Chapter 70: No Ivory Tower_The Calamitous Bob

Chapter 70: No Ivory Tower

 Viv pushed the door to Varskas tower with some effort. The hinges hadnt been worked in a while.

 Ill help, Marruk said.

 Its fine, Viv grunted. Better not let Marruk Doorbane near. The air hit her. It smelled musty and a bit off. The tower had always carried the fragrance of flowers before.

 The first floor had been ransacked but not destroyed. Only the oldest and rattiest loveseats remained. A few pieces of fabric were scattered across the room, mostly undyed local works. The windows were shuttered. Viv made to open the nearest one but Marruk held her back gently.

 Opening the window yourself is the number one way of being shot by archers in a city. Let me do it, the Kark said.

 //Marruk is correct.

 //Although the risks are small, let us remain cautious.

 //At least for a week.

 Alright, alright!

 Vivs steps left footprints on the stairs dusty floors. The second floor, the one belonging to the housekeeper, had been emptied of food and valuable cooking implements. Varskas room had been on the third floor. It waspletely empty.

 //I estimate that most of the stolen furniture can be found in the surrounding residences.

 They can fucking keep it.

 Varskas tea room had been deprived of its sets. The table was still there. All around, wardrobes and cupboards leaned with open drawers like drooling rejects, lustre long gone. Marruk opened the window to let the air and light in. It did not do the room any favors.

 Viv crashed on her favorite couch. She didnt feel the need to check upstairs and see hundreds of hours of magical flora rotting in their pots. The smell was enough.

 So. Yeah.

 //Would you like to talk now?

 I feel like a stiff drink and being left the fuck alone. Nevermind. I messed up. I was too defensive, too conservative. Too slow. I should have been much more aggressive to force the enemy caster to react. Most of my spells are variations around throw destructive ck mana at things until they die as well. I should have expanded my list. As it was, I only did half the damage I could have done and our side suffered as a result.

 //I respectfully disagree with your assessment.

 Viv cut short, surprised. Solfis was always the most critical of her teachers during everyday practice.

 //Your assessment was that you saved too much power instead of using it.

 //If you had used more power, the battle would have been won much sooner.

 //If you had prepared more spells, the battle would have been won sooner.

 //Is this understanding correct?

 I guess?

 With the windows open, the freshness of lc leaves reced the scent of dust. Vivs adrenaline decided that it was a good time to make its exit. She yawned. Her exhaustion was more mental than physical, and only the fear of a mass lynching kept her from requesting a nap.

 //Your Grace, listen carefully.

 Viv forced herself to wake up.

 //Every decision in battle or politics is a choice between several options.

 //This choice is made with iplete and often incorrect data.

 //When you nned the reconquest of Kazar, you and I aligned on a training regimen.

 //We worked on your defenses.

 //You practiced with great rigor.

 //You could not have worked on this and developed yourself offensively at the same time.

 //Thus, an arbitration was made.

 //I believe that at that time, it was the correct decision.

 //Any n must strike a bnce between refining the path to sess and eliminating the points of failure.

 //The acquisition of men and equipment increased our chances of sess.

 //Keeping you alive eliminated the most critical point of failure.

 //Thus, you worked on keeping yourself alive.

 //And it worked.

 //As is, I estimate that you are responsible for close to fifty percent of overall enemy casualties.

 Seriously?

 //The enemy wore heavy armor. 

 //It helped against everything except for you.

 //You did well, Your Grace.

 //You ounted for ambushes and the sniper, hence your caution.

 //As a result we have suffered minimal losses and you are unharmed.

 //This is close to the optimal result.

 When you put it like that

 //You are correct in identifying what needs to be done next.

 //It does not mean that it should have been done before.

 //I am stating the obvious since your mental abilities appear to be impaired right now. 

 Hey!

 //Heirs moping sessfully ended.

 //Returning to main objective.

 //We must consider the next step in your indoctrination of the locals.

 //As well as your personal training.

 There will be no indoctrination.

 //Prince Lancer will return next spring, summer at thetest.

 Viv fell silent.

 //Barring any catastrophe on his side, he wille to avenge his shame, destroying the city in the process.

