IGIWS: FIRST DRAFT: Chapter 239

Everyone in the chamber watched Rya quickly scribbled away on the parchment.

"By the Goddess! She's creating a curse!" Screamed out a man that was one of Duval's aids.

"If you throw another accusation at my fiancee one more time, then I will send you to the dungeon... Do you hear me!?" Quinus spat out as the man slumped down in his seat.

Quinus, Johan, Douglas, Tayna, Nieren, Yuliana and a bunch of Royal Knights glared the man who was trying to hide while Rya ignored him and continued to write on the paper.

"Earl Nathaniel... What is the market prices for your goods?..."

Nathaniel was shocked when Rya addressed him. But he didn't let it show.

"The price for a bale of wheat is 600 Fiafyrian silver coins and a bale of cotton is 800 silver coins... There's some other produce my farmers grow that are more of a specialty that we don't export to the neighboring Kingdoms."

Rya nodded her head as she finished writing down on the parchment.

"How much do you export in a year?"

"Our farmers can produce 12 million bushels of wheat and 5 million bushels of cotton..." Nathaniel said.

"And how much of that do you ship out through William's ports?"

Nathaniel paused as he was thinking.

"We try not to use his ports as much because of the tariffs but there's only so much we can sell up to are northern neighbors... So we send out 2.3 million bushels of wheat and 900,000 bushels of cotton annually through the city of Solace. We barely get any profit from that port and the prices of goods are higher... Sometimes I wonder if it's better to let are surplus rot than try to sell our goods by sea."

'Well, it looks like the tax revenue that William makes off of Nathaniel's goods isn't enough for him... This greedy bastard is going to feel the hurt. Hehehe.'

Rya had a glint in her eye as she was double checking her math and put in a range of different percentages for using there neighbor's port. She had a best case scenario and moderate scenario in mind. She was happy that she asked Zellin Cordforge on how his domain makes it's money. It happened one day when she got the itch to look at paperwork one day. Normally when she was a consultant back on Earth, she couldn't stand going through the finances of a client that had no fucking clue on what they were doing. She felt like a accountant sometimes. But what she excelled at was changing a companies behavior to streamline their operations and made them more efficient. She just had the consulting bug after going through everything that was interesting in the Mage's Library. Plus, she didn't want her skills to get too rusty.

"And how long do you think it takes for your goods to reach the Kartoll Kingdom?..."

Nathaniel didn't know if Rya was testing him.

"It would probably take two to three weeks? But that depends on how easily my goods can get thought the borders of the other Domains," said Nathaniel.

"Ok!... I have a basic idea now. But what is the quickest way to New Larna?" Rya asked as she glanced over to Nathaniel.

Baron Thaddeus ears perked up when he heard Rya asking about one of his cities and Duval was getting annoyed that his emergency meeting was being put to the side. He was about to interrupt the Dark Elf until he spotted something that he hasn't seen before. When he was scanning the room to see if he could get a read on the members of the council and see who siding with him or not. Normally he would ignore Alaric and his allies due to them messing with him at every turn. But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the William had a look of worry or confusion... While at the same time, Alaric looked uncomfortable. It was hard to spot but after studying the Duke for a minute, Duval was positive that Alaric was trying to counteract this conversation. The only time Duval has ever seen Alaric looked defeated was when his assassin turned on him and wiped out all the sympathizers within the palace walls. King Cyndre was furious that his older brother tried to kill Quinus when he was still a baby, and the King was ready the order his execution, right then and there. At the time, Duval worried that if the Arch Duke was sentenced to death then all the Minor Noble Families would have started an uprising within the kingdom. He thought it was guaranteed that the surrounding kingdoms would invade if civil war were to happen. So Duval came up with a quick plan to change the King's mind and punish Alaric by emptying his coffers and garnishing his wages for 10 years. He was convinced that all those minor nobles would join his side if Alaric lost all his money and was stripped of his title of Arch Duke. He and his son would lose the right to the throne. He thought those who sided with the Duke would abandoned him over time.

Duval thought his plan was fool proof but most of the Minor Nobles continued to remain loyal to the Duke even if he offered the money he got from Alaric's coffers to the nobles. It was one of the biggest backfires he's ever had in his entire life. He should have seen it coming since the Minor Nobles were never interested in sided with him.

