Chapter 12


    “[Order].” Lucian released the inked quill, and it began to write seemingly with a will of its own. “That takes care of that.”


    The carriage hit a small bump, barely enough to jostle the seat. Although the wheels were equipped with crude shocks, they couldn’t absorb every uneven stone or rut in the road.


    But despite the vibrations and bumps that came with riding in a carriage, the quill’s writing was completely unaffected. That was because the parchment it wrote upon was also floating in mid-air, isolating it from the rattling carriage.


    “Um.” Lily watched as the ink flowed onto the page, forming words in Lucian’s exact handwriting. “What just happened?”


    “Hm? Which part do you mean?”


    “All of it. Before the meeting with the council, you said you had three requests in mind for the negotiation, but when we sat down, the only thing you asked for was to release me from my contract with the council. What happened to the other two requests?”


    “Ah, I see where the confusion is coming from now. If you think back to the conversation we had before the meeting, you’ll notice that I didn’t say I had three requests for the council. I said that I had three objectives I needed to accomplish.”


    “Three objectives. The first was getting me out of the council.” Lily raised one finger as she began listing off what Lucian said he wanted. “The second was to improve the beastfolk''s loyalty to Almekia. And the third was to increase their productivity in the kingdom.”


    Lucian nodded, looking at Lily’s three raised fingers. “Correct. The first one speaks for itself. I can’t have someone in my inner circle be under anyone else’s thumb. When it comes to improving the beastfolk’s loyalty, what better way than to give them a stronger voice in how the kingdom is governed? And as for their productivity, it will be the natural result from giving them more economic freedom. They will produce more goods and perform more services, increasing Almekia’s overall productivity.”


    Lily sat wide-eyed as all the pieces fell into place. “The demands the council made of you were exactly what you wanted. Doesn’t that mean you got everything you set out for, without actually giving anything in return?”


    “I said it from the beginning, right? I expected them to give me everything I wanted without demanding anything in return. The fact that they think they got the better end of the deal just means I’ve laid the foundation to build some goodwill between me and the Council of Elders. In the future, I intend to put that to use.”


    Even after seeing Lucian’s plan unfold in real time, Lily could still hardly believe what he managed to pull off. He had long since proven to her that he was worthy of the crown, being both open-minded when needed and decisive when necessary.


    But to finesse even the Council of Elders to such a degree was something she never imagined possible. Were it not for the war with the Esgares Empire demanding his attention, Lily wondered if he would be able to bring Almekia back to its former glory.


    “When you said you wanted to improve the beastfolk’s loyalty and productivity,” Lily said, “I thought you were going to do something like conscript them for construction projects.”


    “Ah, that’s a logical conclusion. My father often used beastfolk as cheap labor, since so many of them are desperate for money. And to be honest, I do plan to put them to work. I have several public works projects where I intend to use almost exclusively beastfolk laborers. In fact, I’m heading to one of those locations right now to meet with the noble in charge of the district where the construction will be taking place.”


    Lucian grabbed the quill and parchment, both of which floated motionlessly in the air. “However, it wouldn’t do any good to put their hands to use with public funds if they don’t have any way to generate income in the private sector when the public projects are finished. It’d just be a small and temporary solution that wouldn’t solve the underlying issues.”


    “Public funds?” Lily made a confused face.


    “Oh, sorry. I meant the royal treasury.”


    “But the royal treasury belongs to the king and not the public, right?”


    “By law, you’re technically correct. But nearly every coin in the treasury was collected through tax or tariffs. That means the money came from the pockets of Almekia’s citizens or through the private trades made between my kingdom and our neighbors. When you look at it that way, it only makes sense that if the coins in my vault came from the people, then it should be used for the benefit of those same people.”


    Lily looked like she was listening to someone speak in a language she barely understood. Not because she couldn’t comprehend the concepts, as she was easily able to follow Lucian’s reasoning.


    No, her perplexed expression was simply because having a king declare that the royal treasury should belong to the people was unheard of.


    “We’ve arrived, Prince Lucian.” The ever-observant Emilia released the curtain, letting it block the window once again.


    “That was a quick trip.” He stood. “I suppose our destination wasn’t very far to begin with.”


    Lily stood alongside them. “Where are we?”


    Lucian motioned for her to follow, but Emilia was actually the first to reach the carriage door, as usual. She disappeared outside, scanning the street for potential dangers before her prince stepped out.


    She was met with the squad of royal guards who protected the carriage, along with a few citizens who were loitering in the area. Many of the buildings were in poor condition, with all of them being shops, most of which had been abandoned.


    However, despite the condition of the neighborhood, Emilia couldn’t detect a hint of danger.


    “This is … or was a market street?” Lily looked around, correctly determining that the area was once filled with shops.


    “Considering how many have closed,” Lucian said, “your use of past tense is fitting. From the records I found, this was once a nice area of the city. But over the course of decades, criminals entrenched themselves in the nearby neighborhoods, turning these shops into dens of illegal activity.”


    “It looks like a lot of these shops were only recently abandoned. Is it because of you?”


    “That’s right. We wiped out a lot of the bigger gangs, and since these shops were part of their criminal empire, that naturally means they’d get caught in the crossfire. To put it bluntly, many of the ones who ran these shops are either dead or imprisoned.”


    “I thought so. But the gangs are gone now, right? So do you plan to rebuild these shops?”


    “I do. Or rather, the beastfolk will. It’s one of the public works projects I have planned. And since this street is in the mixed zone where both humans and beastfolk live, it’ll prove extremely useful after construction is completed.”


    Lily tilted her head. “Useful?”


    “Beastfolk are about to have access to extra coin through bank loans, so what better place to start a business than a newly rebuilt market street frequented by both beastfolk and humans?”


    “Ah! So that’s why you chose this place!”