 //This time, there will be no fields to return to.

 //He will see to it.

 //Unless, of course, you manage to stop a far superior force with what we have on hand.

 //This endeavor will require a mobilization of the local poption at an unprecedented scale.

 //We must therefore consider the indoctrination of the locals.

 //Or you could leave them to their fate, of course.

 Solfis malevolent gaze lowered on Viv as he stood by the door. He waited for her answer with alien patience.

 How do we proceed?

 //Todays battle had over 90% chance of victory.

 Wait, really?

 //Yes.

 //It would have been unwise to spread that belief, however.

 //The memory of a desperate struggle will serve the meatbags well.

 //Human nations are built on beautiful deceit.

 //But please consider that the princes first attack could have theoretically been repulsed with massive casualties.

 //And the risk of quick retaliation.

 //During todays siege, the enemy was missing two hundred trained troops and most of their elites.

 //At the same time, we had acquired material and almost a hundred trained soldiers.

 //When the prince returns, he will have a decisive force.

 //You must prepare to oppose him.

 Were already fullymitted, I dont see how we could get more at this stage.

 //Your role is not toe up with every solution, Your Grace.

 //Your role is to gather allies to do it for you.

 //There will be a purge, then the harvest must bepleted.

 //During that time, the meatbags of Kazar must be led to ept that the prince will return.

 //And that they must work to prevent his sess.

 //All the details cer.

 Are you sure that he wille? Viv asked. I will assume that it will happen no matter what, Im just curious as to why you seem so confident.

 //I agree with the point that Denerim made.

 //My algorithms also return that an Enorian candidate for the throne may not leave a rebellion unresolved.

 //Not if they wish to wear the crown.

 //Your very existence undermines his im.

 //The prince wille for you, one way or another.

 You also kind of want me to kill him, dont you?

 //Of course, Your Grace.

 //Few things please me more than crushing a mans dream before I crush his ribcage.

 //Especially provincial, thin-blooded upstarts.

 //One is allowed to enjoy his work.

 //And I enjoy my work more than most.

 First we go through the current crisis and then Ill start working on the next step.

 //As you wish Your Grace.

 //As long as you do not wait too much.

 //As for spell-casting, I assume that you understand what is required.

 I need to be a caster that can work around an army.

 //I deem this response as inexact, Your Grace.

 Viv let out the kind of full-chested sigh of annoyance that reced a screaming tirade.

 Please expand.

 //The spies reported the presence of a war caster, a red mana specialist, if you remember.

 Lancers girlfriend.

 //She is the one you must stop.

 //The likelihood is high that she is well-trained and capable.

 How do you figure?

 //Lancer is arrogant, but he is not a fool.

 //He will not bind his fate to a second-rate mage.

 Maybe. Do you have a training regimen then?

 //We will work on long-range battle as part of the imperial war mage doctrine.

 //Meanwhile, you remain an instinctive caster.

 //Therefore, it falls to you toe up with new spells and ways to use your skills.

 //There are no ck mana war manuals in my knowledge database.

 //There is no rush, let the idea float on the back of your organic, messy mind, Your Grace.

 Viv thought about it and considered something else.

 You know, I intended to keep a low profile but thats pretty much impossible now. There are weapons from my world, projectile weapons. I think that I may be able to replicate them.

 //Can your weapons pierce through three fingers of steel?

 Viv considered the question.

 She did not have ess to modern materials and finding the proper ingredients for ck powder would be difficult. Charcoal and sulfur were most likely doable, since she remembered that sulfur was yellow, stank, and often appeared near volcanoes. With this, any alchemist worth their salt(peter) would be able to find it. Unfortunately, she didnt have any idea where to start nitrate, much less potassium nitrate. Try as she might, she could not remember the first thing about it. Not even its color. It was probably mineral in nature? Maybe? She didnt know. Between the time it would take to experiment with alchemy and the average physical ability of the people here, it would take a very long time before she could create something with the stopping power to take down a superhuman fighter in a steel armor three-centimeters thick. Hell, even the average grandma could probably survive a 9mm round to the chest here, at least for a while.

 On the other hand, she could disintegrate a mortar round mid-flight.

