Proofread by Thomas F
The carriage stopped at the bridge at the edge of the park, and I stepped out.
"I have never seen it this empty," said Carla as she stepped out behind me. She returned yesterday, after spending weeks in Navr, where she visited different cities and regions of that country, including the legacies.
The trip had been successful, and the trade is picking up speed again.
Only one hurdle still remained. The agreement with Grimvale is not yet finished. Still stuck on taxes; they want more than we are willing to give them.
I pushed those thoughts and looked in front of me. The circle road had never been so empty.
The roads are barren, and the buildings are empty, bereft of any decoration that made them so beautiful. Anything that could be taken had been taken from these buildings.
We have restricted most of the circle road. Only a small part of it was kept open to allow entry into the park.
Behind us, thousands of people are watching from the park as what is about to happen unfolds.
"We had worked so hard to build this, but now it is all going to be demolished!" Said Carla, her eyes becoming wet. "It needs to be. So, something more beautiful could be built," I replied.
It is a bittersweet moment.
"It is ready, my lord," informed Amellus. "Do it then," I replied, voice filled with sadness as well as hope. We will have to destroy the old to build the new.
The new vision will play an essential role in the city's prosperity.
"Begin," ordered Amellus, and implosions began to ring out in every direction and the buildings. Some of them, as young as one year old, begin to collapse, in hundreds of acres around us.
The new park will cover one thousand and sixty-seven acres— over five times the current park. Taking around 15% of the inner city.
That is a massive area and would be very expensive.
It will not be strictly a park, but it will be beautiful, featuring precious plants. It will be an attraction that will draw an enormous number of people and tourists.
The buildings collapsed, but not all of them. Only around seventy-eight percent of them.
The 22% will continue to be used in the existing plan.
I have got the money for it, but I am going to save where I can. It is, after all, a loan that I will have to repay to the bank, and the less I have to repay, the better.
"The demolition of the buildings, the uprooting of the plants, and the work on the legacy, everything is changing," she said as she turned around.
I smiled; there is a little bit of sadness, but a lot more hope.
There will be many changes this month, including the removal of the mist plants. They will be shifted and replanted in Inam; a large number of plants are being relocated there, exceeding the initial agreement.
There has been a slight change of terms; the proposal came from the Lord of Inam, and after a few tweaks, I agreed.
It will benefit him, but it will benefit me even more.
The work on the legacy will also begin. It will not close until I open the new, expanded Vanis's Tavern.
"Good job, Amellus," I said. The collapse had been quick, clean, and efficient. "Thank you, my lord," he replied, before his eyes turned serious.
"My people will be finished with the sorting by tomorrow, and I will begin the work on the new park, with Miss Ulaxasys and Lady Blackwell," he stated.
"Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any problems," I said.
We have delayed it for months due to the housing shortage. So, I need it to move fast. He has barely over a year to finish this project.
"I will, my lord," he replied.
I nodded and walked toward the carriage, while Carla walked toward hers.
It had been only a day since she had returned from Navr, but tomorrow she would be leaving for the merchant state with a delegation from the city hall.
I got a positive response from Navr and Merchants, but it's been weeks, and we haven't finished negotiating with Grimvale.
It is the last day of the second round. If we don't come to terms today, then I will do something that I don't want to do. It will harm me and Grimvale.
It is a gamble, which I don't want to take, but I will do it.
The current state is not an environment conducive to trade. If he can't give me that, then I will force him until he does.
…
Dariel Robin
The door of Salanser Manor opened, and I walked inside with my people.
It's a beautiful manor with a grand view of the sea, but currently, I am in no mood to enjoy it. The other side is being too adamant; this is their last chance.
We have made significant progress so far. It was frustrating, but we reached an agreement on all critical points.
Only the tax issue has remained. It is the biggest one that both parties need to win.
"I think it's a waste of time; we should have left for Greltheaven yesterday," said Ardson. He isn't the only one from my team who thinks that.
"It might be, but we will give our all before we move to the hard option, which will be detrimental to us as well," I replied.
I wanted to leave as well. I miss my children. After spending time with them, I realized how much they needed me and how much I needed them.
My oldest child's birthday is three days away. I like to be there too; I've missed important occasions too many times, and I don't want to do that anymore.
