Chapter 5: 2 Days To Capital & Ola’s Soliloquy

By the time we were leaving camp, I still hadn't figured out how I could advance my abilities, so I put it in the back burner and continued messing around with my physiology. After a couple of hours, I figured out how to induce my growth hormones by referencing my memories. An act that led to desired outcomes in unplanned, painful ways. The digestive process broke down the fat in the food from breakfast and extracted all protein, then started to breakdown the fat around my tummy. A lot of sweating ensued, gained about an inch or two in height, muscles became more defined and bone density increased; and all it took was getting one foot in the grave from near starvation.

Sleeping offered little solace, higher perception ensured I remained lucid in my dreams.

[Looks like I figured out what the humanoid projection is for.] I said looking at my blurred hands.

The starvation pulled me out of the dream state in a matter of minutes. I looked at Hami and projected Γ Hunger ˩. His eyes narrowed as a weary smile came over his face. He discretely handed me canned fish packed away in his duffle bag. I've never been so grateful in my life.

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(Ola's Soliloquy)

[I know what it's like to have power. How it feels to have your words and operations determine the prosperity or destruction of thousands. To my father, power was equivalent in weight to the responsibility that came with it, nothing more needed to be considered. I've always felt that his understanding of power was skewed. Giving my blood and sweat for the sake of strangers and the crown simply because the crown gave me lands and a title was equivalent to slavery with fancy title.

Power meant 'My' freedom. Having my words and operations determine the prosperity or destruction of thousands that freely choose to follow me and therefore belong to me. I'm not working for the sake of strangers given to me by the crown. My father learnt the difference when he had his title revoked for displeasing the crown.

The closest thing to my ideal version of power is having so much money that the crown would need to treat me like an equal. Everyone under my protection freely wants to be there and no one, not even the crown can take them away from me… legally at least. It's frustrating to always have the disclaimer that my freedom from the crown is only as much as the crown is willing to let me believe. I shall accumulate my wealth in preparation for when I find my ideal version of Power.]

It's been 8 days since I left home. I left father a letter declaring my intentions and emptied my savings, a considerable amount if I may say so myself. In an ideal world where I had no ambitions, this would have been enough to set me up for a lifetime.

Since then, Fate has been kind to me for I have met a gifted man in my travels. His mind is sharp and his Interpersonal skills are unparalleled. I suspect something wonderful lurks in those forgotten memories of his. But he is troubled. He grumbled a lot the first couple of days before trying to kill himself. It failed and he woke up without his memories but because of it, I was able to peek into the great well of talent that went under appreciated. His loss of memories have made him receptive to my advancements and if my gut is right, this is the first step towards my ideal version of power. He shall be my first investment.

I've also met a brilliant child. Her spirit remains true even though she grew up in the slums. I can tell, she's worked for every meal she's had. She's been tricked and she's been lied to before yet she has begrudged no one. Her spirit holds no malice and her heart bears the weight of ambition, a desire to walk the path of steam and machinery. My business partner, already hard at work to earn his keep, interviewed her yesterday, probably judging whether she would serve as a worthwhile ally. I approve of his actions and I also approve of his verdict. It pains me to potentially have another mouth to feed without an income but sacrifices have to be made, and the child's wisdom rings true '…hoarding resources, waiting for ideal conditions keeps you in the slums.'

He also started reviewing the quiet woman's books. A series of novels that seem popular among the ladies of nobility, it must be painful reading those but he needs to sample the works to know whether there's potential profits to be made, he's not getting 30% from our partnership to nitpick at potential profits simply because they aren't his niche of interest.

When evening arrived, I got the child and the troubled man to sit and listen to the wisdom of their better.

"We arrive at the capital tomorrow afternoon. Both of you shall come with me." I said, the regality in my tone only matched by the royal courts in it's sheer elegance.

The troubled man nodded like he already knew that that's what I was going to say. As it should be, if he's getting 30%, the least he could do is read my mind.

The child giggled like she always does, can't find fault in such innocence. The stupid crown would probably have her head for such insolence though, but I am not the crown and never will be, thank the gods.

"Could we leave after we speak to the carriage driver? She still has to tell me how to get into the engineering society." the child asked.

"Yes, leaving without showing my gratitude would soil my good name. Request granted. What about you?" I asked the troubled man.

