Time flies and soon, 3 years have passed since the Vassal states rebellion in Poland, now I'm 18, a young man full of vigor and ambitions. For these three years, I've encountered several troubles as well as some objectives achieved. First, the total number of soldiers who have decent skills in fighting has reached 5000 last month. Now my army is not the army full of peasants that have never touched a musket but an army that has weapon efficiency and battle experience from dealing with bandits and criminals.
Second, flintlock guns have been invented and armed for every soldier of my army as well as improved the quality of cannons. The scientists, under my order, are trying to research the steam engine, although they are still confused about what I'm trying to describe, they understand the principles so I hope I can see a steam engine train or boat running in Poland.
Finally is about the Church, Christianity has spread dramatically in my realm as well as in the neighboring countries, which means if needed, Poland can have a certain influence on foreign affairs. But this comes with some problems, several people kill others who worship other religions. I order them to be hunted down and hang. Several bishops of the Church claim something like it's God's will; but I detest the action of religionism so after asking for help from Pope Richard, who is luckily a good friend of mine after thousands of ducats donated to the Church, these bishops are discovered with disobeying the rules, gambling, and wine burglary.
Several special events come to my private life, Abigail has given birth to a baby girl, which I name under the name of my mother, Aleksandra Wozniak. Little Alesky is growing fast day by day, he is quite energetic, causing the maids working in the mansion to complain about his naughty behaviors like teasing the dogs or running under the rain, which makes him dirty from the mud and make the maids spend hours washing his clothes. I do not know a three-year-old child can have such energy; however, he looks exactly like me when I was small and always jumps at me hugging my neck calling" daddy" when I visit the mansion so I can't let his cuteness goes not rewarded.
But Christina has somehow found out about my relationship with Abigail and walks aggressively into my office, showing some negative attitudes toward me and charging me for cheating on her. We've not been married yet but sometimes she acts like the lady of Warsaw in my palace, I've ignored that for a while but the action of consulting me is unforgivable. I understand that she expecting a romantic relationship with me; however, even she is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, I can't say that I love her as I love Abigail. Her beauty and birthright can be utilized in politics, but nothing more. Our marriage is only to unite two countries.
After Christina has calmed her temper, I order her to be watched closely by my trusted servants working in the palace. I'm going to declare war on her brother, right after our marriage since only with the marriage, I can have the right to intervene in Lithuanian domestic affairs. My spies have been sent to Lithuania already and now a silent war happens there with my spies trying to convince or bribe as many nobles to support Christina on the throne as many as possible and Priam's men trying to find and execute them.
Also, I'm enacting plans to take back the old lands of Poland now being ruled by the Roseryth Empire, but that matter will come later after I deal with Lithuania first. The sultans inside the Empire are hostile toward each other now and all I need is a small fore to ignite the conflict and when it happens, I can utilize the chaos to take back what is rightfully mine and revenge for my father's death.
_ OPEN STATUS_
[ Jan Wozniak
Title: Duke of Poland
Territory: Warsaw and 17 surrounding villages and towns ( Population: 81456; Economy: Rich; Religion: 86% Christianity; Culture: 65% Polish, 17% Lithuanian; ...) the population here love you (+86)
Rhanes and 8 surrounding towns and villages ( Population: 19234; Economy: Sufficient, Religion: 67% Christianity; Culture: 67% Olumian, 23% Polish;...) the population here dislike you (-34)
Puppet state: Slyria
Vassal state: Ruthia
Personal budget: 134780 ducats]
Thanks to Czeck and his management skills, the economy of Poland is being improved smoothly. The people in Olumia like me more since I'm the one who leads them out of poverty and starvation caused by the war that they couldn't afford. They were very silly to support Count Francis II to raise arms against me. The mortals have helped Poland in increasing its' infrastructure, especially roads, which make Poland raise to the country with the second-highest potential of trading, just before the Roseryth Empire in all over the North Arcadia continent.
And now, the next step is the marriage between me and Christina. Formally, I've sent the invitation letters to every single person that needs to be informed about our wedding which takes place three months from now on. The wedding will follow the Polish tradition, which means I'll have to spend a large amount of money on it. However, money-related problems are easy to be solved, the question is how to alleviate Christina's anger and even if possible, seduce her. Having a wife that hates me is not a good thing.
I get out of my office and find my way to the garden, where I'm told that Christina spend much time lately. This garden is built by my great great great grandfather for entertaining a foreign princess that he fell in love with. The love between two people didn't end well but I reckon the story of them is still sung in the taverns, I forget most of the details but in general, the story was either romantic or tragic.
There are hundreds of kinds of flowers being planted and taken care of every day by dozens of gardeners. I smell the scents that comfort my nose and relax my mind every time I get here; around me, I can hear the birds singing their songs toward each other seeking the favor of others, it might be they are only quarreling. Who knows what they are singing about, I do not speak birds' language.
Following the cobblestone path to the pond, I find a lonely girl sitting beside the pond, feeding the fishes with small pieces of bread. It's Christina, I stop and just stand there watching her for a while, looking at her smiling innocently while feeding the fish makes my heart slow a little bit. She is still a girl with many things to discover; however, she had to live in fear for her life for a long time. Now she has to seek refugee in Warsaw, a completely strange city to her. I reorder my clothes a little bit, I must appear and speak to her in noble manners; she is the type of serious girl so I need to be serious in our relationships, too or everything will get to nowhere.