Ch 67: Extended Family

The next morning Baldeur was up early and arrived at the company training hall well before the Sun Orbs began to light up. Jin was surprised that someone that usually shirked was there before him.

His experience with the first oracle on Axendre had caused him to realize how much stronger he needed to become to counter any future threats.

The last of their group showed up shortly after Jin and their training began.

Noemi spared with each of them before setting a training regimen. Zeerous supplied them with pills, potions, formations, and anything else they might need to train quickly.

They'd work until they were fatigued before being given something to revitalize their energy. This type of training could have negative effects if done over a long period of time. But it wouldn't be too bad after only a few days. Several hours later they broke for lunch.

Baldeur made the decision to ask Arisha to join him for lunch. She was all smiles as they ate in the company commissary. He had always kept her at arms length but now that he knew they shared a past life together he thought he'd treat her like a real friend.

It was easy for him to see her behavior as post traumatic stress disorder. Having your soul and mind tortured for decades wasn't going to be easy for her to get over. He was able to keep himself together because he had centuries of other lives to lean on.

Since their walk in the park he tried to find her memories among the hundreds that were from his time in the abomination. But there were just too many and most were extremely fractured. Only those that had strong minds were easy for him to look through and she had told him that she was in her early 20s when she had been eaten.

After lunch they trained late into the evening and Baldeur nearly forgot to message Anika about having dinner.

The bunny-kin was waiting at his door when he arrived home. She had precooked most of their meal and just warmed it up.

He didn't have to fake not fully understanding what she was saying, his mind kept going numb from exhaustion and he ended up missing a few vital points she made. The few times he was able to focus, he would ask a question to lead her to what he thought might be a good idea.

In the end it really was like she had said. She didn't care that he wasn't paying attention and just needed someone to talk to.

It then surprised him when right before she left, she gave him a shoulder massage.

The next few days continued like that. Training before the Sun Orbs lit up, lunch with Arisha, more training going late into the evening, then dinner with Anika.

The day before they were to leave, they didn't train but were put in recovery formations. They were higher end and the day they spent in them was equal to a week of relaxation. It was making Baldeur a little nervous since Zeerous was pouring resources into them.

They had to have high expectations for this tournament. He wanted to do well for the experience but Baldeur was still planning to hide most of his abilities. Now he had to weigh that against his employers expectations. If he didn't do well enough his favor within the company might wane.

The loss of resources wouldn't hurt him too much since he could come up with other ideas, but it was nice when someone else was footing the bill.

He decided not to have dinner with Anika that night. Since he'd be away for two weeks, he wanted to see his family. On his way over he received a message from his mother that read.

'Your father and I are sorry. We wanted to tell you before any of them showed up but my family has come to visit. Feel free to stay away tonight.'

So this was what his mother called him about a week ago. Maybe he should have spared a night for them?

Extended family that his parents wanted nothing to do with and wouldn't even mention would surely cause him problems. There was no doubt they were opportunists. The question was what type. Did they want money, power, or influence? And how were they going to try and use him to get it?

When he rounded the corner of his family's street he saw a large ornate carriage sitting outside his family's townhouse. It bore the crest of one of the oldest Duke families in the city. Two arcane warriors were standing guard outside the front door.

So they weren't here to get anything from him but to use him for their own gains. He almost turned around and left. They would no doubt want to pull him into politics eventually and he wanted to remain unnoticed by the major powers for as long as possible.

Of course, who knows. Maybe he'd be able to play this to his advantage.

As he approached the guards gave him a slight bow which he didn't like since that meant they knew what he looked like.

When he entered he found his parents and Ilanka in the front room with two other people. Both were old and radiated power. He could sense that his other siblings were up in their rooms. Arcane wards kept them from leaving or overhearing what might be said.

The first stranger was a tall man in a well tailored butler's outfit with short white hair and a crisp mustache. He stood behind an older woman that sat on a couch across from his family.

Her long gray hair was braided and adorned with several trinkets that were actually enchanted items. She wore silk robes of red and gold and had her hands resting on a walking stick that also served as her Mana spell implement.

From what Baldeur could sense the butler was seventh circle and the woman was eight circle. Neither were trying to hide their power.

"Baldeur, you must be tired from your harsh training. Why don't you go lay down after introductions?" His mother rose and came to hug him.

"Sorry for not being able to keeping you from this." She whispered.

"He looks to be in good health. Now let me meet my great grandson." The woman said.

"Baldeur, I'd like you to meet your great grandmother, Duchess Olypma Fluer. Grandmother, this is my eldest son, Baldeur." Levanya gave a forced smile.

"Duchess Emeritus to be exact. I handed over power when your mother reached the seventh circle. It would be nice to have you there to help your mother out, Levanya." Olympa said.

"We like our lives here." Levanya replied.

"Humph. The Nievoks don't know how to properly run a district. You'd be much happier back home." She raised her hand to preempt the coming protest. "But I don't want to have a pointless argument, so we'll leave it at that.

