Steel and Mana

Chapter 284 – I Hear Voices

The dinner was much more productive than I expected when I first proposed it to Alvor. Of course, I wasn’t trying to wedge anything between the other merchants and him, so I extended the invitation to the others just the same. But I also made sure they knew I was making the finalized deal with Alvor, and it was him who I wanted to interact with when it came to finalizing the work between our two countries.

In the end, I even managed to strike a personal deal for books. It was time to expand my view and knowledge. Dealing with Ishillia on the battlefield can expand to a global crisis, as it already shows the mark of it happening. Whatever the end will be, I will need to know about the other significant powers that could influence it all. Plus, Merlin also wanted to read new stuff, so he was just as excited about getting fresh homework materials for school. And himself.

When Luna brought in the desserts, I looked around the table and smiled, holding my glass of red wine. Sasha was talking with a group of merchants, explaining what type of raw materials she would want, while Mikan was apparently talking with another group. From what I heard, she was describing some of our alchemical solutions and new medicines and practices we enforced to keep the population healthy. Yuri was missing from the table, as she was with the kids. It was too late, so she remained with them, bathing and tucking them in.

“Sovereign Leon,” Alvor said as he came over to my side of the table, thanking Luna, who immediately pulled a chair close to us so we could talk leisurely.

“Is it about the barrels?” I smiled, knowing that it was the only topic that we didn’t discuss yet.

“I understand if it is… useless. We can pay you for something else and with some extra when we come next time.” He bowed, feeling that he should not even try to explain, hoping I wouldn’t hold them accountable for bringing something useless over.

“It is alright.” I shook my head. “Tell me, how much is there within your territory?”

“Of the Black Blood?” He asked, a bit surprised, thinking about it. “I can’t say. It was never really explored nor mined. We didn’t find a proper use for it, nor did anyone who was half-interested in buying it. It is too crude to be used for anything besides warfare. Even then… There are more useful methods to wage it than to try and pour it over others.”

“So, you are saying that it is an untapped resource.”

“Pretty much.”

“Walk with me,” I said after a moment of silence, standing up, holding my glass, and leaving the dining room. Alvor and Luna, who were having a wine bottle, followed me at once. Every time I emptied my cup, she refilled it with a serene smile, acting as if she were my shadow.

“Sovereign?” Alvor asked, breaking our silence as we entered the garden. I just looked at the millions of stars up in the clear sky, saying nothing, not until there was enough tension between us.

“I call it oil. Easy to remember.”

“It is… oily. Yes. But you can’t cook with it.”

“You can.” I smiled, quickly adding, “Not food, though. Look, in its current form, you are right; it is kind of useless.”

“Current form…” He muttered, showing he wasn’t sent over without reason. He was catching on quickly. “You can make it useful?”

“I don’t know yet,” I answered with a half-truth. I could, but could I? I have no idea how to refine crude oil into something useful. I knew how to build an engine running on kerosene. When I was transferred to maintain old military equipment, that was also among the things I read about. But on how to turn oil into what I need, I had no inklings of. I will need the help of my people. We will need to come up with it together.

“So you are not sure… but you have ideas. You are just unsure if it is worth it to invest the required energy to gain something useful out of it. If you can gain something out of it in the first place.”

Well… Thankfully, it seems I don’t need to come up with anything. Alvor’s merchant mind has solved the issue for me. That’s why it is best if you say less when you don’t know something and let others provide the solution. Or talk themselves into something. Thank you, Chairman Alvor.

“You are sharp,” I chuckled, raising my glass. "I am interested in buying oil from you and am willing to accept it as part of your payments.”

“Really?!”

“Yes. However, to develop anything and determine whether it can be used, I will need a substantial amount. A few barrels aren’t going to cut it.”

“I understand. What we brought with us this time is just sample products. There is no market for them, so it is hard for me to gauge a barrel’s worth, but I would usually offer it for the price of a gold piece.”

Fuck… that’s cheap. I almost said it out loud but caught myself. Still… It had to show on my face because Alvor very quickly continued, waving his hands.

“I meant a gold piece from the League. Converting to Avalon’s currency… half. Half of what your gold is worth.”

I think I will replay this event to Merlin. I will make sure that he implements a lesson for our future merchants that they should never play themselves into a corner nor let their emotions override their logic. Damn… I almost felt sorry because Alvor just played himself into my hands. So it is this bad in the League…

“Acceptable.” I nodded, “I am willing to pay that much for it. But as I said, you need to bring me a lot more to take it as payment for our dealings.”

I knew this would happen—I am not stupid. I could see it in all of their eyes; they were ecstatic to head back home because they would dismantle one of the tractors. They will do everything to reproduce it, and for that, all the raw materials I am asking for will also be something they want to keep. So, I can see a scenario where they will bring me nothing but barrels of oil and may even give me further discounts on anything else I may want. When I shook hands with Alvor, seeing his smile, I was even more sure of my conjecture. Well… Before they realize what they sold me, maybe I should make a deal so I own their oil fields…?