    “Yeah. It might take a while for the neighborhoods to recover from the decades of crime, but we have to start somewhere.” Lucian peered down the cobblestone road, where a carriage was approaching. “But it looks like the final member has arrived, so it’s time we get started.”


    The new carriage was surrounded by royal guards, their armor a perfect match to the ones who protected Lucian. When they came to a stop nearby, the carriage door opened almost immediately, revealing the one who would accompany Lucian on his next task.


    The dark elf, Aelia.


    “What a trash heap.” She looked around the neighborhood with a wrinkled nose. “Won’t see anything like this in my land, even in the loam.”


    Lucian recalled the messy lower level of Ul’Tharas, the city where he met Aelia. In human terms, the loam could be considered the dark elf equivalent of the slums. Only those without money or influence would live in such a place.


    Although it was filled with what Lucian considered junk, he later found out that the broken devices in the loam actually served a purpose in their society. Most of the discarded items were actually still usable, with the right repairs.


    Any dark elf living in the loam that had the knowledge and motivation to improve their life could fix the junk, bringing it back to a usable state. That provided the more motivated people with the ability to learn and grow their technical skills in hopes of clawing their way out of the loam.


    With the strict structure of their society, dark elves respected competence over anything else, including bloodlines. It was far different from human societies, where families would hoard wealth and power for generations on end.


    While the loam in her lands was a place for dark elves to prove their worth, the derelict market street where she now stood was nothing more than a graveyard of hopes and dreams. Those who once sought to prove their worth had long since abandoned the area, moving on to places that would respect their genuine efforts, something a gang of criminals would never do.


    “Wasn’t there a noble to meet here?” Lily looked around, but the two carriages and swarm of royal guards blocked much of her view.


    “We arrived a bit early,” Lucian said. “But he should be here soon.”


    “Three minutes,” Aelia added. “Scout’s been tracking him.”


    “Ah, I think I understand.” Lily picked up on the fact that they wanted to be prepared for when the noble arrived. “What should I do?”


    “You.” Aelia thumbed behind her, where her carriage sat. “Are going back to the castle.”


    “I am?”


    “Don’t need you here, and now that you’re free from the council, you’ve gotta have a lot of reorganizing to do in your office. Might as well get started on that instead of standing around out here.”


    “Oh, you’re right. I used to have a lot of tasks to do from the council, like making reports.”


    “Throw that junk out.” Aelia motioned to the royal guards leading the squad she arrived with. “Got a new task for ya, fellas. Use them scary glares you got and escort Special Administrative Officer Liliana back to the castle. Ya let anything happen to her, and all yer asses are getting banned from my bar.”


    The men straightened up at her words, giving salutes worthy of their positions as royal guards.


    Lucian fought the urge to shake his head. Aelia frequented one of the bars near the castle, where many of the guards gathered to drink. She often challenged the men to drinking contests, with various conditions for the winner and loser.


    No matter how many of the soldiers stepped up to the challenge, not a single one of them had been able to drink her under the table. Dark elves had a natural resistance to alcohol, but even with that, it wasn’t a guarantee that she could defeat every single human in a drinking contest.


    But Aelia was one of Lucian’s three Guardians. That position came with many benefits, including a tougher physique and resistance to status effects.


    Although the challenge had become famous amongst the guards, that wasn’t the true reason why the men didn’t want to get banned from the bar. It was simply that she had earned their respect, so they didn’t want to disappoint her and disgrace themselves.


    Aelia had only conducted a few missions since taking over as Minister of War. However, each time she led the men to raid a gang, the battles had gone exceptionally well. It was rare for them to lose even a single guard during the bloody fights that ensued, as her tactics took nearly everything into account.


    The men had long since realized just how competent she was as a general and tactician. To add to her reputation, Aelia often led from the front line, being the first to engage the enemies in battle.


    Because of her actions and abilities, she quickly gained the respect of the humans and beastfolk beneath her. The result was a unit of royal guardsmen with more cohesion and comradery than had existed in a long while.


    “Um, goodbye for now, everyone.” Lily gave a slightly panicked bow to the others, anxious about the short time limit before the noble’s arrival.


    “Be safe.” Emilia saw her off with a smile and a wave.


    With her on the way out, Lucian and Aelia immediately swapped gears. The market street was nearly desolate, but a few shops had managed to survive the decades of gang activity and the purge that followed.


    Ironically, the gangs that destroyed the market street were also the only things left supporting it. Without their ill-gotten coin flowing through the surrounding neighborhoods, it was questionable if the few shops that remained could even survive, given the lack of demand.


    That was why a full reconstruction was necessary to revitalize interest and draw crowds. Nobody would come to a deserted street with a handful of run-down shops, but once converted back into a real and honest marketplace, it would naturally pull in customers and act as a central hub for the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhoods.


    Lucian didn’t simply choose the street on a whim. Using the resources available to him as Almekia’s king, he carefully selected the district based on his knowledge of economics and business management.


    To him, it was a foregone conclusion that rebuilding the shops would breathe life back into that part of the city. But many nobles and advisors who had heard of his plan weren’t convinced, believing that the crime had done irreparable damage to the neighborhoods for at least the next few decades.


    Lucian wasn’t discouraged by their lack of trust in his vision. Rather, he was relieved to find that outside of his inner circle, very few believed he had the capability to bring about any meaningful change, whether in the market street where he stood, or in the Almekian Kingdom as a whole.


    Until recently, Lucian had mainly relied on the force of strength to achieve his goals. He defeated his uncle in a civil war, raided gangs to stomp out crime, and achieved victory in a critical battle against the Esgares Empire.


    Other than his military victories, Lucian was best known for his charismatic personality and the mysterious companions he acquired through his travels. For the most part, he had done little in the way of making administrative changes to the kingdom, with the only major exception being his revisions to Almekia’s farming laws, where he mainly just cut out the unnecessary bureaucracy.