"Have a seat and tell me about your life here. I understand you are under contract with Zeerous. Not the worst people you could attach yourself to but definitely not the best."

Baldeur joined his father and sister on the couch as his mother took a chair between the two facing couches. His father had a stiff face and was taking controlled breaths. Ilinka looked uncomfortable.

The conversation that took place was stilted. His great grandmother would ask a question about his life and Baldeur would answer. He had a feeling that she already knew the answers to the questions she was asking.

After nearly an hour, Olympe stood and left but Baldeur felt like they were the ones being dismissed from an audience.

She never directly asked anything of Baldeur but implied at every opportunity that his life will be better when his contract is up and he joins the Fluers in their district. There didn't seem to be a question in her mind that he would join them.

The entire meeting was uncomfortable and just off putting. What bothered Baldeur was that he was sure his great grandmother thought it was a perfectly pleasant exchange.

None of the Aslanbeks spoke until after the carriage had pulled away.

"So does this mean dad was the commoner that stole the heart of nobility?" Baldeur said.

"Ha, I don't know if that would make things better or worse." His mother said.

"Oh it would have been worse since your family would have just killed me. No, I'm afraid that my family is of equal importance. The Fluers are the oldest Mana family the city while my family, the Qins, are the oldest Qi family." His father said.

"So that makes you like Romeo and Juliet." Baldeur said.

"Who?" His parents asked.

"It's just some story I heard while out of the city. Two families hate each other but their kids fall in love. Expect in that story they commit suicide because they can't be together." Baldeur said.

"That about sums it up. Though our story has a much happier ending." Vivek took his wife in a big hug. "It'll be okay. We'll just keep them at arms length."

"You really think that will work? You don't have to worry since your family only acknowledges pure cultivators." Levanya said. "We should have planned better. There was no way they wouldn't come back in our lives."

"Is it our fault that she came here? Since we have multiple Sources, they'll want to use us won't they?" Ilinka said.

Vivek took his daughter in a hug when she said that. "No honey, this isn't your fault. All of you are blessings to us. And you don't have to worry about our extended families.

"They have enough resources that a few people with multiple Sources won't make a difference. I'm sure once they realize we don't want to be involved in their games, they'll leave us alone."

His eyes met Baldeur's. Both of them knew that if his secrets got out, there was no way they'd let him live free from their influence.

"Come on, it must have been a while since you had a good home cooked meal." Levanya said.

Of course he wasn't about to tell her that he had several good home cooked meals in the last few days. Though she and Ulmira were decent friends, so she might already know of his daily visitor.

"Go get your siblings but don't tell them about your great grandmother. Your father and I will figure out how to make them understand why this isn't a good thing tomorrow." Levanya said.

"Why wouldn't they think that? That woman was very… unpleasant." Ilinka said.

"Because they'll think being nobility will be cool." Baldeur said.

Their family dinner ended up being just as warm and lively as they usually were.

----

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The carriage of the Fluers stopped in front of the district pillar. The butler, Theodoros, stepped out and informed the door steward of his mistress's arrival.

It didn't take long for Duke Nievok to come and greet his guest. His people had informed him of the former Duchesses arrival in his district and her visit to the Aslanbek home.

He just had no idea why someone of her stature would visit that family or what business she had in his district.

Inside one of the ornate sitting rooms they were served tea and refreshments.

"I will get right to the chase. I want to propose a marriage between your granddaughter and my great grandson." Olympe said.

"Oh and why should I bind myself to your house?" Duke Nievok asked.

"Because the houses you came from are weaker and on the other side of the city. And you could use our support. The city elders aren't happy with your progress." She replied.

When a new district was established, two houses would supply a partner to be the first ruling couple. It was never Duke houses but they were still powerful and old families. The current Duke had removed his parents from power a few decades ago and that caused a rift between him and his ancestor houses.

So it was true that he needed outside support.

"And what makes your great grandson a good candidate for my heir?" He asked.

"Besides being from a Mana family of great renown, he has two other Sources. What more could you want in an in-law." She replied.

Of course he realized the connection to the Aslanbeks now and cursed his own spy network for not having any idea.

"And you don't have to worry about the Qin's influence since the boy doesn't have Qi." She continued.

He'd have to have a talk with his information gatherers. The descendants of two of the oldest houses of the city had been living in his district and he not only had no idea, but his son had already antagonized them.

"If your younger son is still interested in his mother, I'm sure we can work that out as well." She said.

"You don't think her husband might object?" He said.

"He's a cripple and has already supplied children. There's not much more he can give my granddaughter. Once our relationship is reestablished he won't be around for long." She said.

The Duke smiled internally. This woman didn't understand that family at all. He'd have to use that to his advantage.

"Your proposal is definitely enticing. But yours isn't the only Duchy offering one of their descendants to my granddaughter." He said.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll see the advantage to aligning with us."

The two continued their discussion late into the evening.