Racieros Torresso Commerro sat at the head of the long table of the castle’s dining hall after spending the night with Cultrost in his room. At the same time, Numisley slept alone in his room for the first time in a while. The Gildin Brothers were at either side of the table, with Cultrost on the right side, a few inches away from him, and Numisley sitting at the right, amused and glad about how close Racieros and Cultrost were.
The [Servants] were glad to see the last scion of Commerro present and in charge of the castle after the disorder of the past few days. There was an extravagant feast of salt-baked fish, fresh from the port’s waters on metal plates, a creamy stew made from the best shellfish the [Fishmongers] could offer, and metal goblets filled with watered-down wine for three people.
They ate a few bites until Numisley asked a question.
“So what are you going to do now?” Numisley asked.
“Study,” Racieros answered. “I’ll have to brush up on my lessons on governance and reread the Divine Decree.”
“Would we still be staying here?” Cultrost asked.
“Why not?” Racieros said. “If anyone asks…I might declare you two as this castle’s [Stewards]…or [Merchants] working under me.”
“Would we gain the Role if you do that?” Numisley asked.
“Depends on what you want or what the Voice wants,” Racieros answered, recalling his lessons on Feats and Roles. “But, are you still willing to help me?”
“Of course,” Cultrost said. “Right, Numisley?”
“Yes.” Numisley agreed.
There is a pile of work waiting for Racieros, once he sits upon the throne to hold court and listen to petitions. As a mongrel born from her mother’s low-born womb, he is in danger of any attempts of usurpation. He would have to explain himself to the rest of the Commerro House, who would find any justification to claim the crown jewel of their county, disregarding his pure-blooded legitimacy as the last son of the main family. Yet, even if his mother came back from the lands of the Gaviolos House, she would be allowed as a regent at best or banished from the House at worst, for she belongs to the lowest Houses in Torregorn, and not pure enough under the laws of the Divine Decree. He knows that the [Lady] of the Kaminor House and the once-exiled former Duc of the Gaviolos House are waiting for his moment of weakness, like vipers waiting to strike. Ironically, like Numisley and Cultrost told him, the foreign [Merchant] Aryyad and the [Privateer Captain] who slain his father have his best interest in mind, even if he would become a puppet under them.
He sat on a substitute padded wooden throne in the dais before the actual bisected throne when the sixth bell of the morning rang after spending hours reading through the Divine Decree and other books in the castle’s library with Cultrost and Numisley, reminding himself of his duty as the ruler of Ovespuerte. Aside from the two brothers beside him, with their own chairs, the [Court Mage] who lit up the lighthouse stood behind Racieros while Tuirre, the [Captain] of the Household Guard.
Without the doors, Racieros posted a line of Household Guards where the heavy ironwood doors once stood, armed with heavy pavise shields and spears. Cultrost also suggested a curtain of shadow magic to obscure what’s inside. Still, Racieros shot that idea down for the cost it entails.
Aryyad insisted he would be the first to see Racieros as a petitioner. He did not kneel in his presence, confidently looking up to Racieros without a silver of reverence. Both of them know who holds the actual power in the city.
“My lord.” Aryyad greeted. “My company, with the help of the [Captain] of the Diamond Shore, had kept the order within Ovespuerte.”
“My gratitude is yours,” Racieros said, attempting to hide his uncertain tone.
“Would you dismiss my [Mercenaries] in your service?” Aryyad asked.
“Yes.”
“Without paying them? Would you reconsider?” Aryyad asked. “The worst thing for a [Mercenary] is not to die, but to know that their employer refuses to pay them. It would be a shame if they revolt, especially since your Household Guard has only forty-seven men and women left.”
A bare-faced threat. He could imagine that either his father or his brother would order their men to kick him out of the castle, even if he was an influential [Merchant] Racieros knew that his Household Guard was outnumbered based on what Cultrost and Numisley told him. Yet he knew he had to play along until the right time. He kept his face composed, knowing that Cultrost and Numisley would always be beside him.
“Then, a gold coin for each of your men,” Racieros said. “It is all we could spare.”
“That should be enough,” Aryyad replied. “And I’m in need of Cultrost and Numisley.”
“W-”
Cultrost bumped Numisley's shoulder, non-verbally telling him to not interrupt Racieros.
“Why?” Racieros asked.
“We are business partners. They are integral members of my company.” Aryyad answered.
“As of today, they will assist me in economic matters. They are House Commerro’s [Merchants].”
Aryyad thought to protest against it, but he realized that with Numisley and Cultrost, he could prevail upon them to whisper to Racieros some policies he had planned for the city to benefit his monopoly and control over it.
