Lorian could not believe his eyes. The Devil of Greed, Azal'Gul, stood right in front of him in the flesh. After going completely radio-silent for days when he needed him most, the demon was here. Lorian's shock turned quickly to anger, and then to a silent question about what the damned creature was thinking.
Azal'Gul smiled at him with a knowing look, making it clear to Lorian that this was no coincidence or lookalike. To the surrounding nobles, guards, and advisors, the visitor looked entirely human, blending right into the court. But the moment he spoke, his voice carried a strange, heavy weight that made the hair on the back of Lorian's neck stand up.
"Allow me to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the Great Lord and his luminous court for granting an audience to a humble student," he said, bowing politely.
"Rise and speak," Lorian said with a heavy, serious tone, "Explain your arrival without wasting our precious time!"
The young man stood straight. He was wearing a sharply tailored, high-collared tunic of deep midnight blue, edged with subtle silver embroidery that marked a graduate of high finance and structural engineering.
"My Lord Lorian," the young man began, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alexander G. Zula- a recent alumnus of the Grand Academy of Solara, specializing in imperial fiscal policy and structural engineering."
Alexander G. Zula.
It was a brilliant human alias that would raise no eyebrows among ordinary courtiers or suspicious guards. But to Lorian, the hidden anagram struck like a physical blow. There was no longer any doubt in his mind about the boy's true identity.
Azal'Gul paused, letting a faint, thin smile touch his lips as he held Lorian's wide-eyed, frozen gaze.
"The academy taught us many things, my Lord," Azal'Gul continued smoothly, stepping closer as the surrounding nobles murmured approval at his polished manner, "We were taught that a city is never truly destroyed when its walls fall. It is only reduced to raw data. A ledger waiting to be balanced. The pirate invasion left your western districts and dockyards in ruins, yes; - but mathematically speaking, a blank slate is the most profitable asset a visionary ruler could ask for."
He gestured gracefully toward the direction of the smoking harbor and cityscape, his eyes were gleaming with an unnatural, greedy hunger which was hidden behind professional ambition.
"Our professors at the Grand Academy of Solara's economics department trained us to look at a disaster as an opportunity. Veridia, the crown jewel of Tir Luthar, has been one of our most discussed chapters, and personally, my favorite case study. I have studied the trade routes, the city architecture and city planning, and I have a complete roadmap to calculate the exact gold required to turn those ashes into wealth. I did not come here to ask for charity, nor to seek a minor clerkship. I came because I have great faith in Veridia's potential, ambition. I have trust in the city's ability in talent recognition and acquisition. I am here because I heard of a leader who thinks differently from everyone else. A leader who can take even Beastmen in his employ and make them part of his retainers. I came to offer my service to that visionary Lord and hone my skill as I balance his books, rebuild his docks, and ensure that every coin spent multiplies tenfold. I request the appointment to head the reconstruction effort."
When the demon finished his speech, there was absolute silence in the hall. Everyone was amazed by the boy's brave and polished words. Everyone except Lorian, who was trying hard to keep from laughing. A small smirk still twitched at his lips, confusing the onlookers.
Lorian let out a deep breath, composed himself, and addressed the court, "Well, let me ask the obvious question. Apart from this young man, who else here has the confidence to head the reconstruction seamlessly, with speed, and without losing quality- making it even better than before?"
The courtiers looked at each other. Suddenly, everyone lacked the confidence to challenge the boy for the position. Only two people could have done it- Gravil Fartom and Eldred Alsnow- but neither of them was present.
"Alright," Lorian nodded, "I love taking risks. So much so that I am giving a complete nobody, without even checking his background, the huge task of rebuilding. I know he could be a fake who just wants to steal the funds. He might have no real knowledge. He might be completely useless. But I am still giving him this massive responsibility. Why?" Lorian looked around at the confused faces of his courtiers with amusement, "Because I am, as they say, the Idiot Prince!"
He started laughing, leaving everyone wondering if their lord had lost his mind. But Lorian had to put on a show. Honestly, he had no other way to justify hiring a random stranger for such a huge project. He knew no one else could pull it off better than the damned demon, and the results would speak for themselves. But he could not tell anyone why did he think so. Besides, acting a bit unpredictable would make him seem more formidable as a ruler.
"And you, Mister Alexander," Lorian looked right at him, "You will do a proper survey of the site, make a complete reconstruction plan, draw the blueprints, and give me a budget estimate. I will check every single detail personally before I approve the budget, and I will pay you in parts. If you fail to convince or impress me, consider your freedom gone, because you will spend the rest of your life in our dungeon. Are you still ready to take the job?"
"With pleasure," Azal'Gul bowed again, a smirk still resting on his lips.
