Chapter 3: The Trip
Martha's trips were rather sparse but they proved an interesting view on the world and the economy around the country. The capital city itself, Vord, was a powerful, major hub that sits directly in the center of not only the political but also the economic world of the Empire. Geographically, the mountains that surround the entire city, are its blessing and curse at the same time, limiting the reasonable space for development but also providing excellent protection for the entire city. Turns out, the volcano was once in this place, but it was millennia ago. Right now, it sits in the middle of a sea-born highway made of plentiful rivers, creating a micro-sea of sorts in front of the mountains. The mountain themselves have a total of 12 tunnel gates that can be collapsed at any time. Plus the farms inside the circled area, provide self-sufficiency for the potentially besieged people.
It perfect spot to make a capital if people were to ask the city planners of the time. But it got its liabilities. The only reason the people went with it, was because they saw potential in the vast connection to the rivers, the fertile farmland, and plenty of resources that are easily accessible.
The city itself resembles mostly eastern-European baroque cities. The Royal Palace is on the hill that was artificially done, and under it, for ease of taxation, was placed a giant market that offers everything. From weapons and food to books and entertainment in all shapes and forms, including legal prostitution and licensed hazard establishments that are paying surprisingly high taxes than 90% of the businesses – they pay a special 70% gambling profit tax in exchange for being free from other taxes.
One of the stalls managed to attract attention. Specifically, it was a small wooden store with books. "Give me a bit," Martha said as the guards nodded, observing as she went to the store.
"Guard duty sucks," Jim said as he sighed.
"Wish I had a cigarette," Roger said as he looked on the crowd.
"I feel you, Roger. I really do." Jim said as they kept watch.
As Martha entered to the simple, yet aesthetically looking home on the outside, on the inside it was a different story.
It was a rather dusty bookstore, with plenty of hard-cover books with short titles on the middle back of the books.
As the princess was looking around the book, an old lady went out from the magazine.
"Morning miss. Seen what you'd like~?" The old lady was dressed in a white robe and with a black cape on the robe.
"Ummm I seek stories that are more…. promiscuous… In nature." Martha said as she blushed a bit, making the lady smirk.
"Ah… Desperate lady, I see…" She said as she looked around and noticed a few books that might be of interest to her. "How about this one? Long Night." She said as she handled her leather-covered book, which Maria cleared out with a puff of air into the book that had a bit of dust on it.
"What is it about?" Martha asks as she looks around the book to see if there is any description. None.
"This one is quite rough if I may say… But quite popular among the ladies… Who fantasizes about the beasts. The orcs that are…" Lady says with a bit of disappointment as she makes Martha blush a bit.
"Wait so… It's a gangbang rape fantasy, right?" She asks with a blush on her face, as she makes the lady chuckled.
"Check yourself. Open a random page." Lady says as she sits on the chair, as Martha checks the story. And yes. She was right.
"Oh my… Sweet heavens… Oh…. Okay, how much!?" Martha asks as she makes the lady laugh again. "What's so funny~?"
"You rich girls… All the same, horny, unsatisfied bunch. I am rich basically thanks to these books!" The older lady said as she pulled out a few of the books that had similar themes or others that were close… Like Black Cult, that was similar in themes to hentai she was all too familiar with… Bible Black…. 'Sweet Jesus… They make hentai here! I'm home! Sort of' She thought to herself as she was amazed by the amount of written porn that was present in this bookstore.
"So… Have you ever thought of illustrating the books~?" Martha asks as she suggests a new business practice.
"Oh?" Lady looks at her interested. "Why should I invest into something that might not pay off?" The old lady asks as she is curious.
"I am serious, it is easy to imagine but it is easier to… Watch such scenes… Closest to this would be pictures depicting it.." Martha said as she got her bellows. "How much for these 10 books?" Martha asks as she makes the lady smile.
"20 Tiritian Crowns, miss," Lady said as the princess quickly took out the requested 20 silver coins.
"Here. What is your name, miss?" Martha asks as she puts the coins on the counter.
"Elisabeth. You?" Elisabeth asks as she lets out a small smile.
"Do you hold the secrets of who is your customer?" Martha asks as Elisabeth nods.
