“Have a good day everyone!” Aniphrae smiled brightly as she left the tailor. She pulled her fur coat tightly to fight off the winter chill. “That’s the last arrangement,” she cheered, “By next year I’ll have that store open!”

  “Congratulations ma’am.” Her maid stiff expression eased into a smile.

  “I can’t wait, Lei.” Aniphrae’s feet effortlessly glided down the street. “This ‘department store’ idea father mentioned is the perfect opportunity for me. If I can make it a success, then that’ll prove to him that I’m a worthy heir.”

  “Don’t get too ahead of yourself ma’am.” Lei’lorai sighed. “It won’t be easy to usurp your brother’s positions.”

  The warning stole some of Aniphrae’s energy. “I know, but I should at least try,” She shivered, remembering her brother’s cold, distant gaze. “The idea of being under his authority doesn’t appeal to me.”

  “Agreed ma’am.”

  Aniphrae shook off the disturbing thought with a smile. Despite the cold, the sun shined brightly overhead, and the streets of Gilbrant were full. A group of children ran by, laughing as they played some game, and she couldn’t help but laugh along with them. It wasn’t uncommon for the main market street to be busy. Traders and merchants hawked their wares at passing citizens. Most running small shops, nothing that compared to the multi-storied trading house her family operated, but nearly as valuable. As they entered the main square, her eyes fell onto the small two-storied building with boarded up windows. Looking at the little shop made her cheeks hurt from smiling.

  She would soon see the fruit of her labors, one sowed by her own hands. She negotiated everything from the property to the merchandise on her own and paid for it with her own wages. She would follow in her father’s footsteps. Her efforts were another brick in the Quarmane legacy. Aniphrae didn’t realize that she had crossed the square, entering her father’s trading house.

  “Welcome back, ma’am.” The host said politely. “Your father wishes to see you.”

  She nodded gratefully to the man and headed upstairs. Her feet rapidly took the steps, and her heart thundered in anticipation. She could easily imagine the large smile on her father’s face, and her mother’s encouragement. It added to her excitement, and she knocked harder than necessary on the door.

  “You wished to see me father?” Aniphrae said entering the room. Sunlight pierced the window, enveloping the room in light, and the fireplace surrounded her in comforting warmth. However, her father’s intense stare gave the room an oppressive feel. Her mother sat across from him with taut shoulders.

  “Sit down Anie. We need to discuss something.” A sudden restless came over her as she sat down, and she let out a small sigh of relief at Lei’lorai’s comforting touch.

  “Is it about my store?” Aniphrae tried to keep her smile.

  “It’s not about the store, dear.” Her mother replied, taking her hand.

  “Guilman has arranged an opportunity for us in Melmaria.” Her father spoke cautiously. “Should I accept it, then it’ll secure our position in the kingdom.”

  Aniphrae’s stomach dropped. “And it involves me, doesn’t it.”

  “Yes.” Porman pulled out a ledger, handing it to her. “One of Melmaria’s premiere merchant families is willing to come under our authority on the condition of marriage.”

  “So… they’re wanting me to marry into the family, why?” Is Guilman trying to stop me from opening my store?

  “You have something that they want.” Her father’s eyes turned to Lei’lorai.

  “Lei? They want Lei!”

  “Yes.” Porman’s mouth tightened, but the frown lines were starting to appear. “This family primarily deals with fishing, but they’ve acquired a few seafolk. The problem is… they’re all male.”

  “So, the plan is to breed me, correct?” Lei’lorai replied calmly. “Will I be expected to serve as a maid?”

  “No, you’d be treated like nobility.”

  “And are they handsome?”

  Aniphrae snapped. “Lei!”

  Lei’lorai smirked at her. “I have standards ma’am.”

  Aniphrae sighed as she scanned the document. “I won’t have any say in running the business! Father, how could you agree to this?”

  “We haven’t agreed to anything dear.” Shazelle replied.

  “I sent a message to Guilman stating that the clause was unacceptable and that it needs to be changed. His response is that they wouldn’t budge. I am… deeply disturbed by his actions.” Porman knuckles turned white. “I’ve been placed in a position that no father wants to be in, and I have half a mind to renounce him as my successor.”

  The confession pained her. “You’re making him your successor?”

  “I’m not getting younger dear.” He said with a sad smile. The wrinkles around his eyes and lips were a testament to his age. “By next year, I plan to stop my traveling to run the company from this location. Guilman will oversee expanding the company with your siblings managing the branches.”

