Chương 36: Chapter 1.36: Tainted Chalice

Three times the butt of Brutus's axe slammed into the feasting hall's marble floor, and after the third slam, which somehow hadn't shattered the stone, silence reigned. Brutus raised his voice.

"Announcing the young master Favius Ovinius Loran, Cultor Bellator, and his sister, the young lady Caliga Ovinia Loran, Cultor Bellator." Favius made himself smile broadly as he stepped into the room and studied the guests. Two long tables stood opposite the garden courtyard, Marcus and Hesnia heading their respective tables. He couldn't help but sniff the air. It was rich with well-spiced food, and he could even sense something else. The tingling.

Reminiscent, but not the same as what had accompanied spiritual foods before. I can smell spiritual materials now? He shrugged. Caliga stepped up to him and hooked her elbow into his as he assessed the guests. Mostly freedmen and citizens of the household. He glanced at a few people, roughly matching them to descriptions Tiro had given him. Lesser nobles living nearby. Marcus had invited anyone of note who could reach the estate on short notice.

Land-owning clients of the Loran branch, independent Chariatii nobles—the old charioteer knight class who hadn't been militarily relevant for centuries—and wealthy freedman farmers. Most of them sat at Marcus's table, while their wives were eagerly chattering with Hesnia's sycophants. He and Caliga walked between the tables through the silent room, Brutus right on their heels. Marcus got up and met them at the end of the corridor of seated people. He and Caliga lowered their heads.

"Greetings, Patriarch." Favius's eyes widened slightly as the man stepped forward and embraced both him and Caliga in a broad hug.

"No need for formality. I'm proud of you two. Cultivation at such a young age." He embraced them tightly before putting them down and ruffling their hair in turn. Favius endured it with more stoicism than Caliga.

"Dad, my hair," she murmured, only making the senator chuckle. He looked them over.

"It is unusual to become a Cultor at such a young age." He looked over at Brutus.

"Cultor Bellator. Tell me, kids, what did my brother teach you?"

"Endurance. We both trained endurance," spouted Caliga, and a few gasps could be heard as people began to murmur. Favius narrowed his eyes as Marcus' expression darkened. I think that should have remained more of a secret. Well, no use crying about my sister's impulse control.

"Endurance and the path of the warrior cultivator. I've heard that the insight can be tough to attain."

"Well, perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise, given our children's lifestyle." Hesnia's voice was sweet, yet it wasn't the sweetness of flowers. It was the clawing sweetness of spoiled honey. Brutus smiled, his voice rich with pride.

"I observed and trained the children diligently. And endurance—" his hand landed on Favius's shoulder "—tell them, boy. Now that you have the insight, why endurance?" Favius nodded, pointedly ignored Hesnia, and addressed Marcus.

"Endurance is useful to a warrior, Father. But tell me: Who wouldn't benefit from greater endurance? Even an orator like you would profit from speaking longer, outlasting your rival's patience in negotiation, and from having more time to work." Marcus hummed.

"A good argument. Though next time I would like to be consulted before my children are trained in the Rhexioni style of cultivation." Brutus made an agreeable grunting sound, but Hesnia inserted herself again.

"It is a good point. Despite the achievement, there are reasons why children this young shouldn't be cultivating." Favius turned his head and glared at her.

"What use is there discussing spilled wine? We are cultivators now, and we have already paid the price of that power." Hesnia's smile was tight, but she nodded. After accepting congratulations from the more important visitors, who were already eating, Brutus gestured for Favius and Caliga to follow him toward their corner of the table, close yet not beside Marcus. But Favius had noticed something else. Urania was sitting between Marius and Lia, who were attended by a nursemaid.

"I need to talk to her." Brutus nodded as he turned toward Hesnia's table. Favius cleared his throat, standing behind his sister.

"Urania—" Before he could continue, both Lia and Marius spun around. Marius jumped off the bench and hugged him.

"Favius! Is it true you're a cultivator? Show me, show me!" He ruffled his young brother's hair.

"There's nothing to show."

"That's silly," Marius said, poking him.

"Urania told me what you did. Can you train me too?"

"Later," Favius said, rubbing his brother's shoulder. After hugging Lia as well, he met Urania's steely gaze and sighed, lowering his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you this hard." But Urania shook her head.

"No. It's me. I was immature. I shouldn't have run off. Maybe I could have—" Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Favius didn't let her finish. He took two quick steps and hugged her.

"No. You did everything right. You did more than I could have asked of you. Both I and Caliga—we have our own reasons. You… you shouldn't have been put through that." Urania sniffed, but didn't cry.

"It's just…" she trailed off. Favius held her for a moment. I just hope I didn't hurt her too much with everything that's going on. He shook his head as Urania pushed him back without letting go of his forearm.

"It's not the cultivation. I understand that I'm younger than the two of you, but you have your books and the numbers, and Caliga—she now has the bees and the woodworking. I feel like I'm getting left behind." Favius nodded slowly. It's true. She has been more reserved in the lessons and with the woodworkers.

"So," he ventured, "you also want a project?" Her owl eyes lit up, and she smiled.

"Yes." Then she pouted.

"One without yucky insects." Favius laughed and tried to ruffle her hair, but she fended him off.

"I have a few ideas," he said, remembering his visit to the food storage and what the Master of Provisions had said.

