Stomp, stomp, stomp…
Just as Lucas stepped down from the carriage, he saw Nicole and Annie waiting for him.
"Welcome home, Master," Annie and Nicole greeted him in unison.
"Did anything happen while I was gone?" Lucas looked closely at them and noticed a faint trace of worry etched between their brows.
"No, everything in the city is peaceful," Annie replied, her fox ears twitching slightly.
"Good." Lucas nodded. He turned to Mina, who had just stepped out of the carriage, and instructed, "Get Florence settled in and make sure she takes her medicine."
"Understood," Mina replied.
At that moment, Ayesha and Elisa lowered Florence down on a stretcher. The mermaid looked around with wide, curious eyes; she had been confined to a bed since her rescue the previous day.
"Oh? Who is this?" Annie asked, staring at the stranger on the stretcher in astonishment.
"This is Florence. I'll explain the details later. Did Amelia go to school today?" Lucas asked casually.
"No, she's staying with her sister, Miss Rhea," Annie shook her head, her expression clouded with concern. She was clearly worried that Amelia might be taken away.
"Invite them to the study," Lucas told Nicole. The birdkin had finally arrived.
"Yes, Master," Nicole said softly, signaling a nearby maid to fetch them.
"Let's go." Lucas reached out and patted the fox-girl's head. It felt good to be home.
*
"Are you hungry, Master?" Nicole asked as she walked beside him. "The kitchen is keeping some food warm."
"No need, I ate on the ship," Lucas declined gently. "What's the situation with this Rhea?"
"We haven't spoken much. She's very cold—distant and difficult to approach," Nicole said with a helpless shrug. Since yesterday, every attempt to strike up a conversation has been met with silence or monosyllabic answers. "She feels like a grown-up version of Amelia."
"Oh? Hard to deal with, is she?" Lucas mused. He realized Amelia's personality was likely modeled after her sister's.
Girrkk...
Lucas pushed open the study door and sank into his chair. Looking at the mountain of paperwork on his desk, he rubbed his temples. "Annie, what's the most pressing matter?"
Annie took her seat and answered immediately. "Lord Hana of Chitu City has been demanding to see you. Also, the merchant Pichu has sent an invitation; he's very eager for a meeting."
"This Lord of Chitu City...?" Lucas narrowed his eyes. He knew Annie prioritized the most critical issues, so if this was first, it was vital.
"Iron ore," Annie said firmly.
"I see." Lucas understood instantly. He thought for a moment. "Prepare a banquet for tomorrow at noon. I'll host Lord Hana, and invite Pichu as well."
Iron was the lifeblood of his future industrial plans. He had kept Hana waiting long enough; it was time to move.
"What about Pichu? And Dahlia?" Lucas asked.
"Dahlia is out watching shadow plays. Pichu is currently investigating market prices in the Market. My guess is he wants to place a massive order," Annie said, flipping through her notes. "He's from the eastern part of the Siacan Kingdom. Trade is more developed there; he likely wants to resell our goods in that region."
"The East, huh?" Lucas pondered. His market expansion in the West wasn't complete yet, so giving the East to Pichu wouldn't hurt—as long as they signed a regional agency contract.
"Pichu has an excellent credit rating. No reports of shady dealings," Annie continued, turning a page. "He also has trade ties with the tribes of the Sahara."
"Interesting. A big-time merchant." Lucas tapped his fingers on the desk. He needed these merchants to help him seize control of the Siacan Kingdom's economy quickly. "Is there any word on who supports him?"
"Supposedly a noble, but we haven't identified who yet," Annie admitted.
"Don't rush it," Lucas said, closing his eyes. A slight smirk played on his lips. "How many people are currently in literacy training?"
"Three hundred, Master. They are all elites."
"Not enough. Triple the number," Lucas said, his voice turning serious. He had decided to stop accumulating and start aggressively occupying the western markets.
"Yes!" Annie replied. She could feel the sudden shift in the Master's urgency.
"Issue an order to the Department of Military and Political Affairs," Lucas continued. "Recruit another one thousand soldiers."
"One... one thousand?" Annie was stunned. That would more than double their current standing army.
"With Sedona City's current output, we can afford it," Lucas said with a light chuckle. "We have the food and the gold. There's no point in filling our pockets if we don't have the teeth to protect them."
"I'll draft the order immediately." Annie began writing, realizing that the world was about to change in the coming months.
"Master, is this too fast?" Nicole asked, her hands gently massaging his shoulders.
"It's not fast; it's on schedule," Lucas said. During the winter, he had been limited by resources and population. Now, he had the money, the people, and the grain.
"One more thing," Annie added. "Princess Lucy is about to arrive at the Capital."
"Have our people keep an eye on the two princes. And find out Catherine's current status," Lucas ordered. He hadn't forgotten his promise to Dahlia to get Catherine out of there.
"Understood."
Bang, bang, bang!
A knock at the door made Lucas's eyes brighten. "Enter," He said calmly.
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