Chapter 89

“If it does happen as close to what we’ve seen underground… the sea would be a dangerous place.” Adrian answered carefully.

Lord Oscar nodded slowly, standing behind his desk to look outside.

“Who do you think would be the most affected if such a thing happens?” His Grace asked.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Those who live on the shores and islands? The people who rely on the bounty of the sea to survive? I can only imagine the impact of being cut off from harvesting resources from the sea.”

The brother of the king turned to him, a faint look of surprise on his face. He gave a brief nod before returning his attention to the view outside.

“Indeed. Unlike elves and dwarves, humans would be the most affected if the sea becomes a dangerous place. There is also the Serena race, a friendly ally of our kingdom. They would be the most affected, but then again, the sea is vast, they could simply leave their territory. So then, tell me…” The prince turned back to him. “Would Prince Cale’s ambition regarding the islands be a good thing or a bad thing?”

Adrian’s brows furrowed in thought. Unsure of the prince’s intentions, he wondered, did Prince Oscar want Prince Cale to pursue his ambitions, or not?

Recalling the prince’s earlier words, an answer took shape in his mind. “I am not familiar with how these things work, Your Grace. I’m afraid I might say something foolish.”

“It’s alright. Just speak your mind.”

Adrian nodded and shared his thoughts. “If the sea were to become dangerous, the ideal response would be not to lose access to it… but to fight for it. Being able to control the trade routes and station a force on the Maglu Islands would be a boon not just to the kingdom, but to humanity. Not to mention, any corruption at sea would undoubtedly be faced by… the Serena race…alone” He paused at the mention of the species, knowing little about them. “We… humans could provide support to them.”

He added quickly, “But of course, I don’t know what dark sea creatures are truly like, nor if such an event will even come to pass. It might just be sailors’ paranoia or hallucinations.” Adrian gave a firm nod, intentionally leaving out that veteran seafarers from the Maglu Islands were the first to report the information.

“Do you think it is better to be cautious in such matters?” the prince asked.

“Of course.”

“Then how should one ensure that we prepare adequately?”

“That would be… exploration at sea?” Adrian muttered, uncertain.

Yet every solution required, or at least would benefit tremendously from having the islands under the kingdom's control. All answers seemed to lead straight to the realization of Prince Cale’s ambitions.

‘Is that what the prince is hinting at? That Prince Cale’s plans must go through, and that he needs to prepare? But why tell me this? Because I've gained quite a reputation?’

“We can all see the benefits of such… ambitions. The matter is simply who will benefit the most.” The prince gave him a pointed look, nodded lightly, and dismissed him. “Thank you for your time, Lord Harrow.”

Adrian bowed and left the room, a look of lingering bewilderment on his face. In the end, he simply shook his head, Prince Oscar’s thoughts undoubtedly revolved around grander schemes beyond his grasp.

That night, there were no more grand feasts. Lord Sean had mentioned that several lords were holding more intimate conversations in their private quarters instead.

Adrian had visitors of his own that evening, though thankfully, it wasn't just the mischievous lady from before.

Their purpose was clear. One of Ela’s parting words to him had been to come here and find a prospective wife. Not that he actually intended to find one, nor did he expect a bumpkin lord from the south to have many prospects. But taking in the faces of the guests gathered in his room, it seemed he really wouldn’t have to worry about a lack of prospects.

Lord Eaton was there, along with his daughter, Lady Lily. There was also the lady and her daughter Adrian had met earlier, Lady Agnes Mowbray, a baroness, and her daughter Annie. 

Joining them was a young baron, Lord Halpert, and his sister, Lady Karen,  with the two of them was the graceful, and surprisingly well behaved, Lady Thea.

Together, they made the room feel a bit small, crowding the space.

The chest full of gold coins was hidden behind the bed, though he wasn’t particularly worried about it being stolen. If it were, it would fall on Lord Winthrope, as this was his castle. Word spreading that a thief could easily sneak into his residence and steal valuables would be a stain on his reputation, even if he dealt with it swiftly.

“Let me start by saying that I am honored by your presence here.” Adrian said as a servant, one of his own, poured them drinks.

Lady Agnes seemed to posture herself proudly, pleased by his words, while Lord Eaton happily took a sip of his drink. The rest simply nodded, though one gave him a knowing look that he tried his best to ignore. They exchanged greetings and pleasantries before the conversation truly began.

“We would have preferred to meet during the day, but Lord Harrow’s schedule is… quite busy.” Lord Halpert, an unusually tall lord, chuckled. His sister, Lady Karen, who shared his olive skin, smiled warmly at Adrian.

