Enlightened Empire

Chapter 258

King Corco's study hadn't changed much since Antaya's last visit, but the changes were impossible to overlook nonetheless. Ever since she had entered the room, she had been asked to just sit there, while the king and her son Fadelio had worked on some strange automaton on the king's desk. From what Antaya could tell, the construct was just a confused mess of glass, dark wood and strands of copper that connected several smaller gadgets.

At the base of the construction, the two had placed several cylindrical containers, while somewhat to the side stood several bottles of water to match them. The copper strands ended in a long line that reached all the way out of the open window. All in all, it was a bizarre setup, and she had no idea what purpose it could possibly serve.

After a while, both men seemed satisfied with their work and stood up.

“Okay, that looks decent,” the king said and dusted off his hands, even though they were not dusty. “You can take your lunch break now, Fadelio. In the meantime, I'll be doing the debriefing with Madame General.”

“Yes, King Corco,” Fadelio said in the stiff tone he always had in official situations. After a bow to his king and a bow to his mother, he left the study. Yet even after her son had left, the king still ignored Antaya and continued to fiddle with some sort of lever in front of the automaton, while he continued to check the copper strands. All the while, he consulted a sketch on a piece of paper. At last, he seemed satisfied with his work and leaned back in his chair before he looked at his guest.

“Right. While we wait for history to happen, you can explain the aftermath of your spy story to me. What exactly happened that almost blew up my city, and almost allowed spies to enter my manufactory and steal our trade secrets?”

While his words were harsh, his tone was light and his face relaxed. Maybe he was satisfied with her team's response, or maybe he was confident enough that he wouldn't care about a single setback. Either way, his casual attitude calmed Antaya and encouraged her to reply with confidence.

“In short, several spies from the central kingdom attempted to make their way onto Chukru Island by disguising themselves as apprentices of the flintlock manufactory with support from one of the Arcavian clock making masters.”

“Oh, so do we already know the spies came from the central kingdom?” Corco leaned forward.

“Yes, we do. Master Xander confessed almost right away,” she said with undisguised derision on her face. She had no amount of compassion for cowards like Xander, and even less for traitors. “With the generous help of Master Xander, we managed to reconstruct almost the entirety of events leading up to the attack.”

“Okay, I'm all ears,” the king said with a gesture towards her, as if to invite her to perform.

“It appears as if around two months earlier, Master Xander got into conflict with one of his apprentices. They frequently did, mostly over the workload the apprentices had to endure, as well as Xander's reluctance to teach them any of his trade secrets. As a result, Xander ended up bludgeoning the student to death with an iron pot. He claims it was an accident...”

“But you are unsure?”

“Even if it was, the next two murders certainly were not,” Antaya continued. “As he was cleaning up the body, Xander was surprised by his remaining two apprentices, who returned from an errand to see their dead fellow being dragged across the bloodied floor. Before any of them could run away, Xander charged and killed them as well. Once he realized the consequences his actions would have if discovered, he hid all three bodies in his basement.”

“He wasn't offered some kind of deal for this confession, was he?” Corco asked in a deep voice. Unlike his casual manner from before, his eyes were narrowed and his hands clenched. It appeared as if the king was truly enraged by the coldness of his subject. To Antaya's luck, she hadn't gone through with her initial plan to offer the spies amnesty for their crime should they confess in full.

“No, nothing of the sort,” she could say. “Some vague promises and threats have been made, but nothing concrete, and nothing with any written proof.”

“Good.” Corco breathed out and thought for a moment, possibly about the type of punishment a monster like Xander would deserve. Only then did he look at Antaya again, somewhat calmed from his earlier rage. “Continue.”

“Xander was already isolated within Chukru's community before the incident, and the killing did nothing for his sick state of mind. He began to shut himself off from contact even further. He installed traps everywhere around his house in case someone forced his way in to investigate the disappearances. He also began regular visits to taverns to drink away his anxiety.”

“Futile, as it should be,” the king added.

