I turned to Graken and handed him Priest Aelius’ unconscious body. "Put this cretin into a holding cell. Treat him well; his execution is imminent, but we must retain decorum."

"Yes, sir!" Graken saluted, hauling the man away.

After giving a slight smile to Thea and scanning my troops, I gave the order.

“Spread out and start organizing!” I yelled. “Meet the right people and get this city functioning as it was before our arrival. And do it cleanly! If I hear so much as a rumor of assault, revenge, or extortion, I’ll kill you myself. Elites don’t stoop to barbarity. Do I make myself clear?!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

My troops responded in unison and left to organize the citizens, obtain political power, and lock up the enemy troops for the time being.

“Right this way, King Everwood.”

I turned to the holy man in golden robes with a gentle, leathery face and a trimmed white beard, addressing me “Okay, Priest Flanka,” I replied, following him through the chambers.

The priest gave me a tour of the Golden Cathedral, including the priest’s chambers, the reception hall, and finally, the audience room, where a massive golden throne sat in the center.

There was only one chair, as the head priest in Goldenspire must be celibate, and thus there’s no seat for a spouse.

I walked in as Priest Flanka walked next to me, speaking quickly and obsequiously as I reached into a large spatial bag.

He immediately stopped talking when I pulled out a massive throne, lifted my foot, slammed it against the existing throne, sending it flying into the wall, and then sat the new one in its place. Then I pulled out a second throne and sat it next to the first one.

I turned to Thea, whose eyes lit up, and she scampered over, sitting on her throne next to me.

Thea immediately developed an intimidating scowl as she looked at Priest Flanka, making the man shiver.

I turned to her. “Do you like it?”

Her eyes lit up. “I love it!”

“Do you want to keep it?” I asked.

“I’d love to!” she beamed.

This was the third time we had performed this tradition, and it never got less horrifying for those who watched it. If anything, it was far more terrifying.

I turned to Priest Flanka with a serious expression and pulled out a massive notebook.

“As the new Head Priest of the Church of Solara, you are free to promote your religion as you see fit,” I smiled, handing it to him. “So long as it fits my needs.”

Priest Flanka gulped, seeing the demonic look in my eye. “I-I’m sure that our beliefs are greatly aligned.”

“I thought so; that’s why I chose you,” I smiled, my eyes devoid of kindness. He gulped.

“After what I’ve seen today, I feel the need to make something clear with you,” I continued. “You can change the rules of celibacy for the Church of Solara. If you do, you can get married, pay harlots, or do anything concerning women, as long as it's consensual.”

My eyes grew cold. “However, if you don’t, you will remain celibate. And regardless of circumstances, you will not have sex with anyone under 18, or I’ll break your spine in the town square, then drag your body into an open field to die. Do you understand?”

Priest Flanka gulped, a streak of sweat dripping down his cheek. “Crystal clear,” he confirmed, gripping the notebook and smiling. “I’ll ensure that the new Church of Solara is both pious and amicable to a person with a confirmed relationship with a related god.”

I smiled. “Good man. Her name is Aphrodite, and she’s a woman of virtue and wisdom. Make sure people know that she’s an equal to the god of the sun.”

His smile cracked, and he nodded. “It shall be done, Your Grace.”

With those words, he scurried away, leaving me in the room with Thea.

I grabbed Thea’s hand with a slight smile. “We have a long year ahead of us. I hope you’re ready for it as a ruler.”

Thea’s eyes welled with tears, and she flashed me a bright smile. “I am.”

I gripped her hand tightly. “Then let’s get started.”

***

A loud series of knocks crashed on my parlor’s door around lunchtime the next day.

“Come in,” I answered, not looking up as a redhead with a fiery gaze stomped into the room. “What can I help you with, Rema?”

Rema’s lips curved into a sinister smile before looking down and seeing a beastkin in a noble dress using my lap as a pillow. That left her eyebrow twitching. “Are you trying to start a revolution?” she asked.

“Can’t you just ask if I’m stupid?” I frowned. “Using a roundabout way to say something makes it more offensive if it’s message is blunt.”

Her cheek twitched, her smile stiff. “King Everwood—”

“Ryker’s fine,” I corrected.

