V6: Chapter 2

…

"Let me guess, there's no progress in splitting the Wardens apart."

"None with the current resources available. No." Ayah confirmed. "Especially since our people focused on finding the Academy."

With four Citadels, I had a lot of funds and assets and people at my disposal, but with four Citadels that meant I had four Citadels worth of problems to handle. Getting the population of each region in line, routing dissidents, clearing Ancient Ruins, and setting up defenses against espionage were eating up my excess funds. My regular funds were all being used to keep spending on research and infrastructure high in all regions, as well.

Even though I wanted to create a schism and stop the Dark Elves before they made the whole continent their enemy, and force me to completely destroy them, I was finding my hands tied.

What's that?

Take some money from research and infrastructure and use it to create the schism?

Absolutely not. Both of those things need to stay at their current pace.

In fact, if I could spend more money to speed either up, I would.

Not having all the best buildings and not having all the technology unlocked is a one-way-ticket to losing, so that was out of the question.

"Well, then, let's hope that making them our friends and influencing them will make sure we're not targets." I shook my head and moved on. We were having our meeting in a countryside villa overlooking a lake. In-game, constructing Retreats on tiles with lakes and rivers gave happiness bonuses to the whole region. Given the fact I was pressing my people hard, making a Retreat town was necessary… and I wasn't below enjoying its offerings myself. "But we've got progress on the Academy front?"

"Indeed. They are making use of the vast tunnel system beneath the continent." The subterranean tunnel networks. That was supposed to only be accessible with a T2 Wonder, where after you could rapidly move units from between Citadels and predetermined points in each region. The flavor text of the Wonder, if recalled correctly, was that routes throughout the system would be cleared out and a train network would be set up using a combination of magic and rediscovered technology. Not only that, but that Wonder could get upgraded to allow transport between towns and cities. It made sieges impossible, unless you burnt down every tile and town in a region. It was something I planned on making… so, the Academy really had to die. That Wonder is mine, bitch. "It is a heavily infested system, but the Iterants have done their duty and have found the Academy's trail."

Guess having magic-based terminators as scouts was paying off.

"Mass up a force of Iterants and find as many Forger mercenaries as we can, while also creating a second strike team led by our Champions. The Iterants and Forgers can be led by Morgan. The supplementary force by our new graduate with Rita and Ilych as support." I was tempted to do it myself, but I didn't have any experience fighting in tunnels. That just didn't exist in the game. Long corridors, choke points, and loads of neutral mobs? Yeah, no. I'm not heading in there. "Inform the Conquerors but tell them to only send their most elite and toughest. Cavalry won't work too well down there, along with air power."

Ayah nodded, and I took a moment to look over the resort town.

The lake in the center was surrounded by beaches made through magic. Rental paddle boats floated lazily along it, and people fished from both docks and the boats themselves. People ate from stands that provided them with food free of charge, and stayed in cabins, villas, or one of the hotels. The hotels were just large, tall and wide rectangles with ornate facades and some decorations inside, but they were surrounded by small towns for recreation. Read a book in the library, eat at a restaurant, get your portrait made, or just do nothing but sleep all day. Visit ranch where you can pet animals and fly in a carriage pulled by flying horses. Go watch plays all day in one of the four theatres and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in that theatre.

Plan everything that you want ahead of time, or don't and wait a few minutes after picking up a ticket.

There's plenty of space and accommodations, since it's funded by a whole nation and not just a company with delusions of grandeur, while being exceedingly milquetoast.

The resort was an all-expenses paid amusement park, one that cost a hefty sum to build even with all prefabricated parts, but it was doing its job exceedingly well. People worked harder to earn the credits necessary to come here. Like in the game, it was a reward for productivity, which I personally calculated as how much tax revenue you generated. Build up the points and you can live without worries for a few weeks… while an Iterant learns your job and boosts production when you come back.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The Iterants were proving to be more incredible than they were in the game. They learned quickly, were inherently strong, and could use Citadel stock weapons with ease. The Lore had mentioned the Ancients having automated armies that were supplemented by Conquerors and Guardians, and I had a feeling that they were it. Since Ayah connected them with the AI that rebelled, that also fit with the lore of much of those automated armies going against the Ancients.

Late-game events had armies of Iterants spawn if you had the Wonder that produced them. There were perquisites, though. One of which was if they were mistreated, so I was culling that possibility now. They had the same rights as people, weren't segregated from everyone else, and paid the same wages for the same time spent working. They didn't have to work harder, but they did, and they fit certain roles better than people did.

Though, I did segue them towards places I needed them, like security, counter-espionage, and data processing.

They're just another set of people under my rule, basically.

Everyone will be equally oppressed, until we all win, then I'll retire and y'all can figure your shit out yourselves.

Alright, that's enough time resting my brain.

"Next topic, then."

"The project to utilize earth magics to turn hilly lands into terraced farmlands has succeeded. We can proceed with growing grains and groves, on many lands we could not before."

"Fantastic."

The better work that I do, the more work that I have, but I didn't mind in the slightest.

We needed every little thing we could get our hands on to win.

…

Interlude: Rita

…

I luxuriated in the lakeside in a private section of its beach.

For the last four weeks, I was given leave, a villa to call my own, and servants to supply me with all my necessities… within reason. In the first several days, I was at a loss at what to do, yearning for work, until I followed the advice given to me by my king.

"There are times to work and there are times to rest. So, rest. That's an order."

With that in mind, even in my final day with all my luggage and belongings packed and my villa being cleaned for another, I was enjoying the soft morning sun on my skin while its light was kept out by tinted glasses similarly used by those who flew through the skies on mounts.

I stretched out my senses and basked in them.

All I heard for miles and miles was the sound of leaves rustling to gentle breeze, the soft flapping of bird wings, and the constant thrum of waves against smooth sand. Across the lake I could hear and see so many people living as they've never lived before, wanting nothing, enjoying everything that they can, or simply relaxing without a care in the world as I was. Children were granted leave with their parents, neither having to compromise on their rest and duties, as all were provided for with all that they needed to simply… relax.

Even the finest of our merchants had little to complain about in the resorts, and all were made equal in their assigned places and granted luxuries… because everyone could simply have what they want.

This was the world envisioned by our king.

We worked and toiled, but we received protection from threats and the stresses of life.

I fought for this… and I found it good.

So, when Ilych's shadow fell upon me, I arose from the reclining chair without complaint… and raised eyebrow at my partner.

Covered from head to toe in a stripped diving suit and a snorkel, she held in one hand a massive fish and the other hand a fishing spear.

I shook my head as she looked my way.

Some would declare her eyes dull and unfocused, but I could easily tell that she was pleading.

I covered myself in a towel while shaking my head.

"Give it to the Antionette for processing and head to our transport. It'll be prepared fine enough for dinner when we land."

Ilych nodded once, which was the peak of excitement for her, and moved to hand her catch away.

Once more I looked at the paradise built by our king, and felt satisfied knowing that one more was being built in each region we controlled.

Here, and in all the others being constructed, everyone was creating memories worth fighting for.