City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

“He has left,” informed Lola, and I nodded.

I met the Lord of Inam for the second time an hour ago. From tomorrow, Carla and her people will negotiate with them.

I got the impression that Lord of Inam wants to conclude the negotiations as soon as possible, which is fine for us.

I am willing to be generous to get what I want, but I have also drawn the hard lines.

I looked at the clock, it’s eleven. Most of the staff had left, but some, like Valentina and Robin, are still working.

I finished what I am working on and closed my eyes.

‘Don’t let anyone in,’ I instructed Lola, before unleashing the power of the legacy and focusing on the thing I sensed so faintly.

There is something in the city hall. I can’t properly focus on its place, but it is here.

I gathered the power of legacy and merged my aura into it before focusing on it. I don’t know its exact location, so I searched every corner.

Minutes passed, and finally, I sensed it. It is below me, in the lowest floor of the basement.

There is only a single room there, which made me serious because I realised something. It had been done intentionally.

I activated Eyes of Domain to examine it, but aside from the stored files, there’s nothing else. The thing I am sensing does not exist.

I could not feel anything about it aside from its faint weight.

I may not be able to sense what it is, but I could feel that it is not a simple thing. If it had been, I would have discovered it with the power I am using.

I must find out what it is, but two of the people who could tell me are already dead.

Count Darrow and Prince Grelt. There’s only a single room, with that floor and that thing in the middle of it. It is far from a coincidence.

It made me feel like it is connected to many things, but I pushed those thoughts away. Until I know for sure what it is, I will not make any conjecture.

I opened my eyes and got up.

A minute later, I was out of the city hall and into the carriage.

I observed the city as it took me toward the legacy. It seemed fuller than it had been in weeks. There is a newfound vibrancy that was not present a week ago.

A small smile appeared on my face, seeing that.

I have gotten a massive opportunity, and I am going to use it.

The carriage took the familiar turns and entered the park, which was loaded with people. Many of them are tourists.

As we drew close, I looked at the whole tower garden and tower itself, both of which are going to change drastically. I have a plan, a grand plan; it is rough right now, but every day, new ideas are coming.

The cost would far exceed what it took me to build the tower and park.

Which I haven’t yet paid back in full, but that is not the greatest of the problems.

The carriage stopped in front of the gate. Even at this time of night, there is a line.

My skills have upgraded and become powerful. Crowd Flow Harmony allowed me to admit more people into the legacy than I could before.

Still, it is not unlimited.

So, there are limits to the number of people we let inside the legacy.

It is temporary until we expand the legacy to its full size. I don’t think we will need to worry about the number of people then.

“Master Silver,” the girls at reception greeted, and I nodded at them before walking into the elevator.

The screen closed, and it moved up. I watched the floors pass and the stores. A few of them are sealed; the owners have received the notice.

Loyalty is the thing I value the most. Since they left, when the city is in danger, they do not deserve the store.

It is a privilege that could change the lives of my people.

All the store owners have become rich; they have opened multiple stores after opening their first store, and some have even expanded to the merchant state.

Not to mention the sheer number of sales.

Over 80% of people who enter the legacy buy something.

It is for this very reason that I kept the prices of the goods fair. First, so that nearly everyone could buy it, and second, after buying things, people release emotions, like joy, delight, satisfaction, and others.

The legacy absorbs a massive amount of emotion, not just because of its capacity, but also because there are hundreds of small things that were done here that evoke different emotions.

I do not joke when I say it gives an experience of a lifetime.

The elevator stopped on the top floor, and I walked out. A smile couldn’t help but appear on my face when I looked at every hall, private room, and every chair occupied.

I had planned to come in the morning when I returned to the city, but I couldn’t.

There is too much work. Even tomorrow, I am swamped; I won’t be able to leave the city hall any sooner than I did today.

Click!

I opened the office door and walked inside. The three of them were already waiting.

“Many had upped their offer,” said Carla as I sat down in my chair. She didn’t have to tell me that. I had talked to a few nobles, and they are willing to offer a lot.

“Nobody can give us what Vanis’s Tavern could,” I replied with a smile.

“Other legacies are so good,” she said, and I nodded, but Vanis’s Tavern is more important. Even in legacy terms, the tavern isn’t as bland as it used to be.

After merging with Mariha’s Inn, the tavern acquired the inn’s special skill, which is very good, not to mention the aspect.

Both could help me with one of the things I am planning to do in Velvet Garden.

“Have you made the preparations for tomorrow?” I asked. “I have.” She replied.

She has misgivings because she cares a lot about the legacy and wants the best for it. I am not blaming her; that is why I love her so much and made her heir.

“We need to go ahead with the promotions. We will need more people at the helm. Especially after we take control of the Vanis Tavern,” said Caena.

I know, we need to promote people. Especially the trainees, they have stayed when many of their friends and peers have fled.

They have also learned a lot and have become capable of handling bigger responsibilities, and the biggest credit for that goes to Senar; she is doing an excellent job.

“Give me a few more days. I’m making some changes in the structure.” I replied.

I learned a lot from this experience, particularly in seeing how legacy is going to expand, along with taking over Vanis Tavern.

I need to create a structure with a clear hierarchy and one that provides us with a steady flow of talent.

I don’t want to face the problem I’m currently facing again. I want enough of them that even if half of them leave. We will still be able to operate efficiently without pushing ourselves.

“A lot of people are asking for the essence. They want Grade IV,” said Margaux.

“Tell them, they will need to negotiate for it,” I replied.

I supply Grade III essence to a lot of people. Now that the legacy has advanced, they want access to the Grade IV.

They will need to negotiate, because Grade IV is far more valuable.

There aren’t more than thirty Grade IV legacies in the whole continent. That is far from enough to support the continent’s bottomless appetite.

Some people were so shameless that they asked for it even when I was preparing for the undead.

I will sell emotion essence, but after new negotiations. I have a commodity that everyone needs, and I will try to maximize the benefits from it as much as possible.

I need it. The city needs it.

We have barely enough money to cover this month’s salaries of the army and employees. There is no money for infrastructure or a hundred other expenses.

I am getting money through taxes and trade, but it’s not enough.

It’s why Robin is going to the merchant state to negotiate the loan and emotion essence.

We need to survive for a few months; after that, the city will start generating enough income that I won’t have to worry about every penny.

…

Gavain Phaeron, Navr.

“He declined,” informed Yatsal.

I am not surprised. Silver would never sell us the staff, but I wanted to try. It’s a good artifact, very suitable for a few people I have.

“It’s hard to believe, this little human we saw three years ago. Grown so rapidly,” said Yatsal.

“It is rare,” I replied.

I barely remember the human; he had come with that little lord. The only notable thing about him last time was surviving the temple.

The growth is fast, but that doesn’t surprise me; what surprises me is how he dealt with the horde.

We have mobilised more spies and asked our contacts to find out how he did it.

Wiping out a great horde isn’t easy. Even merchants couldn’t match that power and speed without bringing their powerful cards.

He did it with Alchfire, one of the most unstable weapons.

It is why I am so focused on how. It could be a skill, but it needs to be someone of Lv. 50, or it could be an artifact; there are only a few that could manage that.

All the known ones were in their places; it could be an unknown one, like that blade of his.

We have the knowledge of the millenniums, but we weren’t able to find out anything at all. However, one thing is clear: it’s a powerful artifact.

The one I will own in the future.

“Tell him, we are ready to deal with him. If the merchants didn’t satisfy him,” I said.

Of course, he is going to sell that to the merchant. They are the only option he has, and they wouldn’t let him sell that artifact to anyone but them.

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