298. Current State of Projects
“I haven’t thought about those days in so long,” Ravenna muttered, stepping out of the steaming bath. The maids immediately swarmed around her, their movements practiced and silent as they began to dress her.
She chose an outfit that reflected the bold sensibilities of Kim Island. She donned a structured, dark silk bra-top that offered a hint of military discipline, layered under a sheer, transparent outer shirt that caught the light of the lamps. Paired with a mini short, pleated bottom that allowed for free movement, she looked less like a traditional princess and more like the sovereign of a rising industrial power.
Checking her reflection in the full-length mirror, she adjusted the sheer fabric over her shoulders. “I wonder where she is now,” she mused quietly. “Perhaps I should have sent a letter.”
“Who are you thinking about, Your Highness?” Alice asked, stepping forward to expertly pin back a stray lock of Ravenna’s damp hair.
“Oh, just Laila and Rexford,” Ravenna replied, her voice trailing off as she remembered the chaotic months in the abandoned mansion.
Alice offered a small, knowing smile, though she kept her thoughts private. “They’ll be here by tomorrow according to Kenric” she thought. “I’ll keep it a secret for now; she needs a good surprise to distract her from the weight of recent events.” Giving Ravenna’s hair a final, satisfied pat, Alice stepped back. “All done. Let’s get moving, the officials are waiting.”
A few minutes later, Ravenna swept into her study. This time, the room was stripped of foreign dignitaries and rival heirs. Only the inner circle of Kim City’s administration remained, gathered to report on the skeletal gears of the Dukedom’s progress.
Ravenna took her seat, popping the top of a chilled lemon soda. The carbonation hissed, a small, refreshing miracle of Kim’s new bottling plants. “Sarah, you first. Report on the Northern Coastline City Expansion.”
Sarah stood, clutching a stack of architectural blueprints and logistics manifests. “As everyone likely anticipated, Your Highness, the dungeon incident has severely disrupted the sector. Even with the damage contained, the timeline for transforming the settlements into a proper urban hub has been pushed back significantly.”
She lowered her head, her voice tightening with regret. “Even using the Glass Ball Dust to control the dungeon, the construction delays have doubled.”
“Tch. Those Cult bastards,” Ravenna hissed, the glass of her soda bottle clinking against her desk. “The development in the north was already a logistical nightmare, and now they’ve stalled my expansion! I could kill them all twice over.” She took a frustrated swig of her drink, the sharp citrus doing little to cool her temper.
“...Ah, Your Highness,” Sarah continued, moving to the next point in her ledger. “There is also the matter of the administrative designation. While ‘Kim City’ fits the capital, calling the new development simply ‘Northern City’ has caused confusion in the shipping manifests. The local Innovation Convention Hall has requested that you formally name the settlement.”
“Then what are they there for?” Ravenna snapped instantly.
“Pardon?” Sarah blinked, startled.
Stolen novel; please report.
“Am I supposed to personally name every single town and city we build on this island?” Ravenna asked, her eyes narrowing. “What is the purpose of the Innovation Convention Hall if the scholars and craftsmen can't debate and settle a simple naming dispute on their own? I didn't realize I was ruling over such numb-skulls.” She finished her soda and set the empty bottle down with a decisive thud. “Tell them to use their brains.”
“I… I will convey that immediately,” Sarah stammered, nodding quickly.
Next, Alice adjusted her glasses and stepped into the light, her expression turning professional. “The domestic economy remains robust. Our liquid assets have doubled this quarter. We’ve successfully opened three new Raven Casino branches on the mainland through our partnership with the Imperial Merchant Association. The revenue from the 'Kim-style' entertainment is exceeding all projections.”
“The biggest bottleneck currently is the outsourcing of the purple glass,” Alice reminded her with a small, nervous gulp. “Since the Dukedom lacked the immediate manpower and your life was in danger, Sarah and the others decided to outsource the production of Ryan’s purple glass to several mainland workshops to ensure they had enough glass ball dust for the troops.”
“Hmm... so, will this become a weak point in our technological security?” Ravenna asked, her voice dropping into a dangerous, low hum.
Sarah stepped forward, bowing deeply in apology. “I am terribly sorry, Your Highness. I know you strictly forbade us from sharing any of the Kim technology’s proprietary processes, but the situation at the shoreline was dire...”
“No, you did well under the circumstances,” Ravenna retorted, surprisingly offering a sharp, approving smile. “Even though you outsourced the labor, you didn't provide them with the actual ingredient list. By providing the raw materials under fake names and encoded labels, you’ve successfully mitigated any immediate reverse-engineering. For now, they only know how to melt it, not how to replicate it.”
Her expression then hardened. “However, cancel all outsourcing contracts for the purple glass immediately. I don't care if we have to pay the breach-of-contract penalties; the secrets of Kim stay within Kim.”
Sarah nodded frantically, noting the command.
“Now, regarding the offensive to occupy Flask County,” Ravenna said, shifting her focus. “I can guess the answer by now but how did the campaign go?”
Knight Captain Hughes stepped forward, his armor clinking softly. “As you likely suspected, we weren't able to fully reclaim Flask County. However, the mission was not a total failure; we conquered twelve surrounding territories, effectively securing the approach.”
Aurora let out a weary sigh from the side, crossing her arms. “I still don't understand, Ravy. Why do you want those twelve lords to plead their loyalty directly to me so they can be absorbed by Flask County? Wouldn't it be easier and more profitable to just annex them into the Kim Dukedom?”
Ravenna swirled the remaining soda in her bottle, watching the bubbles. “You need loyal vassals if you're going to revive your House, Aurora. Besides, I already rule an island large enough to be its own nation... why would I go looking for more trouble?”
She tapped the table for emphasis. “The people living in those mainland regions won't just hand over their businesses and lands to me without a fight. I’d have to create a new, decentralized governing system just to keep them from revolting every Tuesday. It’s simply too much work for too little gain.”
“You know, Ravy... we are both Apostles of Herptian,” Aurora remarked with a wry grin thinking about the centralized governing system of Kim, “but how you managed to end up with more greed than me is truly beyond my comprehension.”
The topic returned to military logistics as Hughes continued. “Regardless, we can’t launch another offensive toward Flask County anytime soon. Not with the dungeon spawning in the Flask Mansion. We need to conserve our energy and stabilize our new troops before we try again.”
“I am of the same opinion,” Ravenna added. “Aurora, it looks like you’ll be staying here with us a little while longer.”
She then turned her gaze toward Marie, her eyes flickering with a secret amusement before she looked back at Alice. “What about ‘that’ thing I asked for?”
Alice smiled broadly and gave a firm nod. “It is on schedule, Your Highness. It will arrive exactly on Lady Marie’s birthday, just as you planned.”
Marie looked between the two of them, her expression a mix of confusion and intense curiosity.