Battle Admin System 19

19 - Commoner Among Elites

The elites used noble social events to jockey for favors, form fruitful bonds, and negotiate deals. Lillea had shown herself at these events for Lord Oxford more than anyone else.

The decorations might change. The magic lights, sparkling fire shows, self-playing instruments, and endless drinks might shift around. But in the end, Lillea knew what she was to most of these pale humans from the empire.

An exotic creature to ogle at. A treasure trove of northern secrets. A good man-eating savage. They weren’t exactly wrong. All of these descriptions could be used to Lillea’s advantage. But they didn’t draw her immediate interest, either.

That didn’t mean Lillea would always ignore the empire’s elites outside of Lord Oxford, especially the high houses. And she eavesdropped on almost anyone saying things that could be saved for later. But for the regular elite rabble and affairs, she cultivated an air about her that would only invite nobles when beckoned.

It was a known faux pas to make small talk or speak business with Lillea while she was disinterested. People still tried to acquire her attention through more subtle or colorful means.

Messages passed through servants.

Elaborate gifts.

Finding the most famous bard on site and having them sing a rendition of Lillea’s most famous deeds.

All these tactics were out in full force tonight because everyone was aware of the demon in Lillea’s metal arm. They wanted to know how she absorbed it fully without the demonic corruption.

The hypocrisy was thick in the air. A heady aroma. The church wouldn’t bother with the elites, either. They were donors.

Lillea’s head could wound up on a giant chopping block instead. This might be their last chance at learning her mountain of secrets, too.

The worst case was a noble woman sending a servant to offer Lillea deeply indebted humans. It came with an added message of ‘satiating their primal hunger together on tender meat.’

The deeply indebted had egregious misfortunes that could pass on to family, usually their children. There was room within the empirical laws for debt buyers to take advantage. All under the guise of saving the families of the deeply indebted.

The debtors had to sign themselves off as objects without rights. Other cases allowed the passing of children as objects without rights instead of the original debtors.

Lillea, the known man-eater, felt disgusted by the offer and had the strong urge to kill the evil woman. It was hard to rein that in.

She could hardly believe how Lord Oxford dealt with these people for decades. She kept her misgivings to herself, of course. She could act annoyed. She could huff, rock the ground some, and be a little domineering.

But the elites were the elites for a reason. They were dangerous and useful. Lillea had to keep them at arms distance without losing them or letting them get too close. Until she had more power.

So she let Fiona be the center of attention.

Of course, the elites tried their usual tactics on Lillea multiple times. The giant ignored every attempt.

Then the elites noticed a peculiar pattern. Lillea moved slower than necessary here.

The elites reached up to the mid 400s other than Lord Oxford being in the 600s. Some could move like the breeze around the giant. But she still acted carefully with her foot placement and waited on something in her way.

She turned in random directions and stopped near the food tables or drink fountains. But she wouldn’t sample anything. She stood near the sparkling multi-colored light shows without showing much interest.

Finally, the elites realized what was happening. Lillea only moved when the commoner at her feet moved.

This was shocking for the elites. Unbelievable, even. It had taken them long to notice Fiona because she was almost invisible to them.

She was a slim and unflashy girl next to the full-figured and mysterious giant dressed in black. But once the elites noticed the trend, further observations proved it correct brought on more surprises.

Lillea wasn’t just moving with the commoner. She followed the bumbling commoner like a giant shadow.

The commoner dictated the pace, the direction, the items to focus on. Lillea followed no matter what. This greatly confused the elites. Then they made assumptions that calmed their nerves.

The girl couldn’t possibly be a commoner. Not at this event. That would be ludicrous! Even the manor servants were in the adventure rank. The head servant was noble!

The young lady was most likely hiding her levels and suppressing her true rank with magical instruments. Such instruments were expensive and rare, however.

She had to be another noble to afford these instruments. She had to be someone of great concern who managed to leverage the company of the infamous and highly wanted giant.

When news spread of the girl investigating the guild corruption while under the giant’s apprenticeship, this lit a fire under the elites. A hidden noble! An empire investigator! And the sole apprentice of the great Moonstrider!

There were no social rules stopping them from approaching Fiona, either. She was akin to fresh lamb before starving wolves. The elites went on the attack. Carefully.

They probed with highly favored young lords and ladies first.

“I’ve never seen you around before. How can I miss a beauty like you?” asked a smiling young lord.

“Oh heavens, I’m sure she has a story to tell. Come join us. Let’s be friends!” beckoned a smiling young lady.

