Mana Soul: Chapter 45 - The Champion - Markus

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As the sun began to set and the teams of monster hunters returned, Markus was pleased to find that two of the dungeons were now under his control. Barricaded by enchanted palisades, five combat golems were sent to watch over each of the dungeons and make sure that no monsters would escape their confines or be reinforced by those still prowling the forest.

Under orders to bring him a full storage crystal of monster mana, a golem Markus was otherwise unfamiliar with, deposited the storage crystal on his workbench and then returned to its previous duties.

Markus had already thought about the mana issue a great deal and was confident that pure monster mana would be sufficient for powering chimaeras’ fertility treatments. However, there was a problem. Markus still needed a test subject to be sure. With the presence of the Shadow-Maw to consider, Markus didn’t think it would be politically prudent to continue overtly showering gifts on the Blood-Hunters exclusively.

Enchanting two beads, one for a male treatment and one for a female treatment, Markus stowed them in his jacket pocket.

Aela had been patiently watching and waiting for the proceedings with mild interest as per usual and had already gotten to her feet in anticipation of leaving the house. “Do you think they will work?” Aela asked curiously.

“They should,” Markus hedged with a nervous chuckle, “The only real difference between the mana I am using now, and the mana I used last time, is that this time the monsters it came from were outside of the dungeon when they were harvested.”

“Will that make a difference?” Aela took a closer look at the mana storage crystal and then shrugged due to being unable to see the mana within.

“It might,” Markus admitted, “Although I don’t think so. In either case, I need to test it on volunteers.”

Aela nodded in understanding and pulled on a thick scarf, “Do you know who you are going to ask? Because I am running out of available siblings,” she chuckled on her way to the door.

“Well…I think it would be a good idea to ask the Shadow-Maw for a pair of volunteers this time,” Markus explained thoughtfully, “As a sign of good faith and cooperation, you know?”

Aela seemed to consider it for a few moments and then nodded, “Although, you do realise that this is liable to piss Magnus off, don’t you?” She didn’t seem particularly concerned by that fact herself, but still thought it worth mentioning.

Markus was going to ask what business it was of his, but then he remembered Aela’s earlier comment, “Thyra…Right…I had forgotten about her.”

Aela nodded, “As Magnus’s daughter, you can bet he will throw a hissy fit over this and almost certainly go to Svala about it,” she explained dourly.

“Then I’ll just promise both the clans a free batch each to do their politicking with,” Markus reasoned, “Ten each should be more than enough to prove they work and keep people on their best behaviour.”

“That will probably work,” Aela agreed thoughtfully, “Although you will probably want to give a rough idea of what the treatments are worth when you do.”

“Good idea,” Markus agreed.

By no means foolhardy enough to wander the chimaeras’ encampments in the dark, Markus sent a golem to request a meeting with Ivar and his life-mate Sylvi just outside of the castle.

It didn’t take very long for the pair of lupine chimaeras to come striding into view, their eyes flashing in the half-light of the last rays of the already descended evening sun.

“Markus,” both chimaeras bowed their heads respectfully, “You requested our presence?” Ivar queried curiously while Sylvi turned her attention to Aela, perhaps searching for additional clues.

“I did. I have a request and opportunity I normally would have offered to the Blood-Hunters,” Markus agreed while hoping to pique their interest.

“Opportunity?” Ivar asked somewhat warily, no doubt having been burned by nobles’ 'opportunities’ before.

“I have two experimental fertility treatments made from mana collected in today's hunt,” Markus elaborated, “And I need two chimaeras to test them, preferably a couple.”

Ivar and Sylvi both looked shocked.

“This is a role that Aela’s siblings have filled in the past,” Markus continued, trying to frame the request in the proper context. “But I decided that in the spirit of future relations it would be best if I offered your people a chance-”

Sylvi shouldered Ivar and let out an almost imperceptible high-pitched whine.

“We accept,” Ivar interjected hastily, “We were not sure such an opportunity would arise again…”

“The tests?” Markus asked, mildly confused by Ivar’s strange phrasing.

Ivar shifted uncomfortably, “There was talk…Claims you would not honour your word…”

“Grisha!...” Aela snarled and spat at the ground, “That old mangy bear!”

“Your mother’s rival?” Markus asked uncertainly.

Aela nodded, “I should have suspected he and his brood would go around bad-mouthing you after I beat his worthless son within an inch of his life! Petty pieces of shit!”

Ivar and Sylvi shifted nervously.

Wanting to set them at ease, Markus removed the beads from his jacket pocket, “Anyway…I have one experimental treatment for a male and one for a female. The one with the cord is for the female,” Markus clarified and held the beads in such a way to better demonstrate their differences, “Assuming you still have the activation bead I gave your representatives?”