    But not even a single farming season had passed since his changes came into effect, meaning the results of his new laws were still unknown. With nothing to point to as a show of competence when it came to administrative success, it was no wonder that most people doubted him.


    Soon, that would change.


    I didn’t come here as a warrior-king. It was just something I had to do in order to survive.


    No, I came here as an administrator. Someone who could identify the cracks in the kingdom and repair them.


    And now, it’s time the people of this world learn where my strengths truly lie.


    Starting today, Almekia’s Renaissance will truly begin.


    As soon as Lily’s carriage vanished from sight, another appeared to take its place. The new one wasn’t quite as extravagant, but it was still fancy enough that most nobles would be proud to ride in it.


    Armed men were surrounding the carriage, escorting it through the bad neighborhood where Lucian had given the order to meet. Although organized squads of soldiers weren’t allowed in or near Almekia’s capital city, exceptions were made for personal guards.


    Being a noble often meant making a lot of enemies, and even a king couldn’t order them to travel the streets without protection. At least, not if the king wanted to keep his crown–and head.


    The new carriage came to a stop, the men guarding it keeping a distance of several paces between them and Lucian’s Royal Guard. With both forces standing one in front of the other, the differences between the two became obvious.


    Lucian’s men wore armor emblazoned with his royal crest, something that only his hand-selected soldiers were allowed to display. But their heraldry was far from the only distinction between them.


    As representatives of the king, the Royal Guard were as much of a representation of Lucian’s authority as they were warriors. That meant appearances were strictly enforced, from the cleanliness of their equipment to the confidence in their posture.


    When contrasted against a standard group of noble guards, Lucian’s men looked like professional soldiers standing before a band of conscripts. On top of that, he had twice as many men, some of whom were white hairs.


    “I’m happy you called for me, Your Majesty.” Marquis Novak took a glance around the barren market street. “Even if the location is a bit … coarse.”


    “If I''m not mistaken, you''ve been overseeing this district for nearly as long as it''s been deteriorating. If you''re so against visiting such rough neighborhoods, then perhaps you should have done more to prevent its decline.”


    “Oh, I meant no disrespect, of course!” Marquis Novak’s smile didn''t reach his eyes. “I’m merely curious why we''re meeting in such a place, rather than in the castle.”


    “It''s simple, Marquis Novak. Discussing numbers and drafting plans behind closed doors is often the most efficient method for completing administrative tasks. But walking through the locations that are most affected by my orders helps remind me of what precisely is at stake, were I to make a misstep.”


    Novak looked around again. “Is there something important here?”


    “Yes, absolutely.” Lucian waved for him and a few others to follow, including a ring of personal guards.


    He led them to one side of the crumbling street, where one of many abandoned buildings sat unused. The lot was so overgrown and filled with so much refuse that none of them could even reach the door without brushing up against weeds and trash.


    Fortunately, what Lucian sought was near enough that neither he nor any of his companions needed to dirty their clothes.


    “[Order].” Lucian brushed his fingertips against a square piece of wood lying on the ground.


    The rotting planks seemingly came to life, rising into the air and coming to a stop at head height.


    “What does this sign say?” Lucian never took his eyes off the sign floating before him.


    “Let''s see…” Marquis Novak leaned forward a bit, struggling to read the old, dirty sign. “Belmont’s Leathers and Tannery.”


    “And what can you tell me about this former leather shop?”


    “What is there to say? There''s scarcely anything left of it.”


    “You''re correct about the shop being gone. It was destroyed over two decades ago when the owner was murdered on his way home one night. Since that day, it had been used as a front for various illegal activities, all sponsored by the gangs that used to rule these neighborhoods.”


    Lucian brushed off the dirt covering the former owner''s name. “The Belmont family built this shop from nothing, only for it to be taken by criminals and brought to ruin. With her husband gone, the wife was forced to sell everything she could and move out of the city, her family''s dream of building a decent life having crumbled in the worst possible way.”


    Lucian motioned with his hand, and the sign settled on the ground, leaning up against the shop''s outer wall with Belmont''s name still on display. “You asked if there was something important here, and now you have your answer. Those with talent, those with initiative, those with dreams–that is who used to live and work in these streets. When the gangs took control, we lost all of them, only for them to be replaced by crime and brutality.”


    “It’s just one street, no?” Marquis Novak tore his eyes from the sign. “Surely it can''t impact a kingdom as great as Almekia.”


    “By itself, no. But if we fail to give our citizens the basic safety and freedoms they need to build better lives for themselves, then Almekia will stagnate while the world advances around us. Eventually, the cracks in our kingdom will grow wide enough that we won''t be able to resist whichever power seeks to capitalize on our weaknesses.”


    Lucian turned his back to the old leather shop. “Almekia nearly fell to the Esgares Empire only weeks ago. If I had lost the recent battle against them, resistance would have crumbled, and we would have become a vassal state like many others before us. And that is something I cannot allow.”


    Lucian had no faith in Marquis Novak to have a revelation about why increasing the freedoms of the peasant class would benefit Almekia. In fact, the nobleman had a vested interest in keeping the lower classes down, as giving them power would come at the cost of his own.


    It was much better to keep the status quo, a sentiment that most nobles shared. Going against that by giving the citizens more economic opportunities and avenues to influence the direction of the kingdom would be extraordinarily unpopular among the ruling class.


    Without a doubt, the number of daggers seeking his life would only rise. But even if it were a dangerous gamble, it was one he had to take, for his own sake.


    I just need to get even stronger, until even the assassins won''t take the deal, no matter how much coin they''re offered.


    Until then…


    Lucian eyed Emilia and his personal guards.


    I''ll have to play my cards carefully.


    Lucian brought the group back to the center of the street. There wasn’t much else to see in the market, but he had one more destination in mind while they discussed a few topics with Marquis Novak.


