The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 539 - To Claim More Land In The Name Of Love

Salghis’s assessment of his personal word on matters was fair to his situation, as political capital was strange. It could indeed be wholly destroyed in one context from the same personage while yet persisting in another. His guild was gone, the rogue faction’s crimes turning into a footnote in the history of things, but his bloodline and their history remained. That sort of thing tended to matter to the kinds of people who decided on things... like granting the right to manage land.

As did the status of a Hero of the Descent - one who also seemed to be showing impressive enough results on territorial management by anyone’s measure. Five years of population growth and five years of no one deciding to move back out. Money flowing, contracts being made, and the local militia was one of the best trained group of mortals that did not belong to the Continental Army in the whole south-central region.

"I appreciate it. Your speaking up on my behalf. Truly." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"You warned me back then when you didn’t have to. Helped evacuate my people when the situation I’d let stagnate turned so dangerous. I’ve been waiting these years for an opportunity to repay some of that. More than happy to help, Warden Patrician."

Which is why, even though the letter to Yatrel which Elua er Goltbred wrote and sent back with Sevra had explicitly stated that the Goltbred’s would be the ones looking into gaining these rights by *other* ways... the blonde had taken it upon herself to act first. For it was something she could hopefully hand over as a gift when her wife returned. To prove that she was not just ruling as Warden idly, but that she could go above and beyond as a Patrician and influence greater matters.

A cart laden with timber bound to be stocked at the unfinished wings crossed their path, driven by a startled teenage cultivator who ducked her head toward that respected title. Despite so many always bragging that their leader was friendly and willing to get to work alongside any one of them, it seemed more and more like no one ever *wanted* to bother her.

This made her crave crisis even more, though she knew she shouldn’t be so hasty. Pigeon-blues shut as she breathed in deep, picturing her cute wife getting up to things and reining her in when necessary. She felt at times it was a strange reason to hope for her return sooner than stated... just for the chaotic whimsy she could bring that needed *managed*... but it was one she couldn’t deny. Her mischief seeking spouse was missed for her very nature as much as anything else.

"I brought copies of maps with hazard notes. I wanted to leave them with you, whether you gain officially recognized access rights or not. They’ll be a good bargaining chip to help partner along with whoever does receive the duty. Or if you are looking for something specific... a head start on them."

"Do I seem like the type to sit around patiently if I wanted something specific that desperately?"

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

She blinked at him and he realized... she might not be kidding. He shook his head before staring up at the giant pane of Glass - no doubt formed by a cultivator with its incredibly clarity, in his mind - being raised along the pulleys attached to the rolling scaffold. For a moment he got distracted wondering what kept the structure from moving without obvious wheel locks, before deciding that there must be some sort of sigil ritual in place.

’This city is filled with fresh surprises.’

"You are well known even in distant places for sitting here, pining patiently for the wife that you seem sure is on her way back from a location no one can confirm because you refuse to tell them where it is. Well known for enduring the Yecine name while seeking to be a part of their structure, despite what was done to you throughout your childhood and youth. If my own name is now failure, yours is practically... longanimous."

A smile was born from that speech - mostly because the heavy-blade wielder was sure her mint-drop would appreciate the excessive word the learned man had just used. Among quite a few other things that Qat knew was appealing about herself, stoic and forebearing certainly fit a trait that the heavy sword wielder knew her wife valued.

"I think I’ll stick with Fortress. What will you do now?"

Salghis didn’t answer immediately, but he let his gaze drift across the construction site. Watching the cultivators and mortals working alongside each other - the way coin changed hands openly for labor rendered by a paymaster, set up in one corner... was something that scolded his past self. With no exploitation hidden behind a Guild’s purposes, no forcing a wait for weekly notes to take to the banker focused Wolfhide Fellowship...

"I’ve been asking myself that for years, now. The answer keeps changing."

"And today’s answer?"

"After watching my own organization tear itself apart over greed, there’s something appealing about the philosophy here. There is no direct profit to be found. It has an air of duty, though it isn’t a martial Guild."

"My mother would be happy to discuss that at length with you. She’s been looking for people who understand... how organizations can rot from within."

He chuckled and scratched at the top of his head. The former leader of the former Saltfire Storm Alliance was much less certain that *this* one was not a criticism. Partially because the blonde was no longer particularly smiling. Just looking at him very seriously.

"Because they’d recognize the signs early?"

"That. But more. They’d care enough to act when they saw them because they’ve seen the result of inaction."

The man was quiet and Qatrand let him be. She wasn’t really recruiting, as it wasn’t her place... though doors left open had a way of being walked through more easily than those closed to people. However, she also thought he was not the type to be pressured into decisions despite what had happened inside his Guild. It was obvious from later investigations that the rogue faction had gone above and beyond to stay just a bit under the radar until they were too strong to ignore.

"I have two nephews that are twelve. Old enough to try and secure Guild training soon. Their mothers have been asking where I think they should go, out of some options relatively near the Nalbet holdings. I’ve had to keep telling my sisters that I don’t know anymore."

"Why is that?"

"Every martial guild I would have recommended in the past, I also know *stories* about now. Unlike when I was younger. A lot of my people came from our territory, after all. A lot of them siphoned funds and finds, using other places as intermediaries."

His laugh wasn’t filled with humor, or hate, but just a tiredness to it all.

"Jes... that is, Jes er Terrnine, you’ve met her. She has those acid scars now, thanks to our operations in that territory. She thinks I’m being too closed off now. That I’m letting a bad experience affect my judgement. So if you had any suggest-"

"Send them here, then."