Fiona had her face stuffed with cake. She stared at the young lords and ladies, looked at the remaining cake in her hands, and turned red with embarrassment. She stormed away to wash the cake down with a drink.

Lillea’s boots followed after Fiona. Her steps rumbled across the ground harder than before, blocking off the young lords and ladies.

The elites were undeterred. Instead of the young, they sent the old this time around.

“I can imagine you’re under a lot of stress. Whatever you’re trying to escape from, you can always use an elder to lend sound advice.”

An older woman acted like a grandmother toward Fiona. Other elders crowded from behind the first to back up their own. The lady rambled on.

“Now I imagine Moonstrider can be tough on you, young lady. But don’t forget we empire elites can always shoulder each other’s burdens.”

Fiona had pieces of sour fruit stuffed into her mouth this time. She stared at the older woman, forced herself to eat quickly like a chipmunk, and wiped at her mouth with her bare hands. She took her time to think.

“Um, you must have the wrong person. While there is stress, I’m not trying to escape from anything. I only want to do what’s right.”

“Of course, you do! That’s the heart of a young noble for you.” The older woman and her associates laughed. “I used to be the same way. I would try to organize the commoners and show them how they could better themselves. Those were some fun and reckless years.”

“But I am a commoner. And I am trying to better myself.”

The older elites laughed even harder. Fiona looked at them as if they were crazy. She turned away and scurried under Lillea’s dress, fleeing to the other side. The giant turned and followed with rumbling steps that blocked off the older elites.

Not all elites were outrageous or troublesome. Nobles from lesser houses approached to strike up a friendly conversation and learn more about Fiona. They pretended to believe she was a commoner. But they understood commoners enough to talk in her language.

Fiona opened up to them more. She even found a friend. One of the lowest of the nobles. There was no debt on his house from what Lillea’s prior research had suggested, which was a promising sign.

The house was young, new, and trying to break through the ceiling with research in the alchemies. Their front posed to sell stronger health potions at an elite price. And decent health potions lowered to the realm of a commoner’s price. It was a bland but noble endeavor with safe and profitable margins.

Lillea paid closer attention to this young alchemist. She didn’t catch a whiff of dark intent from him. He meant most if not all of his words. He spoke animatedly about the subjects of his interest, as if possessed to make them a reality.

While he had his doubts about Fiona being a commoner, he listened to her and started to change his opinions faster than others. He also gave Lillea furtive glances as if to check if he was okay to keep talking to Fiona.

Lillea looked down at him neutrally, giving nothing away. But she made it obvious that she was always watching. The young alchemist held his ground despite his obvious fear. He was new to Cold Tooth. New to seeing Lillea. But he had just enough boldness to take risks.

The night waned. The young alchemist ended up as the big winner to the chagrin of the other elites, becoming a true friend with Fiona after he realized she was indeed a commoner. When Lord Oxford closed out the event, Lillea placed her boot in front of the alchemist and said, “Stay.”

The alchemist didn’t move an inch further. Fiona looked curiously from the alchemist to her sponsor. Other elites looked back, burning with envy as they tried and failed to stay longer for the ‘after party.’

In the end, only Lillea and her apprentice remained. Along with the young alchemist lord. He quickly realized he was out of his depths and had a healthy dose of additional fear.

The young man was aware of the dangers of his social standing. He was just elite enough to make it here. But he was too low in status to fend for himself if the older elites wanted his house to disappear.

“There are other projects, aren’t there?” Lillea asked. “Projects that keep you up at night. Projects that you would want to keep secret until the time is right. The health potion improvements are good, but not revolutionary. That’s not your true aim. What is it that you want to thrust into the light to shake the foundations of the world?”

The alchemist trembled under Lillea’s unbridled attention. The intensity of her gaze was crushing. He could barely utter a sentence. But he looked ready to spill his guts at any second.

Fiona moved between the young alchemist and Lillea.

“Please, my lady. He’s been a good person to talk to tonight. Can’t we be kind and let him explain himself when he is ready?” Fiona asked.

“You would deny me my answers?” Lillea raised an eyebrow.

“I can never deny you anything. I can only request for your mercy.” Fiona bowed.

A long silence pervaded the area. Lillea glared. Fiona continued to bow.

The giant relented with a heavy sigh. “Search for me, alchemist, when you wish to share what inspires you.”

The alchemist nodded before he bolted out of there.

Fiona straightened and frowned in the direction her newest friend ran. “Couldn’t we handle that nicely?”

“Actually, that was well handled,” Lord Oxford said as he neared the two. “Interesting selection, Lady Moonstrider. You scared the poor boy halfway into the grave, but you left him an impression he would never forget. What led you to picking him out of the rest?”