"I'd like to say thanks for the ride too." he responded in that foreigner charm of his, I took a second to ponder whether that's what gets people to open up to him.

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After meeting with my council, I went over to Bitrus, for he was good company for the evening. A fine gentleman with tales filled with rogue freedom, adventure and obvious not-so-obvious disdain for the crown, just how I like them. His wife, finest weapons handler in the empire, -or so he claimed- was back home tending to the lands she loved while he barreled down towards the smell of steel, oil and machinery.

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We left the temporary camp before sunrise, earlier than usual but I was glad for it. Getting to the capital when all establishments were closed would only bring about unnecessary delays. My business partner seemed to be tying loose ends in the simple bonds he formed over the past few days. I continued dispensing knowledge of the Empire's language to the fine child, a valuable investment should she gain a favorable impression of me. It's not enough to warrant her absolute loyalty but it's a start. I also have a gut feeling that she has great potential in making me money, but not while being by my side. I shall lend her a hand whenever she needs it.

At midday, the scenery gradually changed as the city came into view. The amount of sunlight reduced as a great amount of clouds filled the entire horizon. I was certain a storm was coming until the child rejected the sentiment.

"It's smog. A mix of smoke and fog. The smoke comes from burning coal. It's common in any city that prides itself in it's industrial progression. I'm still fiddling with ideas that will make coal obsolete, miss Ola."

[Yes, definitely a promising investment.]

We made it to the city after a casual security check. Father's dukedom entrance checks were more thorough. The carriage driver stopped at what I could identify as a park and asked us if there was any place in particular we wanted to be taken to. This was the first time I've heard her speak ever since she found me at the train station and asked that I use her carriage instead. Normally, I would consider that nonsense. A train would cover the same distance in a day or two, was 10 times cheaper and about a thousand times more secure. But then she said she wasn't asking for payment and she'd cover for my meals, also promised that I would meet invaluable partners along the way that would help in my pursuit of wealth and freedom. A proposal never seemed so suspect in my life, but the only one that knew of my desire for wealth and freedom was my father for it was with only him that we had frequent debates on the topic. So I took her up on the offer, a chance existed that she wasn't spouting nonsense, I could feel it in my gut.

My business partner, like the visionary that he was, spoke up and asked to be taken to the postal office. Indeed, having a postal address was invaluable. A sentiment shared by everyone it seemed. The child also had her share of concerns for the lady, namely, how was she to get to into the engineering society. The lady handed her a letter and said she should come back to the carriage after her visit to the postal office. A similar letter was handed to medical boy and I presumed the instructions were repeated in their native language. A shame I couldn't speak his tongue, medicine was such a lucrative industry, especially after finding out what smog does to the human body. I presumed the troubled man interviewed him already and came to a verdict over his usefulness to our noble cause.

I gave Bitrus and the child my postal address, my business partner did the same but with everyone. So much potential lies dormant in this one, I can't wait to put his abilities to use. Bitrus used a different carriage heading to the city's underground tunnels, the other two men and the child went back to the strange woman's carriage and the author went on to find an inn, probably couldn't wait to sleep on a proper bed, a sentiment we both shared. My business partner, however, had different plans in mind. Namely, getting rid of his ignorance as soon as possible. I approved of his priorities. As I accompanied him to the library I also noticed he seemed to have grown taller, muscular and his presence seemed more pronounced. I also approved of this, one needed charisma to be able to woo the masses into making you rich.

I walked over to the city's archived records, picking up books on the city's nobilities and their occupations, list of successful businesses and their ownerships and also a detailed excursion into the taxing habits of the crown within the city. My business partner on the other hand saw it fit to start with the History of the Empire, sucks to be a foreigner.

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The evening found us in a mid-sized inn. He got his memories back, well at least enough to remember his name. 'Zeraki', very strange name. Zeraki was reading a newspaper, said that he knew very little of the capital and making money entirely depended on him understanding the customs of the people here, their social structure and staying up to date with the political climate. He also needed to see the types of businesses seeking investors. This was supposed to be my fraction of the work in our agreement but then remembered he had 30% of my profits so I let him be.

After finishing up on supper, we agreed to meet for brunch for we both deserved to sleep in tonight.