"As a new Baronet establishing her fief, you will be expected to make a complete audit of the territory you control. The audit works to give you more than information about taxes. You will need to take a census, assess property distribution and valuation, gauge the effectiveness of infrastructure, and find out how wealth has been distributed," Elder Shadow advised.

"The Shadow Clan has offered a person uniquely suited to help you with this audit. He has done much to expose the Truth by scrutinizing data. Just as important, he has reached the Nascent Soul Realm so will be able to help protect you.

"Patriarch Umbra touched upon the issues of smuggling that we believe is taking place. When your audit reaches the docks and ships that load and offload cargo at those docks, you are certain to evince evidence of the smuggling."

"Have you figured out what it is that is being smuggled?" I asked.

"No," he huffed, "and that is troubling."

"You believe that they are being protected?" I surmised.

"That they have protection is obvious," he agreed. "What is worrisome is how people from the Empire got involved. Whoever is running this smuggling ring, has to have created the infrastructure years before the Hindel agreed to cede their claim to the island to the Emperor."

"So, how did whoever is involved get involved, and what is so valuable that they have managed to keep it secret even as the Empire took ownership of Delph?" I wondered.

"The only thing we are certain of is that Emperor Halycon isn't involved. I won't try to suggest that the Empire hasn't had dealings with the unscrupulous and unsavory elements of society, but that isn't the case here. Patriarch Umbra has been outspoken with Halycon about the issues that she has uncovered and warned him that if she finds the Empire involved, that he won't like how she responds. Or how our House responds."

Just what kind of power did Patriarch Umbra have to threaten the Emperor, I wondered? It reminded me of Tibes and his reaction in that tearoom where he fell to his knees kowtowing. He had been afraid; I had thought at the time that fear was because Umbra was a Patriarch and a Nihility-ranked cultivator.

Perhaps I had been wrong, and I should have been concerned at what kind of reputation Umbra, or her House, had to instill such fear. In any event, I couldn't decide if knowing she was powerful enough to threaten the Emperor was troubling or comforting.

"The man that has agreed to help you, Elder Shade is ready to meet with you at your leisure. He is willing to set up a small office in the town that you will claim, assuming that you are willing to claim the area Patriarch Umbra has highlighted?" Elder Shadow said questioning if I had made my decision.

I had been thinking about that exact question since he had highlighted the area Umbra was offering. The decision required me to consider my family's safety, but in a world where monster and animal tides could flare up for no reason to attack a city, even those cities heavily fortified and protected in the Empire, safety was relative.

The real question was if I thought the risk could be offset by what I stood to gain. And I had to honestly conclude it would. I might have hoped for materials and resources, but Patriarch Umbra's offer of those items was non-existent, but the offer of Elder Shade to act as adviser and auditor made my choice obvious.

The timing was another consideration I needed to factor into my decision. If we could solve the mystery of this smuggling ring before my family arrived, that might not help ensure their safety, and it would remove the most obvious impediment to their security. If we couldn't solve the smuggling issue in time, I would need to use intermediaries, people that would help obfuscate and keep my relationship with my family a secret. At least until I was certain it was safe.

"I have called a meeting of all Heads of House and the Patriarch to discuss Elder Dill's actions," Elder Shadow informed me. "If nothing else, I will make certain that you are compensated for the restrictions he has placed on you. His actions are within the bounds of the Head of Alchemy Hall's responsibilities.

"But recompense is due. I think an equivalent amount of contribution points that you spent reaching apprentice level in alchemy is warranted, enough to allow you to gain that same apprentice level in another profession.

"If Elder Dill hopes to keep Alchemy Hall, and staff it with people he has hand-selected, he will have to pay for the privilege," Elder Shadow promised, eyes blazing in determination.

I was intrigued by this facet of his personality, he had seldom shared any emotion, fostering an aura of martial sage instead. I hadn't realized that he could be vindictive, or if he was, that he would scheme and act to achieve vindication. I agreed with his thinking, and happy to find that he wasn't as emotionless as I'd thought and could be stirred to anger and action.

"Another point of interest," he continued. "Challenge duels between Sect members that met during the tournament have been banned. The Patriarch wants to make sure that any bad blood or hard feelings that might be leftover are not allowed to flame out of control.

"She was worried that the Sect might devolve into challenges and counter-challenges as people that took issue with defeat attempted to regain lost honor. For the most part, this won't affect you, there are only three people that you fought against that joined Four Elements.

"The young fire attuned young man that used the whip as his weapon of choice, the earth and metal aligned young woman that wielded the trident, and the Beast Tamer."

"The Beast Tamer, Daniel, would probably have the most reason to hold a grudge," I admitted. "Storm and I were not kind. I hadn't meant to kill two of his companions, it was unfortunate, but their death is on him. If he hadn't decided to use them as a shield, they would have survived. The only real death that can be considered intentional was Storm's attack on his flying snake. That was intentional and merited. "

"Issues of fault give little comfort when companions you have bound that deeply die," Elder Shadow warned. "I won't suggest you avoid the young man, but perhaps don't provoke him. And no matter how he antagonizes you, find a way to resolve it without the challenge duel."

"I'll try," I agreed. "And if I spend most of my time building up my fief, it will leave little opportunity for our paths to cross."

"That brings us to our last issue," he said. "Your contribution to the Sect. As an Inner Sect Member, you are expected to help guide novices, help prospective new members, care for staff, and mentor Outer Sect Members.

"Patriarch Umbra has assigned you to act as one of my assistants as part of those duties. You will need to spend one day each week helping anyone willing to exchange contribution points for individualized training. You will also need to hold demonstrations, one day each week. The Sect hopes to showcase the unique abilities your Tessen give you as proof that alternative weapons can be used effectively. The Patriarch wants to encourage the more esoteric weapons as one of her ways to differentiate our Sect from any of the other high-tier Sects.

"Has the library been stocked with martial techniques for these types of weapons? Techniques that are powerful enough to exploit the power of each kind of weapon?" I asked. "If Elder Cix had not guided my path toward [Tessenjutsu], I would have never mastered the Tessen."

"I believe the Sect has gathered some interesting martial techniques and form. Skills and abilities that have been suggested by a collective of Librarians," he assured me. "I, personally, was gifted with Elder Cix's thoughts on this matter.

"The Patriarch listened to those authorities and collected as many of the treatise and techniques as she could get her hands on. I believe you will find we are well staffed with suitable jade tokens with the knowledge for any weapon a young cultivator might select."

I might be reading more into his words, and the way he almost smirked as he delivered them, but I had a feeling that Elder Cix's hand was more firmly involved than as one Librarian among many. It wouldn't surprise me. That man was a stew of mysteries. A bit of everything simmered over time to form the whole.

It wouldn't surprise me to find that the authoritative list of tokens, skills, and techniques that I could search using my computer's sprite hadn't been compiled by him. His ability to hold the entire inventory of his library in memory had to make him unique among his peers.