City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 16: Merchant Guild II

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

"Ready," she said; I nodded and took her hand into mine as I walked toward the door of the merchant guild.
 
The merchant guild is a huge building covered in white marble, covering a large area of around twenty thousand square feet, with five floors.
 
It is a huge building, as big as the city hall, covering a huge ten-thousand square-feet area and is five stories tall.
 
It needs to be as it represents all kinds of merchants, and under it are offices of all sub-guilds. Whether it is a cobbler or painter, or weaver, one will find their offices inside. 
 
It not only made rules and enforced them but also provided arbitration and other services to the merchant in dispute with one another or with guilds of other cities.
 
It could be said that it has a huge influence and is a semi-governmental body; every city maintains tight control over them. 
 
The guild heads, vice-heads, and sub-guilds head made up the ruling body; it would have been great if I could get any one of these positions, but I don't think the house would support my bid for them, not to mention the business I run, Lord Darrow would have to think twice about giving me a position.
 
The position has a big effect on the city's reputation, and unless there are compelling circumstances, nobody will give the owner of the brothel such a high position.
 
Still, I would not be just a simple member of the guild; for a start, I have a position in mind. Though getting it would be hard, I have already started working on it.
 
As we walked toward the gates, I saw many people glancing toward me, more than usual. It is likely because of Valentina; she is quite famous, top of being a powerful mage.
 
Soon we reached the gate, where Damon Hardt was standing with four people, who were all vice-guild masters; of them, two were also the heads of their own sub-guild. 
 
Usually, the majority of vice-heads are heads of their own sub-guilds.
 
"Mage Valentina and Master Silver, welcome to the Merchant Guilds," said Damon Hardt, who had finally got the job. 
 
“Thank you, Guild head,” we said in unison. “Vice-Guild heads,” I said a moment later before entering ball room with Valentina.
 
The ballroom is big, bigger than what ballroom of Damon Hardt’s mansion, and there are already quite a lot of people there. 
 
We arrived on time, but some people have appeared early; as I said, this is a great opportunity to make a connection, and nobody wants to miss it.
 
“Mage Valentina, I know you would be here,” said the voice just as we walked into the ballroom. 
 
A Middle-aged man with shoulder-length raven hair walked toward us with a pretty-looking woman in a silver-red gown.
 
I recognized him; he was on the list of nobles who came to Greltheaven for the inauguration.
 
“Baron Augustine, Baroness Augustine,” greeted Valentina, with a faint bow, “Valentina, it’s nice to see you again,” said Baroness Augustine with a faint smile before turning me, “Who is this handsome man?” she asked as she turned to me.
 
“Remus Silver,” I replied, and recognition flashed in the eyes of both of them. “I knew those eyes felt familiar,” said Baron Augustine before turning back to Valentina.
 
“You have built us a beautiful manor Valentina; I was hoping you would build us another one, this one for our summer vacations at Gelin,” he said. 
 
To that, Valentina shook her head.
 
“I am based in Greltheaven now,” she said.
 
“Jameson Leeds is now head of Gelin division, and he is a wonderful architect,” she added, and clear disappointment appeared Barons Augustine, more so on the Baroness's face.
 
“No one could replace you, Valentina,” he said with a sigh; we talked to them for a couple of minutes, with mostly Baron rambling about the beautiful manor that Valentina had built while the Baroness was casting hidden glances at Valentina.
 
We talked to them for a minute more before moving away and talking to different people. Valentina seemed to know a lot of people, as we had not stayed alone even a minute, always talking to some.
 
From nobles to merchants to mercenaries, everyone important is present here.
 
As I was talking to people, I felt a familiar gaze on me; when I looked, I saw a familiar man looking at me with the same eyes that I have.
 
My uncle stared at me for a second before both of us looked away at the same time. Valentina noticed the exchange but did not say anything.
 
Time passed, and we kept talking to new people; it was interesting, especially talking to merchants from the city-states. 
 
They are so different from the people of the Empire, which has become nationalist and even somewhat isolationist after ascend of the current Emperor.
 
All the other races, tribes of elves and dwarves, and some elder races that were present in the Empire got expelled, and their entrees had banned.
 
When I first realized what this world is, I wanted to see the other races so badly, but till now, I have not seen a single one. 
 
The closest one I have come is seeing a few people like Valentina, who had some blood of different races in her.
 
Though now, it will change as we trade more with city-states.
 
Of all city-states, there are only two that were rules by humans, while others are ruled by different races, from elves to orcs; there is even one city-state that is ruled by one of the elder races.
 
As we were talking through the people, the smile on my face disappeared, and my expression turned serious as I looked at the family members coming toward me.
 
