V3: Chapter 8:

…

There comes a time in a man's life where he needs to make a line in the sand, whereupon he decides what his limits are and never crosses them.

That line separates a man from a monster.

Keep that in mind, while I consider the tactical, short-term benefits of allowing other countries to starve for my nation's gain.

Hm? Yes, I just nearly got assassinated a few days ago. No, that's not affecting my judgement at all. In fact, I've been thinking about the pros and cons of starving populations of other nations before that happened.

There's no easy way to say this, but having a lot of food while other people are starving is a really good advantage.

Okay, so just hear me out.

Letting people starve is bad.

Dying via starvation is terrible.

Food should be a human right.

But… letting everyone balloon up to massive population numbers before the endgame crises hit isn't a good idea.

Higher populations require more cohesion, more culture, more happiness, more luxuries, and more techs to maintain. You can't have all that population in cities either because overcrowding is a massive, negative modifier. People need to be spread out in villages, towns, and budding cities in surrounding regions, which requires those regions be cultivated, industrialized, protected, and exploited for upkeep of all the things you need to build to support that population.

If you don't make sure these people are happy, if they're miserable, poorly protected, and don't believe in your ability to lead them, then you're going to lose them when a crisis rears its head. If you couldn't protect them before the world-ending threat arrived, then what makes you think they'll take their chances when it has arrived. Yeah, they'll just rebel, they'll try to protect themselves, steal from you, and be overcome by the enemy without razing their homes and improvements, so that it can all be seized.

Yeah, so here's my conundrum.

Help everyone out now and make sure everyone's full, happy, and producing babies, and watch as the outlying regions rebel later and crumble and cede important assets to already-overpowered enemies. Or, I could choose to keep people hungry and barely provide any help, stall everyone else's expansion and growth. Instead of hastily growing, people will focus inward, build tall, and find other ways to keep their citizenry happy, while going through lean times. People will be hungry, a lot of people will die, but in the end they won't be rebelling and ceding land and assets to the coming apocalypse.

I'd like to say there's a third option that I could take, but the famine mini-crisis really doesn't leave much wiggle room.

You can't outsmart starvation.

…

In-game, when the Council of Kings activates, it does so every three turns once most of the factions reached T2 in terms of economy, which was around Turn 20.

Which meant that all the leaders gathered in one of the capitals of the continent once per year.

I thought that it was too few times, especially when there's a calamity going on that everyone needs to work together to deal with. Though, in reality, it sounded crazy for even that to be possible, especially during wartime or when world-ending scenarios are wreaking havoc. The amount of money, supplies, and soldiers involved in moving me across the continent was more than a hundred, normal people would earn in a year because of wages, logistics, and other things necessary in traveling.

The game devs were being merciful when they didn't charge money for it, but factored it in once the economy was good enough.

Anyhow, since I wanted people to come over and get the process of working together underway, I had to confront the problem that everyone else might not have the funds to do it. Thankfully, since I had two Citadels, the Ancient Administrator early, and the fact I rushed a T2 economy early instead of massing T1 armies… money wasn't an issue.

It did raise another issue, though.

"They will see this as an attack on their dignity, as well as give further credence to the Guardian's claims that you see yourself as the ruler of the continent." I personally wrote out each missive to be sent to the other rulers of the continent. My office was largely empty, but with Ayah close by and feigning existence as a new servant/bodyguard, I had little reason to be concerned. There was also the fact that I was in a Citadel and all guards were reinforced, but having a killer robot made me feel a lot more secure. "They may refuse on those grounds alone, even with the information you've provided."

"Then, that'll be on them. I wouldn't wish to coordinate famine relief efforts with people who look at offers like this and claim they're being wronged." That means they're not exactly co-worker material, you know? Them not coming will relieve me of the hard decision of having to decide on who to starve and who to help. The Conquerors were guaranteed, because they were building the support structures they needed and shoring up their cultural issues. Their T1 Arena Wonder would give them loads of happiness, generate culture with every victory they got, and even given their Units starting XP. As long as they kept securing regions and didn't stop fighting, they're going to be stable and ready for what's to come, even with an expanded population. "I'm more worried about the people straddling the line. Do you think the Academy and the Guardians will come?"

I'd basically thrown the glove down, called the Academy a bunch of imperialist scumbags and ravaged the Guardian's outer regions and budding villages. Not exactly the best way to make friends or convince people to come to talks about fixing resource shortages. However, the Guardians needed less food than everyone else, they had the 'manpower' to till more fields than anyone else, and the Academy was a potential, disruptive element. If the Academy decided to buy as much food as possible, even with the very strong agricultural output, then I'll only be able to support the Orcs and the Dark Elves, while keeping my own people alive.

"The Guardians have accepted their defeat with grace and humility. The Academy are the ones who have most likely tried to have you killed. It is likely that an economic conflict will erupt for food soon." On one hand, having someone to point at as the problem was good. On the other hand, I knew well how absurd food prices can get during famine. The game had operated off a simple market with demand increasing prices. Nothing made food demand go up more than a famine, especially when there are eight other factions trying to fill up. Those that didn't have money to buy usually didn't have the money because it was maintaining the armies they built, too. This was very likely to turn into a bloodbath. One that I couldn't afford. "What do you suggest we do?"

In the game, there was a certain method to make sure that the Academy didn't go out and buy every last scrap of food with their reserves of gold.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Unfortunately, it was going to net me a lot of reputation loss.

Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that, but I knew that a fight that I could win with reputational repercussions was better than one that I couldn't win.