“Of course,” Aryyad said. “Good day to you. Serve the [Count] well, Cultrost and Numisley.”
After Aryyad left, taking an alternate exit within the castle, he let Adriasta Kaminor and Dustitoz Gaviolos in, slightly miffed that they were the second audience instead of the first, like they were supposed to be. The vague figure behind them kept silent as he simply observed.
“Why do we have to wait for so long?” Dustitoz demanded an answer from Racieros.
“I elected to hear from one of the people who had maintained this city in my absence,” Racieros said.
“So is this why there are [Mercenaries] who patrol with the Household Guard?” Adriasta asked.
“Yes,” Racieros admitted. “Ovespuerte had suffered much from the [Pirate] attack, I heard.”
“I can see that,” Adriasta remarked at the state of disrepair of the castle. A hole in the ceiling bathed the two nobles in sunlight. Deep scores forming a circular pattern crisscrossed the once resplendent marble tiles that Adriasta and Dustitoz stood on. From Adriasta’s experience in battle, she guessed that a [Pirate Captain] with a powerful Feat had got into the castle and killed the father and son of the Commerros.
“[Consider Our Offer].” Dustitoz asked, lacing his words with a matching Feat, forcing Racieros to divert his full attention away from Cultrost. “With our Feats, and experience managing our domains, we can help you.”
Racieros thought about how sensible it is. Of course, as a lordling, he couldn’t manage the city alone. Yet he also has been taught how to resist the charm-based abilities of nobility like him, so his thoughts drifted to last night. His father was dead, and these vultures had come for Ovespuerte. He was now present on his wooden throne.
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“And how long would you continue to help? Until you claim Ovespuerte?” Racieros asked.
“I see now that we can’t convince you,” Dustitoz admitted. “But are you forgetting something?”
“And what’s that, Marquis?” Racieros uttered Dustitoz’s current title to provoke him.
“Your coronation,” Dustitoz said. “The Commerros will find any excuse to delegitimize your rule over the city, which means you must herd them like crabs in a cage! And if your coronation is…lackluster, with all these cracks and craters everywhere, you are giving them a reason to depose you.”
“So what are you saying, exactly?” Racieros sensed that it would cost him.
“I’ll let you loan a portion of the fortune of my House for the coronation.”
“And loan my manpower for security,” Adriasta added. “And whatever you need.”
Dustitoz stared daggers at Adriasta when she said that phrase. They both knew that this was another ploy to claim Ovespuerte.
“We–I…Give me time to consider it.” Racieros stuttered.
Numisley and Cultrost looked at each other with uncertainty.
“I’m afraid you have no choice,” Dustitoz said. “I also promise I will postpone Numisley’s trial until after the coronation.”
“You are dismissed,” Racieros said. “I will consider it.”
Dustitoz smiled deviously, seeing Racieros take the bait.
“I shall make my preparations.”
They both left the throne room, and Racieros sighed, slumping on his wooden throne.
“He’s got you there,” Numisley remarked.
“Laws guide me.” Racieros cursed. “What do you suggest?”
“How much coin does your castle have?” Numisley asked.
“[Count Treasury]. 200 gold. That was all the gold that the loyal [Servants] could hide. Those plunderers took the rest.” He spoke about the [Mercenaries] and [Privateers] who pilfered the castle in his absence, his grip on his throne tight. “And Aryyad…that damned [Merchant] dares to ask for payment?”
Cultrost rubbed his hand on Racieros’ shoulder, attempting to keep him calm. “I didn’t know you have that Feat.”
“I didn’t,” Racieros said. “One night, before my father and brother died, I suddenly gained the Role of [Count] and some of the Feats that I think my father had.”
“Interesting…” Numisley uttered. From the brown book, he knew nobility and royalty could pass their Roles and Feats to their children.
“Can you get something to drink?” Racieros turned to a nearby [Servant]. The male [Servant] silently bowed and swiftly headed to the pantry. “Cultrost, who’s next?”
Cultrost stared at the list handed to him by Racieros, containing a list of dozens of petitioners.
“The [Guildmasters].”
“What, like all of them?” Racieros asked.
“Seems so.”
Racieros grabbed the scroll off Cultrost’s hands. They saw that every [Guildmaster] had gone in a group to gain Racieros’ attention.
“And how many more?” Racieros asked.
“There’s those [Priests], the [Fishmongers], and…23 more petitioners.”
Cultrost listed a number of people before he decided to give the number of petitioners.
“Is this what my father has to suffer through?” Racieros massaged his temples. After he drank cold water from a cup brought by a [Servant], he let the [Guildmasters] in.