  Aniphrae’s head fell. “Where does that leave me?” she whispered. The crackling fire taunted her misfortune. Her fingers clung tightly to her dress as she silently cursed her brother.

  The proposal was simple. By agreeing to the marriage, the company would secure a strong foothold within the small country. It secured a permanent supplier of Melmarian goods. The company had everything to gain by her accepting, but if she refused, then Guilman could easily paint her as a determent to the company.

  “What if you were already engaged?” Aniphrae’s ears perked at her mother’s suggestion.

  “It can’t be any engagement though.” Porman said in thought. “Otherwise, Guilman will contest it.” Her father’s eyes sparkled. “My dear, would you like to marry a hero?”

  Nathaniel glanced over at the smiling woman across from him. Aniphrae sat straight in her chair, but her eyes shined with excitement. His eyes went back to the parchment in front of him.

  “You’re wanting me to buy the villager’s property?” He asked trying to keep his voice neutral.

  “Yes, but as you can see it is to relocate the villagers.” Aniphrae replied sweetly. “The purpose is to have them run other trades. It’s the first steps to establish Treante’s founding families.”

  “And what will these founding families do?”

  “They’ll help secure your control over the village. These families act as a gatekeeper to stop outside influences from usurping your control.” She slipped another document onto the desk. “I can immigrate slaves in to marry into these families. This will be the initial steps to changing their class to one that better suits the community.”

  “And what about the elves?”

  “They were a wild card, but one that I can easily integrate into the plan to establish Treante. Since you see them as true citizens, I recommend we have one appointed to the town council.”

  “I recommend Eladregn.” Bella said, leaning over to read the documents. “His stubbornness will benefit the others.”

  “I agree, and it would be best to appoint Barin as another councilor. Who should be the third though?”

  “It should be someone looking after your own interests. Someone who won’t be swayed by either the human or non-human citizens.” Aniphrae calmly stated. “Someone like me.”

  “I’m not certain about that.”

  Her smile faded. “Why?” She pouted.

  Nathaniel handed back the papers. “Your proposal doesn’t sit right with me.” He said, “It feels like an abuse of power, and I don’t want any part of it.”

  “Treante won’t stay a little village forever!” Aniphrae snapped, slamming her palms against the desk. “If you don’t take advantage of the opportunity now, then others will. The Guild, nobles, and other merchants can use this chance to turn the village against you.” Her nails dug into the desk, and her eyes shined with tears. “Even my family.” Nathaniel’s eyes lifted to the prompt over her head. [Distraught] shined brightly in an ugly yellow.

  “I still don’t agree with it, but I’ll give you a chance.” He sighed. “If you can get the villagers to agree, then I’ll accept your proposal. Let’s consider this an interview for the councilor position.”

  “Of course, I understand.” She wiped away the tears with a smile. “I’ll show you that I have your best interests at heart!” She left the office with a confident smile.

  “Are you sure about this?” Bella asked with a concerned frown.

  “No, but I must agree with her.” Nathaniel’s fingers drummed against the wood. “It won’t be long until the other powers start interfering with us. I need you to speak with Eladregn about his new position.”

  “Yes master.”

  “Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to show Pomran around.”

  Aniphrae snuggled against the fur of her coat as she looked around. The few houses that surround the village center would need renovations if they were to become new stores. Beyond the center, she could make out several of the logging huts, and she was aware of the larger farms further down the road.

  “I won’t be able to visit everyone today.” Aniphrae hummed in thought. “It’s going to be a long day.”

  “Where shall we start first ma’am?” Lei’lorai’s pale skin shined with a myriad of colors in the sunlight, and her vibrant green hair took on a slightly bluish hue.

  A cold wind blew against them. “I think we’ll start with the inn.” Aniphrae shivered and glared at the amused smirk her maid gave her. “You don’t need to be so cold-blooded, Lei.”

  “But that’s what makes me resistant to the cold.”

  Another blast of cold wind cut off Aniphrae’s response, and she quickly crossed the square. She sighed deeply, taking in the warmth and delicious aroma filling the main hall. A few of the locals gathered around the fire, sipping on large tankards, while the tavern keeper tended to the bar. A single elven woman sat at the bar devouring a whole loaf of bread.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “What do you put in this?” The elf woman growled as she licked her fingers. “I can’t stop wanting to eat it.”

  “Nothing special, simply a few herbs and spices from Melmaria.” The tavern keeper chuckled. “I normally save it for special occasions due to its price, but since you’re a special customer, I don’t mind using it more.”