“It is both a fortunate and unfortunate matter.” Adrian offered carefully.

“Lord Harrow, pray tell, where were you just now?” Lady Agnes asked.

Adrian gestured for his cup to be filled and took a drink, pondering his response before recounting his meeting with His Grace Oscar, though he refrained from telling the complete truth, of course.

Lord Eaton sighed in envy. “Lord Harrow has accomplished so much in this tournament. My own knight didn’t even make it past the first round of the joust.”

“To capture the attention of high lords, and even the elves, Lord Harrow is truly a man of many qualities.” Lady Agnes remarked.

“What you’ve achieved will be quite the tale to tell when I return home…” Lord Halpert clicked his tongue in approval.

It was mainly the elders or the heads of the families who spoke. Lady Thea remained quiet, simply observing the room with a subtle smile.

“It honestly surprised me to receive this much attention.” Adrian replied modestly.

After a few more exchanges, they finally arrived at the matter at hand, with Lady Agnes taking the initiative.

“Lord Harrow, forgive me for being blunt, but you will soon return to your territory with fame and glory in hand… I do wonder if you would like to return with something more.”

Adrian tried not to twitch. He resisted the urge to shift his gaze from her to the daughter sitting right beside her.

“I believe I am already set to return with far more than I ever expected when coming here.” Adrian said, as politely as he could.

“But as they say, Lord Harrow, there are things worth far more than gold, like one’s word, or one’s honor…” Lord Halpert said. He then shamelessly placed a hand on his sister and gestured to her. “My sister can certainly prove to be more valuable than thousands of gold pounds.”

His sister, Lady Karen, shot him a faint glare before turning to Adrian with a modest smile, her eyes twinkling as she straightened her posture.

Lady Karen had striking, near-grey eyes, smooth black hair, and olive skin, giving her a unique charm. She appeared to be nearing her twenties and, by all, willing to marry him.

Adrian was still contemplating how to reply without making things awkward when Lady Agnes spoke up, cutting in faster than Lord Eaton.

“Lord Harrow, please look upon my daughter, Annie. You’ve spoken with her already, does she not possess a pleasant charm? She is well-learned and well-taught, she will bring embarrassment to no one.”

Annie smiled shyly at him. She had shoulder-length brown hair and a petite yet graceful frame.

Adrian discreetly glanced at her before looking back at Lady Agnes, whose eyes were filled with anticipation.

If he was being completely honest, he found Lady Agnes herself more alluring than her daughter. Unlike Annie, she had deep amber hair woven into a single braid and a fuller figure, perhaps even fuller than Ela’s. She still looked remarkably youthful despite having a daughter already in her teens.

Naturally, that was a thought he would never dare speak aloud.

Adrian tried to speak, but Lord Eaton beat him to it. “Lord Harrow, you already know my daughter, Lady Lily Eaton. She is as graceful as she is well-learned, an exemplary daughter, and guaranteed to be an exemplary wife.”

Lord Eaton was even more direct than Lord Halpert.

Adrian looked over the group as a quiet tension settled in the room, everyone eagerly awaiting his answer. As far as he knew, the practice of offering up daughters or relatives without strong inheritances to someone of sudden means was a practice as old as time.

He took a sip of his drink, then waited a moment longer before Lady Thea finally broke the silence.

“What are your views on marriage, Lord Harrow?”

Inwardly, Adrian heaved a sigh of relief. “I view marriage as a matter of great importance, just like anyone else. Since I will be choosing the person who will stand by my side until old age, I naturally want to ensure we can… truly work together as seamlessly as possible.”

“And what do you believe must be done to achieve that vision of yours?”

“By taking the time to truly get to know one another.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow as a sharp glint flashed in Lady Thea’s eyes, leaving him to wonder what she was thinking.

“Indeed, Lord Harrow, that is a fine perspective. Which is why, if you are free tomorrow, perhaps you could spend some time with my daughter?” Lady Agnes didn’t miss a beat.

Lord Eaton and Lord Halpert quickly voiced their agreement, each eager for Adrian to spend time with their daughter and sister, respectively.

Having found a temporary reprieve, Adrian naturally agreed. After exchanging a few more polite words, the guests took their leave, knowing they had already overstayed their welcome.

Once they were gone, Adrian collapsed onto his bed, letting out a long, heavy breath. He lay there lost in thought, staring up at the ceiling, until the sound of approaching boots filled the room and Dexton’s voice called out from the doorway.

“My lord, Lady Thea has requested an audience.”