City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 96: Responsibility

“I will ask you all, once again. Are you really sure about it?” I asked four girls. All of them are eighteen.
 
“Yes, Master Silver,” they replied in unison. “Ok, then. From today, you will formally start working in the establishment,” I said and slid the four contracts toward them.
 
These girls have turned eighteen this month. There are six who turned eighteen, but the other two are not ready.
 
All four of them are from the first and second batches and have at least three and a half months of training. Two even have seven months of training. They have been training since the day I brought the teachers to the establishment.
 
It had made them very good.
 
The only flaw they have is their lower level, but it is not really a flaw, considering they are only eighteen.
 
They have higher levels than an average person of their age. If the data is to be believed. Then they will advance rapidly in their classes once they started working.
 
Soon, the girls finished signing the contract, and I felt them clicking in my head.
 
“Remember. There is always a choice. If you don’t want, you can say no directly. If don’t want to work after today, it is fine too. You can serve the contract some other way.” I said to them.
 
They just nodded at that, with eyes burning in excitement. Not about the work, but the money they will earn from today.
 
Soon, they left with Margaux, leaving me and Carla alone in the office. 
 
“How are our finances?” I asked her. “They are good. We have a good 20.6 million crowns, with all our expenses paid.” She informed.
 
The expenses had increased tremendously in a single month. The biggest one is new projects, along with loans, and taxes. Together, they take about seventy-five million crowns a month.
 
Another twenty-five million crowns more go to the commission of the girls, salaries of staff, and other expenses like maintenance.
 
Despite all this, I will still have a cool twenty to twenty-five million crowns. 
 
It had been a month since the undead attack. six months since the inauguration and so much changed. If my father had been here, he would have been shocked by what I had done to the business.
 
Even I am shocked by it.
 
When I had first come here, I did not think. I would earn such a massive amount of money in a year that I am earning in a month.
 
I am sure the next six months would be even more transformative.
 
The training of the new girls is going well, better than I had imagined. It had been one and half months since they have been training and a quarter of them already feel ready, but I am waiting.
 
I will wait for another month. By then at least 70% of them would be ready. I will debut them at once.
 
With girls numbers nearly doubling, the revenue of the establishment will also increase. I need that, especially to speed up the project, which is going great, but it could go faster. If I provided more money.
 
“What is progress on the sommelier?” I asked, to which she massaged her head.
 
“The ones I had interviewed yesterday turned out to be subpar,” she answered with disappointment. “Looks like we will have to wait for the one that Drev referred,” I said, to which she nodded.
 
“Drev had high praise for the man. I hope he is good as he is praising him to be, till then, I will continue to interview more,” she replied.
 
The one who Drev referred to is available but is on vacation. It will take him about two more weeks to return. 
 
Even if he is good, we can not stop searching. 
 
The food of the establishment had become the talk of the town, and while Drev is knowledgeable enough to suggest the wines, which is a big chunk of business. We need the best to enhance the experience of our patrons.
 
We are willing to pay good money for it.
 
I worked for two hours before getting out of my office, and soon I was out of the establishment.
 
I did not walk into the carriage, which is waiting for me. Instead, I walked toward the new plot, which was not so empty anymore. 
 
The construction is going in a full swing. I could see hundreds of workers who worked day and night in the shifts. 
 
It is amazing how fast it is happening. Two weeks ago, there was nothing here, but now, one could see the round walls.
 
Hun!
 
As I am watching it, I saw a familiar figure walking out of it. 
 
Caena had been visiting the site every day, even before the constructions begin. She did not disturb or talk to anyone. She just walked around it before coming back.
 
It is strange behavior, and I wish I could say it is new. She had done that when the changes were happening in the establishment and the spa was built. 
 
Carla said, there is something fishy, and I should forbid this behavior, but I did not.
 
It is not like I am not sensing something fishy, but I do not sense any threat from it. Most importantly, I have no proof. Even Jon had tailed her secretly and he found nothing.
 
He told me he saw nothing out of strange. She just walks there, looks around, and returns, doing nothing.
 
