Chapter 132: The Birth Of The Devil's Information Network.
"Railius Aurellion."
"A respected noble."
"General."
"Hero."
"To the people, he is this, but to the nobles…."
"He is the devil incarnate!"
"A trickster!"
A shameless rouge!
"A man who knows their deepest darkest secrets through one means or another"
"And everyone fears what he will appear from his courtly robes."
"As even a genius king can't always guess it correctly."
Levath Rammat, Historian and politician in the Kingdom of Athurus.
….
Railius' offer was almost accepted immediately as he seemed very casual about the whole affair, as if he was not afraid of Nathian nobility or the powerful competitors that would come after him for associating himself with Declan and his family, making Declen wonder just what backing this young lord had that would allow him to disregard such influence so casually. If Declan and his family knew just how many alliances and deals Railius had made in his youth with other powerful people in the world, then their mouths would widen in shock, and they would find out that dealing with a few of the lower nobility was not hard for the boy who had persuaded dukes to take his side.
It was because of this talent since childhood, the loyalty of his family's soldiers and his intelligence which allowed him to gather his four pillars and all the talented men around him if he were just a wealthy noble's child who cared for nothing but living a rich decadent lifestyle then he would likely only have Leon and a few Pelican Guards with him but despite being under a regency, he provided for his people and allowed him to create a powerful powerbase that even princes had to be wary of.
'Did I misjudge him? Is he the heir to a powerful landed noble house?'
Declan thought as he slowly walked towards the merchant guild, holding his youngest daughter's hand while Railius nonchalantly walked forward without a care in the world while explaining the situation to his eldest daughter like he was casually going out to buy cabbages and not entrusting her with an important asset of his noble house.
Vegrif, one of Railius' friends and loyal bodyguards, helped to half-carry the sick man, who would take a few days to recover despite taking his first dose of the medicine. He needed help walking to get to their destination, which was at least a 15-minute walk from their old residence, which the family would no longer require as Railius was happy to pay to put them into much better accommodation.
When Declan was a powerful merchant, he could afford to give his children a good education, and while it was not as good as that which a noble family could provide, it still included things like maths and basic literacy. In fact, his daughter was quite talented at maths and reading, easily able to scan and read through accounting books and clearly see even the slightest error in them.
If it were not for the schemes of his brother and his corrupt allies, she would have made an excellent head for the Golden Goods Merchant Group after him, having been taught diligently by their mother and the other teachers that Declan arranged for her.
Declan shuddered to think what would have become of them if this young man who called himself Quintus hadn't found and bailed them out, as it is likely that within a few months, the old merchant would be dead either from his illness or his brother's assassins. Declan was a worldly man and knew that his death and the debt that he left would leave his daughters in a terrible situation where debt collectors would constantly harass them, and the two orphaned young girls would struggle to pay off such debt while dealing with the grief that came with his death and the suppression from Declans brother.
While they were educated, this world was not the safest, and without power, wealth or status, they would struggle to defend themselves from the harsh world where it is not uncommon for people to be killed by boars or kidnapped by bandits, slavers and other ruffians.
Being a medieval world, it was especially harsh to women, who usually have less physical prowess than men due to the biological differences between the sexes being unable to be suppressed without modern medicine. This, combined with the somewhat misogynistic worldview of many people, would lead to Keila struggling to lead a successful life in business or anywhere else, as the basic requirement to becoming a merchant is the ability to protect yourself.
Whether through your status, loyal soldiers, or personal combat skills, safety and the ability to protect yourself and your product are the minimum requirements of a merchant who will routinely deal with bandits and the schemes of his competitors.
While women can become successful without a certain amount of status or power, women struggle, and thanks to their family's decline, Declan no longer has the status and reputation that would help to protect them as their powerful family had disowned them. But they do now, thanks to Railius, as there have been many famous princesses, queens, and noble ladies who have done great deeds, some even becoming famous generals, but all of these people had one thing in common.
A noble or very wealthy and influential background to help protect them from the vicious world and its prejudices.
Talented female players would slowly break these prejudices down; however, that would take years, as even in the modern world, some people hold very chauvinistic views, so in a medieval world where physical abilities and prowess are so important and are the basis of power it is natural for them to be at a disadvantage compared to their much more physically able counterparts.
Even Nathia, one of the most diverse and progressive kingdoms in the game, still had some of these issues, as the lack of a son was the main reason why Declan's brother was able to move against him in the first place.
So even if Declan's brother did not move to oust him, if he bribed the correct official and made a false will, he could likely take it legally. It was only when Declan made his will known that he wanted his eldest daughter to succeed him that Declan moved against him, using the influence he had slowly built up, preparing for his ascension to the leader of the merchant group, to essentially start a coup and usurp it from his talented brother.
Such instances are not rare. It is just unfortunate that Declan trusted his brother too much, which is why he could be recruited by Railius in the first place and led to his tragic circumstances.
