Chapter 413: A Sovereign’s Visit

Cassian did not know whether to laugh or sigh.

"All right. If you ever need money, just ask."

With roughly seventeen trillion Aether to his name, he could afford to say it.

"We know you’re rich," Darian said. "That doesn’t mean I want to owe you money."

"Fair enough." Cassian smiled. "You can keep paying for what comes next."

The guests stared at him.

There was more?

He did not keep them waiting. A wave of his hand brought out a glittering mass of swords. Some trembled gently, filling the air with a clear hum. Others floated and turned by themselves, alive with the will within their blades.

"Spiritlink Swords. Every one of them!"

Darian caught a hilt and examined the weapon.

"These attributes are even better than before."

Cassian had chosen the Spiritlink pattern carefully. Its skills and additional attributes already placed it among the finest Legendary weapons. His own forge could improve it through five separate effects: Enhanced Forging, Elemental Imbuement, Enchantment, Divine Favor, and Sword Soul.

Enhanced Forging was a Swordgrave trait. Every blade received its twenty-percent increase to base attributes.

The Temple’s Elemental Imbuement and the Swordgrave’s Sword Soul could be added when he chose, consuming Aether and accumulated Sword Soul respectively. Enchantment and Divine Favor depended on chance.

About a month earlier, his Domain Aether Vein had reached Supreme grade, strengthening Divine Favor again. Since then, he had kept the Swordgrave’s section running at dozens of times normal speed, paying for its accelerated time and keeping the forges supplied around the clock.

He wanted the blades on which both Enchantment and Divine Favor triggered.

It usually took dozens of swords, sometimes a hundred, to find one of those. Add paid Elemental Imbuement and three infusions of Sword Soul, and the result was a treasure that could stand beside a minor divine weapon.

The swords before his guests were the ones he had passed over.

Even a Spiritlink Sword without either chance effect was far better than an ordinary Legendary weapon. Here, there were more than a hundred thousand of them.

Alwin gave a rueful laugh and transferred his last ten billion Aether to Cassian.

"I came here expecting to make money. At this rate, I’ll leave with nothing."

"Make money?" Nessa said proudly. "No Aether gets past Cassian once he’s seen it. Ow!"

He had given her forehead a light tap.

"Is that the kind of person I am?"

The guests were already short of cash. They still began raising more through their own contacts, borrowing what they could and willingly sending it over.

The swords brought Cassian another trillion Aether in all. Considering their attributes, he had given his friends a very good price.

"Well, now that you’re all out of money..."

The guests began to relax.

Cassian’s smile widened.

"It’s time for the really good things."

"Again?" Darian stared at him. "You’re not serious."

No one else seemed to have anything left to say.

Cassian waved his hand once more. Several hundred flying warships appeared in their sealed item forms.

The guests brightened despite themselves.

"Those are the Covenant’s ships!"

"More than a hundred Legendaries? Boss, how much of that fleet did you destroy during the pursuit?"

Fivefold Heaven’s vessels had left a deep impression on everyone. They could fly at tremendous speed, and their defensive runes could shift among all five elements. Few Lords could look at them without wanting one.

"Magnificent," Lana said. Then she sighed. "But I really have nothing left. I’ve already borrowed everything I can."

Cassian had brought out all these treasures to strengthen Divine Nation. He was hardly desperate for another payment. This time, he simply divided the vessels among his allies.

By the end of the distribution, his own wealth had risen rather than fallen. He now held roughly eighteen trillion Aether.

Next came Banner Isle.

"I’ll take the Gildwake Banks. Divide the other marine resource sites evenly among yourselves."

He brought out the plan he had prepared.

"Of the fourteen provincial maps, Divine Province will take Vaust and Ravenscar. Each of the other twelve Provinces gets one."

The two wild Legendary Buildings were included in the arrangements as well. Cassian explained the rest of the division, then looked around the gathering.

"Any objections?"

There were none. The Governors voiced their agreement one after another.

"Good. Start collecting Fortune Duel Writs as soon as you can. Then you can begin consolidating the Fortune in your new territory."

That brought a fresh light to their eyes.

Every one of those Provinces had passed through three County Rankings. Consolidate their Fortune, and each could support at least three Regions with two thousand Fortune and three more with a thousand.

Apart from the extra Lord capacity of a provincial capital’s map, this was the greatest treasure a Province possessed. A Region with two thousand Fortune could fetch an extraordinary price even in a sector a century old.

The evening had given the guests far more than they expected. Only their purses were lighter.

At last, they ate and drank their fill. Satisfied guests began taking their leave.

Darian noticed that Nessa had made no move to rise.

"Aren’t you leaving?"

"Leaving?" Her cheeks were flushed from the wine. "I have my own room in Cassian’s Palace. A huge room. This big!"

She spread her arms wide.

She had asked him for it during her previous visit. The Palace had plenty of empty rooms, and feeding one more guest was hardly going to trouble him.

Darian, encouraged by the wine, immediately objected.

"Then I want a room too."

Cassian paused.

The room itself was nothing. But if he kept Edran’s son here overnight after a banquet, would the man turn up at his door?

He was almost tempted to find out.

"All right!" he said, equally warmed by the wine. "Everyone can stay tonight."

Then he turned to Elara, who was staring at them.

"You too, Elara."

"Me? What?"

——

The next morning, Cassian had barely risen when Darian called.

"Have you got a moment? My father has descended. He wants to see you."

Cassian straightened at once.

"I haven’t done anything!"

Darian’s face reddened. Then he rolled his eyes.

"He seems to want to discuss something else. I’ll leave the two of you to it. Oh, and before I go—the Palace is every bit as comfortable as it looks."

He ended the call.

Half an hour later, Edran arrived in Cassian’s Domain, once again using a Will Descent vessel. Merrick accompanied him.

The Sovereign’s expression was calm, but several emotions passed through his eyes as he looked at Cassian.

Cassian remained perfectly composed. Under Merrick’s angry stare, he guided Edran into a chair with both hands.

"Welcome, welcome. Sit down, Uncle. Try some of the produce from my Domain."

Edran had ruled a Realm for a long time. He recovered his composure quickly. His first question, however, caught Cassian by surprise.

"Your Domain has spatial properties, doesn’t it?"