    The nobleman still wasn’t sure why he was even summoned to a poorly kept road in the bad section of the city. Anyone with a keen eye could tell he was nervous, with the way he kept tapping his leg with one hand while obviously struggling to put the pieces together.


    Not long ago, Marquis Novak had made the mistake of harassing the orphanage when Lucian had been paying it a visit. Since Lucian was undercover, he and his group were disguised as wealthy merchants.


    Novak failed to recognize them, leading to a confrontation where he nearly hit Princess Mia. Since that day, Lucian had kept the noble under his thumb, applying an appropriate amount of pressure to keep him in line.


    With such a strained relationship between them, the last thing Marquis Novak wanted to do was get on his bad side again. But when the king called, men answered. And that included nobles.


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    Being appointed to oversee sections of the capital city was an honor given only to nobles with long histories and deep ties to the throne. At some point in the past, Marquis Novak’s family was one such ally.


    Those times had lapsed, a rift having grown between Novak and Lucian for many reasons, especially regarding the unorthodox decisions the king had made since taking the crown. Unfortunately for Lucian, the market street he wanted to rebuild was within Novak’s jurisdiction, so he had no choice but to meet with him to discuss his plan.


    Though in truth, the honor to govern part of the capital city could be taken away just as easily as it could be given. Marquis Novak would no doubt make a fuss, but in the end, he would have no choice but to accept Lucian’s decision.


    Now that I’m almost done cleansing the filth at the bottom…


    Lucian began walking down the market street once more.


    It’s about time I get started at the top.


    “Hey, Marquis.” Aelia spoke up just as they began moving.


    “Yes?” His tone was noticeably less submissive when speaking to the dark elf girl.


    “This section of the city is under your jurisdiction. What else do you think needs to be done to make this market street into the successful economic district it once was?”


    “It’s obvious, isn’t it? We make contracts with the Merchant’s Guild and a few tradesmen’s guilds to run the shops after the reconstruction. With their coin and connections, the shelves would be stocked with valuable goods as quickly as the doors can open.”


    “Look around.” Aelia made a show motioning to their surroundings. “You think the people who live here can afford anything of value?”


    “If they can''t afford to buy anything, then what''s the purpose of rebuilding the market? It''ll just become abandoned again.”


    “It would if we contracted out the shops to the guilds like you want. These people can barely afford to eat. You think a bunch of rich merchants from affluent parts of the city know what they need? They''d ruin this market street in months, trying to sell their overpriced goods to people who just want something affordable and useful.”


    Marquis Novak huffed. “Aren''t you the Minister of War? What do you know about markets and economies?”


    “You''d be surprised how much Aelia knows,” Lucian said. “She''s the daughter of a Dark Elf Lord, making her the human equivalent of a princess.”


    “What!?” Novak looked back to the dark elf girl, disbelief in his eyes.


    Aelia waved her hand. “Market economics is easy. All you gotta do is give the talented people a chance to prove themselves, and it will all work itself out.”


    “That''s … that''s all you learned!? How ridiculous!”


    “She''s right,” Lucian said. “Though it''s a bit more complicated than that. Suffice to say that she knows all about those complications and has taken measures.”


    “Are you saying you plan to do more than just reopen this market street?”


    “That''s exactly what I mean.” Aelia answered his question. “First off, all the shops will be owned by people within this district. That includes the beastfolk, who will be given a fair chance to start their business here. Not a single owner will be the subsidiary business of a wealthy merchant.”


    She pointed at the crumbling road where they walked. “The infrastructure will be rebuilt along with the shops, stretching from the nearest major street, through the market, and all the way to the beastfolk neighborhoods. This includes all the homes that line the new roadway, which will be torn down to make way for new construction.”


    Aelia stopped in front of one of the few shops that had yet to close down. “We''re also converting a nearby neighborhood into a warehouse capable of providing storage for a variety of goods. That will provide some much-needed work to the people in this district, as well as giving them easy access to raw materials they may need for their businesses.”


    She walked to the shop door and opened it, stepping inside. “There are several smaller projects also in the works, but the last major one is a new guard station that''s going to be built near the market. It will both ensure the safety of the shop owners and their patrons, while also patrolling the streets for any remnants of the gangs we eliminated. The guards will be mostly new recruits from within the district, including squadrons of beastfolk.”


    Everyone was inside the shop now, where various tools sat around on the shelves and walls behind the counter. Despite having a rather large area for customers to browse, the shopkeeper didn’t have anything laid out for people to pick up and inspect.


    That would make it far too easy to steal.


    Besides that, the owner didn’t have much inventory, so he couldn’t fill his shop with a large selection, even if he wanted to. Considering the decades of gang activity in the area, it was surprising he had anything left.


    Though perhaps that was because in a nest of criminals, tools used for trade work weren’t the highest priority for thieving.


    Regardless of the circumstances, the last thing the shop owner ever expected to see was the Almekian King stepping foot inside his store. His dumbfounded expression was quite the sight, though the underlying fear that accompanied it did blunt the enjoyment for Lucian.


    “Marco.” Lucian called the man out by name.


    “S-sorry, Your Majesty!” He knelt down behind the counter and lowered his head until he virtually disappeared from sight.


    “You can stand.”


    “Yes!” He stood back up like a marionette yanked up by a set of strings, though he kept his eyes down.


    Having the king say his name made Marco break out in a cold sweat. He had watched from his store window as guards raided many of the shops on the street, arresting most of the owners and leaving just him and a few others untouched.


    He thought himself lucky at first, but now all he could imagine was a future where he was shackled and brought to a dungeon.


    “How did you manage it?” Lucian asked.


    “Pardon, Your Majesty?”


    “My men investigated every single shop owner on this street. Among them, only you and a few others came up clean. The rest were all members of gangs, using the shops they stole as fronts for their black market economies.” Lucian tapped the counter. “But not you. How did you escape having them come in and take your store away?”