"Really?" Urania asked excitedly. Even Marius stepped forward.

"Can you do something with me too?" he squealed. Urania pushed him back.

"No. You are still too young. You can't even read properly." Marius pouted.

"But reading is hard, and it's stupid." Favius looked at him.

"No, it's not." He smiled before his brother could start arguing.

"Tell you what. I have a few scrolls for you, and if you learn to read them, I'll see what I can do with my little brother."

"I'm not little," Marius asserted, glaring proudly, which only made Favius and Urania chuckle. Urania studied him, then nodded. Favius returned to the other table. He dug into the delicious food while Brutus and Caliga were talking.

"So what's the next insight we are cultivating?" he asked. Brutus laughed.

"Next insight? It's going to take you years till the next one. And anyway, your core needs time to settle." Favius narrowed his eyes.

"Core?"

"Yes," Brutus said, poking him in the solar plexus.

"What did you think that pain in your chest was about? That was the creation of your core." Favius chewed a piece of pickled pumpkin thoughtfully. Core. I saw this center around which the insight is orbiting… And well, in cultivation fiction I read there was often this dantian or core. But maybe fiction from my old world isn't the most precise guide to this reality. He stared at Brutus inquisitively, and the man chuckled.

"I'll show you a core once we go hunting for spiritual beasts. But for now, we need to think about the direction of your cultivation."

"You said that it depends on whether or not we have the affinity to become a Magi caster."

"I know," Brutus chuckled.

"Don't look so distraught. It's still years till then, and I have some ideas about more general insights." He shook his head and looked meaningfully over the guests.

"And this is neither the time nor the place." Favius smiled and ate a cake of fermented green grains filled with dark mulberries. The contrast was delicious.

"So anyway, what about you, Brutus?" Caliga inquired after a few minutes.

"What about me?" Brutus asked.

"When are you becoming a Transcensor?" Caliga whispered. Brutus laughed out loud.

"When am I becoming a Transcensor? You're talking as if I've been lazing about and could ascend at any time."

"Well, can't you?" Caliga asked. Brutus shook his head.

"Transcensors are one in a million. We only have more than twenty in the Republic because powerful cultivators live longer." He squeezed both their forearms.

"On that note, congratulations on earning ten extra years of life, little ones." Caliga chuckled, but Favius's eyes widened slightly. Well, the entity already made me immortal… maybe with cultivation and insights I should experiment with that. A shiver ran down his spine. Or maybe immortality is not something where experimenting is wise. I need to talk to that thing. I've been trying in lucid dreams, but it doesn't seem to want to talk to me until I fulfill this damned quest.

He ground his teeth as the conversations continued. After he had eaten his fill of normal and spiritual foods, a pheasant simmered in spiritual wine, the old woman who had been around Hesnia so often approached him from behind.

"Boy, the Lady wishes to talk to you." She glanced to the side, sneering at Caliga and glaring at Brutus.

"Out of the question," the cultivator said without bothering to swallow after meeting Favius's eyes. Favius gestured at him.

"Indeed. My protector says no." The old woman gave him a nasty smile, showing the remaining half of her teeth.

"I am quite certain you wish to hear the Lady's words." Favius sighed.

"Very well. But we are not leaving this room." He gestured toward the gardens.

"Tell my mother that I'll meet her in that corner." The old woman wrinkled her nose, shook her head, and spun around without another word.

"She's unusually chipper today," Caliga quipped. Favius rolled his eyes. Brutus patted his back.

"You know you don't have to go, right? With Marcus being here, you should have the upper hand as long as you don't pull anything too ridiculous." Favius nodded. He looked over at Hesnia, who listened to the whispered words of the woman.

"We stepped on Hesnia's toes with the Cassian affair, and she seemed unusually civil earlier. I don't like it." Brutus hummed. Favius got up. Soon, he stood in the corner where Favius observed the Warrior's marble statue in the central pool. He heard Hesnia's robes rustling as she approached.

"Mother," Favius said without turning away from the pool. The woman cleared her throat, yet he didn't move.

"Very well, son. I shall keep this brief. It's your big day, after all." Favius merely nodded.

"What you did with Cassian—you might have succeeded there. However, I expect perfect behavior from now on, and especially during the party. I won't allow you to humiliate me politically. Is that understood?" Favius turned around, his eyes narrow.

"You know very well that we had a truce, and you violated it by allowing Cassian to steal from me." Hesnia smiled broadly and made a dismissive gesture.

"That matters little. What matters is that if you want to see your woodworking and beekeeping friends again, you are going to act properly now. Otherwise, your little project will fall apart." Ice settled around Favius's spine.

"What have you done?" he ground out. Hesnia chuckled, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Merely sent them to one of the outer estates. Do not worry, they will be returned so you and your sister can play properly in the workshop again." She leaned closer.

"Until then, you better behave, or there might be an accident regarding which slaves we sell off to the salt mines." Favius ground his teeth as his mother echoed the threat he had once used against Tiro.

"Yes," he ground out. But Hesnia had already turned and left. His heart was beating faster. I can't catch a break. He ground his teeth, trying to keep a lid on the simmering anger as he returned to the table, ignoring Brutus and his allies' questioning gazes. Even the guests were throwing glances at him and his stepmother. Did she do it here to start rumors? His hand tightened on the dinner knife. This has gone on long enough. It's time I end Hesnia's bullshit.