“On one such trips, he met one of the spies from the central kingdom, though so far we still have not confirmed their exact masters. Xander does not know, and the spies have yet to talk.”

“Since they're from the central kingdom, it's either Pacha, Ichilia, or the Ancestral Hall, huh?”

“Those are the main suspects,” Antaya confirmed. “Once the two sides had made contact, the plan was to accept some younger-looking spies as his new apprentices. They would be placed in the new, low-security manufactories that were to be constructed in the main city. Then, a fire set by Xander on Chukru would create chaos and let the fake apprentices sneak onto the island. Even in case that plan failed, they believed that the fire would harm enough apprentices that we would need urgent replacements. At that point, the fake apprentices would come in, thus infiltrating Chukru. Luckily, the first part of their plan – the fire – already failed, in large part thanks to King Corco's new fire fighting warriors.”

Since she realized Corco was in a bad mood, she tried to praise his security measures and his foresight. However, the king didn't take too well to the compliment.

“Can we stop calling them that?” he asked with slumped shoulders. “They're firefighters. One word. They're not fire-dash-fighters. They're even less of a 'fire-fighting army', or 'fire-fighting warriors'. I've heard someone even call them 'inferno warriors' and 'warriors of flame'. They're not fucking anime characters, are they?”

“Of course not, king. This servant wishes to apologize.” Though confused by Corco's words, Antaya still gave the answer she expected the king to want. However, she was flustered, and so returned to her usual, formal manners, ones her king disliked. Even so, Corco only sighed and waved for her to continue.

“Forget it. It's just me getting upset over stupid things again. Please keep going.”

“Yes, king. After our investigation had identified the spies, we faked some injuries among the apprentices of the flintlock manufactory and replaced them with police and ghost warriors. In a joint operation between the two forces, the plan was to surround them first in order to apprehend the suspects without killing them.”

“And you did, by the look of things.”

“Almost, we apprehended Master Xander, as well as two of the three spies. The final one was shot dead by Tamaya as he attempted a reckless escape. In addition, we apprehended a boat on the Mayura that showed suspicious movements once the operation started. Another two suspected spies were caught this way. Insofar, the operation was a success. The only concern are possible leaks from before the operation. After he had made contact with the spies, Xander began to copy sketches of the machinery inside the flintlock workshop for the spies to take home. However, none of these materials had been transferred yet, if Xander is to be believed.”

“Well, even if they did take them, it's not like it would matter all that much,” Corco added. “The flintlocks are important, but they're hardly high-tech, at least not in Saniya. Pacha already has a couple of them, and with some effort, any craftsman will be able to make at least a crude copy of them. Most of the stuff inside the flintlock manufactory isn't a huge deal, or someone suspicious like Xander wouldn't have been let in in the first place. While there's some tools that would get them some benefits on efficiency or precision, those aren't so simple that you can just copy them with a casual look. And Xander wasn't a great engineer in the first place, so I doubt he really understood the intricacies of those pieces, much less without taking them apart.”

“In that case, this servant is relieved. However, despite our successes, there were issues during the operation as well.” Reminded of the dead ghost warrior who had saved her life, she lowered her head.

“You mean the dead warrior.” Corco said in the same dry tone as before. However, his hands clenched slightly, just like they had when he had been informed of Xander's murders before. “His name was Mua, right? What happened wasn't your fault, so I won't hold you responsible.”

“Thank you, King Corco. He died during the apprehension of the suspect. When we went into the basement, he picked up a lamp which was a trap in itself. Under a thin layer of whale oil sat some far more flammable substance. Once the oil was burned off, the lantern exploded. His arm was already injured. I should have carried that lamp. If only I did, he... he wouldn't have...”

Reminded of her own failures and stricken with grief, Antaya could no longer uphold her professional facade. She knew she would break if she continued to speak, so she trailed off and stopped before she finished her words. Rather than reassure or distract her, the king's eyes flitted around the room while he shifted around on his chair.

