Chapter 26: A Brewing Civil War
Three weeks had passed since the storm had been stirred.
In the quiet of his office, Crown Regent Lancelot leaned over a stack of papers as the sun poured gently through the arched windows. The grand seal of the Royal Treasury Council was already pressed onto one document. It bore his signature—flourished but firm.
The decree was short, but its consequences would spread far: the RTC would allocate thirty million ducados to fund the construction of macadamized roads across the Kingdom of Aragon.
A knock came at the door.
"Enter," Lancelot said without looking up.
Don Ignacio, Minister of Public Works, stepped in, bowing with respect before approaching the Regent’s desk.
"It’s done," Lancelot said, handing him the freshly signed document. "Funding approved. The first wave of roads will connect Zaragoza, Valencia, Toledo, and eventually—Segovia."
Don Ignacio blinked in surprise. "Segovia?"
Lancelot raised an eyebrow. "We do not build roads for friends, Ignacio. We build them for the people. Even if they lead through enemy strongholds."
The minister nodded slowly, tucking the document into his satchel. "Then I shall begin coordinating with our engineers and surveyors. Macadamized roads will be expensive, but the benefit will outlive us both."
"Exactly," Lancelot murmured. "This is more than gravel and stone. It’s the future rolling beneath their feet."