Preparations for the gathering

Ki met up with Rashida to get a list of body measurements of several members of the blood shadow group, weapon type and their estimated weight, width and length.

Each person had their own requirements which could be met by using one of the older weapons which were gathering dust within the Bombyx family treasury or the ones they had collected from their previous battles but Rashida required a new two handed scimitar made which she could start training with and using since the one she is using is too light.

Ki went to meet with Miranda after some contemplation. "I need to make an order, either use one of the more skilled blacksmiths that are employed by the family or try to find someone with enough skill. I need a set of double edged daggers, a two handed scimitar, a two handed great sword and a one handed longsword. I have specified the maximum and minimum weight, width, length and thickness of the blades in my notes."

Miranda took the notes and read them before confirming. "Do I need to inform the family of this to get the money or should I use the profits from your current businesses?"

"The businesses have only been up and running smoothly for a little time now so it's best to not affect the stability during their early stages. So it's best we keep the the profits for covering any accidents or for expansion. Go to my grandmother and through her you should be able to get the funds, just say that the weapons are for when me, Evie and Leon have begun to reach maturity that we can have a weapon suited to the martial arts we have been training in." Ki shook her head while feeling depressed. 'Although the money in the family vault is available to use I do not have private funds of my own and I cannot use the profits of the businesses I have started. What I need is a way to secure funds to expand further, support my growing forces and to create a new organisation that I can make use of to gather intel again… first I need someone who can become the head of that organisation and there is only one person I can think of.'

"Okay young miss, I don't mind Evie training but try not to give her real weapons until she is more familiar with them since the slightest mistake could cause harm to her. I will bring this to your grandma and get permission." Miranda spoke worriedly as she turned to exit the room but turned back and asked. "Is there anything else Young miss?"

"I need you to find someone else. They are from Wolfden City but I am not sure if they are living in the slums or elsewhere. I will give you their name and description so try to find them for me soon." Ki spoke up once more. "If possible put in a request for a one handed short sword or dagger and light one handed longsword which is suitable for piercing and the two would be built as a pair suitable for dual wielding by a woman." [1]

Ki quickly added to the notes given to Miranda before giving her them back, Miranda then left the room. "I will get to work on it young miss."

Ki sat in the room in deep thought. 'The best source of money would be raiding an experts tomb and selling their treasures or collecting all of their money stored. There were around 4 tomb discoveries during my previous life which I either took part in or know the location of. One of them is within the northeast while two are in the west and another is in the south of the central lands. Other ones I am aware of are in the other lands so cannot be easily accessed and I would have to try to cross the borders with carriages full of gold and treasures. This would bring me great trouble if I got caught so it is best to target the one in the north eastern parts of the central lands.'

"If I remember correctly the tomb owner was a demonic cultivator who used a flame Qi art which reduced their lifespan the more they practiced it. The art requires that the flame is fed anything to nurture the fire Qi which includes using the flame qi in their attacks to burn people, beasts or plants with the attacks and even use their own lifespan to nurture the fire qi. The name evil flame comes from the nature of harming both enemies and the user to increase the users strength and its ghostly and evil greyish white colour of the flame." Ki stood talking to herself while trying to sort out her thoughts and put them into a plan. "I cannot enter there yet as I am not able to leave the village right now but I can make an excuse to go there with my own men in carriages in a few years. If I remember it correctly the demonic sect were the ones to enter it first and get most of the spoils at the cost of many lives because of the traps set up inside. They will not find it until around 5 years later so I have enough time to get there before them."

Ki then went to see Isaac and asked. "How are the preparations going with my mothers noble meeting?"

Isaac responded quickly. "Some of the families serving the Bombyx family have responded and will be sending their wives to attend a tea party at the mansion. A few families ladies have been invited from Wolfden city and a couple of your mothers old acquaintances. Everything else is prepared and there will be no problems with the final presentation."

"Then is there anything I need to know about the people coming or how I should dress or act? I have never attended a tea party with other nobles before." Ki looked a little uneasy.

This was officially the first time she had took part in a noble circles gathering as someone who was allowed to sit at the same table as them so she did not have any experience on how to act.

"Young miss, you just have to leave it to your mother but if I simplify things then there will be three groups of people. One will wish to be enemies with your family or try to shame your mother during the meal, the other would be a neutral party who will sit and wait to see how things play out before taking sides or will not get involved at all. Then finally there are those who wish to make alliances or want to be on friendly terms for the sake of building a friendship." Isaac began to explain as he finished writing some documents. "Everything within a woman's noble circle is about reputation and your image. The moment you become a victim, a villain or an outcast then that is the time when you have failed within the noble circles. After that you may be excluded for participating in other gatherings in the future or others may not attend yours. If you establish a good image and reputation then you will be able to pull in others from different noble families as allies or for business interests. It would be best if you dress up neatly with something matching the season and appear in front of others as not overly arrogant but also not overly humble. If they make remarks deflect them with your words and try to establish your place without making too many enemies."

[1] https://youtu.be/xc8akxwI56s