"Of course. Otherwise, I would not have a rich clientele that has a reputation to protect." Elisabeth said as she made Martha a bit calm.
"Martha.. Martha Woulfe. Nice to meet you, Miss Elisabeth." Elisabeth smiled as she let out a hand for a handshake.
"Ah… The princess. I am honored, your highness.. And I will keep your visit a secret." Elisabeth said as Martha smiled.
"Thanks, miss. I appreciate it." Martha said as she turned around. "I shall go now."
"Of course. Have a nice day, your highness." Elisabeth said as Martha went out, letting out a sigh.
"Oh, you finished, milady?" Roger asks as she nods.
"Yes. I did." Martha stated the obvious.
"Good. You want to do something in the city or is it everything?" Jim asks as he looks at the princess.
"We can go back," Martha said as she moved to the castle, with the bag of books with her, hiding her face to preserve anonymity, by putting on a hood.
As the three were walking down the street and went back to the castle, there was already arguing about some issue in the hallway in the entrance.
"Oh you damn fucker, say it back! Apologize!" One of the two young boys said. The first in question was dressed in his usual royal court doublet themed in all black and red – colors of the Empire.
"I will not… Mageless pussy." Wit said as he smirked, putting his hands on his hips as to kind of show how important he feels or how much of an asshole he is.
"Mageless your ass!" Thomas rushed at Wit when he put his hand on his head. This was seen by Martha who always had to split the fights between them.
"STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!" Martha runs to them both, still holding the bag in her hands, as she splits them both. "Wit, Thomas. Calm the fucking down. We should not fight each other!"
"Why? Why should I tolerate mageless pussy in a family?" Martha gets annoyed as her cocky younger brother gets her angry.
"Wit… Because that mageless pussy is going to be the second-best chance on the throne if something happens to both of us! Politics matter here! More than your ego!" Martha says as Wit gets upset, and hits his sister.
"Oh shut the fuck up. Go read books or something." Wit smirked as Martha cleaned out her cheek from a bit of blood and called in Anna who immediately came in.
"Anna.. Please put these books in my chamber and…. Take Thomas to my father, make him tell about the bullying… And I meanwhile." Martha said with a bit more of a serious tone than most of the time as she cracks her fingers.
"Ho-Ho! Instead of running away like you usually do, sis, you are coming closer to me?" Wit asks unknowingly quoting something, Martha is all too familiar with.
"I can't beat the shit out of ya without getting closer, Wit," Martha said as she went closer and painted a few runic symbols on her hands before rushing on him. Wit did the same as he opened his arms wide.
"Then come, hit me as much as you like!" Martha rushed at him, pushing her hand into his chest, making him bend over, a bit, as he felt pain. "This is not how it was supposed to go!"
"I am using secret Woulfen Family technique when I feel like its not worth using it… But today… You broke my mood, bro." Martha said as she channeled some of the mana and pushed Wit against the wall with a simple spell, making him look like an Egyptian portrait, and when he fell on the ground he got up quickly, clearing off his cheek from blood.
"Mage fighting, huh, sis? You always seem to stand up for this mageless pussy of a brother.." Wit said as he lifted up the sleeves and rushed at her. Martha rushed at him too, with her sleeves also corrected, barely blocking her brother's move with her elbow, making a small flow of air In the area.
"Not bad for a pussy." Wit said as he made her feel cringe. Martha's face clearly displayed disgust and feeling of being sorry for her brother.
"Oh please… Stop with those jokes already." She said when she put her two opened hands together, in a slap, and then slowly put them out of each other to create an energy beam that when pushed would create a flamethrower beam, but the casting was interrupted by no other than her father.
Dressed in a traditional robe, specifically the black leather trousers, leather boots, blue silk trench-coat style shirt, a belt, a sword attached to that belt, and the cape made out of wolf fur.
"Cease the fights, my dear children!" Robert said with a loud, dominant tone as both of them instantly calmed down. "I shall not tolerate fights between my oldest son and oldest daughter. Whatever the reason." He was upset. Maybe it was not visible in his commanding tone and assured of his attitude, but Martha knew him far too well.
