I dreamed I was sleeping in my bed, with worried voices speaking loudly overhead. I couldn\u2019t tell who had trespassed here, only that they had come in secret and stood around me, speaking anxiously and quickly. As I was dreaming, I missed most of what was said, but I knew it was important. I tried to remember, to grasp the words as they flitted by, but like memory and water, they flowed away, leaving me only with an impression. Snippets of a conversation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it time\u2026?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026sure?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026we\u2019re early. We\u2026here!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026trouble!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWait!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026We\u2019re not\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026remember to\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAnd\u2026! \u2026okay? Remember!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cQuick\u2026before\u2014\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n And then I woke up.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Day 85<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n As dreams went, it wasn\u2019t the worst I\u2019ve had by far. Not the best either\u2014it was mainly confusing. I\u2019ve had good dreams and bad dreams aplenty. Of course, I don\u2019t remember most of them, and I never \u2018see\u2019 dreams.<\/p>\n Because of course, I\u2019m blind. Hello, I\u2019m Laken Godart, [Emperor] of the Unseen Empire. Protector of Durene\u2019s Cottage, sovereign of the village of Riverfarm, Windrest, Tunslaven, Kiquel\u2026and so on.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve got a lot of titles. A lot of power. And yet, it feels like only yesterday that I was a normal young man, walking around in San Francisco. Forever ago and yesterday. Strange\u2014I sometimes forget what my friends\u2019 voices sound like. There are so many around me each day, asking me questions.<\/p>\n \u201cLaken, do you want eggs on your, uh, weird potatoes, bacon, and onions?\u201d<\/p>\n Sometimes the questions are good questions and come from people you love. Nevertheless, I roll my eyes as I get up.<\/p>\n \u201cNo eggs for me. And it\u2019s called bratkartoffeln<\/em>, Durene. Honestly, I keep telling you. How hard is it to remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey! I try, but\u2014oh, you\u2019re joking.\u201d<\/p>\n I smile to myself at the sound of Durene\u2019s voice. I can tell she\u2019s in the kitchen, delicately stirring the fried potatoes with a long-handled spoon. She transfers the hot food to a plate and comes to sit by me as I dress and move towards the small table in her cottage. I have a chair\u2014she uses the floor. We\u2019re still pretty much on the same level because she\u2019s a good bit taller than me. Bigger, too.<\/p>\n She\u2019s half-Troll. And a [Paladin]. It\u2019s a long story. I eat breakfast happily with Durene, talking about the day until a loud squawk<\/em> interrupts us. A large and, apparently, blue bird is making a racket. She smells breakfast and wants in.<\/p>\n \u201cShut up, Frostwing.\u201d<\/p>\n I toss some bacon at her and sense her catch the bit of meat and worry at it. Placated for a few moments, I turn back to Durene and keep eating. It\u2019s wonderful to be able to sense where every part of your meal is on your plate. It\u2019s what I always imagined sight to be like, but better, since I can sense everything in my domain. And that means I can sense everything from Durene scratching her leg, to Frostwing behind me, to the Mossbear snuffling around our front door\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cUm, Durene. He\u2019s back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs he?\u201d<\/p>\n Durene gets up, and I sense her opening the door. Feel it too\u2014it\u2019s no longer cold, and the breeze actually feels quite nice. Spring is finally here. Durene shouts at the large bear outside.<\/p>\n \u201cGo on, shoo! I\u2019ll feed you breakfast later!\u201d<\/p>\n The bear whuffs,<\/em> and I raise my voice.<\/p>\n \u201cBismarck\u2014heh. Bismarck, go on, leave the door alone!\u201d<\/p>\n I snort a bit as the bear obediently backs away. Yes, I named the bear Bismarck. I think it\u2019s funny, and it needed a name. Especially because it\u2019s now my pet. Or something.<\/p>\n [Lesser Bond: Bismarck]. I received it yesterday after I finally came up with a name for him. Bismarck was just called \u2018Unnamed Mossbear\u2019 before that. Apparently I tamed him by feeding him and having him fight in a battle alongside my people. Now he lets me ride him, hangs around the cottage for food, and in general pesters Durene.<\/p>\n \u201cShoo! I\u2019ll give you potatoes later! And don\u2019t you dare dig up my garden! It\u2019s all growing, understand? Leave my plants alone!\u201d<\/p>\n Possibly only Durene could push<\/em> a bear off her property. She\u2019s actually stronger than the Mossbear, and the Mossbear\u2019s bigger and tougher than normal bears, to boot. Durene chalks it up to her [Enhanced Strength] and her other new Skills, but I wonder. Trolls are said to be extremely strong and tough, but they can\u2019t gain classes or level.<\/p>\n As a half-Troll, Durene seems to have the benefits of both her Human and Troll heritage. Not that it helped her before she met me. She was an outcast, barely tolerated by the village. Only when I became an [Emperor] did everything change.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, how much it changed.\u201d<\/p>\n I mutter to myself as I stroke Frostwing\u2019s head. My lovely, stupid bird snaps at the meat I offer her.<\/p>\n \u201cSoon you\u2019re going to have to hunt for yourself. You can<\/em> fly, and it\u2019s a waste of good meat to keep feeding you cow and pig. How do you feel about rats?\u201d<\/p>\n She poops in her nest. I sigh. Animals, Durene\u2026what else? Well, there\u2019s the young man waiting patiently outside the gate. I keep telling him not to do that, but Gamel is my [Knight] and seems to believe I should be attended to at all times. Since the villagers agree with him, it\u2019s hard to tell him to stop. Plus, it is<\/em> convenient.<\/p>\n Time to start my day! I stride outside as Durene, grumbling, chucks potatoes at Bismarck. Apparently bears can eat potatoes, and he chases after a spud as I walk past. I wonder if this is what it\u2019s like having a dog?<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Gamel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n Gamel bows. Quite smoothly too. He must have been practicing. I nod at him and square my shoulders.<\/p>\n \u201cTime to start the day. Durene, I\u2019m heading into the village.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait for me! I just have to\u2014no, Bismarck, there are no more potatoes! Go eat some berries!\u201d<\/p>\n Disappointed, the Mossbear ambles out of the cottage gates as Durene hurries into her cottage. I sense Bismarck heading into the forest now that breakfast has been served. He\u2019ll scavenge for food until dinner or when I call him. I\u2019m fine with that. I know some people would prefer me to ride him around everywhere, but I like walking and Bismarck is not that comfortable to ride.<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder if someone can make a saddle for him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe bear, sire? I will ask Mister Prost about it right away!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I grimace and wave a hand. This is the problem with being an [Emperor]. Everyone takes my words as a command. And that can be a big problem.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have more important things to do than waste time with saddles for bears, Gamel. Maybe once we finish construction and get everyone settled.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n I wait until Durene comes out of the cottage. She\u2019s got a greatsword, and she\u2019s tying it to her belt. It\u2019s old, and she doesn\u2019t have a sheath\u2014the greatsword is made of iron, not steel. Even so, she\u2019s killed two Hobs with it and a score of Goblins.<\/p>\n Durene, my [Paladin], and Gamel, my [Knight]. Their lives were shaped by me. I saved Gamel\u2019s life. Kept him alive when he was dying. I ordered him to live, and he lived. He has never told me whether he resents that order.<\/p>\n The cottage that we leave behind is mine. The dirt road that we walk down is mine. The village we enter is mine, as are all the people inside. I claimed it. I claimed the land around here, marked it with totems proclaiming the borders of my empire. So I can \u2018see\u2019 the entire area around the village if I concentrate. I can sense the hundreds, no, over a thousand people in this area alone, busy at work this early in the morning.