CITY OF DESIRE [KINGDOM BUILDING]

Proofread by Thomas F 

Click!

The guard opened the door, and I entered the city hall conference room.

The mood is a little heavier, especially for Amelius and Valentina. They didn’t like what was happening, nor did I, but we had no choice.

“Have all the bids been studied?” I asked. We received the bids a few days ago, and they were studying them.

“The result?” I asked.

“Nehdis. For the academy and the magic tower,” replied Amelius, with an expression like he had eaten the thorns. That was the firm that betrayed him and jailed him for years.

It has bid on both contracts, and its bids are the best.

If things had been in my hands, I would have selected others, but that is not the case. Synod has also received copies of the bids. They suggested I choose them.

If I tried to choose someone else, Nehdis would complain, and they would win. So, it’s better to choose them as their bid is the best.

“We will send them the letter of acceptance. We want the work on the academy and the mage tower to begin as soon as possible,” I stated.

Things do not always work as one wishes. That doesn’t mean things are bad.

Besides, Nehdis is a top architecture firm in the merchant state and the whole continent. They do amazing work, and I am sure they will remain professional here.

Soon, I returned to my office and heard laughter before seeing Lola’s hand caressing a man’s shoulder.

The laughter stopped, and Lola’s expressions reddened as she returned to her spot while she tried to school her expressions.

“Lord Silver,” greeted the handsome man.

“Ethan, how are you?” I asked. “I am great, my lord,” replied the man.

“You must be. I heard your family acquired a large stake in the Varys Farms,” I said. He smiled. “It took years, but we finally got the controlling stake in it,” he replied.

Varys Farm is an agricultural company specializing in planting magical plants, which will significantly benefit their house.

A few minutes passed, and his expression turned serious.

“I have gotten the Kinler diamond you wanted,” he said, opening a tiny box.

Inside is a tiny diamond the size of a rice grain, glowing in translucent light, that appears to flicker brightly every few seconds.

I had asked him to look for it over a half month ago. I searched for it in Archmage City, but the bastards who had it weren’t willing to sell it for what I was offering.

I didn’t want to pay their price, but I would have needed to in a few months if I hadn’t found it through my connections. It’s essential for the Velvet Garden.

That is why I immediately informed Caena.

I was right to ask Ethan to look for it. Old merchant families like his have connections all over the continent and beyond.

“You have done me a favor, Ethan,” I replied as I took the diamond to my hand before sending it to Caena.

“Then I hope you will give me a little more emotion essence than usual this month,” he said. It’s the thing I like about this guy. He is straightforward. If he wants something, he asks for it directly.

Besides, keeping a favor would be bad for the relationship, as it would make it transactional. So, he cashed it immediately.

“I am going to give you something even better,” I replied, tossing a small vial with a shining drop inside it.

“Don’t tell me!” he said, his voice filled with profound shock. “This is core essence,” added Lola, surprised.

The emotion essence would have been fine, but I wanted to reward him. He has been invaluable, and with the direction I am moving in, I will need his help even more.

“Thank you, Remus,” he thanked after controlling his emotions.

A few minutes passed, and he left while I focused on my work. There was too much work, but I didn’t mind it. I enjoyed it despite the pressure.

‘Its done,’

I was working when a familiar voice rang out in my mind. Hearing that, a smile appeared on my face.

After nine long days, the negotiations were finished.

I talked to Carla for a minute before focusing on the work. However, I only did it for a few more minutes before taking a break to practice aura.

I do it daily without missing a single day. The danger is everywhere.

Even in Panar, which I thought would be safer, seeing the undead wouldn’t be attacking me for months, but the monsters showed up, and one was powerful enough to kill me.

So, practice is necessary because this protection will disappear in a few months.

It’s not like it’s the only danger. I have other enemies, and they are getting powerful. I need to be powerful to deal with them.

Soon, it was late afternoon, and I went to the cavalry grounds for training before returning to the city hall.

“Lord Silver, they are here,” informed Jill. ‘Send them in,’ I replied.

Click!

A second later, the door opened and five people walked in. Carla, Hendricks, Rip, along with Constance and Rylan.

“Lord Silver,” they greeted.

“It’s finally over,” I said as they sat down. “Your people have driven a hard bargain, Lord Silver,” replied Constance.

“I heard that it was you, Lord Constance,” I said to the man, and he smiled.