The awkward atmosphere lasted several more seconds, until a strange buzzing sound ripped it apart. As soon as the sound appeared, the king's face brightened. Confused, Antaya watched him turn to the strange automaton again and write something down onto paper as he listened for the series of beeps.

“K-I-N-G-C-A-N-Y-O-U-H-E-A-R-M-E,” Corco muttered once he was finished writing, before his face brightened even further. “It works! I mean, he couldn't have picked a more boring first message, but still...”

His entire energy transformed, he turned to his guest with great bravado.

“Just give me one second,” he said, before he began to write and mumble again. “Dots and dashes are hard to distinguish... And some of the beeps didn't come through that well, half of this is guesswork. Still looks ready for field practice.”

Once he was done writing, the king began to tap onto the lever in front of the machine. As he did so, a blinding light arced between two pieces of copper in the center of the machine, on and off with his taps, as if he commanded lightning itself.

“H-E-L-L-O-W-O-R-L-D. Not creative, but at least it's a reference. Okay.”

Once he was finished with his strange ritual, the king took his hand off the lever and turned to Antaya again.

“Congratulations, you just-”

*Beepbeep* Once again, he was interrupted by the machine's sounds. The king's eye twitched as he switched another lever and the strange apparatus went quiet, before he turned to his guest again.

“Congratulations,” he repeated, “you just witnessed the first instance of instant long-range communication in the world.”

“What happened?” she asked, confused and fascinated by the strangeness before her.

“This!” he slapped the machine. “Is a radio. It can carry messages over a very, very long distance. In theory, around the entire world, so long as we reinforce the signal properly. After we're done with the fine-tuning, this thing will go with you when you return to Arguna. From then on, there will be direct conversation between this side and the capital.”

“This seems-”

“Impossible, right?” Corco interrupted her as his grin widened even more, before a waterfall of words broke from his mouth. “Yeah, we're centuries ahead, so it's impossible for our enemies to detect, let alone copy. As far as communication and intelligence work goes, we're basically invincible now. I'm really proud of this one. Oh, but I have to warn you. The transformer may or may not be a bit rough, so it won't last long. I'll give you a couple extra as replacements, just in case the thing stops working. Just replace the part if it does, don't try to fix it. It's made with a lot of copper though, make sure no one takes off with it. Also, I know the spark gap is pretty, but if you stick your finger in there it'll kill you. I'm serious.”

“Kill? Wait, what-”

“We'll probably put glass over it before I give it to you, but still, keep the whole death thing in mind. Oh, also also, we could never quite stop the batteries from leaking, damn imprecise machining. So you'll have to leave the batteries in a secure container whenever the radio isn't in use. And when they're inside the machine, you should check on them from time to time and replace them once the sulfuric acid starts to leak out.”

“Acid? I-”

“Right, I wrote a handy little manual on the installation, use and maintenance of this thing. You best read it carefully before you start using it, or the extended warranty will be voided. We even got a new service line, so you'll be fine.” As he spoke, the king reached under his desk to expose a sizable booklet, its pages covered in dense writing, and slammed it on the table.

“So this is the reason you asked me to come to Saniya before, King Corco? You wanted to hand me this new machine for the ghost warriors and instruct me on its use?” Relieved, Antaya realized that she had thought too much.

All this time, she had been tense in front of this strange king. She had been called to Saniya many times over the past few years, but decided to avoid the call through various excuses because she felt guilty, and thought she had been exposed. Now however, it was as if a giant weight had lifted off her chest. For the first time in years, she could breathe. Yet with the king's very next words, the well-acquainted suffocation returned.

“Ah, no. This is just coincidental, though you being here just as we finish development does save me some hassle. No, the reason I asked you to come here is quite a different one.”

After he looked at the machine one last time, the king stood up and walked around the table, towards her.

“You're quite beautiful, Madame General.” His words were kind, but his eyes were those of a snake that eyed its prey. Although Antaya felt a cold shiver down her back, she remained composed. This wasn't the first time she had received an untoward compliment.