<\/p>\n I sense houses going up, people carting timber to the areas under construction, the [Farmers] hard at work to the north in the new fields, the [Blacksmiths] at their forges, working to produce nails and hinges and so on for the construction. Riverfarm was a small village of just over a hundred people. Now it is turning into a city.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a method to the chaos. It might seem chaotic at ground level\u2014I wouldn\u2019t know. The babble of voices greeting me, the sounds of horses and people shouting at each other, is confusing for a blind man. But I can view the village from above and get a very reliable idea of how things are laid out.<\/p>\n \u201cGood, we\u2019re still on track. Gamel, is Prost supervising the building?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll go see him, then. Durene?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to help carry stuff, Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see you later, then.\u201d<\/p>\n I part ways with Durene, knowing she\u2019ll be carrying trees around and helping people lift things too heavy to carry without a team. I\u2019d like to stay with her, but I have my duties too. I am an [Emperor], and my job is to oversee\u2026this.<\/p>\n An empire. Or the beginnings of one. It\u2019s small, and by small, I mean that it only has a few thousand people in it, but that\u2019s a frightening number of people to house, feed, and protect every day. They\u2019re all villagers, the people of Riverfarm, Windrest\u2014villages that were raided by Goblins. Oh, and a town. The town of Trottvisk declared itself part of the Unseen Empire just the other day. It happens.<\/p>\n So much to do. I wouldn\u2019t know where to start\u2014but I have some advantages. My Skills as an [Emperor], my knowledge from Earth, my home, and my counselors. I might not know how to take care of so many people myself, but if there\u2019s one thing I know from Earth, it\u2019s that delegation is key.<\/p>\n In fact, my coming from another world is probably my biggest asset. One day I just appeared in this world. And while all the scientific knowledge in the world wouldn\u2019t protect me from monsters, or starving to death by myself, it does help when I\u2019m a leader of a large group of people. One of the things I brought from my world to this one was the idea of sanitation.<\/p>\n Obviously, people didn\u2019t eat everything with dirty hands in this world before I came along, but they didn\u2019t consider washing hands essential, and they sometimes built their outhouses and latrines way too close to the water.<\/p>\n That\u2019s changed now. I walk towards a man directing people to dig the latest public outhouses away<\/em> from the river that gives Riverfarm its name. He stops, turns to me, and bows the instant he notices I\u2019m here.<\/p>\n \u201cEmperor Laken, sire!\u201d<\/p>\n Prost, my [Steward], has also changed markedly since I first met him. He was a [Farmer] who barely tolerated Durene and couldn\u2019t accept that she and I were living under the same roof. Now he\u2019s my right-hand man who oversees construction, settles minor disputes, coordinates things like food, housing\u2014all the things I\u2019m bad at. I nod to him.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Prost, how are we doing today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnother four houses built since you last visited, sire!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFour?<\/em> But I was here last night!\u201d<\/p>\n Prost beams. I can sense it and hear it in his voice.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty. But we had a night team working, and they\u2019re quick! Don\u2019t fear that people minded the hammering\u2014we sleep like rocks unless there\u2019s an alarm called!\u201d<\/p>\n I have to shake my head. Another of my Skills is [Blessing of the Hearth], which allows people a comfortable night\u2019s sleep, even if they\u2019re lying on the floor. I had no idea it could be used this way, but that\u2019s the thing about leading, or so I\u2019ve learned. It\u2019s about combining multiple perspectives to achieve the best result.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, carry on, Mister Prost. I just wanted to see if there were any new developments.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn the construction? No, sire. We\u2019ve been keeping to the directions you gave\u2014it\u2019s very simple to understand!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs it? Good, good.\u201d<\/p>\n My directions. As I said, I can see the entire village and my empire with a bird\u2019s eye view. That means I\u2019m uniquely able to visualize the layout of the buildings in my head and organize it as best I can. However, there\u2019s a lot to take in.<\/p>\n \u201cJust let me know if you see any issues arising regarding wells, proximity to the outhouses, and so on. We want everything within reach, and I\u2019d hate to know that we didn\u2019t build a large enough road or something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sire. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ve talked it over with the other [Village Heads] and [Farmers] and so on. They all agree your plan for the city is sound.\u201d<\/p>\n One of Prost\u2019s new talents, aside from all his organizational skills, seems to be reassuring me. I leave him to it. The village does<\/em> look good in my head. I tried to copy it over as best I could to a map, but sadly I still can\u2019t read books with my [Emperor] senses. I had to describe it and trust that everyone understood what I was talking about.<\/p>\n Creating a village. Planning it out with access to water, food, keeping houses away from [Blacksmiths] who are noisy, and organizing a central road that splits off into smaller paths\u2014it would be a challenge for an [Architect], and I have absolutely no training in this area. However, I did my best. In fact, coming up with a design for my new empire reminded me a lot of video games\u2014or rather, what I imagine video games are like.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to play a lot of games when you\u2019re blind. Board games sort of work, but anything with a strong visual component? No thanks. I did have friends who told me what it was like, though. The friend I was hanging out with in San Francisco, Zoe, she told me about a game. Age of Empires II or something. She described it like this, where you direct people around, lay out your kingdom, and defend it from enemies.<\/p>\n In my head, I\u2019m thinking of where monsters or bandits might come from, how we\u2019re going to expand\u2014because we will<\/em> expand, I\u2019m sure of it\u2014the placement of other villages, and of course, how to patrol the entire area I\u2019ve claimed to keep it safe. I get headaches just thinking of all the problems. And people do this for fun?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cGamel, I think I\u2019ll look at our crops today. I see Wiskeria and our guest are near the farms, so we\u2019ll visit her on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery good, sire.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Prost is my [Steward], I\u2019ve assigned him to worrying about construction and farming for the most part, which he knows the most about. However, I have two other people I regard as my counselors. I go to meet both of them now. They\u2019re standing near the farms, talking with their own crowds of people.<\/p>\n One is a woman on horseback with a pointed hat and spectacles, overseeing the deployment of armed men and women. The other is a woman wearing a dress, out of place among the more simply dressed folk. But she is also in the thick of things, speaking eloquently as people bow to her and hurry off.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Rie, Wiskeria.\u201d<\/p>\n I greet them as I approach. The two women break off immediately and come to me. Rie curtsies, and Wiskeria dismounts to bow slightly. Wiskeria is a [Witch] and my [General], tasked with defending my empire. Lady Rie is a [Lady], formerly the landowner of some of the villages and towns around here.<\/p>\n After Goblins attacked her mansion, Lady Rie pledged herself to my service. I was the one who led an army to save her, but I was surprised by her request to become my vassal. It\u2019s been three days since she came to Riverfarm, and she\u2019s already assisted in numerous ways.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Emperor Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMorning, sire.\u201d<\/p>\n The two greet me, Rie formally, Wiskeria informally. I nod to Wiskeria and incline my head to Lady Rie. There is a difference, and according her the status of her rank is important. Lady Rie is good with people. She is a [Lady] after all, and as the last member of the Valerund family, she knows how to organize and settle disputes.