It was a cold, rainy day, the prelude to winter peeking around the corner, giggling to itself. I was visiting my parents in the castle where I was born, and after lunch, Sasha took Luna to show her around while I sat down with my Mother for a proper business talk.
"Your maid got really close to her, huh?"
"They beca friends, which I am happy about! Sasha needed soone with whom she could share her thoughts with. I know there are things she can't ask , especially if they are about ."
"Mhmmm, that is true, although I do tell your father as it is when I have sothing to say!"
"Is he with the soldiers? I didn't think he would miss lunch." I asked curiously, raising my cup and sipping on my tea.
"He has been infatuated with your training regint, so he is doing his best to implent it. He always took it seriously, and with the weather, we will have an especially harsh winter!"
"You think?" She was weirdly serious about it, and I couldn't help but look towards the window, watching the rain splatter all over it.
"I know, Leon. I feel it!"
"Hmmm... I will have to tell my people to stockpile more firewood then."
"Not just that, heavy winter ans more beast attacks. When that happens, they co through the pass in numbers, so we are preparing for it in advance!"
"Perfect!" I yelped, surprising her, looking at weirdly. "I will have to co over when that happens; I want Sasha to try out so things I have been working on for fun!"
"I would also be interested in seeing a witch casting magic... So far, I only heard about it, never seeing it myself."
"I am still lacking the crucial thing: CC. From what I inscribed onto paper or stone and made her activate, all of them were uncontrolled and self-destructive. They are defective as they can't handle the power of a witch."
"You are really unraveling the secrets of magic, yet you are blind to it... I couldn't be more proud of you, Leon!"
"Ehehe~!" Hearing it coming from her still made giddy inside, and I couldn't help but be embarrassed. "Thanks, Mom..."
"It is the truth!" She giggled, rubbing my head, sothing I genuinely enjoyed, closing my eyes, and I would probably wag my tail if I had any. "Are you looking for CC?"
"Yeah, but I also hope to find a mine in the future. I just can't escape it! After doing multiple tests, it is now a confird fact that formations are constantly deteriorating after being used. The erosion is dependent on many things! For example, supporting magic, like the anti-gravity spell, can hold out the longest, but I had to reconstruct a few of them at the mines only a week ago. Attacking magic, like a firebolt, will destroy the source very quickly. I inscribed one onto a stone disc, and after Sasha used it three tis, it cracked and fell apart! I need CC so I can make long-lasting tools! I am also curious about how it affects their spells' focus and strength... From what I read, it is essential! In all the books within the Empress's collection, there was a detail that every aningful formation must be painted with grounded down CC, or the mage must wield an adequate relic while reciting for them to work!"
"Relic?"
"Mhm." I nodded, explaining it further, "Anything that is crafted to house CC, be it a wand, a helt, or a chalice, it doesn't matter; it counts as a relic if it has CC within it or is added to it while being forged. Those formations that are being drawn up with it will be more focused and can withstand a lot of abuse. Of course, mages can't always draw in advance when casting spells, so that is when incantations co into play!"
"I did hear that strong, serious spells require a lot of preparations."
"Oh, they do! It was my blessing to be let into the Emrpess's library as I learned a lot! I have still barely begun organizing what I morized, and I will need years to comb through everything and translate them to normal speech... most were too scientific, even for !"
"I just don't know whose brain you inherited because you surpassed , too, Leon!" She giggled but wasn't questioning , simply showing her pride in my ability to rember all of it.
"Ehehe! I do have a special brain for morizing stuff... Maybe I was blessed?" I joked, as I know most people here really believe in those Gods of old tales.
"That would explain a lot!" She humd, nodding, agreeing, and accepting my joke as a fact.
"Anyway!" I continued, clearing my throat before our talks devolved into sothing else. "Incantation is relatively simple in theory. It is a verbal formation!"
"I don't get it."
"It is speaking the formation instead of drawing it. The mage must recite the spell and articulate what's being 'drawn' by his or her words! Only then will it work in the correct way and be controllable! What rlin and Sasha have achieved so far is unconscious, uncontrolled casting, which is forbidden by the Imperial rules. If they had been taken in by them, they would have been punished heavily for it! All the mages are trained hard to reign in their powers and never unleash them accidentally."
"I can see why! Didn't Sasha burn down a house before?"
"It was an accident!" I argued, protecting her, "While we are doing it, she never once flared up, yet she can be really loud and squirty!"
"Mmmmhm, I am glad she can show control! Maybe she should tone down the heat within her? Maybe her womb incinerates your milk before it has a chance to gift with a grandchild!"
"Err, Mom, let's not go there, okay?"
"Why not? You are now the ruler of the Frontier! You must produce an heir!"
"It will co when it cos! If you start forcing it, it just won't happen! Also, please, don't bring this up before Sasha; she has already been nervous about it!"
"Okay... okay! I will hold my tongue, but Leon, you must start looking for a second and third wife. Take in your maid if you must; they like each other anyway."
"Ugh... Here we go..." I couldn't help but roll my eyes, but I won't lie; the thought did interest . But... I genuinely love Sasha, so if anything, she has to agree. What I said to Yuri was my honest feelings; I value loyalty and will be dedicated to my wife. Or wives if that ever happens.