So now that the Prime Minister saw the Duke uncomfortable, he decided to stay quiet and see where the conversation was going.

'Well. Well... Well... Is the great and ever smug Alaric nervous about something?" Duval thought to himself as he tried his best not to smile. 'Maybe I will use whatever this Dark Elf has to offer and then we can vote her out of the kingdom... I mean, the whole point of this emergency meeting was to keep Terenthiel and the Divine Three from knowing that she is here in the first place... And the cats out of the bag... So might as well let the meeting run its course... And see if she can help me or not. The best-case scenario is Alaric and his Allies finally loss their leverage within the kingdom... And worst-case? Well? It might take a day longer to kick her out of the Kingdom.'

Duval was pulled out of his thoughts when the Earl started talking.

"Well? The best route would be to go through Eder Hills and use their highways to get to the City of Gilduirn, that the second biggest merchant city in Baron Johnathan's Domain. Unless I'm mistaken?" Earl Nathaniel looked over to Johan.

"You're correct, your lordship. We used Gilduirn to store the purple slag and other raw metals that we ship to the southern Domains... We don't really have that much agricultural goods being stored there due to the Berger Domain food production... But I don't see a problem with storing more goods in Gilduirn," Young Lord Johan Dule said.

Rya looked at the map again to locate Berger Domain. It was directly south of the Royal Domain.

'So, that's the Prime Minister's Domain? It looks like it's a little bit bigger than Eder Hills... Which means Duval has the third richest land in the kingdom...'

Rya was brought out of her thoughts when Nathaniel spoke, "That's good to hear... Then I believe the next destination for transporting the goods to would be the City of Fidelia, located on the south east side of the Silverglade Enclave. Fidelia has the Eder River running through the city and it is the biggest river that can support a ship to carry the goods downstream through the Tharsult Domain to the New Larna."

"Okay... And I just was to be sure... Is there a reason why we can't use the Eder River to got out to the sea?" Rya asked.

Quinus chimed in, "There are two reasons. The first is it becomes rapids fifty miles east of New Larna. And the second reason is—"

"There's a giant waterfall called the Dragon Falls that will rip any ship to pieces," Thaddeus said.

Quinus looked at the Baron who interrupted him.

"Ah!... My apologies, your Highness... I just got into my element because no one really addresses my Domain," Baron Thaddeus Windermere said apologetically.

"That's quite alright, Thaddeus... But try to respect me a little more, would you?" Prince Quinus said with a slight tone of annoyance in his voice.

"Of course, your highness... But back to what I was saying. The Eder River is very dangerous past New Larna because of the rapids and the falls. Frankly, it would be nice to have some way to access the sea from New Larna. That's the only place where the Eder River and the Sea can connect."

Rya looked at the map again and she looked at the Eder River.

"Hmm... Hey Quin?... How difficult do you think it would be to build a canal?" Rya asked.

"That's an interesting idea... I've mainly engineered machinery, but I've been taught how to design buildings and bridges from colleg— well you know where... Anyway, I think I mock up a draft of a canal but I would need to test the weight tolerances of the river bed before I can start planning the width and length."

"Cool... But it looks like I've gone on a tangent, sorry about that..." Rya apologized.

"It's no problem... But let's focus on the transportation of the purple slag and crops." Quinus said as he looked at the map.

"Ahem... Alright, so the goods will disembark at New Larna, then it will go through the Kartoll Kingdom to the sea port of Cresmond... This not will this be beneficial to the kingdom but strength the relationship between us and the Kartoll Kingdom," Rya said as she finished scribbling down the numbers and estimated profits.

'Shit... The Earl is fucking bringing in the cash!... So... The gross profit for the Wheat comes out to one billion, three hundred and eighty million silver... And if the three Domains play nice and there's only a 3.5 percent taxes on goods, which the three Lords get a three way split of the one hundred forty-four million, and nine hundred thousand silver. Then the Kingdom of Kartoll will probably ask for a higher percentage... I'm guessing around 5 percent, so there cut would be sixty-nine million silver. So the Earl would be bringing in one billion, one hundred sixty-six million, and hundred thousand silver... That's a lot of dough! And that's only for trading wheat? This isn't including the cotton and—'

"It's pitifully that you think that using that witch's ports will benefit this kingdom when using ours is far superior," Prince Terenthiel Marrell seethed with anger.