Ivar and Sylvi both nodded.

“Then the process will be much the same. Although I insist the treatments be given to a couple,” Markus insisted sternly.

“Why?” Sylvi asked curiously before cowing herself, likely out of fear of upsetting him.

“Because I need to know both treatments work independently of the brute-forced traditional method, and a pregnancy is a very definitive indicator.” Markus held out the beads to Ivar and Sylvi, each according to their respective sex. “Assuming this works, just make sure to have the chosen couple report to Yiva for regular scans to track the progress of the pregnancy. Once I am confident in the results I will provide both clans with ten treatments each as a gift to distribute as you will.”

Ivar and Sylvi gratefully accepted the beads with a sense of awe.

“Truly? You will do this?” Ivar asked, his normally deep voice trembling with emotion.

Sylvi was similarly surprised and looked to Aela for confirmation.

Aela nodded haughtily, “When Markus says he will do something, it’s a promise,” she insisted, “Just make sure to hold up your end.”

Ivar and Sylvi both nodded eagerly.

“I’ll let you know if further tests are required, so just try to be patient,” Markus reassured them, very much aware of how important an issue these treatments were for chimaeras’ survival as a species.

Leaving the lupine chimaeras behind, Markus took Aela’s hand and went on a short walk around the inner bailey. With no other intentions besides wanting to spend time with her, Markus made sure to appreciate the opportunity while it lasted. Several initiatives underway in Endem would soon see Markus’s life become much busier as he would need to make final decisions on important projects.

Although not specific to Endem, Tina’s latest project was nonetheless incredibly important and worthy of intense consideration. Markus was putting off thinking too much about it just yet, but the prospect of a flying merchant fleet of ships certainly held a certain appeal. The primary issue was whether it was economically feasible. So Markus had given Tina access to enough funds to purchase the services of skilled craftsmen that could direct the general labour of Arngier to craft a vessel to her specifications upon her return.

Tina’s ship would then embark on a trade mission approved by Peabody and her grandfather while a golem aboard the ship tracked expenses against profits. Should it prove genuinely profitable, Tina would be permitted to construct a fleet following what Peabody deemed the market could support.

Holding Aela close, Markus stared up at the stars and felt his mind beginning to wander. Cara’s words had shaken him and Markus was reluctant to speak with her again. The Divinities were not something Markus enjoyed thinking about, He knew that they existed in the same general sense that he knew the sun would rise each morning. However, his surety of their existence was equally balanced by a wary distrust he could not otherwise explain.

Markus had known good and bad men and women amongst the faithful and devout but was more than capable of differentiating the actions of people from the divinities they claimed to represent. All the same, Cara’s faith and conviction in her pantheon's benevolence irked Markus on a primal level.

Then there was what she had said about them summoning champions to save the people…There were plenty of stories about heroes leading one group or another to victory in its darkest hour, all claiming divine providence. But that didn’t make it true. What's more, the heroes were always oh so conveniently swept aside after their role was fulfilled. Of course, many noble families claimed to be ancestors of one hero or another, all depending on the current fads in court. The idea that heroes would appear and disappear so conveniently…wasss…

Markus lost his train of thought as his chest began to tighten of its own accord, driving the air from his lungs.

“Markus…” For a brief moment, a translucent and distorted image of Peabody flickered into being in front of him, “Quickly! Before-”

“Markus!” Aela’s voice cut through the night air like a knife and snapped Markus out of his musings.

Markus was surprised to find himself feeling a little woozy, “What’s wrong?”

“Your eyes, they…they flickered again and you suddenly grew very weak!” Aela explained worriedly, also revealing how she was responsible for keeping him upright.

Markus frowned thoughtfully, “This happened earlier as well…” He muttered with mounting concern, “I…I need to speak with Cara again…”

Aela stiffened defensively, “But it could make it worse!” She hissed angrily, “You need to avoid her!”

Normally, Markus would have agreed with Aela’s blunt assessment and solution, but he needed answers. “I know you're worried, but I need to do this.”

Aela frowned determinedly, but after some time she lowered her eyes in defeat, “I am taking you out of there at the first sign of trouble,” she promised.

Markus assented, nodding in agreement to her terms. He would be no good to anyone if he was dead. All the same, Markus felt a certain degree of mounting fear and anxiety as they headed back to the house and began scaling the stairs. Cara had answers, but Markus was growing less certain that he was prepared to hear them.

