>>5406562>>5405885>>5405669>>5405491>>5405392>Art:https://www.instagram.com/tyraknifesaurus/ “What do you think of Kaori?”
Eko: She’s a radical, stirring up trouble in workers where there wasn’t any.
“She seemed pretty peaceful to me.”
Eko: Peaceful like giving food and shelter to those rioters who tore down my markets!... I’m sorry Ratu Adil, I shouldn’t be so emotional.
“It’s fine. She’s Nupuri, right?
Eko: Technically. Rumors are she got kicked off the rock because of some primitive law or other. Nups don’t leave their caves much anyway unless it's to find work as runners. I hadn't even seen one in person before your sister started importing them.
“Metasistser.”
Eko: What?
“Nevermind, what do you think she thinks of me?”
Eko: You’re a rival to her. The people in the slums call her Ratu Adil instead of you.
“But she’s never claimed the title.”
Eko: She doesn’t have to. A horde of them almost tore this building down. What do you think they’ll do when you win the election? A “false messiah” in our highest office? The Great Peace would burn. If you follow my advice, she needs to be dealt with before she becomes a bigger problem.
“I see, and does the thought extend to the Ponni as well?”
Eko: The Ponni are proud and arrogant. They’ve resisted our efforts at civilization for generations. Norodom wants more of their land but that’s just asking for raids. You saw what happened with your former servant. Even if they agree to a deal, bandits will plague the new land before anything can be done with it.
“That’s why you want the material tribute.”
Eko: Soon, the Ponni will have the largest portion of that treasure on the island. They can’t be trusted with something that valuable. We take their foreign weapons and leave them to their grass huts, far away from our great city. If you lock up the grain, the vermin won't come.
“And the Taya markets swell with the most valuable products in history.”
Eko: Very wise, Ratu Adil. The radicals in Kutha Mardika have been our greatest “allies.” When your... meta-sister took this city as her capital, the rest of the Taya embargoed the other tribes. No goods in or out, except through Taya territory.
“Which Kutha Rakat technically is.”
Eko: The Beholder's roads and trade routes bring Chontou wine and fabric, Ahi salt and pearls, Illa Dreamwood, and Nupuri gemstones into our markets. We buy them and sell them at five times the markup to North and East Taya desperate for exotic goods.
“And this material is the most exotic of all. If the Taya have to give up their portion of it to the Axeholder the only way for Kutha Mardika to get it back is through your markets.”
Eko claps his hands together.
Eko: The markets and the Axeholder. These are the two pillars of our society. This Island and the Sea will feed them with wealth and this wealth will make Kutha Rakyat the center of the world.
