Chapter 169

Lords of Lowlandia

Lansius

Inside the spacious hall of the Great Keep, the three lords were discussing the issue with the guilds' power when the Lion of Lowlandia crossed his arms, muttering, "Still, I think I'm missing something. Do you think there's a clear risk that they will try to antagonize us? I mean, united as we are now, we're a pretty powerful alliance."

Lansius and Jorge nodded to acknowledge Robert's take.

"I say, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, more people, more trades, more money. While I still think forming a guild does have a benefit, I'm against making this all too complicated. I mean, everyone is better off with more money than more effort," Robert added.

Lansius smiled at the old viscount's practicality, which reminded him of his wife.

Perhaps I married a lioness without knowing...

"I assure you that one of the inventions could be powerful enough to make them betray us," Lansius explained.

The two viscounts stared at Lansius, their expressions a mix of doubt and admiration.

"Such claim will require explanations, Lord Lansius," Jorge said, giving his full attention.

Lansius leaned forward and explained, "I have a new fence that I wish not to spread outside of Lowlandia. At least until we begin to master it and become familiar with it. I think for at least a decade or two, just to be safe."

"Fence? A wooden fence?" Robert asked, his experience with horse breeding and livestock influencing his tone.

"A better one," Lansius answered. "What if I told you that I possess a fence that is easy to make, light to carry, easy to install, and ten times cheaper than a stone fence, yet could stop a raging horse?"

Robert's breathing grew heavy. "I need to see it," he declared, his enthusiasm evident despite his whitening beard and hair.

"But of course," Lansius reassured him. "We can see it after this meeting is over."

Jorge chuckled as he watched his older counterpart. "If such a fence exists, then I think we're better off forming our own guild. After all, a guild exists to protect its members' crafts, trades, and interests. It’s only fitting that you protect yours as well."

Lansius nodded, listening intently.

Jorge continued, "If you're concerned about the other guilds' reactions to us forming our own, we can entice them with more opportunities."

"Put them in a golden chain," Robert commented with a dry smile.

Lansius then revealed, "My plan is for the South Trade to persuade the guilds to cooperate, with a contract stipulating that they must honor our trade secrets or be barred from trading."

"That is clever," Jorge praised. "I think we can do both. Two solutions for an issue might sound unusual, but even in battle, we use multiple layers for protection."

Lansius found himself nodding again. Jorge was making a lot of good remarks. Lansius couldn't help but feel that those who labeled Jorge as the Big Fool of One Hill were simply short-sighted. The viscount was clearly well-educated, just not as talented as a warlord.

Jorge turned to Robert, who responded, "No issue from me. As long as I get those new fences available for me."

Lansius chuckled. "They'll be available for our Alliance members."

Jorge smiled at Lansius' reassuring words. "A question though, Lord Lansius." His careful tone drew the other two's attention. "I think we all heard about the Midlandia crisis. Will we take any action?"

Lansius sighed but shook his head. "I will not trouble ourselves to deal with Midlandia. Besides, after the last campaign, my men might be refreshed after winter, but my resources are depleted."

The two lords didn't comment but likely understood as well. Lansius continued, "The new power in Midlandia did send me a messenger with a threat, saying he'll round up my friends and also threatened to come to Korelia after he finishes with Lord Bengrieve."

The two lords' eyes sparked like fire. "Open threats to the Lords of Lowlandia?" Lord Robert scoffed as if hearing something absurd. Gazing at Jorge, "It sounds like this Reginald has a severe brain rot to cure."

"Sir Reginald's name is rather well-known in intellectual circles. We shouldn't underestimate his followers," warned Jorge. "Still, if he comes, I'll gladly prepare a Lowlandian welcome."

Robert's laughter echoed in the chamber, while Jorge continued firmly, "This time we even have the Alliance. If they really are that foolish, perhaps we'll even gain parts of Midlandia's fertile lands as a concession."

Satisfied with their reactions, Lansius asked, "Then do I have your support to ignore Midlandia unless they come looking for trouble?"

"You have our support," Jorge and Robert said reassuringly.

"Gratitude for the support," Lansius replied, sighing a breath of relief. "I wish I could also secure the people's support. The city has dire needs for talent."

"I doubt you haven't won the people's hearts," Robert responded amused.

"I've yet to tour the city, but with so much construction and innovation underway, it's only natural that the city will need carpenters, masons, smiths, and all kinds of artisans," Jorge explained to Robert, who stroked his beard and retorted, "Ah, don't worry too much. With three lords in a city like this, I'm sure talent will find its way into Korelia."

"Technically four, I believe we have Sir Omin here," Jorge glanced at the retinue row some distance away from them.