For the briefest moment, as Leona opened the door and allowed them entry, Markus’s anxiety played a trick on him, masking her face with that of a middle-aged woman with short red hair and blazing emerald eyes not all that dissimilar from Cara. But as the moment passed, Leona’s face immediately returned to its otherwise blank featureless wooden surface and pair of sapphire eyes.

Knowing Aela would drag him from the room then and there, Markus kept his mouth shut and pressed determined onward.

As if expecting them, Cara was sitting up in her bed and staring back at them. Her silvery blue tattoos shone weakly in the moonlight, casting faint illumination around the gathered sheets on the bed.

Sitting down on a chair near the foot of the bed and fitting the communication artifice to his head, Markus took a moment to compose his thoughts and delve into his earliest memories.

“Markus?” Aela asked worriedly.

“It’s alright…I was just delving into unpleasant memories…” Markus reassured her while doing his best to stop trembling. Life on the streets, being unable to speak a word of the language had been difficult, and there were many things from that time Markus wanted to forget.

Taking several deep breaths to calm his nerves, Markus turned his attention to Cara. “The Champions summoned by your divinities, what do they look like?”

Cara considered the question for a few moments before answering, “The Champions from legends were tall like the Lords and Ladies of the High Court, almost like giants. But the Champion summoned to fight the Reapers is taller still, nearly as tall as your Altered. Her eyes are dark like the bark of the trees from the deep woods, but her hair is golden like the sun…” Her expression and tone made it clear that Cara held this Champion in high personal regard.

“And the name of this Champion?” Markus pressed.

Cara frowned slightly as if disapproving of his bluntness. “We call her Orla, because she is the one who will bring the dawn-”

“But what is her name?” Markus interrupted, “What does she call herself?”

Cara glowered at Markus for a moment but became distracted as she made an effort to recall. The fact that Cara had to expend effort to remember the original name of their Champion was somewhat telling and would lead into his next question. “Deb-Bee?” Cara’s tongue tripped over the unfamiliar word.

“Do you mean Debbie?” Markus asked curiously. It was a common enough name that he had heard several different iterations over the years.

Cara looked surprised, “Debbie? Yes, I think that is what she said…”

“And did Debbie know your language? Or did she need to learn?” Markus pressed, trying to suppress his excitement.

“Her words were…crude, but we could understand her,” Cara replied curiously, “Why does this matter?”

Markus felt disappointed, his earlier theory having lost its momentum. “I just thought that she might have been like me,” he explained dejectedly, “That perhaps she spoke the same language.” Markus had barely spoken the language in years, so the words felt strange rolling off his tongue.

Cara stiffened and immediately sat bolt upright, her eyes growing wide in shock.

The extreme reaction was what Markus had been hoping for earlier and now he couldn’t help himself, “Did Debbie ever tell you where she was from?! Who her people are?!”

Cara shrank back nervously, “She…She said she came from the world called Dirt…” She answered coarsely.

“Dirt…” Markus tasted the word and let it marinate in his mind. It was familiar, but not as much as he would have expected. If Markus wanted more answers, he needed to find Debbie. “Your world, you said it is under attack by the Reapers? How many Rifts are there?” If his theory was correct about the home of the dungeons, then it would be possible to enter one dungeon and leave through another. It would just be a matter of finding the right exit and keeping both dungeons free of monsters in order to allow uninterrupted travel between them. “Is there anything else you can tell me about her?”

Cara just stared blankly at Markus for a few moments. “Orla is a powerful warrior and has slain many Reapers, led many successful expeditions to close the Rifts…But there are too few Guardians left to fight alongside her, and the Reapers are too numerous…The Rifts’ numbers are now beyond counting…”

“Guardians? You mentioned those before,” Markus pressed, “What exactly are they?”

Cara came somewhat defensive, eyeing Markus warily sighing and then averting her eyes in defeat, “They are our protectors, raised to fight by our side or on our behalf.”

“But what are they?” Markus pressed again, wanting to confirm whether Cara’s people had Adventurers or not. With such a broad definition to Guardian, it was far too open to interpretation, and Cara had already mentioned Shapers last time they spoke.

Cara seemed conflicted and remained silent for quite a long time. “Guardians are…They are like…” her expression slowly became more frustrated as she struggled to find the right words. “Guardians are our protectors, created from stars hidden in the ground and pieces of our own soul…They are a part of us, and that is why they fight so fiercely…” Tears had begun welling in the corners of Cara’s eyes and her hands had begun to tremble.

“Then they are like Markus’s golems?” Aela observed dismissively.

Cara stared incredulously back at Aela as an involuntary tear ran down her cheek, “They are nothing so crude! Guardians are flesh and blood!”