"Wit started by bullying Thomas… Again." Martha explained as her father went down the stairs to both of them.
"The fact that Thomas does not have a magical gift, does not mean you have a right to bully and discriminate against your brother! Got that! It's the 8th time. IN A WEEK!" Robert yells out on Wit as he bows and apologies.
"I am sorry, father." Wit said as he kneeled and bowed to show he really meant it.
"Do not apologize to me. Apologize your brother," Robert said as he put his hand on his head. "What I have with you all."
"Fine, I will. Eh." Wit said as he got up and turned his head around. "I could beat your ass with ease, sis."
"In your dreams… You could beat your horse to me though." Martha smirked as Wit blushed.
"WHAT KIND OF THOUGHTS ARE RUSHING THROUGH YOUR BRAIN!?" Wit yelled out, asking concerned as he was not sure if he meant it.
"Pervert," Martha said as she winked, letting him know she meant it.
"Pervert." Wit said in return as he went back to his room.
"Martha… Care to explain?" Robert asks as he points at the broken floor.
"Emm…. It was with good intentions!" Martha yelled out with a bit concerned voice as he put his hand on her shoulder.
"I know, Martha. I know. But please try moving a fight to a space outside of the castle, okay?" Robert asks as he looks at her with a smile on his face.
"Sure. I will try my best next time." Martha said as her father nodded.
"You will have plenty more occasions in the Imperial Academy," Robert said as he made his daughter confused.
"Wait… Wit is going too!?" Martha asked as she got a bit upset about that.
"I know you and Wit are… Not in best relations." Robert said.
"It's an understatement. That asshole." Martha says as her father lets out a sigh of annoyance.
"Whatever. I expect you to pass through all three classes without a problem. But if you happen to have any, use computation gem to call me." Robert says as he turns around and goes back to his business.
"Got it. How long does the education there last?" Martha asks ss she wonders how much she does have to endure wit for.
"3 years," Robert said as Martha stood there, with dead eyes in her look.
"Three whole years with a jerk of a brother!?" Martha asks as she is clearly annoyed.
"Yes. I know it will be annoying." Robert says as he pats her head. "But no worries, you will do good."
"Thanks," Martha said as she smiled.
"So… I will go now… To do my thing." Martha said as she went out to her room.
"Sure. Let me know when you need something to be moved by carriage aside from your clothes and a few books you just bought." Robert said as he returned to his duties. "I finished my dining." He said to the maids as they went to clean up things. Other kids also left the room when Martha was on a walk-in town.
"Your majesty, a delegation." Said a maid that opened the bigger door to the dining room, from the hall. Also dressed in the maid outfit matching the era.
"Who, specifically if I may ask?" Robert asks as he looks around.
"From the Kingdom of Vanid, Princess Nivra, and from the Republic of Attre, Duke Meldor." The maid said as she mentioned the two.
"Ah. Nivra and Meldor… Haven't seen them in a while.. I wonder what happened. They never come in uninformed unless… It is very important." Emperor said as he got out in his armor and went in front of the castle's gate to see the two very distinctively designed carriages.
Nivra is a blonde girl, dressed in grey attire, made to blend in the environment of the poor people from her own country.
'This is alarming.. Why cover-up so hard?' Robert asks as he looks at the girl. And then he moves to the duke.
Duke Meldor was however dressed like a poor merchant. Simple blue tunic with a hood that can be put in and out. His guard also resembles monks and other people from the lower levels of society. 'What is going on?'
"So… Care to tell me what happened?" Robert asks as he approaches these two.
"Well.. Robert.. Let's go for the names…" Meldor said as he continued.
"Sure." Robert agreed to this.
"So… The thing is… We had a rebellion. Not just your average one. Organized, well-equipped. I had to run. I am the only noble with the right to the throne of Attre right now. Now they changed the way the government is run.." Meldor said as he continued. "More specifically they dethroned the king, and named it a democratic state of the people, whatever it is." Meldor said as he noticed the uneasiness on Robert's face.
"And you, Nivra?" Robert asks as she looks a bit scared.
