"So, this is the plan?" asked the beefy orc, looking at large the map. "Yes, my mage received it from the mask a few minutes ago," replied the half-elf, with a hint of respect.
Not only her, but everyone has those emotions in their eyes. The mask and the people that employed him had someone so close to Blackwell that they are able to get their hands on their plans.
Which hadn't been made more than a day ago,
The map had covered a large make-shift table that all bandit leaders could look at it.
"Everybody remember, our target is Ignatius Blackwell, not killing or looting. If we kill him, we will get the fortune that we have been promised," advised the human with the bow.
There are a lot of people in every group who get lost in it the moment they entered the battle. It will be their leader's responsibility to keep them in control.
"It is such regret that we won't have that artifact," said the half-orc, and many sighed.
The mask didn't put any restriction on the artifact and even said they could have it, but everybody is aware. The moment Ignatius Blackwell is dealt with, that artifact would be gone as well.
…
When I woke up again, the sun had been completely up. I had woken up at my usual time, before dawn, but decided to sleep further.
We are going to leave for Fort Renin today, and it is not going to be in a comfortable carriage.
It will be on the beast, and I need to be as rested as possible.
I wanted to train earlier, but that wouldn't have been wise. I have been training constantly and taking breaks, only when I absolutely needed to.
I am as much trained as I could be for any danger I might face on the journey. More training would only be tiring.
I stayed in bed for a couple of minutes before getting up and walking to the window and looking at the beautiful snow-laden city. The snowfall hadn't stopped through the night. It had increased even more.
'It seemed like things won't be easy,' I thought, looking at the snow.
I stayed by the window for a couple of minutes before walking into the bathroom, where I had freshened up and showered.
I changed into a new suit and readied myself before walking out of my suit, where the staff waiting for me took me for breakfast.
Soon, I was in the kitchen and saw Baron Harrods already sitting there, eating breakfast by a large window.
Enjoying the food as well as the view.
"My lord," I greeted.
"Remus, take a seat," he offered. "Thank you, lord," I said as I sat in front of him.
"It is nice weather, isn't it?" he asked, and a mirthless smile appeared on my face. "It will make our journey a little harder," I complained, but he just shook his head with a smile.
"Don't worry about it. House Blackwell had made the proper arrangements. The journey won't be comforting, but it won't be arduous as you are thinking.
"I am glad to hear that," I replied.
I felt a little relief from his words, but not too much. He is a career soldier and had marched through nearly every terrain. His standards might be much different from mine.
Though, I will not complain and will take it as another adventure. I only hope it will be uncomfortable, not dangerous.
We were having breakfast when Leila arrived and sat beside her us. Something about her felt different. I don't know what it is, but something is different.
I didn't ask.
Soon, we finished breakfast and followed the butler on the tour of the castle.
Many of the areas are restricted, including the roof of the castle. I would have loved to see the city from the top to the top.
He showed us various parts of the castle. The more I looked. The more impressed I would become with this ancient castle, which felt like it was still in its prime and one couldn't help but feel a sort of reverence toward it.
It is likely due to the suppressive aura that is always covering you, reminding you that you are in its domain.
Soon, we entered a large hall, which is filled with paintings and other stuff, including a wing of Ired Queen.
"Is it really a wing of Ired Queen?" asked Leila as we stopped in front of a wing that is bigger than us. It is thin like an insect wing and sharp as a blade; when the light fell on it, it seemed to reflect all the colors in the world.
The wing had beauty in it but also felt dangerous. It is dangerous, considering it from being, who has S-Class powerhouses for lunch.
Thankfully, it is sealed on the blue stone.
"Yes, it is a wing of Ired Queen that Seraphina The Valient had slain," said the butler.
It is really hard to see anything from incursion. It is the only second thing I had saw from incursion. These things are dangerous and guarded for the safety of the public.
Most of them were destroyed or used in years after the incursion. Very few have remained, and most of them are hidden and guarded.
We looked at other things and before we know it; it was time to attend the farewell in the throne room.
The herald announced us, and we entered the huge hall. In front of us is a huge, raised platform, on which Lord and Lady Blackwell are sitting.
In front of them are two rows of chairs, nearly all of which are filled by people from the military to civil officials and other important people like merchants and officials of the state.
"Lord Blackwell, Lady Blackwell,"
They nodded, and we were led to our seats.
"The Oksall ruling council had passed the resolution to open another trade route to the Navr through the region of Renwell of the Harsoth Empire."