“So they are monsters,” Aela corrected provocatively, beating Markus to the observation he would have handled far more tactfully.

“Monsters?” Cara didn’t seem to immediately understand, but after a few moments her eyes widened in shock, “You would dare compare Guardians to the Reapers?!” She whispered in horror, “Get out…Leave me be…”

Aela was about to say something else, but Markus rested a hand on her shoulder to signal for her to stop. Aela held her tongue but seemed confused by Markus’s intervention.

“Let’s give her some space,” Markus suggested tactfully, “It’s late and we should be heading for bed ourselves.”

The look in Aela’s eyes made it clear she was reluctant to withdraw, but she acquiesced and allowed him to guide her from the room.

Once they had made their way to their own room and locked the door, Markus decided it would be best to clear up the potential misunderstanding. “I think you are right,” he reassured her, “About the Guardians being like Monsters.”

A little put-out by their sudden withdrawal, Aela’s mood lifted at the unexpected praise, “You do?” Her tail began slowly waving across the bedsheets.

Markus smiled and nodded as he sat down beside her, “I do. I think that the Shapers Cara spoke of are Artificers or something like it and that their Guardians are artificial monsters, like the slimes.”

Aela considered his words for a few moments and nodded thoughtfully, “That is what I was thinking too,” she insisted, “The slime part I mean…I forgot about the other thing…” Aela fidgetted and squirmed uncomfortably as she admitted her relative ignorance. However, Aela’s behaviour quickly shifted again as she became more excited, “Does that mean you are going to make Guardians of your own now?”

Markus nodded slowly, “There are a few more things I want to clarify with Cara first, like how they control the Guardians, but I think we are closer than I expected.”

Aela smiled and nodded but became momentarily troubled, “Why did you want to know more about Champions?” A hint of bitter jealousy in her tone made it clear that her interest lay more in the person than the subject matter itself.

“Because I think I might be one…” Markus replied bluntly, “Although I am not sure who would have brought me here or why, so I might be just clutching at straws…”

Aela grew very still for a moment, just staring at him with her amber eyes. “You're special Markus, anyone can see that. You do things…amazing, impossible things, no one else can do…There is no one else like you…”

Markus caught himself subconsciously disregarding Aela’s compliments and for the first time stopped to properly consider his own abilities. He had never really allowed himself to do so before, it always felt…like it wasn’t something he should be doing. Even now Markus could feel a mounting pressure in his mind to ignore the praise of his abilities, reminded with multiple examples of how others could be as talented if they genuinely applied themselves.

“Nng…” The mounting headache from pushing back against the resistance in his own mind was causing Markus’s hands to tremble.

“Markus!” Aela leapt off the bed and took a firm grip on his shoulders, “Markus! Your eyes!”

“Whatrytlkinbt…” The headache intensified and Markus could feel his body growing incredibly cold.

Aela and their bedroom disappeared and Markus found himself staring at a clear midday sky. Shivering from the cold, he tried to move but found his body was incredibly stiff and unresponsive. The smell of blood and ruptured bowels filled Markus’s nostrils and made him want to gag. He could feel the sticky touch of drying blood on his body, especially around his throat and neck, but had no idea how it came to be there.

“Markus!” Aela’s voice tore through the silence like a booming peel of thunder.

Just like that, Markus found himself staring up at Aela and her clawed hands which were frantically wiping at his cheeks and hair. As weak as he felt, seeing how distraught Aela had become Markus gathered what little strength he had to try and speak to let her know he was alright. Unfortunately, all Markus could manage was a low grunt and lopsided grin.

Neither of them got much sleep. Aela refused to sleep and kept an intense watch on Markus through the night, and Markus himself was too disturbed by what had happened to manage to close his eyes for more than a handful of minutes at a time.

What Markus had seen was part of an old memory, the earliest he could recall with any degree of clarity. But he had never experienced it so vividly before, especially the blood…

Left with questions that needed answers, but unable to risk another amnesia related seizure, Markus was forced to delegate the responsibility to Leona.

Agreeing to take it easy, Markus spent the day in bed alongside Aela. Even though he felt like he had already recovered, Markus decided to play it safe to try and set her at ease. For whatever reason, sleep came easier while the sun was out and Markus was content to pass the day and following night in dreamless slumber.

No doubt famished herself, Aela had brought them a substantial breakfast to share in their bed. Composed predominantly of preserved meats and mushy cereals, Markus preferred to sate his hunger on the latter, while Aela favoured the former.

“At least your appetite has returned,” Aela observed gratefully.

