FVN Chapter 399: Chapter XIX: Of Falmer Merchants And Highborn Guests
Chapter 399: Chapter XIX: Of Falmer Merchants And Highborn Guests
Chapter 399: Chapter XIX: Of Falmer Merchants And Highborn Guests
I shuffle through a stack of parchment with my usual unnatural speed as Eldor stands before my study table and fidgets nervously, my constant shifts in expression from approving to mildly annoyed to genuinely baffled no doubt making all his nerves stand at attention for a good ten minutes as I read through the entirety of his report.
Finally I place the last parchment back atop the stack and let out a light hum "That is honestly more nobles than I expected. They are usually more cautious about things, especially when it comes to large scale investment."
Grasping at the opportunity to stop just standing there silently, Eldor immediately catches on "While this would usually be the case, my lord, no high noble of Cyrodiil is quite so incompetent as to not seek information of the uprising in Skyrim." He smirks lightly "Word of your mechanical prowess has reached them long before you yourself did."
"No doubt helped along by your criers just accidentally starting their advertising exactly after the Elder Council meeting." I mirror his expression "Still, it is a good thing I am almost done with establishing the portal under the mansion. These orders are far larger than we originally expected."
"The market will do as it will." Eldor shrugs "The moment one of them saw their rivals and peers making a massive purchase most of the rest of them could not resist matching them lest they look weak in comparison."
A snort leaves me "Downright devious that."
"Indeed." He chuckles greedily while rubbing his hands "Aside from the slight... interruption from the Miners Guild everything else is in controllable order, as you have no doubt surmised yourself."
"Ah yes, the Miners Guild." I shake my head "Can't say their concerns are invalid, having their livelihoods usurped by unthinking and unfeeling automatons must be a thing of nightmares, especially for those whose entire families are in the business."
"A rather foolish concern, even if understandable." Eldor nods "To fully replace a mining workforce with your automata would be a rather ruinous expense."
"Quite." I hum "Even back in Silruhn Fell the mines aren't at full capacity yet. They are quite massive admittedly but it warrants mentioning even then."
"Besides, my lord, we are forgetting something quite important." The slightly feral looking Falmer smirks greedily "If they do start ruining their subjects' livelihoods in favor of efficiency and start oppressing them in any way, that just means easy leverage for us."
"You have learned well." I croak in a voice no one from this world would be able to place, before shaking my head in amusement and moving on "I see the Synod was among the largest participants?"
"Yes, the mages of the Synod." Eldor scoffs at the title, having been thoroughly indoctrinated into my own brand of magical mindset to utterly disdain the knowledge hoarders "While they did not purchase the greatest bulk of goods they did attain the greatest variety, everything from the rough terrain spider cart to the smallest of mining drones."
"No doubt hoping to dissect our work." I shake my head.
"Yes." Eldor chuckles "It is a real shame we won't be able to witness the explosions ourselves."
I look up at the ceiling "I am almost tempted to hire the Thieves Guild to infiltrate one of their bases and record it for us, but I am not dumb enough to give them access to the OrbTM
"Such a shame." The Falmer 'laments' with me.
"And speaking of shame." I straighten up in my seat and finally get to the point of irritation from the whole report "You agreed to a meeting with a trio of Counts without my approval. Explain."
His giddiness at the successful startup of our business evaporates as he instinctually attempts to look smaller under my looming gaze "A thousand pardons, my lord." He bows his head, remaining respectably composed "The purchases made by the Count of Chorrol were of the greatest magnitude even after the... staff measuring was done with and he wished to meet you personally to discuss gaining access to your combat models."
He takes a short breath and continues "I obviously realize that this is not merely business motivated and considering your emphasis on expediency..." He tilts his head "I found it best to arrange a meeting while you were busy in Leyawiin."
I stare at him for a while longer and he at least has the decency not to fidget "Acceptable." I
say finally "Though next time do contact me before making such decisions."
He goes to (rightfully) point out how he has no way to contact me while I am away but is interrupted as he instinctually catches an OrbTM I tossed. The Falmer blinks in surprise before looking up at me with slightly widened eyes.
