I didn't open my eyes. "I hate paperwork. Also, opening Maden for business was enough." I paused, then added, "Trade routes matter more than shiny coins. Gold gets spent. Roads change futures."
I didn't mention the part where the king had offered me gold, titles, land, anything, and I'd shaken my head. I wanted more than their treasury. I wanted the road opened from Maden to Nothingwood. To my territory. Agro. Supply lines. Movement. Leverage that didn't jingle.
A faint smile tugged at his mouth. "Most people would've named a province."
"Most people don't want one."
That earned me a longer look. Assessing. Recalculating. "You could've asked for influence," he continued carefully, like he was stepping through a minefield made of egos. "A permanent council seat. A formal alliance."
