Chapter 17

* * *

The Cuckoo's Feather Restaurant was not one of Celesta's favorites, and she had only visited it once. It was only because a troupe from the other side of the Good Sea was performing there at the time, and the vampiress wanted to talk to them. She was gathering information about distant countries, hoping one day if not to visit them, at least to establish colonies in them. And she was just curious.

The restaurant was divided into two levels, a common hall, and a gallery. Downstairs the public sat in the common room and on the platform the artists sang. On the second floor, where a separate staircase led, the nobility and rich merchants preferred to watch the bustle of life from above. "Cuckoo's Feather" was not an elite establishment, but it enjoyed a good reputation thanks to the delicious cuisine and the invitation of talented performers, often from other countries. Celesta could not appreciate the taste of the food, and she was generally unconcerned about the music - a singer didn't falsify, and that was fine. She only came here because Medea insisted on seeing the troupe that had come from Bardi.

Of course, just enjoying an evening of nice music and good company didn't work out for Celesta. She hadn't done anything with a single purpose in a long time. Though the company was, shall we say, unusual.

"I did not expect to be invited here, Messena," Baron Sae looked quickly and carefully around the room and his neighbors, lingering his gaze on a couple of guardsmen sitting at a nearby table. "For some reason, I thought you preferred a more private setting."

The last time, the guide had led him through long subterranean corridors, and at the end, he was met by a short girl sitting in a chair that was too massive for her. There was absolutely no desire to smile, though. Now the same vampire led the lieutenant to an ordinary medium-sized establishment. Decent, not some den.

"Most of the time that's true," Celesta agreed. "But I can afford a little whim, can I? Besides, a member of your profession is accustomed to ignoring social customs. Have a seat, Baron."

"Humbly thank you, blessed Mistress. As for customs, I dare say our whole life consists of them. It is impossible to ignore customs, but one must remember that in every company they are their own."

"That's right, too," the vampiress agreed. "We're all social creatures, so we have to play by the rules imposed by society. The individual hermits don't count. You should order a thicker piece of meat; you need something to eat."

"Do I really look that bad?"

"Black circles under your eyes and you reek of stimulants. A person won't smell it, but we're better at picking up odors."

Sae dictated his order to the waiter, while Celesta stared blankly at the three girls dancing on the platform. The music was fiery, and the number was unfamiliar and attention-grabbing. Looks like she didn't come here in vain. She should listen to Medea more often.

"You seem to be a regular here," the Baron reflexively tried to siphon her for information.

"You mean the staff looks at me without surprise? How is that, a young noblewoman and no escort?" The Mistress grinned. "Not at all. I do not wish to be looked at, and I am not looked at. It is not even so much skill as experience."

Experience and Will. Mentalistics is not limited to the ability to dissect another's consciousness in order to view the memory or to turn the enemy into a submissive puppet. At a certain stage, a skilled master begins to create real illusions that sprout into reality. Celesta was at the very beginning of her path, but even what she already knew was enough to fully alter the perception of the mortals around her. There were no strong mages in the restaurant, and ordinary people resisted the influence weakly.

"I once had the honor of speaking with the blessed Sirtash," the Baron nodded. "He said that with age, those who have the gift acquire abilities that seem to be magic, but have nothing to do with it."

"Exactly. It's like the way a warrior who has long learned to wield his body performs tricks that to a rookie would look like miracles. The prince understands the matter - he is probably by far the strongest mage in Taleya. Of mortals. Sitting on his estate, doing what he loves, ignoring any attempts to draw him back to the Capital... I envy him. Or has his way of life changed recently?"

"In the hour of grievous upheaval, no one of the dynasty can stand aside. He who sits on the Azure Throne has commanded his beloved kinsman to appear before his countenance, so that he may reverently accept the high dignity of the burden."

"Which one?" Celesta wondered.

The lieutenant's words signaled the return of Dinir's oldest descendant to date to court life. Sirtash had been born in the reign of the Idiot. He remembered the kingdom as one, not split in half, and was extremely skeptical of the kin who occupied the throne. He was, in fact, even less skeptical of the other princes. He stayed out of politics and experimented in his secluded estate, thanks to which he successfully kept his head on his shoulders for four centuries. Hustin corresponded with him secretly.

