expeditions and maintains the security of that region and holds that border safe," explained Dean.
"We are at war with the Highbrow empire?" asked Ajax surprised. He had never heard about scuffles that the Darkhan empire and Andar Kingdom had with any neighbors.
"We are always at war, kid," said Dean seriously. It astounded Ajax. Even in the market at the fort, he had never heard of any war with other kingdoms. The coup was talked about a lot. There was some talk about the bandits and beasts infiltrating the kingdom due to lack of proper defense. He began to wonder if someone declared ware to take advantage of all this.
"By we, I mean the border guard. On the other hand, the kingdom isn't at war with any other kingdoms or empires," added Dean with a smile on his face. It was finally his turn to play with his words. Ajax had been doing it when they discussed. He kept changing his words quickly which irritated Dean a lot. He was glad that he could do it to Ajax now.
"Funny," said Ajax understanding what Dean did just now. "You got me there."
"Well I did find it funny," said Dean smiling.
"Anyway," continued Dean. "The forbidden forest like all other forbidden areas has a bunch of bandits and evil sects. They are as many of those low lives as the beasts. They are the ones that usually help the beasts infiltrate our borders and though guarding against the isn't the responsibility of human border forces, we do accept requests from lords to help them."
"So, in return for help the family provides techniques?" asked Ajax skeptical. He found it a bit unreasonable that someone would provide their family techniques for something so trivial. "Are you serious?"
"Well depends on the help you provide and your contacts and affiliations," said Dean.
"Do you think such families can keep such techniques to themselves for such long time and stay peacefully? No it isn't possible. There will always be someone who is strong enough or talented enough to force them. Instead of coming into direct conflict, these guys just sell them for services," explained Dean.
"They might put restrictions and contracts which limit the spread to only that person or a small group so that their techniques wouldn't be easily spread or found in black markets. But they do provide them. If a family is low on funds and is suffering economically or wants some specific resources, it isn't rare for them to put them up for auctions either. It is usually done through black market, but sometimes even done in proper auctions held by legal entities," Dean continued.
"So, I have been working unnecessarily and let everyone know of my strength while there is actually no need for it?" asked Ajax shocked. He began to realize that while he had a lot of knowledge of the workings of a world without mana and magic, it was quite different from his current world.
Here, might makes right and this might is not just defined by the large amounts of money or private armies. Even single person of high cultivation or a small group can decimate thousands. Here, heroes and villains with enormous power are just slightly uncommon. So, the pattern of politics, economics and many other fields change accordingly. He had to accordingly change his thoughts and plans. What he considered obvious might not be so.
"Yes, you been trying too hard. That stupid handicaps that you have put on yourself were all very funny. We all enjoyed it," said Dean.
"Damn," said Ajax. "Even though I have been better educated, I seem to lack the basic common sense about living as a normal subject, don't I?"
"You do need to learn more," agreed Dean. "But it isn't simple common sense to know of all these. You just lack some experience. Anyway back to the matter at hand. You just continue to compete with Jean and probably be at similar strength to partner with him on a mission. You wanted to get a glance at his techniques and understand them through practice. Earning his friendship is still useful, but you needn't guess and tire yourself to understand his techniques. I will create the opportunity for you to go to their territory within the week. To be frank as you didn't have the same attribute as them, I can have Raban recommend you and get you the entire techniques as long as you sign some contracts that you wouldn't spread them or use them against their family."
"Wow! That is quite generous of him. He is helping me quite a lot. I should remember this favor," thought Ajax. Then, he suddenly realized that even Dean cannot send him to the Creek's territory without an official request from them.
"They are already requested for help from the border guard, didn't they?" asked Ajax looking at Dean.
"Good guess," said Dean. "Jeremy did requested for help, but specifically from the hunter division. He has more than enough normal soldiers for fights and guarding, but he needs some outsiders to help with some infiltration kind of thing."
"That sounds serious," said Ajax. "Why would you send new recruits like me for something like that?"
"It is because you are young, that you are required. Don't worry there will also be some of us veterans who will be alongside you," answered Dean. "He specifically requested Jean to get to his territory for this. He possibly wants to use this chance to train his son a bit."