The next few months pass by in a familiar, yet comfortable way. Overall, these past months were comforting and so mundane life feels easy... but I still get a lot of work done. I managed to set up my spice trading company in full. I changed from my initial plan, instead making the company an importer. I found it quite a bit easier to sell in bulk to merchants rather than selling the product on my lonesome. This is because I don't have the same connections and transportation infrastructure as many well-established merchants. I lower my prices somewhat in order to keep getting business, but even still, after the large warehouse was built, in the first month it made almost 50 golden crowns, and it's expected to grow further from there.

Using this money I freed many Frontiersman slaves from various different groups and hired them on as employees. Their gratefulness for their freedom has resulted in highly dedicated workers, who I trust to have impressive work ethics. Plus, it's a good deed. I do skim off a considerable amount of the profits and place that money into a personal bank vault I managed to buy. Then there was the most surprising thing I learned over the months. The royal treasury gives us around 75 golden crowns a month as monthly funding. This means my fear of running out of money is rather unfounded which is good. This means I can get away with taking more from the profits I obtain.

Using the new funds along with the remainder of our initial funds I start hiring new staff to help me work. I focus on freeing frontiersmen as mathematics is taught to us at a young age. This is because many groups within the frontiersmen are very strict when it comes to inventory and other such things. Educated workers are useful... and grateful workers are loyal. I create a whole department that is dedicated to the paperwork side of things. They lower my workload when it comes to sorting paperwork. There also is an accounting department now. Overall I have that side of things all worked out and running smoothly, which is really nice.

With all my worries about paperwork taken care of, I begin creating my own security force. Simply put, until the others return from their recruitment we currently have zero force projection capability as the Hero's Party. Luckily there is a very large slave market in the capitol, so I am able to recruit many people I know personally as I grew up with them in the Stella Coyote. I feel a little bad that I don't free anyone from outside the Hounds of Luna culture group, but my force composition only has room for Hounds of Luna, based on the combat style of the cultures found within. I free and hire as many others as possible into support roles, such as smiths or other craftsmen. I even am lucky to find a few physicians. While not as good as modern medical professionals, they still are quite skilled. Overall I have all supporting roles filled with skilled individuals, and trustworthy ones as well.

With those I brought on for combat roles, I create two forces. One is basically a private army. They are more traditional warriors and I put them in charge of protecting both the castle and my business venture. I put Henna in charge of this group directly as my direct lieutenant, as she has proven herself quite capable as an administrator, and the Red Hyena culture group's doctrine for combat works best in direct confrontations.

The second group is more clandestine. They will be the ones lurking in the shadows. While I still have access to the royal spy network, I want my own guys in those positions as well. Their role will be that of secrecy and deceit. They work as spies, scouts, assassins, secret police, and hidden bodyguards. Sertean is in charge of this group, while the Stella Coyote are not exactly the secret police type, our combat doctrine is definitely better for stealth and rapid deployment and also I trust Sertean with my life in its entirety.

As of now, I don't have any missions for either of these groups, but I get them into place. I create a series of safe houses throughout the kingdom where missions can be staged and operatives can find shelter. I place some of my secret police in positions close to the royal spies scattered throughout the kingdom to either help support them... or to make them no longer a liability if needed. Overall my web of influence has been spun around the entire kingdom and hopefully, it will expand further.

Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from the princess, Karl, or Blake. From informants around the kingdom, I learn they are still alive and well, but they don't write, which means it will be quite annoying to do the paperwork for all they have gotten done. I begin drafting papers based on what the informants have shared with me, but until they report it directly, I can't be 100% sure.

One day, I sit down in one of the lounges of the castle to rest after a long day of work. I am enjoying a book about alchemy as I have begun researching this practice to see if I can create my own healing potions or whatever to either make a profit or simply have an internal supply. I am interrupted by none other than Blake walking into the lounge. He takes a seat across from me with an old woman who came in with him. The old woman is wearing some sort of religious uniform. I dog-ear my book and set it down before greeting them. Blake explains what he has gotten done,

"Well... I think I got some support from the church...