  “What about us, Oden?” the other patrons jeered.

  “I have four more loaves, so be patient.” Oden snapped. His annoyed frown quickly turned to a smile when Aniphrae approached. “How may I serve you mistress Quarmane?”

  Aniphrae’s eyes landed on the crumbs decorating the bar. “That does smell lovely.” She said absentmindedly. “Where did you buy the spices from?” Deep down, she knew the answer.

  “Your family’s company.”

  “I suspected as much.” She said coldly. “Master Oden, could I trouble you for some information on the locals? I’d like to get more acquainted with my fiancée’s subjects.”

  “What would you like to know?”

  “Let’s start with the village’s history.” Aniphrae noticed the elven woman scoot closer to the bar.

  “Well,” Oden scratched his head hard, glancing nervously towards the elf. “It starts with Rumand. After the Great War, Gilbrant started to rebuild. However, there was nowhere left for the refugees, and many of the soldiers that fought were awarded land as payment for their services. So, the Champion King decided to establish a new duchy in the south. The newly appointed Duke took up an army of soldiers to carve out his new domain. The city was built on the land where the main camp set up.”

  “So, your village was founded to be an extension of the city?”

  “Yes, and no.” Oden whispered, his eyes turned dark. “During the building of Rumand, children were going missing. Monstrous footsteps were found in the area and they led back to a cave within the mountain. Inside, they found the remains of the children, and a terrible monster feasting on their corpses.”

  “What kind of creature was it?” Lei’lorai replied stiffly.

  “It was a Feral Hag.” The words sent a chill through the air. “And her cave was also a dungeon.” Oden took a deep breath. “A bloody battle was fought here to destroy the monster, but she had the dungeon and strange magic. The Champion King had to be summoned to help with the fight, and eventually the Hag was defeated. To keep the dungeon from reforming, Treante was established by the surviving soldiers of that fight.”

  Aniphrae’s chest tightened. “Would… any of the villagers desire to sell their land?”

  With a deep sigh, Oden pulled out a rusted sword, setting it on the bar. “I pulled this out of storage after the village was attacked.” Chips lined the blade, and the handle was falling apart from rot. “I’m ashamed at the condition of this blade, and I’m not the only one.” Aniphrae glanced at the patrons by the fire. Rusted swords with rope for handles sat next to each chair. “That attack reminded us of our history, and the price that was paid. So, to answer your question: no, we won’t sell out land.”

  Aniphrae chewed her lip. “I’m grateful for your candor, master Oden.” She rose from her seat, heading to the door. “There are some things that I need to reconsider.”

  “This looks promising.” Pomran said, appreciating the empty field. “It isn’t too far from your dungeon or the village, and the land looks easy to cultivate. This is an excellent spot for a warehouse.”

  “How large are you expecting it to be?” Nathaniel asked.

  “About the same size as our shop in Rumand. Why changes things when we already have a working foundation.”

  Nathaniel nodded, grateful that his [Intuition] overlaid a ghostly image of the building. “The warehouse will look out of place all by itself. Are you planning on building the manor next to it?”

  “We’ll build apartments next to it for the workers. As for the manor, Anie will prefer it to be close to your own.”

  “You make it sound like it’s her manor.”

  “Because it is.” Pomran’s smile faltered. “I’m not fully aware of the details, but there are going to be changes to the company.”

  “What kind of changes?”

  “Father’s going to oversee the business from the capitol branch along with Mother and his other wives. He’ll leave expanding the company to my eldest brother Guilman, while my other siblings and I run the smaller branches in the other cities.”

  “Then why aren’t you overseeing this facility?” Nathaniel pondered.

  “Good question, unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to that.” Pomran scratched his chin in thought. “I find it odd that Father would choose her when I have unmarried sisters that better fit your preferences.” His smirk sent a chill down Nathaniel’s back.

  “You think there is more to this betrothal?”

  “When it comes to my family, there’s always more to it.”

  Nathaniel took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “Then I should have a word with your sister.”

  “You do that. I, on the other hand, will check out that tavern.” Pomran chuckled as he headed back towards the village.

  “Seneschal, where is Aniphrae?” Nathaniel turned to the drone.

  “Mistress Aniphrae is wandering through the village. She appears to be in distress.”

  Nathaniel hummed in thought. “How is the hanger looking?”

  “Still under construction, but the bay doors are completed. It provides a lovely view of the village.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. Bring her to the dungeon in an hour.”

