"Come on, ride the train!" Effie waved energetically from where she sat, looking outside the little window of the miniature version of a passenger train. She stuck her arm out of the window and waved at the Exhibition guests. "Come, ride it!"

"Choo-choo!" She and Terry both pumped their arms the way Hana taught them.

The chubby toddler sitting in front of Effie also lifted his arms and shouted excitedly "Whoo-hoo!"

Effie beamed and kissed the top of his head. "Once more! Choo-choo!" She, Terry, and Prince Muran all raised an arm and made the sound.

However, when they said it, they noticed one missing voice. She turned around to the little boy seated behind them.

"Cio!" Effie frowned. "You didn't make the noise!"

"Do you think you're too good for the noise?" Terry asked with a little snort.

The tips of Cio's ears turned red as he lowered his head. One slightly chubby arm rose into the air with a little fist. "Choo...choo...."

Henry squinted as he watched the three children and toddler riding the miniature train pass. "Is this what you meant by having them help at your exhibition?"

Beside him, Ash waved as his sister and her little friends passed. "They're a perfect fit for the miniature train," he replied with a satisfied nod.

The Exhibition had a different layout from previous times, as Ash and Hana had worked with other cities to show an example of how useful their tracked carriages powered by magic could be used and benefit multiple cities.

Their booth featured stationary life-sized train carriages for both human passengers and cargo. The cargo carriage also had different sections to give examples on how products could be packed and carried.

The line to walk through the exhibits was almost as long as the miniature train tracks themselves. The cities they worked with were also benefiting and the two had earned a lot of praise for fostering inter-city cooperation.

"Where do you two first plan to put these trains?" Henry asked.

"We've gotten approval to build a hub in Carthage Harbor for passenger trains directly to Dareisol's capital, and from Soljek to there, for both passengers and cargo," Ash replied. "Momma also wants a train system to connect the major cities of the territories and we are hoping to extend to West Wind Valley. If we can get approval, we can do a joint project to extend to Solyek, making Dareisol's capital a possible hub for anywhere in East Iveria."

Dareisol was the largest country on the continent; it made sense for there to be a hub for trains there.

"I expect that other allied cities and countries will have an interest, as this will ease the burden of caravans on land."

"Not only will it ease the burden, but it will also be faster. The caravan escorts can be settled at stations closer to their places of origin," Ash said. "This isn't just revolutionizing transportation, but will influence industry and commerce."

"It'll be expensive, won't it?" Henry grave him a curious look.

Ash smiled. "It'll be an investment." He took a step closer to his brother and nudged him. "Think about how it can be used in Ashtar."

Henry didn't take his eyes off the train. In fact, one of the first things he thought about when he saw the train was how it could be used in Ashtar for transporting food and aide across the country's expanse. Ashtar could be dry and hot, making transport across the country even more tiring than it already was.

In addition, building out the infrastructure of the train system would give locals a source of income. There was just one problem.

The corners of Henry's lip curled up. "With what money?"

The two brothers looked at each other knowingly. Ashtar was suffering economically since before their father's time. People were impoverished and oppressed. If the Emperor felt you were opposing him, he'd make even the most noble families suffer. Talam's situation was a prime example.

Although his uncle was the Prime Minister, and he traveled with two escorts, they weren't exactly wealthy. They were just better off than the common folk. In Talam's case, his journey was sponsored by his wife.

All the Ashtari they'd met or run into outside of Ashtar, with the exception of the Crown Prince and his entourage, and their suspiciously sourced military, they didn't travel with carriages, which were the default in the other empires and the Federation.

This was not a technology issue.

Henry had ridden in fine wooden carriages with ivory embellishments and silk-lined interior in his youth. Wives, when they left the Court of Imperial Wives to attend social engagements elsewhere in the palace were carried in elegant palanquins carried by four to eight men, depending on that wife's status.

He'd even ridden on one as a child. Saphira was the first wife and head of the Emperor's Court of Imperial Wives, so she had the privilege of being carried in a palanquin by eight men.

