Theo sat in the grand study of Aldercrest Manor, the fire crackling behind him, shadows flickering across polished stone and old banners. Vaelstrom—his black-scaled dragon—lay curled near the hearth, wings folded neatly, tail lazily swaying as glowing eyes watched the room in silence. Even in rest, the beast radiated danger, like a storm waiting for a whisper of wind.
The room was thick with thought. Scrolls, ledgers, maps, and arcane blueprints littered the long oak table. Around it sat Lira, Elric, and Cassian—his most trusted inner circle.
Theo sipped his wine and finally broke the silence.
"So. How much money do we have exactly?"
Lira opened a thick ledger, flipping to the last page. "After the events in the capital… the coronation, your speech, and, well, Vaelstrom hatching in front of the entire kingdom—our guild's valuation skyrocketed."
She paused for effect. "We're liquid. We can fund nearly anything now."
Theo leaned back, tapping his chin. "Then it's time."
Cassian looked up. "Time for what?"
"The main project," Theo said, standing and walking toward the duchy map pinned to the wall. His finger tapped a marked coastal town—a deep-water port, perfect for future expansion.
"Banks," he said simply. "Real ones. Not these dusty vaults stuffed with gold under some old noble's wine cellar. I mean modern banks. A system built not on hoarded coins, but on trust, flow, and identity."
Lira blinked. "You're still going through with the card idea?"
Theo grinned. "Credit cards. Debit cards. But not made of plastic. No—we'll use spirit-bound steel. Each card uniquely tied to its owner's mana signature."
Cassian raised a brow. "So where do we start?"
"With a journey," Theo said. "We'll need the elves of Silvarien—masters of spirit magic. Their enchantments will bind card to soul."
"Why not the Mage Tower?" Elric asked.
"Oh, I'll visit them too," Theo replied. "The Tower's arcane seals will help regulate transfers, track mana flow, and prevent misuse. But the elves come first. Identity is everything."
"And the dwarves?" Lira asked, glancing at the schematics.
"They'll forge the cards, and construct our vaults. Nothing short of dwarven craftsmanship will do for this."
Vaelstrom raised her head at that, letting out a low, thunderous growl, as if in approval.
Elric whistled softly. "And you think this will be more profitable than watches and grains?"
Theo walked back to the fire, lifting a single golden coin.
"This? This is static wealth. But what I'm building?"
He flicked the coin into the air, and as it spun in the firelight, he whispered:
"This is living power. A system that grows, moves, and rules. Coins are for barons. Credit is for kings."
The coin landed in his hand with a soft clink.
Vaelstrom purred like thunder.
And Theo grinned.
"Let the old world hoard its gold. I'll mint the future."
The map of the western coastline lay open on the longtable in Aldercrest's war room, pinned beneath silver goblets and Theo's clenched fist. To the west, across a narrow sea bordered by scattered trade isles, lay Silvarien, the hidden kingdom of the elves—ancient, reclusive, and necessary.
But there was a problem.
"Our ships," Cassian said, pointing to the duchy's shipyard records. "Rotting hulls. Splintered decks. And most of the sails haven't seen wind in five years."
"We might as well float across on driftwood," Elric muttered.
Theo stood in silence for a beat. Then he said one word:"Then we build new ones."
Lira blinked. "From scratch?"
Theo turned, his grey eyes glinting with ambition. "From the keel up. And not just better ships—better systems. We don't just need vessels to carry us to Silvarien. We need an entire industry."
The next day, a proclamation was issued from the highest tower of Aldercrest.
A Massive Hiring Campaign Begins!
All blacksmiths, artisans, engineers, architects, shipwrights, and visionaries welcome.Three meals a day, clean quarters, and fair pay guaranteed.📜 Wage: 12 silver coins per week (above national average).⛱️ Workweek: 6 days. Sundays: paid leave.✉️ Casual Leave: 12 days a year.💊 Sick Leave: Verified medical causes—fully paid.⚰️ Accidental Death: Family receives 500 silver coins in compensation.🎁 Bonuses for outstanding innovation or contribution.
At first, the cities laughed. The nobles scoffed. A Duke offering paid leave? Death benefits? What was next, voting rights?
But the workers?The workers came in droves.
The halls of Aldercrest filled with calloused hands, oil-stained overalls, inventive sketches, and wild-eyed dreams. Blacksmiths from mining towns. Shipwrights from fishing villages. Artisans from the eastern marble roads. Even a few alchemists and mad tinkerers seeking patronage.
The duchy roared back to life.
In the manor's meeting room, the inner circle stared at Theo as he explained the policy.
Elric slammed a palm on the table. "You're paying them for days they're not working? Are you trying to bankrupt us?"
Lira squinted at the numbers. "Living quarters? Meal plans? If one dies, you're paying out 500 silver coins? This isn't a guild, it's a hospice!"
Theo leaned back in his chair, swirling his tea, utterly unbothered.
"Loss?" he said. "And me? Never."
He stood, walking to the window overlooking the booming courtyard where builders and workers assembled scaffolding for the new shipyard.
"I'm not losing money. I'm building efficiency. I'm buying loyalty, and in return, I'll get something more valuable than gold: speed, talent, and innovation."
He turned back toward them.
"You think you can scare men into building greatness? No. You inspire them. You give them food, time with their families, purpose—and when they feel human, they'll build like gods."
Cassian whistled low. "Still, even for you, this is…"
Theo grinned. "Radical? Dangerous? Necessary?"
He returned to the table and began scrawling down names.
"We'll need the best. Blacksmiths. Artisans. Engineers. Architects. Shipwrights. And one more thing—"
He tapped his quill on the parchment.
"People who see the world differently."
They stared at him.
"If someone invents a new rigging system, or a hull design that saves us weeks at sea—they'll be paid triple," Theo said. "Innovation will be rewarded, not buried."
Vaelstrom, resting by the window, opened one golden eye and let out a soft growl of approval.
Lira shook her head, but there was a smile hidden in it.
"You really are trying to remake the world, aren't you?"
Theo walked back to his chair, grey eyes gleaming like moonlight on steel.
"No," he said.
"I'm just bringing it up to standard."