Chapter 149: Economy of Scale

Radiant light filtered through the dome skylight. Aides had assembled long benches for the expected spectators. Viv had been offered a chair, thought it was too small and turned part of the dais into an eldritch horror of scales, tentacles and spikes blooming from a center in which she sat.

 

She promptly stood up again and demanded a pillow, which was offered. Lady Azar stood by her side.

 

“Would you not prefer to sit?” Viv asked.

 

“Traditionally, an advisor stands by the side of a ruler’s throne. If you do not mind, however, then yes I would use the chair we prepared for you. Just make the throne a little higher so you dominate the room even while sitting.”

 

“Sure thing.”

 

Soon, Viv was ready. The One Hundred had a squad on hold as her personal guard though they were probably not even trained for it. It probably wouldn’t matter much. They were meant to stand around looking menacing and that was a task they excelled at. And besides, Solfis was here. He was worth a thousand men.

 

“Right. We’re ready. Open the gates.”

 

Hesitantly at first, citizens trailed in, some sitting in the benches after curtsying, others forming a line under the direction of a master of ceremony, actually one of Kazar’s original clerks. It took less than a minute for a queue to form though. Just as ordered, the first were bankers.

 

Tom Manitaradin had been one of the first people Viv had met in Kazar. The impeccably dressed and styled man stood aloof, his assistant standing by his side holding a package. Viv gestured and he came up, bowing smoothly.

 

“Greetings, Your Grace. Welcome back to Sinur’s Gate. As a representative of the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange, I would like to extend an invitation to discuss deeper matters of cooperation. However, I fear a public setting might not be the best place to do so. Would you consider joining me some time this week?”

 

“It is a matter of some urgency,” Lady Azar whispered in Viv’s ear. “It relates to private loans given to our citizens and, to some extent, the throne.”

 

“Wait, we’re indebted?” Viv asked.

 

“Of course we are. I leveraged our finance to start several projects, including new ironworks and the renovation of the city. We’ll get our money back within a year. And this is not the time.”

 

“Right.”

 

Viv turned back to the banker who was still waiting with a winning smile, a smile that felt more predatorial the longer Viv looked.

 

“Of course. Would tomorrow morning work?”

 

“Fantastic. We will come here, unless you would prefer to visit our branch?”

 

“Here is fine.”

 

“Then we will reconvene at that time. In the meanwhile, please accept this Northern garment made for you as a gesture of our appreciation.”

 

Tom bowed smartly and left, his sashaying assistant following closely behind. Viv checked the gift. It was a nice, close-fitting dress in black and white with golden filigree. Very nice, though she would let Solfis have a look at it before wearing it, of course.

 

“It’s pretty good.”

 

“Oh, they can afford it,” Lady Azar grumbled. “Although you keep a better relationship with them than most rulers I have ever met.”

 

“Yeah we’ll see how long that lasts. Next?”

 

The following petitioner was a farmer who begged for help finding his son, who’d never returned from a trip to the mountains. Irao surprised everybody by basically popping into existence and offering his services, which satisfied everybody. Then the parade began.

 

The first to appear was an old man, rarities on a continent where war and monsters could always be counted on. He was, in fact, positively ancient. Those who reached that age usually had stats to back it up but he felt terribly weak to Viv’s mana perception. She frowned, then frowned even more when Azar facepalmed. Viv signaled for him to come forth and he did so, bowing stiffly until his mop of white hair almost touched the carpet. Snickers erupted in the assembly.

 

“Your Graceship, I come to you because old Gogen she told me, she told me I couldn’t get into the kitchen and I said, I said, why your son can and he ain’t even a cook! He ain’t I know he because he’s a forrester down south near the the edge so I said to her—”

 

Viv listened to the man rant without much structure for another minute during which the room grew gradually more amused. By the time the old man stopped to catch his breath after a particularly inflamed tirade on the character of local dogs, there were jeers and mutters everywhere. Finally, an opening for her to exploit.