 Probably not.

 //Unexpected.

 //My next question was to ask if it was worth condemning Kazar in the long run.

 What do you mean?

 //Perhaps you remember the traveler who created the Hadal strain of humans.

 //He was in, and his work was buried.

 //I estimate that the appearance of new destructive technology will lead to a simr result.

 How would they even know that its a foreign technology? Even here, inventions must ur organically.

 //I am sorry, Your Grace, but such secrets fall under the purview of Maradoc, who blessed you.

 //I fear that, if his clergy takes an interest in you, he will favor them.

 So, no deal?

 //Perhaps we can pursue it in secret, in the future. 

 //If we have several years and can hold against every other nation of the continent.

 You can still bring new ideas, Marruk said, like gueri warfare.

 Viv and Solfis stopped and stared at the quickly blushing Kark.

 What? We have a forest between the enemy and us. Is this not perfect?

 We could get to them before they get to us Viv considered.

 //The crossing of the Deadshield Woods will be fraught with peril.

 //For them.

 Ok, lets keep that in mind and get out, Viv said as she took a quick look outside, because the tree is running out of branches to hang people from.

 Mass executions ran throughout the day, with screaming men and sometimes women dragged to the main za to face their end. Viv went to Denerim as soon as she found him.

 I thought that we were supposed to prevent this! she hissed in his ear. The inquisitor looked at her with undisguised annoyance.

 You set them on the path, remember? As for me, Im not here to prevent justice from being dispensed. Im just here to make sure its done to the guilty and without torture.

 Was rape always punishable by death? Viv asked with some doubt. She was pretty sure that the guilty received a publicshing.

 It is whenmitted by enemy forces, at least since your council gathered and voted thew in effect. It happened early in the afternoon.

 What the hell was Farren thinking?

 He voted in favor after working in the hospital for an hour. For someone who is decent at moving hearts, you are woefully bad at understanding what dwells in them. Popr justice quickly veers to the chopping block, Lost Heiress. Remember that next time.

 The inquisitor left her to stop another lynching. Orkan approached and patted her shoulder, red tattoos reflecting the torches nearby.

 Hes not mad, dont worry.

 This is not how I envisioned victory.

 First conquest, ey? Dont worry, you get used to it.

 Viv sure hoped the fuck not.

 By nightfall, the Kazarans had run out of rope, but not out of axes. Viv was reminded of the Terror, that dark period of history that followed the French revolution. Paris had been stained red by the blood of the beheaded in an unprecedented frenzy of governmental violence. It only ended with the instigators facing the guillotine themselves.

 I cant go out there and stop this. They would not understand, Viv muttered as yet another head joined the pile.

 //Why would you, Your Grace?

 //Every invader that falls is one less mouth to fill. 

 //And one less prisoner to guard.

 The lost traveler excused herself behind a pile of crates and quietly threw up.

 Viv slept in Reshs quarters that night, then moved to the mage tower the next day. The events of the previous day had hit her hard, not because she was unused to the violence of this world but because this time she had a hand in it. Conflict in Param obviously involved a long session of war crimes. It was just the first time she was responsible for one.

 Fortunately, she had an emotional support dragon.

 As a recognition for your help these past few months and to mark your growth and me-spitting, I am proud and happy to grant you your third gold talent!

 Squeeeeeeeeeee!

 Viv watched Arthur paddle excitedly to herir and religiously open her pouch to add this new piece to her collection. The pure, untainted joy acted as balm for her sour mood. The morning had not been kind.

 The prisoner camp was growing, with the prisoners themselves working to cut wood and build the dwellings they would use. The earth caster was instrumental in creatingrger structures, which proved necessary with the influx of neers. All the farms from Kazar to the mountain had already been liberated, with clumps of Enorians joining them every hour from the other side. Lorn had ordered the dead to be detached and properly buried withst rites. Viv hoped that it showed a shift to a more humane approach to justice, but the Temple Guard captain soon revealed his hand: he was freeing rope for a new batch of victims. In particr, the advance of Kazarans across the fertile strip was known and a few irate Enorians had burnt the farms rather than see it fall in the hands of their previous owners. The arsonists corpses now swung in the wind.