Soon, we reached the redwood doors; the guards standing there bowed before we walked inside.
People are already sitting there. In the head seat is Lord Harrowell, a man in his mid-fifties, with thick blond hair and a handsome face.
He is an adviser to Helena Salazar and was once a lover, but right now he is a mediator.
It is in his manor, where we are negotiating.
On the left are five people, the leader of whom is a middle-aged man. He is a tall, thin man with a long nose and sharp blue eyes. He is Viscount Talmire, a subordinate of Grimvale and leader of the delegation.
"Lord Harrowell, Viscount Talmire," I greeted as I entered. "Chief Robin," they replied. I smiled and sat down in front of them with my people.
"Chief Robin, Viscount Talmire, is asking for 29% of the trade taxes collected in baronies. If you agree, he will agree to all the other conditions attached to it," said Lord Harrowell.
The other conditions include the upkeep of roads and other infrastructure in their territory, security, and other matters.
"25% is all we could do," I replied, and the man in front of me immediately shook his head.
"If Lord Talmire continues to disagree. Then we will leave immediately, and from tomorrow, we will divert all the trade through the northwestern route," I stated.
I could see the surprise appear in his eyes. We have never threatened, as we hope to secure a deal on good terms. However, since we aren't, we might as well issue the threats.
"You don't even have proper roads there," replied Viscount Talmire.
"It will be harmful for the trade. Forget the condition of the roads; there is also a question of safety. Merchants will never agree to it."
I smiled, hearing that, it's not a good smile. "You are right, Lord Viscount, but you have left us no choice. With this, we will at least bring clarity to the situation."
"As for the roads, we have already started working on them. As for the safety, we will cover the whole stretch with soldiers, if it needs to be," I replied, with conviction burning in my voice.
We received a favourable response from Navr and Merchant States, but their merchants are seeking clarity.
This will provide that to them.
"Merchants will never agree to it," he said. I could feel the anger in his voice. "They will, when it is the only choice they will have," I replied.
Yes, there will be backlash from them, but now we are strong enough to bear it.
Having Mirador Hold provides us with the edge. If they had the fortress, we would have been at their mercy, like they are at ours right now.
Yes, they have cards to play, and this decision will be painful for us, but they didn't leave us with any other choice.
"This will affect the trade; you can not bear it," he stated, and I nodded. "Yes, it will be painful for us, but to you as well," I replied.
Marquess Grimvale may have money, but currently, he is bleeding it.
The moves he is making range from establishing trade to selling the territories to the nobles. It is clear that he needs money, just as we do.
He looked like he wanted to reply to that, but both of us know that I am right.
Furthermore, if we succeed on the northern route, it will be a significant long-term loss to them. They won't have the same negotiation edge as they have right now.
They need us to be dependent on the route that goes through their territory.
"27%," he said finally, and I shook my head. "25% is the most we are willing to offer," I replied firmly. The sparks of anger in his eyes lit up.
Even 25% is too much, considering they will be providing an already existing route.
Unlike us, who will have to invest a massive amount of money to deal with the monsters. They wouldn't have to do that; they could gain 25% without doing much of anything.
If we were not dependent on it, we wouldn't have offered them so much.
Of all the bravado about the northwestern route, I know. How difficult iit would be for us to convince the merchant to take that longer, more dangerous route?
"Fine, we agree, but this agreement will only be for a year, before we negotiate again," he accepted.
A relief flooded into my heart. A year is enough for us to build a north-western road and increase security to the point where merchants can feel confident.
It is not the best result we could have hoped for, but it is something we can accept.
"Very well," I replied.
An hour later, we walked out of the conference room with relief in our voices. With that done, we could now totally focus on the trade.
We need it —the finances of dominion are in shambles; the sooner we get trade on the line, the better it will be.
"It's such a regret that we weren't able to get a non-aggression treaty, even for the three months," said Marda, and I smiled. We wanted it, but after the first day, we realized we wouldn't get it.
Grimvale hadn't given up the ambition of controlling the whole of the baronies; he wants what we have.
Well, he is not going to get it. We have our forces on alert, and they are capable of dealing with any aggression he might try to mount against us.