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Rie, thank you for your help. May I ask if there are any new developments?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone worth speaking of, Emperor Laken. However, I urge you once again to entertain the notion of an audience with some of the local nobility. I could arrange the meetings quite easily.\u201d<\/p>\n I grimace and cut the motion short. Lady Rie has been floating the idea past me for the last few days.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand your desire Lady Rie, but I have no desire to enter the political world just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI fear it is far too late for that, Your Majesty. Your presence alone is significant, and I worry that the other nobles will take your expanding empire as a sign of\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Rie hesitates delicately. I fill in the gap for her.<\/p>\n \u201cDanger?\u201d<\/p>\n She shifts ever so slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps. Which is why an audience may allay their worries. I have no doubt the other [Lords] and [Ladies] who own lands in the area have already investigated your presence, Your Majesty. They will be cautious, some afraid\u2014but the truth is that there is a surplus of lands and not enough of the aristocracy to manage the land. Your presence may be quite beneficial, so long as the other nobles are assured that their lands will not be encroached upon. And you are needed. Many villages lack a local [Lord] or [Lady].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that a bad thing?\u201d<\/p>\n The practice of landowning seems medieval to me\u2014not the act of owning land, that\u2019s as common as landlords, but the idea of owning everything on a piece of land, including the people. I don\u2019t see why anyone would want that, but Lady Rie seems surprised by my question.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving a [Lord] is quite beneficial, Emperor Laken. Some would consider a village or town not protected by some kind of landowner to be very dangerous indeed, or at the least, troublesome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria stands patiently to one side, listening, and I sense the crowds of people either moving away on business or waiting for me to finish. I feel as though I\u2019m interrupting important work, but I am the [Emperor]. Teaching me important facts is quite necessary if I\u2019m to lead well. Rie explains as I stand patiently with Gamel behind me.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen my family was alive we managed a huge area of land. It is not simply protection we offer, but justice. We enforced laws, settled disputes, collected taxes, and dealt with disasters and monster attacks as they emerged\u2014ruled in short. Each [Lord] is a [King] of his own domain, or so it is said.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see. And there\u2019s a lack of nobility in the area?\u201d<\/p>\n Rie pauses.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Second Antinium War was\u2026devastating, to put it mildly. Many of the aristocracy lost their lives defending their homes from the Goblin King. As such, there are many unattended lands that lack any local ruler.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see. Well, if it will reassure the other [Lords] and [Ladies], I suppose I could consider an audience. But on the same note, Lady Rie, would you prefer to stay elsewhere? I know Riverfarm\u2019s accommodations are less than what someone of your station might expect. Several of the local cities and towns have offered to give you their finest lodging.\u201d<\/p>\n I float the idea by Lady Rie, wondering if she\u2019ll bite. She declined the offer the first time I made it, but will she have changed her mind in the three days she\u2019s been here? Lady Rie shakes her head instantly and then recalls that I\u2019m blind.<\/p>\n \u201cI am quite content here, Emperor Laken. I would like to see my home restored to me\u2014but so long as the Goblin threat persists, I do not believe I would be safe anywhere but here. As to staying in a city or nearby town\u2014if you will allow me to say so, I see greater opportunity in making myself useful to you here, Your Majesty. If you will permit me to stay, I would do so gladly.\u201d<\/p>\n I nod.<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t turn away aid, and I do consider you quite invaluable, Lady Rie. Your people are quite helpful as well. Although as I recall, your man\u2014Geram?\u2014was insistent on staying by your side.\u201d<\/p>\n Adamant, in fact. He didn\u2019t say so around me, but I got word of the argument through Prost. All of Lady Rie\u2019s servants follow after her and treat me with the utmost respect, but it can\u2019t be normal, having an [Emperor] pop up all of a sudden. Rie\u2019s voice is apologetic.<\/p>\n \u201cDo forgive him, sire. He worries for my safety, but I assured him I was quite safe in the village.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI quite understand. I believe he will be quite an asset to Wiskeria\u2019s army.\u201d<\/p>\n Geram is one of Lady Rie\u2019s more notable servants. He\u2019s a huge, bald man who fights with his fists. He\u2019s apparently a former [Street Brawler] of some renown\u2014an odd choice for a captain of the guard for a [Lady], but he does seem tough. He took down several Hobs himself while defending Rie\u2019s mansion. I wonder if he\u2019s romantically involved with Lady Rie, or if the other one, Nesor, her [Mage] is. He\u2019s a young man with a lot of anxiety and isn\u2019t the best [Mage], but I\u2019ll take any magic-users I can get.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m grateful for all the soldiers I can get, Lady Rie. On that note\u2014Wiskeria, how goes training the army?\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria steps forwards smoothly. She\u2019s in charge of defense, which is a lot simpler, since I can tell if anything enters my lands. Wiskeria can send out a patrol to deal with most problems at once, which is why she devotes most of her time to actually creating an army to fight with.<\/p>\n We have a small core of adventurers and retired [Warriors] and so on, but I\u2019ve had to rely on other towns and cities by using another Skill \u2013 [Imperial Levy]. I can request their soldiers to fight if a huge group of monsters or bandits come along, but I\u2019d prefer to have a force at my disposal. Wiskeria\u2019s been working in that area, but training [Soldiers] up from scratch is hard.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a number of recruits interested in fighting, Emperor Laken. I suspect we\u2019ll have less after the rigorous daily training, but then again, perhaps not. They are quite dedicated. However, we do have an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n She nods.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not enough weapons to train all the potential recruits, and many skilled workers\u2014[Bakers], [Carpenters], and so on\u2014don\u2019t have the tools or space to ply their trade.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was my observation as well. Too many villages fled without packing their supplies and lost them to Goblins or thieves.\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie sighs. I nod. The Unseen Empire is comprised mainly of villagers who fled their homes, and as such, it lacks most of everything.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m aware of the problem, Wiskeria, but I consider getting a roof over everyone\u2019s head the first priority. Most of the villagers are still sleeping in barns\u2014that can\u2019t last forever. If they\u2019re not training, send your soldiers to help with everyone else. That goes for our experienced craftspeople, Lady Rie. We have a lot of hands. Anyone can help lift, or hammer nails, or help make rope and so on. We\u2019ll use that to get everyone housed quickly, and then focus on specialized buildings and tools. Our [Blacksmiths] can only work so fast, and I need them making nails before swords.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria nods reluctantly, but Lady Rie clears her throat softly.<\/p>\n \u201cWe may be able to procure some arms and tools without needing to forge them ourselves, Emperor Laken. If you will allow me to make a few inquiries, I believe I could obtain a good deal of supplies at a cheap price.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the other cities?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. I could put in an order to Invrisil and further cities abroad as well. The transportation fee would be somewhat steep, but it would allow General Wiskeria and other craftspeople to begin working sooner. If you consider it wise? We have enough money.\u201d<\/p>\n I shift uncomfortably.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is your money after all, Lady Rie.