    Marco blinked, the confusion painted openly on his face. “I … I’m not sure. Guess they weren’t too interested in a shop that sells tools.”


    “Hah. I thought the same thing.” Lucian shook his head. “Though I suspect there are other reasons. You paid a protection fee, didn’t you?”


    “Enough to almost put me outta business.”


    “Letting a few shops stick around to extort would be a good idea. Not just to take your coin but to legitimize the market street by letting real craftsmen and tradesmen keep producing things of actual value. They may have been criminals, but they wouldn’t have been so successful if they weren’t at least somewhat capable of understanding concepts like that.”


    Marco seemed to realize something. “Their thugs were always trying to get me to sell more. Kept tellin’ em there ain’t no customers around, but they didn’t wanna hear it. Now I’m wonderin’ if they were worried I’d have to shut my doors and they’d lose one of the few real shops they had left.”


    “Seems possible, though we’ll likely never truly know.” Lucian shrugged. “But that’s not important for you anymore. Just stick it out a bit longer, and you’ll have those customers back. Oh, and I’ll take that.”


    Marco traced the path of Lucian’s finger, which pointed at one of his tools. “You want a spade?”


    “It’s a good tool for gardening, and I know someone who might enjoy it.”


    The shop owner brought the spade to the counter and handed it over without requesting any payment. That was a common response from stores he frequented, but Lucian never took them up on their unspoken offer.


    Instead, he placed several silver coins down on the counter before grabbing the spade. Marco looked at them with hesitation, as the payment was far higher than the price. But when Lucian nodded, he had no choice but to take the coins.


    After their short trip into the shop, he led the group back out to the street, where the carriage and excess guards still waited for him. But he wasn’t quite done yet.


    Although he had informed Marquis Novak of his plans, he had yet to put the final nail in the coffin to ensure that everything would go as he wished. Though in truth, he wasn’t the one who would be driving that nail down.


    “Marquis.” Aelia was the one who spoke up first. “Are you beginning to see what we have planned for this district?”


    “Of course I understand. You explained it to me clearly enough.” The nobleman scoffed. “Though I don’t see how a bunch of beastfolk will draw crowds to the market. They live in squalor, even more so than the humans around here.”


    “It’s fine if you don’t get it, as long as you do what we need.” Aelia raised a finger. “Of course, we’ll be the ones making the final decisions, so expect to hear from us every step of the way.”


    “Then what do you even need me for?”


    “To do the work we don’t want to do. And it better be done when we need it.”


    Novak scoffed again, clearly not happy to be ordered around by a dark elf. “I can do anything His Majesty needs in this district, with or without help.”


    “Good. Then you’ll have no problem meeting my expectations. Perhaps I’ll even raise them a bit, since you’re so competent.” Aelia’s lips curled into a devilish grin. “Oh, right. Before we go, I wanted to ask something, Marquis Novak.”


    “What?”


    “Have you seen the new coins the kingdom has started minting?”


    “You mean the ones with His Majesty’s face on them?”


    “Those are precisely the ones I’m talking about. Did you have any opinions about the new design?”


    “Not particularly.” He obviously couldn’t figure out where Aelia was going with her line of questioning.


    “Really? That’s a shame. I’ve got a lot of thoughts about those newly minted coins. Many, many thoughts.”


    The marquis waited for Aelia to continue, but she didn’t. She simply left off without explaining why she had asked such strange questions.


    In the end, Marquis Novak left without any clear indication of what she was digging for. It was only after his noble carriage began shrinking into the distance that she reached into her pocket and pulled out one of those shiny, new coins.


    “Many thoughts.” Aelia flipped the coin into the air, catching it with Lucian’s minted face pointing up. “Like how you know about this new design when we only paid one person with these coins so far, and it wasn’t you.”


    With their goals accomplished, Aelia joined Lucian and Emilia in the royal carriage, the three of them heading back to the castle to work on yet another task that couldn’t be ignored.


    Chapter 13


    “I’m a little excited this time!” Emilia’s tail swished along the plush carriage seat as she peered out the window.


    “A little, huh?” Lucian listened to her tail as it rubbed back and forth along the fabric.


    “Yeah! Last time we went to your new magitech factory, they had some weird weapons. But now we might have some amazing inventions waiting for us!”


    “Let’s hope the magical researcher has made as much progress as he claims. I haven’t had a chance to verify his work in over two weeks.”


    “He seemed really intelligent, so I’m sure he figured it out!” Emilia nodded at her own words. “Plus, you handpicked him yourself!”


    “Although I consider myself quite good at conducting interviews, the real test is the candidate’s first performance review. In a way, today is the final part of the head researcher’s interview. If his prototypes work as well as he claims, then I’ll make his appointment as the magitech facility’s administrator official.”


    “I’m cheering you on, Mr. Researcher!”


    A gate opened for Lucian’s carriage, a well-kept stone path leading to an expansive building beyond. Though it was large enough to belong to a powerful noble, the yard wasn’t part of an estate.


    No, it was akin to a facility or factory, rather than a residence. Both the research and production of Almekia’s most advanced magitechnology took place on those grounds, a market sector that was both woefully unexplored and desperately needed.


    Although people had been enhancing lifeless objects with magic for a long time, it was difficult to make products that were useful enough to compensate for the costs. Magical lamps replaced torches and candles in Lucian’s castle and the homes of many of his more powerful nobles. There were even some magical lamps in the wealthy merchants’ districts, where the image of luxury would attract their desired patrons.


    But inventing new magitechnologies was an expensive endeavor. It was only recently when dedicated research facilities began to push out real innovation from their factories.


    Unfortunately, most of the new inventions were geared toward one, singular function–war.


    Lucian acquired his current factory from his uncle, after putting down his failed insurrection. But even Lucian didn’t restructure the facility until after his triumphant return from the war with the Esgares Empire.


