When Did You Find Out?

Soon, the last person left, and the door closed. Leaving only Colonel Cardin, Robin, and my guards in the hall.

"Can we really fight the undead?" I asked Stone and Colonel Cardin. 

"It is a complicated question, Lord Governor. The answer depends on the strength of a horde, the number of undead it has, the type of undead it contains, the pillars, and the people leading them," replied Colonel Cardin.

It is a technical answer, I do not need a technical answer. So, I turned to the person, who could give me the answer, I needed.

Stone didn't speak, and I thought he wouldn't before he opened his mouth.

"The horde they would send likely be a grade 2 war horde. It will have hundred to hundred and fifty thousand undead, regular undead with zombies and skeletons, around ten to fifteen pre-Level 30 powerhouses, and with two or more Level 30+ powerhouse leading them."

"To even have a small chance of victory against such force, we would need an army of twenty-five thousand. Around twenty pre-Level 30 powerhouses and at least three to five Level 30+ powerhouses," he replied.

For a moment, I didn't speak as I was busy cursing at my heart at the bastard who had run away.

We might not have a required number in the army, but we wouldn't have had any problem with powerhouses. We had three high mages; they alone would have helped tremendously.

The bastard had taken them all with him when he ran away.

"There is still time to leave, if any of you want to leave," I said. Colonel Cardin smiled, while Stone and others remained silent without saying anything.

Seeing that, a smile appeared on my face, before my expressions, turned serious.

"Zela calls every officer of the rank of captain and, above. Mercenary leaders, Mage Guild leaders, and every powerhouse that hadn't left. Also, see if there are any priests of the god of war had remained. If there are, call them; I want them all here by five," I ordered.

I thought for a moment and gave out another order, which alarmed Cardin.

"Lord Governor, that wouldn't be wise," he said, sensing my intentions. "I didn't like it either, but we need people. They are better than the people that Commander Dane had sent with you," I said.

"They will not be controlled. Might even make things worse," he advised. "It could happen, but it is the risk, I am willing to take," I replied.

As I had said, I wouldn't have done it. If I had a choice, but now there is no choice. I have to do it despite the risks it poses.

He opened his mouth to reply to that, but closed it a moment later. 

I didn't say a thing and walked toward the office, with them following behind me. 

My steps were steady and there was no emotion on my face, but in my heart, there was bubbling panic.

I am not worried about my life, I am confident I will be safe, but I am worried about the lives of over two hundred thousand citizens of the city. It is weighing me down; wanting me to throw this responsibility to someone else and burrow into my legacy.

That would be a mistake.

I am the only person in the city who is fit for this responsibility. It is the reason, the bastard gave me the responsibility before running away.

Not because I am capable, I could name ten people who would be better at it, than me, but because I am a Lord, this is not an empty title to the people, even if it is to me. It means something to people; it demands their respect.

Even before gaining the title, I have proved myself in the city with my work and, after gaining the legacy, I have become a figure, that is second in respect after the Count.

I walked into the office and sat on the chair, I had not before.

I am in Count Darrow's office, sitting in his chair. He would be hopping mad if he came to know about it, but to be honest, I don't care.

I turned to Stone, sitting in front of me.

"Tell me, how Vris'alud does things," I said. "It is a complicated question, Lord Governor," he replied.

"Give me a general answer in the simplest terms," I said, and this time, he simply nodded. "The Vris'alud…" he begins, and I listened.

Now and then, he would pause, when Zela would tell me the message and I would give her a few commands, but would resume when I turned to him.

It is not like, I didn't read about them, but it was like reading a newspaper, just to be aware of things. If I knew, I might one day be in the command of the city and would be fighting against them, I would have studied them far more extensively.

Soon, he finished with the short version, which wasn't complicated. It is like how most undead kingdoms fight.

They attack in large numbers. Their target is to kill the leaders and break through the wall's city. Once they did it, they would slaughter every resistance they came across till there was none.

Sometimes, if cities resist too much, they will slaughter it whole; not even sparing the children.

Vris'alud represents the worst of the undead kingdom in the world.

