"Is everyone here?" Damien's gaze didn't leave the window as he asked over his shoulder. Despite his smart-casual clothes, he brought out his black cane as he liked to use it during demonstrations.
"Not yet, master. Roselyn is on the way." Thar answered from the side. His voice boomed through the small office.
Randy sat on one of the many chairs scattered around the disordered office with his legs crossed. He desperately tried to rub the sleepiness from his eyes as the door opened, and an even more haggard woman strolled in.
"Ah, Roselyn. Welcome-" Damien gestured for the poor woman to take a seat. "-Sorry to interrupt your slumber. I will make this meeting as quick as possible for everyone's sake."
Roselyn gave a slight nod and perched on the nearest seat. Damien looked around the tiny office. Almost everyone essential to Blackthorn's daily operations was present. Unfortunately, Randy and Roselyn weren't the only ones seemingly suffering from the sudden surge of people. Richard Cunningdal likely came straight from a construction site as he still had mud on his magnificent fur coat and nestled in his reddish-brown beard.
Damien nodded to Varn, and the kobold returned the gesture before chanting his Chaos Zone spell. Everyone frowned as they felt the chaotic mana flood the room.
"Okay, with potential scrying spells blocked, I can begin." Damien used Psychokinesis to float over a chalkboard and a piece of white chalk. He then activated Automatic Writing, and the chalk stick automatically moved and, in large letters, wrote, INFRASTRUCTURE. Damien tapped the word with his cane and spoke in a clear, lecturing voice. "Infrastructure is the key to all our problems." Damien slowly paced the room as he lectured. "With the takeover of Staedbergh, we acquired two things. Money and labour. Both have a massive benefit if utilized correctly, but if mismanaged, they could also collapse the entire economy. Money loses its value if I hand it out freely to alleviate the lack of jobs. And an excessive labour force can burden a city not designed to sustain them."
Damien tapped the board with his cane to redraw his exhausted students' attention. "Infrastructure is a way to kill two birds with one stone. First, it allows me to safely and slowly inject money into the economy by providing jobs."
"What kind of jobs?" Randy asked, "And what infrastructure projects are there? We already have roads, houses, city walls, aqueducts-"
Damien raised a hand to silence the blabbering man. "I was getting to that. We all know Blackthorn is a sinking ship. Barren land surrounds us in all directions." Damien then counted down on his fingers. "We have limited access to food, water and raw materials like wood and almost no potential mines. That is why we are moving."
Randy opened his mouth in shock and raised a finger as if to object but then slowly lowered it and contemplated for a while. "Actually... that's not a terrible idea." He said. "But where would we move to and how?" Growing up in the village, Randy had been astounded by the immense growth the town had experienced over the past few months, but he could see the impending doom the city faced. Famine, water shortages and mass employment as the current jobs ran dry.
Damien pointed his cane out the window that faced north. "Around two days, travel by carriage in that direction is a place known as Eldritch Valley. Luckily, due to the thick miasma that attacks anyone without a magic foundation, and its immense distance from both capital cities, the valley has seen little interest from the major powers and is ripe for the taking.
"There was such a place?" Randy rubbed his chin as he fell into thought. "So why would we pick that place if it's so dangerous and desolate?"
Damien had an all-knowing smile as he explained. "It's a valley, so it's easy to defend. Also, the miasma blocks scrying and communication spells." Damien adjusted his suit as he took a breather. "The Valley also has unique plants adapted to harsh environments that can be exported back to Blackthorn. These plants could grow in this barren land. Some even convert ambient mana into water or produce edible fruits." Damien gave an appreciative nod to Roselyn. She was smiling from the information as her workload would decrease with the addition of plants that didn't require her constant care. Damien cleared his throat and added. "Also, since the valley is surrounded by mountains, there should be mineral reserves that we can use. Which we will need... a lot of..."
"What for?" Thar asked. Anything concerning metal was his area of expertise. "Could you be referring to those guns you mentioned before?"
