Some of you will argue that I'm overpacing a lot. Now let me tell, I do NOT. I have a reason to do so, and in a chapter or two you will now why I did so.

Btw, PAYLESS - I added a special part for your taste

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Chapter 30 – Battle Dress.

The next morning we departed Ark City. I thought about possibilities of who would want to assassinate our delegation and why would they? Personal grudges of Anthon and Drolan wasn’t taken into account because I was attacked. Many options came to my mind but judging them I stood firmly on three alternatives. First would be Halim trying to get rid of us. Even though I worked under him he didn’t like me at all, most probably he selected me personally to be sure that I’m doing anything to cause problems to his future plans. Second option would be someone else with a high rank who wants to overthrow Dar or underrate Halim’s capabilities by putting the word around as he couldn’t even keep the delegates alive. The third option is someone or a group who is not related to government but has interests in our death and the political casualties that it may have brought up. Rest of the flight, I did what I was able to do best, I slept.

As soon as we arrived to Mehn City, all of us were asked to come to king’s palace. Conference room was full of influential people who had their share in running the kingdom. Department heads of different ministries, amir’s of most provinces, sub-commanders’ of battalions which were located at south, west and north of the kingdom and mayor of the Mehn were all present.

Anthon, Drolan and I were at center of the discussion. Anthon and Drolan reported in detail about the all kinds of information what they have acquired during our visit to Demon Lord’s castle. We had a break after that and had a light meal, hot drinks and cookies. In second part of the inquiry, they directed questions to all of us and I had to answer few of them too. I never told them about demon lord’s gender. Zara was present at the discussions too. She had become advisor to the Minister of Finance and I heard speculations that in the next few years she was to be given position of a department head in ministry. Her being the first woman to be the minister wouldn’t surprise me if it had happened in future. She told me that her workmates are going to eat out in a restaurant that weekend, and she would love to introduce me to them.

We were relieved of duties for a week and given holidays for that time. I was renting a place close to Ministry of Defense for easy of transportation. It was a unit in a 2 floor apartment. I was living in second floor. There were 3 units in each floor. Mine was the smallest one. It was a studio.

I goofed of all week long. Went to Mehn Academy to meet Mariette. She was doing fine. I came across to Elise and Roia over there too.

Saturday night just after the sunset I met with Zara on Brist square which was well-known for its restaurants. We went to a place called Merakes. It was in basement of a building. Had an extraordinary design and much to my curiosity we used chop-sticks to eat the meals. We had alcoholic drink called sake with meals. It wasn’t to my taste but had a few sips. Her workmates were good people, mostly women. We talked about different things and the conversation led to another and other. We had wine as we were chatting. I enjoyed the night spent with them. Lots of gossips though. I was told that Zara was engaged and she was going to marry in 4 months’ time. I met a girl named Rafaelle who told me that she would be visiting economic advisor to our ministry and I would be seeing her a lot. One by one everyone went back to home.

Zara was drunk but could control herself. We went out to boulevard so that winds could sober her up and after a 10 minute walk we went back to city to wander around. Somehow we ended up close to my apartment. I told her that I live around and she asked me to show my unit to her. We went in and I offered her tea. I went to kitchen to put to heat the water for tea. I was startled when she hugged me from behind. She was smaller than me in height, but her breasts were of decent size and I could feel them touching me softly. I turned off the heater and touched her hands with my right hand. She whispered…

[Zara]: I want you… to be my first.

Scent of her perfume aroused me. We kissed for a good amount of time. Our hands began to explore each other’s bodies.

[Zara]: I have been hoping for a moment just like this.

Father’s theoretical knowledge pass down to me and Kimbra’s practice lesson had their effect on me. Zara moaned all night long as we tried a lot of the stuff, which I do not want to elaborate on. She was pleased.

After the break, Halim had few questions to me regarding the assassination and told me to keep everything that happened in secret.

In about 3 months we got reports from southlands that at some interval but regularly animals and lesser demons have been missing and they think that it is done by the wyrm. The problem was nobody could get any facts about what had happened in southlands. Speculations were easy to make but facts were different.

This full moon didn’t affect me. I had control over my body but didn’t sleep at all that night because I was afraid unconsciously I could transform into a wolf and may hurt innocent people. I was meditating a lot. Magic was not a priority to me but I learned to cast a powerful shield spell.

I was going to different martial arts centers to have duels with practitioners. I was trying to avoid any of my powers except body strengthening in duels with martial artists.

