City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 238: Compromise

Imperial Palace, Harsoth Empire
 
 
In the huge opulent room, there is a grand bed made from the wood of an extremely rare tree. On that bed is a frail old man, who looked like he could die at any moment.
 
There are two more people in the room.
 
A middle-aged man who shares the features with a frail old man and a woman in a green-blue robe. 
 
If anyone were to see the woman in this room. The most secure place in the entire empire. In the company of the emperor and crown prince, they would be shocked.
 
She is not human. It is clear with her gemmed horns and gemmed eyes.
 
The emperor doesn’t tolerate what isn’t human; it had been the core laws of his rule.
 
Intelligent and powerful ones would also be shocked, not by non-human woman, but by the woman herself. She is not a normal person, but someone important in the entire world.
 
She has a small tray floating in front of her; on it are three things. A small unrefined blue gem, a red flower, and a tiny bottle with a glittering liquid inside.
 
She took the crystal and placed it on the frail man’s head, took the flower, and placed it on the man’s chest. She opened the potion bottle next and poured it into the mouth of the frail man.
 
As she did, thousands of runes came out of her hand like a flood and covered the old man; there was no single space on his body that wasn’t covered by the runes.
 
The runes stayed quiet for a moment, before blazing like a sun; so bright that they had alighted the entire room.
 
The light blazed for three hours, and seven minutes before the bright light started to dim. A minute later, the old man is revealed, and the change in him is shocking.
 
He is still an old man but doesn’t look frail anymore. His skin is rosy red, and his eyes are filled with strength, he has lost
 
“I feel strong,” said the emperor as he sat up. “The effects of it will last till your last breath, Your Majesty,” said the woman, and the old man smiled, but there was no mirth in it.
 
“You mean less than a year, Sage Emeradon?” asked the emperor and the woman smiled.
 
“Still, it is enough,” said the emperor and looked at his firstborn. There is joy, in the old man’s face, but also some disappointment, that he needed to take such steps to help his son.
 
It is necessary for the longevity of the empire.
 
…
 
“Welcome to the Lauryl town, my lord,” I said as I opened the door to the Count’s carriage.
 
“It’s good to be here, Remus,” he said as he got out, while I tried to hide the surprise, seeing he had not come alone.
 
Lancel is with him.
 
He had avoided coming to Nakar forest ever since that bandit incident. It is quite surprising that he had come. Though it didn’t seem like he had come with his own will.
 
“My lord,” I bowed to the Lancel as he came out, but he barely acknowledged me and turned to look where his father was looking.
 
“So, this is the administrative section, you had spent so much money, on,” said Lancel snortingly.
 
“My apologies for disappointing you, my lord,” I said, bowed. 
 
The new administrative section had been finished, and all the staff had been moved here. Except for my office, everything is there, including the offices of two and Lola.
 
“Let’s take a look at it,” said the Count a moment later, and we entered the administrative section.
 
We really needed it. 
 
The section is not to handle the town’s business. No for it, I had built the town hall and separated the administrative staff there; this section is handling the business of the baronies.
 
The baronies may be independent, but they are not separate. They work under the city and need permission for a lot of things.
 
There is also other business, which require a dedicated staff. This staff used to be based in the city, but now more than half of it has shifted here, making the process efficient.
 
“You had done a wonderful job, Remus,” said Count as we finally entered my office, or rather, his office.
 
“It is all thanks to Carlos and Leblanc, my lord. I wouldn’t have been able to do it, without their help,” I said and the two behind me bowed.
 
It was the last day of the month, and the Count had come as he had promised. Let’s hope he will take this responsibility from me. So, I can return to the city and my business.
 
I looked at him hopefully, wishing he would bring up this subject, but he didn’t. Instead, he opened the files and began to read them.
 
“Well done on the bandit problem. Though you shouldn’t risk your life like that, you are an administrator, you manage things,”
 
“Leave the brute work to the army,” he advised, as he turned to the bandit file. “I will remember it, my lord,” I replied and bowed.
 
I had gone to the forest several times but had fought only twice, once when we attacked the first time and second at the fourth time. Even at that time, I had only fought for less than a minute.
 
We have wiped away most of the dangerous groups, but some have remained, and we have created a force to hunt them.
 
The force will always be patrolling the forest, dealing with any bandit group that they find. We will not give the bandit, the slightest chance of growing back to their original numbers and threaten the trade route.
 
There is even good news; in two months, a company of bandit-hunting soldiers is coming from the Oksall.
 
With them, finding those hiding would be even easier.
 
He turned to another file and asked questions related to it. I answered them, but perceptive people could sense a faint impatience in it.
 
I could tell the Count had sensed it but wasn’t commenting on it intentionally. So, I calmed my emotions down and answered all his questions.
 
After he finished with the files, he made a round of the town, before coming back to the Castle and held the several meetings with the nobles, including August, that Ignatius had sent.
 
Soon, it was evening, when the Count met with merchants, and then it was the dinner, which I could barely swallow.
 
It is not just me, who wants the answer from him, but also Carlos and Leblanc. It is clear by their faces that even Lancel could see clearly, and it is making him angry for some reason.
 
He had been angry the whole day, only speaking a few words, to whoever tried to talk to him.
 
Soon, we returned to the office; the Count would leave in an hour. If he didn’t talk about it, then I will ask him about it. I have waited enough; I don’t have patience now.
 
“Remus, I would really like you to stay here; you are doing a fine job,” he said, and I wanted to curse the bastard. Instead, I have brought a small smile to my face.
 
I sometimes feel ungrateful, and I am sure it definitely looks like it to the others. People will kill me for the position I have, but I really don’t want it.
 
I rather go back to the city and focus on my business, which needs me.
 
“Thank you for the kind offer, my lord, but I feel I will be able to serve you well in the city,”
 
“Most importantly, Carlos and Leblanc are ready to handle the responsibility and, with the experience, they have. They will do the job better than me,” I replied, declining the offer politely.
 
He glanced at the two behind, before turning back to me with a shake of his head.
 
“I am not willing to trust anyone other than you with this responsibility,” he said, and I felt the anger rise in me; I had done everything he had asked and now, he was unwilling to let me go.
 
Maybe I shouldn’t have done such a good job.
 
I pushed that thought away and was about to open my mouth to ask him to reconsider when he spoke again.
 
“It is also true, that I had made you a promise and you have fulfilled every condition and more,”
 
“So, here’s the compromise; you will remain my representative and in charge of this place, but will work from the city. You will only come here once a week to handle things personally,” he added.
 
It surprised me, but soon calmed my emotions down and thought about it. A small genuine smile couldn’t help, but appear on my face.
 
This is the best result I could hope for, better than even giving this position up.
 
This way, I will still wield the power in the baronies, which provide a lot of perks, but will also be able to live in the city. I will be able to focus on my business and official duties, which involve trade with Navr.
 
The work will be heavy, but I will be able to do it.
 
“I accept, my lord,” I accepted.
 
An hour later, I saw the Count’s carriage leaving the castle under the protection of the heavy guards.
 
I didn’t leave with the Count. There are things to do, but seeing I had already sorted out most things, I won’t need to do much.
 
If everything goes well, I will be leaving for Greltheaven permanently tomorrow, while this place will become temporary.

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