"It's actually five. We also have Sir Gunter, the former Lord of South Hill, in Korelia," Lansius said apologetically, considering Jorge and Gunther's past relationship.

Lord Jorge noticed the tone and shrugged. "What's past is past. He lost South Hill, and your arrangement has satisfied my House and my court, so for me, it's a settled matter."

As they talked, Calub and Farkas personally delivered the snacks instead of the usual servants, ensuring the confidentiality of the meeting.

Deep in their discussion, the three lords didn't pause the meeting for lunch, which was served in place. All agreed to forgo an elaborate, fancy meal in favor of a simple one like those they had on campaigns. Thus, still in the same seats and without a table between them, Lansius, Robert, and Jorge continued talking while eating stews topped with pickled vegetables, accompanied by wheat bread.

One ate and listened while the other two discussed. After several back-and-forths, Lansius became convinced that forming a guild-like department was a good choice without serious drawbacks. The only issue he foresaw was the potential for production bottlenecks, as a single entity owning the design might hinder widespread adaptation.

Still, he knew he could try issuing licenses, allowing other guilds to produce limited quantities within Korelia while barring their smiths from leaving. However, he realized that total exclusivity was risky. He could end up losing them, much like how the Empires of China lost their monopolies on silk and tea by refusing to share the secrets.

He preferred to compete on cost. Lansius believed that if he could enforce this approach until Korelia became a major producer, they should be able to climb the learning curve, become cost-effective, and remain competitive.

Furthermore, he saw similarities to how modern governments operated their own state-owned enterprises. He figured the Alliance could run based on a similar principle. All this extra effort to protect trade secrets was necessary, not because of losing potential profits, but because some inventions, like barbed wire, could cause irrevocable damage if introduced recklessly.

"It seems this is the best way to safeguard our trade secrets and protect everyone from unnecessary risks," Lansius finally stated.

"The word 'our' seems too much, Lord Lansius. I don't see how I, who did nothing, should benefit from this endeavor of yours," Jorge voiced his concern.

Robert, still wiping his bowl clean with his last piece of bread, watched them with interest.

Lansius smiled, explaining, "I think 'our' is correct since I'm going to need the Alliance to enforce it."

"Ah, enforcing it," Jorge nodded while setting his bowl aside. His squire wanted to take it, but Jorge motioned that it was unnecessary.

"It's a good idea. Rules without enforcement are just an empty bluff," Robert added, then drank from his goblet.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Jorge pondered before saying carefully, "So the idea is whether the guilds play by the rules, or they invite the wrath of the Alliance... it's quite a solid proposal."

"Just like hunting those wild ducks. Fat chance, big risk," Robert added.

"Then what should we name it the guild?" Jorge asked Lansius, who was still munching his last piece of bread. The Lord of Three Hills then turned his gaze toward Robert.

The old viscount replied with a grin, "Don't look at me. The last thing I named well was my daughter."

Lansius, setting his bowl aside, said, "I already have the Korelia Mason Guild, so we can get it up and running. As for the name, I'm pretty bad with names too."

The two chuckled, but Jorge had something in mind. "I read somewhere that the Imperium used to have a Ministry of Works. Obviously, we can't use 'ministry.' But we can substitute it with 'office.' How about 'The Office of Works?'"

Lansius glanced at Robert, who said, "Not bad at all. Not too fancy. Not too bland."

The two turned their gaze at Lansius, who was quick to nod, saying, "Sounds good. Then it's settled—we're going to expand the city's Mason Guild into The Office of Works."

Robert stood and took the jug of water, pouring it into their goblets. "I think it's fitting that we drink water to celebrate this. Let's hope that our endeavors stay fresh, sober, and vital."

Lansius raised his goblet, as did Jorge, marking another breakthrough of the meeting.

As Robert finished his goblet and placed it on the table nearby, he turned to Lansius and muttered, "Before we move on, when are we going to name ourselves? The Grand Alliance is a bit of a mouthful, and alliances usually have an expiration date."

Lansius stroked his chin and admitted, "I haven't settled on a name yet."

"Then let's use the name we agreed on before," Jorge urged. "My staff and I often referred to it as the Shogunate plan. So, I think we can just call it the Korelia Shogunate, and you, the Lord Shogun."

"Lord Shogun does sound nicer and less alien than just Shogun," Robert approved. "Does it mean anything specific?"

"Shogun means commander-in-chief, so it's essentially Lord Commander," Lansius explained.

"Then it fits," declared Jorge, turning to Robert, who gave a firm thumbs-up.

"Then we have a name," Lansius declared, clapping his hands to mark the decision. A team of scribes quickly rushed to their side.