"Our lord and master, filled with great wisdom, intends to create an institution for the offspring of noble families where they can receive proper education and training," Sae said in florid language. "They will be devoted to the service of their country and will acquire the knowledge that will enable them to fulfill their duties well. The blessed Sirtash, may his bodily strength never leave him, will preside over the institution."

Celesta very carefully put the cup of tea on the saucer.

"You want to revive the Academy, don't you? The priests will be against it - all of them. Even Celestial Purity would be against it!"

"No, no, Messena, not at all! Just a school for the faithful sons of the fatherland. It is no secret that other families of impeccable origins are deprived of the opportunity to give their children a decent education. Alas, the nobility of blood does not go well with the ability to increase or simply preserve wealth! Despising the aspirations of his subjects, the bearer of divine grace decided to take upon himself the care of the next generation."

"And this will give him a personnel reserve that depends solely on him... The only question is, why so late? That should have been the starting point."

"Alas, the unrighteous advisors convinced the high-sitting lord that the existing schools were sufficient and that there was no need for a new one. They suffered the punishment they deserved for their insolent deception."

Mistress nodded, quickly comprehending the introductions she had received. There was a network of colleges for all tastes and incomes, and the most prestigious were attended by the children of the petty and middle class who planned to pursue a military career in the future. Future army and navy officers. The upper nobility preferred homeschooling or sending their sons to major monasteries if they foresaw a spiritual path for them. There was no place like the old Academy, and there never had been. The noble families remembered how the previous rulers had held them by the throat and forced them to send their heirs to school. In addition, thanks to the Curse, the name itself had become taboo, and the slightest hint of the possibility of an institution of higher learning where mages would be trained caused the joint hysteria of the leaders of all the country's cults.

The Royal Mages' Guild had its school, but the number of students there was small, the education was highly specialized, and the staff was kept on a short leash, subjected to frequent inspections.

So Valier decided to create a personal forge of human resources. It is clear that he will not be able to revive the Academy in its former form - the country has neither enough financial nor human resources. And he doesn't need it in its former form. The king wants a pool of people loyal to him personally, with little or no connection to provincial factions, who in the future will be able to occupy middle and senior-level bureaucratic positions. In the beginning, the number of students would be small, but later, when the inevitable mistakes at the initial stage are corrected, they would grow to hundreds. That is why Sirtash was invited. He remembers how the old system worked and will help adapt the best elements of it to the present, and he is a prince! Criticizing him should be done with great caution. The opponents of the school will at first be very numerous. To prevent them from destroying the undertaking, someone of uncommon political weight must stand at the head. The oldest representative of the dynasty with an untarnished reputation is ideal.

That's clever.

Why did the Baron tell her that? Information is valuable, one might say, exclusive, since its sources did not even bring any rumors. Accidentally blabbing, he is not capable of purely physical, not with his experience as a kingpin.

They need agents in the inner circle of the Son of the Sea. Only how do we get them? There's more than one version of the Seal of Allegiance on everyone.

"If your sovereign can rebuild at least some of what Irrhan and Irrhan's successors destroyed, the kingdom will be reborn," Celesta said slowly. "I doubt it will last, but at least it will. He's off to a good start. In fact, the only obstacles to his plans were the Saints of Fire and the other light-focused zealots."

Sae started to say something and immediately stopped when he saw the waiter approaching with his order. Another marker, by the way, that revealed him as a spy - ordinary noblemen considered servants as something like furniture and didn't hold back in their presence.

"My sovereign cares for the good of the state and believes in the purity of the intentions of holy men. They may be mistaken at times, but they are sincere in their errors. The Son of the Sea believes that he can show them the right path to prosperity, it only takes time to convince them. True greatness is not achieved by the sword, but by love and peace! Friendship and affection are what the chosen one of the gods carries to his neighbors, wishing to behold the same aspirations. He is all the more perplexed by the rumors from Lanaka about the servants of the blessed mistress who have appeared there."

"What's wrong with them?" Celesta didn't understand. "Their actions have nothing to do with what happened at Taleya."

