City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

“It’s terrific, you did a wonderful job,” I said as I read through the new tax code. “Most of it was done by you; all we did was refine it,” replied Valentina.

Yes, I am the one who crafted it.

The current tax system of Nakar isn’t good for us, nor is it suitable for the nobles of the baronies. It will take a load off them and give us better economic and martial control.

“The question is whether they would accept it,” I said, and she sighed.

“It is hard to say, given how spectacularly it had failed all the times, that the empire had tried,” she replied. This is not a new idea; merchants do it, and the empire has tried many times.

It had failed; it had bankrupted the nobles so much that they had nearly rebelled.

Now, I am doing it, and it will not be easy to convince the nobles, but we will have to do it. This will provide both parties with the best path forward.

“Send it to Lauryl,” I ordered.

It will now be Lola’s responsibility to convince the nobles to agree with it. It will not be easy, but she will have to manage it.

I will be holding a vote when I leave for the baronies in a week and a half.

It had been over three months since I got Northern Nakar, and it will be my first time visiting it. I am quite excited, it’s been years since I visited the individual baronies.

“In the past two weeks, the number of people coming to the dominion increased by 210%,” she stated, putting a file in front of me.

“It had increased the strain on the city; the new housing is opening every week, but we do not have enough housing to absorb them.”

She looks worried. It is worrying.

Conflicts in the empire had intensified, not only from enemy attacks but also from the civil war. It’s driving people away from their homes in search of safety.

The nobles and the imperial authorities are trying to stop them, but they can’t.

They are too occupied with the fighting, and also because of our mature network. Over the past two years, we have built an incredible network to bring people into the city.

It is vast, covering a large part of the empire and expanding every month.

We are exploiting it to its full potential, bringing not only desperate people seeking to escape conflict, but also people with special skills.

Alchemists, artificers, administrators; one can name them.

The conquering of Gailhorn had opened the new doors, as I am no longer dependent on Inam to get the people. I could directly bring people to my territory through the coastal cities of the empire.

This influx is putting massive pressure on the city, but I am not going to stop. I have asked my connections to send as many people as they can to my cities.

We need people, and this is the best opportunity we have had until now to get them.

“We do not, it is why. We will need to continue with the programme to nudge some toward Panar and Gailhorn,” I replied.

Those two cities are getting people, but most still prefer Greltheaven.

They are running from conflict, and those two cities are closer to it. They are hesitant to move it there, but we are trying with different incentives.

We are now sending a few to Lauryl as well, but it doesn’t have much housing available, unlike the other two cities.

“The barons are contacting me for the people.” She said, and a smile appeared on my face. Many of them are willing to go to the baronies.

A large number of those who have come to the city are farmers and would be well-suited to the baronies, where large farms are common.

“Good. Keep in contact, we need this leverage,” I replied.

I am already sending people to the baronies, not the one controlled by twelve barons under me, but to the areas I control.

There are farms in Lauryl’s territory; it is a standard barony. There are also farms in the five unoccupied territories, not as many as those in occupied baronies, but still.

It is one of the things I want to develop.

I have been sending people there for nearly two months. Small batches were once the norm, when nobles didn’t even notice, until three weeks ago, when we began sending large batches.

Many of them have contacted me for people, but I didn’t send them to their territories; only the ones I directly control.

If they want people, they will have to give me what I want.

Soon, Valentina left, and a few minutes after, I walked out of my office as well.

It is around nine and a half at night; I usually don’t stay late, but today was a busy day.

It may be late for me, but not for people.

The streets are filled with them, both locals and tourists. All of them are filling the city as the new housing becomes available every week.

Still, as Valentina had said, there is not enough housing even when thousands of units are being opened every week.

Until the start of this month, things were improving fast with housing, but then the influx came. Now, it is once more a desperate race to provide housing for all who come to the city in search of opportunities and safety.

Soon, the carriage entered the large park, where construction was underway.

Now, only a small part of the old park is open to the public. Every week is shrinking, by the next month. People won’t be allowed in the park.

A few weeks after that, the legacy will close. In one and a half month, to be exact.