“Earnesty. Passion. A soft light shining on the vast darkness.” Lillea smirked down at Fiona. “I’m getting better at spotting these qualities thanks to my apprentice.”

“Huh? How? What did I do?” Fiona asked.

Lord Oxford nodded knowingly. “I think I need a new apprentice. Where do they keep the good commoners?”

“It’s hard sifting through them to find a solid choice. Sometimes, you have to let them come to you.”

“My goodness, that’s tough. I don’t have all day, you know. And there’s just so many of them.”

“Patience, Lord Oxford. Patience.”

“Uh. Huh? Why does this make me feel so weird?” Fiona looked at the Cold Tooth Lord and the Cold Tooth Lady.

It was as if Fiona had become a prized possession. Which had been the case tonight. Lillea keeping a disinterested attitude around the other elites didn’t mean she wasn’t elitist herself.

Showing off Fiona served a purpose. And it was the funniest example of elitist stupidity and misunderstandings Lillea had seen.

Lillea had to remember it all and retell her goblins later. They would laugh themselves unconscious.

Moonstrider Learning V leveled up from 286 to 287!

***

Fiona was drunk and dancing in a fountain. The manor servants watched from the edge to ensure she didn’t drown herself. They even warmed up the water for her.

Lillea sat in a chair made and enchanted for her. She toasted her giant mug against Lord Oxford’s little mug and knocked back the ale. The drink disappeared behind her black lips and gave her a good but temporary buzz. A servant refilled her mug with a stream of more tasty ale moved by magic.

“Bold move seizing the guild’s assets at the bank. Did you predict I will lead the adventurers off their territory to cause damage on your territory?” Lillea asked.

“It wasn’t a prediction. It was a tactic I’ve used in the past. Oh heavens, it’s so fun seeing the guild tear itself inside out when the gold stops flowing.”

“You recognized a weakness and seized the opportunity. This speaks well of your wisdom. But what of the would-be assassin among your guards? The Egbert fellow?”

“Sad case, that. The guards allow the indebted inside as a program to wipe their debt quicker. They have to live a spartan life and work more hours, but it’s not a bad gig. Strange part is how it’s outlawed for the guards to own the debt. But private enterprises can. They reached Egbert before I was able to seize their assets, most likely.”

Lillea nodded. She had only talked to Egbert once to give him a warm welcome. He had been scared but eager. He appreciated the conversation and had high hopes for the north.

For some reason, his death struck Lillea as awful. It had been close to impossible for the man to achieve the assassination.

At that time, Lillea and Solo had noticed him, noticed the archer aiming in his direction, and still had time to strike him down while protecting Fiona if need be. He had been a suicidal mouse trying to harm a predator’s guarded possession.

But the guild leader and his allies hadn’t cared. Egbert had been fodder to them and pushed to his doom.

“You care about the Egbert boy,” Lord Oxford said with a gleam in his eye.

“Am I not allowed to care?” Lillea asked in return.

“Sometimes, it’s surprising. Sure, you have the demon handled. But most of the time you seem above us mere humans.”

“I can handle her in return,” Solo replied sharply.

“Yes, yes, of course, Lady Solo.”

Solo controlled the metal arm to gesture like a preening bird. Then she handed the control back to Lillea.

Lord Oxford took his time to formulate his next statement. “It’s easy, Lillea, to paint you in a box. I saw the monster in you at the bandit camp. It has grown. And your new skills are still new, I imagine. Yet, you have achieved horrific results while disadvantaged.”

Lord Oxford looked over to the happy and talkative young woman as she tried to invite the manor servants to jump into the fountain with her.

One of the servants looked at Lord Oxford for instructions. The lord shrugged. The servant shook his head and joined the young lady to splash around in the water.

Lord Oxford found his next words. “You say you want power, Lillea. Vengeance. And to fulfill your duty. But underneath that is someone who cares. With the strength to be monstrous. And to be honorable. This is rare.”

“It was you who gave me mercy when I was lost and monstrous,” Lillea murmured, the past returning to the forefront of her mind. “Aren’t you the more honorable one?”

Lost. Hurt. Trusted humans. They betrayed. Killed them. Alone. Ran from other giants. Ran from more humans. Cold. Weak. Not enough to eat. An old human man. Too old. Too skinny. Not good for eating.

He kept following. Annoyed me. Tried to hit him. He moved too fast. He talked. I roared. He followed. I ran until I couldn’t run any more. Such an annoying human. He wouldn’t leave me alone. He wouldn’t let me die.