    His current visit was the first major progress assessment since the reorganization, where the focus had been shifted from the weapons of war that had been the priority before. Now, the magical researchers and engineers were tasked with solving several critical issues with products that Lucian hoped would prove profitable when completed.


    “You sure you can make all those useful things you keep talking about?” Aelia exited the carriage behind Lucian and Emilia.


    “I won’t know for sure until I can track the progress, cost, and market feasibility of each product,” Lucian said. “But I’m certain I’ll find at least a few that will produce value for Almekia.”


    “Well, this inspection isn’t really off to the best start, so forgive me if I have my doubts.”


    Aelia’s words were in reference to the chaotic reception given to them on their arrival. Many of the staff had lined up to greet Lucian, as was often the case when he made official visits.


    Social etiquette demanded those of lower ranks to meet high ranked visitors at the door, as a way of acknowledging the gap between their positions and power. To do otherwise would be akin to proclaiming to be the visitor’s equal, a feat that only a few could claim considering Lucian was Almekia’s king.


    Yet despite being fully aware of the situation, some of the staff were clearly panicked as they scrambled to search for one particular person.


    “M-my apologies, Your Majesty!” A mage in the employ of the magitech facility bowed at Lucian’s approach. “We’re looking for the Head Researcher Nicholas at this very moment! I was sure he was here until just a moment ago…”


    “I think we all know where he went.” Lucian’s gaze fell on the facility’s entrance, beyond which were the various research labs and prototypes that he had come to inspect.


    “I’m sure they’ll find him quickly! There are only a few rooms where–ah, he’s here!” The mage showed obvious relief both in his face and voice.


    Nobody wanted to be the one to confront the king about a social misstep. Although Lucian didn’t know why that particular mage had been the one to speak up, it was obvious that it wasn’t his own decision.


    So when the person who made the mistake showed up, he quickly made himself scarce. No doubt he hoped that Lucian would forget his face after having his attention drawn to the main culprit.


    “Ah, Your Majesty.” Head Researcher Nicholas gave Lucian an appropriate bow. “I’m glad you’re here. I have a few questions about some of your ideas that I’d like to go over.”


    “That’s half the reason I came today. The other half being an inspection of your handiwork. I’m sure I won’t find any problems with it, will I?”


    “Hm? No, everything has gone as well as I could expect, considering my limited knowledge on some of the principles of magic you’ve introduced me to.”


    “Good. And what about your absence upon our arrival?”


    “Oh, that?” Nicholas turned toward the facility’s door, the same one he just used. “While we were out here waiting, an idea occurred to me. I went to go test it, but before I could even finish setting up, people barged into the lab shouting at me.”


    “As expected.” Lucian nodded. “But I’m interested in this idea of yours. Let’s add it to the list of things to do while I’m here for the inspection.”


    “Alright. At least that means I can hurry and finish it before I get busy on something else.”


    “That would be ideal.” Lucian motioned for Nicholas to follow. “And next time, carry a notepad for writing ideas.”


    With the rather chaotic arrival over, Lucian and his entourage entered the magitech research facility in order to inspect the progress the mages and engineers had made during the past couple weeks.


    Beyond the doorway was a large room with three, distinct paths to choose from. To the left was a set of stairs that led to the second floor, where administrative offices, specialized testing rooms, and restricted areas were located. The former owner, Archduke Henrik, made heavy use of the upstairs, but with the cancellation of the previous war-related magitech research, most activity on the second floor had ceased.


    Instead of using the specialized rooms upstairs, Lucian’s new inventions were mostly created within the facility’s main manufacturing hall. Straight across from the main entrance was a hallway lined with many doors, behind which sat engineering, general testing, and production rooms.


    It was within those rooms where the bulk of the productivity was achieved within the magitech factory. As such, they contained a wider variety of tools, equipment, and resources than the specialized areas upstairs, which was why Lucian instructed Nicholas to use the main manufacturing hall.


    To Lucian’s right was the third and final section attached to the entrance room, a storage area. It held a variety of items, ranging from processed materials waiting to be used in the production rooms, to finished products waiting to be moved and prepared for shipping.


    Although most of the work was done in the main manufacturing hall, Head Researcher Nicholas ignored it and turned to the right, toward the large, open storage area. Much of the floor space was occupied by materials, but a section had been dedicated to a display of sorts, with various items lined up on a long table.


    Nicholas wasted no time bringing everyone to that display, where he stopped at a stone square about the size of a large microwave.


    “I must say.” Nicholas opens the device’s door. “This idea of yours is both simple and effective. I can’t believe I haven’t seen one of these already.”


    Lucian looked inside, where a metal rack sat in the middle, burnt slightly black. “Ovens are some of the most convenient ways to cook. They’re difficult to manage when you have to use open flames, but with the use of magical metal, they become both easier and safer.”


    The head researcher eyed the chunks of metal placed at the bottom of the oven. “I agree, but there is a problem with this design.”


    Nicholas picked up a loaf of bread sitting on top of the oven. Even without an explanation, the problem was obvious.


    Lucian nodded in understanding when he saw how burnt the crust was in the middle of the bread. “So it’s overcooking in the center because that’s where we placed the magical metal that heats the oven.”


    “That’s it. By the time the heat inside the oven cooks the rest of the bread, the center is charred black because of the metal. I was thinking of covering the magical metal so the food isn’t exposed directly to the heat, but I haven’t had the chance to make a new prototype yet. I was going to alter this one, but a few of the other researchers said it’d be best to keep it like your blueprints until after the inspection.”


    Lucian was holding said blueprints in his hand already. Each device had them sitting out so they could go over any problems and find potential solutions.


    While Nicholas was speaking, Lucian was drawing. Nearly as soon as silence returned to the inspection table, he handed the revised blueprint over to the head researcher.


    Nicholas looked it over. “A ceramic cover that goes over the magical metal? That’s exactly what I was going to suggest.”