Lansius prepared to dictate his decision, but Robert raised his hand, interjecting, "While there may be no precedent for this, since you will be first among equals—perhaps even more—it is only proper that I pledge my sword to your cause."

Hearing that, the rest of their retinue also rose, quickly surrounding them and beginning to kneel.

"Robert, Jorge, don't kneel," Lansius quickly pleaded. He hadn't expected this and felt the honor was too great to bear.

Robert glanced at Jorge, who had also taken his sword and scabbard out. The two Viscounts of Lowlandia, without kneeling, merely lowered their heads as they offered their swords, still in their scabbards, to Lansius.

Lansius, now standing, racked his brain for something solemn to say. He touched their swords and declared, "As Lord Shogun, I vow that no freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, or in any other way destroyed, except by the lawful judgment of his peers."

With this vow, the first formal meeting of the Shogunate was concluded.

***

Lansius

Returning home after the three lords meeting and debriefing with his top staff, Lansius headed to his study. It needed cleaning; leftover canvas and resin were everywhere—sticky, gunky, and smelly. He hadn’t had time to clean it since Sir Justin's sudden departure forced him to rush the production of sturdy canvas boxes that were reinforced with resin.

He wished for modern resin since tree sap resin was difficult to work with, requiring a long time to cure in the absence of a hardening agent. Nevertheless, it made the boxes lightweight, sturdy, and mostly waterproof.

Lansius hoped his invention would serve Sir Justin and the Arvenian effort well. Although there was a fear that his new invention could fall into the wrong hands, he convinced himself that its intricate and unfamiliar design would likely break and render it unusable if tampered with, or tried by an inexperienced person.

Besides, it's still far from the final design. More like a limited test bed.

"Are we going to clean the place, My Lord?" Margo asked as he lit up the multiple lanterns in the chamber since it was getting dark.

"Yes, Margo. It's time to clean up."

"Then, I'll go call for help," Margo said, heading to the door before he paused. "My Lord, will we do crafting like that ever again?"

"Possibly," Lansius nodded. "We're going to make a lot more of them, this time with a better design."

"When are we going to make it?" the fair lad asked, his eyes hopeful.

"Soon, Margo. We're still waiting for more resin. Why do you ask?" Lansius inquired as he took a seat in his study.

"Well, it's sort of fun making crafts with you and the other squires—cutting, sewing, and gluing," Margo explained cheerfully.

Lansius chuckled. "Well, it's going to take longer as I have to improve the design."

"Understood, My Lord."

As Margo left the study chamber, Lansius spent some time alone just to soak in his experience. He had just been made Lord Shogun, and now the Shogunate was truly up and running. Its first decree had been to expand the Korelia Mason Guild into The Office of Works, tasked with managing all new inventions.

Knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter," Lansius called. Margo, leading a group of maids, entered. They bowed their heads before beginning to clean the chamber.

Lansius himself pulled open his drawer and took out many of his designs. As he looked at them, he couldn't help but feel frustrated.

Just how to make it hold more? If only I could double stack them.

He picked up a finished box and began to tinker with it. He knew he had an hour or so before Audrey would knock on the door and ask him to join her for supper. Without realizing it, his lips turned into a smile.

Just as he was busy with the shogunate and several inventions, Audrey was also busy. Under the guise of studying, she continued to train with Ingrid, who was experimenting with how archery could help her master magic even without a source.

Lansius suddenly frowned. He had seen Sir Morton today and remembered that it was Sir Morton who had recognized Audrey's potential.

Perhaps it would be beneficial if we involve Sir Morton... Maybe we could learn a thing or two.

With that in mind, Lansius planned to broach the subject with Audrey and Ingrid. If they agreed, they could begin to find ways to invite Sir Morton privately without arousing suspicion.

...

Another week had passed quickly for Lansius, who was busy nearly every day. At one point, his health nearly faltered under the weight of his duties. But Audrey, ever watchful, forced him to sleep early and instructed the cook to prepare spicy meals along with boiled duck eggs, which helped Lansius' sickness to disappear.

There was a reason for all these activities. Lansius was assisting his noble guests, helping to distract their families from feeling homesick. He had devised an elaborate tour, enabling his staff to showcase the city in their carriage, which was equipped with leaf spring suspension.

The trip highlighted what Korelia had to offer. First, they toured the market area, which was smaller than Three Hills or White Lake but was growing and had a vast selection of goods. Almost every week, new traders arrived from other cities to try to make a profit in Korelia.

Next on the tour was the library, which had gained several more books during the winter thanks to the librarians' efforts to copy borrowed books. Now that trade had resumed, the library had also acquired highly valuable works such as the Imperium encyclopedia, arranged no less by the decree of the Emperor himself, several volumes of Imperium histories, and books on mathematics and philosophy.

