Kingdom

Just as Aegis personal life progressed, the Solitas Kingdom too advancement, either by an increase of population by both natural births to immigration from either Vale or Vacuo, to immigration from Wizard Earth, the novelty fallen and with the news of Solitas policies, some of would by immigrants given up as they didn't desire to give up on their freedom in trade of security, and at the same time there were people who gladly gave up upon their freedom for security and easy life.

Most of it was thanks to Album not filtering news from new Solitas citizens who didn't mind sharing their experiences in Solitas, from the implants that served as their security code to open doors to their homes, scrolls, or to pay in shops, to prove their identity, the more bright-minded, could guess that these implants monitored them, and as such some people in Wizard Earth called Solitas police state, that stomped on personal freedoms in exchange for stability, something the poor people with families liked more than their rich counterparts, and it proved in Solitas charts as 90% of immigrants were of the lower standing...

But at the same time, the implants made some grumble, the same news that told stories about free homes, of zero homelessness and almost non-exist crime made people look in wonder, as food that was needed for life was free to everybody, just as essential things as a scroll, home, and plainclothes with Schnee Snowflake symbols, and it showed that once people had these taken care of by the state, their desire for more showed as they started to work to buy luxuries or to buy a bigger house, or just to eat a better meal as the free meals were just standard ones that were there to give needed proteins to body and not for taste...

And it showed, people flexed their standing by buying luxurious things and as such, even if somehow strange the Solitas economy worked, as Album and Iris made sure SDC was in the lead but far from absolute monopoly as Album played games with people, making the competition between corporate's friendly, Aegis didn't desire to stomp the thing that humans were ridden by, the idea of a better life or their dreams, he didn't forbid forming of new corporations, or destroyed the old ones, seeing that diversity albeit dangerous, brought benefits of new ideas, from new corporate spy techniques, to new technologies, to new methods of a better life of Soltias citizens.

And at the same time, the years Aegis mother Willow built her charity organizations bore the fruits, the children who were orphans, in run-down orphanages, or were on streets begin for lien or food, were spared of their horrible lives thanks to Willow orphanage programs, and later by Solitas policy of taking care for the future generation, now the young adults from orphanages were dead set Solitas loyalist, as from young age the propaganda worked on their young minds, Aegis made sure that it wasn't in zealots level, as it could bread narrow-mindlessness, the children who came out of Solitas orphanages were thus Solitas, or rather Schnee most loyal subjects, for they knew pain, they knew how it felt being poor, how others didn't care for them, for these children Schnee's who took them in, in essence, became their symbols of Paragons...

So Aegis new generations of workers, bureaucrats, researchers, Sentinels, and many more were being brewed from batches of loyal people, something that didn't escape to news or conspiracy theorists, but no matter who grumbled, nobody could change the fact that it was Schnee family who made the poor or orphans lives change for better, thus they deserved the loyalty or admiration from them...

But with people came new problems, not serious ones, Aegis always saw insurrection and similar things as challenging status quo as the cycle of life, no Aegis wasn't stupid to try on playing on the master of the order, he welcomed chaos elements in his kingdom, as it was he and Album who indirectly lead them, even the supposed rebel leaders didn't know just how much they played on Solitas note, their traitorous actions just cemented others in the Solitas way of life, Security and Safety before Freedom, that was something the terrorist unknowingly supported in ordinary peoples who desired live more than freedom...

Then again, such method supported sheep populace, something Aegis didn't truly want, not after seeing Wizard Earths wizards, who knew just how to mob unpopular opposition, thus Aegis had an entire branch of psychologists, doctors, and sociologists, and all who could help in creating a system that would bread docile yet useful mindsets in his people, and as Royal Academy with other Academies in the Solitas Kingdom were militarized, Aegis was sure that he could have a docile population that in case of foreign attack turn into fierce monsters calling for the blood of enemy...