    “The holes on the side of the cover will let the heat disperse through the oven while preventing it from overcooking in the center, where the food is in the direct path of the heating element. As long as the cook gives appropriate time for the oven to warm up before using it, this will let the food cook evenly throughout, while requiring almost no management once everything is prepared.”


    “Certainly beats having to stoke a fire when making dinner. I’ll make the changes to the prototype and give it another test run. Need to get my hands on this, though.” He pointed to the ceramic cover.


    “I’ll have a potter make one and deliver it here. Though there is another design for the oven that I’d like to test.” Lucian put his finger on the blueprint in Nicholas’ hands. “The magical metal that makes up the heating element is just a lump right now. But if we were to shape it into something similar to a horseshoe, then it would radiate less strongly in the center and spread heat more evenly. Perhaps it’ll be enough to prevent burning the bottom of the food without the need for a cover.”


    The head researcher nodded. “A blacksmith working these metals would increase the cost more than a potter making a cover, but it would be a better solution.”


    “Then I’ll have one made to test the cost and functionality compared to using a ceramic cover. It would be safer too, since there’s always a chance that a poorly made cover could explode when the oven is opened. But until we get those new items in for testing, you can work on one or more of the other devices.”


    Lucian moved his gaze down the line, where a half-dozen other items sat. His eyes settled on the one next to the oven, which was also the one that he had most of his hopes pinned.


    He was somehow both optimistic in his design while also being nervous that his lack of knowledge in the field of magitechnology was giving him a sense of overconfidence. In a way, the inspection was as much an assessment of his own ability to adapt to a new form of technology as it was an evaluation of Nicholas’ ability as an engineer and researcher.


    The partial success of his oven design helped ease his uncertainty, but the real tests were the inventions that utilized more modernized ideas in their construction. And the next device on the table would either prove him a fool or a genius.


    “Now, this…” Nicholas’ put his hand on the second invention, his tone not giving away whether he was impressed or disappointed by what Lucian had him make. “This one is…”


    Lucian unconsciously held his breath as the head researcher went silent.


    “It’s absolutely genius!” Nicholas opened the device, which looked almost identical to the oven in both shape and size, though the door to it was on the top instead of the front. “An icebox that doesn’t use ice! Never thought I’d see one that actually works!”


    Lucian finally breathed a silent sigh of relief. “It works, then?”


    “Better than I ever imagined! Who would have ever thought that a heat-absorbing enchantment would produce better results than one that produces cold!? It’s illogical, no matter how I think about it!”


    “It may seem counter-intuitive, but the truth is that cold is just a lack of heat. That means if you want to reduce the temperature, the only real way to do so efficiently is to focus on the removal of that heat, rather than trying to create cold air.”


    “Even with the evidence staring me right in the face, it’s still hard to believe that absorbing heat is the ideal way to lower the temperature.”


    Back on Earth, the laws of physics prevented the creation of cold air from nothing. All cold air was made by removing the warmth from it, using various methods.


    But his new world didn’t need to strictly obey the laws of physics. Magic bent the rules in ways that Lucian still didn’t fully understand, but the end result was the ability to perform feats that would be impossible on Earth, such as creating cold air without first having to draw the heat from the environment.


    Any mage who ever cast an ice spell had broken the fundamental laws of physics. Though in truth, the same could be said of nearly any magic that existed.


    However, even if it was possible to bypass thermodynamics, the energy cost to do so was clearly higher than using spells that obeyed those fundamental laws. When the people of his new world had tried making refrigerators in the past, the mana cost made them unfeasible because they were using enchantments that created cold air out of nothing.


    With Lucian’s design, the magical metal that powered the refrigeration didn’t create cold. Instead, it absorbed heat, just like the fridges that he used on Earth. Since it synchronized with the laws of physics, the power consumption was drastically lower than previous attempts.


    As a result, the fridge became a feasible product for people other than kings and wealthy nobles.


    “Your method of transferring that heat out of the icebox works flawlessly.” Nicholas put his hand on the metal coil on the backside of the small fridge. “Warm to the touch.”


    “Since metal conducts heat well, all it takes is attaching it to the magical material that’s absorbing the warmth inside the refrigerator and adding a small enchantment so it dissipates the heat effectively. Without that enchantment, it wouldn’t work well in hot environments, and the metal on the outside could even become a fire hazard if it couldn’t disperse the heat well enough.”


    “How fascinating.” Nicholas rubbed his chin. “Honestly, when you gave me these blueprints, I thought you mad. But seeing them in action has convinced me otherwise. Just what kind of genius inventor did you receive tutoring from? I’d love to read his works for myself.”


    “I wasn’t taught by anyone whose works you would be able to read.” Lucian fell back on the excuse he came up with in case such a question was asked.


    “Hm? Do they not author any of their ideas?”


    “It’s not that, it’s just no matter where you go in this world, you won’t find them.”


    Nicholas’ expression still showed confusion, but another researcher watching the inspection provides him with the answer.


    “Head Researcher,” he said, “haven’t you heard the rumors?”


    “What rumors?”


    “I thought so…” The man shook his head. “They say His Majesty is divinely touched. If his knowledge can’t be found anywhere on this world, then that means…”


    “Oh, I get it.” Nicholas looked back to Lucian. “In that case, can you ask if I can meet the gods? I’d love a piece of this knowledge myself.”


    Groans could be heard from those watching, no doubt because casually asking a divinely-touched king to introduce him to the gods could be considered blasphemy from a certain viewpoint.


    In response, Lucian only smiled. “I somehow doubt they’ll agree to such a meeting. But if you keep working for me, you’ll naturally obtain what you seek anyway.”


    “Guess that’ll have to do.”


    With the fridge being such a resounding success, Lucian already felt like he had what he needed to fulfill one of his next major goals. The rest of the devices could all be failures, and he could still go ahead with his plans.