Carriages existed in Ashtar, but most people could not afford them or the horses required to pull. Horses themselves tended to be owned by the wealthy and most people walked or took communal wooden wagons drawn by oxen, mules, or donkeys.

And while much more expensive, trains would also negate the need for raising animals and cleaning up their waste off the streets.

In cities like Shae, there was an entire team of people who cleaned up after animals to keep the streets reasonably clean and prevent smelling.

Trains only required magic energy drawn from the earth and routine maintenance, just like any other vehicle and road, but they would be cleaner, faster, and more efficient. It would be of great benefit.

"Trains will help modernization," Hana stepped forward from where she had been at their exhibition station. She handed him a pamphlet. "This will tell you more, Brother."

"Hana, you don't need to sell me the concept-"

"It's not just a concept," Hana said, waving her arms in front of her, her eyes wide. "It's a lifestyle, Brother."

Henry blinked and took a deep breath. He took the pamphlet from her hand. Hana nodded, satisfied, and then moved on to a couple who looked interested. Beside Henry, Ash looked around with a pleased expression. Their exhibition was in the very center and drew everyone's attention as the unofficial centerpiece of the Exhibition.

"Overall, I think the reception is positive," Ash said, looking around as if he were inspecting a kingdom.

"Ash!" Hana's brother Hide, who had been monitoring the train, rushed over. "There are some representatives from the northern kingdoms who'd like to try riding on the miniature train to see how it feels."

Ash let out a heavy sigh. "They can take a seat, but it'll be cramped. The miniature can take only two full grown adults at a time. Only two! Otherwise, it'll be too heavy and we haven't prepared the exhibition sample to transport large groups. It'll just stall."

Hide nodded. "Understood." He turned around, but Ash quickly stopped him.

"Use the tickets and note return times on them so they don't have to wait!" Ash told him in a firm voice.. "I don't want them to get agitated and impatient. It'll take away from the experience."

Hide nodded once more and rushed out. Henry looked back at his brother. "It looks like you're well prepared."

"I knew people were going to want to ride the train," Ash replied, as if already exasperated.

Henry looked at his brother. "Have you ridden-"

"I have ridden the train, yes. Someone had to test it."

"There is Hana."

"I can't make Hana do all the work."

"Hasn't Hana been doing all the work today while you stood around, trying to convince Effie and the others to ride on the train and attract even more attention?" Henry asked with a raised brow.

"Brother," Ash said in a serious voice as he lifted his hand to his chest. "We are a merchant family. If there is one thing I can do, it is marketing."

Henry stared at him, unimpressed. "Go to work."

Ash rolled his eyes and turned around. "We already did this morning's presentation. We should be fine the rest of the day to answer questions."

"Then, shouldn't you be at the booth, answering questions. Especially on magic-related inquiries?"

Ash furrowed his brows. "To be honest, I can't help but feel like we forgot something, so I don't want to get too caught up in the exhibition."

Henry cocked his head to the side, curious. "Did you forget a part?"

Ash shook his head, still frowning. "No, there were checks and we brought extra parts, and more promotional material than we thought we'd use."

"Does it have to do with your exhibition?"

At this Ash bit his lips and then shook his head. He looked at Henry with a serious expression. "Now that you mention it, no. Everything has been prepared well in advance for our exhibition."

Henry then raised a brow. He glanced at the train coming to the 'station' at the back of Hana and Ash's exhibition booth. Effie and the others were reluctantly getting off so that two adults could try the train. Contrasting them were several excited middle aged men holding train pamphlets.

"Was it related to Effie? Or me?"

Ash shook his head. "No-"

"Ash! Henry!" A man's voice called their names and they turned their heads to see the familiar face of Talam approaching them. He raised an arm to get their attention, but still had to weave between people in order to get to where they stood in the crowded space.

Ash's eyes went wide. "Ah."

"Ah?" Henry looked over at him.