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After two more days, the Atuvian merchants left, bringing with them their new machinery and other products. Alvor’s bags were also hiding a bunch of letters from me, addressed to the other Chairmen leading the two guilds. One of those letters detailed my proposition of building a railway line into their country, something I knew Alvor would also promote heavily. I expected them to give me a response before winter, and I don’t think I will be disappointed.

While our connection with the League was being established, I also began receiving news from the South through Mirian. With the Geth Emprie’s invasion, it bogged down a big chunk of the Ishillian army, but that didn’t mean we wouldn’t be attacked. She also scouted the borders between the North and the Central regions, noticing that most, if not all, crossing points were built up and guarded by well-armed forces. Maybe they are gathering their strengths, or perhaps they are digging in, wanting to prevent us from attacking them. It could be both.

As for the east… What we know is that the old Kingdom of Scorc has been burning. I mean, it's literally on fire. Whoever Pascal sent there is not troubled by morals. Any village or city that rebelled when the news of the Geth assault reached them was massacred and burnt to the ground. Will it break them or just create more trouble? We shall see, but one thing is for sure. Good. Let Ishillia's attention be split towards as many issues as possible.

“Dad?”

Hearing my son quietly call me, I sat up straight in my chair. It was already late, I was ready to wrap things up and head back to our bedroom, too, but now he was in my office, looking at me nervously.

“What is it, little one?” I smiled, standing up and picking him up, giving a kiss on his face. “Bad dreams?”

“A voice.” He answered, and it made me listen closely. I kept up my smile, trying not to scare him and remaining calm, but a voice in a wizard’s head was nothing good. At least, I didn’t think so.

“What voice? Can you tell me?” I asked, sitting down on the couch and gently patting his head. “Does it try to tell you something?”

“No.” He shook his head, furrowing his brows, thinking, “Leyla can’t hear it anymore.”

“When did you start hearing it? She did, too?”

“Um. Always… Um… Heard it, like heard you and mommies! But we learned to not hear them if we don’t want to. It was… um… um… noisy.”

So, it is not a voice but a thought. We already guessed they learned to control their gift naturally and were no longer listening to our thoughts. We tested it with Sasha, trying to think of things that would excite the little imps, but they didn’t react. We just didn’t know, not until now, whether they lost the ability or gained control over it.

“And… you can’t shut it out?”

“Sometimes.” He nodded, looking embarrassed. “When it is quiet. I start noticing it.”

“I see… And… what does this voice try to tell you? Can you make it out?” I asked, watching him shake his head, “Is it angry?” I asked again, receiving another headshake.

“It is… sad.”

“Sad?” I whispered, raising both of my eyebrows. Sad… What does that even mean? “What do you think, is it human…? Or?”

“I don’t know, " he answered, looking unsure and troubled. "I can’t understand it. It is like… far whispers. But I feel it, um, um… um… that it is sad. Is it... afraid? I think...”

“I see… Son, what do you sense? Does that sound hear what you think?”

“I…” For a long minute, he fell silent, closing his eyes, probably looking to find it in his mind and trying to focus on it. I waited patiently, watching his expression, gently rubbing his head. “I don’t think so, Dad.”

“Hmm… I see. I don’t even need to ask, but... Is it coming from the other side of the mountains?” Watching him nod, I already had a theory in my mind. “Guessed so. Well… Listen, kiddo! Don’t be troubled by it. You will grow up to be strong, and whatever that sound is, you will be able to shield your thoughts against it. If not now, then when you are an adult!”

“I will be?” he asked, still a bit unsure. The fact that his sister managed to do it, yet he didn’t, made him a bit hesitant to trust his abilities.

“Of course! You are my son, after all!” I laughed, making a mess out of his hair, finally drawing a smile on his face.

“I will work hard, Dad!”

“What about your mother? Did you tell her this?”

“N-no…” He flinched, looking away, “Mom would make a big fuss about it…”

“That is true. But we need to tell her.”

“Hauh!”

“Don’t worry. Daddy will make sure she won’t panic!”

Well… I said that, but of course, all three did panic when I explained the situation. The only calm one was Luna, holding Arthur’s hand, leading him out of the room as the trio began rattling about a hundred things, asking me a quintillion questions, not even noticing Arthur’s absence. I couldn’t tell who was more nervous. Sasha, Mikan, or Yuri?

Sasha was all about finding a magical solution, consulting with Merlin, and working out a suppression magic. Which I shot down. I won’t stand for suppressing my child’s magical abilities just because of a minor drawback. If something wants to take him from us, it needs to get through the Pass first. And if it is capable of doing that… then no suppression will hold it back from my Arthur. He needs his powers to protect himself.

Then, Yuri was advocating for preparing a force the world had never seen before to invade and hunt the monsters into extinction. Extreme. As always. Lastly… I looked at Mikan, who surprised us all with a sentence I wasn’t expecting.

“I do hope my little one will not hear things…” she muttered, holding her belly that had yet to start growing… but it was enough to tell us the news at the weirdest time possible.