Further into the tour, they showed off the state-of-the-art bathhouse, decked with marble and decorated lavishly like a cool oasis. The separate indoor sauna and swimming hall were also nearing completion.

Afterward, as they returned home to their inns, the tour traveled through the other side of the market where they could see the new fountain projects. Once completed, these would provide the city with clean water and help flush all the sewage from the city center into a dugout area that would later become ditches outside the city wall.

Aside from the city tour, Lansius had also delivered two spring beds, one to each Lord's household as gifts. They were well-received, and many inquired about them. As a gesture of goodwill, he planned to deliver another set for Sir Michael and Astrid, who were part of House Robert, and for Lord Jorge's children, as production ramped up.

Next to receive the beds were Calub and Cecile. Despite his objections, Sir Harold would also receive one. They were also trying to make a special lightweight bed for Batu, and lastly, Sir Gunther was on the priority list, as he was still a former Lord and was ailing.

Contrary to Lansius' low expectations, the news of the new mattresses caused quite a stir among the nobles and merchants. Some curious souls found their way into Lord Robert's presence, who then decided it was in his best interest to further boast about the beds. The Lion of Lowlandia praised the mattresses' supreme comfort and durability, even going so far as to claim that he felt much healthier after sleeping on them and that his long-waned virility was now returning in force.

This led to great demand for the beds among rich knightly Houses and wealthy merchants. Lansius addressed the issue early by introducing a waiting list, thus preventing a major headache as everyone wanted to meet his staff just to inquire about the bed.

The escalation in demand made Lansius realize that he could profit greatly from the craze. Thus, he implemented tiered pricing: those who received the beds first paid a premium price for exclusivity, while those willing to wait were offered a lower price. This strategy allowed him to maximize profit without tainting his reputation.

Furthermore, he also implemented discounts for members of his knights and his allies, pleasing everyone and securing a long future for one of his enterprises.

***

Elandia, Lord Bengrieve

Unexpectedly, and against his advisors' counsel, Bengrieve took only Sir Stan and a small detachment of a hundred people, aiming to return before winter. Many believed he was being obtuse, yet he left that notion unchallenged, not wanting to reveal his plans even to his closest retinue.

Thanks to the Hunter Guild's reliable eagle messengers, they had a steady stream of information from home. However, they were stranded around the Elandia-Midlandia border as heavy snowfall battered the region. There, they spent their winter in humble villages.

Bengrieve sat on a wooden stool and, in the absence of entertainment, was content making his own meals, chatting, or engaging in singing ballads he knew. Often, he watched the fire in the old soot-filled fireplace. He didn't need a quill pen or paper to formulate or revise the grand plan in his head.

Never before had his retinue seen him live like a humble villager, yet Bengrieve seemed unfazed by any inconvenience. In his youth, his father and grandfather had mentored him well on multiple hunting trips, making him accustomed to resting in such old wooden cabins.

The door creaked, and Sir Stan watched indifferently, munching on a blood sausage. The squire opened the door to a slit and received news from the man outside. Turning to Bengrieve, the squire reported, "My Lord, the advance scout reports that the road is clear of snow."

The baronet of Toruna's face immediately beamed with delight.

"Good," Bengrieve remarked lightly. "Then, let us move to Château D'Aguilar."

"D'Aguilar, My Lord? Not to Cascasonne?" the squire dared to ask.

Before Bengrieve could answer, Sir Stan interjected, "There's nothing there. Why are we heading there?"

"You didn't know? Beneath it lies a town with natural hot springs," Bengrieve replied, almost quipping.

Sir Stan and the squire's eyes widened. Taking steps closer, Sir Stan confronted Bengrieve, whispering, "What are you thinking? Are you hiding something in that place?"

Bengrieve laughed and quipped to his cousin, "I merely wish to find some comfort after the winter." Then, turning to the squire, he ordered, "Set our men to D'Aguilar tomorrow morning."

"Yes, My Lord," the squire confirmed, despite his doubts, and left the command tent.

Once alone, Sir Stan dropped the formal facade, asking, "Cascasonne is our power base, and it's besieged by ten thousand angry mobs with siege weapons."

Yet, Bengrieve's response was lackluster, "There's no need to force ourselves. The rainy season is coming."

"But the news from the castle... With that many opponents, even the tall walls might not withstand the siege regardless of rain," Sir Stan pressed.

Bengrieve was amused, saying, "Have some faith, cousin." Next, he wore an ominous smile and mused aloud, "But you know. Even if I let Cascasonne meet its fate, it will still serve a beautiful purpose."

***