\u201d<\/p>\n Perhaps it\u2019s my Skill\u2014[King\u2019s Bounty]. Or perhaps it\u2019s just how things worked out. But Lady Rie\u2019s fortune is now part of the Unseen Empire. She told me it was mine to use, and I reluctantly accepted it. That money could buy a lot of tools\u2014I just wonder how I\u2019ll repay Lady Rie.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll think about it later. And Lady Rie seems to regard it as an investment.<\/p>\n \u201cConsider it a gift for saving my life, Emperor. Very well, I will send a few [Message] spells with Nesor\u2019s help. If you will excuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n She bows slightly and moves away. She\u2019s graceful, intelligent, and extremely helpful. I can\u2019t help but think that I lucked out in having her pledge her loyalty to me. I wait until she\u2019s out of earshot to speak quietly to Wiskeria.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve been watching her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Emperor. She\u2019s done nothing out of the ordinary. She uses her personal [Mage] to send [Message] spells, but her people have settled in well. Fairly well. The [Servants] were arrogant until Prost settled them down, and I believe Lady Rie had a word with them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds good. But keep a discreet eye on her. I will too. In my own way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n Saving Lady Rie was an easy decision. Accepting her as my vassal\u2026well, I didn\u2019t have any reason to refuse. She\u2019s competent, in need of a home, and knowledgeable on things like politics and trade, something neither Wiskeria nor Prost know that well. I haven\u2019t had any reason to doubt her, and neither has Wiskeria.<\/p>\n However, after Odveig, neither of us are quite so trusting. Lady Rie seems perfectly willing to put herself behind me with coin as well as her help. Maybe she\u2019s grateful. Or perhaps she thinks I\u2019m a rising star and wants to secure as much influence as possible. I\u2019m fine with either option, but I do worry.<\/p>\n \u201cAll\u2019s quiet so far?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou would know that better than I, Emperor.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria\u2019s voice is a little less formal without anyone else to hear. She treats me more like a person than Prost or Rie or anyone else besides Durene, which I\u2019m grateful for. I smile.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue, but I do worry. It might be my senses can\u2019t detect hidden threats or\u2026well, it puts my mind at ease to know your people are patrolling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, sire. I think it reassures the other towns and cities, too. But I have only a limited number of warriors at my disposal, and I prefer to keep most of them here in case you sense anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. Speaking of sensing\u2014Beniar\u2019s riders dispatched the [Bandit] group on the western road.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. Any casualties?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone. They took them out in the middle of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n I relay the news to Wiskeria with the utmost certainty despite Beniar being over fifteen miles southeast of here. I sensed him attack the [Bandits]. I felt it. It was almost like I was there.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Darkness.<\/em> The night is pitch-black, so dark that the distant stars and obscured moon do little to provide light. It\u2019s so dark that the few lazy sentries outside of the camp of [Bandits] can\u2019t see much. And why should they worry anyways? They\u2019re hidden well off the road, far from any settlements. They can hide and strike at people on the roads at their leisure.<\/em><\/p>\n Or so they think. But galloping hooves break the night\u2019s silence. I imagine the sound of galloping, anyways. I can\u2019t hear, only sense. What I do sense is the [Bandits] on watch looking up in sudden alarm. They reach for their weapons, peer into the darkness. One goes to rouse the others.<\/em><\/p>\n Too late. The first rider appears out of the darkness like a ghost. He rides down on a sentry who screams once\u2014the sword takes him in the chest, and he falls. Beniar, my [Cataphract] and [Captain], turns his mount, and more riders appear out of the darkness behind him. They charge the sentries and into the camp of bandits.<\/em><\/p>\n The ragged men and women are ready for a fight. What they\u2019re not ready for is for Beniar to scatter their torches and campfires, plunging them into darkness. Again, I have to imagine the shadows flickering and the riders streaming through the camp. <\/em>I don\u2019t have a problem with seeing, since the images in my head aren\u2019t really visual.<\/em><\/p>\n I sense Beniar and his [Riders] cutting the confused [Bandits] down as they flail at shadows. My riders have no problem seeing in the darkness, and as they cut down the last of the [Bandits], they cheer. I roll over in my bed miles away and go to sleep at last, relieved.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [Blacksky Riders]. That\u2019s the name of the last of my new Skills. After the battle at Lady Rie\u2019s mansion, I gained a new Skill that allows my soldiers to become, well, terrors of the night. It was hard for me to figure out what my Skill did at first, but after one exciting night it all became clear.<\/p>\n My Skill allows a group of chosen riders to see in the night. Not only that\u2014the effect extends to their mounts and lets them dampen the light when they so choose. Thanks to that, Beniar\u2019s group of mounted warriors have become night ambushers who can attack in the darkness with ease. It\u2019s a powerful Skill and has already led to rumors that the people of my empire don\u2019t need eyes to see.<\/p>\n Just like their [Emperor]. I was relieved that none of the riders were hurt, though, and Wiskeria seems equally relieved. Losing just one soldier or horse is dangerous.<\/p>\n \u201cBeniar should be on his way back. I think he\u2019ll arrive after midday, but I\u2019d like to put a [Mage] with his group. Someone who can send and receive [Message] spells.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree. Unfortunately, that young [Mage] that Lady Rie employs can neither ride nor send [Message] spells reliably. There are artifacts that can do the same, but they are quite expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore problems. We\u2019ll put that on our list until later, Wiskeria. At least I can tell where everyone is. But keeping the lines of communication open is one of the key principles of war. I think I read that somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria doesn\u2019t even register my joke, much to my disappointment.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. I agree. But aside from Lady Rie\u2019s personal artifacts, we have nothing of our own. And I would rather buy more swords, and bows, and so forth, than purchase a single artifact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re that expensive?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes. On that note, may I speak with you about the crops your [Farmers] are growing? Food is essential, I know, but they could easily devote a few fields to growing some crops that [Alchemists] would buy. Or a few varieties of mushrooms? I\u2019m familiar with what sells well, and I could obtain some seed samples with enough coin\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have my attention.\u201d<\/p>\n The work never ends. There\u2019s always something to do, which isn\u2019t bad, but it means that I always feel like there\u2019s more I could be doing rather than taking a break. I\u2019m sure that\u2019s unhealthy, but I have energy, and it\u2019s not like I\u2019m running about. Just talking and listening.<\/p>\n In any case, the rest of my day is devoted to managing things with Wiskeria. She\u2019s quite sharp despite only having been a Silver-rank adventurer before I made her into a [General], and I value her insight. We spend an entire day talking about how to use Beniar\u2019s riders most effectively and hunting without depleting animal populations. It feels slightly wrong that I can tell where every deer herd is, but I have to keep my people fed. I work and then I go to sleep with Durene in the cottage.<\/p>\n It\u2019s another day in the life of Emperor Laken. That is, until Nesor wakes up screaming and rouses the entire village.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Day 86<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Zel Shivertail is dead. The army raised by Magnolia Reinhart at Invrisil has been defeated. The Goblin Lord is marching towards the city, only a few days away from this area. And like that, I\u2019m facing another crisis. The same crisis I\u2019ve always had to face, in fact. The enemy that has defined Riverfarm\u2019s struggle, the nemesis of the Unseen Empire in my mind.