Breakfast went on.
When the last of the plates were pushed away and the table cleared, Professor Catherine straightened up, brushing invisible dust from her hair.
Her eyes moved from Emily to Isaac, then back to Emily again.
"For today’s schedule," she began, her tone businesslike, "I will have Emily focus on her rank up, and—"
"About that," Isaac cut in. He didn’t usually interrupt her, but this time he leaned forward, and spoke. "Can we delay Emily’s rank up for a week?"
Professor Catherine blinked, surprised, then studied him for a moment.
She knew he wasn’t the type to push without reason. So she turned to Emily instead.
"It’s your choice," she said, shrugging slightly.
Emily barely hesitated. "If Isaac says so, then okay."
Isaac gave her a wry smile. She hadn’t even asked him why. That blind trust was both reassuring and worrying.
Professor Catherine exhaled and tapped the armrest of the sofa. "Very well. Change in schedule then.
"Emily will have classes with me today.
"Isaac will meet with his Subjects, then you will rank up, after that you’ll meet the three university leaders and provide an official report about the fight with N’theris Serpent.
"Then you will check the results of your new harvests from the Tier 2 crops, and lastly you will meet with the nagas.
"In the evening, we will hold another meeting about the direction of city management."
Isaac nodded.
"Isn’t this too much work for one day for Isaac? Can’t you split it into two days at least?" Emily spoke up.
Professor Catherine shook her head firmly. "No can do. This is the moment when we have to move quickly. The previous government has fallen, and if we don’t take control of the structure immediately, other problems will crop up. Additionally..."
She paused, letting her gaze move over everyone at the table before locking onto Isaac.
"I will begin my evolution to Apex rank tomorrow. That means I’ll be out for a week. Afterward, I will head to Fortified City 22."
Isaac straightened at that. "Fortified City 22?"
"Yes," she replied.
She explained the events in detail.
"—and their Overlord had been working with the former governor. Now that the Overlord is weakened, they need protection.
’For the first week, we will deploy our Champion rankers to guard their city.
"But Champion rankers are the backbone of our own defenses, so they can’t stay there for long. Once they return, someone else must step in, and that will be me."
Emily’s expression shifted, a flicker of worry breaking through her usually steady face. "Aunty, you’re leaving?"
"Don’t worry. A clone will remain here. Though," Professor Catherine gave a sly smile. "It might even be the original that stays. You’ll never know."
Emily tried to smile back, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Before Isaac could comment, Celia, who had been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time, raised her hand slightly, almost like a student asking to speak.
"Um, I have a question."
Professor Catherine tilted her head. "Go on."
"Fortified City 22 is currently weakened because their Overlord had to deal with the backlash of the contract, right?"
"Yes," Professor Catherine answered without hesitation.
"Then why don’t we take this chance, while their leader is still weak, and conquer their city?" Celia asked.
Isaac nearly spat the water he was sipping.
He coughed hard, grabbed a napkin, and wiped his mouth, staring at her.
The table fell into a stunned silence.
"You—what?" he finally managed, his voice rough from the water.
Celia looked back at him, as though she hadn’t just dropped the most reckless suggestion of the morning.
"Why would we conquer their City?" he asked.
"Because it will help us with resources? And the more people we have the higher chances we have to get higher rank Talent people working for us. Besides, since their Overlord was the one who pointed her weapon at us first, we have the justification to move."
She added, "Their Overlord is weak, their defenses are down. If we want to strengthen ourselves and secure more resources, now is the best opportunity."
Isaac opened his mouth and closed it.
For the absurd thought she had, the points she put forth were quite logical.
Emily let out a strained smile. "That’s... that’s not how alliances work. We’re supposed to be cooperating, not stabbing each other in the back."
Professor Catherine didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she cast a brief glance at Leora.
Leora shook her head subtly before returning her attention to the table.
"Your suggestion isn’t bad, Celia," Professor Catherine finally said. "Conquest is the fastest way to expand. The problem isn’t the idea.
"The problem is whether we can handle the consequences.
"Right now, we’re already spending a lot of resources just to silence the people who supported the governor.
"On top of that, we’re handling the management of Fortified City 50 and still have to prepare to conquer Fortified City 89.
"With all of that, we’re stretched thin. We don’t have the resources to take over Fortified City 22," Professor Catherine explained.
"So you’re saying we can’t conquer them ’right now’?" Celia asked. Her eyes shone and a smile crept across her lips.
"Yes," Professor Catherine smiled back.
"What if their Overlord still hasn’t recovered after we have settled," Celia grinned.
"I doubt that would happen unless someone is deliberately sabotaging her," Professor Catherine smiled.
"Haha, there is no way anyone would do that to a kind person like her." Celia laughed.
"You are correct. No one would do that." Professor Catherine chuckled.
Isaac watched their exchange with a frown
The way those two had spoken.
It was clear they were dancing around the same thought.
He didn’t miss the strange amusement in Catherine’s tone, or Celia’s excitement at being told no.
The two of them were... quite devious.
Once the arrangements were settled, Emily pushed her chair back and came around to Isaac’s side.
She leaned down, kissed his cheek softly, and whispered, "Good luck today."
She headed off with Professor Catherine for her lessons.
Celia stayed behind only briefly, then wandered outside after spotting Leora polishing her sword.
