Chapter 22: “Pawperwork”

Celestia von Reingarde pressed two fingers against her temple and exhaled slowly. The past two days had been a relentless torrent of revised calculations, accelerated timelines, and contingency plans built atop contingency plans. Every strategy she’d carefully laid out over the past month had to be re-evaluated in light of recent developments. Several initiatives she’d intended to implement gradually over the coming year had been moved up the pipeline, compressed into a far more aggressive schedule.

The strain was beginning to show.

Even with Martha’s capable assistance, Celestia found herself working late into the night, reviewing contracts, scrutinizing ledgers, and drafting correspondence until her eyes burned and her hand cramped from holding a pen.

‘At this rate, I’ll burn out before I even get to the good part,’ she thought with a trace of dark humor. But there was no choice. The story’s momentum was changing, and she had to stay ahead of it.

Still, even in the midst of exhaustion, there were moments that made it all worthwhile.

Earlier that afternoon, Celestia had taken a brief respite from her mountain of paperwork to check on the accommodations Martha had arranged.

Jade was settled into the modest but comfortable quarters with his pregnant wife. The quarters weren’t lavish by noble standards, but they were clean, well-maintained, and far superior to anything a retired adventurer could typically afford.

Jade’s wife, a gentle-faced woman with honey-brown hair and work-worn hands, was refurnishing the place. “Hun?” she asked, “Are you really sure this is our home?”

“Mhm,” Jade replied gruffly as he carried a box filled with what looked to be weapons. “As long as I work for the Lady. We won’t have to worry about the future.”

Celestia had observed the scene from a distance, choosing not to intrude on their private moment. She didn’t want to develop too much of a connection with Jade; sentiment was dangerous in this world, and attachment was a liability.

Of course, sentiment or not, Jade was an investment, a valuable asset who would play a crucial role in her plans. The fact that helping him also happened to be the right thing to do was merely a convenient coincidence.

Over the next few days, Celestia had overseen the acquisition of several small businesses throughout Summit and surrounding territories. None of them were particularly impressive on their own: a modest trading company here, a small transport service there, a warehouse near the merchant’s quarter, a supplier of adventuring equipment in a secondary market.

To any outside observer, these purchases would seem scattered and inconsequential. House Reingarde was wealthy enough that dabbling in minor commercial ventures wouldn’t raise eyebrows. The businesses were all legitimate, profitable enough to justify their acquisition, and small enough to avoid attracting undue attention from competitors or regulatory scrutiny.

But only Celestia knew their true purpose. These weren’t meant to generate immediate profit. They were infrastructure, pieces being carefully positioned on the board for moves that wouldn’t come for months. When the time was right, these businesses would form the foundation of something far more ambitious.

For now, they remained on standby, operating normally under their existing management with only minor oversight from Martha’s network of contacts. The real work would come later.

The next phase of her plan, however, required a more delicate touch.

“We’ll need our workforce soon,” Celestia said, setting down her pen and looking up at Martha. The maid stood before her desk, posture perfect as always, hands folded primly at the front of her waist.

“Of what nature, my lady?” Martha inquired.

“Slaves,” Celestia stated bluntly.

Martha’s expression didn’t so much as flicker. “Of course, my lady.”

Celestia leaned back in her chair. “We’ll be focusing on two categories: debt slaves and those whose crimes amount to misdemeanors. Nothing too violent that would indicate a dangerous temperament. Prioritize those whose offenses were born of desperation, theft, breach of contract due to impossible circumstances, misdeeds bordering those.”

She paused, organizing her thoughts. “Additionally, I need you to search for a specific individual, a female beastkin with these notable characteristics.” Celestia pulled a sheet of paper from her desk drawer and slid it across to Martha. “The details are here.”

Martha picked up the paper.

“May I ask what purpose—” Martha began, then stopped herself. “Forgive me, my lady. That was presumptuous.”

Celestia waved a hand dismissively. “You’re allowed to be curious, Martha. Trust that there’s a reason for everything I do.”

“I never doubted that, my lady,” Martha replied smoothly, tucking the parchment into her apron pocket. “I shall begin inquiries immediately. The slave markets are quite active this season.”

As Martha turned to leave, Celestia called after her. “And Martha? Ensure that Jade is informed about his new responsibilities. He’ll be overseeing the training of the slaves. The details can be worked out once we have everything ready.”

Martha curtsied. “I shall relay the information to Sir Jade at once.”

After Martha departed, Celestia allowed herself a moment to close her eyes and rub at the persistent ache behind them.

* * * * *

In his new quarters after being visited by Martha, Jade sat at the small wooden table across from his wife. His mind was churning with questions.

Lady Celestia was spending an extraordinary amount of money on him: comfortable lodgings, a generous salary, provisions for his wife and unborn child. It didn’t entirely make sense. Yes, he had experience, but there were plenty of younger, more capable adventurers who could do the same job. Even if he was the one who trained her, it still wasn’t enough of a reason to choose him.

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So why him?

He glanced at his wife, who was humming softly to herself as she folded linens. The sight made his chest tighten with a complex mixture of emotions.

But then again… did it matter?

Jade’s hand unconsciously moved to rest on his coin purse, feeling the reassuring weight of the advance payment Lady Celestia had provided. With this kind of money, he could send his child to a private school. Let his child have a real education, not just the basic literacy and numbers that common children learned in church schools. His son or daughter could even have tutors.

That thought alone was enough to quiet his doubts. Whatever Lady Celestia’s reasons, whatever strange plans she had in motion, Jade was going to do his job to the absolute best of his ability.

He owed her that much. And more importantly, he owed it to the tiny life growing in his wife’s womb.

* * * * *

The following day, Celestia found herself once again buried in paperwork at her office. Spread across her desk were contracts, ledgers, acquisition documents, and most importantly, the draft contracts for her future workforce.

She’d spent the better part of the morning on a contract template that would govern the treatment and compensation of the slaves she planned to acquire. It was meticulous work, requiring her to implement standards that simply didn’t exist here.