"Your family has grown a lot in the remaining months and has reached an awe-inspiring level. I've been watching you for some time, and I've noticed that you don't seem interested in becoming a nobleman." The Duke said as he looked at Vicente closely.
"That's the case. I prefer to avoid political disputes." Vicente smiled. "Besides, as you can imagine, I won't stay in the kingdom forever.
I'll wait for my sister to grow up and find her own way, and then it'll be time for me to head north. Unfortunately, our kingdom isn't so good for magicians who want to overcome the 4th stage."
"I can imagine." The Duke liked what he heard because it meant that this wouldn't be his competitor in the future.
The Duke wasn't sure about the Fuller family's involvement with the underworld, as there was no evidence of it. But he also didn't believe this family only did business using third-party resources.
He imagined that Vicente was involved, on some scale, with the black market and the underworld in the province. But he could not tell whether Vice was a major faction leader or an associate of such groups.
In any case, Vicente was a potential rival if this young man was interested in living longer in the kingdom. But as he had already imagined, this young man was more interested in magic power than in influence within the Seidel Kingdom.
As such, they could have a better future in which they wouldn't clash with each other.
"But do you still intend to keep your business in the province when you leave the kingdom?"
"Yes, of course. I won't undo my business here to go to an unknown place."
The Duke smiled. "If that's the case, I want to advance some of my family's future business with yours."
"Oh?"
"You'll expand your operations outside the kingdom, right? So how about you become a supplier of valuable resources to my family? If you go to states stronger than the Chutha Dynasty or the Kenyth Empire, you'll be able to get resources that are very valuable to us but 'common' in such states for affordable prices. I'm willing to pay a lot for that kind of resource."
The people at that dinner table understood what the Duke wanted from Vicente.
The resources that could change the life of a High-level Mage like him were hard to come by in nature and expensive to buy, given their short supply in the Seidel Kingdom.
That was so extreme that it would be worthwhile for a person like the Duke to pay someone from outside the state to send resources from far away to this place.
Obviously, he would have to rely on someone who had a network of influence capable of transporting these resources, as well as having contacts who lived in or constantly traveled to stronger states.
None of this was easy to achieve, but the Duke thought Vicente would soon fulfill these requirements.
Rory looked at his friend before hearing Vicente's confirmation that this was indeed part of their growth plan.
"You're right. I will expand my business outside the state and eventually supply resources to local forces willing to pay a fair price. We can enter into an agreement related to that.
It will take more than five years for this to take shape and alter reality somehow, but if I don't die by then, what you're imagining will definitely happen." Vicente said with a smile on his face. "Just don't count on it to prepare you for the consequences of The Purification.
I'll probably have a network more or less ready to do this kind of business, but the risks will be great because of the vampires' plans.
But anyway, a lot can happen between now and then, so let's not talk too much about it."
"Hmm, knowing that you intend to do this is enough for me to close a deal like that with you." The Duke knew that The Purification and its consequences would make this scheme difficult.
But if the continent's magicians solved the problem with the vampires, their plans could converge and take the shape they wanted.
That would be enough for him for now!
After talking about this and a few other important matters, the group reached the end of lunch, with the men of the Scott family serving dessert.
While they enjoyed the special treats prepared for this lunch, the group chatted about lighter topics, with Vicente hearing about the Duke's family and also having to talk about himself.
Vicente was honest when asked about romantic relationships, making it clear to the Duke that he currently had two women, a soldier in the army, and a member of the Congregation of Revelations.
The Duke didn't propose anything directly, but Vicente had already expected that the conversation might lead to the Duke's daughter being promised to him.
The man's daughter was beautiful, but Vicente didn't like the idea of getting involved with a woman just because of a political or business interest.
He thought that this kind of matter had to be decided between a man and a woman without interference from third parties.
When he felt the slightest suspicion that the Duke might suggest something of the sort, he was frank in saying that he was already with Nova and Layla and that he intended to honor them both and eventually marry them.
The Duke understood Vicente's message and changed how he talked about family with this young man. But he wasn't angry or disappointed. It was better to be turned down before even investing in something than after putting time and more into these relationships.
At the end of dessert, Eve and Rory accompanied the Duke's family while Vicente and the nobleman walked alone to the man's office to make their business official.
When they had finished, the Duke couldn't help but ask Vicente.
"Young Vicente, what do you intend to do with this city you will start building after the crisis? You will be out of the kingdom and will no longer need a place to protect your people at that time."
Vicente looked at the nobleman and said in a questioning tone. "Will I not need it? I don't know how long we'll have to live under the consequences of The Purification.
When everything is settled and my interests are outside the Seidel Kingdom, I intend to continue using what I've built here. Still, I'll leave my associates and subordinates to take care of that sort of thing.
But the nobles who decide to join me in creating this city will be able to rule it together with my men when I leave."
The Duke liked what he heard and said nothing more about these serious matters before he began escorting Vicente out of the large estate.