"With it, we will get direct connectivity with two regions of Navr," said Silus Blackwell.
I have read the news. Oksall is telling its citizens that they are trading with their trading partner Navr and only using the empire as the route through it.
Though they mentioned there will be a slight trade with the empire, it was only a line on that whole page.
The emperor had to open his mouth and say those nasty words. It had harmed the relations, more than the attacks. People are merchant cities would swallow the attacks, but they have a hard time swallowing the words.
Navr's horde attacks them, at least once a decade, and it only stopped the trade for a few months before resuming at full force.
Things are changing now, depending on the trade. The Oksall would slowly open up to the Renwell and trade will resume, without restriction.
Like we have with Meldhorn.
It might take time, but it will happen. I am confident about that.
"The trade will prosper and with it, the city of Amberhold…"
I could see the excitement in the eyes of Silas Blackwell and couldn't help but wonder what he will do when the trade will rolling in the money.
Amberhold is an important part of the trade, and it will benefit the most.
Silas Blackwell and his wife were able to do wonders with a small economy from farming and mining. I wonder what they will they able to do when big bucks will start to enter their coffers.
I will be keeping an eye on them; to study. I saw the Amberhold being the best-managed city in Oksall and one of the best in the whole merchant states.
There are many things I could learn from them.
The speech continued, and I listen, but most of my focus was on the painting. It is a large painting, where a woman in a blue armored dress holding a shining bow and shooting arrows at the large monster.
Not a monster, but Ired Queen; it is one graceful being of terror.
Between them, two armies are fighting, one that had humans, orcs, elves, and many other races, while on the other side is the hive of Ired.
Looking at it, I felt like I entered the battle, watching it with my own eyes. I was so engrossed by it that I lost track of the speech that Silas Blackwell was giving.
Thankfully, I was able to come out on my own at the end.
"I wish you best of the luck, my son; the blessing of all Amberhold citizens is with you," he said and finished the speech.
"I will not disappoint you, my lord," said Ignatius and kneeled before his parents.
A few minutes later, we walked out and in front of the castle, where a thousand men were standing in neat lines. Seven hundred and fifty on foot, while two hundred and fifty on the beasts.
All of them are armored, with each having an enchanted weapon.
These thousand people are 20% of the Blackwell's army. It is hard to believe, but it is the truth.
In the merchant state, individual lords couldn't keep an army of more than twenty-five thousand. The Blackwells had the authority to keep ten thousand man's army, but they only keep it five thousand.
It is efficient and cost-saving. It is Oksall, that is responsible for the security.
In empires and kingdoms, it is individual lords responsible for the security of their fiefs, but it is not the same case in merchant states.
Here, many cities are run by nobles, and some have councils and governors to run them.
The power of nobles is greatly halved here. First, they couldn't keep a large army, the security of their domain is the responsibility of the state.
There is an army division of twenty-thousand people placed in the Oksall. Usually, the army stays in barracks and only controlled the gates of the city, but has an obligation to follow the lords' orders.
The rest of the army only takes control of the city when it is in danger, or the lord asks for it.
In peacetime, city guards are responsible for the security of the city, which is under the lord. Their numbers couldn't be countered in the army and have a separate quota for them.
The lords here couldn't collect taxes from their fief; it is done by the state. The state then pays the percentage of it to the lord.
In deciding the policy, they have autonomy, but they need to work under the framework of the state's constitution.
They have also done away with hierarchical titles. There is only one title for the nobles here, and that is lord. There is no Baron, Count, or any other hierarchical title.
The system is applied in all merchant states, with some variation. On the continent, it is the only place that has this system.
One could imagine the reaction the nobles will have if the king or emperor tries to do such a thing.
The nobles will revolt and do that when the rulers try something like it.
Not to mention, the hierarchical system works well in the favor of rulers. They do not have to pay for a large army and unless it is something that threatened the borders, the rulers could let the nobles handle their affairs.
If anyone were to ask me which system I like the most, then my answer would be the merchant-states. Which I will not say in public ever; it will get me killed with charges of treason stuck on me.
It is not a perfect system; there is too much-centralized control, but much better than a classic hierarchical system of kingdoms and empires.
The standard of living for people in merchant states is one of the highest. People here also have much greater rights here than anywhere on the continent.
Most importantly, the nobles here could focus more on their people and territories, since conflicts and security are handled by the state.
Amberhold is a great example of that.