"To conclude, you have around 1500 gold to spend a few carts and enough protection to go essentially where you want once we have cleared your family's debts. I will accompany you to help you for a bit, and you can bring along your father if you wish to help you or get his advice."
"If you want, I can also have your little sister educated in both civil and martial skills, though she would have to stay in Detarnor. I understand if you wish to keep her near you, but I would like to remind you that being a merchant is a dangerous job one of the most dangerous in the world. As from bandits to mercenary groups disguised as bandits and even master fighters may come after you if you make enemies with the wrong person."
"Even I may die during our travels, let alone a child and an old man, so I urge you to think carefully about your choice."
"No offence, Declan."
Railius said offhandedly, casually waving his hand as if offering such good terms was natural.
"None taken."
Declan replied, nodding in agreement with Railius, knowing the young noble's words were true. He had experienced the danger the life of a merchant brings and its wealth; even if he was a little offended, the prospect of his youngest daughter getting a proper education was more than enough for him to drop the matter.
"I imagine I am not the first person to have thought up the idea of selling someone into slavery after being given guardianship over them."
"Your father can stay with her there while she is educated if you are suspicious of me, which would be natural in your position."
"As I would imagine, I would not be the first person to have thought up the potential idea of selling someone into slavery after being given guardianship over them, even though I would never personally do such a thing...."
"It is better to hope for the best but prepare for the worst; this way, you are prepared for every eventuality no matter how unlikely."
Railius said matter of factly like a teacher giving his final words to a talented student, his tone was severe so that the young girl understood the danger that came with her job. While the young lord of Aurellion was perfectly capable of being eloquent and indirect when he wanted to be, he finds being direct is much easier and allows one to understand his intentions easier.
"Why are you being so nice to me and my family, even willing to educate them like a nobleman or official would their own children?"
Keila asked, intrigued as to why Railius was going so far for them to look after and accommodate them to the best of his ability. Just getting this job and their debts paid off without expecting anything in return alone was going above and beyond what most would do, but it seemed normal to this person.
"A good education is essential to giving someone the foundation to do great things and will help them serve my noble house well in the future, though because of the scarcity of teachers and resources, it is hard to educate everyone."
"I want to have my own batch of loyal officials and men to help me achieve my goals in the future. They should be competent and trustworthy and have learnt basic morality philosophy and principles of governance."
"It is also because you have potential, so consider it a bonus you get from your position and a guarantee on my end of your loyalty. It is an opportunity any talented youngster under me gets if I can accommodate it, though my resources in this aspect are somewhat limited at the moment, so I have to prioritise out of helplessness."
"Everyone else who serves me loyally gets such opportunities, so why should you be treated differently? I will treat you no differently than anyone else under me, but I also have greater expectations of my subordinates than most others and lords do."
Railius replied before Keila said something that caught him off-guard.
"You sound like a person who has experienced betrayal before."
At that, Railius' emotions flared up unexpectedly, his distant past in the game and real-life seeming to blend together as his facial expression, usually calm and composed, twitched slightly, something that was not lost on those around him.
"Very perceptive; those skills will serve you well when managing my company."
Railius said darkly before lightening up.
"Ah, it appears we have arrived."
Railius announced, swiftly changing the topic. They were at the merchant's guild that was only a few minutes from the bank Railius went to before entering through the exquisitely made doors and seeing a counter open, he went over to it, entering the guild only with Keila as everyone else waited outside, finding different ways to blend in.
Just like the bank, the merchants' guild showed off all the wealth that could be attained through the power of commerce, from a silver and bronze floor to golden chandeliers that lit up the opulent room.
"I would like to register Keila as a general manager for my company, Quintens Quality Wares."
Railius said to the receptionist, and after going through the usual procedures, a system notification appeared before him.
[Would you like to make Keila the general manager for Quintens Quality Wares?]
[Please bear in mind that a general manager is similar to the position of CEO in real life and has a large amount of power within the organisation. As the companies face, this person's influence may be more than yours, so even if you are the true owner and manage to remove the person from this position, there may be dire consequences for the company.]
[Y/N]
Thinking yes, a final system notification appeared.
[Keila Hostod has successfully become the general manager for Quintens Quality Wares.]
[You have found out about the internal dispute within House Hostod that led to the former leader being ousted. You have taken him and his daughters in to be the face of your company.]
[You have chosen to have Kelia Hostod to become the general manager for your company, allowing you to take a back seat and have her take over negotiations and general affairs.]
[You will be competitors and enemies with the Golden Goods Merchant Group and their allies as they try to stop Declan and his line from returning to power and contending for leadership of the merchant group.]
….
"Check."
Kodjis Kendari, the crown prince of Nathia, said as he looked at the chess board one that, after 25 moves, had not seen a single mistake, a testament to the skill both the players had as Flintorus Rhalun, his friend and confidant, sat opposite him as they played on the prince's desk their eyes glued to the chess board as they continued their conversation.
