Chương 588: Chapter 587: If That’s What You Want

Onyx Halcyon, Beyhelm.

"The kindness of his majesty has its limits, Lord Halcyon," said the man sitting across from me in my office.

"Father, you shouldn't overuse his majesty's magnanimity," added my ungrateful son.

"I know, Lord Guardian Danis. The opening is a few weeks away. This old man can live at least that long," I replied with a smile despite the rage I was feeling in my heart. I had given these bastards so much for decades, but despite that, they were not willing to even let me die with dignity. They've grown even greedier, trying to squeeze every last drop out of me.

"Please ask His Majesty for just a little longer. A day after the casino opening, His Majesty will have what he wants," I replied.

"I will try, Lord Halcyon," the man said before leaving the office. They will never get what they want. I've given them enough, and I won't sacrifice my dignity in death.

"Father, why are you making His Majesty wait? You've given my sister what she wanted—more than you've given us," he accused. He and his brother had received more than their sister, yet they complained that I had given her more.

"Do you want your father to die so quickly?" I shot back angrily. What the king is asking will, without a doubt, kill me. Not that I have much left—my small heart attack nearly took me two days ago. That's precisely why these bastards are clamoring for it. But they can't force me. If I don't want to, they won't be able to do a damn thing. …

"We are nearing the city," said Eva, looking through the window of my suite. It is where we had spent most of the time in the past one and a half days.

"We have a few minutes more," I said, kissing her chest gently before going down slowly.

"Stop, haven't you had enough already?" she asked, resisting, but her eyes were filled with the desire.

"No," I replied, grinning at her. In the following minutes, the familiar moans rang out through the suite. We only stopped when the port came into view.

"What are we going to do once we reach the city?" she asked, putting on her clothes.

"We'll do what we have been doing," I replied, appearing beside her and taking her lips in mine.

"I'm an old woman. People will talk, and there's also Carla," she said, finally meeting my gaze.

"You are not old. As for people, let them talk." I said, shaking my head.

"As for Carla, she is the last thing you should be worried about," I added. She looked at me intently, and I smiled before kissing her neck; it was her sensitive spot, which was why she pushed me away immediately.

"Can we keep it secret? At least for a while?" she asked, and I was about to shake my head, wanting to reassure her not to feel ashamed. But when I saw the emotion in her eyes, I hesitated.

"If that's what you want," I replied. I had harbored a crush on her for a long time, and after spending more time together, I realized just how much I liked her. As for her age—it didn't matter. She may be a little older, but I thought that only made her more intriguing. Soon, we finished putting on our clothes, and I activated Get Ready to wipe away the lingering scent of sex that clung to me. Click! We stepped out of the room and onto the deck.

"They're working fast," she said, looking ahead.

"They are," I replied, surprised. I'd been getting daily reports, but seeing it with my own eyes really highlighted just how much progress they had made on the bridge. Trollmouth is a wide river. It would have taken two years to build it on Earth. Here, six months will be enough. The magic makes even the most time-consuming tasks feel incredibly short, especially here, where we've received a considerable sum from the Synod. I wish the academy could be this simple, but judging by the terms, it doesn't seem likely.

I can only hope I'm wrong. Soon, the yacht docked at the port, and the ramp lowered.

"Welcome back, my lord," welcomed Robin and Lola as I walked down. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"It's good to be back home," I replied as I looked at the city's bustling port. Even this early in the morning, there are a lot of people. We walked toward the carriage while Eva walked with her son, who had come to receive her. I am going straight to the city hall. There is a lot of work waiting for me there. I will be lucky if I can go to the tower today.

"How are things?" I asked Robin.

"Good, aside from a few things, of course," he replied, and I smiled. We talked, and they informed me about general things. I listened while looking through the window. Soon, the carriage crossed the gate, and I felt the control. Now, I am in command of hundreds of spells. Anyone who dares to attack me here is in for a nasty surprise. The city feels different. It isn't just the unfinished buildings that are now finished—more are being constructed—but the city's energy feels more vibrant than before.

Soon, the carriage entered the city hall and stopped. I got out and walked inside with many people bowing. I nodded at them as I walked toward my office.

"The trip was a success; we have accomplished 80% of the things we wanted and even received a few unexpected surprises," I said as I sat down.

"I agree, It's quite surprising. Especially the deal about the academy," said Robin.

"So, what are the things we couldn't talk about it remotely?" I asked, and Lola placed a file in front of me. I opened it and began to read. There is some good news and some not-so-good news.

"They have created their own trade route with Navr," I sighed as I put down the file. Deerpond had resumed the trade with Navr, but instead of using Greltheaven to access Mirador Hold. They are using Brimbale. If it had just been Deerpond alone. I wouldn't have been worried, but it's not. Port Midlet, where that bastard, Zanav, controls. Along with Riverbell. The unofficial dominion of Deepond. There is also Peguexe and Wildhelm. All of it will move to that route.

