"Alexander!" Semen stood up. "I'll express the general opinion, and if anyone disagrees, they can say that I didn't speak on their behalf. So, Alexander, we feed on the blood of humans, and accordingly, the knowledge you, I, Kostya (Konstantin), Sergey, and everyone here have is the same. We respect you and consider you our leader, but perhaps there's no need to convene the Council every time you simply want to share your thoughts with us. Just call one of us and talk. Right now, you've said everything we already know... Wait," Semen halted Alexander's attempt to interrupt him. "Let me finish. I understand your nervous state and fears for our fate and the fate of everyone who trusts us. But think—we've just wasted twenty minutes gathering to hear from you what we already know."
"Yes, I understand what you mean," Alexander nodded ashamedly.
"Well then, let's conduct meetings like this in the future: we tell each other about future plans—for tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, the next decade—and if anyone has questions about the rationale of any point, we ask questions and discuss that point. For instance, just now we were discussing the size of windows and their practicality in residential homes, but Sasha (Alexander), are you aware that yesterday Sergey was practicing ritual magic, tracing those energy lines and patterns that result in a fiery arrow? That's probably more important than the mock-up window in the hut!"
Alexander looked surprised at Sergey, who shuffled and responded, "Well, I also have brains at our firm; I didn't just eat bread for nothing. I see our strength in magic just like you do, and I see vulnerability in that we can't create new spells."
"So, did you succeed?"
"I didn't get anything in the end, but... there's more to it. The energy lines did seem to form. Since they were on the ground, and crooked, they drained before I could fill them with power. That's why I tried blood—but the blood didn't give anything at all. Just wasted a daily ration. We'll have to see what we get if we draw the lines and imbue them not on the ground and not with a stick, but with something more suitable for such tasks. So, we still have some experimenting to do, Sasha (Alexander)! And about the plans, I agree—no need for lengthy talks—a quick briefing and off we go—lots to do and few hands."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Alexander, who had another idea come to mind, merely nodded. Yes, he had unnecessarily diverted people from the very extensive work in the developing settlement. He needed to stop waiting for approval of his actions and behave like the leader they considered him to be.
By the way, if the triumvirate represented a group of like-minded individuals, and disputes never arose among them, then the vampires themselves perceived the tripartite rule over them in a rather exotic manner. Each of them, almost demonstratively, sought guidance from the triumvirate they supported.
The situation amused the triads themselves, though they understood its unhealthiness and immediately punished those who tried to provoke disputes or arguments about "which triumvirate was better." Offenders found themselves in Maria's tent, where she used them as guinea pigs. Regeneration speed? How long can a vampire starve? And so forth. Not the most pleasant things.
The week at the new location passed in continuous construction bustle. The stable and several barns were completed. The bridge was finished. A combined kitchen and slaughterhouse with a warehouse was built; the latter was placed in a spacious cellar that promised to soon become two stories deep and eventually buried even deeper into the ground.
Construction of the "Community House" began, the place where the governing bodies were to be located. The square in front of it was meant to become central. On the other side of the square, the "citadel," a powerful fortress, was planned to be erected, although so far only a place was allocated for it—building all fortifications was intended for the last stage.
Quality dugouts with stoves and beds were built for the prisoners. Only two for now, but they were quite sufficient.
The road leading to this village was completely cleared, or rather, better to say, laid anew. The road led through the forest to the nearest human settlement, the village of Peski, which stood on the shore of a small lake and whose population was mainly engaged in sand mining. Further, the road led to the village of Torfyanoy, where, as the name suggests, they mined peat and bog ore.
This made the settlement very valuable both for the baron himself and for those surrounding him. In Torfyanoy, the road split in two. One path led directly to the city of Savoyardi, and the other went eastward to the castle of Tanok and the village near it, which, like Savoyardi, were located on the banks of the river of the same name.
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