This here is the grand matriarch of the church of Serena. They have offered us their complete support and are giving us over one-hundred paladins and fifteen high clerics... Plus of course financial backing if we need it."

I nod and try to hide my surprise. I knew the church would support us, but handing over that many soldiers is quite surprising. The financial backing makes sense enough, but from the number of soldiers they gave, I assume the amount of cash they are willing to give us would be quite substantial. I look toward the old woman and nod showing my thanks. I then explain and ask,

" If you don't mind. There is the issue of space for housing these paladins. We are incredibly thankful for the support, but this castle is almost at maximum capacity. Where will they be housed?"

The old woman smiles warmly and replies,

"That is no issue, Lord Isa. The goddess wills us to help in this holiest duty. We will be building a barracks cathedral where we will house our forces. These one hundred brave warriors are all we will give in military support for the internal struggles of the Kingdom of Alrius, of course, unless a sizeable Demon King army is found. The entire church's might will join the hero once the crusade against the heretics and Demon King begins."

I nod and reply,

"Thank you, madam. Your support will not be wasted...but may I ask for documentation of all the troops and supplies you have or will provide?"

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

She nods and responds,

"Of course. I will have those documents delivered along with the main force after the housing is built."

I smile and thank the woman and then Blake asks,

"I notice many more staff members here, but overall what have you been doing?"

I answer,

"I worked on getting our administrative system set up and have gotten our finances in order. This is along with getting our information network completely set up and the filing system created for intelligence."

He gives an understanding look while nodding. He then replies,

"I think the princess and Karl will be returning soon as well. I will take my leave now..."

Both he and the matriarch leave the room, but as soon as they do another person enters. She is a fairly attractive woman with ginger hair and freckles to match. She is wearing a set of full-plate armor with a white tabard. There are markings of the church all over it made out of golden-colored thread. She is holding her helmet in her right arm, and on her left hip is a highly decorated sword. The handle looks more like an art piece than a weapon. I safely assume she is a paladin. The most striking thing about her is her emerald green eyes which are staring at me with hatred.

She stands across from me with that expression on her face. I calmly ask her,

"May I help you miss?"

Her face curls in disgust toward me and she explains,

"The church has designated me as your... caretaker. The hero has claimed to the church that you are in league with the Demon King, or at the very least a villain and an enemy of the church. I am Arch-paladin Ginessa. I am to report you if I see anything... suspicious. I am your executioner if I ever am needed to be.

As of now, the church is unable to execute you outright so we must wait to find concrete evidence to do our charge.

I believe the hero with all my heart, so if I had my way I would have killed out already."

I can't help but let out a small laugh and then tell her,

"Well... tell me. Would you kill me in my sleep? "

She looks at me confusedly and replies,

"No... there is no honor in that. I am still a knight."

I laugh for a moment and then tell her,

"Well, there isn't much issue then. I can sleep at night and you'll never find anything worthwhile."

She nods with a stern look and I go back to reading. As soon as I begin the first sentence of the page I'm on Karl comes waltzing in.

I set my book back down and find Ginessa is now standing in the corner of the room. I greet Karl and he announces,

"I got what I needed to do done. I managed to get a few members of the nobility to pledge their undying loyalty and collected a few hundred crowns in extra funds. The rest I met with are willing to help us by allowing free passage through their lands."

I sigh and ask,

"Please tell me you have this all in writing?"

He shakes his head with a confident smile. I laugh and tell him,

"Please go write it all down. I like to keep everything on file."

He frowns and nods in understanding. He goes to leave and gives a wink to Ginessa who grimaces and he leaves the room. This time I wait a moment before I start trying to read again. I read one whole page when the door swung open and the princess walks in. I accidentally shout,

"Goddammit!"

She seems shocked and asks,

"What's wrong Isa?"

I sigh and reply,

"Sorry, it's just that every time I start reading someone steps in and interrupts."