<\/p>\n Goblins.<\/p>\n \u201cNesor, calm down and give me answers. How badly was Magnolia Reinhart\u2019s army defeated? How did General Shivertail die? Where is the Goblin Lord\u2019s army headed?\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s early morning. Rie, Prost, Wiskeria, and I are all standing in the large cottage assigned solely to Lady Rie. Nesor, a young man who failed to graduate from Wistram, is sitting at a table, face pale, hands shaking. He\u2019s stuttering, barely able to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I just got a [Message], Lady Rie. It said General Shivertail was dead, and the Goblin Lord had won! It was a warning to all the nobility in the area, so I got it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cN-n\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He shudders. I look at Wiskeria. She has an impatient look on her face, the same one I\u2019m trying to suppress.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t send [Message] spells, can you, Wiskeria?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI never learned. That kind of magic is more difficult for my class.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNesor, calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie is soothing Nesor. She looks at me apologetically.<\/p>\n \u201cI apologize, Emperor. Nesor, send a [Message] spell back to\u2014oh, First Landing? It must be chaos in Invrisil right now, and I don\u2019t know that we\u2019ll get a quick response. This might take a while.\u201d<\/p>\n I nod and step out of the house with Prost and Wiskeria. I turn to them and sense the same worry and fear that I\u2019m feeling. Only they\u2019re looking to me<\/em> for help. I can tell lights are on in the houses nearby, and a lot of people are standing in the streets, looking worried. Time to do my [Emperor] thing.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. Prost, calm everyone down. Don\u2019t mention specifics, but let people know there are Goblins near Invrisil and\u2014leave it at that. Tell them there will be an announcement later and that we are still waiting for details.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n Prost hurries off. I turn to Wiskeria and draw her aside.<\/p>\n \u201cWiskeria, explain what Nesor said to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat part?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll<\/em> of it. I know the Goblin Lord was marching north, but who\u2019s General Shivertail?\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria\u2019s voice is surprised.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have never heard of him before. Assume I\u2019m from far away and have no idea of anything. Who is he, and why is this so important?\u201d<\/p>\n I can sense Wiskeria looking at me. I never told her, or anyone besides Durene, that I\u2019m from Earth, but Wiskeria isn\u2019t stupid. She\u2019s already expressed surprise at the things I know and don\u2019t know. Right now I don\u2019t care. I might tell her everything just in case\u2014Ryoka would object, but I need people I can trust in possession of all the facts. For the moment, Wiskeria takes me at my word.<\/p>\n \u201cGeneral Shivertail is\u2014was\u2014a hero of the Antinium Wars, and the highest-leveled Drake [General] in the entire world. If he\u2019s dead, then this Goblin Lord is extremely dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAntinium Wars. Wasn\u2019t there a book on the history of the Antinium Wars? I never found a copy to read. Please explain all of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sire.\u201d<\/p>\n I walk with Wiskeria to her private house, and she brews me some tea while she speaks, summarizing decades of history while the sun rises. Her home, like Rie\u2019s, is hers alone. It\u2019s a bit extravagant, especially since a lot of people are still sleeping crammed together, but rank has privileges, and as soon as we get personalized housing built, Wiskeria will move out and let a family take this home. She wants a forest cottage with a garden for mushrooms and other alchemical ingredients. And a place to brew potions where there\u2019s no one to smell them.<\/p>\n Anyways, her explanation of Zel Shivertail and the Goblin Lord fills me with dread. The news we get just after morning is no better. Nesor finally got through to First Landing, and all the reports are of the battle and the Goblin Lord\u2019s army.<\/p>\n Tens of thousands<\/em>. That alone is enough to panic me. I could muster a force of a thousand soldiers. Maybe two thousand if I pressed every city and town in the area to turn out their garrisons. That\u2019s all. If the Goblin Lord comes here\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cWhat should we do, Emperor Laken? People will panic if word spreads.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll spread.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria glances sideways at Nesor. I grimace. The young man sounds like he couldn\u2019t keep a secret to save his life. Funny, I\u2019m probably only a few years older than he is.<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t lie to people or hide the truth. Prost, we\u2019ll tell them what happened. But when you do, tell them this: the Goblin Lord\u2019s army is not<\/em> headed our way just yet. They\u2019re moving towards Invrisil, which is close by, but I haven\u2019t sensed any Goblins in our radius, and I will know if they approach.\u201d<\/p>\n I sense Prost nodding in relief. I don\u2019t talk about my abilities, but people need reassurance now.<\/p>\n \u201cIf an army comes calling, we\u2019ll evacuate or fight, but until then, there\u2019s no reason to panic. Wiskeria will send out more patrols and alert all the settlements nearby in case they haven\u2019t heard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll send riders now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. Lady Rie, if you would keep communicating with First Landing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n I nod and stand.<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case, Prost, you and I will calm people down.\u201d<\/p>\n And so we do. Prost shouts the news, and I tell people what I just told him. It doesn\u2019t calm them down exactly, but no one screams or runs. And once we get people moving about their tasks, things calm down. I walk around the village, reassuring people, being there, and it does help. Everyone looks calmer when I\u2019m around, and more than one of Riverfarm\u2019s original villagers recounts the battle in the village to the others.<\/p>\n Everyone\u2019s calm. But me. As I lie in bed next to Durene, I toss and turn and eventually wake her up.<\/p>\n \u201cLaken, why are you so restless?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy aren\u2019t you? Durene, I promised them everything would be okay, but I have no<\/em> plan if the Goblin Lord actually comes this way. We can\u2019t fight, and we might not be able to escape.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll figure out something. If you can\u2019t do it, no one can.\u201d<\/p>\n I laugh in the darkness. How does she believe in me?<\/p>\n \u201cI wish that were true.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s true! Now come over here.\u201d<\/p>\n She pulls me over, and I forget about Goblins for the moment. It\u2019s nice to have someone with you who can take your worries away. For a while, I\u2019m not an [Emperor], and the cottage is intimate.<\/p>\n A bird screeches, surprising both Durene and me in the silence. Frostwing objects to being woken up. I throw my pants at her.<\/p>\n \u201cShut up, Frostwing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Day 87<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Today I consult with Rie and Prost. Reassurances are all very well, but I want to be prepared for a fight, if it comes to that. Ironically, Wiskeria\u2019s not on my list\u2014she\u2019s training her forces, and there\u2019s little I can do to help her. I don\u2019t want to be a distraction.<\/p>\n However, there are<\/em> things I can control, and one of them is my project that Prost\u2019s been in charge of. Siege weapons. Ryoka Griffin taught me the fundamentals of how they work, and the rest has been trial and error. I have a few [Carpenters], one [Blacksmith], and three new [Tinkerers] on the job, with some other eager young men and women.<\/p>\n Lady Rie stares at the two prototype trebuchets and ballista and I realize that she\u2019s never seen them before. We keep the siege weapons far, far away from the town in case of more accidents.<\/p>\n \u201cProst, how are the trebuchets working?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Emperor. I haven\u2019t been here all day, so I\u2019ll let Miss Tessia explain. Tessia?