Proofread by Thomas F
"I am glad she accepted the offer," I said to Commissioner Julian.
I watched as the woman led a group of people through the narrow alleys before breaking through the door and engaging the group of people hiding there.
Currently, she is using a shorter saber and heavier armor than most spell blades use.
Though it is still light armor, it provides her defense without sacrificing the speed and agility that she requires. I already put feelers out for half-artifice armor for her.
It will be expensive, but it will be worth it.
We had offered her a job a long time ago, but she didn't accept it.
Though she shifted operations to Greltheaven, most of her mercenary jobs come from the city. A month ago, she finally accepted the offer that had been pending for her.
"She is an excellent addition to the police; with her leading the rapid action unit, we could deal with any problem we face," he stated with a big grin.
He had beaten the army in recruiting her.
I am quite surprised that she chose the police. Instead of the army, there was a higher salary, more perks, and even an offer to be stationed within Greltheaven in peacetime.
The Army would have been better for her, but I don't interfere when the police and the Army try to recruit powerhouses.
It is a healthy competition that keeps them both sharp.
"What are you planning to do with her?" I asked. What I mean is where he will send her. Greltheaven is safe; the gangs that operate here do so only under our permission.
The other gangs that try to spread their tentacles here find their members arrested or mysteriously dead.
We are doing a good job within the other three cities as well, but they are not as safe as Greltheaven. However, the crime rate is much lower than in Inam, which is one of the safest cities in the empire.
That doesn't mean we can be lazy about it. No, we have to remain alert.
Once the influence of unsavory elements spreads, it's really hard to get rid of it.
"I will station her at Gailhorn," he informed. "That's a wise decision," I replied.
Gailhorn is our port city, with the highest number of people per police officer. It needs to be, given that it is a port city, where unsavory elements enter every day to spread their tentacles.
It took a massive effort to get rid of gangs and addiction; it was not without cost.
The one I do not want to pay again.
I watched until she finished bringing out all the criminals. "You were amazing, Miss Glass," I said as she stopped in front of me. "Thank you, my lord," she replied.
"I had my concerns about you fighting in close quarters, in cramped places, as effectively as you do on a battlefield, but you proved me wrong,"
She is a lightning-element spell blade. Their spells were explosive; it's hard to imagine them being used in small spaces, but she did well.
Her arsenal of spells is greater than I imagined, and she is very good at using them.
I have to say, she is even more versatile than her girlfriend.
After a few minutes of talking with her and Julian, I returned to the city hall. When I entered my office, I found Robin sitting in there.
"Garrick Brennor, agreed!" he informed.
"Yes!"
I couldn't control myself and shouted loudly. It's great news for us.
"It wouldn't have been possible without Summerfield's help," he added, and I smiled. Summerfield contributed money, while I contributed essence potions.
"One less Lv. 40 will help us a lot," I said, and he nodded.
We have just made Garrick Brennor leave Viremont. He is one of the Lv. 40 powerhouse, that Viremont had recruited. Now, he will leave him.
Though not immediately. We don't want anyone to know about it; he will be with Viremont until he leaves the empire. I want it to be effective, give Viremont as few chances to deal with the loss as possible.
It was not an easy thing to achieve, and I had to join hands with Summerfield to manage it, because he was also facing the same danger as I was.
Viremont's biggest target may be me, but there is a good chance that he will attack Summerfield's and Zanav's cities before coming at me.
He will want a base in the region, and their cities are good for that, before he moves to mine.
Summerfield understood very well that we had to weaken the enemy as much as possible before they reached the region. I could even say he is more worried about it than I am.
"It is such a regret that we cannot hire him for us," said Argis. Robin and I laughed.
Until level 30, powerhouses have enough freedom of movement, but once they cross Lv. 40. It becomes much harder; they become a strategic weapon of the kingdom.
There is an official decree from both imperials to the powerhouse above Lv. 40 to stay within the empire.
Those bastards went further, specifically excluding relocations to Renwell.
They also warned them privately not to come to work for me. They might love money and emotional essence, but they would not dare go against a direct warning from the Imperials.
Salazar is also keeping her powerhouses in the Namdar, while the merchant state had signed the agreement with the undead, making them legally barred from coming here.
It is the same across the continent in every damn kingdom.
It is the main reason for the arena. So, I can attract the powerhouses here, foster them, and help them advance to Lv. 40.
It isn't just Lv. 40; I am after, but also Lv. 30s and Lv. 20's. I will take every powerhouse willing to fight.
"We have to work on the others; if we can lessen even one more, it will help us tremendously," I said to him. "I will keep trying," he replied.