“Ryker….” Rema seethed. She wanted to scream, but the beastkin napping in my lap was known for making things more difficult, so she wanted to keep her asleep. “The guild masters in the city are striking. They’re saying that they refuse to operate under you.”

“Are these people mad?” I frowned. “Do they think that I can’t replace them? Is the propaganda so entrenched here that the guild masters don’t know about the Everwood Company or steel?”

Rema frowned. “They do seem remarkably ignorant of your skill disparity, but that’s not the real issue. The problem is that the guilds hold a lot of political and organizing power. If you kill or replace them, it will spread fear and hysteria.”

Imagine that you hate your boss. Classic.

One day, someone arrives and says they’re taking over the company.

At first, you’re excited, but your boss, trying to hold onto the job, announces a strike.

In response, the new leader kills your boss.

Even though you hated your boss, you’re likely to fear and distrust the new leader. It could also spread panic and cause breakdown.

You can’t just kill your way through problems.

Well, you can.

And it works.

If you kill the optimal amount of people.

In the right ways.

But it’s not very effective.

That’s the problem Rema’s pointing out.

“I’m neither going to kill nor replace them,” I replied, rubbing Thea’s ears as she napped. “They’ll die out naturally. It’s a shame that we can’t use their buildings without causing issues.”

“Ryker, the guilds own a third of the city’s property; the protesting nobles own another 50%,” Rema frowned. “You can’t just avoid using the city.”

“That’s a presumptuous thing to say,” I smiled. “Please tend to your work. I’m sure you’ll yell at me tomorrow when I resolve this issue.”

Rema’s face turned scarlet, and she trembled as she saw me shooing her away with my hand. However, before she stomped away, she looked at the poster on the table, and her eyes widened in shock. “Wait… why are you making that poster?” she asked.

“This?” I asked, lifting up a poster I would soon have mass printed.

-

“WANTED:

Carpenters.

Shipbuilders.

Construction workers.

Quarry workers.

People who can read.

PAY:

Trained specialists: 1 silver/day

Those who wish to learn: 50 coppers/day

Qualifications: Anyone with a working body and a willingness to learn.”

Meet at High Sun every day of the week in Golden Square.

-

“The guilds and nobles were destined to protest,” I replied. “So instead of fighting them, we’re building a brand new manufacturing district that can output ten times as much as this entire city. Once the guild masters go bankrupt, we’ll buy all their land and properties. Problem solved.”

Rema’s eyebrow twitched. “Putting aside the lunacy of your idea, why didn’t you mention this a moment ago?” she pressed.

“Hmmm? You looked like you enjoyed calling me stupid, so I was letting you get it out of your system,” I replied innocently.

Her lips curved into a murderous smile. “I’m glad I didn’t marry you.”

“I’m sure you are,” I agreed.

Rema’s jugular vein bulged. “What did I ever see in you?”

“My face.” I looked up at her and flashed her a charismatic smile.

Her cheeks reddened, and she turned away. “Don’t get full of yourself.”

When she shut the door, Thea nuzzled in my lap. “Is the floozy gone?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I smiled and rubbed her ears. “Thank you for pretending to sleep.”

“You’re welcome,” Thea smiled.

***

The next day, Rema burst into the room. "Ryker, what did you do?! There are ten thousand people in the streets right now. Everyone is panicking!"

"Ten thousand?" I frowned, looking down at Thea, who was using my lap as a pillow again. "That's pretty weak, don't you think?"

"Yes. It’s flat-out disrespectful," Thea huffed.

"Disrespectful...? Weak...? Are you two sane?" Rema scoffed. "They're lining ten streets in a mob! What did you do to provoke them?!"

I lifted Thea, helping her stand, and then joined her, dusting off my pants.

"What did I do?" I smirked, looking her in the eye. "I posted those posters everywhere."

"That's... it?" Rema asked.

"What do you mean, 'That's it?'" Thea rolled her eyes. "Ryker's offering middle-class wages to teach people a trade. Ten thousand people is a sign that people don't trust it's real, and they're waiting for their new benevolent leader to prove themselves. It's disgraceful."