Talam beamed, his sun-kissed face flushed as he smiled. "I didn't know tickets were required for the Exhibition. I was only able to get tickets to come in for today. I'm sorry I came so late," he said, breathless with a sheen of sweat on his forehead. "When is a good time to speak to your mother about trade?"

Henry let out a low hiss. "Ah."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Nera sat on the edge of a large wooden table in what used to be the Semut Mountain master's office. The usual chairs that were around it were still turned over and on the ground, along with pieces of clothing that should never have been removed.

The still air was oppressive as several men and women knelt in front of her, their heads lowered and shoulders trembling as they grasped their knees. Behind her veil, Nera's cold eyes swept over the over a dozen people. She only recognized half of them.

It had only been a few years, and Semut Mountain should not have taken any missions that were so dangerous that over half of its experienced mercenaries would be killed or disappear. The mercenaries that were experienced, but had injuries and could no longer take on intense missions normally would've worked in the administrative and logistic part of the organization.

It took a lot of work to arrange for hundreds of people's food, clothing, shelter, transport, and pay.

Those people were older and she knew all of them the last time she was there. Now, there were mostly young people.

Had there been a coup?

Why did Vicente Kaj not send her a message?

Her eyes narrowed and the air in the room seemed to grow colder. Was there not enough time to send a message?

"So," she said, sitting up straight and looking over the subdued mercenaries and the three naked people who only had pieces of clothing they could grab off the floor to cover themselves. "I'm going to ask a question and if you have an appropriate answer, you will raise your hand. When I acknowledge you, you will answer. Nod if you understand."

Several people nodded, with a few bouncing their heads up and down as if they were going to fall off.

A shaking hand rose and Nera turned her attention to one of the naked women. The woman had long dark hair, disheveled and somewhat damp. Unlike the mercenaries, who submitted to a combination of her show of force and the panic of their senior mercenaries, this woman seemed out of place.

Nera gave her a nod and she lowered her hand. "Can you tell us who you are?"

A valid question and a good way to introduce herself. "I am Madam Moon and I am the grandmaster of Semut Mountain after I secured the position eight years ago by beating into submission every high-level mercenary and master here." She looked towards the others. Outside the broken door, she could see additional rows of mercenaries mirroring the mercenaries inside on their knees. "Prior to Wendel's control, the operational rules and mission policies were established by me, with the approval of Master Vicente Kaj and the senior mission leaders. As long as they were followed, I would not further involve myself in the organization."

She leaned forward, her legs crossed as she put her arm over one knee and bore her gaze into Wendel, who was trembling at the forefront of the crowd.

"There was a strict policy against targeting civilians, in particular, those who would have no involvement in targeted missions. Several days ago, an explosive was set up in an Invitational course. Had it been detonated during the competition, the blast would've killed viewers in stands near the detonation site, as well as caused property damage to buildings and vessels on the water front. Another explosive was found in Shae's old city wall and the people caught installing it were from Semut Mountain. You can imagine my surprise when I heard, as such a thing should have been expressly prohibited in the rules and policies.

"So, tell me, Wendel. When did this change?"

She watched him visibly swallow, but continued to avoid her eyes. "The...the organization was expanding and we needed the money."

Nera raised a brow. "Needed the money? The organization, though acting under different names, is essentially the best escort agency for both cargo and people on two continents. There are contracts that are renewed every two to three years ensuring a constant stream of revenue. In addition, Semut Mountain has also purchased property that is rented out and used at no small fee. What exactly is going on that such amounts are no longer enough?"

Wendel opened his mouth. "Well-"

"And if it wasn't, why wasn't I notified?" She cut him off quickly. She leaned back and lifted her chin. "You really did forget I existed, didn't you?"

Wendel threw his upper body on the ground, extending his arms to her as he pressed his face against the floor.

"Forgive me, Master! I was blinded by money! The organization was growing and we needed funds!"

"Where is Vicente Kaj and the old leaders?" Nera asked in a cold, sharp voice. "I don't see a single one of them here."

Wendel didn't look up and remained almost pasted to the floor. The room was silent, and everyone avoided her eyes.