 

“Silence.”

 

Viv decided to use leadership rather than intimidation this time and to make sure people got the message, she cast a colorless quiet on the entire assembly. There were no casters around so no one resisted. Citizens turned from hilarity to fear in an instant. She moved forward on her throne and pulled her wings out, finding she was more comfortable that way.

 

The display of power and alienness served their purpose. In the ensuing calm, she leaned towards Azar who was now the very picture of controlled fury.

 

“What the fuck was that.”

 

“Crocus the senile. I specifically told the entrance guards not to let him through. When this is over, I will hang them from the ramparts by their feet.”

 

“You can do that in your free time. For now I’d like to salvage my first official reception.”

 

Viv returned her attention to Crocus who was waiting, a vacant expression painted on his face. He was drooling a little bit.

 

“Right. This appears to have been a rather eventful morning for Crocus. Let a guard accompany him to the refectory so he can drink something hot, yes? Now.”

 

The next person moved up in an atmosphere like a classroom after the usually gentle teacher had a screaming bout. He was a merchant offering scented candles, an expensive rarity since it required wax. Viv thanked him and sent him to her bioweapon division since they liked wasps and might be convinced to work on a less lethal, honey-making variant. The person after that was dressed in a long tatty mage robe with stars sewn on it, along with a hat that had seen better days. The hat had a large moon symbol on it, the magical glyph though it was incomplete. She feared another disaster and inspected him quickly.

 

[Researcher: one who follows a path dedicated to the understanding of magical and natural laws.]

 

“Your Grace, I beseech your help and patronage in one of the grandest endeavors of scientific discovery of this era, nay, of all eras, a tremendous work that will revolutionize the way we see the world! A ruler such as yourself—”

 

“The short version, please.”

 

“Yes, yes, of course. Forgive the theatrics and my excitement. My purpose is to prove… that Nyil… is a sphere.”

 

“A sphere? The planet Nyil is a sphere?” Viv asked just to confirm.

 

“Yes! Yes, a sphere. Not a flat surface as some have argued.”

 

“One moment please.”

 

Viv leaned towards Lady Azar.

 

“What’s the consensus on this issue?”

 

“It has been a matter of some debate among researchers, a question made more complicated by the, ah, lack of funding and ‘qualified’ personnel dedicated to such endeavors. Most centers of learning are more interested in how to stop the next monster invasion and how to cast better spells.”

 

“I see. You there, how do you intend to proceed?”

 

“By climbing the tallest mountain and taking precise measurements using a magical box I have, ahem, yet to develop, to demonstrate a curvature of the horizon over the Endless Sea.”

 

“Right. Hmm.”

 

Viv searched her memories. Was it… Eratosthenes who’d done it? Yeah. What was it again?

 

“Right, errr, have you considered, hmmm, measuring the distance between two cities on the same meridian, that is the north south axis, then planting two perfectly vertical straight rods in the ground at noon on a summer solstice and measuring the respective angles made by the shadows, thus—”

 

“Your Grace. You are assuming that the light of the sun comes to us as parallel rays.”

 

He shook his head.

 

“But it cannot be so, for it would imply that the sun is extremely far while we know that it cannot be so, this celestial body moving so much in the day and night cycle. Your Grace, you are clearly a person of great intellect but you should probably focus on magic and let me handle the science.”

 

Someone coughed in their sleeves.

 

Solfis would never let her live that down.

 

“Right. We may consider helping you in your endeavor if you make yourself useful for our cause. I believe we have need of archivists?”

 

“Yes, Your Grace,” the ‘mistress’ of ceremony replied. “Urgently so.”

 

“You may obtain our support if you work for us. You will also be compensated, which will allow you to fund the expedition and research yourself.”

 

“But… science suffers no delay,” the scientist replied, dejected.

 

“It can most definitely suffer delays and difficulties,” Viv replied drily. “Help us and receive help, or do not. The choice is yours. Next?”