I rubbed her ears to calm her down. "I'm taking away 80% of the farming work, so people are panicked about their livelihoods. Now, we're providing people higher wages and a new trade—of course, this many people showed up. There will be more tomorrow."

I turned to Thea. "It's time to go meet our new workers. Let's bring Princess Redfield along so she can see how amazing we are."

Rema's eyes deadened as Thea developed a smug smile. There were layers of judgment hidden underneath the princess' gaze for my childish words, but she kept that to herself as I got up and led them out the door.

We walked through the Golden Cathedral, where hundreds of nobles, dignitaries, politicians, castle workers, and guild masters bustled about, trying to put out one fire after the next. The area had a pulse, moving to the tempo of my lightning-fast reforms.

"King Everwood!"

"King Everwood!"

"Princess Redfield!"

Multiple people ran up to us with pleading gazes. However, I put up my hand. "Exercise common sense and find a solution," I commanded. "This is a trial to see who's the most competent at enacting my reforms without causing serious problems."

"B-But Sire," a man pleaded, his eyes bloodshot and drooping. "We're being pressed for answers that we don't have, and people are giving us deadlines."

"When in doubt, just say that you have an audience with me next week," I replied. "By that point, these problems will disappear."

"They'll just disappear?" Rema rolled her eyes.

"Yes, they'll disappear," I repeated. "They'll be replaced with new problems, and you can stall for time with those as well."

"How are we going to solve those problems then?" Rema asked, her mouth wide open as she looked at the nobles chasing after me.

"How the hell should I know?" I scoffed, stopping and looking at the people following me. "As managers, your duty is to inform people of our reforms and ensure they see to them. Your job isn't to do the work or solve the problems. Do you understand?"

I studied their expressions to see if they got it. "Come next week, those complaining will have solved their current problems because even more serious problems will have arisen. Then the week after that, they'll solve those serious problems because even worse problems are on the horizon. If they don't, they'll die out. It's that simple. So tell them you'll talk to them next week, and watch as their problems magically disappear."

I continued walking, leaving them stunned.

"Until you've seen Ryker's greatness, you should keep your mouth shut," Thea growled, seeing the redhead preparing to protest. "You'll just make a fool of yourself."

When we exited the door, Rema blinked twice when she saw the golden streets lined with limestone architecture. The way people were running and yelling in the Golden Cathedral, she'd have expected the city to be burning. However, aside from the tense atmosphere as the citizens looked at the Immortals walking around, there weren't any problems in the streets.

It was eerie.

Rema's eyes couldn't get wider as she saw women and children walking past soldiers without their husbands. They guarded their children whenever they saw a troop, but it didn't change that the city had fallen, and they weren't hiding from soldiers.

That was a first.

"Are your troops so well trained that people feel it's okay to walk around like this?" Rema asked, tilting her head.

"No, it's just that their husbands are busy," I replied.

"Oh… that’s right." Rema noted. "It's still amazing that they'd leave their wives and children unattended in the city."

“It is,” I agreed as we continued our walk.

There were thousands of people chatting in Golden Square. Rema originally thought there was a riot. However, as we approached, she found that no one was yelling, but the collective voice from thousands was so intense it filled the area like the sound of cicadas.

As we walked past, the crowd shifted in tone, creating an instant commotion that spread a confused hush over the crowd. People excitedly moved aside, creating nervous energy.

I took the stage and started an amplification circle.

"Welcome!" I roared. "As of today, you're all employed under the Everwood Empire and will earn a stable living so long as you work hard!"

Excited cheering broke out in the group, piercing the sound waves.

"You have two challenges this month," I announced. "First, you will rebuild Bringla's ports and harbors, and we will build new factories. Starting next month, those who prove themselves competent will be eligible for loans to start their own businesses and obtain real wealth."

Rema furrowed her brow as confused whispers spread through the audience. While the concept of starting businesses seems obvious to modern society, it's only obvious because people grew up with it. In this world, it was a strange concept.

"Put simply, we’ll help anyone with talent start a guild," I translated, causing a wave of shock to wave through the group. "I will offer you three months' rent on a building housing machinery. You will pay me back once the business starts making money."

Thea's eyes sparkled when she saw the look of instant loyalty and excitement on the citizens’ faces.