"So what do you make of Railius Aurellion now that you have met him?"
Kodjis asked his friend, resting his hand on his chin in thought as he played chess.
"A talented man with an insight and temperament far greater than many his age, it is almost certain that he helped to come up with the scheme in Detarnor, which took Duke Ridorfin off-guard."
Flintorus said calmly, moving his king out of check, prompting a quick move from Kodjis.
"However, he has been very high profile recently, and if it were not for your highnesse's benevolence, then someone may even investigate further."
"Luckily, he has used you as his shield so that any blowback will be towards you, at least in the short term that is. Oh, would you look at that! You're in check, your highness."
Flintorus said, faking his surprise at the poor position the crown prince of Nathia now found himself in the game on the table as Flintorus casually threw a grape into his mouth.
"Hmm,"
Kodjis groaned for a second, more concerned about the game than the conversation, before he smiled with a toothy grin, making Flintorus' heart stop, as he felt a terrible foreboding feeling as Kodjis moved a bishop hidden in the corner of the board and sniped Flintorus' queen.
"Fuck! Bloody bishops sniping from the other side of the board."
Thunk!
Flintorus cursed as he roughly lay his king down on the board, indicating that he resigned, knowing he stood no chance against Kodjis now that he was down a queen. Now that the game was over, the two men in their mid to late twenties went back to the topic of their conversation before starting during the game.
"What do you mean by the short term?"
Kodjis asked, as the two friends had been together long enough to converse and understand each other, even when talking indirectly about things.
"Well, now let's assume, heavens forbid, that greedy, cunning bastard of a bank manager tells your brother and his allies how Railius got a bank account so quickly thanks to your influence."
Flintorus began sarcastically before continuing.
"Of course, this could never happen, but if it did, then they would associate the merchant group with you. But as the months pass and you don't help or interfere with its affairs, people will begin to suspect someone else set it up. By then, all traces of Railius or Quentin will disappear, as I imagine by now he has found himself a face for that company of his that he can trust to lead it while he sits in the shadows."
"Why are you so confident the eccentric lord of Aurellion will just sit back and take no active part in the company?"
"Because staying low profile so as not to attract the Chavarian Empire is not the only reason why Railius created a fake identity and wants to take a back seat when it comes to the affairs of his new company. I even believe that except for a few people who will recognise him from his days in Detarnor, no one will ever find out that Quinten and Railius Aurellion are, in fact, the same person."
"He may even get another identity or use another name now that he has set up his company, allowing Quinten to disappear from history and because he was not at the top of Leon Mantelons…."
Flintorus coughed once before continuing.
"Sorry, Master Zhou's dojo. People are likely to forget about him altogether, as they do with other miscellaneous people who have little effect on their lives until he becomes famous."
"Even then, he will just be the eccentric rich person who stays forever in the shadows until he is almost forgotten by everyone."
Flintorus finished as he looked at the crown prince, who smiled slightly, already assuming the reason why.
"What a terrifying intelligence network he is working to create."
"Sigismond Security Service, Quintens Quality Wares and likely some taverns and other bases as well and once he inevitably joins a kingdom, all the political and military knowledge that kingdom holds as well."
"Control over the lower officials of a kingdom through offering protection services. Control over the information of the business world through his company. He even wants to disassociate himself from them so that his enemies may use them for their own schemes, allowing him to know all their moves! I wouldn't be surprised if he creates an information broker next!"
"Apart from the information hidden in the depths of the underworld, there will be nothing an influential person can do without him finding out about it!"
The crown prince said, his eyes shining with a vicious light usually reserved for his enemies as he, for the first time in a while, the venerated prince thought of as a genius by the outside world, felt genuine fear at the eccentric young lord's abilities and thought process that was not like a typical noble's.
"You don't think he will become a threat, do you?"
The crown prince said in an icy tone, frostier than the Snowy Shrub, the coldest place in the world, as his gaze pierced like a needle into Flintrous.
At this, the heir to Finorian also smiled slightly, alleviating his prince's worries.
"Don't worry, your highness he will become one of your most loyal and capable subjects of this….
"I am absolutely certain!"
Flintorus said, meeting the crown prince's dark gaze with an equally firm one as he explained himself.
"After all, Nathia is one of the few places where he can live peacefully."
"Whether it is resisting Chavarian influence or his status as a half-dwarf, there is nowhere better than Nathia for him to go to and no better future king to serve than you!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
LaziestDragon
LaziestDragon Thank you for reading and for your continued support of the novel.
I was planning to get a bonus chapter out before now; unfortunately, tech issues got in the way.
But they're all good and fixed now, and I have backed everything up so I don't nearly piss myself when all my files suddenly seemingly disappear.
Anyway, the next chapter will be out Saturday, and as always, there are 10 advanced chapters on Patreon with all the asterics of before for people who want them and a big thank you to all my supporters there.
See you Saturday!
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