Markus swallowed his mouthful of spiced pottage and smiled reassuringly, “I’ll do my best not to scare you like that again,” he promised and kissed the back of her greasy hand. Licking his lips to remove the grease, Markus noticed Aela was staring at him intently.

“Are your lips doing better?” Aela asked shyly while hesitantly pointing to his mouth.

Somewhat surprised, Markus gingerly dabbed at his lips with his fingers. To his surprise, there was none of the pain or tenderness he had expected to find, only the faint bumps and ridges of already healed scar tissue. “They feel fine?” Markus answered somewhat uncertainly.

“Good!” Aela leaned over their food and gently kissed his lips before slowly pulling back again.

“Not that I am complaining, but what was that for?” Markus asked curiously, unsure he would be able to wipe the smile from his face even if he tried.

“Just for being you,” Aela replied contentedly.

Markus maneuvered himself around the mostly empty plates and bowls until he was next to Aela. Hopping off the bed, Markus leaned down and nuzzled her neck the way she liked. Aela’s scales always left his skin feeling a little funny, but it was worth it to see her so happy.

As he changed out of the clothes he had been sleeping in for the past couple of days, Markus caught himself sneaking peeks at Aela as she went crawling under their bed in search of her boots.

Once they were both dressed, Markus led them out of the inner bailey and into the Blood-Hunter clan’s camp. Heading straight for the nursery, Markus and Aela were both impressed by the progress that had been made on the original structures. All of the primary buildings were now finished, and a skirting wall to replace the earthworks was busily being built by a few dozen chimaeras under the supervision of three human stonemasons and Mjoln.

Since the reason for their visit involved Mjoln’s mother, he decided it would be a good excuse to see how things were going. Waving as they approached, Markus made sure to stay out of the way as much as possible. This was not just out of courtesy so much as self-preservation since some of the chimaera labourers were carrying enough bricks on their shoulders or backs to crush him twice over.

“How are things going Mjoln?” Markus only barely managed to stop himself glancing to Aela for confirmation at the last moment.

Aela snickered quietly, apparently having noticed anyway or otherwise guessed what had happened.

“Markus!” Mjoln boomed in greeting, his naturally loud voice easily rising above the noise of the masonry work taking place around them. Mjoln began extending an arm to perform a traditional northern greeting but stopped and settled for a differential nod instead. Whether it was because of how Markus had so profoundly beaten him when they first met, or because his forearm was impossibly large for Markus to realistically replicate the gesture, it was unclear.

Nodding back, Markus tried his best to keep his smile friendly, “How are things going for the nursery?”

Mjoln thrust out his enormous chest with pride, “Everything is nearly finished! We even have running water! We have built the first permanent buildings of…of…” Mjoln furrowed his brow in deep thought.

“Arngier,” one of the supervising stonemasons interjected excitedly, apparently quite pleased to be part of the achievement.

“Right, Arngier!” Mjoln nodded in agreement.

“It’s good to have had the practice,” Markus agreed, “Depending on the news from your mother, you may be needed to make a few more in short order, and another for the humans at the least. There have not been many formal requests thus far, but a permanent, defensible and structurally sound place for children to be cared for during the day seems quite sensible.”

Mjoln looked taken aback for a moment, but quickly gathered his wits. However, it was the stonemason from earlier that spoke first. “Is that true your Lordship?” The middle-aged man had removed his cloth cap and was clutching it tightly in front of his chest with both hands. “I have been leaving my son with strangers, good folk near as I can tell, but it would be a relief to know he was somewhere safer while I work, erm, my Lord.” The stonemason shrank down somewhat, most likely unsure whether he had crossed a boundary he shouldn’t have.

Good folk. An interesting choice in words considering almost every labourer in Arngier was technically a criminal. The indenture contracts legally afforded parole of sorts, but refusing to work or otherwise pay off the designated value of the contract would land any one of them back in debtors’ prison. Markus held few delusions as to what garnered such productivity from the human element of his workforce, and it was almost solely due to the heinous conditions of the prisons and the deprivations one suffered inside of them.

Bearing that in mind, the majority of debtors thrown into those prisons were hard-working people who were unfortunate enough to have their livelihoods snatched away by the recent artificing revolution. Artifices, big and small, now replaced many jobs previously performed by teams of people. While quality tended to be somewhat lower, the sheer volume of production drove most of the competition out of the market within a couple of years. The only reason the artifice hadn’t taken almost all of the jobs entirely was that the mana needed to power the machines were comparatively expensive and difficult to secure reliably.

It made Markus somewhat uncomfortable knowing that his plans to pay for the conquest and colonisation of the deadlands would not only be driving more families into poverty and debt only to then bind them into temporary service in the hopes that the opportunities provided outweighed the potential dangers.