"In this new world, every person can live like an aristocrat," I declared. "So work hard and build the buildings that will soon house your futures, and build the harbor that will sell your products!"

Wild cheering met my words, spilling through the city streets and sending a message to the hardliners: the masses stand with King Everwood.

***

Rema turned to me after my speech with a strange expression. "So your strategy for stability is to employ thousands, train them, and give them better lives, thus solving your political problems? Obtain the support of the people?"

"That's right," I replied. "There's a lot to do, so I'll need people regardless. I'm just bribing people with juicier numbers."

"While it's enticing, can you pull this off without bankrupting yourself?" she pried. "This plan will cost at least five million gold a month, the tax pay-off is delayed, and the people that collect taxes—the nobles—are protesting. This plan could bankrupt the Everwood Empire, and you'd lose everything."

"It will cost 20 million a month, and come next spring, we'll make everything back," I replied dismissively. "We should make half of it back by winter."

Her expression turned grave, and she gave me a skeptical look. "20 million?"

I turned to her with a serious expression. "As of this moment, take this to heart: never underestimate the power of the free market."

Rema knitted her brows. "Free market? What does that mean?"

"It means 'freedom,' 'a world ruled by the rich,' and 'pretext for colonialism,'" I deadpanned. "Trust me. It's far from ideal, but it's horrifyingly effective."

With those words, I walked back to the Golden Cathedral. It would be a long week.

***

The next day, Rema found herself walking in a dirt field in her crimson and gold princess dress, which left her wincing every few seconds.

"Do you not like being out in the fields?" I asked.

Rema pursed her lips. "While I do not mind being here or doing this work, I've been trained to keep this dress spotless at all times, and it's currently swimming in dirt."

"Fair," I said, my voice being drowned out by the sound of steam engines, power saws, and the smell of sawdust and mixing concrete.

"Why is everyone working in this field?" she asked.

"We're teaching people en masse," I replied. "It's easy because we're creating interchangeable parts. With this system, we can teach people and increase efficiency by a factor of ten."

“By ten?” she echoed. “That sounds dramatic.”

I stopped and pointed at workers cutting wood with a power saw. "That saw is already set up to create trusses of a certain size. While it's set up, workers can cut one thousand without any adjustments."

"A thousand?" Rema asked, her mouth hanging open. "Why would you need a thousand?"

"To save time, we're building the same buildings dozens of times," I smiled. "Then people know what goes where, have the necessary pieces, and can get used to it. Saying it's ten times faster is conservative. We'll be able to build in three months what took you a year or more. These buildings are especially fast in construction."

"What makes them special?" she asked, curious.

"They're called prefabricated buildings. We're building all the parts and assembling them on the site instead of building on-site," I explained. "They're not quality, but that's not important. Right now, we need buildings for businesses and operations—so we're building them."

Rema watched in a haze as we walked up to Timothy, overseeing wood imports from our wartime supply lines and watching the new hires learn how to cut wood.

"Hello there, King Everwood, Lady Lockheart, Princess," Timothy said, tipping his hat. "It's a bit early, it is. Are ye already lookin' fer the wood pieces?"

I shook my head and looked around. "I'm wondering how they're doing. Your new workers."

Timothy stroked his beard with a strange expression. "Well, they're about as good as any, I reckon. A bit uppity, but these ones ain't guild masters. Those lot are impossible to work with, they are."

"Wait two weeks, and they'll come crying to you," I shrugged. "When they do, don't offer them anything that isn't in your favor."

"I'll try, I will," he replied. "What happens if they use fancy language? Ye know I don't like fancy language."

"Fancy language is Princess Redfield's specialty," I shrugged. "So bug her."

Rema's eyes lit up with anger, making the woodworker chuckle. "That's the closest I've seen you come to tellin’ a joke, it is," he smiled.

Her eyes widened, and she turned to me.

"I'm not joking," I grinned, pausing for dramatic effect. "But that's only because you're a critical member of the economic team, so you're reporting directly to her. Managing you is her job."

Rema's expression mellowed when she looked at Timothy and then at the hundreds he was training and working with. He was a heavy hitter.