  Aniphrae hung her head as the door before her shut forcibly. That was the third family to send her away, and they hadn’t even taken the time to listen to her proposal. With a deep sigh, she swaddled herself into her coat and wandered around the village center.

  A few of the goodwives gave her polite smiles as she passed them, but Aniphrae was aware of the coldness in their eyes. The wind carried their stinging gossip.

  “There goes Her Majesty.”

  “Honestly, why would Nathaniel marry her?”

  “I know! She’s as thin as a post and flat as an iron. My youngest has more curves and she hasn’t awakened yet.”

  That last comment made her ground her teeth. She was aware of her lacking figure, it was a common topic among her sisters, but she didn’t need to be compared to a village girl.

  “Mistress Aniphrae.”

  “What?” she snapped, turning to look at the flying golem.

  “Master Nathaniel requests a moment of your time.” Seneschal replied.

  “Of course.” Aniphrae stuttered, fixing her hair. “Please lead the way.” She followed in step behind the flying machine. “I apologize for snapping at you.”

  “Don’t give it another thought.” Seneschal voiced hitched slightly. “It appears you’ve been distressed for some time.”

  “I underestimated the villagers’… tenacity.” Her plastered smile faltered slightly. “I’m surprised Nathaniel was able to get them to approve of the elves.”

  “Who says they approve?” Seneschal said, “Many villagers have little interactions with the elves, save for a handful. If only we could get the two groups to intermingle?”

  Aniphrae nodded in understanding. The tensions between the humans and elves won’t go away if the two groups don’t interact. The event needs to be something that requires both races.

  She silently followed the drone into the dungeon. The sleek, white metal walls were completely foreign, and it made her feel like she was entering another world. The thought brought a small smile to her lips.

  Perhaps this was a small slice of Nathaniel’s world? It was difficult to imagine. A world with giant walking machines, flameless lanterns, and buildings made of metal instead of wood and stone. Out of curiosity, she activated her [Merchant Eye] ability to see the value of the golem. Her heart nearly stopped at the value before her eyes.

  [---]

  It has no price! Was the drone worthless? Impossible, everything has a price, even the smallest grain of sand has some value. Could it be the opposite? Her eyes darted around the room. Each item her gaze fell on had the same valuation. Even the dungeon core had no value. A cold sweat seeped down her neck. The realization suddenly made her stomach twist in pain. The value of these items were beyond the wealth of this world.

  “This way ma’am.” Seneschal flew into the small elevator. It shook, making Aniphrae cling tightly to Lei’lorai. The moving room made her legs shake, and it felt like someone was pressing down on her. When the doors opened, she bolted out of the box, pulling Lei’lorai with her.

  The elevator felt claustrophobic, but this new room made her feel insignificant. It was a massive cavern with the stone floor partly laid with metal panels. Giant steel pillars were grafted to the walls, connected to steel rafters supporting the ceiling. A loud thud made her jump, and she stared in confusion as the wall at the far end of the cavern slowly opened. A gust of cold wind nearly swept her off her feet. She could make out the silhouette of a table with two chairs against the afternoon sky, and one of the chairs was already occupied.

  Aniphrae smoothed her dress as she slowly made her way to the table. “I think I’m in over my head.” She whispered to her maid. She couldn’t image the purpose of such a large room.

  “I’m in agreement with you.” Lei’lorai snickered. “It’s not too late to take the other offer.”

  The thought suddenly felt tempting. With each step, she imagined what her life would be like if she took Guilman’s offer. A lovely manor sitting along a warm Melmarian beach with the wind softly blowing against her skin. She didn’t need to worry about deals or business. All she would have to worry about was managing the house. A faceless husband provided for her, and featureless children clung to her. A comfortable life that anyone would be envious of, but something about it made her heart feel hollow. She couldn’t even imagine what life she would have with the Inventor.

  As she approached the table, the figure stood and turned to her. The smile Nathaniel gave her was the polite smile one gave to an acquaintance. There wasn’t any longing or admiration in it. Truthfully, she never expected to see an affectionate smile from her spouse.

  “How did everything go?” Nathaniel’s words pulled her from her thoughts.

  “Not as well as I had hoped. Your people are more determined than I expected.”

  “I think you meant hard-headed.” He chuckled, gesturing to the chair. She noticed that the chairs and table were bolted to the floor. “I figured you needed a small break and thought this would be a good time for us to talk.”

  Aniphrae calmly sat down. “What would you like to talk about?”

  “I thought this would be a good time to get to know each other.” Nathaniel snapped his fingers, and one of the multi-armed drones placed a kettle and two cups on the table. The golem poured steaming, white liquid into each cup. “Why don’t we take turns asking each other questions?”