Finally, the older man who tried to block the door when she arrived tentatively raised a shaking hand.

She met his eyes and gave him a nod.

The man swallowed hard. "They went missing," he said in a tight voice. "For several months now. No one has been able to contact them, and they have been presumed dead."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Her hands clawed into the edges of the table. "Where did they go missing?"

"Semut Mountain was hired to guard a supply caravan. The communication came to a standstill. We followed procedure and sent pairs of mercenaries to track them, in case something went wrong, but they went missing, too."

"Did you question the client?" Nera asked.

"Of course, Madam! The clients were questioned, but they claimed that the escorts never arrived at the designated points. They even had the audacity to demand a refund," the man replied. "However, the last communication from our people came from points at the beginning of the caravan route. They should've arrived."

Nera's jaw tightened. "Is there a business record?"

"Yes!" The man's face lit up.

"Bring it to me."

The man shot up and ran out the door. Each accepted mission had a business record. It wasn't only for financial purposes, but also a record of everyone involved. If the client did not want to give them a name or identify themselves, the organization would reject the request. Of course, this did not stop people from lying in order to get their questionable missions accepted.

To prepare for this, all communication and descriptions of the location and persons involved from submission of the request to final payment were recorded in detail. This record keeping was not known by their clients or by any new or inexperienced mercenary.

The man returned with a leather folio. He bent his knee as he stopped in front of Nera and raised the folio to her as if presenting an offering.

Nera accepted, and quickly perused the information.

The first thing that struck her were that there were sketches of people. She remembered making a comment before she left that if at all possible, it would be good to get an image of the person making the request, in case things went badly and they needed to track them down.

It seemed as if Vicente Kaj and senior masters took that seriously.

Unfortunately, Nera didn't recognize the men in the sketches. However, the rest of the records noted that they spoke with Ashtari accents. She almost wanted to toss the folio on to the desk, as if she'd answered all her questions.

She held the folio in her hands, reading every line and report, every recorded message, right down to the payment method: gold plates.

Gold plates were unmarked and could easily be traded and used anywhere.

Nera got to the page detailing the escort route and sank down. She took a low, deep breath as she looked at the line that led to the same region where there were mining disputes happening between Dareisol and Ashtar.

She then looked over the roster of mercenaries assigned. She didn't recognize the names at first, but then as she got towards the end, there were names of men and women she'd beaten years earlier and left in charge.

The last communication records noted that they were following along the initial route, likely investigating the missing mercenaries. There wasn't much, other than records that they were moving positions and that they hadn't found anyone yet.

"Madam." Someone raised their arm and Nera looked towards an older woman. When Nera gave her a nod, she spoke. "This is not an isolated case."

"Mercenaries have gone missing during missions?"

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"Eight months ago."

Her lips pulled into a tight frown. "Eight months ago, and you have contacted me?"

"Master Kaj followed the procedure at first. He said it was not necessary to contact the Madam yet, as there weren't many people missing in the beginning."

"Is he dead or did he also go missing?"

The woman seemed hesitant to answer and wore a pained expression. "He went missing three months ago-

The folio slammed on the desk beside Nera as she sat up straight. "Three months? The master of Semut Mountain went missing for three months and no one told me?" Her loud voice echoed in the room, making everyone shrink back, as if to try to minimize their presence as much as possible. "Who was put in charge before he left?"

Wendel's shaking arm rose despite his head still bent over the floor. Nera slid off the desk and raised her leg. She kicked the side of his body, sending him up and then down, rolling to the side and knocking several people down when he landed.

"You? You're who they left in charge?" Nera yelled.

He didn't try to defend himself. Wendel raised his arms over his head to shield it as he cowered. "I was the most senior leader remaining!"

"And you learned nothing?" Nera scowled and slammed her fist on the table. When she raised it, there was a fist sized indent and a crack that went across the table surface. Someone in the crowd began to whimper. "Did you accept the mission to plant those explosives in Shae?"

"We didn't know they were explosives!"

