Lord Joyde The Madman: Heylo, everybody! How are you all doing?

GUYS! WE DID IT! WE'RE ON THE FRONT PAGE!

YES! YEY!

Now then, lets continue where we left off from the last chapter.

Not much else to say here I guess... the ice cream was total shite if anyone is wondering.

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

Continuing On... - Council Chamber - Rhean's Point Of View...

Zyl'mael shakes his head out of his stupor before continuing his report."With the plantation being firmly under our control, I have also managed to complete the pending task of researching them. We may now construct another plantation wherever we wish... however, we do not yet posses the necessary resources or land to do so."

"That's fine. One of those Plantations is enough to support a city when brought to maximum efficiency. We will consider building another only when we conquer more territory." I reply with a nod.

Zyl then nods back before looking down onto his parchment."Well, that about sums up my report, your majesty... albeit there is one last problem concerting the Ancient Laboratory."

"Go on." I say with a sigh."I have suggested that, once we have fully cleared it out, we dismantle the tools and equipment inside in order to quickly learn more about it. Being capable of constructing it would be a great boon to our economy and scientific progress."

Zrell finally decides to enter the conversation with a scoff."I zay we not do zhiss. Azarestrian culzure must remain as iz izz! We shouldz uze it, but not deztroy et."

Closing my eyes in thought as I think hard on both accounts, I place a hand on my chin in thought."Zrell is correct, we will not dismantle the Laboratory. However, I will permit you to passively observe the machinery and experiment with it, Zyl. The process will be slower than completely dismantling them, but the same result should be achieved eventually."

The elf bows in acceptance."As you wish, sire."

Then, after clearing his throat, he continues."One final thing sire concerning our next research goal... Now that we have the On Transcendence in our library, all Azarestrian research will be completed twice as quickly. Additionally, with Zrell having joined me as another researcher with decent understanding of chaos, I find that things are going far smoother than expected. His understanding has also managed to inspire the elven population of our city, as they believe that a goblin possessing such a level of insight is a remarkable occurrence."

"So you want me to tell you to focus on Azarestrian Technology for now, is that it?" I ask Zyl as I stare at them both and shrug."That's what I was going to do anyways... now that you've finished setting up the policies for The Bound, I need you to write down the same for The Unbound."

However, Zyl promptly waves his hands in negative."No sire, that is not what I meant by that. What I meant to say is that we may now focus on two separate research goals at once. I shall do as you've said now and focus myself on deciphering policies for The Unbound class of citizen, but that does not mean that Zrell here needs to do the same."

"And yet, dividing you to differing goals will slow down your research speed by half." I point out with another sigh.

Zrell and Zyl shrug in turn."Wellz, iz all youz decizion in zhe end, Emperarz."

Taking in a breath, I turn towards Zrell as I ask."Zrell, what is the status on our storage? Where are we placing all the stone, metal and wood our city produces?"

He blinks at me before replying."I haz dezignated an areaz rightz outzide zhe castle where we juzz dump everythingz. Wez make zure to put roof over eet all too."

A nod is his answer as I place a finger onto my chin in thought."Then your job will be to research a better way to safely store our resources in one place that is easily reachable and yet out of sight for the enemy."

The goblin hums in thought."Wez Minewalkerz often dig big holez to stash lootz... maybe wez canz uze similar tactic? Yesz! Hide resourzes in deep rooms, cover wizz illuzions and ozher magics! Noz work on uzz, of courze, but work on zhe enemy!" He exclaims with what seems to be a stroke of pure goblin genius.

Hiding resources underground with Illusion magic covering the entrance? Genius indeed."Very well, then go and do so."

My two researchers stand up from their seats and bow before leaving the room in silence, but as soon as the door closes behind them, we can all hear their ecstatic voices, already forming up a multitude of ideas.

Turning back around, I finally take note of a new person within the room, a male lion beastman dressed in full plate armor, sitting next to Luciana who seems to have adopted a persona of silence for some reason. Shrugging at her, I ask."Luciana, what's gotten into you today?"

"H-huh!?" She chirps back into reality, having been seemingly lost in thought."A-ah, forgive me, my emperor... There has been a lot on my mind since... Since Mara has disappeared and has not been seen since the night of your ascension."

Blinking at her as this interesting little tidbit makes itself finally known to me, I ask."Mara has disappeared? What do you mean?"

"W-well, her shop has been utterly destroyed, something we believed to be just another bit of property damage caused on that night.. but... it seems like we were wrong." She mutters out in wonder."Wrong?"

