City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 231: Invitation

“My lord, there is a message from Alchemist Aryveson, stating that he received the package,” 
 
“There is one from Remus Silver, stating that he delivered the package successfully,” informed Mage Beaumont, and the Count, who had been worried sick, finally felt relieved.
 
He has just received information a minute ago from people watching Remus that the storage has been stolen.
 
It is the reason; he had given the package to Remus to deliver.
 
The information of the emotional essence had been leaked somehow and earlier a plan to send it to a merchant state to be scrapped.
 
The prince had asked me to go myself, but I did not. Just yesterday, one of the prince’s loyalists had been assassinated.  
 
Alfred was a powerful man and well-protected, but they had killed him.
 
I didn’t want to risk my life, no matter how precious emotional essence is.
 
So, I sent Remus. He was able to do things that others didn’t, and I was right in my decision. He succeeded, despite them sending the grey man, a powerful thief.
 
I don’t know how Remus was able to fool him, or just lucky. I don’t care how he did it. What I care about, is the emotional essence, that had been delivered to the whom it was supposed to.
 
Emptying the enormous burden, I had been feeling for a few days.
 
“Send the message; say the delivery is successful,” I said. I didn’t have to tell her whom to send it to.
 
…
 
The ship had finally stopped, and I looked at Greltheaven, bathing in the morning light.
 
The city is tiny compared to the grand Owlspring, but it has its own charm.
 
I still remember the day; I saw the city; it was a morning like this one. The only difference is the port is now twice as big and has at least five times more people in it. 
 
There would have been a lot more if the Count had accepted some of my suggestions.
 
Unfortunately, he didn’t.
 
“I will be going first. You bring the girls to the circle,” I said to Carla and walked off the ship.
 
I have been to the Owlspring for three days. Bringing a total, of four hundred and twelve girls. It was four hundred and forty-nine, but thirty-seven of them had chosen the freedom.
 
Four hundred and twelve girls may seem much, but they are not. 
 
I could easily absorb half of them into the establishment and will do it after they are trained. 
 
I wanted to stay further and buy more contracts, but I couldn’t. I have to leave tonight for the Nakar baronies. There are a few things I want to attend.
 
Before leaving for Nakar Baronies. I will be breaching the subject of handing over my position to someone else. 
 
Let’s hope the Count agrees.
 
Fifteen minutes passed, and the carriage pulled into the compound before stopping.
 
I got out and walked toward the mansion.
 
In a minute, I appeared by the door and entered inside, after getting a nod from the secretary.
 
“My lords,” I greeted the Count and son. This time too they were alone, without any protector. 
 
Though, I know it is not true. I have sensed Lancel’s emotions and sometimes even Count’s. I didn’t sense the fear of safety in them, not even once in this room.
 
I had sensed fear many times in Lancel, and it seemed to disappear when he was in his father’s company.
 
It is not just because he trusts his father and knew he would protect him. No, it is because, he knows, there is someone, or are some people, who will protect him and his father from the danger.
 
“Remus, welcome back, and congratulations on the delivery,” said Count, and a mirthless smile appeared on my face.
 
“It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life,”
 
“That thief stole my bag. It had valuable things, like an enchanted weapon, the things I got from that place in Navr, and many other valuable things,” I said.
 
“It is your own fault to keep those things in a bait bag,” mocked Lancel.
 
I was about to answer him politely about the reason for that when the Count did something surprising. He looked at his son and there was a flash of anger in his eyes.
 
Count rarely gets angry at his son. This is only the third time; I saw him getting angry at Lancel.
 
“The city will compensate you, for everything you have lost,” he said. “Thank you, my lord,” I replied, with a relieved smile.
 
Of course, I didn’t lie about the thing, I had placed in the bag. It had those things. However, what state they were in is a completely different question.
 
He had sent me on a very dangerous mission. There was a very high chance that I would have died.
 
There is no way, I wouldn’t demand compensation for it.
 
I want to place the report of everything, I have lost in front of him immediately, but that wouldn’t be wise. I will send the file to the respective department for compensation.
 
“When will you leave today?” he asked after several seconds of silence. “Tonight, I should be in Lauryl by the morning,” I replied, to which he nodded.
 
“I have read your proposals on the plots and while I disagree with the conditions you have put in there, you have my permission for it,” he said.
 
“Thank you, my lord, “I said and for a couple of minutes, we have discussed a few things about the Lauryl town and our business with Oksall and Navr.
 
“My lord, did you make any progress with the Deerpond?” I asked, and his expression turned bad like he had swallowed something nasty.
 