"While I do not like having my schedule changed, you made the right decision." I tell him simply "You will be leading our business efforts in the city for the foreseeable future and unless you thoroughly fuck up long beyond even that. For that you need to show initiative, which you have done."
He just stares at me with an open mouth.
"Have a care not to swallow any flies." I deadpan "You aren't in the caves anymore."
My words wake him up from his stunned state and he immediately bows "I will do my utmost to prove your trust was not misplaced, my lord."
"See that you don't" My eyes darken threateningly for a moment "Now get going, I have only a few minutes to prepare for this meeting I just learned I am having."
He has the decency to scratch the back of his head sheepishly before bowing once more and strutting out of my study.
"Jackal." I intone as I make sure Eldor is far enough away, not even pausing as the Mephalan stepped out of a nearby shadow "I want an extra agent following his every move. Initiative is well and good but I don't want any more surprises."
The Dunmer bows and disappears without a word.
Now then, how best to kill some time...
The other elf, Lord Dagoth no doubt, rolled his eyes and replaced his battle attire with a
rather odd but still fashionable suit of black silk accented with purple "Yeah, yeah." He waves the snow elf off "I need to get more practice in but I've been too busy."
"He needs more practice?" Count Julian finds himself muttering in his incredulity "I could
barely follow any of that and he obviously won."
"Julian my boy" His fat jolly companion shakes his head "While our host may be more
powerful and could probably destroy the Falmer in seconds, his snowy subject is obviously
the better swordsman."
"Fair enough." The Count of Kvatch nods "Still don't see why he wastes his time trying to mater the sword when he is already so powerful."
"And that dear Julian" Varina smirks at him, pure mockery in her voice "Is why you will not be
slaying any evil gods anytime soon."
Before he can retort, their host appears before them without a sound, already seated and an
odd alchemical concoction burning between his fingers, not a single bead of sweat or a smell out of place "Apologies for that" He spoke in a calm tone "I needed to kill some time and
appear to have lost track of it."
(Reyvin's POV)
The fat man chuckles affably "You will find no complaint from us, young Dagoth." He raises his glass in faux cheer "The display was more than worth the wait if anything." "Well then, I am glad to have entertained." I smirk slightly, summoning some chilled mead from Tolfdir's own village, apparently his clan could brew a mad keg when they put their minds to it "Pleasantries aside" I turn a bit more serous "I do believe introductions are in
order?"
We go through the whole song and dance, each of them espousing the virtues of their holdings and apparent allies, and me offering some meager praise and nods when it was appropriate.
"So you plan on exploiting the mountains west of your city?" I raise an eyebrow at the obvious purpose of Count Vitellius' massive purchase "Not a terrible idea, even if you will still need someone of at least middling magical potence to oversee the whole effort." "They will be paid more than well, you can be assured of that." The fat man nods along before
meeting my eyes with a hidden glint behind his own "And as much as I do appreciate the small talk, I do believe it is high time we came to the purpose behind our visit."
"I was going to ask but didn't want to come off as rude." I smile at them, pretending to give a
single shit about being rude or otherwise.
"Indeed." Count Vitellius smiles "And for your patience, I will be blunt. The combat automatons were of course just an excuse, even if I am quite interested in getting some of
them." He chuckles "The real reason we are here is because it has become quite obvious who the next sovereign of our beloved Empire is going to be."
"A rater evident outcome, yes." I nod simply, drawing a smug look from Countess Varina and a grumble from Count Julian "Have you come to sell your support then?"
"I do so love it when a peer decides to skip the song and dance." Vitellius chuckles loudly
while his two companions hold themselves back from being visibly offended by my choice of
words.
"I see." I hum and lean back into my seat "Very well then, let us negotiate." Time for some thoroughly high stakes bartering.
Unlike our respected lord and master we in the Dagoth Mining Inc do nothing as crass as
negotiation
get back to work!
If you want to support me directly and get access to 30ish chapters in advance visit my
patreon page patreon.com/Rastislav156
If you want to discuss the story or just meme about join my discord server: https://discord.gg/NSDHGQpvsF (Recently refreshed)