"You dare lie to me?" Nera stomped over, sending five others hastily crawling back to get away from her as she grabbed Wendel's already bleeding scalp and pulled him up to look at her. "Those mercenaries in the fortress knew exactly what they were putting there! Thousands of people could've been killed!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Disgusted, Nera threw him to the side. Wendel flew across the floor and slammed into the wall, grunting as his shoulder hit before he slumped forward and lost consciousness.

Nera whirled around to look at the others.

"Almost all of you are too young to have been here when I last was, so I will tell you now," Nera said as she stood in front of them with an air so oppressive, they couldn't breathe. "It was an act of mercy to allow Semut Mountain to survive after I found it. Your leaders and masters begged, pleaded, and swore loyalty to me in order to give the organization a chance to survive, and in my compassion, I allowed it to." She lifted her cheek and released a low breath. "And it didn't last a decade before it reverted. There is no reason for me to be merciful again."

"Madam, wait!" Several older mercenaries crawled forward, reaching to her with their arms as they humbled themselves. "Madam, this was poor management, but it only happened in the last few months!"

"Will an apology have prevented the deaths of thousands of people?" Nera growled. "Had we not discovered those explosives, would it have just been an oversight of the organization? No! This was an allowed attack on Shae and one that should never have been accepted! If Semut Mountain cannot fathom why such a mission is unacceptable, then it no longer needs to exist."

"This is your fault!" The man who'd followed her inside pointed to the naked woman. "You came here to pay for those missions with those men!"

Nera turned her head to the woman. "She is not a mercenary?"

"No!' the man shouted. "She came with payment and that idiot Wendel made some agreement so she can stay. We said she couldn't enter this area, but he didn't listen!"

Nera looked at the woman with dark hair still clutching her clothes over her chest and lap. The color bled from her face as she saw Nera's head turn to her.

"The interior office has always been heavily restricted," she said in a low voice. She looked back at the man. "You and five others, gather anyone who is not a mercenary and bring them out, to the entrance where my dragon is. I will deal with them later."

"Yes, Madam!" The man shot to his feet. He turned around and looked through the crowd, touching the shoulders of four more people, all of whom were older mercenaries who Nera recognized. Those four got up, and as soon as they stepped through the broken doorway, they began to pull people up.

Those shaking individuals were the musicians she saw earlier and Nera wanted to growl in frustration. There were so many classified records down here, not to mention where mission payments were kept before distribution. What was Wendel thinking?

I didn't kick him hard enough. "You," Nera looked back at the naked woman. "Put on your clothes. Then you," she looked towards the woman who'd spoken up earlier. "Bring her upstairs."

"Why? What are you going to do?" the naked woman asked. "I was invited to stay here! I didn't do anything wrong! If you want to punish someone, punish him!" She pointed to Wendel, who was still unconscious against the wall.

Nera frowned. "Low ranked mercenaries and new members were not allowed in this area of the base. Those who had broken this rule had their tongues and hands cut off and were expelled from the guild. Brutal, but I never withdrew that punishment from the revised rules and policies." A certain degree of secrecy needed to exist.

"Madam, no one told us-"

"We told you when you first arrived that there were areas of the base new members were not allowed in! We told you not to allow outsiders in either!" The older man whirled around and glared at a young man. "And as soon as Wendel allowed it, none of you had a problem with coming here!"

"If it weren't for assistant leaders to keep you all out of several rooms and guard them day and night, you would've gone everywhere!"

"Why can't we?" a woman asked. "We are mercenaries, too!"

"You have not earned the authority!" The older man shouted.

"Enough!" Nera yelled and the room lapsed in silence once more. She looked at the older man. "By tomorrow morning, every mercenary in the area is to report in the clearing in the center of the crater. If anyone wants to hide or escape to avoid the meeting, I will find them." She lowered her voice. "And I will make it so they never existed."

"Yes, Madam!"

"Everyone here except for you two," Nera pointed at the old man and a familiar face behind him. "You are dismissed! Go and inform everyone here. At dawn, in the center of the crater!"