She laughs and sits down on the couch across from me. She smiles and tells me,

"The military is on our side. Basically, we call, and they come. I didn't manage to secure anything else but hey, they are willing to help. What did you do?"

I explain almost everything I got done in the few months and she seems quite impressed. We small talk for a bit sharing funny stories of our time apart. We even get the stern Ginessa to laugh a few times at the things that happened to us during the time apart. Eventually, the conversation stalls and the Princess stands up claiming to be ready for bed. As she goes to leave she grabs me by the arm and leans in. She whispers in my ear,

"The military is loyal to me alone... they won't support the church if it goes against you."

We share a knowing look as she leaves for bed. I find myself staring as she leaves and I shake my head feeling guilty. The memory of what I did to her during the terrorist attack comes back and I feel even worse still. With the wind taken from my sails, I head to bed. I enter my room and find Mekare waiting for me as usual. Ginessa enters after me and Mekare looks a little distraught at this. I say to Mekare,

"I have something to tell you... without extra ears."

She nods understanding and Ginessa says to me,

"If you can say it to her, you can say it in front of me."

I look at her with pleading eyes and say, faking being really awkward,

"Ummm uh... it's a little... private... I'm sure you don't want to hear."

She shakes her head and says sternly,

"Any word from your mouth is important. Speak."

I sigh, faking defeat, and say to Mekare in fake sincerity,

"Mekare... I think... I think tonight we should try again... I will need an heir. This task is far too dangerous to leave the Hasslerouge family without a future."

I watch as the pale woman's face goes red. From my research, the church is big on purity and being quite squeaky clean. While polygamy is okay in the church, premarital relations are strongly frowned upon and sex is somewhat of a taboo subject to talk about with anyone aside from your partner. The paladin seemingly gets over her initial shock and becomes stoic once more. Mekare, understanding my game replies in a similar fake sincerity,

"Oh, Isa... I couldn't agree more... do you want to be the one tied up or should I be the one? I am still quite sore from the positions!"

This time the paladin is forced to turn around and face the wall. I can see her face is bright red in embarrassment. I have to stop myself from laughing at the whole joke, but Mekare quickly approaches the woman and places a hand on the back of her head gently. She mutters something under her breath I can't understand and Ginessa goes stock still. Mekare steps away and tells me,

"Alright, we are now alone. What is it you wish to say?"

Ignoring whatever horrible thing just happened in front of me I tell Mekare,

"Let Duke Hasslerouge know operation Black Crown is complete and that we are ready to actually begin missions. "

She nods and grasps Ginessa by the shoulders before rotating her around towards me. She has a distant expression and is staring right through me. Then Mekare asks,

"So... do you wanna have some fun? She is quite helpless."

I recoil in disgust and almost shout,

"No! What the fuck? Yeah, she is dedicated to my downfall but I absolutely won't do that!"

Mekare acts hurt and then says,

"I meant to mess with her! I would never, ever suggest you could defile a woman like this!"

I scoff and she gives me a devious grin. I sigh and think for a moment before I say,

"You may draw on her face, nothing more."

Mekare gives me a totally innocent smile before walking the comatose woman out of the room. As soon as the door closes I shudder in disgust and get ready for bed. I pull the covers over myself and find sleep easily. Tomorrow I will finish this operation and begin the next steps forward.

My morning is quite bland. I eat, I go over papers, and I make some small talk with both workers and my fellow party members. Ginessa follows me through the entire day. It's clear she is trying to be slick and nonchalant but a woman in plate armor sticks out like a sore thumb. I simply ignore her as I go about my day, making sure everything is in order when the messenger arrives just past noon.

He brings a letter, sealed by the king and signed by both the Dukes. I read it on my lonesome at first and feel my heart sink. I work out the potential logistics of this mission on paper first before I read it to the others and put things in motion. After a day of work, I managed to have all "T"s crossed and "I"s dotted. I call a meeting in the war room, I already placed pieces on the maps, set the proper coinage aside, and have a full operation planned. This is gonna suck...