"Good, good, good..." Lorian nodded, trying hard not to laugh as he continued playing his part, "Oh, and one more condition. If I am too impressed with the final result, I might just chop off your hands so you never build a rival project for anyone else!"
Everyone was shocked to hear the lord say that, and their suspicion that the lord was losing his mind grew deeper. But their shock multiplied when they saw the young graduate's smile only grow wider.
"I agree to that," the boy replied, "I expect nothing less from a true patron of art and craft. But I also know you will be so impressed that you will protect my hands at all costs, because you will need them desperately!"
Lorian burst into laughter, "You have impressed me, boy. I think I found the right person. You will get a room in Auric Spire itself and meet me in the garden this evening. I want to hear your vision and learn more about you!"
At that point, everyone wondered if both young men had lost their minds, or if they were just playing an elaborate prank on the court. The boy took his leave to arrange his quarters.
A few minutes after he left, a guard arrived with news that a messenger from Solara had just reached the gates. Everyone, including Lorian, was surprised to have yet another guest from Solara so soon.
The messenger had not come because of Alexander G. Zula, but to deliver far more serious news. Grand Scholar Elana had summoned an urgent meeting of the Heptagon Accord. The details were locked inside a sealed letter meant only for the lord's eyes.
The messenger handed the letter to Lorian. Lorian checked the seal for damage, broke the wax, and unfolded the paper.
"To the esteemed rulers of the Accord,
The seasonal trade winds in the central province have shifted with alarming and unnatural suddenness. The great sun of our shared continent has dipped below the horizon far ahead of schedule, and the air grows unseasonably cold. As stewards of our respective domains, we must gather at once to discuss the integrity of our northern trade routes and ensure our foundations do not crack in the approaching frost.
An extraordinary summit of the Heptagon Accord is hereby called at neutral grounds. Bring no delay; the sky will not wait for our preparation.
- Solara"
Lorian's face turned grim. The Emperor was dead. Even though Solara used coded words to avoid angering the empire by spreading unverified news, the message was loud and clear.
Lorian told the messenger to return with word of his arrival. He dismissed the court and walked back to his chamber. If the news of the Emperor's death was true, the whole continent was heading into a massive storm. Lorian felt entirely unprepared for it after everything they had just been through.
A sudden wave of panic and tightness hit his chest. If a civil war broke out and dragged them into it, they probably would not survive. He needed to speak to someone and let it all out. Then he remembered Selena. She had not seen the letter because she was in Veridia when Solara's messenger went to Valoria, but she had guessed an urgent meeting was coming. Did she already know? he wondered.
Selena was sitting in the library, reading a book on continental history. Lorian tiptoed behind her and tapped her head. She jumped, slightly startled, but turned around to find her favorite idiot grinning down at her. Still, she was smart enough to look past his grin and spot the worried, panicked look in his eyes. She grabbed his hands, "Hey, what happened?"
"Do you want to go on an adventure?" Lorian smiled, "Right here inside the city!"
"With you, I would go even to the Dark Continent!" she smiled back. She realized Lorian did not want to talk about whatever was bothering him right then, so she decided to respect his privacy and dropped it.
Lorian took Kaelen and Elara with them, disguised themselves as commoners, and headed toward the Whispering Door. Selena had never walked through such dark alleys before, especially not in disguise, and it felt like a real adventure to her. Having Lorian right beside her made it thrilling.
However, her heart sank when she saw a large, scary half-orc standing in front of the shady shop. She grabbed Lorian's arm tightly and hid behind him. The orc simply nodded and let them pass. Inside, the place was quiet, with only a lonely old bartender sipping a drink by himself.
Seeing the four of them, the old man quickly stood up and bowed, "Welcome, my Lord and my Lady. My humble establishment is blessed by the finest couple in the continent!"
Selena was surprised that the old man knew who they were beneath their disguises.
Lorian ordered, "Get a table for all of us, and bring some good spicy food first. I am starving."
The whole outing felt so exciting to Selena that it was like living inside a fantasy novel. She did not ask questions and just enjoyed the experience. Yet, deep down, Lorian's earlier panic still worried her.
Grisel set up a table for five, served his finest wine, and went to prepare the food as Lorian had asked. Lorian kept chatting normally, but the others could tell something was off. Grisel soon returned with the spicy street food Lorian loved. As Grisel joined them, Lorian suddenly looked at him and asked, "So, what is happening in the empire?"
Everyone, including Grisel, was surprised by the sudden question. Grisel fumbled, "As far as I know... my lord... everything is normal!"
"No, it isn't!" Lorian snapped. "The Emperor is probably dead, and I was supposed to hear that from you instead of you hearing it from me!"
Lorian handed the letter to Selena. "Take a look. We….by 'we' I mean both of us… are going to be in serious trouble if we don't play our cards right."
Selena's face darkened as she read it, and she nodded slowly, "You don't say!"