Damien nodded. "Indeed, guns are a unique ranged weapon composed of metal that I will go over with you in more detail later. The more pressing matter is a railway."
"Railway?" The room's occupants mumbled.
"Yes, a railway." Damien activated Automatic Writing and drew out a simple design for a rail car. "Railways are in use on the central continent already, but over here, they have been considered useless as everywhere can be accessed within a day via carriage. I plan to connect Blackthorn and the new capital city we will be constructing in the Eldritch Valley with a railway network. I have enormous disposable wealth and resources to commit to such a project, and the flat environment makes it the perfect choice. Trade between Blackthorn and the new capital will be extensive. Having endless convoys of carriages making two-day journeys across monster-infested land is not economically viable."
Life finally returned to Randy's face. With such an extensive infrastructure project on the horizon, hundreds, if not thousands, of new jobs would be created. Construction workers, cooks, project managers, blacksmiths and even soldiers for protection will all be employed for this project. "That is amazing, as expected of you." Randy finally had a smile on his pale face. "Just one question, though. Who will construct the capital city, and how will people live there?"
Richard Cunningdal chuckled from the side. "Let me take the question, my lord." Damien nodded for the massive warrior to continue. "The Eldritch Valley is, and will remain, hostile to life... but only to peasants without magical capabilities. We currently have a cavern below our feet filled with Thralls, magical creatures in service to Vampires. They will do the brunt of the work under the magical mist that shrouds the valley, protecting them from the sun."
Randy seemed sceptical. "How will you keep them fed?" A woman Randy had never seen before today, standing next to Damien nervously, raised her hand, and Damien gestured for her to take the question. "H-hello, my name is Olympia Nightshade..." A bashful smile never left the vampire's face as she uttered her new noble name. "As the person who created all those Thralls, I can certainly say that they are fully magical creatures. Like zombies, they are sustained by ambient mana but naturally crave the flesh of the living, but it is not a requirement." Damien then helpfully added. "Only us Vampires and Noble Vampires require blood. I personally have Fay..." Damien put an arm around her and played a little with her hair. "But the others will need to either import blood or bring some blood slaves to the new capital."
Everyone gave the still bashful vampire standing next to Damien a weird look. Olympia looked adorable in her black dress, which complimented her long strawberry blonde hair. But the most interesting feature was how similar she looked to... Damien. Also, Olympia and Damien had the same surname... but they had all met Damien's sister. They had the same white hair and enchanting red eyes. So if she wasn't Damien's sister but shared the same surname...
"So, is she your daughter?" Roselyn was barely awake with her head propped up with her arm, but her eyes darted between the two.
"Kind of?" Damien laughed and patted Olympia on the shoulder. "She is about as close to being my child as possible." Damien gave a smile to Fay. "Well, until this beautiful woman turns into a Blood Queen, that is and produces an heir for me... Anyway, we are getting off-topic." Damien skillfully changed topics. "As Randy rightfully pointed out, who would want to live in such a place? The simple answer is... mages. I plan to construct the grandest magic tower on the peninsula, and due to the dense magic mist, it is the perfect place for someone to learn magic. We will have aspiring mages from across the peninsula begging to join once the word gets out. We should also construct a smaller mage tower here in Blackthorn. Although the mana density here is terrible, we can use it to train up some mages to fill out the larger one in the capital once it is completed."
Randy stood up with nervous excitement, "Brilliant! An amazing plan. When do we begin?"
"As soon as possible-" Damien said but was interrupted by a knock on the office door.
Randy frowned and opened the door as he was the closest. Standing beyond was an officer of Damien's police force. He had a red eye with three fangs stitched on his uniform.
"Sorry for the interruption." The man winced as Varn's chaos mana surged out the door. He gave a comical salute before continuing, "But a matter that requires a higher-ups attention has arisen, and you are all here together..."
"Spit it out." Damien frowned at the man and crossed his arms.
"Certainly." The man nervously stood at attention and calmed himself. "A small convoy baring the Greentail family's insignia has arrived at the main gate. They carry a royal decree for Duke Nightshade."