"Madam," one young man raised an arm. "There is no clearing in the center of the crater."

The corner of Nera's lip curled up. "There will be."

The young man swallowed the lump in his throat and rushed out. She watched the young mercenaries flee the interior office space, leaving her with the two familiar faces still kneeling in front of her.

"One of you, gather any senior mercenaries present. As long as they did not participate in this stupidity, I will give them another chance."

"Madam, there are not many here, but I will gather who I can," one man told her. He bowed his head to her and then stood up and left the room.

Nera looked down at the last person in the room with her. "Accompany me to all the record rooms and vaults. The contents are no longer safe here."

"Yes, Madam," he said. He raised his head. "What is needed to transport the contents?"

"Nothing," Nera replied. "I have everything I need here." She raised her hand to her bag. While the space inside her space preservation bag was enough to hold everything, it wasn't practical to manually put them in. Not to mention, some objects were larger than the bag's opening.

But it didn't matter.

Nera had a large cloth sheet filled with magic text that Ash had given her.

The older man looked uncertain, but nodded. "Yes, Madam."

"Let's go. I need to clear them out before dawn."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

The two brothers couldn't seem to meet Talam's eyes. A mixture of guilt and embarrassment was on their faces as the man who'd crossed a desert for the sake of his family and countrymen, leaned against a stack of boxes in a holding area behind the train exhibition.

His eyes were glassy and staring ahead at nothing, defeated.

"It was an emergency." Henry stood across from him. "She left right after the closing ceremony."

Talam nodded his head. He rolled it back towards them. "Will she come back?"

"Not here," Ash replied. Henry elbowed him. "I mean, she may not have time to return. We're going to meet her in Suna."

"Suna?" Talam sounded as if he was filled with both disbelief and a crippling helplessness.

Talam and his escorts, as Ashtari citizens, could not enter Suna due to Suna's strict ban. Talam was lucky to be allowed entry into Dareisol and the Federation of Merchant Cities thanks to Ash and Henry, but their letters of recommendation wouldn't let them into Suna.

"We're sorry about this, Talam," Henry said. "There were some issues behind the scenes of the Invitational that we had to deal with. I'm afraid there was no time to tell my aunt."

Talam nodded once more, accepting the explanation, but still sitting helpless. "Where will your aunt go after Suna? Perhaps I can meet her there."

The two brothers looked at each other with tight expressions. They weren't exactly sure. "We'll have to check with her," Ash said.

"Have you considered waiting at a merchant city?" Henry asked. "Until we can contact you."

Talam's shoulders slumped even further. Henry inwardly winced. They were already at a merchant city and they'd completely forgotten to contact him. With everything going on in their lives, it was likely that Talam would be forgotten again.

"Knock knock." The curtain that separated the storage area behind the exhibit from the show front parted and a tall man stuck his head in. "Effie said you needed my help?"

Ash's face brightened and Henry raised his brows. The answer was so obvious and they had overlooked it.

"Prince Tae! I was wondering when you'd show up!" Ash smiled and Prince Tae took a step back, squinting at him with suspicion.

"I told you this morning that I was speaking at the presentation for our entry into the Exhibition," Prince Tae said. He tilted his head to the side. "That's why Effie was watching Muran."

Technically, Henry was watching Effie, who was playing with Prince Muran, and all of them were watched over by a handful of civilian dressed guards mingling around the exhibition station.

"And he's been a very well-behaved child," Ash nodded.

Prince Tae's look of suspicion deepened. "What do you want."

Ash scoffed. "You have known us since we were children. How can you be so cynical?"

"I grew up in an imperial palace where my own father showed such favoritism, all my half-siblings tried to destroy me and my sister, causing my sister to claw her way to power to ensure our survival, only to have our dying father tell her he neglected us on purpose to make us stronger," Prince Tae replied. "I think being cynical is an acceptable reaction at this point."

Henry sighed. He lifted his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Can you help us get papers so that Talam and his two escorts can go with us to Suna. He was supposed to meet with my aunt, but...you know...." He waved his hand in front of him. "She had something to deal with for the Federation."