“I thank King Corco for his kindness,” she simply said.

“It's strange, isn't it? How a woman in her fifties, who has given birth to three daughters and a son, looks not a day over thirty? How come such a woman has not a single gray hair, how come she has no wrinkles in her face? You also did remarkably well during the last operation, keeping up with a trained warrior on foot. At first I found that was quite weird, but now I think I know the reason.”

His words took away Antaya's last hope, as did the king's narrowed eyes. He already knew, and he didn't care to expose her. Even so, she tried to plead.

“King Corco, please...” Yet the king continued without mercy.

“As it turns out, General Atoc wasn't quite as loyal to the emperor as everyone thought. Without permission from his master, and against common custom, he taught the imperial family's secret cultivation techniques to his wife.”

As soon as the truth was out, Antaya fell on her knees. She knew what would happen to her family if this became public knowledge.

“Master, please don't tell anyone.”

However, Corco remained unmoved by her plea.

“To be honest, I don't really care either way. Man or woman, I don't mind whether or not you're a cultivator. In the first place, female cultivators are only a problem in Medala. They're rather common in the Verdant Isles, among other places. Rather, you're doing such good work for the kingdom in part because of your cultivation. Still, the other nobles won't see it that way. You know what would happen to you, to your family, if it was revealed that a woman had been allowed to cultivate. I would have no choice but to abandon your family, and punish you accordingly.”

“Please, why would you do this?” Shocked and mortified, Antaya's breathless voice called for an answer. Weren't her son and daughter long-time companions of the king? Hadn't they always been loyal? In response, Corco sighed and leaned back to find support on his table.

“I don't take any pleasure in playing the villain here, really. But you haven't left me with much of a choice. Over the past couple years, I've tried my best to get control over the ghost warriors, to no avail.”

“All ghosts obey the command of their king,” Antaya insisted, but Corco shook his head.

“How can I order them if I don't even know where they are, or that they exist? I've tried to get you here to talk about their organization, but you kept staying away. Maybe you just felt guilty over the cultivation thing, but it's a fact that you won't give up control over the ghosts.”

“We cannot reveal the full extent of our operations,” she insisted between gnashed teeth. “Otherwise the safety of all our warriors would be compromised.”

“See, that's the kind of shit I have a problem with,” the king said. Much more aggressive than before, he pointed his finger at her. “A secret service is meant to support and protect the government and its people. You have no right to hide from them, just because you think you know best. Some reduction in effectiveness should be acceptable in return for proper accountability. I'll tell you right now: I will NOT! Let your spies develop into some secret force behind the throne.”

“All our men have proven their loyalty to the Pluritac name again and again, as have I.”

“Yes. Yes you have, and I trust your family. But that's just you. At some point, the next generation takes over, and then everything is different. Whoever replaces you will suddenly have unchecked power over whoever replaces me. You think that's a good idea? Well I don't. Don't forget what happened in this city just this month: You took part in a secret police investigation you had nothing to do with. How could you get involved? Well, because you knew my new police chief of course, and he thought pleasing you was more important than following the rules.”

This time, she had nothing to say in reply. However, the king was far from finished.

“So here's what's gonna happen: Just like how I wrote a manual for you, you will write one for me. Yours will contain the names, positions and tasks of every ghost warrior under your command, as well as your modus operandi, including codes, hideouts and such. Do so, and we won't have any problems from now on. If you leave out just a single detail and I find out, your secret cultivation will be exposed, and I won't care about your safety, or about the rest of your family. Even if some of them are my friends, I won't hold back. I will not allow instability or imperfection. Not in my kingdom, not this early in the game. Do you understand?”

For a second, Antaya struggled. She thought she could appeal to the king's humanity, or to Corco's old friendships to her son and daughters. However, when she saw his eyes, struggling between determination and pain, she understood. Thus, she bowed her head and accepted her submission. What else could she do?