City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 242: Path

“He is waiting for you, adviser,” said the assistant as I reached the office. I nodded my thanks and stepped into the office.
 
“Hope you are fine, Mr. Shaw,” I said to the big man, who looked like a warrior but was a bank manager.
 
He used to be a vice manager but got the promotion.
 
“I am a good Adviser,” replied the big man with man with a smile. 
 
A second later, the smile disappeared from his face and his expression turned serious.
 
“The bank has agreed to sanction the amount you want. I had to use my privilege for it, which I generally do not do, adviser,” he said, looking at me intently.
 
As if trying to make me understand, what he had done. 
 
“For it, I am infinitely grateful, Mr. Shaw,” I said to the man. I am grateful for what he has done. 
 
The man nodded and slid the contract toward me.
 
“Sign the contract and we will sanction the amount to you,” he said. I nodded and began to read the contract.
 
The man waited patiently as I read through the whole contract before signing it.
 
I have taken the loan again and this time, over hundreds of times greater than the first loan I had taken from them a year ago.
 
This time, it is of twenty million imperials. Which is two billion crowns; I wanted more, but this was the highest they could give to me.
 
“Once again, thank you, Mr. Shaw,” I said to the man. “You are a valuable client, Adviser. Hope, nothing will harm,” he said as he shook my hand.
 
“It will,” I replied. 
 
A few minutes later, I walked out of the bank feeling much relieved. It has been twenty-two days since I got the approval from the merchant cities and tomorrow, I will leave for them.
 
I have to select the places for the branches of the establishment. It is going to be a long expensive process. 
 
I will be there for four to five days and will return before founding day.
 
The founding day is going to be a big affair. 
 
Thankfully, I have few responsibilities for it. The others who are more proficient in it are handling the things.
 
However, I have one great responsibility. An important person is coming; the chief guest of the founding day and I will chauffer them around.
 
I hate such jobs, but seeing who the person is, I do not mind; with her, I might be able to break the capstone that had stumped me for over two months.
 
I had done quite a lot of things, but it didn’t seem to be enough to breach the capstone of the Masterful Administrator.
 
I sat in the carriage and ten minutes later; the carriage stopped in the compound of the mansion. I got out and walked inside.
 
In a minute I reached the door and turned to the secretory.
 
“You can go in, but be careful,” said the old woman, and my expression turned bad, before they turned serious, and I walked into the office.
 
“My lord,” I greeted the Count; he is alone, Lancel is out, attending an opening of business.
 
He didn’t reply. He just kept looking down with clear anger on his face.
 
“The emperor had called the towering generals and made them swear fealty to the first prince,” he said a minute later.
 
 My expression couldn’t help but change drastically after hearing that.
 
The emperor had made many moves in the past few weeks to consolidate the power of the first prince.
 
He had been doing that for a few months, but his efforts intensified in a few weeks. I heard the emperor had taken something that had made him decades younger and full of energy.
 
Even our enemies had become careful as this news spread.
 
“How many?” I asked. 
 
“All nine,” he replied, with a face that made it seem like he had eaten something nasty, and it was nasty news.
 
The towering generals are the head of the empire's elite corps. That every prince and princess wanted under their influence.
 
“Fealty is not absolute, my lord,” I said reservedly. They might swear it under the pressure of the emperor, but there are ways to get out of that.
 
Though, the swearing fealty does make it, a little difficult to do that. Since there is a great pressure from all corners, including skills.
 
Count's mood didn’t change by my words. He just stayed silent, looking worse and worse.
 
I didn’t say anything and stayed silent, knowing a single word could backfire majorly.
 
“She is not coming,” he said after over ten minutes, and I nodded.
 
I had accepted as much.
 
The queen was coming to attend the founding day, but now after this, it won’t be possible. It is a good thing; I had asked him to not advertise it as he wanted to.
 
I hadn’t advised it blindingly; I had seen the things happening in the empire and knew it was a real possibility of this happening.
 
“You are leaving for a merchant state tomorrow?” he asked, and I nodded. “I can delay my trip, my lord,” I offered.
 
“There is no need, just return in time,” he said, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved.
 
“I will,” I replied.
 
A minute later, I walked out of his office. I had a few important things to discuss with him, but he was clearly not in a mood. 
 
I will do it later.
 
…
 
The day passed, and the next day came. After training and breakfast. I went to the Count; his mood was still bad, but not as bad as yesterday. 
 
I was able to discuss all the important things. I only stayed in the office for an hour; I did not keep any backlog of work, knowing I had to leave for a few days.
 
