The World Dragon's Heir

Chapter 470: Memorable Faces

Unfortunately for Alexis, that plan was doomed to failure from the start, as the girls had taken Dominic’s opinion to heart, and came out of the shower with their hair in simple but stylish braids, and only a light hint of makeup that emphasized their youth instead of trying to portray themselves as mature and reliable.

For the Envoys and their teams, who were mostly grandfathers already, it was effectively a killing blow.

"You know, those blue eyes remind me of my godson Gerald. I believe that I have the picture of him here." The Axbridge team’s transcriptionist mused to one of the girls when he saw her enter the park between the villas and courtyards where everyone stayed.

"Really? I thought that blue eyes were rare in Axbridge?" She replied eagerly.

The old man dug out the picture, and Dominic did his best not to gasp in shock. He knew this man, and he was not what Dominic would have called a respectable Noble.

Well, perhaps in some ways he was respectable. His magical skills for one.

The image was very clearly the man who had requested that Pops make him a dimensional compass when Dominic had first met him.

That day was engraved in his memory, as the turning point of his adventures in Cygnia.

He would know that face anywhere.

But if he was a mage on the level that was using dimensional magic, he was no pushover. He could surely find a bride on his own and didn’t need someone else to help him.

Plus, from what Dominic knew of that specialty, it was incredibly dangerous, and nearly as nomadic as a Merchant.

"Is he in the capital at Witheton now?" She asked, leading the old man toward an introduction.

"No, I’m afraid that he has a bit of wanderlust. But perhaps a good bride will encourage him to come home to his own bed more frequently."

His words didn’t deter her the way that Dominic thought that they might. The Envoy held a good position, so even a younger son, or adopted son, of his would be a respectable match.

"Too late." Dominic silently mouthed to Alexis, who only sighed and signed back to him.

[I will prepare for more guests.]

"Ladies, might I propose an outing for you tomorrow? If you’re going to rest in Wistover, it’s only right as a host that I show you around town. We have an impressive selection of shops and amenities.

Perhaps while you are in town, you will fall in love with the land and consider coming back, should you find a younger son of a Nobleman in Cygnia to wed.

The King has been quite generous in granting them Baronies for their war efforts."

Alexis looked suspicious, but Dominic was suggesting that they find young Barons elsewhere to marry, and they did need more of them in the region.

Despite all signs pointing to this being a completely harmless outing, as you would give any group of Noble visitors, Alexis still got the feeling that somehow something was going to go completely awry.

Perhaps two Veiled Maids, and an order to Dave to keep the guests from flirting with anyone who would cause a diplomatic incident?

Some of the mages could be quite charming when they wanted to be, but they didn’t have any Noble lineage, and the Amerton Court would not be happy if one of their girls eloped.

Technically, that was the job of their servants and chaperones, but Alexis knew her people, they would have those protections negated in seconds.

But what she actually said was much more mundane.

"Ladies, the meal will be served in your rooms, no need for fancy formal etiquette while you’re still exhausted from the trip.

Feel free to socialize until it is ready, the Envoys were just finishing their meetings for the evening."

The staff members of the diplomatic teams were already busy with messaging tablets, sending information to their families back home.

Alexis was expecting the worst, but Dominic was expecting the best, in that they might manage to pilfer some young Barons to set up in Wistover Duchy, and that would give them more supervised territory to move farmers into.

Plus, there was the financial factor.

Having the family Elders plotting and planning to get their progeny here as fast as possible would introduce even more people to the city, and those were all potential customers.

Julio, on the other hand, did not see the cause for celebration. What he saw was a need for more staff, extra cleaning rotations, additional kitchen procurement orders, and someone to tell Dave that even if she asked, it was still considered undignified to give a young noblewoman a piggyback ride.

However, the chaos of the day was far from over, as the Castellan would soon learn.

The ladies of the Amerton Court were not the only convoy that their Manor was receiving that day.

Just before dark, and only moments before the debutantes were set to head to their rooms for the evening, the town guard sent word that there was an incoming convoy from the northwest, towards Lympsbury, adorned with the colours of an unknown Count.

There were ten trucks in all, mostly cargo trucks, but they had asked the patrolling city guards where the local Lord’s Manor was, and not where the Merchant’s Guild was.

So, for the second time in a day, Dominic found himself at the gates of the Manor, waiting to receive guests.

Dominic inspected the trucks as they approached, noting that they were in the flat faced Dagos style, and not the longer nosed steam tractor style more popular in Cygnia, which put the steam vessel in front, instead of beneath the carriage.

That was not encouraging. But the style was still common all over Stansia Province, as well as through most of Axbridge, which meant these could very well be allies, or young Nobles who had taken over from the displaced former Dagos Nobility.

The first man to step out of the trucks settled the mental debate.

Or, his Axbridge Royal Guard badges did.

"Your Grace, Duke Dominic Wavemates of Wistover. I present to you the second Princess of Axbridge, Her Highness Poppy Witheton, and her entourage of Ladies in waiting."