"It is why. The bridge will be invaluable to us," replied Robin. They may have those cities, but they represent a small part of what we could earn from our trade with Navr. The empire matters the most. It is a hungry beast for the goods. We have the best connections with Navr. My people and merchants in the city acts as middlemen to help them get what they want. They are still nervous about dealing directly with the undead kingdom, which is good for us. We have a well-developed direct road to it.

The bridge will make things even easier.

"We need to maintain the lead. Deerpond has money and resources that everyone wants, and you can bet they'll use them with surgical efficiency," I stated with all seriousness. We discussed a few more things before Robin left.

"Brother!" Josie came running through the open door, and behind her, Heron followed. Seeing them, a wave of shame hit me. I had failed them. I couldn't bring their mother with me.

"I missed you," Josie said, wrapping her arms around me.

"I missed you too," I whispered, holding her tight. A few minutes later, they sat across from me, and we shared breakfast. I wished Carla was with us, but she was out on business. They left after breakfast. They had school to attend.

"What is the report on hotels?" I asked Lola. The casino will be opening next month, and I need hotels. It is one of the jobs I ask her to focus on the most. The legacy is vital for the economy of the city; the casino will make its importance even greater. I need hotels for it. I don't want them to enjoy themselves and leave; I need them to stay longer and contribute to the other parts of the city's economy.

"Most of them are on time. Some might be able to finish before the expected date," replied Lola before handing me the file. It has a progress report on hotels, inns, taverns, and every other hospitality establishment under construction in the city. I read them while closing my eyes now and then to examine the progress personally with the Eye of the Master. The skill is amazing. It lets me look at nearly everything in the city. I don't have to visit them personally to see their progress.

Soon, I finished and put the file down.

"How are the orcs doing?" I asked. While the huge tide was building and even after the battle, a large number of orcs were coming to the city. Even the tribes that were safe so far begin to have the monster problem. It isn't just on the Baronies and merchants' sides but also on Navr's. This tragedy is giving us a lot of people—the people we need.

"Good. The people from the resettling office are doing a good job," she replied. We have learned much from the orcs' migration and created a sub-department to help those orcs settle in the two cities. They will provide them with housing and quickly find them a job. With the speed, the city is growing. There are a lot of jobs in the city. Still, despite their increased numbers, they aren't even half of the new people settling within the city. Many people are coming from the empire.

The conflict has been spreading, displacing people, some of whom are coming to Greltheaven despite the risks. I asked a few more questions before readying for my next appointment. Click! The door opened, and General Stone and Cardin walked inside.

"My lord," they greeted.

"Stone, Cardin. Take a seat," I replied.

"Thank you, my lord," replied Stone, and they sat before me.

"Have the undead made any movement?" I asked.

"No. They had not crossed their boundary even once," replied Stone.

"Have you heard any whispers about that incident from your connections?" I asked, and he sighed.

"Too many. Some say it is a move from the undead to confuse enemies, while some say it was triggered by the dungeon."

"Some are even saying it is a grand spell," he replied, shaking his head. On Mayhurst Island. A massive horde of undead had simply disappeared, along with a Lv. 40 commander. The only thing that remained was an enormous crater. It had made quite the news. I had my suspicions about the incident as it happened at the same time I was meeting the Archmage. I didn't believe for one moment that it wasn't related. I smiled internally.

"What are the recruitment numbers?" I asked.

"Very good," replied Cardin with a smile and forwarded a file. I opened it and read through it swiftly.

"The orcs didn't disappoint," I said as I finished with the file.

"They do not," replied Stone with a smile. The newly coming humans pale in comparison to orcs when joining the army. Human numbers are greater only because they have the advantage of sheer population, but when counted as a percentage, Orcs surpass them. Over 50% of newly arrived Orc men enlist in the army. In the forests, most of them are warriors by necessity, constantly facing the myriad threats that lurk there. The army offers them the best path forward—not only for protection but for opportunity.

I ensure they're well-compensated and provide them with additional benefits to make it worthwhile. I'm pouring a significant amount of money into the army. A large portion of taxes, along with many of the resources I acquire in exchange for essence, is funneled directly into it. It's essential. For the next six months, we'll push recruitment and preparation harder than ever because when those six months are over, the undead will come—and they won't come in small numbers.

"Your gamble with Axsteel paid off," I said, praising Stone as we wrapped up most of the discussion.

"It was risky, but that woman has the potential and power we need," Stone replied with a confident smile.

"She's already being headhunted," added Cardin. Baxzar, Kalgha, and even some non-Orc states had already approached her. She's a spirit shaman—the kind highly sought after by many. Honestly, even I'm surprised by her performance. It wasn't just the power she demonstrated but the authority with which she commanded. I haven't read the full report yet, but even old man Harrods called me personally to praise her.

"Then we will have to make sure she doesn't leave," I replied.