City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

"We shouldn't have dallied," I said with a sigh and madams sighed.

We are in a small conference room. Discussing a very important problem on the agenda.

"We thought we had years. We didn't even have months," added Margaux, shaking her head.

We are talking about the girls. We don't have enough of them. Currently, the velvet garden has eleven hundred and thirty-seven girls.

Of them, eight hundred and eighty-two are working. Which isn't enough.

We need more.

We were planning to recruit the girls after the opening two months ago, but many things happened, like the attack and advancement of the legacy that pushed it back.

"We will have to start recruiting after the opening.," I stated.

"The same criteria?" asked Caena. "There will be a change in this time. We will recruit from the city and Panar, as well," I replied.

A surprise appeared in their eyes. Till now, we preferred to get our girls from a merchant state and Namdar.

There was a reason for competition and spying, but we didn't have to fear that anymore. Everybody knows our methods and how we work.

As for spying, there is nothing we can do other than be careful.

There are going to be spies. We have to find them and keep an eye on them. Like we are doing with the seven girls, who we identified as spies.

We didn't arrest them; that would be throwing away the wonderful assets.

By keeping them, we are in control of the information they provide to their masters. Information is powerful and controlling it provides immense benefits.

"Numbers?" asked Caena. "A round thousand," I replied.

This time, we are going to select the girls carefully. Verifying information and background of each girl we select.

We didn't have the resources to do that before, but now we have, and we will use them.

The meeting lasted for twenty more minutes before it was over and the girls began to walk out of the conference room, before only Margaux and I had remained.

"You said you needed something?" I asked.

Before the meeting started, she had said she wanted something from me.

"Yes, a favor," she said and put a file in front of me.

I looked at her before taking a small file and reading it. In a few seconds, a surprise couldn't help but appear on my face.

"It's an extremely large amount of money. Are you planning on investing in something big?" I asked as I closed the file.

The file is a bank document. She wants me to act as a guarantee for the loan she is taking. It is not a small loan.

She shook her head.

"No, it's for my daughter," she replied, and I arched my brow. That is a massive amount of money for the teen girl.

"She got accepted into the academy of archmage city," she replied proudly.

I have to say, I am surprised. I had not been expecting it. The academy of archmage city is one of the best academies.

It is considered the best academy in the world, with the most powerful magic tower.

Which is also the most powerful of spirits. Just below the three titans.

"Congratulations," I said, and a moment later, the file began to burn.

"You do not need the loan. I could recommend her from my quota; her education will be free," I replied, and her surprise turned into shock.

Archmage tower gives a quota to every legacy on the continent. It depends on their grade.

Since I have a Grade III legacy. I could recommend three people.

"Truly?" she asked, her voice thick with emotions. I nodded. "Though it wouldn't be without conditions," I added, and she nodded a moment later.

I have been contacted about it by many people. Including the imperial, but I had refused to even negotiate.

The quota is for my citizens.

I had asked someone to look for the best people to be sent to the academy.

It is not without a cost; they will have to serve the city after they are done with their education.

I am already doing a favor to Margaux's daughter by favoring her daughter over other candidates in the city who might be more qualified than her daughter, but she will need to sign the same contract as others to get it.

"I understand," she replied.

A few minutes later, I walked out of the conference room. I didn't go to my office. Instead, I walked toward the elevator.

I stepped inside and began to go down.

I looked at the floors where the last of the work was being done. It will be completed by tomorrow before we open the day after.

Technically, we are opening the legacy tomorrow. It's just the spa and Eva's store to be specific.

Important people are coming to Greltheaven, and they need to be ready for the founding day. So, we are opening the store and spa for them a day early.

The spa had been open for over a week, even when the changes were happening in it.

We needed to prepare the girls for the opening. They need to be looking and feeling their best, and there is nothing like a spa that will make them do that.

It costs a massive amount of money to prepare them. My head starts to hurt whenever I think about it.

Ting!

The elevator stopped, and I stepped out into the lobby, where a big change was happening.

Everything is covered right now, but when it opens; it is going to blow people's minds.

I had worked really hard to get things. Especially that thing and needed Carla to go there personally before that man decided to rent us, the greatest treasure of his family.

Well, he needed the money.

Still, the bastard isn't willing to sell it, despite his financial condition. He declined even when I had offered to buy it with the essence.

It is a smart choice.

I may have given him the essence, but the imperial bastards or his neighbors would snatch it away.

The same thing had happened with this treasure I am now renting from him. It had been "borrowed" by his neighbor for over twenty years.

I walked out of the tower and stepped into the carriage that was waiting for me.

Soon it moved, while I looked out the window.

