Chapter 281: A Father’s Offer

For all his experience, Cassian felt the hairs on his neck rise.

There was only one man who could make both Maren and Bren behave like that. No wonder Ironwake had tightened its security. Edran Frost had come to see his son.

Cassian did not know how he had descended. Will Descent seemed the most likely answer.

He had far too many secrets to welcome this meeting. Dealing with Merrick had been difficult enough. He had no desire to attract the head of House Frost’s attention at such close range.

With a thought, he called on the Golden Statuette. His expression became perfectly natural.

Before he could turn away, Maren flew up beside him.

"Since you’re here, Lord Cassian, why not come inside?"

He smiled easily. "Darian has family visiting. I wouldn’t want to interrupt."

"You’re hardly a stranger to us." Maren returned his smile. "And our guest would like to thank you in person for looking after him."

Cassian sighed inwardly. Another refusal would look deliberate.

"There’s no need for thanks. We help each other."

He followed her down and entered the Lord’s Hall.

Like his own, Darian’s Hall had a large reception room on the ground floor. His friend lay back on a couch, still pale. At the sight of Cassian, however, his face brightened.

"You didn’t have to bring anything!"

Then he pointed to the middle-aged man beside him.

"This is my father."

The man had a calm gaze and the sort of presence that needed no raised voice. Even his vessel had been carefully chosen. That face alone would have made plenty of wealthy women look twice.

Cassian put the Moonrice on the table and offered his hand.

"Good to meet you, sir. I’m Cassian. Darian and I are practically brothers. Just Cassian is fine."

Maren froze. So did Merrick, standing behind the visitor.

Edran had been studying the young man who kept breaking Homeworld records. Now he glanced at the offered hand.

A handshake?

That custom had only become popular in the last century or so.

He extended his right hand and gave Cassian’s a light shake, doing his best to act like an ordinary father.

"Darian has told me about the Legion Contest. First in the individual contest, first in the Legion Contest, and one Homeworld record after another. You’ve done remarkably well."

"Divine Province wouldn’t be where it is without Darian’s money," Cassian said at once.

Darian burst out laughing. "What can I say? I have a good father!"

Edran gave his son a helpless look.

They had been apart for a long time. The boy had certainly become less restrained.

He also seemed happier.

Let him enjoy it. In another century, when he ascended to the Third Realm, being Edran Frost’s son would leave him little chance to live so freely.

After a little more conversation, Cassian turned to the reason for his visit.

"Activating the statue damaged Darian’s vitality. I brought something to help him recover."

"The Moonrice? I’ve still got some."

Darian’s eyes widened as Cassian began setting small bottles on the table. Soon, ten stood in a neat row, their contents glowing with rich vitality.

"Life Water? No, that feels much stronger..."

"Life Essence," Edran said. Interest sharpened his gaze. "It replenishes vital essence and can improve Aptitude."

Treasures capable of improving Aptitude were valuable even in the upper Realms. Bringing them down added a considerable expense. For Darian’s present condition, this was exactly the right medicine.

"I know!" Darian looked at Cassian. "Your new Elven Hero got it for you, didn’t she?"

Cassian only smiled.

A former Elven Queen finding a few bottles through old contacts sounded reasonable enough. He was happy to leave Darian with that explanation.

"This will help him a great deal," Edran said. "House Frost does not leave such kindness unpaid. Tell me what you need."

Darian leaned toward his father and lowered his voice.

"He has everything. Except money."

"Money?" Edran considered him. "Your self-created Epic troop line and its Hall have already proved what you can do. I hear developing them costs you a fortune. How soon could you take that work further?"

"It shouldn’t take too long," Cassian said carefully. "Provided I have enough money."

He was bluffing.

With enemies on every side, House Frost’s support could buy him precious time to develop. Financial support would be particularly welcome.

Edran’s interest visibly increased. Creating an Epic troop line and deriving its corresponding Troop Building was an essential qualification for a Sovereign. Cassian had already crossed that threshold. If he could keep advancing...

"What do you think of the Jade Court?"