\u201d<\/p>\n Prost gestures, and a young woman steps up. She\u2019s got red hair and loose work clothing. I first met her when I helped dig her out of the snow after an avalanche. She\u2019s Gamel\u2019s girlfriend, and her timid personality has been replaced by what I can only consider an engineer\u2019s mania.<\/p>\n \u201cEmperor Laken! We\u2019ve finally gotten one of the trebuchets working! We can throw a twenty pound stone over two hundred feet with each shot, and I think that once we make a new trebuchet we\u2019ll be able to hurl a stone twice as far!\u201d<\/p>\n She grins as behind her the people crowded around the trebuchet step back. It fires, and I hear a creak<\/em> as the arm comes up and a stone is hurled through the air. I stare at the sling as it releases a stone and sense it fly into the distance. The people cheer as two boys run after the stone to see how far it\u2019s landed. Lady Rie just stares.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that a\u2026a catapult?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a trebuchet, Miss!\u201d<\/p>\n Tessia either hasn\u2019t heard that Lady Rie is a [Lady] or doesn\u2019t care. She begins excitedly talking about range and the ballista they\u2019re building while I inspect the trebuchet up close.<\/p>\n \u201cAmazing. And can you aim it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re figuring it out now, sire. The lads\u2014and lasses\u2014have been firing it nonstop. I\u2019d say Tessia\u2019s got the best shot. She can hit a house from two hundred feet five shots out of eight!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease tell me we\u2019re not actually hitting houses, Mister Prost?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, they built one out of spare wood, don\u2019t you worry, sire. But I reckon that we could build two more trebuchets within the week! Those would make the Goblin Lord blink twice, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed they would. But I want those trebuchets inspected carefully and tested thoroughly. The last thing we need is for someone to get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sire. I had to knock a few heads together when some of the lads kept wanting to rush things. But don\u2019t fear\u2014after the second time, Tessia started doing it for me! The lasses are much more careful about making sure no one\u2019s in danger of being thumped by the arm and standing back and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n Prost sounds like he is beaming with all the pride of a former [Farmer] now constructing weapons of war. Lady Rie stumbles a bit as she comes over to me.<\/p>\n \u201cEmperor Laken\u2014Your Majesty, may I ask whether this was your invention?\u201d<\/p>\n I smile slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cNot my invention, Lady Rie. I know about the theory, but the villagers of Riverfarm built all this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see. But you know how to build siege weapons?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that uncommon?\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie stares at the trebuchet as people begin to load it again.<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2026slightly. I believe the Walled Cities have such devices. Pallass creates them, but the secret of such weapons is zealously guarded, and they refuse to sell to Humans. Other nations have them\u2026but they are not mass-produced. And you\u2019re building them here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we\u2019re training [Engineers]. We have [Tinkerers]\u2014I hope they\u2019ll level up when I get them building some other inventions. War chariots, maybe. Or an irrigation system.\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie stares at me. I smile. The feel of the trebuchet firing again gives me an idea, and I turn to Prost.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Prost, it occurs to me that most of the villagers haven\u2019t seen the trebuchet in action. Maybe a test would impress them as much as Lady Rie and reassure them of their safety. Could you move the trebuchet to an open space and set up a target?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, sire!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd why not make it a contest? Let Tessia and the other workers have a contest who can hit or get nearest to a target. The winner will receive\u2026well, how about a few mugs of ale and a small coin prize? You decide.\u201d<\/p>\n Prost chuckles.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that would motivate them greatly, sire. But could I extend the offer of ale for the entire team? They\u2019ve been working like Demons to get the trebuchet done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. Lady Rie?\u201d<\/p>\n I leave my [Steward] to set it all up and walk a few paces back with Lady Rie. She still keeps turning her head towards the siege weapons.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, that is the true treasure of your village.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose.\u201d<\/p>\n Rie points to the trebuchet as Prost begins speaking, and Tessia and the others mill about in excitement. She nods to the path to Riverfarm behind us.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019ll permit me to say so, Emperor Laken, Riverfarm is hardly a rich village. With your help, I have no doubt it will be quite self-sufficient, but planting cash crops as Wiskeria has suggested will only earn the people a modest income. However, building siege weapons? Exporting such devices would earn you a fortune.\u201d<\/p>\n I nod slowly. I hadn\u2019t considered it except as a form of protection, but\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe war industry is always a profitable one. I don\u2019t know that I\u2019d like for my empire to be known for that, but at least we\u2019ll be able to defend ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is your choice of course, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChoice. Yes, well, I\u2019d like my people to have the same. I\u2019m building trebuchets and teaching people to become [Engineers], Lady Rie. But I\u2019d like them to be able to become [Alchemists], or [Blacksmiths], or [Scribes], or whatever they desire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat is rather ambitious, Your Majesty. I suppose it might be possible, especially with your communal farming system. There will be less need for [Farmers].\u201d<\/p>\n I shake my head.<\/p>\n \u201cLess need for as many [Farmers], perhaps, Lady Rie. I intend to provide them with oxen, ploughs\u2026Riverfarm used to consist of subsistence farming, where each family tended a small plot of land. By creating large fields, we can provide for a large number of people with only a few [Farmers].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you intend to let the next generation grow up to become artisans instead?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the theory. Or [Soldiers]. But to do that, they need to survive, and this place needs to be standing in a week\u2019s time. The Goblin Lord\u2019s army\u2026I was hoping you had some thoughts on the matter. Is there any force that can stop them?\u201d<\/p>\n Rie nods.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course! There is already talk of Lord Tyrion\u2019s army. He gathered one at the same time as Lady Magnolia, and his is by far the superior one. I doubt Lord Tyrion Veltras falls far behind General Shivertail regardless of level.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh. Lord Tyrion Veltras.\u201d<\/p>\n The name\u2019s only vaguely familiar to me, like Magnolia Reinhart. There are so many influential people in the world, and I feel like I\u2019m a small fish in my corner of Izril.<\/p>\n \u201cTell me about Lord Tyrion, Lady Rie. He levied a vast army, but does he have his own private force? Do lords and ladies have armies of their own? I recall your mansion was defended, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I can hear Lady Rie\u2019s rueful smile in her reply.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Valerund family was\u2026much diminished by the time I became its sole heir, Emperor Laken. Aside from the small number of guards I employed, I had no standing militia to speak of. I would have relied on the forces of towns and villages to root out threats. But my example is hardly indicative of more powerful nobles. Lady Magnolia Reinhart has many, many servants trained in espionage and combat. She often employs them to clean up\u2026problems in her domain.\u201d<\/p>\n I think of Odveig, the perfect spy, masquerading as a Silver-rank adventurer.<\/p>\n \u201cI can believe that. Does Lord Tyrion do the same?