"Anyway, show us through it," I said. "She should see the process."

"Alright," Timothy said, walking us through the site. He showed us how multiple teams were working with different sizes of wood.

The first team, composed of the trainees, was cutting studs, joists, trusses, and rafters. After finishing the big pieces of wood, skilled teams used the smaller pieces to make ply boards and panels. The smallest pieces went to the experts, who made decorative pieces like baseboards, crown moldings, and edges using lathes, mills, and saws. It was a full assembly line.

"How many buildings do you think we can make with the lumber on hand?" I asked.

"Fifty?" Timothy said. "Drywall and concrete have cut down the wood requirements, but there's still only so much wood, there is."

In the distance, 200 workers were busy mixing concrete and drywall and filling molds. We were employing over ten thousand on the first day and putting them to work on the reconstruction in all aspects.

“That’s good enough,” I said. “Fifty new businesses is a massive number in this world.”

“Ye, it’s a lot, alright,” he chuckled. “I remember the good ol’ days when there were only twenty in all of Elderthorn.”

I smiled slightly, reminiscing about it. “Those were good days.”

"Ye, you bet your sweet arse they were," Timothy said. "I only had half as much work back then, I did."

I frowned and looked him in the eye. "You'll get a two-week vacation after Bringla's harbor's rebuilt. I promise."

His eyes widened, and he tried to say he was joking, but I wasn’t joking and had already walked away.

***

After overseeing the mass employment operation, I walked into the Privy Council Chamber, where I held the nightly strategy meeting with politicians, advisors, and confidants.

Thea and I sat down, looking at Rema, Priest Flanka, and other council members that we recruited from Goldenspire by offering them higher positions and plenty of gold.

"Please give me a status report on the state of religion," I requested of the white-bearded man whose eyes drooped with dark bags.

"While everyone has put Priest Aelius on social trial, hardliners have declared you a heretic and are organizing your downfall," Priest Flanka warned. "Their leader, Priest Cole, has effectively brought all the nobles and guilds on his side."

"So he's the one who solidified the resistance," Rema noted, her eyes sharp. "He's impressive."

"He's also charismatic and influential," he cautioned, making eye contact with me. "What should we do about him?"

"We'll wait a month and brand him a heretic," I replied. "By that point, we'll employ and produce more goods than the guilds and nobles. Once we brand him a heretic, they'll have to determine whether to join us or starve. That's all there is to it."

The Goldenspire advisors winced at my words, as it was the first time I openly stated I'd disrupt their religion and aristocracy to accomplish my goals.

Noting their response, I spoke up. "I aim to be the most benevolent imperialist this world has ever known," I declared. "Under my reforms, the Goldenspirans will enjoy a higher standard of living, prosperity, and freedom of religion. However, I'm still this kingdom's hegemon, and if people rise up against me, I will crush them without hesitation or remorse."

My eyes turned cold. "So if you seek to avoid brutal demonstrations of power—warn these foolish people not to test my patience."

The advisors gulped, sweat drops forming on their foreheads. One after the other, they expressed their consent and understanding.

"Priest Cole is a serious problem, so keep me informed of his movements daily," I said. "While he cannot destroy us, he can create significant, unnecessary damage."

After a few more matters, we adjourned for the night. However, I didn't make it out of the room before Rema stopped me.

"Just remember that there are millions who believe in Solara," Rema cautioned. "While there is no doubt that you will prevail, you must remember that there are ramifications of attacking Priest Cole."

I took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

***

The next day, a noble wearing a golden hood to mask their identity walked into the audience chambers. After kneeling, the guards in the room disappeared, leaving just Thea and us.

"Have you accomplished my request, Lord Baker?" I asked.

"I've spread it through the noble's channels," Lord Baker replied. "It's moving in whispers, just as you instructed."

"Very good," I replied. "If your report checks out, you will be rewarded handsomely."

"My Liege." Lord Baker bowed and left the room.

Thea looked at me with a tilted expression. "What did you have him do?"

I looked at her with a complex expression. "Come to my office."

In my room, modern equipment and a gas-powered generator were running.

"What is this stuff?" Thea asked with wide eyes.

"A solution to our problem with Priest Cole," I replied.