Alexei nodded. "Then it shall be so. You will likely receive contact from restaurateurs in the morrow, knowing how quick they are to seize a chance to stand out."

"Sounds good. Appreciate the help as always. Now, to the farm itself." Li was excited to broach on this topic. Before, he had seen all the empty farmhouses and rotting land around the city and how he might have taken them, and now, he had someone to formulate a definitive plan with.

"I want to expand my fields, and for that, I need land. The only issue is most of the land's owned by other people, but it doesn't seem like they're using it."

"Ah, I see where you are going with this. You wish to seize those lands for yourself?" 

"Seize is a rather strong word. If I can convince them to yield those lands to me of their own will, then that would be preferable. After all, it doesn't seem like most of these so called 'farmers' are using the land." 

"That is indeed the case." Alexei shook his head. "Such a shame, too, considering how wondrous Riviera's fields used to be. The breadbasket of the west, as it was called." 

Li cocked his head. "It was? From my history readings, I figured Riviera was only really important as a buffer to the hinterlands, back when the hinterlanders were nomadic raiders, but after their numbers got culled by demons, the city didn't really have much of a use anymore, especially with Duvin's fields producing enough grain to keep the whole duchy fed."

"I am afraid you have read revised history, but that is unsurprising under the duchess's rule." Alexei put a hand to his chin as his eyes narrowed, focusing on the past.

"Before the demons invaded, Riviera was a city seeped in forest worship. Morrigan, the guardian of the forests surrounding the city, had a particular fondness for humans, and blessed their fields and regulated the strength of monsters and beasts roaming her woods such that the humans might thrive.

Every year at the height of summer, the entire city would hold a festival and bring offerings to her in return."

"It's incredible that there isn't a single trace of that left," remarked Li.

"Incredible? I do not believe so. Mortal minds are forgetful," Alexei's shoulders undulated in a faint shrug. "When the demons came, they granted an ultimatum to Morrigan: let her mortals waste away or fight. She chose to fight, and she was eliminated. The forests and fields, deprived of her control, withered as a result, and Riviera lost its purpose and agrarian culture.

That was thirty years ago. Thirty years is more than enough to wash away many memories for meek human minds. The city now with its isolation, safety, and natural beauty is a glorified bank and retirement home for the wealthy, and for you, that is good news as there are more than enough restaurants that are willing to come begging at your feet." 

"It also gives me insight into the current farming situation." Li nodded to himself, digesting the new information.

"There's no point in farming here because nobody has needed it for decades, not to mention the fact that aside from my current field, none of the others seem to be doing too well either. I chalked this up to recent famine, but knowing Old Thane hasn't had success growing anything in two decades, it makes a lot more sense now. The soil just isn't what it used to be.

No wonder all the farmlands are empty or used to avoid taxes. There's no living to make off of farming anymore."

"Farmers used to be the lifeblood of Riviera, acting as both tenders to the land and priests of Morrigan, but indeed, now it is a dead occupation," said Alexei. "The new generation of farmers are farmers no more. They have moved on from the occupation, which is why so many of the lands remain unused."

"And where did their parents go? They should be around Old Thane's age. Granted, he's almost seventy, but he should be a fair bit older than all the other farmers of the past generation considering he started tending to his field after he retired as an adventurer. The farmers of the past should still be alive and kicking, mostly, and, honestly, still capable of farming."

"Have you observed the mansion across from mine, plated in gold to a disgustingly gaudy shine?" 

Li nodded, wondering where the vampire was going with this sudden line of questioning. 

Alexei continued. "That is owned by the noble family of Chevrette, owner of the Gold Standard."

"Gold Standard? If I recall, that's the big bank in town. What does the bank have to do with this?" said Li. 

"To give a sense of Baron Chevrette's monetary resources. Chevrette knew that the new generation of farmers would abandon those farms and look towards the city. After all, their fields were dying, and yet they still had the burden of caring for their aging parents.

But living in the city fetches a high price. For that, they needed coin, and how could young farmers with but dying fields to their name dredge up coin?"

Li understood where Alexei was going with this, though not fully. "Loans. Chevrette gave them loans." 

"Precisely. Chevrette wooed these gullible young farmers to the city, granting them loans with generous terms and even accommodations to take their parents who, having spent a lifetime working the dirt, knew no useful skills for the city."

"But there were string attached to the whole deal, I presume?"

"An obvious observation, but one that escaped many of those uneducated young farmers. Chevrette stipulated that these farmers with their loans start business ventures under their name so as to benefit from the tax evasion granted by their ownership of farmland. Of course, these 'businesses' were mere laundering fronts for Chevrette's own rather illicit trade."

"And that would be?" 

"The slave trade."

"The banned slave trade?'

Alexei let out a curt laugh. "As you know, the laws of man are fallible, but credit where it is due: the duchess's regulations are enforced enough by Lys's knights that the large scale slave trade prevalent during King Beaumont's reign has long since been eradicated. 

But that does not mean the demand disappeared, for the base instincts of man will always find a way to surface, and with demand comes supply. In this case, only Chevrette was capable of funding an operation elaborate enough to subvert Lys, effectively allowing him to monopolize the trade. This is not to mention the fact that he specializes in trafficking exotic beastmen and women, and the laws of Soleil are known to turn a blind eye to non-humans."

Li nodded slightly in understanding. It would appear Alexei was not the only crime lord in this seemingly peaceful city. "And I thought you the only mastermind of crime in this city."

"I ran the drugs; he ran the slaves." Alexei shrugged. "And like me, he has seeped his finances throughout many legitimate businesses in the city. I daresay with his ownership of the bank, he is even more important than I am to the city's economy." 

Li sighed. It would appear this Chevrette was going to be a small obstacle to clear for his plans. "Which means eliminating him is tricky. Explains why you haven't taken him out."

"His security detail is formidable, too, but indeed, the main reason I did not simply dispose of him was due to his integral position for this city." 

From this, Li had most of the information he needed. He had started to formulate a plan about getting the land, and he was beginning to realize that perhaps there was an alternative that did not involve him seizing them. One that could be a relatively happy end for all. 

And for that, he needed some extra information, but not from Alexei. 

Li stood up, smoothing out creases in his trousers. "Alright, I think that just about covers what I wanted to ask you. I'm beginning to have an idea of what I want to do, and when I flesh it out more, I'll let you know."

Alexei also stood and bowed his head. "Excellent."

Now to get more information. This was the first time he had spent so much time in the city, Li realized, but it was a somewhat enjoyable experience. He felt like some kind of detective piecing together tidbits of information to get to the bottom of some large plot.

"Knowing how careful you are, you probably tracked down where Iona lives in the city, didn't you?"

Li figured that by now, evening had come, meaning that Iona was either at home or on her way. 

Alexei nodded, and Li replied, "Give me the address. I need to have a word with her."