Three months passed after the Valen delegation left Valoria.
The agreement had gone better than Adrian expected.
Valen merchants were now using Arvendale’s southern roads regularly, and several Arvendale traders had begun traveling into Valen territory.
Trade increased.
Tax revenue increased.
And, more importantly, people started talking.
Not just about Arvendale’s grain.
Not just about its ports.
They were talking about its king.
The useless prince was becoming a distant memory.
Unfortunately, that attention came with problems.
Adrian discovered this one Monday morning when Edmund placed a thick stack of documents on his desk.
Adrian stared at it.
“No.”
Edmund smiled.
“You haven’t read them.”
“I don’t need to.”
“You probably should.”
Adrian picked up the first document.
“What’s wrong?”
“Competition.”
Adrian frowned.
“Competition?”
“Several foreign merchants have begun purchasing land around Port Caldris.”
Adrian flipped through the papers.
“Valen?”
“Some.”
“And the others?”
“Merchants from three different kingdoms.”
Adrian leaned back.
“Why is everyone suddenly interested in our port?”
Edmund gave him a tired look.
“Because it’s becoming profitable.”
That was fair.
Adrian continued reading.
Several companies had purchased warehouses.
Others had requested long-term leases.
A few had even offered to finance road construction themselves.
At first glance, it looked like exactly what Adrian wanted.
Foreign investment.
More jobs.
More trade.
More revenue.
But something bothered him.
“How much land?”
“Almost eighteen percent of the available commercial property around the port.”
Adrian stopped.
“That’s too much.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“Who owns the largest share?”
Edmund handed him another document.
“The Valen Trading Consortium.”
Adrian frowned.
“Didn’t Prince Cedric say they wanted access to our ports?”
“They did.”
“Apparently they weren’t joking.”
Adrian stood.
“Call Clara.”
Clara arrived twenty minutes later with several folders under her arm.
Adrian gestured toward the chair.
“Sit.”
She did.
“How much do you know about the Valen Trading Consortium?”
“Enough to be suspicious.”
Adrian smiled.
“Good.”
Clara opened one of her folders.
“The consortium isn’t a single company.
It’s a collection of twelve merchant families operating under one charter.”
“How much capital?”
“Significant.”
“How significant?”
Clara hesitated.
“They could purchase another twenty warehouses without borrowing money.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“That much?”
“They’ve been operating for decades.”
She placed another document on the desk.
“But there’s something else.”
Adrian read it.
Several warehouses had been purchased through different companies.
Different names.
Different owners.
Same legal representatives.
Adrian looked up.
“They’re hiding their ownership.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
Adrian tapped the document.
“Could be innocent.”
“It could.”
Clara closed the folder.
“But it could also mean they’re trying to avoid attention.”
Adrian nodded.
“Find out which.”
“Already working on it.”
Adrian smiled.
“I expected nothing less.”
After Clara left, Edmund looked at him.
“Should we stop foreign land purchases?”
“No.”
Edmund looked surprised.
“Why not?”
“Because foreign investment isn’t the problem.”
Adrian walked toward the window.
“The problem is allowing one group to gain enough control over an important part of our economy that they can influence us.”
Edmund nodded slowly.
“Exactly.”
Adrian turned.
“Draft a law.”
“What kind?”
“No foreign company can own more than a certain percentage of strategic port property.”
“How much?”
“Ten percent.”
Edmund made a note.
“And foreign companies must disclose their actual owners.”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“Long-term leases require government approval.”
Edmund nodded.
“That will annoy merchants.”
“I know.”
“Possibly Valen.”
“I know.”
Adrian smiled.
“But they’ll still invest.”
Edmund looked at him.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re becoming profitable.”
Adrian returned to his desk.
“The trick isn’t preventing foreigners from making money.”
He picked up his pen.
“It’s making sure our kingdom benefits while they do.”
That afternoon, Adrian visited the Royal Engineering Corps.
The construction yard had changed dramatically.
What had once been a collection of temporary workshops had become a proper complex.
Blacksmiths worked beside carpenters.
Engineers examined blueprints.
Apprentices carried tools between buildings.
Daniel stood beside a large machine covered in grease.
Adrian stopped.
“What is that?”
Daniel looked up.
“The future.”
Adrian stared at the machine.
“It looks broken.”
“It’s not broken.”
“There’s smoke coming from it.”
“That’s part of the design.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
Daniel sighed.
“Fine.
It might be slightly broken.”
Adrian laughed.
“What are you building?”
“A better water-powered system.”
Daniel pulled off a cloth covering.