 

The next three persons were fairly uneventful. One was a knight who offered his services, requesting land in return which Viv was only too happy to agree to. A local mayor requested assistance with his mana-conversion stone, something Rakan could have handled but the man had apparently not been aware of it. A smith requested more ores for his brand new smelter.

 

“We will have to reopen our side of the mines. We have delayed long enough as it is.”

 

Lady Azar nodded in support. Her expression soured when she saw the next visitor. It was a child. A girl, to be precise. hunched forward, eyes filled with scorn and teeth bared. She was also missing two fingers or her left hand. Practically feral. Viv had barely made a gesture when she spoke in a heavily accented Enorian drawl.

 

“Ya know what I want. Give me my damn collar back!”

 

Her vitriol was not aimed at Viv, at least not entirely, but to Lady Azar. The countess leaned towards Viv with obvious annoyance.

 

“I have forbidden children from participating in those awful beastling hunts. It was getting absolutely unacceptable.”

 

“The baldies can still do it, so why can’t I? Huh? At least give me back my stuff. You got not right to keep it.”

 

“Why did you stop it?” Viv asked in a low voice. “Were there deaths?”

 

“That girl lost her fingers because it was gnawed off by a beastling and still, she wants to get back to the fray? There were no deaths but there have been many wounded. The Hadal’s definition of ‘safe’ needs to be reconsidered! And do you know that they’ve burnt beastlings alive? And tortured them? Children have no limits. They must not be exposed to this level of savagery at a young age or they may bear the marks of those conflicts for their entire lives.”

 

“The hadals keep doing it! How is that fair?”

 

“Right,” Viv thought. “Hm. Perhaps beastling hunts should be codified rather than entirely banned. I’ll set a lower age limit and forbid the most heinous war crimes, including torture. No hazing either. Those who don’t want to participate will not have to.”

 

“That’s always been like that! Raiders and builders and gatherers so we have grilled acorn pancakes! Until that harri—”

 

Viv silenced the girl with a gesture and before she could fully insult her prime minister to her face. Although that was a French tradition, Nyil took a dimmer view on such things.

 

“And what is it I hear about a pendant?”

 

“Young Trill here gathered one made of pierced beastling canines, a grisly trophy I confiscated as it had no place in a civilized nation.”

 

Viv had a quick glance at the bone abomination made by a civilized nation in order to off political rebels on the other side of a battlefield.

 

“I will have to side with Trill here for two reasons. First, we have no laws against morbid prizes. If we did that would mean confiscating Solfis’s collection.”

 

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

//Extremely inadvisable.

 

“And second, we will have no ‘ex post facto’ laws here thank you very much. You can’t retroactively punish someone for hunting beastlings when it was not illegal to do so. Where is the necklace now?”

 

Viv assumed it was destroyed but Lady Azar pushed out an answer between gritted teeth.

 

“I gave it to the Temple for purification. They might have kept it.”

 

“I’ll ask! Thanks,” Trill said, and she was off.

 

During a short recess, Azar asked for a moment of privacy.

 

“I just want to make sure we are on the same page. Is there a problem between us? Reversing my decisions weakens my position here,” she said.

 

“There is no issue between us. I am applying Harrakan law in a rather… tolerant manner that may reflect my own culture. Rather, working as a kind ruler, strict ruler pair might help in the long run. We merely have to get more used to each other’s working methods.”

 

Lady Azar nodded. Viv decided it was time to butter the old harpy up a little.

 

“Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done so far enormously. I am still not sure why you are lending us your talents, I just appreciate that Harrak would not be the same place if you’d not held the fort while I turned part elemental.”

 

“And I appreciate you listening to most advice with attention,” the old countess replied.

 

She sighed, suddenly looking more approachable. More human rather than just the immaculate noble.

 

“You were not my first choice, if I have to be honest. I tried advising my daughter and then a young up and coming duke fighting to reclaim his family’s past glory. They fought me at every step, curtailed what I could do until I felt that I was a dangerous rival to be hampered rather than a hand extended in friendship. I am still unsure as to why you, an outlander, tolerate me so much without constantly doubting my motives.”