  “Very well, I’d like to go first” Aniphrae took a sip. The warm milk brought a genuine smile to her lips as it helped calm her nerves. “What is the purpose of this room?”

  “I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you.”

  “It can’t be any more shocking than what I’ve already seen.” She tried to chuckle, but sudden fear gripped her. “Can it?” Nathaniel stared at her. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears as she waited for his response.

  “Back in my world, we built vehicles that could fly. I plan to try and build those vehicles in here.”

  “You… fly.” The milk splashed wildly in her shaking hands. She gasped when Lei’lorai took the cup from her hands and set it on the table. “Do you plan to claim the sky?”

  “Claim the sky?”

  “The sky is the dominion of dragons and demons sir.” Lei’lorai replied, placing a hand on Aniphrae’s shoulder. “For the longest time, people believed only dragons could fly, but the demons proved that belief false when their forces invaded a few years ago. It’s made it difficult to fight against them.”

  “Then yes, I plan to claim the sky for myself.” He said confidently. Aniphrae flinched when he looked at her. “Why do you want to marry me?”

  She set down her cup with a charming smile. “Who wouldn’t want the prestige of being a hero’s wife?” Nathaniel’s eyes flicked upwards, and her smile faltered. “That talent of yours is quite inconvenient.” She took a deep breath. “I was in a difficult position, and my father was the one who came up the idea of our marriage to get me out of it.”

  “What happened?”

  “My eldest half-brother proposed a deal.” Aniphrae stared absently into her cup. “The deal would expand father’s company into Melmaria by absorbing one of the local merchant families. It would greatly increase the company’s revenue and cut our costs. I simply needed to marry into the family.” She glanced over at him. Nathaniel sat there patiently waiting for her to continue. “Of course, Brother Guilman doesn’t do things randomly, like father, he’s meticulously. He chose me because I have something of great value to Melmarians.” She gestured to Lei’lorai.

  “It’s a lovely compliment ma’am.” Her maid chuckled dryly.

  “Being a seafaring people, Melmarians view seafolk as beings of good fortune.” Aniphrae continued. “So, Guilman wanted to tap into that market by breeding Lei.”

  “He wanted to expand your family’s slave trade.” Nathaniel’s voice came out low.

  “Yes, but he also wanted to get rid of a rival.” Aniphrae wiped at her eyes. “It may be a foolish dream, but I wanted to succeed my father.” She tightly gripped her cup and growled. “Father sent mother a letter concerning your department store idea. It fascinated me, so I took it upon myself to open the first store. Everything was ready too, and then Guilman sent that damned proposal.” The memories made her body stiff. “I thought that I could use this opportunity to prove to my father that I’m a worthy successor, but I didn’t expect there’d be people who would turn away money. I’m also reconsidering our marriage.”

  “Why?”

  “Look around you!” Aniphrae jumped from her seat gesturing to the large room. “You have strange golems flying around everywhere. You’re taking on elves as citizens and bringing them into your house. Now you tell me you want to create a vehicle that can fly!” Her lower lip trembled. “Heroes always bring change, but I can’t even contemplate the world you’re trying to make. It’s frightening.”

  “I guess it is, isn’t it?” Nathaniel chuckled into his cup. “Being transported to a new world can do that to you.” He stood up, and Aniphrae suddenly felt small. “Do you want to call off our engagement?”

  “Y-”

  “No, she doesn’t!” Lei’lorai tightly gripped her shoulders.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to stop you from making a mistake.” Lei hissed at her. “If you turn down this engagement, then you’ll be giving up your dreams.” She gave Nathaniel a pleading gaze. “Please give her some time.”

  “I think that’d be best as well.” Nathaniel replied. “And I’m sorry that I scared you. I thought you would enjoy the view.” He gestured to the opening, and Aniphrae turned to look outside.

  The vast landscape spread out before them. The mixture of dense forests and hilly grasslands were bathed in the soft white of a light snow. The eastern sky was bathed in gold from the setting sun while the western sky faded into a rich purple. Candle lights illuminated the windows of the houses. The warm glow gave the small village an inviting atmosphere against the cold.

  “It’s a lovely view.” Aniphrae said thoughtfully. “You truly have a wonderful village, Nathaniel.”

  “Thank you. I’m sure you’d make a fine addition to it.”

  Aniphrae’s face suddenly became warm. “We’ll see.” She tried to ignore Lei’lorai’s large smirk.