"Is everyone here?" Damien's gaze didn't leave the window as he asked over his shoulder. Despite his smart-casual clothes, he brought out his black cane as he liked to use it during demonstrations.
"Not yet, master. Roselyn is on the way." Thar answered from the side. His voice boomed through the small office.
Randy sat on one of the many chairs scattered around the disordered office with his legs crossed. He desperately tried to rub the sleepiness from his eyes as the door opened, and an even more haggard woman strolled in.
"Ah, Roselyn. Welcome-" Damien gestured for the poor woman to take a seat. "-Sorry to interrupt your slumber. I will make this meeting as quick as possible for everyone's sake."
Roselyn gave a slight nod and perched on the nearest seat. Damien looked around the tiny office. Almost everyone essential to Blackthorn's daily operations was present. Unfortunately, Randy and Roselyn weren't the only ones seemingly suffering from the sudden surge of people. Richard Cunningdal likely came straight from a construction site as he still had mud on his magnificent fur coat and nestled in his reddish-brown beard.
Damien nodded to Varn, and the kobold returned the gesture before chanting his Chaos Zone spell. Everyone frowned as they felt the chaotic mana flood the room.
"Okay, with potential scrying spells blocked, I can begin." Damien used Psychokinesis to float over a chalkboard and a piece of white chalk. He then activated Automatic Writing, and the chalk stick automatically moved and, in large letters, wrote, INFRASTRUCTURE. Damien tapped the word with his cane and spoke in a clear, lecturing voice. "Infrastructure is the key to all our problems." Damien slowly paced the room as he lectured. "With the takeover of Staedbergh, we acquired two things. Money and labour. Both have a massive benefit if utilized correctly, but if mismanaged, they could also collapse the entire economy. Money loses its value if I hand it out freely to alleviate the lack of jobs. And an excessive labour force can burden a city not designed to sustain them."
Damien tapped the board with his cane to redraw his exhausted students' attention. "Infrastructure is a way to kill two birds with one stone. First, it allows me to safely and slowly inject money into the economy by providing jobs."
"What kind of jobs?" Randy asked, "And what infrastructure projects are there? We already have roads, houses, city walls, aqueducts-"
Damien raised a hand to silence the blabbering man. "I was getting to that. We all know Blackthorn is a sinking ship. Barren land surrounds us in all directions." Damien then counted down on his fingers. "We have limited access to food, water and raw materials like wood and almost no potential mines. That is why we are moving."
Randy opened his mouth in shock and raised a finger as if to object but then slowly lowered it and contemplated for a while. "Actually... that's not a terrible idea." He said. "But where would we move to and how?" Growing up in the village, Randy had been astounded by the immense growth the town had experienced over the past few months, but he could see the impending doom the city faced. Famine, water shortages and mass employment as the current jobs ran dry.
Damien pointed his cane out the window that faced north. "Around two days, travel by carriage in that direction is a place known as Eldritch Valley. Luckily, due to the thick miasma that attacks anyone without a magic foundation, and its immense distance from both capital cities, the valley has seen little interest from the major powers and is ripe for the taking.
"There was such a place?" Randy rubbed his chin as he fell into thought. "So why would we pick that place if it's so dangerous and desolate?"
Damien had an all-knowing smile as he explained. "It's a valley, so it's easy to defend. Also, the miasma blocks scrying and communication spells." Damien adjusted his suit as he took a breather. "The Valley also has unique plants adapted to harsh environments that can be exported back to Blackthorn. These plants could grow in this barren land. Some even convert ambient mana into water or produce edible fruits." Damien gave an appreciative nod to Roselyn. She was smiling from the information as her workload would decrease with the addition of plants that didn't require her constant care. Damien cleared his throat and added. "Also, since the valley is surrounded by mountains, there should be mineral reserves that we can use. Which we will need... a lot of..."
"What for?" Thar asked. Anything concerning metal was his area of expertise. "Could you be referring to those guns you mentioned before?"
