CITY OF DESIRE [KINGDOM BUILDING]

Proofread By Thomas F

Carla Salt

I looked at the beautiful view of the city in front of me.

Khartan is a beautiful city and the capital of the Hevial Kingdom. Filled with ancient monuments, beautiful buildings, and Hevial lamps, they are everywhere.

These are large flower-shaped lamps made by masters of the craft. They are the specialty of the kingdom.

I enjoyed the view until the clock ticked ten before leaving the hotel suite.

My guards were in front and behind me, but I could feel the other eyes. They have been on me since the moment I entered the kingdom.

It is not surprising. It happens when one becomes important enough or in a place for an important job.

I took the elevator and appeared in the lobby a few seconds later.

“Chief,” greeted Rip, and we walked toward the exit. We are going to the Taurus Theatre to negotiate.

These are simple negotiations with a clear-cut demand, but they won’t be easy like all crucial negotiations.

We exited the hotel and entered the carriage with Greltheaven and Velvet Garden flags.

The carriage moved through the city, and we watched it through the window. We didn’t talk, and there was a real risk they would hear us.

“It’s a beautiful city,” praised Rip. It’s also ancient, older than the kingdom itself, which came into existence well after the city was founded, like most other kingdoms in the world.

A little over ten minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of a small but beautiful building.

It’s a two-and-a-half-story building, and beautiful work has been done on it. The mist swirling around it enhanced its beauty the most.

This is the Taurus Theatre. It’s small, but it’s a legacy.

The place used to be a theatre for working-class people, as most small theatres are, but it has since become a legacy. It has become something only the rich and powerful can enjoy.

The door opened, and I got out of the carriage.

“Welcome to Taurus Theatre, Miss Salt,” greeted the middle-aged man with short blond hair. He is a son of Arta Taurus, the Master of Taurus Theater.

“Thank you, Mr. Taurus,” I replied.

He led us inside, and I felt the power of the theatre. It differed from the Velvet Garden and the legacies we had visited.

We want this, the aspect of the theatre.

Since we got the casino aspect, essence generation has increased by 20%. That is not just from the casino floors but also from all other floors.

It will pull the emotions as long as they are related to betting, chance, and other elements. That is part of the aspect of the casino.

The theatre aspect will be just as beneficial, or even more so. In the Velvet Garden, we asked the girls to consider their job as a performance, with patrons as admirers.

It is an act for a single person, an act that makes them feel special and the most fortunate in the world.

It will be enough, even if it only affects the theatre, given its capacity and three shows that run every day. We will be more than happy to harvest the extra emotional essence with the aspect.

“It’s a beautiful legacy you have, Mr. Taurus,” I praised as I looked around a beautiful theatre.

There is a show going on. It is always during the day and at night, which is necessary to harvest the maximum amount of essence.

There is only a ten-minute break between each show with the large assembly of actors, stage managers, and other staff to run it efficiently.

We want to bring our people here, and some of their people, to the Velvet Theater.

It is for Caena’s spell and because there is so much to learn from this legacy.

Soon, we reached the top floor and took a few turns before appearing in front of the simple wooden door, which the man opened.

I thanked him and entered the small room. Seeing the people, I was shocked.

There is Arta Taurus, the master. She is ancient and looks like she could drop dead at any moment. Though her body is frail, her eyes are strong and sharp.

She isn’t what surprised me. It is the man in his fifties who did; he is one of the most powerful men in the kingdom of Havail.

Since the Taurus Theatre is in the capital, the territory of the royal family. It doesn’t have a guardian. So, I didn’t know who would be there from the kingdom, but I didn’t expect him.

“Your grace, Lady Taurus,” I greeted with a bow.

Duke Dorin Kaldis, who looked to be in his fifties, had dark blue eyes and a sharp face. He is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Havail, a childhood friend of the king, and his brother-in-law.

“Miss Salt,” he replied, offering me a seat. “Thank you, your grace,” I thanked as I sat down.

“So, why did the Velvet Garden request this meeting and call it important?” he asked, his tone laced with concern.

“We already signed an agreement for the first bite. I don’t think there is anything more to discuss, much less important things,” he added, looking directly at me.

I could feel the weight of his gaze. He wasn’t using any skills, even his passive ones, which were tightly controlled, but it made me feel suffocated momentarily.

“We want the complete core of the Taurus Theater,” I replied, and I could see shock appearing in their eyes.

The two hid it immediately as it had never been there, but it took the middle-aged man a moment.

“The deal was for the first bi,” said the middle-aged man, but he stopped as his mother and the duke glanced at him.

“And what is Velvet Garden willing to offer in exchange?” asked the man.