“The bastard is still dragging his feet and with him those cities,” he cursed. 
 
“Our trade with Narv is increasing by the day. It is helping our city a lot. He wouldn’t be able to resist the allure of it for long,” I said, but his expression didn’t change.
 
“Nothing could be said about that bastard. He might be willing to suffer the loss. He knows it well. If he joined trade with Navr, other cities would join too,”
 
“Within a month, the whole region will trade with the route that we control and tax. It will benefit us immensely, more than his single city. 
 
“He wouldn’t do it unless there is no other option in front of him,” he said.
 
It is petty and counterproductive, but nobles are like that. It is not just noble, but the politicians of the modern day are also the same.
 
“It is also the truth that we need him. We wouldn’t be able to extract all the benefits of the route we control unless he joins us,” I said. Count nodded and sighed.
 
There was a silence for a minute before I spoke again, with words, I had practiced for more than a month.
 
“My lord, the town is developing nicely, and the road is about to be finished in a few days from the merchant's end.” 
 
“I think, I have achieved everything you had asked for and now, I really hope. You would hand over the responsibility to someone more worthy than me,” I requested, and the Count smiled.
 
“You know, Remus. People will kill for that position, and you have been trying to throw it away since the first day,” he said, shaking his head.
 
“I love the city, my lord. You are here, so is my business and I really think I would be better used here than at baronies,” I said and he just looked at me.
 
There was silence for several seconds before he sighed.
 
“It is true, you have nearly achieved everything I had asked, and I had made a promise.” 
 
“I will be coming to Lauryl at the end of the month, and you will have what you wish,” he said, and a big smile appeared on my face.
 
He didn’t promise anything, but even those words were enough for me. As I really thought, he might try to find some wriggle room in it.
 
“Thank you, my lord,” I said with a bow.
 
A few minutes later, I walked out of the office, but I didn’t leave the mansion. I did that after three hours. There was some work I had to do, thankfully, I had finished it in time.
 
I sat in the carriage, and a few minutes later, I got out in front of the three-story building.
 
I stepped inside the first floor and saw the new staff working. Each of them doing their job, Carla used to do most of it, but now she has help.
 
I had talked to them for a few minutes before I went to my office on the third floor.
 
Carla wasn’t present, she had gone out for a meeting. 
 
There is some work I have to do, but first, I have opened the letters. Some were invitations, some correspondence.
 
I read each of them and wrote a reply. 
 
‘Another one,’ I thought, reading the letter in a blue envelope. 
 
The city is growing fast, and many businesses are growing with it, but some are also failing. So, they sell assets and leave or use the proceedings to invest in other businesses.
 
I read through everything and wrote a reply, before focusing on the actual work.
 
The first thing I did was look at the earnings report of the establishment. Which has been professionally done, thanks to the new staff that had come from the mainland.
 
While the madams are good. They are not professionals; they barely have months of experience. These people have years of experience and have the classes and skills related to that.
 
I looked at the numbers, and a big smile appeared on my face. I really hope I will receive at least one license from the merchant state.
 
I really want to start the expansion from there.
 
Click!
 
I was working when the door opened. I didn’t have to look to know that Carla had come; she was the only one who came without knocking.
 
“How was the meeting?” I asked. “Not great,” she replied, with an obvious sadness.
 
“It is fine, we are well above our target for this month,” I said. It is business, such things are normal.
 
“I really wanted his business, but not everyone would want to do business with whores,” she said and sighed, while my expression turned serious.
 
“Did he say something?” I asked, to which she laughed. “Not in so many words,” she replied mirthlessly.
 
He is not the first man who has declined to do business with her because of Carla’s past profession, and he won’t be the last.
 
Some had rejected to do the business with us, just because she is a woman.
 
She knew how to handle such people and usually wouldn’t be this upset over a failed deal, but this one was big. Even I am a little sad, but it is normal.
 
It is business.
 
“Is that from Hershel?” she asked suddenly, seeing the blue envelope on the table.
 
“Yes,” I replied.
 
“I met him a few days ago, and he had told me he would send the invitation. It seemed like, he did,” she said and took the letter, before reading it.
 
“You should go check it out,” I said, and surprise couldn’t help but appear on her face.
 
We have received such invitations many times, but never attended even a single one. There were some fears before, but now that we have moved far enough, they won’t risk doing something like that.
 
Even if they did, it wouldn’t affect us much.
 
“Haven’t you brought enough girls?” she asked as surprise eased from her face. “Yes, I have, but we can house a few more,” I replied. 
 
“I will go if I have time,” she said after a moment of silence.

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