I watched for a minute more and sat on my carriage. 
 
Twenty minutes later, the carriage entered through the gates of the palace, and I stepped out it before walking into the palace.
 
“My Lords,” I greeted and bowed as I entered the study.
 
“Remus, you have come at the right time,” said Count Darrow, and my heart skipped a beat. 
 
Especially when I look at the expressions of Robin and Lancel. They did not look happy.
 
“The diplomatic mission to Navr had been finalized.” He informed and my expressions kinds of froze for a moment.
 
“Congratulation, my lord,” I said after a moment of silence. 
 
“It is a good thing. The prince can now rest easy,” he said with a relieved smile, before turning back to me.
 
“Lancel will lead it, with Robin as emissary. You will also be part of a mission, responsible for the business delegation,” he stated, and I felt like someone attacked me with a lightning bolt.
 
I have been praying for this not to happen and, while confident, that I will not be part of it.
 
As Lancel had no interest in it and since I am his adviser, I would have also stayed with him.
 
The opposite had happened.
 
Lancel is going, and I will also go with him. Not only that, but I am also responsible for the business delegation, a huge responsibility.
 
“I am honored, my lord,” I said, and the Count smiled.
 
I hate it, but I cannot say that. The moment he informed me about it, the decision was made. I could not get out of it. 
 
So, I might as well smile and accept it graciously.
 
“I know. I could count on you, Remus. The mission will leave in eight days, and I hope you will complete the preparations by then,” he said, giving me another shock.
 
Eight days is too little for such a complex task. Still, compared to Robin, I have much fewer responsibilities. The poor guy looked like he had eaten the most horrendous thing and was holding off vomiting it.
 
A few minutes later, the meeting was over, and I stepped out of the study, following behind Lancel.
 
“Father had said it would be someone to a cousin who will lead this mission, but changed his mind at the last moment and now he is sending me,” said Lancel angrily, more to himself than me.
 
So, I stayed quiet, but it did not take him long to turn to me.
 
“I know, you have been dreading it like me, but now, you are also going there with me,” he gibed as he turned to me.
 
There has been a lot of improvement in Lancel’s behavior toward me since the incident a month ago. We do not become buddies, but now, he does not hate me; just tolerates me.
 
Like a tool, he does not like it but needs it.
 
“Lord Count is wise. I am sure he had a plan when he chose you to lead the mission,” I said respectfully. 
 
With no hint of mocking. It still made him glare at me intensely.
 
“You have fought against the undead. How are they in reality?” he asked, after minutes of silence. 
 
There was no mocking or jeering in his voice. His expressions were serious.
 
“They are dangerous, especially in large numbers. If you want to deal with them, kill the one who is controlling them.” I spoke. Immediately, fear clouded his eyes.
 
“But we don’t have to worry about our safety. Navr takes the safety of the diplomats extremely seriously; it is one of the safest countries for the diplomats,” I added, and the fear in his eyes turned to anger.
 
“I am not worried about my safety, Silver. I am more than capable of protecting myself.” He said, and he believed that.
 
It is one of the most surprising things about him. He truly believes in his strength. He is a capable fighter from what I had seen, but not to the level to feel such confidence.
 
Maybe it is likely why the Count is sending him to Navr; to get more grounded. Or maybe he just got irritated with him as I am and wants a few days of peace and quiet.
 
One and a half later, I finished my business with Lancel and sat in a carriage for my office, thinking.
 
The count had handed an enormous responsibility. The business delegation wouldn’t be easy. While merchants like to take the risks, I don’t know how many of them would enter the kingdom of death itself for the fortune.
 
It had a lot of things to offer, vast agricultural products, metals, liquor, gems, magical materials, and many other things.
 
Undead labor makes a lot of things easier for them. It is why the undead kingdoms are filthy rich, especially the older ones like Navr. The fortune, they are immense, not just in money, but in artifacts and spells.
 
It is the reason why so many kingdoms think twice before launching a full-scale war against these bastards.

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