“Baron Edwin, Madam,” I said as I gave a faint bow to my brother, who had finally got the noble title that was paid by my father and the house.
 
He is wearing an empire-style suit that is on the border of being gaudy, his mother looking graceful as ever in the creamy white gown.
 
He looks quite satisfied with himself; it is clear by his expressions how much he is enjoying himself. 
 
Let him do it, as happiness is only for a few days; when he goes to the territory he gained, his real trial will begin.
 
The papers said the territories these new nobles got were near Mirador Hold, the place where the wasteland ends and greenery begins; their territories are in a very small fertile land that Renwell region hold.
 
While the territories they have got are fertile, they are filled with dangers; they are close to Navr and the city-state of Oksall. 
 
The Navr side is usually silent unless they plan to send undead to slaughter and turn them to the undead; it is the boundary they share with Oksall that these new barons should be worried about.
 
There are tribes of orcs, and they are not very friendly, especially those bandit orcs.
 
“Remus, my brother, how are you, and how is your little whorehouse doing?” he asked boisterously. 
 
“I am good, Lord Baron, and the establishment is doing good too, thanks to the blessings of our father,” I replied with a smile that froze that hateful laugh on his face.
 
He hates it whenever I remind him that we share blood; whenever I want to irritate him, I use these words.
 
“Good, I am proud of you,” he said and clapped on my shoulders a little too hard, but I bore it with a smile and turned-to woman who looked to be in her early fifties.
 
“Madam, it’s been a while,” I said politely, the last I had seen when we were reading my father's will. 
 
“It is nice to see you too, Remus,” she replied in her neutral voice.
 
Since I have known her, she has always used this tone on me; she is neither hateful toward me nor loving. 
 
The same attitude inherited by her daughter, the eldest of my father's children and also the one he loved the most, so much that he had left nearly half of his wealth to her.
 
“Leila didn’t come? I thought she was coming,” I asked. To that, madam shook her head. “She was planning to, but something important has come up that she couldn’t ignore,” replied Madam, without the slightest change in her expression.
 
It was more she was managing that giant inheritance.
 
I am quite bitter about it; my father had left me with something good but had conditions attached to it. To her, he had given half of her wealth without a single condition.
 
I feel very bitter about it, especially when I worked tirelessly for an old man while this big sister of mine enjoyed her pursuits and still got more than everyone else.
 
“Remus, I am leaving for my territory the day after tomorrow. Are you interested in coming?” he asked, and it surprised me, but soon I remembered the trips that old Remus had gone on with him.
 
When old Remus was young, Edwin used to take him on trips and used to humiliate him in every way possible. 
 
“No, Lord Baron, I could not. I have a business to handle,” I replied politely; my decline made a flash of anger light up in his eyes, and he opened his mouth to say something but closed it after getting a look from his mother.
 
“Remus, introduce me to this young woman,” said Madam, “Valentina Elar, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Madam Silver,” introduced Valentina, and immediate recognition flashed in their eyes.
 
“Aren’t you the one who made Remus’s whorehouse?” asked Edwin before he could stoop himself and immediately got a glare from his mother.
 
“Yes, I am,” she replied, smiling, and silence appeared before us.
 
“It’s nice to see you again, Remus,” said Madam after a few seconds of silence and walked away from us.
 
 
“It is something,” said Valentina after they left, “Family,” I replied, to which she smiled, but did not say anything else.
 
Half an hour passed as we continued to mingle among the guest when the important guests when suddenly all guests quieted down and turned toward the door as we sensed the presence.
 
“Prince Magnus Grelt Alnwick Mediaen, Archduke of G…” the precursor began to announce the title of the fourth prince. 
 
He announced about five titles before the prince appeared, and he did not come alone; with him were his two uncles, Count Darrow and Duke of Valeshire.
 
There are more important people, each one with considerable power Empire.
 
As he appeared, all the men bowed, and ladies curtsied.
 
“Rise,” he said and walked to center stage before turning to all the people, “Thank you for inviting me here for this wonderf…”
 
He started his speech, and unlike his speech inauguration, this one solely targeted the trade. It shows how much he valued trade and hinted he would like to start trade with all merchant city-states, especially Meldhorn, Belnin, and Oksall.
 
All three of which are connected to Renwell Region by the river and land.
 
It was easier said than done; we were able to resume relations with Meldhorn before a human-rules merchant city-state. 
 
Belnin and Oksall are not.
 
Lord of Belnin is a half-elf against whom the Emperor had used quite colorful words, while Oksall is run by a council, which has humans, halflings, and orcs in it. 
 
Still, if anyone could restart the relations, then it would be Prince Grelt. 
 