"I will not argue, though the strengthening of Lanaka is in itself a threat to the security of the kingdom," the baron remarked as he prepared to begin his meal. "The Lord of the Mirror and Sword is surprised that, while destroying nests of malevolent monsters in a neighboring country, the Night Folk do not do the same in their homeland. Friends don't do that."

"The Principality pays generously for our services. Besides, you are mistaken - among the aristocrats, there are enough sane people who can distinguish the truth from lies and ignore the gossip spread about us. So we work in the kingdom, too."

"However, Nosy Mountain still spews out of its bowels crowds of monsters."

When he finally told her what he'd come for, the spy swiftly started to move his fork. Despite his carefully observed manners, he felt hungry.

In Nosy Mountain lay one of the few remaining deposits of tin, a valuable and rare ore in modern times. The problem was that there was also a large nest of unclassifiable creatures that were happy to consume the miners for food. Clearing them out seemed difficult and expensive, and the mountain was owned by several landlords who could not come to terms with each other. The vampires had no intention of going there. The owners included the Monastery of the Triad and a direct vassal of the king.

Let us assume that the monastery has lost its lands or will lose them shortly, the king's men will persuade the other owners. What's it to the vampires? There's no desire to risk an un-life without payment. All the more so because of the confiscations underway, the throne has money. To succumb to blackmail was not desirable at all. But until the process of the sale of the notorious companies and the creation of new personalities for the loyal people was not completed, there was no need for a conflict. We will have to fulfill the "requests" of the Son of the Sea

At the same time, no one forbids haggling.

"Your sovereign's servants are not doing their job well if they have not conveyed to him the complexity of the task of clearing the mountain. Destroying a lair of this size is no longer a question of money."

"What money can we talk about when we are talking about friendship and partnership for years to come? Especially in view of the gracious gesture of the sovereign, which I mentioned at our last meeting."

"It would be easier for me to lose three large companies than my Guardsmen," Celesta retorted. "The creatures of Nosy are dangerous even to the strongest of us, and I do not intend to risk my subjects thoughtlessly."

"Such care does honor to the blessed Mistress of the Night Folk! But what risk do you speak of? Maitre Hustin's wares protect against any threat."

"Maitre Hustin is busy with important things, I don't intend to distract him..."

Negotiations were hard. The lieutenant, taking advantage of his advantageous position, pressured, and Celesta snapped, trying to find out how much the mortals knew. By all accounts, not much. Of course, some of the mutual connections were impossible to hide, but overall, the intelligence of the Special Cabinet had found less than the vampires had feared. But Sae's use of the information was masterful.

And both Mistress and her opponent were well aware that in the end, she would agree to "help out of friendship". The undead did not wish to antagonize the authorities, and, moreover, the undead cannot antagonize the authorities. They would be crushed, no matter what their losses. And if an illegal group (including those made up of ordinary people) has the resources to confront the official authorities, it shows the complete weakness and the possibility of the state's disintegration. Taleya has not reached such a state.

At a moment when negotiations seemed to have finally reached an impasse, Celesta called out quietly: "Vantal."

"Messena," the guardsman appeared silently beside her. Just a moment ago he was sitting at a nearby table, pretending to be watching the performance, and now he was standing next to her. No powers, no magic, just speed.

"Write down what artifacts you saw in the secret room in Mr. Matalest's house. In detail."

"I obey, Messena!"

"It is clear that in the near future your lord will wish to remove the chancellor," the vampiress said to the tense lieutenant. "Their confrontation, as far as the word goes, is inevitable. I'm willing to make it easy for you to find compromising materials on the chancellor's associates, on a few conditions."

"What are they, Messena?"

First and most importantly, we agree to help with the cleansing of Nosy Mountain but just help. We have neither the ability nor the desire to completely destroy the lair. The second thing is that you buy out our share in Quail for a decent price. I do not like the situation surrounding this trading house after the death of Prince Messeran. Since the company causes you such a persistent interest, so be it, we will not sell it to the Lanak people, but do not expect to get "Quail" for next to nothing. Third. Hold the priests back. Their rhetoric is becoming more and more aggressive as they seek to prove their usefulness. Please, as much as you like, but not at our expense.