\u201d<\/p>\n Rie shakes her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Veltras family has a conventional army. As do the Reinharts, although theirs is far smaller and guards their family estate. Most powerful [Lords] and [Ladies] train their retainers. For instance, there is a Lady Bethal Walcha\u00eds who commands a knighthood. Her Knights of the Petal are elite and quite, quite dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see. Everyone has their personal force on top of regular garrisons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty. I see you have started your own army as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy own army? Oh\u2014yes, Wiskeria is doing her best.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot just her.\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie puts a gentle touch on my arm, and I jump. She withdraws her hand quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cForgive me. I meant no disrespect.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Is she standing closer to me? Yes, she is. I clear my throat and keep my head turned towards the trebuchet which is being pushed to another spot. I don\u2019t have to look at it of course, but people get nervous when I talk about things behind my back that I shouldn\u2019t be able to \u2018see\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat were you saying, Lady Rie? My own personal force?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed, Emperor Laken. Your, ah, Sightless Riders have already developed a reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy what? Oh\u2014Beniar and his people? Yes, I could see that. That was due to a Skill, but perhaps I\u2019ll obtain more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne can only hope. But such specialized units are the hallmarks of any powerful ruler. And it is my sincere hope that your initiatives keep your empire safe. I know that I<\/em> am eternally grateful for your intervention in my hour of need.\u201d<\/p>\n She gently touches my arm again. I hold still and think.<\/p>\n Okay. She\u2019s definitely flirting with me. That\u2019s not hard to figure out. The question is\u2014does she know Durene and I are an item?<\/p>\n I don\u2019t get to ask, if I was intending to ask. Prost comes back, and Lady Rie stands demurely at my side. I continue the inspection and watch the trebuchets being fired for an enthusiastic crowd without any more incidents. But I do recall the touch. Was it just a casual touch? Am I overthinking things?<\/p>\n Her fingers were very<\/em> soft.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Day 89<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Between my personal assurances and the trebuchet demonstration, my people are calm enough not to panic at news of the Goblin Lord\u2019s army. They trust me because I\u2019ve protected them from Goblins before. However, that faith doesn\u2019t apply to the other local towns and cities. They were all too willing to offer me a tribute so I\u2019d protect their roads, but the Goblin Lord\u2019s army is justifiably terrifying.<\/p>\n As such, I spend most of today entertaining audiences. I have no throne room, but one of the first non-essential buildings that went up was a meeting hall. It\u2019s mainly a storage area, but someone decided it had to have a throne despite the lack of beds<\/em>. So here I am, sitting on a wooden throne decorated with carved eyes. My [Carver], Jelov, is a famous man in the village. From a recluse who sold small trinkets, he\u2019s now got eight apprentices and more work than he can handle.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course my people will alert your town the instant Goblins cross my borders in force, [Headman] Filk. And I am committed to defending all the cities under my protection. My army will hunt down any stray monsters and bandits, as promised. Only an army could resist my forces.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust as you say, Emperor Laken. Forgive me for troubling you. It\u2019s just that the Goblin Lord has<\/em> an army and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The man standing and bobbing nervously is the leader of a town nearby. I forget which one. I hope he\u2019ll mention the name again in conversation. I shift on my throne. Why did Jelov not include a pillow?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. The Goblin Lord has an army, and if he did march in this direction, I would be unable to stop him. But consider this, Filk. Lord Tyrion Veltras and<\/em> Magnolia Reinhart have both committed their forces to stopping him. Do you truly believe they would allow the Goblins to rampage unchecked?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLord Tyrion? Well, Your Majesty\u2014Lady Reinhart might\u2014but Lord Tyrion does have an army.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s a question in his voice. His town\u2014what was the name again? Started with a \u2018g\u2019, I think\u2014doesn\u2019t have a [Mage] who can receive [Message] spells. I nod.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has been gathering an army for weeks now, Headman Filk. A substantial one that outnumbers the Goblin Lord\u2019s army by all accounts. I would trust him to take care of the Goblin Lord. And if any raiding parties should head this way in the meantime\u2026I will deal with them.\u201d<\/p>\n That relieves the man. He raises his head, bowing again awkwardly.<\/p>\n \u201cI had no doubts, Your Majesty! I\u2019m terribly sorry to take up your time\u2014of course Lord Tyrion\u2019s got his army! And you\u2019ve got yours.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n I smile at him, and he smiles back. Nervously. I feel his gaze on my closed eyes. I think the audience is over, so I gesture subtly to Prost, standing at the back of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must be tired from your trip. Please, allow me to offer you refreshments before you go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014sire, I also meant to give you this!\u201d<\/p>\n Filk nearly falls over himself as he rushes to the back of the room. He comes back with a small chest carried by several people from his town.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a token of our appreciation, Your Majesty. Some of our local produce, a few bundles of cloth\u2014rough stuff, but we wanted to show our thanks. The town of Gec isn\u2019t prosperous like those big cities, but we\u2019re grateful that we can sleep in our beds thanks to your men!\u201d<\/p>\n Gec! Of course, how could I forget a name like that? I smile at Filk.<\/p>\n \u201cI appreciate the gifts, Filk. They are not necessary\u2014I have sworn to protect your town, and I mean to keep that pledge. Please, tell the people of Gec that I appreciate their faith in me. I would love to sample their produce\u2014are those apples in the chest?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA few, sire. We have this cellar with runes of [Preservation] and\u2014oh, pardon me for taking your time! It\u2019s just a small token, hardly\u2014thank you once again!\u201d<\/p>\n He retreats, embarrassed. I smile as Prost moves forwards to take the gift. This is the fourth emissary to visit me today. People are worried, and they\u2019re coming to me to hear what they already know. There is a Goblin Lord, but Lord Tyrion\u2019s got an army. I can defend them from everything but a massive force and\u2026that\u2019s it. But they feel better because I\u2019m an [Emperor].<\/p>\n That\u2019s people for you.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n My day is occupied by entertaining guests and appearing as confident\u2014and dignified\u2014as possible. Lady Rie takes over for Prost, and it\u2019s quite something when a [Lady] is personally greeting visitors and leading them into my throne room. It\u2019s a long day, but I do get a pillow after my butt gets too sore to sit still.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may receive another pledge of loyalty from one of the nearest towns, Your Majesty. Headman Filk of Gec was quite taken with your village.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf they join, I\u2019ll have to figure out a way to manage their town from here, Lady Rie. Perhaps I could send you to oversee it for a day or two? We can\u2019t have more<\/em> people coming here!\u201d<\/p>\n The thought of my empire growing to encompass other cities and towns gives me a headache. Rie offers me a cool drink of water, and I take it gratefully.<\/p>\n \u201cI assume that the news of the Goblin Lord means that politics are on hold for the moment?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn the contrary, Your Majesty. It means that the aristocracy is even more desperate to find allies. You have a number of missives that just arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore letters? I would have thought the City Runners in Invrisil wouldn\u2019t dare venture out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMm. Apparently they\u2019re willing to risk it for enough coin. And your lands are known to be safe for Runners. Would you like me to read them to you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n I sigh and sit back on my throne. I want to see Durene. Maybe I can have a day off where I just go walking with her? The woods are nice, and I could pretend to be inspecting it for valuable mushrooms or building spots or something. We haven\u2019t had a quiet time to be together lately except at night. And sex isn\u2019t the only<\/em> part of a healthy relationship.