Peabody’s plan, of which Markus had agreed to, was to establish mana relay stations along the main roads to every town and city on the continent, even the far eastern empire. With the capability of transferring mana anywhere it was needed, it would mean their business enterprises could sell mana to anyone willing to pay the price. This would no doubt accelerate the rate of joblessness, debt, and imprisonment, which would in turn open the door for Peabody to forgive debts in exchange for service.

As benevolent as Markus’s intentions were, he wouldn’t blame anyone for doubting his intentions based on observing his methods. Earning trust through civic works paid for from his own pocket was really the least he could do.

Aware that he had been silent for too long, Markus made an effort to smile and nodded, “A nursery for caring for infants and young children, and a larger building for older children to be taught to read and write during the daytime hours, and for adults to learn in the evening.” He hadn’t originally planned on formally teaching adults, but after careful consideration, it seemed foolish not to at least provide the opportunity.

Markus’s words drew the attention of the other stonemasons and left them looking quite surprised.

“The cost of sending my boy?” The first stonemason asked, barely audible over the work taking place in the background.

“Nothing,” Markus stated firmly. As golems were intended to fill the role of teachers and were functionally his property, Markus intended for education to be free of cost. “The same will go for adults as well. But this comes with the expectation that rules governing personal conduct and behaviour are followed. Education will be available to all, and I do mean ALL.”

Mjoln seemed confused, “You mean us too?”

Markus nodded sternly, “That’s exactly what I mean.” Setting aside his empathy for the chimaeras as a people, Markus’s motivations were almost exclusively utilitarian. Having pored through Tina’s sketchbooks and her official portfolio of inventions, the prospect of allowing another mind like hers to go unappreciated and unused was tantamount to criminal levels of negligence. As chimaeras had demonstrated the same or similar levels of intelligence to the majority of humans Markus had met, then it stood to reason that they were capable of producing another Tina, or at least someone of her creativity.

None of the three stonemasons seemed the least put out by the idea, but Markus was forced to admit that they likely didn’t have much of a bias in the first place since they were the only humans on a chimaera construction site.

“Just things to bear in mind,” Markus reminded them before focusing his attention on Mjoln, “Is Yiva around? I need to speak with her about something privately.”

Mjoln nodded eagerly and pointed to one of the completed buildings, “I think mother is boiling water for cooking in the…washing house?” He turned and gave the stonemasons a curious look for confirmation.

The stonemasons nodded approvingly.

Mjoln smiled and rolled his shoulders in satisfaction, obviously quite pleased by his adjustment to urban references.

“Then I will leave you to it,” Markus announced and headed off to the washroom with Aela in tow.

“Mixing will make some people angry, you know?” Aela observed with a hint of worry.

“It will,” Markus agreed with a sigh, “But enough people will go along with it that it won’t matter. What matters is how the kids will get along. Kids can adapt to just about anything if given a good enough reason to. So all we really need to do is make sure the kids get along long enough to tip the balance.”

“That’s…optimistic,” Aela hedged, “Why are you so convinced it will work?”

“Because…” Markus frowned. It had seemed so obvious just a moment ago.

Before Markus had a real chance to think about it, Aela seemed to change her mind and rushed them both towards the washhouse.

Just as Mjoln had said, Yiva was boiling water in a large iron kettle while two other chimaeras Markus was not familiar with were washing clothes and sheets in a large tub of hot water.

“Markus! Aela! It is good to see you!” Yiva called out excitedly before approaching them.

“Hello Yiva,” Markus replied with some embarrassment, a little overwhelmed by the matronly chimaera’s energy and overt affection.

Yiva excitedly trotted on the spot before making an effort to calm herself and lean in close so the other chimaeras would have greater trouble hearing her, “It worked!” Yiva whispered excitedly, “The young couple from the Shadow-Maw you sent to me, they are pregnant!”

“Oh, that's great!” Markus had been a little worried about the test and was relieved to find that it had worked. Even though he had been quite certain it would, it was still a relief to prove it.

“Does this mean the treatments will be available for sale soon?” Yiva whispered with eager curiosity. The sudden stall in the other chimaeras’ washing activities signalling that this conversation wasn’t nearly as private as it had seemed a moment or two before.

“Soon, but not quite yet,” Markus confirmed, “I am still waiting on a different delivery of quartzite and need to designate golems to the role of regulating everything. Although that second part won’t really take long.”