"The Blessed Mistress of the Night understands that only the highest authority has the power to make such important decisions, especially the last. The servant privileged to speak to her is no more than his master's mouth and ears."

"Of course," Celesta held up her hand, into which a piece of paper was immediately placed. "Take a look. Mr. Matalest has amassed quite a collection, and you'll know where to find it. If you agree to my more than modest offers."

* * *

What will Valier do?

Now he is busy tying the vassals taken from his kin to him. It is not enough to issue an order that the nobleman so-and-so, formerly in the service of the late Prince Whatever-the-Name, henceforth submits himself directly to the throne and swears a personal oath to the Son of the Sea. Not a word of honor, but an oath. The man must be persuaded to serve, to ensure his loyalty, otherwise, Valier simply gets a potential traitor close at hand. So the king holds meetings with the nobles, listens to them, delves into their problems, speaks affectionately, and promises, promises, promises. And, remarkably, he tries to keep his promises - otherwise, there is no point in his activities.

What is being asked of him? Mostly the judgment, although often they are also talking about large projects, which alone or even a bunch of ordinary noblemen can not pull off. A big bridge to build, a dam, help with the irrigation of an arid region. This week it became known about the creation of a network of canals designed to ensure the drainage of the Morsh bogs - an old project developed back in the united Taleya and postponed for lack of money.

The army requires special attention. While it was led by princes who were actively lining their own pockets, the level of training had fallen severely, ammunition was frayed, and desertion from units was commonplace. Soldiers often looked like tramps, just as ragged and hungry. Regiments were poorly supplied, theft and embezzlement flourished, and officers did not appear at their duty station for decades. High combat effectiveness demonstrated only border units, but they were maintained by the local nobility, and to whom they were loyal - an open question.

The fleet must be rebuilt in the same way, though there is less destruction there. After all, with such an irritant as the Archipelago of Dragons at your side, you're bound to start carefully monitoring the state of the fleet. Perhaps the vampire-owned structures were left alone because they helped with ship repairs and provided extra money for crew training. Still, reforms are needed - many admirals and officers are inadequate, there aren't enough ships, and some of those that are available should be scrapped due to obsolescence.

There are other, less obvious concerns. The central roads of the kingdom are in good condition, but secondary roads are often in need of repair. The construction of the bridge over Tamsin has long since stopped, though merchants are willing to bear some of the costs. Because of the raids of the northern highlanders, the famous Odel Workshops, once the largest industrial area in the country, are deteriorating. Four colleges for people of different estates open at once, and their organization and financing will fall on the treasury. Tax revenues are becoming smaller, and trade with both the West and the East is shrinking.

In addition, the Son of the Sea commanded the restoration of the abandoned naval base on the Pair Islands. Taleya has two pieces of land at sea, with a lighthouse and a dozen soldiers as a garrison. The pirates don't attack them, there's nothing to take. Soon barges with stones and earth will go there, and the islands will be filled in and a full-fledged fortress and port and wharf will be built. The Mages' Guild is already baffled by the work to be done, and the wizards and architects are running amok.

It is impossible not to approve of the king's intentions; what he has planned will certainly benefit the country, even if partially fulfilled. But one is tempted to ask - where will the money come from? Projects require good funding, and the treasury is not in the best condition. It is not empty, just not enough for everything.

Celesta saw exactly two possibilities - someone to rob and borrow from someone. She didn't like both, since vampires were among the main candidates.

Now the Son of the Sea faction was "assimilating" the princes' inheritance and busily trying on the assets of the Triad of Rightness. That the confiscations would be successful, Celesta had no doubt. On the other hand, it was unlikely to last long, with all that spending. And when the money ran out, the ruler of the state would be faced with the question of where to get more...

The richest group in the country is traditionally the landowners, that is, the nobility. The first to be remembered is Lasch, who heads the informal party of the old aristocracy at court and who benefited most from the collapse of the party of the king's relatives. However, the duke, firstly, is needed as a counterweight to the chancellor and his clique, secondly, is firmly connected to the steppe, vampires, and the major trading houses of the north, and, thirdly, his personal army is well-trained and armed. Robbing such a man is troublesome.

It is possible to increase the tax burden in general throughout the country, but then the discontent with the authorities will increase, and riots are inevitable in some places.