I ask, urging her to continue as she nods towards me and does so."Y-yes.. it appears that the building has been obliterated by a huge Lunarian moon-blast... the spell must have been charging for months on end so it is unlikely that someone other than her caused it but that makes no sense to anyone of us..."

An arcane explosion of that level could have easily destroyed all evidence to her true nature as well as shattered the portal to her garden... smart woman."Well if she caused it then she's probably also alive, most likely having ran away from all the chaos I caused that night."

She nods in acceptance and then shakes her head out of her stupor as she takes out a parchment of her own."Anyhow, I did not come here empty handed, sir!"

I shrug at her with a smile on my face."Well then, lets hear it."

"Due to our current lack of a tailor, many of The Unbound have been applying to take upon the task... however, we lack the information and skills necessary to process the hides, furs and skins of the nearby wildlife. So I was hoping that you would be willing to gather at least twenty of each kind of the common animals which inhabit this forest and then show me how to properly process one of each while I take notes. Additionally, I have sent out gatherers to find naturally growing cotton fiber and they have completed their task splendidly... however, we require a place to plant them in a way that will make them both grow quickly and be of high quality." She says all in one breath before stopping.

"Let me guess, you want to fill one of the four spots in our new plantation with the cotton?" I ask her and she beams me a smile."Yes, that would be the perfect place to do so... but it would lower the productive capacity of the Plantation by 25% for as long as we keep the cotton growing there."

Nodding at her, I say."Do it. As I have already ordered the two Hunter's Bastions to be built on the lakes of this valley, I think we will have more than enough surplus food to throw around even with the plantation not being on full efficiency. And don't worry about the hunting task you mentioned, me and my sister will take care of that as soon as we're out of this castle."

Quest Alert! - Tailored Education Luciana has asked you to hunt down twenty of each common wildlife within the surrounding forest and then show her how to skin one of each so that she may teach others how to do so.

Requirements -

0/20 Bears

0/20 Boars

0/20 Wolves

0/20 Deer Rewards - A free Instant Tailor building.

+50 fame

-25% food consumption for two weeks

"Oh? What's this? A quest? How unexpected." Yomi blinks in surprise as she accepts the quest and I do much the same as a smirk etches itself upon my face, the radiant questing system has most certainly been improved over the years. Plus that lowered food consumption bonus is really nice... and hell, it even completely evaporates the fact that my Plantation is not gonna work at max efficiency... well for two weeks, anyways.

Luciana gulps in deep as she stares at the next bit of her parchment."Uhh... this next one is a bit... chaotic, If I may say so myself."

I blink at her as she swallows hard again."Really now? And why would that be?"

"W-well, as you may know, the goblins usually make their clothing out of raw cotton and silk... that is, spider silk which they take from the giant Blackwood Spiders from who the name of this valley comes from... they hang down the tree's at night as they leave their hives in order to hunt for prey before returning to feed their young. Their silk is extremely tough, valuable and yet easily mold-able... Zrell has stated that we should try to domesticate the spiders for their silk and that it would be easy to dig selective burrows for them. Their meat is also an apparent delicacy when charred enough to remove the poisonous substances." She says with quite a bit of fear in her eyes and I, alongside Yomi, let out a massive laugh.

"I am not against this. Their silk would make an excellent produce, as well as a great source of light armor for our soldiers... plus, adventurers are more than willing to pay high gold for such items, especially when the quality of the work is better than average." I explain it to her as she lets out a massive sigh and closes her eyes in defeat."Very well... I shall make the arrangements. It may take some time to build the burrows and capture enough of the spiders."

"If I remember correctly, they grow with remarkable speeds. Focus on capturing only the fertilized eggs, their young will prove much easier to domesticate than the adults." She nods as she quickly scribbles that down.

Then she raises from her seat and bows, leaving the room with a massive sigh of defeat. Finally, I turn my head around to the still silent lion and ask."You are new here and you've politely waited long enough, beastman. Please, introduce yourself."

He nods towards us with respect."As you wish, my lord. I am Ruslan Timur, chosen to be the representative of the beastmen within your lands, as every other faction seemed to posses a leader of its own... now, I see that my peers were merely being paranoid. Those here who have stood next to you are not racial representatives but talented men and women whom you have chosen out of the crowd. I had kept my silence as I believed that my being here was an unnecessary thing."

