章 16: Chapter 5 The Aucterfilth Arrangement
POV David
May 31st 913 (2016)
I sighed, slumping into the seat, glancing out of the window at the square below. Below trails were being publicly held, thousands of people had turned out to watch as many were sentenced and marched across the square to the gallows.
Aucterfilth, the defacto capital of the barony of Lobau, far sequestered from the prying eyes of the royal court. I sighed again and stood. Walking across the room to a small desk and pouring myself a small glass of wine. I took a sip, the tartness rolling around my tongue before it vanished.
I walked back to the window, staring at the mess going on below. A soft knock at the door broke me from my reverie. "Enter."
I glanced around the small office and quickly sat as one of my invited guests entered. A woman with a smith's frock and blackened skin walked in, the smell of metal and smoke following her inside. "I was busy, if this was about some stupid request it could have been submitted at the guild."
"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, let's try to start this on the right foot." i said while pouring her a glass, i offered it to her and she took it before sitting in the chair opposite mine, she didn't drink but seemed to glower at me.
"David, Regent of Centuria in my sister's absence." I supplied while taking another sip from my glass.
"Everyone in the city knows who you are after yesterday and this morning. They say you are a bloody tyrant." she replied guardedly.
"I could be, but I'd rather not." I replied evenly while nodding towards the square outside.
"That's the rule of law, something that has been long overdue that I'm enforcing." I said while putting my glass down. I leaned forward in my seat, intertwining my fingers together.
"Miss Besser, I want to make you and your guild a proposition. See i've been reading through some of these reports, pretty interesting stuff in here. Tax evasion chiefly among them…" I said calmly, watching her closely. Her eyes twitched slightly and a bead of sweat ran down her neck.
"My guild has complied with the rules of baroness Urnor…" I held up my hand.
"Yes, but i'm also aware she let almost every law get bent as long as she received her cut, be that the smith's guild took advantage of those." I replied, pointing at a stack of paperwork.
"So, I'll lay out my terms, you can walk out of this room and I'll put this to the court and let you fend for yourself, or you'll disband the Aucterfith's smithing guild and join Lobau Ironworks." I said while leaning back in my chair.
She almost stood, but a glance at the stack of documents made her sit. "What difference will this new guild of yours even have? Why not just force us to sell the guild?"
"Lobau ironworks is a holding company, not a guild. And with all the confiscated assets of the corrupt in these parts… let's say it's only missing some experienced leadership." I stood and walked to the window, staring at the gallows in the corner of the courtyard as another noble has strung up.
"Have you ever wanted to be something more? To change the world Irina? I'll give you that chance, if you want it." I promised while watching the noble drop.
"What about my smiths? Will they also be joining this company?" Irina asked.
"If they want, but it's the same deal for them, join or deal with the court." I replied while turning to face her.
"What's your goal?" She asked, slowly sitting forward.
"I don't think you need to know, not yet." I said while taking my seat again.
"Fine, I'll do it. I'll pass your offer along, brat." She spat, draining her glass of wine before she stood and left.
"This is going to be a long, difficult journey… at least I have the people I need for the first step." I muttered to myself.
The guard poked her head inside. "Sir, your demon has returned."
Shyora strutted inside, her attire growing ever more revealing as she sleazed against my desk and produced a letter from somewhere and placed it before me. "From your brother my master, surely I deserve a reward for my hard work?"
"Get off my desk." I growled, she leapt off and quickly sat in a chair, her superior attitude curbed. I opened the letter, reading my brother's oddly neat handwriting.
'David, I'm not fond of this new pet of yours. Do not forget what it is, I've no doubt it will try and break free of any shackles it suffers given the slightest opportunity. As for the industrial plan, I support it in theory, but I'm afraid I'll have my hands tied fixing the soldiers of the county. I'll at least follow your suggestion and create a proper training camp closer to Aucterfilth though. The better brother - Smith.'
I slumped back in my chair, tossing the letter on the desk. I groaned. Not enough trustworthy people, too many things to do. Urghh.
"Mines. I'll focus on the mines for now." I grumbled as I reached for some documents. I glanced at Shyora, a distasteful asset, likely untrustworthy…
Yet the best I had. I organized the documents by most promising to least. "Alright demon, I need verification that these are correct, go confirm the status and conditions of these mines. If you can't deal with whatever problems these mines have inform me so I can deal with these issues."
Shyora bowed her head. "Yes my master."
She started reading the documents then after reading them left the room, likely to start flying across the barony looking for the various mines.
With these nobles I could barely trust anything, so I'd have to put my trust in hard assets, things that were real. They were probably lying about most of them, but that could be verified and the correct data then used.
I leaned back in my seat, for I hated bureaucracy, but I was about to use it like a blunt instrument to collect the data I need.
Every industry, every shop, every bakery, every farm. Every guild and company was going to have to be cataloged, their revenue and profits and expenses recorded.
Damn it… I'll have to focus on that too. Farming and mining, two industries that are very labor intensive, that I need to replace people with machines so the people can work in factories, generate some economic output, then kickstart a mini Industrial Revolution.
The number of things the ironworks was going to have to build just skyrocketed. Plows, harvesters, combines, seeders and planters, balers… then the mines… picks and shovels, belts and conveyors, steam engines, mine carts, pumps, drills, explosives…
This was going to be complicated. I'll wait for those verified reports, then work with the ironworks to get what I need done first.
I wasn't going to be able to enjoy plumbing for a while was I? I sighed, trying not to think too hard about the cold bucket shower I'd have tonight.
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