By age 17, I was 5’10’’ in height and had muscular body with broad. I was known all around the Mehn City. I graduated that year from Mehn Academy though I was an intern at Ministry of Defense. That year King Dar died and Halim took over the throne. After the graduation I was now an official in Ministry of Defense and was getting paid a large sum for it. I was working in logistics and armament department as a consultant. Disgusted by the power games of factions in political and economical scene I was thinking about quitting and moving back to the village. I worked for another year for the sake of capital that I could acquire. I could marry of a girl from a powerful family too, but I did avoid that option because in that case I would be in much worse position. The job had its advantages too, which I used in my favor. I had lots of information passing through my table daily. The urbanization process was going take another step up and I was aware of Halim’s plan gathering information using the data that I could get my hands on. Traders, merchants and crafting had transformed into large businesses. Service sector was paying well in comparison to village work and seemed much easier. People preferred to be waiters or accountants in city rather than having few hundred sheep back in village.

I quitted my job at Ministry of Defense 2 weeks after I was 18 years old. Over the years, I had accumulated around 1200 gold. I went directly back to my village.

My sister already had a 1-year-old son. In short time after I arrived, father died of dysfunctional liver because of too much alcohol. I knew that I did not have much time before big businesses took control over villages. When I was a kid, there were more than 40000 tribe members living in our village now there were less than 3000 left and most of them were elders.

I bought around 500 sheep and 100 cattle. I was planning to provide milk and meat to 2 cities that had emerged to our village. Most of the people who were asking me about my future plans I was telling that I had retired as warrior but still kept training the basics in secret. Ulfberht was a good company whenever I was taking herd to feed in plateu. I did meet Mariette regularly. She was 2 years older than me, but I came to understand my feelings towards her.

It was 12th Lain of 1513. I remember that as clearly as sky. I asked for my mother’s blessing firstly. I went to Raez’s house. Lynette told me that he was not around and I asked for permission to stay at their house to wait for him. Mariette brought tea and cookies. She was working as a consultant to village elder Taham. Few hours later Raez joined us. We talked about old days, laughed remembering them. They were good people. So I took advantage of the positive situation…

[Me]: Raez, in God’s name, I have come today to ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage. I want your and Lynette’s blessing.

I blushed red, and Mariette was kind of frozen. If you stabbed her that moment, blood wouldn’t flow out. Raez smiled.

[Raez]: If she wishes so I have nothing against your proposal.

[Lynette]: I will respect my daughter’s choice too.

I turned towards Mariette.

[Me]: Would you like to marry me? Would you accept me as your husband for eternity?

Tears came out of her eyes.

[Mariette]: YES! YES! YES!

That day was her birthday. It was my first proper gift to her in years. In less than a month we married. Mariette moved with me to my family house. We had a peaceful life.

Fortunately my business boomed. I was planning to expand and buy ranches in different parts of kingdom to do it in different regions. I knew I needed power and money to change the kingdom and I was getting good at money part of it. Was the system corrupting me?

In 4th of Elaisis, just a day before my 19th birthday shaman Hitomi contacted me for a meeting at her hut around sunset. I went to her hut at promised time. Hitomi greeted me and sat on a bench outside her hut to have a hot tea. Aiki was lying around. One by one 9 people appeared as if teleported in front of us. She stood up and invited all of us into her hut. They were wearing robes with hoodies on them so their face was hidden.

[Hitomi]: Aslan, these people are the members of the tribe council who gives approval on official warrior title of the tribesmen and women.

[-]: We are the real village council. The ones you have heard of are just for show.

[-]: We will not tell you who we are but our organization is older than you can imagine and we have own vows to held.

[-]: Dangerous clouds are flying over the world…

[-]: We have selected many warriors to protect it when the time comes. You are one of them.

[-]: We know everything. How you have kept training art of war and magic.

One of them came close to me and chanted something.

[-]: You are now an official warrior of Tribe of Kali. You have time until tomorrow sunrise to present an armor to Hitomi to be sent to us for dwarfs to cast magic on it, or in a week’s time you will be given an armor for your use when the time comes.

They disappeared one by one.

[Hitomi]: You have anything on your mind about armor?

[Me]: Yes, can you come over with me please. I’ll give it to you now.

We went back to my family house. I digged up everything that belonged to me from basement. I found it. The wolf that had been stuffed long time ago when I had killed it. I took out bedding from its inside and gave the rest to Hitomi.

[Me]: I would like magic to be casted onto it.

The wolf’s head was as if it was alive. I cut its fur horizontally from its jaw to crotch. In less than week I had my new armor. I knotted wolf’s front legs around my neck. Its full body was covering my spine. I thought having its apex on top of my head and its front upper fangs down to sides of my eyes made me look more vulgar and intimate, which was a perfect fit for a battle dress.

Next: Chapter 31 - Around Them