The night passed uneventful Damien spent most of the night either using his bloodline skill or shadow magic trying to upgrade when he was he started refining a batch of blood replacing the ones he used before and increasing his existing ones inching ever closer to the peak of grade one life 🧬 form after that he slept like a baby 🐥.
When the sun ☀️ was shining over the town Damien was having his breakfast 🥞 accompanied by Carl and Crowley as for why Carl was here Damien wanted to have a conversation with him before metting the church delegation in order to gauge Carl attitude while he doubted that Carl will refuse the church invitation it wouldn't hurt 🤕 to see if Carl would be cooperative in negotiations as that will make it easier to extract some needed benefits from the light church delegation.
While they were having breakfast 🥞 Damien took the initiative and asked:' I would like to ask how is did calculate the merits of the legionnaires and have issued compensation for the dead and the wounded?'.
To Carl one of the reasons that he respect this lord of his that he was fair and he seemed to truly care for his people :' lord you rest assured we calculated the merits of everyone and distributed rewards accordingly but I have to inform you that we should try to get more cultivation pills 💊 and potions as we are really close to a saturation point as for the wounded we offered pensions plus an accommodated job in logistic or administrative in the legion and for those who died in ligne of duty we offered a one time paiment, pension and the possibilité for their kin to join the legion all was done per regulation my lord'.
Damien :' happy to hear it we can never be generous enough with those who serve us with their life thus I want you to make sure that everyone get his share as for pills and potions for cultivation I will ask chamberlain Jean to allocate more funds for the time being and he should send word to manhiem to buy and send for us then he should meet with akanay to make some plans later on to increase production '.
Damien thought 💭 for a while and asked:' Carl how preparation for the accommodation for the new recruits is going?'.
Carl responded :' we already have some accommodation due to leaving a garrison in Manheim and at same time in few days we will some temporary barracks will be build until more permanent ones are build as for training I think 💬 we will use the usual method but with more emphasis on discipline and following order due to the recruit belong to another town or slaves'.
Hearing what Carl said Damien seemed to agree with what he said and then told him:' also that those who perform well will be stationed in their hometown as those with a slave or complex background like serfs or runaway from other territories promise them freedom and a clean slate '.
Carl was surprised 😯 he knew his lord has unusual idea but granting freedom that's is unheard of after all it will be like throwing away money but again this young baron infront of him can afford it he make a lot of money 🤑 from that industrial zone.
The he said :' great idea to hear lord that would highly motivate them '.
After that Damien gestured to one one of the servant who then took a lettre and give or it then he asked them to leave.
Carl bewildered with what just happened he looked at Damien and Crowley for an answer.
Then Crowley spoke:' you should open it sir Carl as it's an important letter ✉️ it concern your future '.
Carl readily opened the letter ✉️ while reading traces of surprise were on his face but for just a tiny moment a smile curled up on his face he fastly removed it but that couldn't be cancelled from Crowley who is a of higher grade he subtly signalled Damien about it.
As for Damien Carl being happy or not or if he already known about did matter to him while he hoped to keep him and serve him as his army 🪖 chief of staff ⚕️ it didn't mean he isn't replaceable after he still got the other knight plus levy and those that he will groom later while they may not be at same level a Carl he believes with determination and gifting them vampire 🦇 powers will propelled them to the same height.
A minute later Carl finished reading then Damien asked him :' what do you think 💬 about it?'.
After hearing this Carl knew that his lord was testing him and his response so he must consider carefully the next few words that will come out of his mouth after all he swore an oath to him plus until he didn't do anything to him except that he awaken a dark element talent or bloodline while him on the other side is dual user of light 🕯️ and thunder ⚡ both are the nemesis of darkness and he also spared those goblins their is that.
Carl took a deep breath 🫁:' I would like to start my lord by saying I really wished to serve you for life my lord but I won't hide it from you one of my earliest memories is that of a dark creature killing my family the only reason for me being alive is that a wandering knight saved at last moment so I always wished to be at forefront in fighting for those dark creatures,demons,heretic,cultist and so on and don't know how to explain maybe 🤔 due to my affinity with light and thunder ⚡ I am inclined to this way of life or maybe it's just the way that I am so I hope lord to grant me this chanc i will always be grateful '.
Damien felt a little bit of sympathy towards him and also at same time he knew he could leverage this to have his advantage then :' while I really hoped for you to be my sword 🗡️ I will be a selfish lord if I deprave you of this chance but I have a few conditions as I have to look at the interest of the barony first 🥇 are we cleare about this '.
Carl nodded indicating that he understood.
The Damien:' first 🥇 of all you will signe a high level binding contract under the eye of the truth promising that you will never reveal anything about me or any territory ruled by me or about the army second 🥈 I can aske you to help me in anyway you can as long it doesn't in danger your life and finaly I want to help me get the highest compensation from the light 🕯️ I can get from them what do you think 🤔 '.
Carl after hearing what Damien said thought that his demande were reasonable enough not crossing 🚸 his bottom line so he answered:' I will agree 👍 to all your conditions I just want to add to the second one to not be against my values is that acceptable lord'.
Damien was delighted that Carl readily accepted as for the added condition he didn't mind after all from his interaction with Carl he knew you can't make him do anything against his morals and at same time he had no intention of doing so he nodded and then asked Crowley to bring him the contract on which they both will drop their blood on it and declaring both at same what their obligation toward the other party damien started first:' I baron Damien ruler of the Tuscany barony hereby agree to relice my knight Carl of hi bow to serve me' then it was Carl turn :' I knight Carl swear to never divulge anything about baron Damien or his land to help with all my power as long it's not against my principles and finally to help to secure a good compensation from the church of light' after finishing the contract dissipated and they both felt a binding energy circetling their hearts if any on of them broke their vow his heart would be crushed under this power .
After that Damien said:' one final thing would like to participate in the ruins exploration I would like you to be on the team'.
Carl was really surprised 🙀 he though that the lord would remove from anything related to the territory but it seems he still think of him as subject or friend :' I will happy to do so lord '.
Damien :' so I would like to prepare a team we will go in two days time so we can return before the church delegation come'.
Carl moving his head indicating that he understood then he excused himself as he has a lot to do.
After that Crowley asked:' may I know lord why you gave him the chance to explore the ruins?'.
Damien smiled and said:' it really simple since it's knight order ruins their is no-one better than Carl to explore with it he is the perfect knight template also if he get some opportunity their he will more valuable that increase his value to the church of light as for know let's go Meet the bright delegation they are probably tired 😩 of waiting it's all about deals '.