Each morning, regardless of the day's events, Will, Elder Thaddeus, and Crown Prince Lukas did their morning exercise.
For many it was a great source of fascination, but, after Will and Elder Thaddeus' display yesterday many wondered if their ritual morning exercise was something special altogether.
The morning after the first victory commanders and military leaders asked to join them in the morning exercise.
"All may join, but I'll teach none the steps or the reason behind them," Elder Thaddeus replied.
Now over a hundred people stood behind them following along.
Despite the war, Will and Elder Thaddeus never stopped Crown Prince Lukas' lesson. Every day he was required to study and quizzed.
Crown Prince Lukas enjoyed didactic conversations over paper quizzes.
Thus, if Will or Elder Thaddeus was unavailable, the prince would speak with Sage Einstein and Abulafia.
The battleground was the perfect learning environment for the prince. He could feel both his mind and mana expanding daily. He consumed books as much as Aether herbs.
However, Will knew the truth. What his disciple needed to grow was his self-confidence. Self-confidence would be tested when this army inevitability lost its first battle, whenever that may be.
In Annapolis, Prince Lukas's breakthrough and his second victory were celebrated with great voracity.
Paintings and sculptures were commissioned in his honor.
The crown prince was fighting prowess and battle acuity were compared to his father's. But unlike his emperor tyrant, as his father was called, he was seen as just and scholarly.
His discipleship to Will and the instruction he received from the great sages gave him a different image than his father.
In the empire, his father was called an old lion. He was overbearing, heavy-handed, and tyrannical. Meanwhile, Lukas was compared to a cunning sly fox.
In Duke von Mueller's newspaper, which he purchased the machines from Will, ran an old parable of the father-son dynamic.
The parable began, A very young Fox, who had never before seen a Lion, happened to meet one in the forest. A single look was enough to send the Fox off at top speed to the nearest hiding place
The second time the Fox saw the Lion he stopped behind a tree to look at him a moment before slinking away. But the third time, the Fox went boldly up to the Lion and, without turning a hair, said, "Hello, there, old man."
The parable explained how the prince treated his father, as a child, and young adult, and how he'll return from the war. If the prince returned, he'd return home a king.
Sitting on the throne, Emperor Kaiser smiled. He hoped for his eldest son to always come into his own and step out of his shadow.
"I can't wait until my son returns. Let's see if he has the balls to unseat me," Emperor Kaiser laughed happily.
…
In Yanshan, the capital of the Qhosnir Empire, Emperor Gaozong of Song sat in the throne room with his advisers. His eldest son and crown prince, Xiaozong of Song stood before him.
"Your imperial majesty, the Allied Army won their second battle in our homeland. Without you or Crown Prince Xiaozong present, makes us look weak to our soldiers under Crown Prince Lukas' command. We must send Crown Prince Xiaozong to the front!" advised Chancellor Lü of Yihao.
"How can I go to the front without a division under my command? Father where are my soldiers and weapons?" Crown Prince Xiaozong asked.
"Without funds what can we do? Quick bring me Finance Minister Duke Zhao of Ding?" the emperor demanded.
Chancellor Lü of Yihao shifted uncomfortably in his stance.
"Your majesty, the finance minister has fled the empire along with the money you asked him to plunder," the chancellor explained.
"He did what!" Emperor Gaozong stood grabbing his golden throne.
"When I learned of his deceit, I order the guards to search his capital mansion and government office.
Everything was gone. He must have been planning to flee for a long time. All we found was an encoded letter in the trash.
Spymaster Major Qin of Hui and I believed he worked for another kingdom or the Great Eastern Empire for years," Chancellor Lü of Yihao explained.
"General Yue of Fei was correct. He was a traitor. Do we know where he's gone? Spymaster check with our spies in Annapolis," Emperor Gaozong sighed.
"Father how are you going to afford my army now?" asked Crown Prince Xiaozong.
"Chancellor how many war bonds have we sold?" asked the emperor.
"None, sire. After taking money from the banks, auction houses, and casinos everyone is afraid to part with their coin. Furthermore, there's a persistent rumor that our treasury is empty, and we would default on the loan payments," replied the chancellor.
"It wasn't enough to steal much-needed funds he had to sabotage our empire too! Put a bounty on Zhao of Ding's head!" the emperor said angrily.
"Your majesty, we don't have the funds for the payment to give the Mercenary Guild," the chancellor reminded the king.
"Then make more money!" Emperor Gaozong shouted.
"We'd have to purchase the metal first and then pay a goldsmith," Chancellor Lü of Yihao explained.