    So, with far more casual steps, he moved on to the next invention lined up on the table.


    ----------


    “Welcome back.” Princess Mia gave her brother a perfect curtsy.


    “Thanks, Mia. It’s not often that I’m out of the castle all day, but it’s worth it if I have someone to greet me when I get home.”


    “It’s nothing special…”


    Lucian shook his head. “I disagree. But explaining it won’t do it justice. I’m sure one day, you’ll understand it for yourself.”


    The princess wasn’t the only one who had come to meet Lucian on his return. Several other familiar faces had joined her, including a certain fairy princess.


    Minerva was still enamored with exploring the world outside her mother’s domain, and the castle was prime territory for expanding her cultural and social knowledge. Because of that, she’d been content to remain behind on many of Lucian’s trips out to the city.


    But there was a limit to how long she would remain sedentary, a fact that Lucian already understood from the time he’d spent with her.


    “I’ll be in need of your special abilities soon,” Lucian said to her. “So you’ll have an opportunity to spread your wings a bit, so to speak.”


    Minerva summoned her actual wings and literally spread them, the luminescent tendrils lighting up the castle floor and walls around her. “Then I shall accompany you on such an endeavor.”


    “That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. You’ve got a great eye when it comes to seeing the truth behind a person’s words, so I’d love to hear your opinion on a certain person after you meet him.”


    “It is so. Mortals often have their true desires hidden beneath a veneer. But to me, their thoughts may as well be on full display.”


    Although she looked like just another mysterious race to Lucian, fairies were special, even in a world with beastfolk and dark elves. Only two of her kind were even known to exist, one being Minerva herself and the other being her mother, the Fairy Queen.


    Lucian wasn’t aware of the Fairy Queen’s history. Even Minerva herself was kept in the dark by her own mother. But one thing he did know was that unlike every other living creature that walked the world, the two fairies were immortal.


    They could still be killed by steel and magic, but time had no effect on their bodies. Though the fairies were unique in their world for that very reason, there was another person in his castle who could claim to care little for the effects of time.


    “Would you be happy if I welcomed you back, too?” Lutz’s smile made it clear just how much fun he was having.


    “Somehow, it doesn’t seem to have the same effect.”


    “Well, I agree with you there.” He shrugged, as if imagining a similar scenario.


    Vera crossed her arms. “I’m going back to my studies. Can’t believe I let you drag me out here to begin with.”


    “But everyone else was coming to meet him. You wouldn’t want to be left out of the celebrations, would you?”


    “Who’s celebrating? Certainly not me.”


    “Speaking of celebrations,” Lucian said. “A small one might be in order if this morning’s training session went as well as I had hoped.”


    “Oh, that? I guess you could say it was a success. Most of the students aren’t anything special, but I guess a couple of them are worth teaching.”


    “Those are some of the best young mages in the Almekian Kingdom. Though I guess from the perspective of one of our only two Archmages, they can be considered lacking.”


    “The best mages of noble lineage,” Vera corrected.


    “That’s true. If I had the means to search the entirety of the citizens for prodigies and enrolled them into a special magic academy regardless of their heritage, then we could likely find even more capable students for you.”


    “Good luck with that.” Vera shrugged, knowing just how much resistance Lucian would face if he founded an academy with the sole purpose of helping commoners compete with nobles in the field of magic.


    The Archmage herself was a simple commoner before proving herself to be a powerful spellcaster that only appeared once in a generation. Without a doubt, many more competent mages would arise from Almekia’s population, if they spent the time and effort to foster them.


    Unfortunately, a monarchy didn’t naturally lean toward equality for the people born within its borders. Those with power had a vested interest in preventing the growth of the underclasses, as it would likely lead to the erosion of their power and influence as competitors arose to challenge them.


    It was for that very reason that the nobility were often at odds with wealthy merchants. Any commoner who made vast sums of coin and too many powerful connections could become a threat to their rule.


    There were even times where famous traders were labeled as traitors, simply out of fear at the amount of influence they had attained. Though there were some cases where the accusations of treason were correct, the reality was that it was only a convenient excuse to rid themselves of a growing threat.


    “If you want to celebrate, send a messenger. Doesn’t mean I’ll answer the door, though.” Vera turned and walked off, heading back to the hole where she often secluded herself.


    “Oh, wait for me.” Lutz waved at the others before following the Archmage down the hall.


    “If you’re going to follow me again, you better be useful.” Her words slowly faded from earshot as the two of them shrank into the distance.


    As silence fell on the room, one of the people still present decided to fill it with her unique noise.


    “Uwah!” Teflyn puffed up, looking indignant.


    “What is it?” Lucian asked.


    “Training!”


    “Training?”


    “Battle! Danger! Kishin!” Teflyn revealed her oni fang.


    “Ah, I get it. You want to train under Vera.” Lucian rubbed his chin. “But she started her class two hours before sunrise this morning. Are you even capable of waking up that early?”


    “Ehhhh…” Teflyn’s indignant expression slowly melted away. “Why’s it so early in the morning!?”


    Lucian smiled at the sudden return of her oni fang. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Starting tomorrow, she’s going to start class at sunrise. You can at least be ready by then, right?”


    “Yeah! I can do it!”


    “Then I expect to see you there in the morning.”


    Since it was already late in the afternoon, Lucian didn’t have time to complete any more of his major goals. Though he had accomplished all he had planned for the day, so he wasn’t concerned.


    Instead, he’d be spending the rest of the afternoon doing administrative work. He was quite fond of sitting behind a desk studying or working, so he wasn’t particularly upset at the thought.


    “Emilia, would you like to join me?”


    “Of course!” She smiled, knowing that the two of them would be spending the rest of the evening together, mostly alone.


    With the tasks he had completed during the day, Lucian had set the stage for an upcoming show. One that he found himself looking forward to, despite his usual tendency for diplomacy.