I am not only doing it with Viremont, but also with the Arenthal.
She only has one mercenary of Lv. 40, and it is her friend, while the other Lv. 40 is a noble. It would be hard to do anything against the nobles since they are coming for the territory, but we will focus on mercenaries.
Even if she is her friend, if we give them enough money and essence, she might agree.
Still, we are focusing most on Viremont. He is a greater threat; he has amassed a larger army and more powerhouses. He is also more experienced and stronger than Arenthal.
Robin left a few minutes later, and I focused on the work before stopping to practice my aura.
Soon, it was evening.
'Lord Silver, Mage Aldridge is here,' Jill informed. "Send him in," I replied, and a few seconds later, the old man stepped inside my office.
"Lord Silver," he greeted. "High Mage," I replied, and asked the man to sit.
"How is the academy?" I asked. "Good, the children are learning well. I have to say, the small changes you had suggested in the teaching methods and curriculum are bringing quite a big effect."
Just modern teaching methods and a little tweaking of the curriculum, making it more standard.
It did wonders.
"The tower?" I asked, and his expression became serious. "It is progressing, but as you know, not at the speed we would like," he replied.
Hearing that, I sighed.
I am giving them all the resources they need, and I even used my precious skill, but progress is still slow. I wanted it to finish before the legacy, but given the speed, that won't happen.
"It might be slow, but it will help us in the long term, when we build our second and even third tower." Hearing that, I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
We haven't finished the first tower, and this old man is already thinking about the second and third.
Though he is right, the expertise gained by this tower would help us tremendously.
It is not a common tower; we are building one of the rarer types that uses a lot of mist-crafted items, which will make it better than most of the towers of its grade.
I said nothing other than nod before turning to him.
"What do you think about him? Is he good?" I asked, changing the subject. It is the reason which he came here.
The person he interviewed a few hours ago.
He is head of education and dean of the academy, but he also has another responsibility—the mine, which is currently more important.
"Impressive, his plan is better than the other two candidates we have interviewed before," He replied with a smile appearing across his face.
He interviewed the pen master from Valboldar, who had five decades of experience handling monsters.
His specialty lies in dealing with mrakoz, a very violent type of lizard monster found in the mines of Valboldar, whose scales are highly prized.
Like the crystals on our mutated shardmaws.
They turned out to be a lot more valuable than we had thought. Unlike Drelthar, we didn't even send them to others; our alchemists are still researching it, and what they've found has left their eyes wide.
"So, should we give him a chance?" I asked.
I snooped on the interviews, and I am sad to say, I didn't even understand half of it. They used a lot of technical jargon in the conversation.
"Yes, I believe we should."
"He is experienced not only in handling difficult monsters but also in harvesting them for the products they produce. I don't believe we will find a better candidate than him in the time we have."
"Most importantly, his plan is most viable for us; it does not require those investments in large, heavy tools."
"It focuses most on the use of the environment they grew up in, which is what made those mutated shardmaws special," I nodded.
I had read his resume.
"He and his people also have skill, which increases the harvest. The way he explained them, I believe, they would work on the crystals that shardmaws grow," he added.
"Good, that will make Hardt very happy," I replied, and the old man laughed.
Hardt had been bugging me about it, and also about the sale of Drelthar. I may have paused the sale, but that man is already building a processing unit.
He doesn't want to sell the raw stone, but the finished product. He does not want to let go of the slightest profit.
I have to give it to him. The mines are Panar's greatest source of growth, and he is betting everything on them. He attracted many crystal processing plants, and with the sold mines that are churning out large volumes.
All of which are getting processed in Panar. Creating employment, thereby increasing its population and growing its economy.
It will be finished by next month, which is when I will start selling Drelthar.
He also asked me to set up a processing unit for harvested crystals from shardmaws, but given what I've found out about them so far. I believe Greltheaven will be the best place for it.
We already have alchemists here and facilities with all the modern equipment.
"How quickly could he bring the rest of his team and get to work?" I asked. We have closed one section of the Drelthar mine; we want to open it as soon as possible.
Most importantly, start working on the monsters.
The alchemist had predicted a high value for those crystals, and I want to start on them as soon as possible.
"It will take ten days for the rest of his team to arrive, but he said he could start work immediately with the assistants he brought,"
"Though he will need one Lv. 40 and a couple of Lv. 30's along with a group of earth mages,"
"It is not permanent, I hope?" I asked, I can't afford to place so many powerhouses here permanently. "Only until the pen is ready and special collars arrive," he replied, which filled me with relief.
"Okay, sign all the documents and put him to work." The sooner we start, the better it will be.