Chapter 35: Rhapsody (4)
Contrary to Count Julian Moore’s initial apprehensions, the day began more favorably than anticipated. In the morning, Vivian arrived at the residence. She meticulously selected a few of her dresses. She left a note for her father, assuring him that everything was proceeding smoothly and as she planned.
Whatever that plan may be, he was convinced of his daughter’s capabilities and realized it would be a matter of time before she left her mark on the world. But before that, she needed to leave her mark on the Academy.
As he assembled his security detail and moved toward the Academy, he noticed many acquaintances running into him along the way. All, of course, in their own carriage and among their own knights, until they all entered the academy and once again reunited face to face.
Old friends, old rivals, current business partners and competitors, and a great deal of those who wanted to make connections with him.
The name Moore was elevated so much throughout the years only because of the clever investments made by the family. In truth, these investments grew so large to the point where the Moores can be considered to have an economy of their own beneath the nation’s economy. The Moores saved the country once from a financial crisis with their financial guarantees in the form of delayed sight bills that were sealed with the family head seal.
In other words, a sort of special money bills, but the Moores would call them the Fire Vouchers.
Since money bills weren’t as popular in this era as one would assume, it was because the turbulent times made people feel drawn more towards Gold and Silver. During a time when transferring large sums of money involved the risk of robbery, paper bills served as a secure method of exchange. Among the organizations that could issue their own currency, the Moore Conglomerate stood out as the most reliable and trustworthy. Its international stature and colossal size enabled it to take on this responsibility effectively.
This established the Moore family as the true wallet of the entire Empire and even some of its associates. That is why Lord Julian had to go through a lot of people who came to meet him every time he was out and about, it is also the reason why some factions wanted to limit his movements or even control him as the Head of House Moore.
An example of that is what happened a few generations ago, at the time when House Moore housed both Knights and Mages. A great schism befell the Kingdom and the Great Families went to kill each other and so the Royal Family put a restraint on every family in the form of a condition that would keep the families from growing strong enough to think about going to war. The Moores were given a monopoly over industries of the Empire in exchange for forfeiting all the mining and harvest rights to House Grayson, and they were also banned from hiring or training Magic users, which led them to be a family that relied on firearms and had a gun range in their mansion.
But it wasn’t just the Moores who were subjected to such strict laws since, for example, the Blacks were banned from traveling out of Elgard’s home region of Harland, Morven Highlands, and Shamrock Isle; and the Graysons were banned from entering industry.
But today wasn’t a day he cared for any of that. He made sure that his coachman would race anyone else to the Academy so that he can get some time for himself before witnessing what surprises today would hold for him.