Chapter 14: Chapter 5.01 – The Shadow War

Raderius

The cell was dark, cramped and uncomfortable. Rats and insects happily made their way through the dungeon underneath the Keep within Cistine. At the center of the cell was a lone chair and a man upon it.

"Thats all I know!" the man exclaimed his breathing ragged. His hands rotting and legs decomposing. I turned curse of years into a precise and slow acting spell, good for nothing but torture.

Gilbert Glankeos a low ranking noble within the County of Silos. He was secretly feeding information to Count Job, Silos's primary rival and seemed he was hoping to become the Baron of Cistine and aid in Jobs desire to own SIlos. I briefly wonder if the political situation of every duchy within the Kingdom of Milos is as merciless and cut throat with each other as Avantine. I've been the "Count" of Silos for a mere month and have already needed to dispose of 6 spies from either Job or Avantine himself. Glankeos is the first noble spy, but from my impression of the other low ranking nobles it seems Silos is well liked. Glankeos is likely an exception. Regardless, I need to remain vigilant.

"Lilly, can you finish the man off?" I ask learning all I wanted to know.

"Right away my Lord". A woman emerged from the shadows, she was utilizing a simple disguise charm to change her face, the new appearance was less lovely than her actual one, but due to the lone survivor story this has been a necessity. Introduced as a recent graduate looking for employment, I made my puppet Silos make a show of accepting the first new magic knight within the County.

Roots, appearing out of thin air sprung into the man and burrowed themselves deep into his flesh, rushing throughout his body and killing him in a slow, agonizing manner. I could have easily finished the man off myself much more quickly but i've observed that Lilly seems to take joy in punishing those who stand against me. Who am I to stop her from reveling in her power?

I think about what I've learned from these poor acting spies. The relocation effort that Avantine and Job are engaged in, that Silos was engaged in. The county of Marktos which the Duke of Avantine rules seems to have already lowered its taxes, satisified with the results they have. Four cities, each as magnificent as Cistine. Job seems to have been lagging behind Silos and his city is less developed and refined. Furthermore, prior to the "Necromancer incident" he possessed half the military force that Silos did with his most powerful subordinate being a grade 4 magic knight.

Avantine on the other hand has no less than three grade 6 mages and three grade 6 magic knights. The cost of hiring these men and women seems to have placed a large enough burden on him that the rest of his employ is only grade 1's and 2's. That being said, he possess a force of 300 mages and magic knights. His standing militia numbers fifteen thousand. If Avantine found legal cause to install a pliable puppet as a Count he would not hesitate to do so.

I've also learned why Avantine wouldn't just seize the rest of the territory within his duchy and rule it himself.

Rulership is a burden. Endless amounts of daily issues that pile up one after another. The Counts responsibilities are spread out among the baron ranking nobles within his court, this has made my work load quite manageable. Ruling the entire county myself would likely consume most of my day and leave room for little else. Imagining trying to rule four counties personally as well as attend to the duties a King expects of a Duke makes me shudder at the impossibility to personally rule that much territory. Vassals are a way to delegate your work load while maintaining power through the taxation of them and also granting the ruler of those vassals the prestige of being known as a capable man who rules capable men.

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It must be a source of headache for Avantine to know that at least two of his major vassals seek to supplant him, or at least over time his descendants.

Still, I ponder the consequences of military conflict with Avantine, even if I were to win i'd have ruined fifteen thousand families. More, when its likely that if summoned both Job and Noel would add their men to his banner. I'm glad I didn't give into my earlier urges to raise an army. The county of Silos is already enduring a great period of mourning, decreased economic activity and a general profound sense of loss emanates the atmosphere of Cistine. I've already begun the process for reformation to allow the county to operate effectively with decreased tax burden on its citizenry. I've also begun planting the seeds for the future to be prosperous, drafting the construction orders for a school to house a formalized education system. As well as drafting other, more radical and interesting reforms for the county. These ones will likely not see daylight until I am Duke.

I organize and reorient my thoughts. To conquer Avantine I need the following.

First, at least three people I can trust to be my vassals and rule Counties in my stead. I don't know if Lilly would be willing to accept the burden of rulership. Her family was a Baron house and she likely has some experience in managing a counties affairs, but I am uncertain if after her vengeance is complete that she would want to grab ahold of the political world, especially when it thrust such deep darkness upon her. I'll ask her shortly, after she finishes entertaining our bound guest; but even if she does accept I'll be short two vassals. I will need to make more comrades.

Second, the death of the Avantine family. A grand assassination and eradication of the ones who have instigated untold amounts of suffering in the name of power. A family headed by a man who would sink into depravity and forcibly snatch the chastity of a woman he lusts for. Count Jobs family would also need to be purged, one who follows a depraved example is unneeded in my new world. Count Noel will be given a chance and even if I find him an unfitting ruler, so long as no depravity surrounds him he and his family can live in my world.

Third, acceptance as the new Count Silos. When I become Duke I wish to do so in plain public eye. With no legal heir remaining to Avantine, the King would ordinarily appoint a new Duke. If instead the Lords of Avantine were united and chose one of their own to rule them, that would alleviate the Kings burden and he would be likely to accept the new Duke. I would go the capital of Milos and swear a vassalage oath while I worked on making Avantine prosperous. From my new political position I could see the state of affairs in the other duchies within the Kingdom and whether they require liberation. Of course, this judgement would also be passed onto the King himself.

Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll likely arrange for the Count Silos puppet to endure a humiliation in which he gives up his title, naming the man who has served him so faithfully since his initial failure as Count. A grand play for the people of Cistine and the county as a whole.

My first priority will be looking for potential candidates to be my future vassals. I will work on my magic, enact reforms and perform my rulership responsibilities while engaging in this endeavor.

As the screams of the bound traitor finally cease and I approach Lilly to have a discussion with her, I smile.

A new kind of war has begun.

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