The nobles at the table nodded almost simultaneously in approval. It was only natural for the last surviving member of any noble house to do everything they could to revive it.
Even Shanks felt this was not strange.
Had Darius not given Portia a Scroll of Awakening which created the misconception that Darius was an Adept mage genius, Shanks would have likely pointed out that his guest had initially excused his presence near Poleria's Homestead due to some magical experiments.
Not only that, but he had pretended to be a noble from the Capital City when he questioned Shanks' own origin, which was even what made Shanks warm up to him initially!
If Darius had revealed himself to be a foreign noble, he would not have been so welcoming! In fact, Shanks understood that on some level, he had been deceived by Darius in order to lodge with them.
Nevertheless, he decided to write it off after Darius saved his son and offered his daughter a bright future. What a joke, both of these things were crucial to Shanks and would have been impossible to get without Darius being around.
How could he have the gall to find fault with Darius for such small matters?
As for Derek, who had joined the meeting while his father was explaining the story of the attack, this new information made him doubt himself. It just didn't make sense.
An Adept mage like Darius would have no need to create such an intricate ploy on a mere homestead just to get in with his father's faction. He could have just walked in and they would have come looking for him after seeing his talent!
Darius noticed Derek's sprouting doubts and in the lad's eyes, Darius could see the slow acceptance of Derek just having been overly protective since the fellow's sister had been involved.
'You seem to have a guardian angel protecting you, Derek. Perhaps you will get to live a bit longer, after all.' With the loss of his threatening status to Darius, it naturally meant that his inevitable fate of an early death too was fading away.
"Providing you with a title will be simple, Young Master. We can grant you the lowest noble title of Baron without any repercussion from the crown. It will come with some land in the Noble's District upon which you can build your residence and we offer you three commercial plots reserved for nobles." The gentleman with the tophat and monocle reported amiably.
"One is in the market square and is the smallest of the lot - I'm sure you can understand why - the second is near the town's main entrance which is about twice as large and the third is in the outskirts of the city, which is usually meant for housing your wares or for farming, and is the largest plot of them all."
"Ah, silly me. My name is Nicholas Spencely. As a Minor Duke and the City Lord of Listo, I have the right to make such allocations every year." The gentleman introduced himself while rising from his seat and removing his hat in an elegant bow.
Taking the cue, the other nobles introduced themselves one by one, and Darius learned that they were mostly the third daughters or second sons of powerful noble families in the capital that had been sent here to represent the Equality Faction and support Shanks.
Darius made sure to note all their names, powers, and positions. He also bowed towards the nobles of the Equality Faction, especially the City Lord, and replied.
"Your kindness is far too much, Lord Spencely, and will not be something I, Darius Stone, will ever forget!"
Darius rose to his full height and smiled lightly. "Since I plan to open a shop soon, I wish to thank you for your generosity by giving you all a permanent 30% discount on all items I shall produce."
The nobles thanked Darius for his offer but didn't take it seriously. They all had their own craftsmen and shops, so why would they go to his to purchase anything? Not to mention that even if he was an Adept mage prodigy, craftsmanship was an entirely different field that had little to do with traditional magic.
However, as they always said, it was the thought that counts.
Shanks, seeing that the mood was good and that everything he was worried about had been settled easily, nodded to Darius. Darius, understanding that this was his cue to leave, bowed once more and exited the room with Gunner.
Once out, the duo passed through the same routes they used to come in and exited the inn from the back. The boy in charge of the gate was gone, so Darius and Gunner simply opened it themselves and left, entering the streets of Listo after a few minutes of walking.
They were still as busy as before, the sidewalks even more active than the roads. It reminded Darius of the main cities of many states back on Earth, and there was also a lot to see.
Darius and Gunner walked along the pavement while those in front of them and behind them gave way when they noticed Darius' attire, as well as Gunner's size.
Any fool could tell that he must be a noble scion out on a walk with his servant/bodyguard. The duo passed by a few shops and finally stopped at an eatery.
It was an open-air cafe that had the tantalizing smell of baked flour and hot pastries, instantly capturing the attention of Darius and Gunner. The duo entered the establishment and found themselves a seat that was quiet enough.
Darius had to admit, the design was pretty good. The internals of the cafe was marked by polished wood for the flooring and walls, while the ceiling looked to be carefully painted brick.
A small wooden fence that was tall enough to prevent people from easily flipping over marked their designated area. The stone ground was covered by a carpet of cultured grass that was trimmed to its lowest, giving the customers the feeling that they were dining in the lush plains.
Soon a waiter came over to receive the order of the duo. Darius ordered for tea and some pastries he recognized on the list like meat pies and meatloaves. As for Gunner, Darius basically ordered one of everything, both pastry, and drink.
In the time he had spent with his Branded Servant, Darius had come to learn that Gunner's appetite was endless.