The first part of his answer seemed to dampen Yiva’s mood somewhat, not that she was nearly rude enough to complain. Unlike most of the other chimaeras, Yiva had proven quite patient when presented with setbacks. All the same, it made Markus feel a little bad to disappoint her. After all, Yiva had made a point of being welcoming to him as an outsider, and never actually pushed him for special treatment or gifts. This was probably why Markus had made a point of doing both of his own volition.

“I could probably make a more stationary treatment delivery method with what I have on hand…” Markus muttered, somewhat embarrassed by the necessary redirection of his thought processes as he considered how best to achieve such a result. As best as he could consider, Markus was going to need a couple of chairs and the services of a leatherworker. There would also need to be a temporary building erected for the artifices to operate out of…

“Markus,” Aela gave him a playful shove, “Yiva was asking you if there was anything she could do to help.”

Blushing slightly, Markus bowed his head in apology, “Sorry, I got a little distracted.”

Yiva goodnaturedly dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand, “It’s alright.”

“I’ll be sure to let you know if you can help,” Markus added, not wanting to be any ruder than he had been already, “But I need to spend some time thinking things over first, make some sketches and take an inventory of what I have on hand.”

“I understand,” Yiva agreed supportively.

“I’ll make sure to let you know if I think of something,” Markus insisted before leaving with Aela.

Yiva just smiled and waved them goodbye, her expression betraying no disappointment or expectations.

“If you could do it that way, then why didn’t you consider doing it sooner?” Aela asked curiously while absently waving goodbye to the children over the fence.

Markus blushed, “I just…I’m not as comfortable with this sort of thing as you all are,” he muttered defensively.

“Hrm?” Aela seemed confused for a moment before seeming to understand what he was getting at. “We can do something about that,” she suggested lasciviously and flicked her tongue across the back of his neck.

“Not that I’m saying no…” Markus began explaining diplomatically, “But I don’t think I will get much done if we spent yet another day in bed.”

“We don’t need to spend ALL day in bed,” Aela pouted disingenuously, evidently quite happy to have fun at his expense.

Markus did his best to stay calm and gave her an exaggerated doubting look in reply.

“Well…I wouldn’t be upset if we did,” Aela admitted with a cheeky grin before laughing and resting her arm over Markus’s shoulder.

Returning to the inner bailey, Markus had a golem bring him some supplies so he could sketch his ideas and keep a written list of supplies. Aela kept him company and with the exception of a few suggestions, mostly remained silent and watched him work.

After a few hours and a number of false starts, Markus decided that a static emplacement could probably wait. Based on previous experience, having the treatments be made available through mobile means that could take place outside of a patient's home would prove more prudent given the amorous effects of the treatment. This then presented a few options for long-term implementation, but for now, Markus settled on making use of a wagon. A pair of golems would be able to pull it around without much effort and could serve as the administrators of the treatments as well.

With the location and transportation sorted, Markus eventually decided upon a pair of altered chairs. The intention was that the back support of the chair could be adjusted to allow someone to sit on it backwards and press against it. Recessed holes would be drilled along the central line to allow a peg embedded with the crystal containing the treatment to be pressed through the peg hole closest to the female chimaeras’ internal reproductive organs. Similarly, a few holes in the seat would accommodate the treatment for the males.

A Mana Storage Crystal filled with monster mana would be stored inside of a chest nailed to the inside of the wagon. This chest would be used to store the fertility treatment crystals while they were not in use as well, helping ensure they would be safe from sticky fingers. Markus was going to enchant the treatment crystals so only the golems could activate them, but he still didn’t doubt someone at some point would be desperate or stupid enough to try and steal them.

The benefit of the overall design was that it mostly involved modifying existing furniture and could probably be completed by evening. So naturally, Markus wanted to make the most of it and had golems deliver his request to the carpenters and make an offer on a visiting merchant’s spare waggon. Markus planned on having ribs purchased from the carpenters and using a canvas tarpaulin to ensure privacy for those receiving the treatment.

At the last second, Markus also had the golems place an order for a portable step that could be attached to the back of the waggon to better accommodate entering and exiting the waggon. Many chimaeras were quite tall, but some like Yiva were actually much closer to his own height and would otherwise require assistance climbing up into the waggon.

“Is that it?” Aela asked curiously, “The way you were talking with Yiva made it seem like it would take much longer.”

“You're not wrong,” Markus agreed with a chuckle, “But I kinda figured this would probably be the best setup moving forward, you know?”

Aela nodded, “It’s that or clean the rooms every time,” she snickered.

“That was one of the deciding factors,” Markus admitted with a lighthearted chuckle, glad for the cool air keeping his cheeks from flushing. “I still won’t have the quartzite I need in order to supply other midwives though. So Yiva will be very busy.”