"Argh!" Emperor Gaozong yelled.
"Father what should we do? Without currency the empire shall collapse?" the prince asked worriedly.
The emperor knew his empire was crumbling from within. The demonic invasion put his empire in a severe financial crisis. The constant battles and overspending on war rations, armor, and arms had significantly lightened imperial coffers.
To compensate, he oppressively taxed and stole business coffers. Causing devaluation and inflation which widened the gap between rich and poor.
In the hope of avoiding the taxman, many members of the wealthy classes had even fled to the empire and or created sovereign-independent fiefdoms.
At the same time, the empire was rocked by a labor deficit. Qhosnir's men, knights, marines, and mages were conscripted into war.
The empire or chancellor knew the empire had collapsed economically, and soon the empire wouldn't exist.
Most likely, this was the reason Duke Zhao of Ding left with the stolen wealth.
"Crown Prince Xiaozong you'll meet the Allied Army by yourself. Take your horse and ride to meet them.
When you get there find Marquis vont Ballard and prostrate yourself. Ask him to help us.
Offer him anything including your sister, Fairy Lingling. Take her as our gift," Emperor Gaozong.
…
Edward sat in his father's office. Except for Miles and Landen, the rest of the senior clerks, Kurosawa, and Diego looked at him expectantly.
The 11-year-old, silver-haired, green eye, boy, nervously fidgeted in his father's seat.
"First on the agenda are the accounts for review. Please hand them over," said Edward in a shaky voice.
The clerks handed over their accounts. Edward very slowly read over each account taking four times as long as his father. Nothing wrong stood out to him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
"Next, report on your districts?" Edward asks his voice squeaky.
Edward listened as clerks spoke about the casinos, horse tracks, theaters, auction houses, banks, airships, trains, Friendship Valley Trade Route, Carlsberg and Sexton general store, energy and utility company, and Guardian newspaper.
After they finished Kurosawa updated him on the Trade Council and other city events that he'd need to attend in his father's honor.
The meeting was mentally exhausting, Edward marveled how his father was able to make such work seem so easy when there was so much to manage.
"Last are there any announcements?" Edward asked hoping there were none.
"A nobleman and his family from the Qhosnir Empire came to the office saying he was your father's spy. He asked for …" Elliot's replacement said taking out his notepad, "Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Refugee status."
Even as Will's longtime clerks they were privy to all his dealings. They assumed their boss, had secret deals running simultaneously with his events. That's why his businesses never failed.
Everyone looked at Edward curiously. But his father never told him about any spies. The only thing his father gave him was a key to his desk.
Away from prying eyes, he did as his father instructed. He made a small cut on his finger and drip blood onto the key. Then he opened up the two large desk drawers and search thoroughly.
Thankfully he found a folder entitled 'Informants' in the second folder.
When he opened it, he saw dossiers of twelve people, one of which, was the dossier of Qhosnir Empire's Finance Minister Duke Zhao of Ding. Inside was a list of payments and letters his father and the Duke had exchanged over the years.
"Please invite the Duke and his family to Gadreel with the best accommodation. Please make sure everything is done, first class. I shall greet them personally when they arrive. Anything else?" Edward asked.
"Regent Duke Francis has asked the Silver Phoenix bank for a long-term loan," Mei announced.
"The requested amount and APR?" inquired Edward.
"1,000 gold and a reduced APR."
"Loan him the 1,000 gold but raise the APR half a percent," Edward suggested.
"Is that wise young master? The world is still at war?" Mei suggested.
"I agree with the young master's decisions. He must project strength, otherwise, people shall try to take advantage of him. Who better to take advantage of than his loving grandfather?" replied Kurosawa.
"He may be the young master's grandfather, but he is serving as regent. It would send a bad message to take advantage of the kingdom during the third great schism," Vanessa agreed with Mei.
"His father is fighting on the front lines. You've read in the newspaper about Boss Will's involvement in the first and second battles.
He serves as the master of the Pirate Princes and Crown Prince Lukas. Both of his disciples are leading the pincer attack.
Boss Will is putting his life on the line for this kingdom. He owes the kingdom nothing. If the kingdom wants to borrow money, let them pay full price or more," Kurosawa disagreed.
"I agree with Kurosawa, I think would Boss Will be more upset with the young master for making less money or more. Moreover, Diego can ask Boss Will when he returns tomorrow to deliver the feature," Jesper explained.
"I also agree with Kurosawa," said Miles' replacement.
"Good. Send the response to grandfather," Edwards said nervously.