He seemed pretty happy, and he is because the contract does not mention Velvet Garden eating the Tranquill Bathhouse. The word we used is ‘becoming one,’ which can be interpreted however one likes it.

I talked to them for a few minutes before picking up a contract. We wanted the signing done in the legacy, but they insisted on the office.

It didn’t much matter. The whole city is the domain.

I began to read the contract and felt every skill attached to it. There are many skills attached to it, some of which are powerful.

I felt them and crushed their effects as I read through the parts they were trying to make me not focus on.

They didn’t have to go through the effort. I am aware of every line in the contract. I kept a tight eye on their negotiations and would study their progress every night.

We have gotten everything we wanted and more because we gave up the most essential point.

Still, eating up Tranquill Bathhouse wouldn’t be easy. We will be facing a powerful legacy with the kingdom behind it. There is a good chance they will swallow us, but we must risk it.

If we succeed, it will provide us with massive benefits.

Finally, I finished reading the contract and signing it with blood ink.

I finished signing both copies of the contract soon, but the contract didn’t click. It will only click after their Sovereign and Master of Tranquill Bathhouse sign it.

“To the fruitful cooperation,” we cheered as Lola served us with the glasses filled with golden liquid and mist.

The glasses clinked, and we sipped while we talked and laughed. I could tell they were happy with the contract—too happy.

They have advantages, but they will find it difficult to swallow the Velvet Garden. It is like a beautiful flower that one couldn’t take their eyes off, but if they try to pluck it, they will feel its sharp thorns.

A few minutes later, they left, along with Rip and Hendricks. Leaving only Carla in the office.

“How are preparations?” asked Carla. “Caena had already begun,” I replied, and I was not talking about the spells.

“So, who are we sending?” she asked, with a serious expression.

We are going to send the people to Oton, where the Tranquill Bathhouse is. The girls and spa staff will be there, but she is not asking about them.

She is asking about the girl who will lead—the one responsible for the whole mission. Its success will determine whether we eat the Tranquill Bathhouse or it eats us.

“Barb,” I replied, and surprise appeared on her face. Even Lola seemed surprised.

“I thought it would be Jenna,” she said. I shook my head.

“No, her calendar is full. Besides, I would need someone with more worldly experience, the one who can deal with any problem that might come her way,” I replied.

Barb may have chosen the path of a mercenary, but she is still a madam—one of the very few capable of completing such a complex mission.

“I am also thinking about sending Gloria. She needs such experience, but I feel like it is too dangerous for the young girl,” I added, looking at her for advice.

“Yes, it will be dangerous, but she needs it. It is the only way she will learn,” replied Carla. Still, I am conflicted about it.

“This will also be a challenge for our seductress,” she added, and my expressions turned serious.

She is the highest-level non-madam member of the velvet. We offered her the position of madam directly without an interview, but she declined every time we asked her.

She will be the most essential part of the mission.

“We haven’t asked her yet,” I informed. She smiled. “You do not need to be worried about that. She will agree,” replied Carla, sounding confident.

“Now that you have finished with the Tranquill Bathhouse. I want you to focus on Taurus Theatre,” I said.

In the first bite auction, I bid on three waning legacies, but of the three, I am most interested in the Taurus Theatre.

It’s the sole legacy for which I am planning to pay the core essence for an unharvested core, like the one I got from Halcyon.

I don’t think the king will have any problem with it.

They will let the legacy die peacefully; it will also make the master happy as they won’t go through a humiliating, painful process.

They could die peacefully. Once they do, we will get their core.

The core essence is exceptionally precious, but I need to use it to get the theatre.

Taurus Theatre is a common theatre legacy. It didn’t have a special skill, like Onyx Halcyon had, which I had gotten. It is also small, with a capacity of only five hundred people.

The capacity of my theatre is much greater than that, but it is a theatre legacy.

This means that if I successfully take even 10% of it, the velvet garden will gain the theatre aspect. It will immediately increase the harvest of emotions through the theatre.

Core essence will be worth it, which I might get back if the spell worked as it did with Halcyon.

I will only take the core essence of theatre, which aligns with my vision. The rest will be harvested. I did the same thing with the Halcyon, and I will do the same with other legacies.

Including the Tranquill Bathhouse, despite its being a living legacy. Instead of a waning one.

I do not want to corrupt my vision; rather, I want to enhance it by incorporating elements from other legacies.

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