“Core essence, of course,” I replied with a smile. The smile and surprise appeared on the man’s face as well. However, the woman was the most surprised.

She has the most significant stake in it. If the negotiations were successful, she could die peacefully.

“I had a feeling this meeting would be important. I was right,” said the Prime Minister before his expressions turned serious.

“You have to offer a substantial amount to get the complete core,” he stated.

Seeing that, I took a letter from my bag and placed it before him.

“This is what we are willing to offer. There will be no negotiations on it,” I replied, sliding the letter to him.

He took it and tore it open before reading the number inside. He was good because his expression did not change as he read it.

“It is not enough,” he replied and turned to me.

For the first time, I felt his class, which was powerful and had a weight of aura on it.

“Velvet Garden will get a complete core and aspect of theatre like you got the aspect of the casino from Halcyon. That will help your legacy tremendously,”

“So, I hope you will give us a better offer,” he said with each word, the power of skill getting stronger and making it harder for Rip even to breathe.

He is one of the most powerful people in the kingdom, so I am not surprised by his power and knowledge of the velvet garden.

Clear Mind.

I activated the Clear Mind in response and filled it with aura, before spreading it to Rip.

I could see the shock appear on their faces. They might have heard about me having an aura but not honestly believing it.

To most, I am still a whore and always will be.

My control isn’t as good as the man’s, but because of Bell’s training or hammering attacks, I could defend myself and others enough not to get heavily suppressed.

“The offer will not change. It is the most we could offer,” I replied with a smile that was hard under the power of his aura, which he increased even more.

“Velvet Garden will lose a chance to get a theatre aspect,” countered the duke.

“Yes, we will, but there are other theatre legacies. It might take some time, but I am sure someone will eventually accept our offer,” I replied, brightening my smile even more.

Of course, there are other theatres, but only one is waning. It will be a few years before another one enters the waning.

We want the theatre’s core at any price and would increase the offer if they remained adamant, but I don’t think that would happen.

They need it more than us. It might not seem like it, but they are talking. I am sure the older woman is pressing the man to agree.

The aura kept pressing me harder before suddenly disappearing.

“What other things do you want? I am sure you have not come here for the core alone,” he asked.

He didn’t say it, but he agreed with it. I am not surprised, and the offer is generous. It is 20% of the core essence of the core, the size of the legacies Taurus Theater has.

The biggest reason he agreed was his fear that the older woman might choose the dignified way to die.

That would not be good for the kingdom.

With us, they don’t have to fear it. There is also another advantage: she will be able to die peacefully.

Given her age, they would have asked her to milk the core in one or two months. That would have killed her and made the legacy disappear.

With us, they don’t have to worry about that. The master could live for months or even years. That would help them gain more emotional essence and aid the economy.

Legacies are significant drivers of tourism and culture.

“You are right, your grace. We want other things,”

“First is the exchange between our legacies. We want the theatre company of the Taurus to come to Greltheaven to perform at our theatre while our people come to Taurus to perform,”

“The second, we want to hire some of your people; they will come to us after the legacy’s demise, of course,”

“The third…” I stated the other things we wanted.

“Some things are going to cost you, Miss Salt,” said the Duke. “And we are willing to pay for it. Your grace,” I replied.

Those things won’t cost much, but I am sure they will try squeezing us as much as possible.

A few minutes passed, and the duke left. The negotiations will start in the evening, but seeing how things went, I don’t think they will take over two days.

If I am lucky, we will be finished tomorrow.

“Sarus, give us some privacy,” said the old woman. Yes, mother,” he replied. As I looked at Rip, he nodded and walked out.

Soon, only two of us were left in the room.

“If the Velvet Garden is willing to give my son the theatre of your legacy. I will give you the core without any payment,” said the Master of Taurus legacy.

She meant I didn’t have to pay the core essence for the core.

“The circumstances were different. We cannot offer you the same deal we did to the Halcyon,” I replied, noticing her disappointment.

When the velvet garden reached Grade III, we didn’t have a casino. However, we did have a theatre, which was run by a very capable administrator, so we did not need their help.

“Though, as a personal gift from Lord Silver, we are willing to give. Thousand drops of Grade III emotion essence to your descendant as long as the core we get does not bear any resistance,” I added.

It surprised her.

A thousand drops is a massive amount. This legacy would take months to produce, and we are willing to give it to them, not the state.

It is a massive amount for us as well, but Caena said it will be worth it as long as we get to the core without resistance.

“I believe it won’t be in a contract?” she asked. To that, I shook my head.

It depends on the core, its resistance, and our intentions afterward. She will have to trust us for it.

Castellan of Mist Lv. 38

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