Prince Tae's brows shot up, but then relaxed. He looked at Talam. Talam sat up straight and looked at him with wide eyes, as if he'd seen his savior. Prince Tae closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. "I can prepare some papers-"

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Talam shot up and immediately bowed. "You don't have to worry about my lodging or my food. I will pay my own way."

Prince Tae sighed once more. "Fine...." He looked at the two brothers. "I'm going to ride the train." He slipped out and they heard him scold someone. "Effie, you said they had a problem only I could assist with!"

A child's high-pitched voice responded with confidence. "And I was right!"

Henry let out his own breath of relief. "All right, entry into Suna is taken care of. Talam, we don't mind you traveling with us, but as far as expenses go, do you have enough?"

Ash nodded. "You've been traveling for some time already."

"Yes! I received some money from other pseudo-exiles," Talam replied. "They said that if I can get in touch with Madam Atractas, Ashtar will have a way to improve."

Ash tilted his head back. "I forgot about those old men."

Henry gave Talam a curious look. "What did they tell you about my aunt?"

"Everyone has heard about her achievements as a merchant in such a short time, as well as her extensive contacts. Not only do we need merchant partners as a resource, but also someone with a clear vision and ability to move forward, like her," Talam replied. Every word he spoke was laced with hope and earnest.

"Anything else?" Henry craned his neck forward and readied himself in case Talam revealed that he figured out who his aunt was, or worse, who he and Ash were.

Talam shook his head. "They just said following the Atractas family will be of great benefit." He looked at Ash. "When you came by that evening and I was meeting with all those elders from other noble families, they were excited. They are convinced that with a connection to Snake, Scarab, and Sons, Ashtar can return to the global market."

Ash's eyes were big as he pursed his lips and looked to the side. "Well, they're not wrong...."

"Since you have time, and understand the importance of connecting with and securing cooperation with my aunt, have you prepared any ideas on how you want to cooperate?" Henry asked. "Resources, industries of interest, markets to tap?'

"A few," Talam said, though he appeared hesitant. "There is probably more that Ashtar would import than export. Many of our farm areas never recovered after the Great Drought and Famine, so agriculture is stifled. We used to have a robust wool industry, but in recent years, my uncle says the quality has dropped and our wool will be difficult to sell to other countries. Our crafts cannot be produced at a large scale at this point, either."

Henry nodded. He reached out and patted Talam's shoulder. "List all the country's exports and major industries for the last five decades. It'll give you an idea of what Ashtar can do, even if at the moment, a certain industry or field is weak."

"Momma can help," Ash told him. "But she can't do everything for you."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Nera walked in front of the rows of people captured in the underground tunnels and rooms of Semut Mountain's base. Seeing almost the entire clearing more than double the size of the ridge where she had landed with the dragon filled with kneeling individuals made her realize the extent of the security breach.

When she arrived the first time, in order to reach the interior office, she had left a trail of blood and bodies behind her.

These people had waltzed in, at the invitation of an undeserving leader.

Around the clearing was a circle of mercenaries, young and old, including several familiar faces whose faces were gaunt. She had been told that several senior mercenaries who were not in leadership roles were vocal against Wendel. They had even gone so far as to try to overrule him and retract the power he had been given, but Wendel had the support of many new and young mercenaries.

The senior mercenaries were put on house arrest, given watery food twice a day, and forced to relinquish their weapons. Three of them had rushed to Nera when they saw her, crying and asking if she had got their messages.

It seemed that they had tried to reach her, but Nera hadn't received any communication. Someone within the organization was actively sabotaging its communication network. This was unacceptable and endangered everyone.

Nera stood in front of them. Above the crowd, a long silver dragon lazily circled. The air was thick with tension and wariness.

"Where is the group of people who allowed these individuals into the base?" Nera asked. Her voice was calm and nonchalant, as if she'd been asking about the weather.