As for my responsibilities, I had handed to others. With the favors they owe me, they were happy to do it.
 
I stepped out of the mansion and a few minutes later; I walked into the three-story building.
 
When I reached my office, I saw two women were already sitting there.
 
One is Carla, while the other is her replacement, she will be here in her place, while Carla is coming with me to the merchant state.
 
“Master Silver,” greeted Andrea, as I entered my office.
 
“How was your trip, Andrea?” I asked. The last time I had seen her was over two weeks ago, when I had sent her on the task.
 
“Good.” 
 
“We were able to finish with the cities of Halsad on time and the response had been good,” she replied.
 
I had sent her to the Halsad region of the empire; it is a region neighboring to the Renwell. Inam is part of Halsad; though not its capital, despite being the biggest city.
 
She had gone there with representatives of the city; we want the cities of Halsad to trade with Navr.
 
While many of them bought the goods from our merchants that came from the Navr. We want them to directly trade with the undead kingdom; this way we will get more taxes and investments.
 
“Let’s hope, the positive response transforms in some of them giving permission to their merchants to trade with Navr directly,” I said, to which she smiled.
 
I talked to her for a few minutes before Carla took Andrea to her office, and I began with the work.
 
There is not much since I had been planning for the trip and kept up with all my work.
 
An hour and a half later, I walked out of my office and went to the establishment. There are a few things I have to do there.
 
My carriage entered through the back entrance, and I got out.
 
I entered inside but didn’t go to my office. Instead went to the restaurant.
 
The restaurant is full, and it remained full at twelve-to-twelve with over 90% occupancy. One cannot get in without a reservation or unless you are someone important, then we will make a table available for you.
 
I talked with patrons for a few minutes and walked to the second floor, and it was filled with people.
 
Even in the afternoon, all three floors above the restaurant are open. We had to do it since more patrons kept coming.
 
I was against it, seeing we have a limited number of girls. Only Two hundred and eight-seven girls; there were two-hundred seventy-one when it opened last month, but sixteen more added in this month.
 
The establishment could handle nearly five hundred girls, but we only have slightly more than half.
 
So, opening three floors during the day puts quiet pressure on the girls. Giving them less time for classes and rest, but Caena and Margaux, said, girls want me to do this.
 
They wanted me to increase their time on the shift.
 
It is not surprising, seeing the money they earn, but still, I don’t want them to suffer burnout.
 
For another two months, they will be under pressure, before the new girls I had got last month, would finish their training and join the establishment.
 
Though, it would be only for a few months, before I would need to shift some of the girls to the three brothels, I am planning on opening in the merchant state.
 
It made me want to get more girls, and I could have, but there was no space in the circle to keep them.
 
There are only four empty rooms that have remained, and they are filling fast due to the girls rapidly reaching Lv. 20.
 
It is why we are asking the girls to shift to the underground; thank god, I had the foresight to build them. 
 
Currently, it is consensual and few girls have taken the offer, seeing the rooms underground are 25% bigger. They will also get a few perks, like extra massages and other spa treatments.
 
Though not many girls have accepted; they love their rooms and the view those big windows provide.
 
So, after all, the private rooms were filled. The new ones who reach Lv. 20 will need to shift underground; it will only be for a few months till new brothels are ready. 
 
By then a lot of girls will move.
 
I could move the girls to other places, but that defeats the whole purpose. I want the girls to stay in a place where there are no restrictions.
 
A place where they could live and learn without outside interference.
 
Still, I hadn’t expected that I would feel a constraint of space in less than two months of building a circle.
 
I had thought I wouldn’t need to worry about space for a year at least. I was so foolish. I already have a plan to expand the circle, but not now.
 
I won’t touch it, till I finish with three brothels and see the business.
 
I am scared. I will be making a huge investment. Bigger than what I had spent on the establishment and the circle; the merchant cities are completely different, and it is hard to tell whether my business model will work there.
 
I have to take the risk. It is the only way to grow my business.
 
I climbed to the third floor, which is over 80% filled, and the top floor, which is 100% filled.
 
I watched for a few minutes before going to my office and closing my eyes, sensing the feeling from the establishment, which had more than doubled in power.
 
It had made the charms stronger, which are doing many things, and the one I like the most ambiance of the establishment.
 
People often tell me how much they liked the ambiance of the establishment and how good the food and company I provide are. It makes them feel comfortable and lowers their inhibitions.
 
They said they felt calm after the visit to my establishment. I love those compliments. It gave me affirmation that I was walking on the path I had envisioned.

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