Chapter 227: Exiting The Chamber

When Julius finally left the chamber, he was welcomed by a servant just outside of the chamber. The servant in question was asleep and had a book opened up in his lap. The guy had probably been waiting outside of the chamber for who knows how long, waiting for Julius to either come out or to ask for something.

He still didn’t know how long it had been. He resolved to get some sort of device that tracked time in the near future.

Julius gave the guy a gentle nudge with his hand.

The guy jolted awake instantly and looked at Julius with wide eyes.

“I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep! I’ve been waiting for you to exit for a while,” the man quickly explained in a hurry.

“How long was I in there?” Julius asked the question he was most curious about.

The man frowned in thought as he tried to estimate the time. “About three-ish weeks,” he said in an uncertain tone.

“Three weeks?” Julius couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

Three weeks was a very long time.

“Do you know what happened to my friend? When did she leave her chamber?”

“I don’t know when she was finished with her advancement but I do know she has been hanging around the estate for the past couple weeks or so. Her advancement took some time but it wasn’t as long as yours.”

That’s good, I bet she has been going around and trying food in the meantime, he assumed.

“Can you take me to her?” He asked the man.

“Of course. She should be getting up pretty soon but I believe Lord Easten wanted to see you when you were done,” the servant said politely.

At least I know it’s the morning.

“He wants to see me?”

“Correct, I actually have orders to take you and see him as soon as possible.”

Julius couldn’t help but wonder what the man wanted to see him so soon for.

“Do you know why?”

The man merely shrugged.

Julius thought for a quick moment before gesturing toward the man that he was going to follow him. He didn’t see a reason why he wouldn’t go and speak to Marquis. It would also give him a good chance to ask more about the Challenge Rift. He was still very excited about the prospect of delving into that rift.

***

Julius entered the room that the man escorted him to. Before he had left, the man promised to let Reinera know that he was out and was talking to the Marquis.

The room itself was closer to a study than anything else. There were numerous large bookshelves that were packed to the brim with books. A nice area by a fireplace that he imagined would make a wonderful place to sit down and enjoy a book. And at the center of the room, in front of a large window, sat a man scribbling away at his desk.

“Ah, good. I see Jeremy has brought you,” the Marquis stated with his eyes still concentrated on the paper.

“Yeah, he said you wanted to talk with me?”

“Yes, I wanted to discuss the terms of the Challenge Rift you and Grace wanted to enter.”

“Did the elders decide to allow it?” Julius asked curiously.

The man shook his head. “No, they were still not willing,” he told Julius gently.

“Oh.”

“But don’t worry. Luckily for me, I can still give you access without their permission. It’s one of the perks of being the Patriarch.”

“Oh!” Julius said, but this time with much more enthusiasm.

“There is one thing though,” Marquis Easten added.

“Oh?” His enthusiasm dampened slightly.

“Although they weren’t happy with my decisions, the elders insisted that there must be some sort of exchange.”

Julius’s forehead creased as he frowned at the man. “You mean more than saving your grandson?”

The Marquis gave Julius a guilty look. “Yes, unlike me, they don’t seem to appreciate what you have done as greatly as I or his parents do.”

Julius sighed. “What do they want?”

“In return for allowing you access to the rift. They want you and your friend to help out with a little issue we have been having lately.”

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“Issue?”

“Yes, the organization that kidnapped Cory has also been targeting our merchants and supplies while traveling on their routes,” the man explained.