>>5569522You welcome your new manservant then, a strapping young Zadroskan fellow by the name of Dmitri. A handyman you might call him, he's generally skilled and reliable for any personal task or need you might set him on. You're not sure if you can trust him to the same level as Emelie so you couldn't confide in him much, and he is inexperienced when it comes to Dalmacian courtly etiquette so you wouldn't have him seeing to noble matters, but anything else you may require especially physical you should be able to depend upon him. Plus it's nice to have a man you can rely on in a personal capacity same as you do with Emelie, even if he can't speak one word of any language you know yet seems to understand orders and sentiment well enough.
Also someone new to break into your service, like Emelie. She dresses formally not to appear proper, but to hide what you've done to her body over the years. Well now here's Dmitri with a fresh body, a nice new canvas to make use of!
<span class="mu-i">"If you expect Michel's wife to bring results, well... in her state I have doubts."</span>
<span class="mu-r">"Whether she succeeds or fails is not a great importance. I would appreciate your skills better in Satois, our focus after Mallines."</span>
Given your plot against Duke Molyes involving Lady Baline, your spymaster Leblanc was willing to assist in that matter as he deemed it best. But you never relied anything upon the Lady's success, for you it was just an enjoyable game of torment towards Michel really. If she does succeed then it is fantastic, if she doesn't then your plans won't change much anyway. Looking beyond any of this, you anticipate your eventual success here in Mallines so why waste Leblanc's talents?
No, better that he go to Satois and begin making a headway into that region. Soften any rivals there for your eventual blow, and make all of it that much easier to gain control of.
<span class="mu-r">"Ugh, fine. Whatever it takes. If the lending rates are too burdensome however, I will not hesitate to see them executed!"</span>
<span class="mu-i">"Of course your Majesty. I ensured that they are at least not foreigners, so that you retain your right of authority over them without issue."</span>
The dreary business of finances, but the enticing business of money! Well you begrudge doing so and in fact very nearly consider just betraying the lenders, but in the end Chesier advises you to go about this the official and reasonable way. Some standard and reliable loans from moneyed interests in Dalmace, you incur a sizeable debt in return for more than enough funds to secure Mallines you think. And once you have secured it, you'll have gained enough wealth or resources to pay back the debt without trouble.