Ruslan Timur he says... Yomi suspends a barefaced giggle. What is it up with the names today."Sure sure, but I'm quite confident that you were chosen to the their representative for a reason, Iron Lion."

His eyes grow wide as his respect for me grows to even greater levels."You know the meaning behind my name! I must admit my surprise, your highness. But, then again, you are over two hundred years old."

Then he looks towards Yomi who is currently twirling her tails around."Although... given the appearance and status of your sister... I guess it is true when they say that your soul is much older than even this world and the body you inhabit is merely the flesh you've chosen to wear."

"They say such things about me?" I ask him with some surprise as he nods."Aye, the beastmen clans have many stories of your power and glory, my emperor. Though we cannot claim that we are truly loyal to your cause, all clan children are taught about your history in an effort to breed superior warriors."

I guess this is why Tiara has expressed such historical interest all of a sudden...

Closing my eyes in thought as I stop for a moment to calm myself, I finally say after a minute passes by."Ruslan, even if you were sent here for entirely wrong reasons, I believe that our meeting was fated, an event dictated by the great force that is Chaos."

His eyes grow wide as he bows."Sire, I am not worthy of such statements!"

Waving my hands in negative, I continue."Nonsense, I am The Archon Of Chaos within this world, I know what I am talking about."

He bows again in acceptance."As you say, your majesty."

"Now then, as I was saying, I believe we have met for a reason. You see, I do have a use for you in mind, if you would be willing to hear me out." I tell him as the massive lion quirks an eyebrow at me."I have a choice?"

He says jokingly and I let out a chuckle."Of course, you do. You may walk out of the room right now. You will never know what I wanted to make of you, but you will most likely lead a simpler, if more boring life."

Shaking his head in negative, he replies."No sire, I shall stay and hear what you have to say."

I nod."A wise choice. I have need of, for a lack of a better word, a spy."

"A spy?" He quirks an eyebrow as he lets out a cheery laugh."My emperor, you must be joking. I am large and loud, I could never be a proper spy."

Smirking at him causes the lion to close his mouth and adopt a more serious look."Oh? But you see, that's exactly what makes you perfect for the job. You are big, which will make you attract attention from others, you are loud, which will make them hear your voice... you see Ruslan, what I need... Is someone who will meet and greet the people of my Empire from all levels of society, ask them about their lives, learn their problems, so that I learn of their woes on time."

"You wish of me to learn of the people so that you may fix problems before they happen, yes?" He asks with a hand on his chin, seemingly receptive of the task set before him. Within moments, he nods in approval."Very well, I shall do as you ask of me."

Clapping towards him, I state."Then that makes you my Vicar... which means you're going to be a Tsarina in the end, Yo-I mean, Karin."

"Meh, Tsarina Karin sounds better than Vicar Karin anyways..." She shrugs at me nonchalantly.

He bows and beams a smile at me as he excuses himself from the room."Very well, I shall go about my job immediately. I expect that you will want me to report to you via letter?"

"If possible, yes. But we must meet in person as well in regular intervals, you are also one of my subjects and it would do me well to hear your opinion from time to time." He gives me another bow before closing the door behind him and I finally rise up from my seat.

"Are we gonna have to sit through this every day?" Yomi asks me with a quirked eyebrow."No, god no. Maybe once or twice a week, but most certainly not every single day."

Another shrug is given as we walk outside and into the raising morning sun... its still very early in the morning, what with it being nine thirty eight, so not many people are around. Plus, its Tuesday, which is a work day.

Turning around towards her, I ask."Say, since your profile is equalized to mine, do you have some kind of giant fox form like I do my wolf form?"

She blinks at me before checking her ability list and nodding."Yeah... I can turn into a... Winterfang Antediluvian? Wow, why is everyone making me feel so damn old today?"

"Isn't that like, a vampire title?" I ask her as I tilt my head in confusion and she waves her hand in negative."Nah, Antediluvian can be used for anything from that time period as far as I know."

Shrugging at her, I promptly transform into my wolf form and turn towards the forest before whispering to her."Ready to do some hunting, my dear fox?"

Making an oh sound before sending me a seductive smirk, Yomi does her own transformation as a Nine-tailed fox half my wolf-forms size appears next to me and soon, a voice is heard echoing inside of my mind."Always, my dear wolf."

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

And that is it for this chapter my friends!

I hope that its good enough as a continuation as this was meant to be a part of the last chapter.

Anyways, read and review! And Good Morning/Day/Night to you all! ADIOS FOR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!