The idea of coddling vampires was bound to cross someone's bright (in every sense of the word) mind. All the more so because it's easy to accuse a lot of people of having ties with the undead. That's why Celesta is withdrawing money from the country because she's afraid of that option. At the same time, the Son of the Sea understands that vampires are vengeful, able to wait, and prone to strike stealthily. And whether the resources taken from them will be enough is not clear. That is, a situation may arise when the relationship is spoiled, and the declared goals still loom in the distance unattainable.

To force the priests of the various religious movements to pay more, to impose additional taxes on merchants? No doubt it would be done. But we must remember that the former is always linked to local elites, while the latter, after calculating the losses, may decide to move to neighboring countries with a friendlier business climate. In other words, you cannot go too far.

It is commonplace to carry out reforms with borrowed money. Rulers are constantly borrowing; some courts live off loans alone. The difficulty is that sooner or later the borrowed money will have to be returned, and with interest, which one does not want to do. But there are a lot of lenders, because among the bankers the King of Taleya is considered a good borrower, and they are ready to lend him not only their own but also other people's money. There is an opportunity to choose the one that offers the best terms. Vampires own enough banks with large funds, if properly pressed, they will provide a low rate. And the period of repayment will be gradually pushed back into the distant future until the loan is written off as a loss for good.

Unpleasant option.

Celesta didn't like to share what she'd gained honestly; resources were hard-won, not falling from the sky. In addition, when she imagined how Gardoman would react to news of the impending losses, the Mistress of the Night and Mistress of Taleya would be sickened - the elder would eat her brains with a teaspoon. So, after some thought, she decided to share her future worldview with a dear ally who might have the same problems.

The moment looked good.

"Your precious ruler should not be considered evil or cruel," Celesta summed up as she finished explaining to the Duke her vision of why the Son of the Sea is forced into conflict. "The logic of events compels him to act in a certain way. The country is not falling apart, of course, but the situation in some areas is deplorable, and reforms are needed to fix it. Reforms require money. The money has to come from somewhere. Why not from us?"

"We're not the only ones," Lash pointed out.

"Of course, the Chosen One of the Gods has a wide range of choices. But I would not like to hope, but to know clearly that there is no threat hanging over my servants. At least, not more than usual."

They met in the same restaurant as the last time. The place belonged to the Duke and was checked by his intelligence, and here he could speak without fear of strangers' ears. Over the past half year, Lash had time to travel to his homeland, wage a little war with the nomads, meet with Prince Kidji, and return to the Capital to watch the flurry of change up close.

"I daresay, Messena, that you would not speak of your fears without a way to turn them to smoke?"

"Your wisdom is well known, Messen Rikarid, your thoughts hit the target like a skilled arrow in a squirrel's eye. Yes, I have a suggestion of sorts, and it arose after I learned of the construction on the Pare Isles."

"Have you ever wondered why there's even a base there?"

"To tell you the truth, Messena, all I know about the Pair Islands is that they exist," the Duke confessed. "And that they give the Taleya rights to a large portion of the waters of the Good Sea."

"Exactly. That's why the garrison sits there, displaying the flag, they're good for nothing else. Trade routes aside, the area is small, and the water source is shallow. There's no strategic value in case of war with Archipelago or Lanaka."

"One cannot help but wonder why the Son of the Sea, hitherto so radically rational in his thinking, would build a base there. My man has seen the blueprints, and he describes the project as a well-fortified fortress with a port and large warehouses. It is not needed there."

"I consulted some of the servants in charge of maritime affairs. According to them, the only thing these islands are good for after the work is done is an intermediate waypoint. A place where merchants could rest, wait out the storms, replenish supplies, and repair ships."

"But where would they go?" Lash hesitated. "The Archipelago is to the south, Lanaka is to the north, and it's easier to reach them along the coast. The other side of the Good Sea is empty, and the savages aren't of much interest to traders."