Click!

Stone left with Colonel Cardin on a short errand, while I turned to Zela. "Any progress?" I asked.

"They are still moving," she replied.

The three hordes are moving toward the cities. Their speed is good and by late morning, they should be able to reach the Almin and Bilgas, which are about the same distance from Ashton Harbor.

It will take a late afternoon to evening for the third horde to reach the Port Midlet.

"Any sighting of the new horde?" I asked, to which she shook her head.

The undead will attack us, Stone seemed quite sure of it and so is Colonel Cardin. It might take a day or two, but they will, and I need to be prepared for that.

I asked her a few more things before taking out the files from the cabinet and started to read them. I need to know, every resource city has to use it against the undead if I need to fight them.

"They are here," informed Zela. 

Click!

"Let them in," I said and immediately, the door opened and three people walked in. 

Ina, Lola, and Bell.

I called them here to help me. I trust, Ina and Lola more than I trust anyone here. They have talents that will help me manage things, as for the Bell; she has something I need.

"Lord Governor," they greeted. 

Ina and Lola seemed faintly awkward at their address, while Bell was smooth. Which isn't surprising who she is. I could finally see her class after my level-up and legacy and I have to say, I am surprised. 

I had not let those people search the ship because they were disrespectful and didn't have permission, but didn't expect, I brought a person they were searching for.

In the past two months, I wanted to inform those people because of the risk they pose to me if they found out, I was harboring her and nearly did, before stopping myself.

It is an enormous risk, from which even Legacy wouldn't be able to protect me if found out. Especially now with the protection of the emperor gone.

I shook those thoughts away and focused on the present. I will have plenty of time to think about it after I deal with the undead. 

I nodded at them, before turning to Bell. Covering us with a Privacy Sphere.

"Bell, I have a favor to ask of you," I said and faint emotion appeared for a fraction of a second on her expressionless face.

"Anything, my lord," she said, without the slightest chance, but I could see the gears shifting in her eyes.

"I want your skill," I said, and her expression changed drastically, with various emotions beginning to appear on her face. 

A surprise appeared in Zela's eyes seeing her affected like this. Bell is a woman who always remained composed; she had remained composed when that bastard Zanav threatened to rape her, but here her expression changed.

To me, it is not surprising, seeing what I had just said, referred to her greatest secret and she could suffer dire consequences if found out.

"When did you find out?" she asked as finally calmed down. "The day establishment turned into the legacy," I replied, and she shuddered, but relief flooded into her eyes a moment later.

Usually, when intrusive skills like Sight Through Veil are used; the person on which it is used realizes it immediately. It used to happen and still happens if I use skills outside of the establishment.

Inside the establishment, it is a completely different thing.

In the establishment, people didn't notice me using intrusive skills. I could even see the classes and skills of people who are level or two higher than me, which I couldn't do outside.

The legacy is connected to my class and thus powers it when I am in it.

"Will my skill disappear while you are using it?" she asked, to which I shook my head.

"No, I will only be copying it," I replied. To which she nodded.

"What do I have to do?" she asked. She didn't ask, which skill I am copying from her. She had likely guessed it; it was the only skill, she had that could help me.

It will aid me in fitting into my role more properly. It will aid me enormously, to convince the people who will soon be gathering.

"Give me your hand," I said. 

She hesitated for a moment before pushing her hand over the desk. I took her soft hands into mine and closed my eyes, before activating my skill.

I didn't immediately target her skill and instead removed the one, I had. The Flawless Edit was copied skill.

I removed it and targeted the skill; I wanted to copy from her.

{Copy Skill: Nobles Grace}

I got the skill and the people around me felt it immediately. It is a passive skill and a powerful one at that. I wouldn't have been able to copy it if my class hadn't been as powerful as her ruling class and over Lv. 20.

The skill had become even more powerful as it copied thanks to my higher level and suitability.

This skill is also a high-level one, which means it could use the full power of my attributes. Some of the skills aren't powerful enough to bear the full power of my attributes and remain restricted in power.

I don't want it restricted.