<\/p>\n Lady Rie stands next to me as I sit on the throne. Her voice is soft as she reads through one letter.<\/p>\n \u201cTo [Emperor] Laken, I am Lord Tilwa Petroms of Invrisil. I have heard of your recent accomplishments and must congratulate you on your newfound success. <\/em>Hm. Lord Tilwa is a known schemer, but if he\u2019s acknowledging you openly as an [Emperor], he must feel you have quite a lot of power already. It seems he wishes to meet with you in Invrisil.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? I\u2019m not keen on travelling at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n If I leave my lands, I can\u2019t \u2018see\u2019 anything with my [Emperor] senses. Lady Rie shakes her head. Is she standing closer again?<\/p>\n \u201cAn [Emperor] should not travel to meet a [Lord] in any case, Your Majesty. Lord Tilwa is testing you with this letter. Leaving him without a reply for a day or two should unsettle him slightly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? I\u2019m good at ignoring [Lords] and [Ladies]. I think I responded to two dozen letters with polite nothings.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIncluding mine, Lord Laken?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou sent me a gift, as I recall. Are you saying I should demand something from Lord Tilwa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps. He might send you a gift instead, if he hasn\u2019t already.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t recall. I think I left the letters lying around. It might be good to see if Prost remembers.\u201d<\/p>\n A rustle. Yep, she just stepped closer. What is her game?<\/p>\n \u201cI have no doubt that Lord Tilwa wishes the same thing from you that all the nobility do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInfluence. Power, derived from your name. At the moment, your financial and military capacities are unknown, and you control very little land for someone of your class. Thus, your power is mainly in lending support, verbal or otherwise. However, if you can establish Riverfarm as a powerful exporter of goods or military might\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDefending areas under my protection or selling siege weapons?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs I understand it, Lord Tyrion himself lacks siege weapons. Your empire could be quite powerful economically, as well as militarily. Lord Tilwa understands that and is attempting to test the waters, but he can wait. There are more important individuals to address. Now, the next letter\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n I hear the rustle of paper and then a sharp gasp. I sense the letter fall from Rie\u2019s hands and her quickly bending to snatch it up with trembling hands. I sit up.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Rie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy apologies, Emperor Laken. But this next letter\u2014it must have been mixed up and not placed at the top. City Runners normally organize such missives meticulously by rank\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe one of the villagers mixed it up when they were giving it to you. Who is the letter from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLady Magnolia Reinhart.\u201d<\/p>\n I pause. Magnolia Reinhart. My stomach doesn\u2019t exactly sink with dread, but it does flutter a tiny bit.<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t she in Invrisil? Right where the Goblin Lord\u2019s army is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe is apparently still able to send letters. And this one\u2014I will read it with your permission.\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie opens the letter without waiting for me to say yes. I hear the crinkle of paper as she reads in silence and then what sounds suspiciously like a curse.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Rie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe letter is\u2014well, I shall skip the greetings. Magnolia Reinhart writes\u2014To the [Emperor] Laken Godart of Riverfarm, I extend my warmest greetings. I had no idea such an august personage had arrived in Izril until this moment and must render you my deepest apologies for not contacting you sooner.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a lie.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is. She goes on. I am so deeply apologetic, in fact, that I feel the only thing I can do to express my sympathies in full is to host a small gathering of my fellow [Lords] and [Ladies] in your honor. Naturally, I would be remiss if I did not invite you, but I would hate for the pressing commitments of station or distance to dissuade you from attending. Thus, I have taken it upon myself to\u2014<\/em>that scheming bitch!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLady Rie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I am deeply sorry, Your Majesty. Please forgive me. Lady Magnolia writes\u2014Thus, I have taken it upon myself to host this little gathering <\/em>at your estates in Riverfarm.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo need to thank me. I will most likely be too busy to attend the gathering myself, but I believe about thirty of the local nobility will attend, as will a close friend of mine, Lady Bethal Walcha\u00eds. I have scheduled this event to take place a week from today. I trust this gathering will be most informative to all parties, and I hope that you will allow one of my most trusted servants, Sacra, to convey my personal regards.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie paused.<\/p>\n \u201cThe name \u2018Sacra\u2019 is underlined heavily, Emperor Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand what she means.\u201d<\/p>\n I grit my teeth as I sit back on my throne. She\u2019s sending Sacra? I mean, Odveig? Why? And a gathering? Here? For what reason? Lady Rie hesitates, and I see her looking at my face.<\/p>\n \u201cAh\u2014there\u2019s a few more lines, Emperor Laken. I trust you will entertain this small soiree in your honor, Emperor Laken. I am mistrustful of [Emperors] and royalty in general, but I feel that we will all be more secure when we get to know each other, possibly over a few light snacks and conversation? Lady Bethal shall tender you my warmest regards. Sincerely\u2026<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Rie folds up the letter without finishing. I sit back. The two of us wait in silence for a long time. At last, I speak.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Rie, how well do you know Lady Magnolia?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot well, Emperor Laken. I have met her several times. The day before I travelled to your village, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? And what do you think of her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs a person or as a [Lady], Your Majesty?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEither.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s dangerous, ruthless, and cunning, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think this is a trap?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWithout a doubt. She might want to humiliate you by hosting the event here, gain more information about your empire, poison the other nobles against you, threaten you, or\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKill you. It would not be unheard of, in Izril.\u201d<\/p>\n I sit for a long time on my throne. Lady Rie\u2019s words send a chill down my spine. Goblins. Politics. I can\u2019t decide which is deadlier. But I do know one thing. One or both is coming my way. The Goblin Lord, or the hand of Magnolia Reinhart herself. And I\u2019m not ready.<\/p>\n Not yet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I dreamed I was sleeping in my bed, with worried voices speaking loudly overhead. I couldn\u2019t tell who had trespassed here, only that they had come in secret and stood around me, speaking anxiously and quickly. As I was dreaming, I missed most of what was said, but I knew it was important. I tried […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693085,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693134],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-4700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-5","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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