Alex’s words came as a shock to the Lords, and Marquess Seth Perry made a forced smile, after the initial surprise. “Are you saying that a Mermaid, a High Fairy and an Elfian are willing to become your spouse? I find it hard to believe.”
Anika tilted her head and asked, “Why is that? You would prefer if any of us wanted to be at your side instead? Like if I would ever want such an ugly man near me! Perhaps Wenammy is more willing, or Pearl, but not me for sure!”
Wenammy asked with a disgusted look, “Are you nuts, Anika? Why would I want him when I can have Alex? I would never get myself interested in a man like him!”
Pearl raised one eyebrow. “I could have him, as my personal servant. As my husband, never in a million years! I am sorry if my words sound a bit rude to you, Marquess Seth Perry, but there is no way for me to be interested in you. Or in any of the men present in this room, besides Alex, that is.”
Marquess Seth Perry gulped, and he then faced Alex. “Why… Earl Alex doesn’t try to find a wife a little more… worthy of a person like you? There are plenty of us, Humans, with single daughters in marrying age.”
While a lot of voices raised in the Chamber against such unthoughtful words, Alex pretended to be shocked. “No way… Marquess Seth, are you really denigrating the fine qualities of all the Beast-kind daughters of the several Nobles in our country? Not that I have any problem with Human girls but saying that I should be with one instead of a Mermaid, a Fairy, an Elfian or an extremely cute Rabbit-kind like the daughters of Viscount Tom West, sounds a bit too much! Perhaps you spoke in the heat of the moment and you didn’t think very well before saying such insulting words, but if I was a Beast-kind, I would be asking for your head, right now!”
An overwhelming silence fell in the Chamber, as the immense body of a Rabbit-kind, stood up. Viscount Tom West raised one eyebrow and asked, “Yes, Marquess Seth, I also want to hear your explanation. Perhaps greed has taken over your reasoning, considering that you went to such lengths to gather so many supporters in this Chamber to ask for a vote to put your filthy hands over the lands of Earl Alex, the rightful heir of my good friend, Earl Kayden. So, do you mind explaining very carefully, why your words sounded like if a Beast-kind girl was not worthy of marrying someone like Earl Alex? May I need to remind you that I was never a reasonable man and I tend to act with violence if I don’t like what I hear, no matter who the person is, that might be foolish enough to insult me?”
Marquess Seth Perry turned pale and stuttered, “No… I… didn’t mean to… I was surprised and I might… said it without realizing… I could sound insulting…”
Viscount Tom West looked around and a bunch of eyes averted their gaze. He then seated again while saying, “Good, as long as everyone knows that is never a good idea to insult a resentful Beast-kind such as me… So, as for the matter at hands, even if many of you wants to put their hands over Earl Alex’s lands, our laws and traditions forbid such a thing, and if a group of the Lords present wish to go to such lengths like wanting to change what made our country so great, perhaps civil war is what is in our nearest future because there is no way I would stand still and not join forces with all Beast-kind Nobles that have daughters in marriable age and help Earl Alex on defending his lands from your greed.”
Many Nobles gulped before the direct threat, and Alex disguised a smile towards the serious Rabbit-kind and spoke while looking around, “I believe nothing like that will be necessary, Viscount Tom, because even if Marquess Seth and his supporters have some kind of hidden agenda, I am sure that they all still remember that five years ago, in this same Chamber, I explained my plans for my lands when my father retired, and Marquess Seth was one of the many who said that my ideas were delusions from the mind of a mere boy because everyone knew that there was no way that methods without using Magic were ever going to work. Now, my lands are the most profitable in the entire country, and many of you that are present tried to replicate my methods without paying the licence that was granted to me by law. While seeking to avoid the payment, some of you tried to spy over my methods, and several others tried to replicate my products with some disastrous results, most of the time.”
An uncomfortable silence fell in the Chamber of Lords, with the King waiting for Alex’s words to sink in the minds of every Noble present. The King then spoke, after clearing his throat, “Aham… Earl Alex, perhaps you could disclose some of your methods, now that everyone is well aware that they work, as your achievements demonstrated over these past few years. We all know how your revolutionary methods changed the lives of everyone that works there.”
“I could, my King, but I won’t. Only a few of them are interested in the improvement of the lives of the people while many only cares about profit, like this plan to seek votes to take my lands from me, revealed. None of them is really aware that it’s not only my methods that make me earn money, but it’s the people that work for me that are the true reason why I am so successful. I agree that some things I do, don’t even need people to make them because they are more or less made automatically, but even this simple concept was looked upon as something not important, five years ago.”
