Inheritor Of Magic: The Magi King

"Now, that is a precious item. Can you really spare it?" Wolfe asked, and the Oracle smiled softly at some memory, which gave him the impression that this item really wasn't urgently needed.

"It is a relic, a bit of ancient family history, not a design that is in current use. But I believe that you may have some interest in it." The young Countess replied.

"Then I shall visit your home in the morning, and help rebuild the essential household spells that it might need. Thievery is a terrible thing, especially when there is no proper need for it. Your Family survived, so the items were not taken to pay their debts after their death." Wolfe agreed.

There were a few guilty looks in the crowd, either those who had stolen the enchanted items, or those who had taken more than what they were owed from an estate. But Wolfe ignored that, and focused on the new toy in his hands.

"Why don't you retire to my Family's home for the evening? The party will run late into the night, and it is closer than the hotel." She suggested.

"I will inform my group. I am certain that at least one of my wives will prefer to come along."

Petros looked confused. "Not both of them? Do they not get along?"

Wolfe chuckled. "They get along quite well, but we have servants back at the hotel, as well as many of our belongings, and it is likely that at least one will prefer to return for the evening to keep them company. We are a long way from home, and the others that were called with us are quite young and adorable looking, barely old enough to have started learning magic. Leaving them unattended seems like a recipe for disaster."

The chances that anyone would be brave enough after tonight to attempt to kidnap cute kids from Wolfe's suite were infinitesimal, even lower than the chances that they would actually manage it with Stephanie there, but keeping up the appearance would also allow one of the two to escape the constant questioning of the ladies.

Wolfe could sense the growing frustration and annoyance as the same questions were asked repeatedly by people who had no chance of ever learning the spells.

After being bombarded by pleading nobles in the most polite way imaginable for hours on end, they would likely argue over who got to go to the hotel and hide, and who would have to go with Wolfe and actually cast a number of spells in the morning.

They could likely just pass him the amulets and let him activate them, but then he would be left unattended in the house of a Noble, who would be obliged to receive guests from the other families who wanted to arrange some sort of deal with him. They already knew that he couldn't be trusted in those negotiations, as he had accepted daughters from half the Demon Kings the last time he was allowed to bargain on his own behalf.

If he started collecting human princesses from this world the same way, then they would never sort out the political mess that they found themselves stuck in the middle of.

Wolfe could sense their thoughts through the bond, the same as they could sense his, as he rarely bothered to block them from anyone in the Pentacles.

[I will return to make sure that Stephanie and Molly don't get up to too much trouble, and you can take Cassie with you to ensure that you don't come back with any more wives. Seriously, no more wives.] Ella informed him silently from the other room.

[Are you sure? This one is kind of adorable, and Mary would cuddle her to death if we brought her back.] Wolfe joked, and received the mental equivalent of an eye roll in return.

Cassie's stern thoughts cut into Wolfe's mind. [Just don't promise them anything that will break the balance, and don't cast any spells that are so outlandish they might try to force us to stay.

Some of them already know what you can do in combat, and that is bad enough. But if they get the idea that your skills are really that useful, they will become completely insufferable.]

Wolfe left them to their social gathering, which was constantly cycling through members, with the two of them trapped by courtesy at tables talking about flowers and interior decorating for the most part, with only a few visitors who were even interested in the place they might be from, or the other spells that they knew.

It hadn't even come up yet that they were skilled with healing magic, though that was almost certainly going to be the most valuable thing that they had to offer people here. This world didn't have any witches that they knew of, and the medicines were decent alchemical products, but not on the same level as witch magic above the second rank.

Countess Dewinter came to stand with Wolfe and the assembled Elders, while more debutantes were brought forward, all with the same concern. Creating magical items.

It was the primary career path for Noblemen who didn't want to join the army, or Noblewomen who wanted a job outside the home. The society ran on various magical items, even the lights in this room were magical creations, though the room itself was manually assembled from stone blocks and not created with Earth Magic.

Only being able to use a limited variety of spells caused a strange dichotomy in this world. In some ways, it was incredibly advanced, but in others, it was positively medieval.

"I know that many of you couldn't see the first time, so why don't we move from the dance hall and into somewhere more suited to watching a lecture? Is there such a place here?" Wolfe asked.

Petros nodded. "The smoking lounge would be perfect. There is a stage at front for showmen, and the chairs can all be turned to face the front. The size is limited, but if we set up portable seating for the concerned nobles near the stage, there should be enough room for all who wish to attend."

"Wonderful. Then we shall relocate this party to the smoking lounge."