"I thought so, too, until I looked at the map. Please, Messen," Celesta spread out a wide piece of parchment on the table. "Do you see this place called Stone Bones? According to the sailors, it's in a convenient cove, where deep-water ships can come almost right up to the shore. There are no large tribes there, no strong monsters either, and the climate is slightly less disgusting than that of its neighbors. At one time Bones even considered establishing a colony but refused due to the complete pointlessness. Now it makes sense. See this dotted line? There used to be a river here, but after the Catastrophe, it shallowed and dried up completely. Now there's a valley leading to the spurs of the White Mountains. The same mountains that the Goatskin tribes claimed as their own fifty years ago."

The Duke had been standing by the table for a long time, looking at the map and stroking his chin with his hand. His brow was furrowed with deep wrinkles.

"A new trade route to the east..." he muttered quietly.

"Quite right, Messen. A new trade route to the east," the vampiress agreed. "A rival to the southern one, from Mekram to Dinglegil. Can you imagine the volumes that would flow if the Son of the Sea were to succeed?"

Lash walked along the table several times without taking his eyes off the map.

"They're pulling a regiment away from the Desio border," he said as if he didn't quite get it right. "It's a similar climate, as far as I remember from my geography lessons. They're good scouts, familiar with fortifications, and face monsters all the time. Relocate them near Mewaro."

"The base of the fleet, from which it is so convenient to send expeditions to the northern waters," Celesta reminded him. "Here are those who will pave the way."

The Duke did a couple more laps with a thoughtful look.

"Suppose," he finally stopped. "Suppose, Messena, you're right. But what does this have to do with us, with our problems? Are you suggesting that we invest voluntarily in the project? I doubt the Overlord would let anyone near it. It is much more profitable and logical for him to leave access to the path exclusively in his hands."

"Absolutely, dear friend. No one would want to lose his monopoly. That's why I propose to go further and continue the road, to turn it from a road to the East into a road from one end of the continent to the other. All we have to do is clear a path to the West!"

From the outside, Celesta looked calm, even relaxed. She was half reclining in her chair, leaning back comfortably and sipping wine from an elegant crystal glass. Inside, she was pounding, her stomach pulsing in a tight clump of energy, looking for an outlet.

Mistress risked throwing in the idea of the Holy Crusade so early; her preparations had been designed for longer than that. She had originally intended to spend five years destroying the reputation of the priests, assembling a single pool of merchants willing to pay for the venture, swamping Lash with debt, and looking for courtiers willing to support the campaign and influence the king's opinion. Valier's actions had overturned her plans, completely reshaped the country's political landscape, and forced her to hurry.

Now it all depended on whether she could convince the Duke.

Celesta could hardly resist the temptation to slightly influence the man's mind. She couldn't. Only words.

"No one has yet succeeded in destroying the Seven Rivers."

"No one tried," Mistress dismissed the argument. "The steppes don't count. What can they do?"

"Do you really intend to send your warriors to war with members of your own race? Forgive me, Messina, I find it hard to believe."

"We do not intend to show our participation. And, please, Messen Rikarid, do not compare me to this rot on the face of the world. Such a comparison is insulting."

"I offer my deepest apologies, Blessed Mistress," the duke bowed immediately, palms folded in front of his forehead, expressing sincere remorse for what he had said. "By the gods, I beg your forgiveness and ask you not to hold a grudge."

"It's given to you."

"Thank you, Messena. But I must point out that the intent of the worthy one is still unclear to me."

"What looks complicated is in fact simple. We are hampered by the Seven Rivers - the Seven Rivers must disappear. The Blood Kin cannot destroy it with our own forces, nor can your armies do it alone. It is not so many warriors that are needed in Seven Rivers, but mages and priests. To go on a campaign together would be to expose Lascaris to the charge of adherence to the dark way, forbidden in Taleya. Consequently, we need someone capable of crossing the Steppe and skilled in fighting monsters. The monasteries are full of such men."

"No, no, I know what you'll say. That most of the monks are cold to you, constantly accusing you of unlawful witchcraft, writing denunciations to the Son of the Sea, and won't even sit down next to you. Unless, of course, someone offers it to them. However, I would like to remind you of a few points that change the whole picture. Firstly, there are enough fanatics in monasteries who are ready to go to the ends of the earth for the sake of the mythical approval of higher beings. Secondly, it is not necessary to be limited to holy men. There are enough experienced mage warriors who can trouble even my servants for a good price. And, lastly, and most important of all. The support of the Son of the Sea. Once he has proclaimed that the destruction of the Seven Rivers is a good deed, a correction of the crooked and return of the natural order, then all objections of an ideological kind will disappear by themselves. Moreover - the priests will have to stand under your banners, or they will be accused of not zealous enough service to the light gods."