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Aela grew a little worried, “What about twins? Will there be enough of the beads?”

“I have plenty more that could be made to work the same,” Markus reassured her, “I’d just rather keep them in reserve for the time being. That’s why I wanted to find an alternative for the treatments. Well…Part of the reason.”

Aela raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

“I don’t want to run out,” Markus admitted, “There is a lot I can do with them at short notice and no real telling when I need them most.”

Aela nodded approvingly, “That is best,” she agreed. “Have you decided what you are going to charge for the treatments?” There was no judgement in Aela’s voice, just curiosity.

“I have given it a lot of thought, and while I haven’t settled on an exact number, I was thinking something along the lines of what would be reasonable to expect one person to earn in a year with one of the lowest paying jobs.” Knowing Aela would have questions, Markus raised his hand to request she wait a little longer. “That will be considered the base price, but I was thinking that discounts on the price would help offset the dwindling numbers of the chimaeras and make it more accessible to those who haven’t had the chance at children. The base price is intended to discourage those with many children from having more before they are able to support them. Does that make sense?”

Aela took her time to think about what he had said but the look on her face made it clear that she still had questions. “What do you mean by discounts? I know that is a word merchants use but what does it mean?”

“A reduced cost,” Markus explained simply, fully aware that chimaeras wouldn’t be as familiar with merchant terminology as someone who spent a great deal of time in human towns and cities. “I intend for each chimaera's first treatment to be a quarter of the base cost, and for the second to be only half, and for the third to be three quarters. See what I mean?”

Aela slowly nodded, “So… A new couple wouldn’t be paying that original price until they already had…four?” She paused and looked to Markus for reassurance before continuing, “Right, four children.”

“That’s right,” Markus agreed.

“Then why not make the price the smaller number to begin with?” Aela asked, clearly a little confused by his decision.

Markus shrugged, “People are happier when they think they are being given something for less. I could do as you say and just make the cost smaller, but then people will think I am making it more expensive for future treatments. It’s literally a matter of semantics, but it could make all the difference in how people view the price.”

“I think I get it,” Aela agreed tentatively, “And even if a year of work seems like a lot to you, for many chimaeras, it is not much at all. Half a year, or a quarter if working together, for their first child? That is practically nothing.”

Markus vaguely remembered that Aela and Svala had been working for years to secure enough coins to bribe an adventurer so Aela could destroy a dungeon core. In comparison, Markus was only asking for pennies.

“And you know that families are going to pool credits to get as many treatments as possible, right?” Aela asked with a smile.

Markus smiled back and nodded, “I assumed as much, but the general principle still stands. Because it will be more efficient, result in more children, to prioritise those without, it will hopefully result in the most happiness for everyone.”

“Another one of your semantics?” Aela giggled but showed no interest in an answer, kissing him fiercely on the cheek instead.

Waiting for the golems to return with the completed items, Markus decided to try his hand at sketching a portrait of Aela. He was by no means an artist, but Aela seemed to like the attention if nothing else. Enjoying Aela's company, Markus did not expect to receive a message from Tina, much less to learn that she would soon be arriving at the castle. After sharing the news with Aela, they were both curious enough to risk climbing one of the castle's damaged towers in order to get the best possible view.

Sitting atop the ruined tower in each other's arms, it was indeed quite a sight to see the form of the giant sailing vessel flying through the sky and grow ever larger with every passing moment.

“I thought the boat used to be much smaller?” Aela commented with amusement.

“It is,” Markus replied with an amused grin of his own. Knowing he had not approved sufficient funds to purchase a sailing ship, let alone the materials to refit one, Markus was a little worried about how Tina had come to possess it. Compared to the fishing boat, the ship was truly massive. It wouldn’t be unrealistic at all to call it a flying fortress.

However, there were other differences as well. Unlike the northern fishing boats, and illustrations Markus had seen of other sailing vessels, the design of this ship was almost completely different. Looking almost like a children’s toy with its overlarge hull and what looked like a large strange house built atop the deck, Tina’s alterations only served to make it all the stranger.

“Why an eastern empire ship though?” Aela asked curiously, “I would have thought she would favour a southern warship.”

“You have seen ships like this before?” Markus asked, more than a little surprised by that particular revelation.

Aela shrugged, “A few times while travelling on the northern coast with mother,” she admitted nonchalantly, “It’s rare to see a warship though. Most of the ships we saw were trading vessels and their escorts.”

Looking back to the approaching ship, Markus now felt far less amused than he had been a few minutes earlier. Having no existing experience with the eastern empire, there were far too many unknowns involved for his liking and it was making him quite nervous.