All the princes harp the nationalistic rhetoric of their father, but Prince Grelt is different; he has always been pro-trade and a little more open in values.
 
He also confirmed that he would be going to make a trip to Meldhorn, which made the merchant of both sides smile. 
 
A powerful prince going to city-stage is a grand gesture, and without a doubt, it will bring immense benefits.
 
 
The speech of the prince was short and lasted around five minutes before Lord Darrow took over with his ten-minute-long speed, but that is small compared to Damon Hardt's speech, and if it were not for a faint cough from Lord Darrow, he would have continued for more than a fifteen minute.
 
“To Prince Grelt, and Greltheaven,” he said and raised his glass, and others followed before drinking the wine from our glasses.
 
He looked quite unwilling as he got off the stage but soon schooled his emotions and began to mingle with the prince and other important guests.
 
An hour passed, and the prince left with his uncles while the guests continued to mingle with each other; the night was still young.
 
We were mingling with the crowds when Marina suddenly stopped and turned toward the beautiful woman in her early thirties with forest brown hair.
 
“You know her?” I asked, and to that. “Yes; I did not think she would be here,” said Marina and turned toward the women.
 
The woman spotted us and turned from the old man, who was vice-guild master Arryn; she seemed to have sensed us and turned, and immediately a surprise couldn’t help but appear on her face.
 
“Valentina, I did not know you could be here,” she said and turned to Valentina, “I did not know you would be here too, Relys,” replied Valentina as they hugged
 
I looked at the woman; she is nearly as tall as me, with a lean physique and angular face and forest-brown hair. Her features are prominently elvish; they are visible, not like Valentina’s, whose could only be seen when one looks at carefully.
 
She might be a half-elf who had inherited less elvish elements from her elven parent or a quarter-elf. 
 
Such people who do not fare well on the mainland but with normalization relations, she will be fine in Renwell.
 
Not to mention, she seemed kind of important, given how the fawningly vice-guild head was talking to her.
 
“I arrived an hour ago and decided to stay the night before going to Deerpond tomorrow,” she replied and turned to me, 
 
“Who is this, Valentina? I did not know; you like young men,” asked the young woman with a hidden smile. 
 
“Remus Silver,” I introduced. It took her a moment to recognize me, especially when she looked at my eyes. 
 
“A silver,” she said with a smile before turning to Valentina while I turned to old man. “Vice-Guildmaster,” I said respectfully.
 
“Young Remus, how’s the city treating you?” asked the old man, “Very good, Guildmaster; I don’t think there is anywhere I like to be than the Greltheaven right now,” I said, and that made a smile appear on the old man’s face.
 
“You are right about that; Greltheaven is really the best place to be right now and in the coming years,” he said with a laugh. 
 
He is happy and right to be; I would be if I am his position. I have heard that house Arryn had secured the contract to provide the weapons to Mirador Hold. 
 
It is a very juicy contract that will earn him and his house millions of imperials. 
 
“Are you going to be part of the prince’s entourage for Meldhorn?” I asked, “Nothing is certain; it is up to the prince, who he wants to take with him,” said the old man, but it was very clear in his eyes he wanted to go, and I had his position and power; I wanted to go too.
 
I talked to the old man for a few minutes before he left; he wanted to join the conversation with Valentina and Relys but did not get a chance while I remained by my place.
 
While the two friends talked, I mostly remained silent, only giving my opinion when I asked. It is fine by me, as I am more interested in listening to what they are saying.
 
Through their conversation, I realized a few things; this woman Relays knew a lot of people and went to a lot of places. 
 
“You shouldn’t have gone to Mayhurst Island; it is extremely dangerous,” said Valentina with a shake of her hand, but the woman just smiled. 
 
“You should look at the haul of amardite crystals I have got; all the risks I took were worth it,” she said with her eyes shining brightly.
 
I am quite shocked hearing the amardite crystals. It is an extremely valuable material, and Mayhurst Island is one of the places where it is found. 
 
My family had dealt with it; the enchanters and artificers loved this stuff.
 
Still, as Valentina had said, it is very risky to go there as the whole island is at war under the rampage of the lich and undead armada roaming the waters, who sink everything they come across.
 
“I have important business in Deerpond tomorrow, but I will visit you when I return, I promise,” said the woman. “I hope you keep your word this time,” said Valentina. To that, the women just smiled.
 
“She is quite amazing,” I said, “She is,” Valentina affirmed, and we moved to mingle with other people. 
 
The party was already a success; I met quite a lot of people and was even able to get the information I needed. 
 
If everything goes right, then by tomorrow, I will have everything I need to get that position.
 

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