But that still left Aegis with thousands of people immigrating into his kingdom every week, towns and villages were formed every month, Aegis already thought about the idea of creating another sky city like Atlas, but delayed that idea as most resources were now being shipped to Moon city construction and defense of Remnant solar system, from Album's drone ships, to defense platforms after the people from SGC told them about Goauld's, Aegis was not ready to let some parasite try to subjugate him, and best offense for Aegis was defense in-depth, by construction defense platforms and ground to space weapons on both Remnant and Moon...

"Aegis."

"Ah, Artoria, what brings you there?"

Aegis asked, as he looked at the free Heroic Spirit who until now chose to be free and lived on Aegis mana he provided her as any good host would.

"I came to ask about this about your move."

"Hm?"

Aegis hummed as he looked at Artoria who looked at him impassively, the King of Knights was someone Aegis could admire, yet he detested her choice of giving up of humanity, as the true king should understand the people he ruled, but that was just Aegis opinion.

"Why you choose to let Vale and Vacuo by? From everything you have done, I know that you would desire to integrate the soonest you could."

"Ah yes..."

Aegis acknowledged Artoria's point, as Solitas was already giant on Remnant, ruling three of the biggest Remant cities, Atlas/Mantle, Menagerie, and Mistral who already joined the ranks of Solitas.

"People, in the end all things are about the citizens, Atlas was my first stage, where I was already loved by masses, the Menagerie was ostracized place that grasped for mere straws until I came and took them in, earning the loyalty of Faunus kingdom, and Mistral, Mistral citizens who for a long time were already tired of stupid decisions of their leaders, was more than happy to join the prosperous Solitas who were known for their stability, something the Mistral Council couldn't get them..."

Aegis said as he saw Artorie nod her head for him to continue.

"Vale, Ozpin the Headmaster of Beacon, already promised to not move outside of his bounds of being headmaster of a school for children and choosing to retreat into calm life, the Vale council is entirely in my pockets, Vacuo council too, eighter through bribery, blackmail, threats, or all combined, just headmaster of Shade Academy is still eluding me."

Aegis said, and could see a frown on Artoria's face.

"Artoria, I know very well that my methods aren't honorable or just, but what im doing is for the betterment of all, and im well aware that my path paved with good intentions would lead me into hell, but if not me, then who can protect them? You know there are horrors, monsters in the dark that would like nothing more than tear apart anything that even remotely is good, you read about the SGC Earth, about these Goauld's that prey upon weak with the delusion of godhood, and know that they aren't even remotely worst, so no, im no King of Knights, I lack honor as im willing to do horrible things to achieve my goals, and Im willing to pay for them one day, just not now, and if Satan himself comes for me to take me to hell, then im willing to fight him too, for I have too many responsibilities to by GOOD guy, or even man, for im the thing this world needs."

Aegis said, and could feel his words resonating with something deep in Artoria's soul, but how much his spiel worked, he didn't know, he could just wait and see how the King of Knights was willing to accept.

"But to the previous question, what im waiting on is the citizens of Vale and Vacuo, in both, Vale mainly, I and my family are popular, mainly thanks to my mother who run her charity all around, but even thanks to SDC whose prices and working conditions are much better than their competitors, im waiting until Album tells me that at least 70% of citizens of one city would support my rule, and then I could start integrating Vale and Vacuo into Solitas, just when I know that I would have the majority of support from these places."

Aegis said and Artorie just watched him with a piercing gaze.

"I... I can understand, as ruler, it is our duty to bear the weight of our people, yet at the same time, I can't accept your methods."

Aegis's eyes softened as he looked at the conflicted Artoria.

"That is all I want, for you to understand that im lesser evil, for I do not hide my methods, the ones who look deep enough know what my methods are, but most people do not want to know the truth, they do not want to know that their King they until now idolized is a bigger monster than most of the know monsters, they want to be blind to the truth, something I let them, and even then, at least im the monster who is on their side, and not differently."

Aegis said as he looked into Artoria's eyes, seeing the turmoil inside the green orbs...

"What im doing isn't for happiness, it is for necessity."

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*Author note*

So, by the look of it, this is just one part of one chapter as I wanted to write about other things, but somehow the conversation with Artoria took a lot of time, so the next chapter would be too about the progress of Solitas.

Stone for me? Stones for SOLITAS!