 For the rest of them, Viv finally gathered enough presence of mind to put her foot down. She ordered that every person from now on would be judged in the traditional Kazaran way, inside the temple of Neriad, and after investigations. She presided over them herself and managed to slow down the executions at the very least. Denerim had a few words on the matter.

 At least, you are learning. I wish you had had the courage yesterday.

 Its my first time, alright?

 With the guilt lessened, the minutiae of the conquest spread over a week. The mountain warriors left, their duty fulfilled. Seized properties had to be redistributed. Several issues arose, such as someone asking for their half-payment back after it turned out that a promised loom had been taken by the princes expedition. The defendant imed that it was not his fault that the loom had been taken. Viv judged in favor of the intiff, but made sure to hammer a reasonable repayment deal between the two before sending them off. She had never expected to be practicing corporatew in a fantasy vige surrounded by the undead.

 She also made sure that the prisoner vige would be getting enough food. Thankfully, the harvest was proceeding as nned and they would not starve anytime soon. She organized the first shipment of grain to the Yries quickly after that, then it was time to decide what to do with the Enorians who had notmitted too many atrocities.

 We could just send them into the woods and let the monsters deal with them, the newly-minted trade representative offered.

 No, please, especially not people with families, Farren said.

 We could have them clear new sections ofnd, Brenna said instead. That way, they will be able to grow their own crops next year.

 Will the Kazarans ever ept them, though? And having them clear the forest presents a few risks. First, the noise may attract strong monsters and second, hard work requires more food. We must be cautious because we have no more reserves.

 I have a proposal, Viv said.

 The rest of the folks in the town halls meeting room turned to her. They sat around the same table where Lancers messenger had delivered the princes ultimatum. His blood still stained the carpet.

 I can create more ward stones, push the deands back. It will be much easier than clearing the forest and thend is much more fertile. We can make a big show of having thembor for the city for a set duration, say three years maybe? Then they are officially forgiven in a ceremony.

 I still say, let them walk back to Enoria, Tars grunted. She touched the scar on her cheek.

 This would be murder without escort and we know it, Farren replied, Vivs proposal has merit. It also gives us the time to ransom them back if possible. What about the revenants, however? Thosends you speak of are upied.

 I will go to the ce where our fallen were disposed of and activate the lure beacon. With any luck, we can recover the bodies and clear the area at the same time.

 The others nodded.

 Proposal epted then. Thest item on our list is the relocation of the Hadals to the scouts forward base

 It turned out that the Hadal wanted to upy a dark, underground cave in the forest that the scouts had been using as a supply cache. Nobody had any objection since the scouts favored the move themselves. A few of the second generations had already started toe and trade meat formodities. With everything stable, Viv decided that it was time to reim the dead. The meeting ended shortly after.

 Viv set out at dawn the day after following a breakfast of boiled wheat-equivalent. It was a shit beginning to what was shaping out to be a shit day. Solfis, Arthur, and Marruk wereing, though the golem was starting to run a bit low on battery. A smattering of soldiers was joining as well, including a few Temple Guards. They had all lost people in the escape from the city and were eager to reim their bodies, which would be carried in coffins stored on a pair of carts.

 It was a miserable procession through the desert. The earth shaper had told them where the bodies had been dumped: near a bridge over a chasm. The silence as they made their way was bing so oppressive that Viv turned to the others for conversation.

 You know, if Varska had died in some senseless war, I think I would be done grieving by now. It has been two months. Instead, every new insult applies a fresh coat of pain and now I just cant let it go. Not anymore.

 The essence of a blood feud, Marruk said with an understanding nod. She seemed to be in her element.

 The Enorian princeling tried to trample us, now we must kill him and his followers to let the world know not to trifle with us.

 Viv stared at the Karks content face.

 Sorry, did you not leave because you know?

 Because blood feuds are destroying our civilization? Yes. But if you are already in one you might as well go all the way.

 She leaned forward.

 Do you have any blood feud stories from your homnd?

 So Viv told everyone about the Count of Monte Cristo.

17kNovel

Chapter 70: No Ivory Tower