"Here, Madam!" One of the seniors raised his arms towards the group of people who were kneeling and stripped of their outer garments. Their heads were lowered and several were shaking. Their shoulders rose and fell with muffled sobs.

Wendel was among them, as well as those who accepted the missions to Shae, and young, ignorant mercenaries who brought people in from the outside. They were traitors who went against the agreed upon rules and policies of Semut Mountain, as well as inadvertently caused the disappearance of many other mercenaries.

To the organization's senior members, and to Nera, they were traitors who were risking the lives and livelihoods of their fellow mercenaries.

Nera nodded. "Kill them."

"No-"

Yells of protest rang out and were abruptly stifled as the scent of blood filled the air. Screams from the guests came from all around as older mercenaries walked behind the rows of traitors with curved bladed knives.

Heads were grabbed, tilted back, and the sharp execution blades were swiped across their throat, covering everyone near them with blood.

Nera remained in place, watching ruthlessly with barely contained anger and disgust. Semut Mountain started off not as a mercenary organization, but as a safe haven for a variety of troubled people who were fleeing somewhere or just wanted to survive. Their fighting skills had been honed for decades both to protect themselves and to have enough strength and ability to do escort work.

This branched out into becoming hired swords, and the people of Semut Mountain became proud of their ability and the recognition they received from their work. Nera had hoped to bring the organization back to that after Semut Mountain's former leaders decided to involve themselves in civil wars and political battles in other countries.

From the reports she received, the arrangements she'd left them with, including work contracts, property, and land to use as resources, was enough that everyone could live a good life. It wasn't the ideal life for most people, but mercenaries had a home, food, and had salaries.

Vicente Kaj's messages also included lists of mercenaries who'd left. Some were injured, some didn't want to live that life any more, and others wanted to start families. There were many mercenaries who left, or rather, retired, for these reasons, and there was a belief that when a mercenary was too old to work, they would at least leave with some money to reintegrate themselves as a commoner.

The work was safe, the future was promising comfort, there was community and order. It wasn't a grand exciting adventure, but for the most part, mercenaries would know they'd return home alive. For those who had come just to survive, it was more than enough.

Nera didn't know how enlarged Wendel's ego had become to think that he knew better, and to change the spending all together.

She watched his body fall to the ground; his wide eyes filled with horror as the light of life in them faded. Blood soaked the ground, leaving many people whimpering and leaning away from the small rows of corpses.

"In accordance with the rules of Semut Mountain, those who betray it and put the organization at risk will be killed at dawn. Is this understood?"

"Yes, Madam!" A chorus of voices replied from all around the clearing.

"As for the outsiders-"

"Madam, have mercy! Have mercy!" Faced with the executed mercenaries laying just a few paces away, the near twenty men and women who had been brought forward began pleading.

"You can't kill me! You can't!" The woman with long dark braided hair and had been found naked in the office was fully clothed, but had tears streaming down her face. "I only came at the order of my husband!"

Nera sneered. "What kind of husband would have their wife come here?"

"I am under his protection! You can't kill me!" Realizing that she had been spoken to, she crawled forward. "My father is the king of Zimora and my husband is the Crown Prince of Ashtar!"

Nera froze. Behind her veil, her eyes narrowed.

She lowered her voice. "The Crown Prince of Ashtar sent you here?"

"Yes, only I was trusted with the magic script he'd made!" Perhaps the woman didn't hear the venom in Nera's voice, as she answered earnestly in hopes she'd be spared for doing so.

The corner of Nera's eye twitched. "The Crown Prince of Ashtar sent the explosives with the magic script?"

The woman nodded. "Yes! Yes, he's brilliant! He figured out how to use multiple languages to create an explosive! In time, he'll figure out more! If you spare me, I can take you to him! He is a powerful man! He will be the next Emperor of Ashtar!"

"The next Emperor of Ashtar...." Nera trailed off. She lapsed into silence for a moment before slowly shaking her head. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. I've met the next Emperor of Ashtar," she said in an eerily calm voice. "And it isn't him."

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