After a short exchange, she learned Leora was skilled with blades and immediately insisted on training with her.
Isaac, seeing the eagerness, returned the Stormshadow Katana to Celia before she ran out.
That left Isaac and Professor Catherine in the living room.
They both sat in silence for a moment, waiting for his to-be Subjects to come, before Professor Catherine spoke again.
"Isaac, you’re a Lord now. Keep that in mind. Even if you’re meeting friends, you need to maintain a level of authority, especially during official meetings."
Isaac leaned back in his chair, trying to relax his shoulders. "I know. I’ll keep that in mind."
"Good." She nodded.
Not long after, the first Subject arrived.
Paul Walker entered the room with his usual broad grin. His hands were still rough from the forge, and soot clung to the edge of his sleeves.
"Boss! How are you?" Paul greeted warmly, gripping Isaac’s hand and shaking it with enthusiasm before plopping himself down on the sofa.
Isaac couldn’t help but smile. Paul’s energy was like a gust of fresh air.
"I’m good. Thanks for the weapons. They helped a lot."
"Hahaha! If they helped you, then that’s all I could ask for!" Paul laughed, loud and genuine.
They exchanged a few more words before Isaac shifted to the main purpose of the meeting. "Paul, I’ll get straight to the point. Do you want to become my Subject?"
Paul nodded eagerly, his face lighting up. "Of course! I already heard about what that means, and I’m all for it."
Isaac brought up his Lord Profile and sent the invitation. Paul accepted instantly.
[New Subject gained. Paul Walker, Human]
[Subjects: 7/10]
"Thank you for this opportunity, Boss. I won’t let you down," Paul said with genuine emotion.
Isaac could tell Paul meant it.
Under the governor’s rule, Paul and his father’s smithy had been pressured, forced down despite their skill, all because they hadn’t given in to unreasonable demands.
No one had stood up for them.
To Paul, this new chance meant more than just a contract; it was freedom.
They spoke a little longer about Tyr’s training and future plans before Paul excused himself, leaving with the same wide grin he had come in with.
The next visitor was Chairman Lucius.
"Welcome, Chairman," Isaac said, standing and offering his hand.
"Thank you," Chairman Lucius replied, his tone polite but firm as they shook hands.
The two men sat across from each other in the living room.
Unlike Paul, Chairman Lucius carried himself with the poise of someone used to negotiating deals and managing networks.
He wasted no time easing into the purpose of the meeting.
"Our Calloway Conglomerate has connections with other human cities," Chairman Lucius began smoothly. "We can even initiate trade with other races. So if you want me, the Chairman, as one of your Subjects, I will need to put some conditions forward."
Isaac nodded slowly. "Let’s hear them."
Lucius handed over a prepared list.
Isaac skimmed through it.
His eyes narrowed as he reached the end. Distribution rights for crops in certain territories, a portion of harvests for cheap prices, influence over trade routes, and several other concessions.
It was long, and most of it tilted heavily in Lucius’s favor.
Isaac closed the folder and set it back on the desk between them.
"I can’t agree to these demands."
"That’s unfortunate." Chairman Lucius’s face didn’t change much, though his tone cooled. "In that case, I would have to refuse your invitation to become your Subject."
"That’s right." Isaac nodded once, leaning back in his chair.
Lucius frowned.
He had expected at least some negotiation, but Isaac was cutting the conversation short.
There was no attempt to bargain, or request for compromise.
It was a flat refusal.
The lack of desperation made his chest tighten with unease.
’This brat has something else prepared,’ Chairman Lucius thought grimly.
His mind began to race, running through possible explanations.
Did Isaac have another powerful trade partner lined up? Some new development with those Tier 2 crops?
As Lucius was still considering, Isaac leaned forward slightly.
"Since you’re going to refuse, that leaves me with one Subject slot still open. Maybe this is fate. I had been considering making Selene my Subject, but I had to give up on the idea before because I didn’t have space. Now, it seems I do," he said with a smile
Chairman Lucius froze.
The meaning of the smile was clear.
’This bastard... he’s using my daughter against me.’
Chairman Lucius could see how Selene felt about Isaac.
She had been charmed by him, even if she didn’t realize it herself.
And now Isaac was suggesting, ever so casually, that he could draw her in if Chairman Lucius didn’t cooperate.
The Chairman’s jaw tightened.
He gritted his teeth but kept his composure.
"On second thought," he said slowly, "I suppose my demands were too much."
Isaac tilted his head slightly. "So, you’re saying you’ll become my Subject without those demands?"
"Yes." The word came out through clenched teeth.
"I’m glad we could reach an agreement." Isaac’s smile was polite, nothing more.
Chairman Lucius forced himself to nod, though he was cursing Isaac and his seven generations.
He cursed his own luck too.
Both his daughters had been ensnared by this shameless bastard!
Isaac, on the other hand, leaned back comfortably, watching as the system notification confirmed the contract.
[New Subject gained. Chairman Lucius, Human]
[Subjects: 8/10]
He didn’t miss the dark look in Chairman Lucius’s eyes, but he ignored it.
The meeting ended with formal farewells.
After Chairman Lucius left, Peter — Isaac’s friend from Academy, and an S-rank Golem Master — came.