Even now, in the morning, there are people in the park. There are always people. Half come to relax and enjoy themselves while others half to watch the legacy.

Their numbers will increase after the legacy opens.

The carriage moved out of the park onto the circle road where construction was happening everywhere.

Many buildings that were just built two months ago were being destroyed and, in their place, bigger buildings were appearing. From hotels, and stores to casinos.

It won't take before the whole map of the circle road changes. Not just the circle road but the entire city actually.

Construction is happening everywhere. It is happening fast. Every day, I would see noticeable changes.

The city is developing fast, but behind this growth is the shadow of great danger. The undead and the other enemies; could destroy it all.

I am preparing for it.

Recruiting people in the army, while buying all the defensive equipment, I could.

It is going well, with open recruitment in Greltheaven and Panar. We are also bringing experienced soldiers from the empire.

Since the legacy advanced three weeks ago. We had recruited three thousand soldiers from the empire, and more were coming.

There are also orcs.

It is not just the miner tribes we are bringing to the city, but also the warrior ones.

I would have been able to get more of them. If not for the baronies getting smart and recruiting the orcs into their own armies.

There are also refugees from Mayhurst island. Many are still escaping it, and we have opened offices in Belnin and Nereim to help bring those people into the city.

Maintaining an army is a very expensive affair. It needs a massive amount of money.

Money that could be used to fund more schools, parks, bridges, and other things, but it is necessary. Without it, we wouldn't stand a chance against our enemies.

Soon, the carriage reached the port gate and went through it.

A few minutes later, it stopped, and I got out.

"My lord," port master Black greeted. "Port master," I said, before looking ahead.

"It seemed to be going well," I said as I looked at the work that was being done in front of me.

I am expanding the port as well as its staff, along with bringing new equipment to modernize it.

"It is. In a month, it will be ready," he replied.

I had hesitated for a few months for expansion because of the undead and other enemies, but the way the traffic was growing; I am left with no choice.

I need to be ready to use every opportunity. That comes my way, despite the risks and cost.

The revenue of the city is rising every week, but so is the cost. That the city is still balancing on the edge of bankruptcy.

If the problem of one city wasn't enough, I had gone and conquered another one. It had strained the finances of the city even further.

It is a good thing the legacy had advanced to Grade III or the city would have been in even deeper financial trouble.

"Ask your men to not be so zealous in their inspections. There have been some complaints from the merchants," I advised him.

Two weeks ago, some unsavory things were found in the cargo of the ship. Hidden in the fruits. Since then, he has increased the inspections.

"I will keep it for ten days more, before lowering it," he replied. A moment later.

I thought for a moment before nodding. There will be a lot of people and things coming to the city for the founding day and we will need to be careful.

The gangs in the city are always looking for such opportunities to slip things in the city.

The high growth is good, but it also has consequences. One of them is the gangs. The police have them on a tight leash, but we need to be careful, as always.

They are like weeds. You cannot pull them out as another will grow in their place.

The best option is to manage them; never let them grow over a certain level.

I stayed in port for half an hour before sitting in the carriage.

I visited a few more places before going to city hall, where I stayed till seven and a half before returning home.

I had dinner with the children.

Today is only me and them. Carla had gone to Owlspring a few hours ago. I wanted her to stay, but she wasn't one to get dragged down by what she had suffered.

Instead, it motivated her to work harder.

"It needs your signature," said Lola as the file appeared in her hand. She put it in front of me, and I opened it.

It is from Maeve, about two Grade III alchemists.

I read it and couldn't help but be surprised by her assessment. She had tested the samples from the two alchemists from Ertburn and they are good.

Better than good.

They are specialists. Many employers don't like such things; they prefer to have those that work with everything. Unlike others, we didn't have a problem with that.

Instead, we prefer it.

The goal of the spa is to provide highly personalized care for our patrons and for that using things that are targeted to each of them specifically is the best.

She is going to test those samples further and if they perform well, she is going to choose them for the spa.

It seemed like they were really good. Maeve doesn't praise lightly.

If Maeve thinks some might make the cut, speaking about the abilities of those two alchemists and with the instinct of the woman who has chosen to give them a chance. Then the two might be worth it. 

The file isn't just about the assessment, but also about the funding.

There is already an amount earmarked for it, but she is asking me to increase it to the level of Grade IV.

Which isn't small. I have to know every detail before I can approve these funds.

So, I contacted her.

I spoke to her for nearly an hour and asked for every detail.

"I hope they are as good, as she is saying," I said as I cut the telepathic call and signed on the file.

Approving the funding for their research.

Tap on Patreon.com/awannovels to read up to 20 Advanced Chapters. Become a Free Member on Patreon for maps and other stuff.