Damien nodded. "Indeed, guns are a unique ranged weapon composed of metal that I will go over with you in more detail later. The more pressing matter is a railway."
"Railway?" The room's occupants mumbled.
"Yes, a railway." Damien activated Automatic Writing and drew out a simple design for a rail car. "Railways are in use on the central continent already, but over here, they have been considered useless as everywhere can be accessed within a day via carriage. I plan to connect Blackthorn and the new capital city we will be constructing in the Eldritch Valley with a railway network. I have enormous disposable wealth and resources to commit to such a project, and the flat environment makes it the perfect choice. Trade between Blackthorn and the new capital will be extensive. Having endless convoys of carriages making two-day journeys across monster-infested land is not economically viable."
Life finally returned to Randy's face. With such an extensive infrastructure project on the horizon, hundreds, if not thousands, of new jobs would be created. Construction workers, cooks, project managers, blacksmiths and even soldiers for protection will all be employed for this project. "That is amazing, as expected of you." Randy finally had a smile on his pale face. "Just one question, though. Who will construct the capital city, and how will people live there?"
Richard Cunningdal chuckled from the side. "Let me take the question, my lord." Damien nodded for the massive warrior to continue. "The Eldritch Valley is, and will remain, hostile to life... but only to peasants without magical capabilities. We currently have a cavern below our feet filled with Thralls, magical creatures in service to Vampires. They will do the brunt of the work under the magical mist that shrouds the valley, protecting them from the sun."
Randy seemed sceptical. "How will you keep them fed?" A woman Randy had never seen before today, standing next to Damien nervously, raised her hand, and Damien gestured for her to take the question. "H-hello, my name is Olympia Nightshade..." A bashful smile never left the vampire's face as she uttered her new noble name. "As the person who created all those Thralls, I can certainly say that they are fully magical creatures. Like zombies, they are sustained by ambient mana but naturally crave the flesh of the living, but it is not a requirement." Damien then helpfully added. "Only us Vampires and Noble Vampires require blood. I personally have Fay..." Damien put an arm around her and played a little with her hair. "But the others will need to either import blood or bring some blood slaves to the new capital."
Everyone gave the still bashful vampire standing next to Damien a weird look. Olympia looked adorable in her black dress, which complimented her long strawberry blonde hair. But the most interesting feature was how similar she looked to... Damien. Also, Olympia and Damien had the same surname... but they had all met Damien's sister. They had the same white hair and enchanting red eyes. So if she wasn't Damien's sister but shared the same surname...
"So, is she your daughter?" Roselyn was barely awake with her head propped up with her arm, but her eyes darted between the two.
"Kind of?" Damien laughed and patted Olympia on the shoulder. "She is about as close to being my child as possible." Damien gave a smile to Fay. "Well, until this beautiful woman turns into a Blood Queen, that is and produces an heir for me... Anyway, we are getting off-topic." Damien skillfully changed topics. "As Randy rightfully pointed out, who would want to live in such a place? The simple answer is... mages. I plan to construct the grandest magic tower on the peninsula, and due to the dense magic mist, it is the perfect place for someone to learn magic. We will have aspiring mages from across the peninsula begging to join once the word gets out. We should also construct a smaller mage tower here in Blackthorn. Although the mana density here is terrible, we can use it to train up some mages to fill out the larger one in the capital once it is completed."
Randy stood up with nervous excitement, "Brilliant! An amazing plan. When do we begin?"
"As soon as possible-" Damien said but was interrupted by a knock on the office door.
Randy frowned and opened the door as he was the closest. Standing beyond was an officer of Damien's police force. He had a red eye with three fangs stitched on his uniform.
"Sorry for the interruption." The man winced as Varn's chaos mana surged out the door. He gave a comical salute before continuing, "But a matter that requires a higher-ups attention has arisen, and you are all here together..."
"Spit it out." Damien frowned at the man and crossed his arms.
"Certainly." The man nervously stood at attention and calmed himself. "A small convoy baring the Greentail family's insignia has arrived at the main gate. They carry a royal decree for Duke Nightshade."