They introduced themselves as [Guildmasters] of various vocations, leaders of Ovespuerte’s Mage’s Guild, Adventurer’s Guild, Alchemist’s Guild, Smith’s Guild, Courier’s Guild, Shipmaker’s Guild, Builder’s Guild, and the Scrivener’s Guild. Two other [Guildmasters] are not with them; namely Aryyad, now the [Guildmaster] of the Merchant’s Guild, and the [Guildmaster] of Fishmongers will come later with the other [Fishmongers]. They are Humans of every range of age and gender: male and female, young and old. All of them had formed a bloc in recent times when chaos overturned Ovespuerte and begat a new economic tyrant.
An elderly man in the brown robes characteristic of his Guild stepped forward. Despite being frail, he had a presence few would dare to deny. His gleaming ink pot-shaped button that ties his robes together hung proudly on his chest. He unfurled a scroll, a list of complaints and demands against the new [Guildmaster] of the Merchant’s Guild.
“I, Scrivorr Haetio, the [Guildmaster] of the Scrivener’s Guild, on behalf of every [Guildmaster] and community leader of Ovespuerte, declare a formal protest against Aryyad of Rhundi.”
Racieros opened his ears with a genuine will to listen.
“We have cause to believe that he bribed every influential member in the Merchant’s Guild to get elected after the [Pirate] raid. The former [Guildmaster] of the Merchant’s Guild, Timorri Dovrino hasn’t been seen since his election. The next few days, his [Mercenaries] and those from the Household Guard had demanded taxes with a supposed official decree. I had personally used one of my Feats to obtain a copy of a decree.”
A copy of the decree appeared on Racieros' lap with the snap of the [Guildmasters]’ finger. Racieros can see the contents written that Aryyad had been the temporary illegitimate tax collector of many people of Ovespuerte, with the signed provisionary authority of Tuirre Cartala, the [Captain] of the Household Guard. Tuirre took a silent step back as he realized his current situation. Numisley realized it was the same document he read to the [Fishmongers] of Wharf Regusha, only that it was addressed to [Guildmasters] and community leaders of various districts.
“Do you recognize his provisional authority during your absence?”
Scrivorr’s question hung in the air before Racieros spoke decisively.
“No.”
“Then, we plead you, our Greatness, Lord of Ovespuerte. In the name of the Human Gods of this kingdom, with your fair, divinely ordained judgment bequeathed by the Decree, please depose this foreigner from his undeserving position. He is not a fellow [Guildmaster]. He is a robber, a sinner against the Divine Decree.” Scrivorr pleaded.
“I will,” Racieros. “But…the situation is complicated.”
“Complicated?”
The [Guildmasters] look confused. They whispered among themselves, and only Cultrost, with his keen hearing, had an idea what are they whispering about. Soon, they stopped. Cultrost guessed it was about Aryyad’s influence, about the inevitable power of certain individuals, those who have the Feats to accrue influence with their ability alone despite not being a ruler.
“We understand.” A middle-aged woman spoke. From the list, it said that she is the [Guildmistress] of the Shipmaker’s Guild. “Our will is at your disposal.”
“We pledge ourselves to your judgment.” The young [Guildmaster] of the Courier’s Guild said.
“We shall take our leave,” Scrivorr announced.
After them, Racieros listened to the temple [Priests], the [Fishmongers], and various people of Ovespuerte. Many of them were problems that Racieros could not solve right away, especially with the tax imposed on the [Fishmongers] during his absence. In Aryyad’s attempt to take over the city, he damaged the trust of the people and the communities within Ovespuerte. His [Mercenaries] still patrolled with the Household Guard because of the lack of manpower.
If Racieros’ father was in his place, he was sure that he would fare better with the Feats and experience he has. He would deal with that arrogant [Merchant] and that plundering [Captain], as well as solve the concerns of the dozens of petitioners and the discontent of the [Guildmasters]. He wished that he had taken his studies of governance more seriously before the demise of his father and brother instead of spending time learning the way of the blade, still middling in skill.
At the end of the day, he paid for the service of Aryyad’s [Mercenaries], leaving him with 150 gold in their treasury. Numisley, Cultrost, and Racieros worked together in the castle’s office to predict the costs of the coronation. They spent the night coming up with ways to save money, and by the middle of the night, all their efforts amounted to nothing. At their lowest estimates, they expect to lose 500 gold.
Racieros has no choice but to accept Dustitoz’s offer, even if the three of them know that it is a trap that would ensnare them in debt.
Despite that, Racieros had to be brave, even with his doubts. He slept with Cultrost with that thought in his mind.
[Feat - Verbal Riposte, acquired.]
[Feat - Sense Intent, acquired.]
[Rare Feat - Ascertain Loyalities, acquired.]