The entire great hall was silent as Duke Alexander read through the letter, infact it was so silent that if a pin dropped on the floor it would have sounded like an earthquake.
He finished the letter after sometime and then gazed intently at the DEA agents standing before him.
" The proposition is a great one, infact it is perfect without any flaw but I have a question....
... Does Maximilian think that because I have allowed him to preside over Valum, that it gives him the gravitas to dare negotiate with me?
He doesn't even have the decency to come beg properly by himself."
" I will allow this discrepancy on account of his birth and his lack of noble tutelage but let it be known that I can take what he holds in a blink of an eye. "
With that they were allowed to begin their recruitment from the dukedom as long as it didn't cause a nuisance.
...
The Duke has now retired into his study when someone barged in, it was his wife Lucretia Caligula but before that she was Lucretia Volder of house Volder. The head of the house had a title of Count and was part of the imperial Court so the influence of their family was not negligible.
Lucretia was also a very competent mage with a variation of water magic that allowed her to control plants.
This shouldn't be confused with nature magic that allows one to grow plants in a blink of an eye, this one controlled already existing plants.
She could also manipulate water in its own.
" I hear you allowed Maximilian to take people to boost his workforce, why would you do that ?
It is not enough that you dishonored me by lying with that whore, you went ahead to give him land and now even when he killed a knight under your command and makes the others betray you, you still give him audience and allow him to do as he likes. "
Alexander finally raised his head from the table and looked up at his wife.
" For sixteen years, I have hidden the boy away from you and our other children.
It is no doubt that his illegitimacy is a stain on the prestige of my house and also his lack of any combat related magic does not make me any more fond of him .
But one thing is clear, he poses no threat to the birthright of the other children, he has not strength to take it even if he wanted.
In the time since I sent him to Valum he has brought in ten times the revenue that the previous Lord brought in and aside from the death of Sir Ude he has not caused any trouble. "
" In that case just to be sure,invite him to our daughter Katrinas engagement ceremony to the second Prince.
The date has been set for the last month of the year.
Let him come and in front of everyone he would renounce his right to any birthright , he would not contest for anything unless that which is handed to him.
At the end of the year in three months, he must come stand in front of everyone and swear absolute loyalty to you and the direct heirs."
..
...
As this was going on Max was in a dilemma, he was planning on restucturing the map of the territory into residential districts, industrial district, administrative, military and business districts.
He was planning on modernizing the town a bit maybe till the level of 1960s suburbs.
There were many things to do and so few people to do it.
He had opened up ceramic and cement making factories and had taught the workers how to make the things he needed but there were so few of them that the factories output was just negligible.
He was still focused on the blueprints sprawled across his desk when he heard a sharp knock on his door.
" Come in." He answered
Captain Kyle walked in and saluted , he was no longer dressed in the knights tabard but in the uniform of Scorpia's soldiers.
" Is there something to report Captain Kyle?"
" Some of our merchants that were sent to Thagalia have returned, the Lord of the town seized the the entire caravan under the guise that the merchants were charging exorbitant rates and when one of them tried to question the reason behind the seizure he was killed."
" Tell me all there is to know about Thagalia." Max replied
" The land size is nearly identical to ours, the town guards number maybe eight hundred or so , maybe about fifty of them are mages.
The one placed in charge of the town is Baron Eppes, he is a very distant relative of the Duke."
" What if the population?"
" Almost ten thousand my Lord."
" Good. " Maximilian said and then brought out some paper and in and began writing.
To Baron Eppes, Lord of Thagalia,
It has come to my attention that some of my goods were seized unlawfully. I have admonished my men because there must have been a misunderstanding .
So in order to resolve this you will send back my goods untouched , you will also send gold to the value of ten times the value of the goods.
You will also return the body of my subject undefiled with the appropriate compensation.
Failure to meet this demands will be a declaration of treason against the Duke ,
I am the will of Duke Alexander Caligula in Valum,
Fail to meet my demands within a week and I will march my militia into your lands and I will have you and your entire family nailed to the cross where you will hang till you die.
Act wisely my Lord
Maximilian Scorpia
Lord and protector of Valum.
Maximilian then shifted his focus back to the Captain standing in front of him, he was given the letter.
" Have this letter delivered to Thagalia, have someone send condolences to the merchants family on my behalf and also prepare a memorial service to honor him.
Finally I need one hundred and fifty soldiers ready with their equipments ready, we will attack Thagalia in three days time regardless of their response. "