Here it came.

Cassian’s expression turned serious.

"Vermin eating the Crown from within. Anyone with the strength should put an end to them."

Edran looked satisfied.

"Then there are a few things you should know."

As he explained, several old questions finally fell into place.

Now Cassian understood why the Jade Court had been so determined to suppress him in the Legion Contest, even at the cost of working with the western powers. He also understood why eight Provinces with no close ties to him had chosen to remain in the First Legion.

House Frost and its two allied powers had been supporting them in secret. The three hundred veteran military Lords had come through the same arrangement. Even the famous uprisings in Harmony, Peace, and Haven had received their backing.

"Western Beacon and its allies are stripping the Jade Court of its strength a little at a time," Edran continued. "The Court’s rulers cannot see beyond their own immediate comfort. Give them another century, and the Crown may have no foundations left in the Seventh Realm."

He paused.

"Your result in the Legion Contest surprised more than your enemies. The old men in our three powers were astonished too. Those thirteen Provinces are treasures now. Western Beacon, the Black Banner, and the others will already be making plans. They won’t wait long."

Cassian understood that much.

"And what do you propose, sir?"

"If you have the courage, I can speak for House Frost. We will give you our full support in becoming the Crown’s new Sovereign in the Seventh Realm."

Edran watched his face closely.

To his frustration, Cassian looked doubtful.

"You can speak for all of House Frost? You’re not just making a grand promise to encourage me, are you?"

Edran’s brow rose. For a moment, he almost announced exactly who he was.

Beside him, Darian dissolved into laughter.

Cassian went on with an entirely innocent expression.

"Perhaps you could give me a small demonstration of your resources first."

He rubbed his thumb against his forefinger.

Edran drew a slow breath.

"Money. Yes, I understand."

A bottle of Life Essence was worth more than five hundred million Aether. Since Cassian had brought it at the moment Darian needed it most, Edran valued each at the generous upper price of one billion.

Ten billion Aether entered Cassian’s account.

His smile became much more sincere.

The joking had served another purpose. He had too many secrets to accept Edran’s offer carelessly. What if House Frost then asked to station its people in Riftward Region? Would he agree or refuse?

And that was before considering the Five Elements Temple.

Their present arrangement suited him very well. They could cooperate without bringing House Frost into everything he owned.

Edran seemed to see through him. Instead of pressing, he smiled and changed the subject.

"What are your plans for the Provincial Ranking?"

For a moment, Cassian wondered why a man of his standing cared so much about a newcomer sector.

Then the answer became obvious. The thirteen Crown Provinces had gained an enormous advantage. Edran would hardly ignore a chance to turn it into lasting strength.

Darian looked annoyed at the reminder.

"Of all things, it had to be Construction Index. Divine Province has fewer than six hundred thousand Lords. We lose before we start in a ranking based on production."

"I’ve just finished the calculation," Maren said. "Even with our unusually rich resources, we would need at least three million additional Lords to have a chance at the top ten. But opening general migration would undo much of what we’ve worked for."

Everyone understood the problem.

Once a Nation was founded, its Lords could move freely between its Provinces. Until then, moving a Domain to a chosen location in another Province required an Advanced Relocation Writ.

The whole Homeworld would struggle to produce a million of those Writs, let alone three million.

To bring in that many Lords, Divine Province would have to open its borders to random arrivals using ordinary Relocation Writs. That would admit anyone: genuine settlers, opportunists, enemy agents.

They had finally brought order to the Province. Opening it now could throw it into confusion again and give an invading enemy its way in.

"If people from House Frost, the Caerwyn Dominion, or House Valcrest want to develop here, they’re welcome," Cassian said. "But general migration stays closed."

With the Five Elements Temple behind him, he could afford to be firm.

The others had no idea he had a World Wonder to count on. They could only sigh at the opportunity slipping away.

Edran did not seem surprised by his decision.

"Your population is small, but those resources are extraordinary. Perhaps Divine Province can still compete for a place in the top hundred."

Cassian smiled. "I’ll take that as a good omen, sir."