"Okay, I won't nag you with it again, son, but keep it in mind. Let's talk business then!" It was like a switch being flipped, and she turned from a proud, caring mom into the CEO of an evil corporation. Even her countenance changed as if we were no longer mother and son. "You want to beco one of your ministers. Why should I?"
"Because you not only know how to handle trade, you have the experience dealing with other nobles. I followed you as a kid; I was there when you dealt with the local nobles and effortlessly sold soap behind my uncle's back. I plan to establish a few new industries next year and start producing goodies that can be sold for good money to fill up my treasury. I need soone like you!"
"I won't do it."
"But!"
"No."
"Mom!"
"I am not your mom right now, Viscount Leon!" She replied sternly, without flinching, "That position would require to travel a lot, building connections and playing around with the type of people I hate. What did you call it? Networking, yes? A strange word, but hearing your description of it, yes... it fits. That is exactly what I am not keen on doing anymore! I will stay ho, be the wife of my husband, and be free of those burdens! Now it is your job to do it, Viscount Leon! We are no longer in power. You are."
"Haahhh... I was afraid you would say this!" I couldn't help but let out a long sigh, shaking my head. "I understand. Then, let propose sothing different!"
"I am listening."
"Beco a teacher in our school! You only need to hold classes for selected people who are interested in it. If I can't get you to be my minister, I will ask you to raise one."
"When would it happen?" She asked after remaining silent for an elongated minute.
"From spring to the end of sumr. According to rlin's report, by then, 65% of my initial population will have completed their basic education and be capable of reading, writing, and basic calculations. From those people, there will be a few who would be competent enough to be considered for the post. I want you to evaluate them while teaching and point out the one who has the most potential. From there on, I will take over!"
"Mhhhm... I see. That is a much more acceptable offer! What would be my pay?"
"Err... what do you want?"
"Don't relax! I am Lady Louise now, not your mother!" She reprimanded , but I saw a happy, playful light dance in her eyes.
"Mhm. Well, how about promising I will gift you with a grandkid in the next five years?"
"Four! And in two years!"
"Eh?! No, that is too much!"
"Three! One every year!"
"Mom! Okay, okay... two! A girl and a boy! In... five years! How's that sound?"
"Good! I will co next spring, but if the people you make teach are inadequate, I will kick them all out!"
"Fine by !" I laughed, standing up and stretching my hand out, finalizing our deal.
...
....
......
I was sitting in my office for the past few days, working on a pretty thick book, laying down the foundation of my budding empire's laws, deriving them from my initial points. My plan was that I would finish it by the end of winter, and it would be the very first book that I would print out.
By now, more and more iron was getting piled up in our warehouses, enough that I could start opening up the smithies and begin production of needed tools in earnest. I can even afford to try and experint, wasting good resources in the process. My first experint will be creating a big, round tal plate with the magic formation for water purification incorporated into it alongside many small holes. Then, it would be installed at the end of our sewers, and see how it works out. It is not a final solution but a temporary one, but it would help develop sothing better and improve on it in the future.
Plus, it would let my people experint with finer tal works that will be needed for my plan to copy Gutenberg's printing thod. First, I would create a movable type system where tal parts could be arranged to form different words and sentences. It would need to be hand molded, and that will be Sasha's job as she is immune to heat, so she can freely assist in making them.
As for the ink or dye... I am still looking for alternatives but am considering procuring it from the sa source from which I got the paint for my palace. From magical beasts. Sohow, the thing they create within their bodies seems to withstand a lot, as even in harsh weather, the colors don't fade, and none of the paint jobs begin chipping away.
I had already drawn up the schematics of a wooden printing press and given them to those previously participating in the statue-making contest. Their work was proof enough that they could handle delicate tasks and could work with precision. As for rlin, I gave him the task of selecting a few people and begin teaching them how to make paper.
The mont everything cos together, I will comnce printing my first book. Even in the Empress's private library, more books were handwritten than not. I often struggle to decipher the authors' intended ssages, and simply recalling so of the books' pages gives a headache. It will be ti to change that and introduce mass production. Maybe I can even sell so books for so profit.
"I never thought that an old high-school project would co back in handy like this one day... heh!" I whispered, being interrupted by a soft, quiet voice.
"Master..."
"Hm?" I turned, looking at Luna, standing next to my desk, holding a rolled-up parchnt in her hands. I know she finally chose to speak up because she noticed I was no longer working or thinking about sothing important.
"Here... I made a list of nas who I think would be of good maids."
"Oh? You finally decided to do it?" I chuckled, seeing her lower her head, making reach out and rub her head. "No worries, and thanks! You have ti to get ready; I will hire the people after winter so you can spend ti teaching them!"
"Thank you, Master!" She bowed deeply, but I could see the happy smile as it would an her winter would be relaxed, and she would be allowed to laze around.
While watching her, I couldn't help but wonder... should I tell Sasha about our little maid constantly peeping at us? I couldn't help but break into a perverted smile thinking about both of their reactions...
Reviews
All reviews (0)