It will close the same week as the new Vanis Tavern opens.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of a covered area, shrouded in thick mist that made it impossible to see through. Even skill wouldn’t be enough until it is Lv. 40+.

I could sense hundreds of people using their skills to see and discern what was happening in the tower, but they were not powerful enough to see it.

I stepped out of the carriage and walked through the protective walkway before reaching the gates of the legacy.

“Welcome back, Master Silver,” greeted the girls at the reception. “Girls,” I replied and stepped inside the elevator, reaching the top floor a few seconds later.

“They are waiting for you inside,” informed the secretary as I reached my office.

She didn’t have to inform me; I could sense their presence. Still, I nodded and walked inside.

There are a lot of people sitting in my office.

Vanis and his granddaughter, Mariha, and her son, along with the triumvirate and Carla. It is rare to see so many people in the city at once, much less in one place.

Many among them are always travelling.

So, one could imagine the importance of all of them in a single room. It is important, and aside from Carla, no one knows the subject of the meeting.

“Lord Silver,” they greeted.

“My apologies for being late,” I apologised and sat down, before turning to the people in front of me.

“I am sure you are all wondering why I called you all here?” I asked. “Yes, this old man is curious,” replied Vanis, while others nodded.

I smiled before my expression became serious. It’s an essential matter that will affect their legacy.

“There is only a month and a half before the legacy opens, and there is one important aspect we have yet to look at. The one that will be very important for its prestige and progress,” I said, and their expressions became serious.

“Then we should fix it soon,” replied Mariha, and I smiled.

I need to put it delicately, as it could make some people really mad, while some would be very happy.

“Lord Vanis, your tavern had merged with Lady Mariha’s inn before it became subject to my legacy, taking some of its essence into it.”

I paused and saw how serious their faces had become; they could sense that what I was about to say was very important.

“It could be said that it is not the legacy it had once been. It’s not Vanis Tavern or Mariha’s Inn. It has now become something different, something new, something incredible.”

“I believe it deserves a new name to show its new identity,” I stated, and the room stilled in complete silence.

Nobody expected me to say something like this.

Saying that legacies changing their name is extremely rare would be an understatement. So rare an occasion that the last legacy to change its name occurred over three hundred years ago.

It could be said that it never happens, and now, I am asking them to do it.

I looked at Vanis; his expression is unreadable, while his granddaughter is angry. The young girl rarely gets angry, but now she is.

Mariha and her son look happy, but they are desperately trying to keep their expression neutral.

The others are just surprised.

“It is not an order, but I genuinely feel that a change of name would be beneficial to the legacy,” I said.

There was no immediate reply. It is a big thing, I am asking. I would have been surprised if I had received the answer from them.

I didn’t hurry and looked at them. I could tell that the old man was talking with his granddaughter.

It took over a minute before the old man turned toward me.

“Can you give us a time to think about it, Lord Silver?” he spoke finally. “Of course,” I replied with a smile.

Soon, they left. Leaving only Carla and three. “Do you think they will accept it, my lord?” asked Eudo. “I don’t know, but I hope they do,” I replied with a sigh.

It was not a lie when I said it would help their legacy. It would help with the vision.

Since it is my subject, it is very important to me that they make progress, because Velvet Garden’s progress is tied to it.

…

Knight Liorian

“Everything is ready; now we only need to wait for the chance,” said Elmid as he walked out of my office.

“Have you looked at every scenario?” I asked, turning to him from the secret communication I was reading. “He will exploit it, if you leave even the slightest gap,” I added after a moment of silence.

“The plan is foolproof; we will succeed and succeed in all three.” He replied with a voice full of confidence.

I wanted to say something, but it is his department, and he is very good at it. He has a high success rate; that is why he was sent here.

“I will need complete details before I approve it,” I stated.

He may be running the thing, but he will need my permission to go ahead with it, which I will not give unless I feel confident of the success, as failure is not an option for me.

A moment later, he dropped a file in front of me.

“Call me if you are unsatisfied with anything,” he replied and walked out of my office. I stared at the file for a moment more before picking it up and reading it.

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