Rya glance at the Prince with a bored expression before she looked at the map and then back to Terenthiel.

"Really?... Tell me Terenthiel?... How good is the Alliance's infrastructure?" Rya asked with a condescending tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Terenthiel asked he didn't know what the word infrastructure means.

'Oh course this little shit doesn't know... All this asshole knows is praying and trying to kill non-humans.'

"I mean, does the Alliance have paved roads that connect all the Kingdoms? What's the quality of the docks? Do you have warehouses that can store the goods?" Rya asked with a mocking grin.

Terenthiel sat up in his seat and stared down Rya, "Our churches are the envy of the continent."

There was a audible grown throughout the chamber. Rya kept her poker face as she tried not to laugh in the idiot's face.

"Yes, Terenthiel, your churches are the pride of your kingdoms. But they are not what I asked. So, I'll ask again, what is the quality of your roads?"

Terenthiel narrowed his eyes and didn't blink once as he stared at the dark elf.

"Our roads are as the Gods intended..."

Most of the nobles looked at Terenthiel in disbelief while Quinus tried to hold back a smirk. Rya stared at Terenthiel with a unamused look.

"So... Your country has unmaintained roads that are most likely dirt and your ports are much further away then Cresmond... So, how is this beneficial to Fiafyr, exactly? Unless, you are not planning on not taxing our goods once they reach the Holy Alliance's territory..."

Rya gave the Prince a smug smile and watched the veins on his forehead begin to bulge.

"We do not tax... But we do demand that you donate to the church," Terenthiel seethed with hatred as he looked at Rya.

Rya had a amazed look when she heard that, "Sorry... I must be ignorant, but what is the difference between a forced donation and being tax?"

"I SAID WE DEMAND NOT FORCED!" Terenthiel yelled as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Terenthiel... You must calm yourself," Quinus said in a condescending manner.

"Y-You are blind Prince Quinus! She's nothing more than a heretic that's fooled you into doing her bidding! And this is her bidding... Trying to turn us away from the church!" Terenthiel screamed in anger.

Quinus let out a heavy sigh as he looked at the foreign Prince.

"It seems that you lack the ability to negotiate, when no one is afraid of you, Terenthiel... You came in here, thinking that you could push us around because of you and your Paladin. But once everyone here found out that we are stronger than you, the only reason why you are here is because the Prime Minister allowed it... Otherwise you and your Paladin would have been kicked out a long time ago," Quinus said in a bored and uncaring voice.

"How dare you speak to me like that! I am the Fifth Son of the Holy Order!"

"That means absolutely nothing in my kingdom, Terenthiel... The Prime Minister can only do so much to keep you here... So you better learn how to play nice... Or you will find out the hard way how much stronger Fiafyr is," Quinus said in an annoyed tone.

Duval was beginning to panic now that the Crown Prince was threatening to start a war with the Alliance. He was waiting to see how Rya was going to hurt William financially, but now Quinus was talking about starting a war.

"Prince Quinus, please do not threaten our guests," Duval said with a pleading look.

"Guests, Lord Prime Minister? They are here for their own gains, and have insulted me, Rya, and Fiafyr," Quinus said as he glared at the Prime Minister.

Duke Alaric was hoping to find an opportunity to stop the Dark Elf from weakening his ally. William was the one to keep him afloat during the time of his financial punishment for the failed assassination attempt on his nephew. He needed Quinus to lose his cool enough to leave the meeting. The one thing he could use was the death of his only son, Marcus. Alaric was sure that Duval and Sebastian knew about his son's death. But the other Major Nobles didn't know and he was going to sow the seeds of doubt and make them all think that his nephew had become a power hungry tyrant that must have been manipulated by this Dark Elf.

Alaric needs to do what he's always done, calm that he has the evidence to back up his lies. He just needed Quinus to lash out to make him look guilty. Which wasn't that much of a problem since getting under people's skin was one of his talents.