"Will Valier agree to support our proposal? It depends on how it is presented. He cannot fail to understand the prospect of Taleya becoming a crossroads for the world's greatest trade routes. Those who can do so will have a special value in the eyes of the king..."

"What if the Seven Rivers can withstand it?"

"It is highly doubtful. But in this case, both the kingdom and you and I stand to gain. Our most ardent opponents would die. As far as I understand, fanatics are disturbing the Son of the Sea."

"Preparing an expedition will take time and money," the Duke remarked.

"The main thing is to get consent to organize it. Then we will go from being possible prey to being useful allies, which, you will agree, is treated very differently."

Both knew perfectly well that no alliance was involved. The Son of the Sea is not a figure who would recognize even Celesta as his equal, let alone his vassal. And no matter what titles or forms of address his envoys use. The lord of the land looks upon all who live in his land either as interferers or as tools. It cannot be otherwise.

From Celesta's point of view, the fate of a useful tool is far better than that of a nuisance. She has survived for centuries, and she will survive now.

"I am ready to provide the necessary finances," the vampiress continued. "The heads of the various trading houses and abbots of the Lucal temples have repeatedly lamented the severed ties with the Western states. If they see that the enterprise has a chance of success, they will agree to invest money in exchange for future preferences. Give them small incentives and they will line up in front of your treasury."

Listening intently, Lash shook his head slightly, leaving the unspoken "why should I give anything to anyone" hanging in the air. The possible benefits of restoring the path westward were well understood by him, regardless of whether the colony on the Stone Bones would be established or whether Celesta was wrong in her assumptions. At the same time, the difficulties and risks were equally obvious to him.

The Duke's strengthening may frighten the King. Lash is already very powerful and influential, in addition, organizing a campaign to destroy the country, openly ruled by the undead, will give him a certain immunity in the eyes of part of the population. He is now being blamed for his ties to dubious cults, and for his excessive tolerance; if the campaign is successful, the accusations will subside. Master of Lascaris has enough enemies at court who will happily interpret his offer in the way that suits them. That the king will refuse is half the trouble. It's half the trouble if he suddenly turns out to be a traitor.

Lash had no intention of becoming a rebel. He might have thought about putting a more loyal Son of the Sea on the throne. But his reverence for the title was twofold, and he knew that if he did so, every faction in the country would unite against him. In addition, the first thing Valier did after his ascension to the throne was to strengthen personal protection, and achieved considerable success in it.

"I should ponder your words carefully, Blessed Mistress," the Duke bowed politely.

"Of course, I don't expect an immediate answer," Celesta nodded. "It would be unwise to make such an important decision without thinking it through."

The etiquette was not to say goodbye immediately, so they continued to shower each other with pleasantries for a long time. It was about ten minutes before Celesta, wrapped in a broad, dark cloak, slipped out the back door of the restaurant. She was silent all the way to the nearest entrance to the catacombs. The guardsmen who accompanied her dared not interrupt her thoughts.

She told Lash the plain truth - she wasn't expecting a quick answer. Frankly, Celeste would have preferred to wait, to play a few more intrigues, to form the right opinion in advance, both with the Duke and with the Son of the Sea's closest associates. Alas, the king managed to surprise. Circumstances forced him to act prematurely.

On the other hand... Suppose she now hears the refusal. Well, the Duke will not dare to adventure and prefer to act with caution. What will change for her? In principle, nothing. She has withdrawn money, people, and structures from the country, and will continue. As she followed the priests of various sects and representatives of the special services, she will continue to do so. To besmirch their reputations, to quarrel with each other, to bribe them, to implant agents. She had been living like this for a long time, or rather, unliving and the foiled plans were not a reason to change her way of unliving.

Her determination to destroy a hostile risens culture will not diminish. She just has to find a different way. It's okay - plans have to be adjusted in the process.

* * *