 

“I’m pretty sure you just love building a kingdom.”

 

“Yes! Exactly! Is there a nobler accomplishment in this world? A more difficult one? I think not, and yet I will manage it not once but twice, Enttiku willing. So you do understand. Was that why you never doubted me?”

 

“I do not doubt you because I know that if you have to choose between us and your daughter sitting on the throne of Baran, you won’t pick us. In the meanwhile, you’re possibly the best advisor on the continent so I’ll just count my blessings. And as to why I’m not afraid… Black mana elemental archmage? Between Arthur, Solfis and I, we have enough raw power to fend off pretty much any power grab anyone could attempt.”

 

“No one will make a power grab,” Lady Azar said with absolute confidence. “No one can compete. It might come as a surprise to you so I will remind you of the obvious. Citizens find that being led by a proven spell-casting war leader with a dragon child and the loyalty of an ancient war machine is, in fact, rather ‘cool’. Much more so than some inbred idiot whose sole merit was being born in the right family. I would be much more concerned about foreign attacks if I were you.”

 

“I’m working on it,” Viv grumbled.

 

Trill didn’t return. The next supplicant asked for help after his field was ravaged during a battle between heavies and a large undead bear they had to put down. A brief discussion with Lady Azar confirmed that the state didn’t act as an insurance in case of an accident so Viv sent the man away, even reminding him that the bear would have done more than tear a field apart. She couldn’t afford to just say yes to everybody.

 

The next woman came to the stand munching on what looked like a juicy apple.

 

“Good morning, Your Grace.”

 

“Do not talk to me with your mouth full.”

 

“Oh sorry, the wait just made me hungry, haha.”

 

Her mouth was still full.

 

Viv eyed the nearest window. Solfis dutifully stood up to open it.

 

“Wait wait wait sorry, Your Grace, I came to offer the results of my labor, those pila fruits. If you like them, I simply request assistance in setting a well near the orchard I intend to develop. Please.”

 

“We need more water to feed all the new farms,” Azar explained. “There simply isn’t enough rain yet to let things grow. We have been digging wells left and right. It has not been enough. Many of the villages need regular supplies of water.”

 

“It looks like I have Lana’s first job.”

 

“A mage of her caliber might resent being tasked with such mundane work.”

 

“You mean like me building obelisks left and right?”

 

Azar nodded.

 

“I will remind her that you lead by example.”

 

More people followed after that but none as exciting. The visitors were either demanding compensation, advertising products or simply being sycophants. Others came to swear allegiance to her, mostly because their paths demanded it. Courtiers and knights both, they were an interesting mix of the desperate, the ambitious, and the stupid. One of the warriors offering his service was dying from an improperly healed heart that would need to be regrown and that was going to require finesse. Another was a courtier escaping forced marriage. Viv welcomed them all anyway. The only real surprise to Viv was the lack of request for judgment, except for Trill’s interruption. She prompted Azar on that topic.

 

“I would like to remind you that Neriad is your Patron God and truce is within his purview. I have delegated the… judiciary work to them. Since they don’t pay taxes, they might as well make themselves useful.”

 

“They know the laws of Harrak?”

 

“Neriad’s churches always work with local law. The god of righteous battle tolerates differences in laws and customs, after all.”

 

“Got it.”

 

The flow of people only weakened as the sun came down. For a population of less than ten thousand souls, Harrak certainly had a lot of people come to visit, though Viv supposed there was a backlog. Nevertheless, the experience had made her more popular and given her the opportunity to put a finger on Harrak’s pulse. The ‘empire’ reminded her of her own country after the revolution, a place where the social structure was yet to become rigid and where the competent could carve themselves a path to success. A night council gave her the opportunity to give some orders, especially to the mages who had just settled in the various towers across the city. She wondered if there was a natural affinity between mages and towers.