Chapter 57

I walked down the hallway of the Estate, my shoes clicking against the marble floor. The sound echoed through the halls, a reminder of my presence. I made my way toward the dining room, where the council would meet for the day. Master Calliope had already ordered a separate building to be constructed for our meetings, but it wouldn't be ready until the next gathering.

Pushing the doors open, I was met with the sight of all the council members already seated and waiting. Naturally, I took my place at the head of the table, with the Duke seated on my right and Master Calliope on my left. The rest of the council members were seated further away, waiting for me to start the proceedings.

"Good morning, gentlemen and ladies. Shall we get started?" I said, flashing a smile. The council members returned the gesture, and I began the meeting with the first topic on the agenda.

"The first topic of the day is the dealings with other regions. It is not a surprise that some of the deals that were made were far from fair," I stated, while the council nodded in agreement.

"I agree, Lord Lucas, but as of right now, we are still stuck in a corner. The South has always paid a premium for other resources," Marquis Corvus spoke up. "The deals around the border are the most harmful. There are nearly three times the going market rate, and it is unlikely to change soon. While your business has caused a resurgence, the same problem remains: the south can't produce its own resources, leaving us at the mercy of others."

I leaned forward, my expression serious. "This has always been the case, Marquis, but that doesn't excuse just how much they are charging us. We can't keep letting them get away with it. Every year, the cost of just feeding our people is skyrocketing,"

The Duke interjected, his voice laced with anger. "It isn't enough to merely attempt to limit the problem; we need to eliminate it altogether."

"It is not possible to eliminate the problem right now. The South is in a trade deficit. We are spending too much and have too little to invest in other territories. If we want to change this, we have to start by building stronger relations with another region," the Marquis retorted, his tone resolute.

Curious about our financial resources, I turned to the Marquis and asked, "How much money do we have to spend?"

"Very minimal, my Lord. With the new taxes imposed upon the formation of the council, our annual budget amounts to approximately 2 million gold coins, and it is expected to decrease by 10% each year," Marquis Corvus replied, a hint of concern evident in his voice.

"I will negotiate a deal between my father and the South. After all, we are the top producer of food in the whole kingdom," I asserted, my voice filled with determination. "It would be in our best interest to lower the price of food as much as possible, even if it means accepting double the market rate. It's a far better alternative to the exorbitant prices we currently face."

Taking a deep breath to gather my thoughts, I continued, "On the other hand, the South holds the top exports of salt and iron. We have been quite generous by selling them at just market value. It's time to leverage our position. If they refuse to bring down their prices, we must limit the quantity of salt and iron leaving the South, creating scarcity. Then, we can sell these resources at a hefty price, forcing them to reconsider their stance."

I glanced at the rest of the council, their attention fixed on my words. "By employing this strategy, we can significantly lessen our burden and reduce the trade deficit by an estimated 30 to 50 percent."

"Lord Lucas, I must raise my concerns regarding your proposal," Count Alfred interjected, his expression reflecting worry. "Swords are constantly needed for the kingdom's defense, and salt plays a crucial role in preserving food. If we were to implement your recommended approach, we might inadvertently harm the entire kingdom in the process."

"The kingdom has hurt us, and it is about time we stand for ourselves. We cannot keep playing nice with them if they don't play nice with us," interjected Master Calliope, her voice fierce.

"I agree. We need to start acting in the interest of our people," Count Roven said with resolve. His territory was one of the most affected by the king's actions.

I looked around the room and saw that most of the council members seemed to agree with Master Calliope and Count Roven. "All right, let's put it to a vote. All in favor, raise your hands," I said. Quickly, all of the council members raised their hands, including myself.

"Very well. We'll proceed with the plan" I said letting out a deep breath "We'll start negotiations with the other regions immediately and use the salt and iron as leverage. Marquis Corvus, I need you to handle this personally and report back to us with your progress."

Marquis Corvus did a small bow and nodded in acknowledgment. "I will handle the negotiations with the South to the best of my abilities, Lord Lucas," he affirmed, a sense of determination in his voice. I offered him a grateful smile, appreciating his willingness to take on the task.

"Now, onto the next topic," I shifted my gaze toward Master Calliope. "We need to reposition our armies towards the southern border. It is crucial for us to be prepared for any potential attack."

The duke looked puzzled and quickly voiced his objection. "That would be unnecessary. There is no indication of an imminent attack on the southern border, apart from a few skirmishes."

However, Master Calliope stood in agreement with me, countering the duke's argument. "Duke, those skirmishes are merely probing actions to test our strength. We cannot afford to show any signs of weakness. We must be prepared."

Marquis Corvus interjected, bringing up the financial implications. "It will be a costly endeavor. The resources required to move and sustain the soldiers, providing housing and ample rations, would amount to at least 800,000 gold coins. We are talking about relocating hundreds of thousands of troops."

I took a sip of my drink, maintaining a calm composure. "I propose that we station only 20-30% of our military forces on the southern border," I suggested. "While it will entail a substantial one-time cost, once the preparations are complete, we won't regret the decision."

Count Alfred raised a valid concern, questioning the potential threat from the kingdom. "What about the Kingdom? For all we know, they could be preparing their armies to crush this council. If we want to defend the South, we should station our troops closer to the capital, on the Duke's land."

I reassured the council members, addressing their worries. "You don't need to worry, Count Alfred. The king won't move against the council. He won't risk triggering a civil war. Besides, even if he did, we would still have 50% of our armies at our disposal, ready to be called in at a moment's notice."

A brief silence filled the dining room as each council member pondered the merits of the troop repositioning plan. The weight of the decision hung in the air, and the atmosphere brimmed with anticipation. After a contemplative pause, I called for a vote.

"Everybody in favor, raise your hand," I declared, my voice projecting with conviction. One by one, the council members extended their hands, showing their support for the proposal.

As satisfaction swelled within me, a smile slowly spread across my face. With the troop repositioning matter settled, we directed our attention towards less pressing issues, engaging in further discussions. Eventually, the first council meeting came to a close.