"Rebellion. Same with Meldor's case. But this one… Saved nobody. When I crossed the borders, I received news that they put the nobles and the members of the royal family to the mock court and put them on a guillotine." Nivra said with an uneasy voice, a bit shaky, scared.. "I am the only one from my family left… Dad…. Is dead…" Robert quickly cuddled her when she broke out and started crying.
"Fine, I will let you stay in the country until this is solved," Robert said as he made Meldor a bit easier on the hearth, knowing how much Nivra's father, Renor, cared about the family's wellbeing.. Maybe even more than the people's?
"So.. You have a plan?" Meldor asks as he wants to know
"Yes. I do." Robert says as he turns around as Nivra is calmed down a bit. "I will gather an army, train them, equip them the best I can and take the thrones for you.. In exchange, you will adopt our ways of being, and become client states. The treaty is valid to the moment I am deposed from the throne willingly or not, or I am dead. Is that okay for you?" Meldor nods when Nivra just does not know what to say.
"Calm down, it will be okay," Robert said as he let them in alongside the luggage and called in the maids. "Servants! Please give the keys to our guests to free rooms, and prepare baths, and clean up their clothes, and prepare clothes that are fitting for their standards in their countries." Robert said as the maids and butlers rushed in when the Emperor clapped his hands, looking around.
"You know.. I kind of like the simplicity of these robes.. For Nivra though… I am sure a change of clothes would be better. Damn idiots rebelling… They doomed the entire economies too. I know some rich and middle-class people also decided to run away." Meldor said as he tried to look strong but it was visible that he is not handling the shock as well as he wished. Being 35… he was still young.
"I know. And I know you both do not feel good about it. Who exactly rebelled?" Robert asks as he looks at them.
"In Nivra's case…. The church of seven deities. You know these fuckers holier than thou… They declared the ruling family heretics for daring to experiment and funding the development of gunpowder… for fireworks… for a party.." Meldor said as he felt disgust with the religious fanatics.
"SAY WHAT! A FUCKING SET OF FIREWORKS!? THAT'S…. ABSURD!" Robert says as he is definitely upset at the church…
"I know. Do not tell me that. They convinced slaves to help cuz they promised freedom and shiet. Did not fulfill these promises in the end I bet my ass on it. In mine… Slaves and merchants rebelled against the King for…. Introducing a law that dismantles monopolies of the Guilds. They did not like that. And so the merchants and SOME NOBLES! Joined together in a shared effort to depose a king who was a figurehead for the senate who got the power."
"The world is going somewhere," Robert said as he looked at the sky when a dragon rider made a fast fly-by before them. "I just do not know where."
"Me neither. I will see my room and say hello to some of your kids… They still remember their uncle, right?" Meldor said as he laughed a bit.
"Yea… I still remember how Martha called you an Uncle even if you are not related. It was hilarious." Robert said as he chuckled a bit.
"She was 10 back then. Kids do not understand politics at this age but… Your daughter shown a lot of promise back then. Her feats still that of a magical prodigy?" Meldor asks as he looks at Robert.
"Yes. I am sending her with Vit, to the academy. She is 19 now…" Robert said when Meldor opened his eyes.
"Damn. It felt like a century when I last visited you, Robert.." Meldor said as he looked around. "And it seems you have fairly reasonable elites…."
"Only because we decided to be a bit open-minded during a Great Purge of Wizards 400 years ago, and accepted them and their knowledge. Look where we are now." Robert said as he turned around to see the chimney being constructed aside a factory.
"Ye.. I can see.. Your empire is a home of progress that manages to adjust to traditions." Meldor said as he was genuinely impressed with Tiritian's feats of engineering and economics.
"Life always surprises a man you know," Robert said as he let Nivra go of himself and asked a maid to take care of the traumatized princess.
"Yea… There is a quote that matches the current state of affairs and belongs to a thinker from The Empire of the Rising Sun…. There are decades when nothing happens.. And there is a year when decades happen. And I think we are in the year when decades do happen" Meldor said as he turned around. "I am going to my chambers. If you do not mind."
"Sure." Robert said unceremoniously. "But do not forget to come to the parliament meeting, you will have the opportunity to watch over the congregation," Robert said as Meldor smirked.
"Sure thing, will be there."
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