…

Interlude: Rita

…

Our king's foresight was truly beyond words.

Sarala was proving himself to be an immense boon to our nation within weeks of his hiring.

The lands around the second Citadel were now teeming with industry and life. In every direction, there stretched fully-tilled fields, new groves filled with saplings, and hardy plants capable of withstanding the coming heat. The merchant's knowledge of the world from all his travels, the freedom his position gave him, and the enticement of money and the loss of power upon being stripped of his position all combined to make the land prosper.

"Rita." Ilych's voice drifted over me. Disguised as an immense knight in purpled plate, and with her blood-drinking blade hidden by sheets of cloth, she was unrecognizable. Almost as unrecognizable as I. "We near Sarala's manor."

My disguise was that of a messenger of high ranking. I met with the various mayors and leaders of the towns underneath the King of Wisdom. My guise was that of a messenger, but with finer, hardy clothes and the seal of the King upon my lapel. I was meeting with the various individuals of influence our King's lands and taking the measure of the people we met.

Sarala, given the greatest position of leading and overseeing the Children of the Elm's former realm, was the last, but most important of them all.

I had to know whether he loyal, and so far the results of his efforts alone spoke of that he was, and that our King's foresight was blessing us all once again.

I looked and all that I saw was peace and plenty, even as famine and terror reared its head in the horizon.

But all that I saw was on the surface, and there could be more hidden away.

The carriage stopped, and we exited it to reveal the mansion. Its style stood out amongst the shaped-trees that the Children of the Elm preferred to grow. Composed of carved stone that was pure white, along with gardens of pure white sand surrounding small oases of desert plant, the front yard presented a sleek and large complex of multiple domiciles around a central square with a fountain. Vivid, colorful shades were in every direction, while tall palm trees cast long shadows. It matched the houses of those who dwelled in the desert, where the flow of air, the implementation of shade, and running water provided succor in the summer, desert heat.

Sarala awaited us with his guards and servants at his side with his lion-head bared atop his large, robed form… and he bowed to us both.

He'd seen through the ruse, but had deigned to reveal it after the gates to his compound were closed.

Good enough.

"Ilych and Rita, I welcome my fellow Champions to my humble abode. Consider what is mine, yours." The Merchant gave a deep bow with hands outstretched and so did his guards and servants. I strode forward, standing taller, and removing the magic that encompassed my features. No longer looking akin to my former self, but instead my true self. Though I didn't feel its effects, I felt better revealing my true face. "As you can see, you are expected. Please, accept my humble hospitality."

We were caught off guard, but knowing Khanrow, this was itself a test.

"Refreshments first. We shall talk about your current actions in these lands. Most importantly, an update on the claiming of the neighboring regions." With the lands around the first Citadel being settled and now simply being filled with what it needed, our King cast his gaze here. He did not intend for it to be a simple breadbasket, but another land that could stand on its own. Rather than exploit the remains of the Children of the Elm, he saw fit to make them his citizenry, and even now his decisions were bearing fruit. Even before Sarala arrived, it had been expanding paying larger and larger tithes with ease. "Have any ancient ruins been found and secured?"

"More than a dozen and they are quite large." Sarala took our dismissal of his hospital without so much as a twitch of annoyance. With a gesture of a pawed hand, his bodyguards dispersed and the servants moved to the central square that the many small building sand columned halls surrounded. In moments, trays filled with foods and drinks were being offered to us as we took seats around a table moved in just from out of sight. Warm, wet towels removed what little grime our travels gave us. I recalled the man was stated to be a good negotiator. I could see why. "Will the two of you seize them all?"

"Yes. We will." I addressed him straightforwardly. There was no spark nor flash of greed in his eyes, but I felt… out of place. Did I see what I wanted to see? Was he simply letting me see what I wanted? Questions abounded within my mind whether I could discern if Sarala was loyal and true. My experience and knowledge told me that I did not. My teeth threatened to grit, but I took a calming breath and continued. If I cannot now, then I will in the future. "Then, I would like a copy of the maps of the region. A route and supplies to travel it would be appreciated."

"Done, but I hope that the two of you would enjoy my hospitality first?" Sarala offered, but I shook my head. Ilych removed her helmet and began to eat. My body burned food as fuel, so I began to eat as well. The tastes and flavors were dulled, but they were there. A sigh left the Merchant's lips, but he was soon served his own meal. "And, here I had hoped to learn more about my fellow Champions."

I was surprised as Ilych spoke.

"Do your duty well and you will not learn anything about us. Or, we you." It's a simple, succinct statement, but it may as well as made the air freeze, even as Ilych thoughtfully chewed her meal. I'd grown used to her presence, but her demeanor and size and talent became apparent in an instant. The armor she now wore could easily encase a horse. The chair that she used was twice the size of mine. Though from afar she had the figure of a well-muscled woman, her height and size was apparent even with her elegant proportions. She remains an unstoppable titan on the battlefield. Where she goes in combat, with all the weapons and artifacts she had at her disposal, nothing could hope to even stagger her step. "Jack trusts you, so I trust you. Others do still watch and wait. Like me."

A deep silence followed Ilych's statement and dull gaze, before she turned her attention wholly to her plate and Sarala's gaze snapped my way.

"I'll have another carriage ready with supplies and horses. If you need more bodies, go to an outpost and show them the sigil that my servants will give you. Take as many men as you like."

I nodded at his words, while he rose up and his meal was fetched by his servants, who hurriedly followed after him.

Leaving only one, the oldest and the only one unshaken, to tend to our needs.

Ilych barely paid my grateful nod to her any mind.