The King slowly nodded and spoke after taking another look around, “Well, I suppose we could change to the next thing on the agenda for today, considering that no one seems up to continue on this charade. I thank you, Earl Alex, for your words and explanations.”
As Alex went to the empty chairs that waited for him and his three companions, a few smiles and slight nods greeted him, while several others averted their gaze, trying to disguise their anger. The King continued, after bumping his hammer, “The next issue up for a debate, is the idea of Marquess Seth Perry, of creating Security Forces like the one already at the service of Baron Rowan Harvey, that are constantly patrolling the borders of his lands and his neighbours, to stop any Monster that comes from a Magical Void. Anyone wants to start the discussion?”
Before Marquess Seth could say anything, Alex got up and spoke, “I vehemently object to such a plan. Despite the fact it looks like a good idea, the Security Force that is right now in service is nothing more than disgusting mercenaries, that kills Monsters and gives the Magical Orbs to Baron Rowan in exchange for payment. I was also warned that is usual for that same Security Force to cross the boundaries of my lands to spy with the excuse of being in patrol when I have a more than enough army to protect everyone that lives there. I would agree if those new Security Forces were under strict watch by this Chamber instead of a handful of Nobles that are siding with Baron Rowan, seeking money from the selling’s of the Orbs, instead of being actually worried about the safety of the people.”
Marquess Seth Perry got up and asked, trying to disguise his worried look, “Do… you have any profs of such alleged intention from the fine members of the Security Force, that up until now have been doing a good job by killing every Monster that comes from the Magical Voids that are recently increasing near the borders with Bouria?”
“Well, we could perhaps call here Commander Sebastian Cox that I met yesterday. He even told me of the intention of Baron Rowan to gather a few supporters in this Chamber to help make his idea into a working plan, one that would probably grant him not only more profit by receiving and selling more Magical Orbs, but the possibility to be granted with a higher Noble title, for services to this country. As for their continuous invasion upon my lands, I can give orders to my troops to take their heads off the next time they step a foot in my lands, to spy. Or I can ask my troops to arrest and make some members of the Service Force suffer a few hours of torture so that they can spill out the names of every Noble that ever did some kind of meeting with Baron Rowan, to help him with this plan.”
Marquess Seth Perry slowly sat down, completely pale and feeling defeated. The King glanced around and asked, “Earl Alex, you are aware that our country is being cursed with an increase of Magical Voids, but if the creation of more groups like the Security Force doesn’t go ahead, we will have a lot more deaths among our people? Our army and Parties of Adventurers are having a lot of problems as it is because normally they arrive after a few deaths have occurred. If we had groups patrolling the country by sectors, it would be far more efficient.”
“I am not saying it’s not a good idea, my King, I am just against giving the control of such groups to a handful of friends of Baron Rowan, that like him, only care about Magical Orbs. I am not against the idea of giving the control to this Chamber, that would make any decision about those new Security Forces, with a majority vote. As a matter of fact, I applaud the idea of creating a preventive group to fight Monsters before backup arrives, if, and only if, the control is giving to this Chamber, and the Magical Orbs from the killed Monsters are sent here, to be used as we deem fit in the administration of our country, instead of filling the pockets of a few individuals. Judging by the angry looks I see, it seems there are many Nobles here that are not concerned about our country and people, they prefer to worry about their wealth, and that, is a very dangerous thing, considering that they earned a spot here after a solemn swear to help our country, instead of themselves.”
The few scattered voices that could be heard during Alex’s speech came suddenly to a halt when they realized what he was saying. His final statement was in fact a warning, to remember them that according to the words they said during their pledge to enter the Chamber of Lords, the death penalty was what waited for them if they stopped worrying about the people and the country and put their interests in front of everything.
The King glanced around and noticed that while a few Nobles were making a slight smile, agreeing with Alex, others seemed worried with his words.
He then asked while facing Alex, “So, you support the creation of more Security Forces, if the control is given to this Chamber and the Orbs obtained are sent here so that we could use the profit from the selling to administer our country, is that it?”
“Yes, that is correct, my King. Not forgetting that any decision concerning the Security Forces has to be made with a majority vote. I would also want to take this opportunity to give the vote I got from Earl Kayden to the King. Together with his vote and the other two that I already gave him during the last time I was here, he now has four votes, making him the most valuable asset in any debate in future meetings in this Chamber.”
While a few Nobles got up to object, Alex raised his right hand and continued, “My decision is not up for debate. I can do anything with my votes, and I choose to give them to the King, for him to use as he deems fit. I don’t accept any excuse and I won’t answer any questions you may have, according to the laws of this Chamber. My decision is mine alone, and I do it in full use of my abilities and judgment. So may the Kami be my witness.”