Beneath it was a series of gears connected to a large rotating shaft.
“The old design wastes energy.”
Adrian crouched beside it.
“Gear ratios?”
“Exactly.”
Daniel pointed toward the smaller gears.
“If this turns four times for every rotation of the large gear, we can control the output.”
Adrian nodded.
“That’s useful.”
“It’s more than useful.”
Daniel’s eyes brightened.
“It means we can power different machines from the same water source.”
Adrian stood.
“Then you’ve solved one of our biggest problems.”
Daniel grinned.
“Which one?”
“Efficiency.”
Daniel looked confused.
Adrian smiled.
“We’re not just building machines anymore.”
He looked around the workshop.
“We’re building an industry.”
Daniel’s grin widened.
“That sounds expensive.”
“It will be.”
“Very expensive.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
Daniel returned to his machine.
“I was worried you were going to say no.”
Later that week, Adrian visited the Royal Academy.
Construction was nearing completion.
Students had already begun arriving for preliminary instruction.
Adrian walked through the main hall.
He saw nobles.
Commoners.
Children of merchants.
Farmers’ sons.
Young women.
Former soldiers.
People who would never have been allowed into an institution like this under the old system.
A young student stopped when he saw Adrian.
“Your Majesty?”
Adrian turned.
The boy bowed awkwardly.
“Relax.”
The student straightened.
“What are you studying?”
“Mathematics, Your Majesty.”
“Why?”
The boy hesitated.
“Because…
I want to become an engineer.”
Adrian smiled.
“Then become one.”
The boy’s eyes widened.
“Even though I’m a commoner?”
“Especially if you’re good enough.”
The boy smiled.
Adrian continued down the corridor.
He had built the academy for exactly this reason.
Not to create educated nobles.
To create capable people.
People who could build things he couldn’t.
People who could eventually surpass him.
That was how a kingdom became stronger.
Not through one brilliant king.
Through thousands of capable people.
That evening, Adrian received another report.
This one came from the eastern frontier.
He opened it.
Then frowned.
Elias had written it personally.
Several small groups of armed men had been seen near the border.
They hadn’t attacked.
They hadn’t crossed into Arvendale.
But they had been watching.
Adrian immediately summoned Elias.
The major arrived within the hour.
“You saw them?”
“Yes.”
“Who are they?”
“Unknown.”
“Bandits?”
“Possibly.”
Elias placed a map on the desk.
“They’re moving differently from bandits.”
Adrian studied the markings.
“What do you think?”
“Scouts.”
“For whom?”
“That’s the problem.”
Adrian looked toward the eastern border.
“Any insignia?”
“None.”
“Equipment?”
“Good weapons.
Better than common bandits.”
“How many?”
“At least thirty.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Thirty isn’t an army.”
“No.”
Elias pointed toward the map.
“But they’re not the only ones.”
Several additional markings covered the border.
Adrian stared at them.
“How long?”
“Three weeks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I wanted to make sure before I raised an alarm.”
Adrian nodded.
That was exactly why he trusted Elias.
He didn’t panic.
He confirmed.
Adrian studied the map again.
The eastern border was difficult terrain.
Forests.
Hills.
Narrow roads.
Perfect territory for small scouting parties.
“Increase patrols.”
“Already done.”
“Don’t provoke them.”
Elias nodded.
“If they cross the border?”
“Capture them if possible.”
“And if they resist?”
Adrian looked at him.
“Then defend our people.”
Elias nodded.
“Understood.”
He turned to leave.
“Elias.”
The major stopped.
“Yes?”
“Don’t let this distract you from the bigger picture.”
Elias looked confused.
Adrian pointed toward the map.
“We’re not going to turn every unknown soldier into an enemy.”
He paused.
“But we’re not going to ignore them either.”
Elias smiled slightly.
“That’s why you’re king.”
After he left, Adrian remained alone in his office.
Three months ago, Valen had come looking for trade.
Now foreign merchants were buying land.
Foreign students were entering Arvendale’s academies.
Foreign scouts were appearing near the borders.
And his own kingdom was becoming stronger by the day.
Adrian looked out over Valoria.
The city was brighter than it had been when he first became king.
More construction.
More businesses.
More people.
More life.
But growth changed things.
The stronger Arvendale became, the more attention it would attract.
Adrian understood that now.
He smiled faintly.
“Then I suppose it’s time to stop thinking like a king trying to save his kingdom.”
He looked at the map of the continent hanging on the wall.
“And start thinking like one trying to build its future.”
Outside, Valoria continued to grow.
And beyond its borders, other kingdoms were beginning to watch.