New Beginnings

The sun rises from the ocean, as the seaside city of Erba wakes up with the rising sun. A light shines upon the rich districts as it enters a new mansion's windows.

And as the people of Erba awoke. In one of the mansion's countless rooms, a man finishes his morning routine.

A knock comes from the door. "Sir Lucius, your bath is ready."

Lucius pushes himself from the ground as he wipes his sweat off. Despite the less than stellar beginning he had in this world. He made do with the ability Entirum gifted him.

Sure, the orphanage was a less than ideal place to live in. But being in the city, made up for it. The young children he grew up with became his closest compatriots and even now stands as a part of his inner circle.

He shakes his head in such thoughts as he walked to his bath. He saw a gold coin on the ground and he smiles as he takes it. A few steps in as he leaves his clothes to the sides he enters the bath in thought of how he got here.

His plan was simple. He tried to save up enough money for a silver coin. The silver coin, along with a rock, was enough to make a counterfeit.

Since apparently Instant Creation means putting into reality, any plans one can make. The only thing required was every material needed along with some drain in energy and then came a coin filled with rocks but covered in a thin layer of silver.

With a few repetitions of this, He could produce the wealth to put into plans some businesses he knew profited immensely in his homeworld.

Some businesses here and there allowed him to stand as the wealthiest man in the city of Erba. one of the richest within the Human Continent.

Lucius chuckles to himself from the unimaginative name. He stood up from the misty bath as he closes the steam. He looks in the mirror and smiles. One of the few things he was happy about was keeping his former appearance.

Though he never knew it until he grew into it, from the weird hair and eyes. He shakes of the water as he wore the garments for a tuxedo.

He smiled to himself as he mutters, "They did this well."

He wears the jacket as he finishes, "The insane bounty of colors this era seems to hold dear, can not match the simplicity of a tuxedo."

A knock comes from the door once more. "Sir, breakfast is ready."

"I'm going," Lucius replies as he opens the door. The servant bows to him as he passes by. He walks slowly, admiring the mansion he recently bought as he walked through the hallways.

The various art pieces and luxurious furniture reminded him of mansions back on Earth. He never needed such luxuries, but then again, the men he plans on meeting will more than warrant such displays of affluence.

A few moments pass, he reaches his destination.

The guards standing by the door moves to the side, their once frilly clothing now simplified to simple armour and trousers. They took great care to avoid colors and had the insignia branded over their clothing. Both of which something Lucius requested.

A small smile enters his expression as the door opens. The view showed a group of men and women, a group collectively in pursuit of a goal, to spread the Religion of Entirum.

They sat at a long, luxurious table filled with high-class meals and crafted silverware.

Each one stands in salute as he sat in his finely crafted chair. "At ease." They sat back from his words as they stiffly looked around. Uncomfortable of the new clothing and the new decor.

Lucius gives them a comforting smile as he gesture to his food, the light through the window lighting up his smile, "How about you give me your report as we get unto breakfast."

They look at him in immediate attention, before nodding.

A man coughs as he combs back his golden hair, "Well, I'll be going first," He cuts his breakfast up with his silverware as he continued, "The recent additions in our personal guard have taken the attention of government officials. Some have asked if it's necessary to hire a thousand soldiers under our service."

Lucius replies as he cuts up a bite, "A reasonable response, then what do you propose we do, Allan?"

He shrugs, "I propose we do nothing, there's not much they can do. They remain an ineffective force within the city and despite their admittance, their influence is waning."

"I see and I'm sure you could smoother any ruffled feathers?"

"Yes."

Lucius nods in satisfaction. He always had Allan take care of any diplomatic event. With the charming combination of his rare blue eyes, smooth golden hair and a smile, which makes women squeal. Most tend to have a positive opinion after any interaction with such combinations.

Utensils lower as a sharp voice comes from Lucius right, "Then it should be my turn."

Allan looks to her with a smirk, teasing her with a smile, "Aw, Mindy, your getting a bit thin. You should eat more."

"Unnecessary, cause unlike you, I am aware of my weight." She levels her sharp gaze at him, looking up and down, leaving him dumbfounded. The room chuckles from their familiar banter.

She wipes her mouth before she continued, "The recent influx in trade from the East has given us an increase in revenue, along with the increase in production. My projections will give us an increase of profit by ten percent."

"That's amazing, well done." Lucius looks at her in amazement, unable to comment on anything. Her masterful responses to business situations have been exceptional.

The few times he needed to teach her were when she was getting started. After that, she's been taking every business opportunity with near zero losses. Sometimes he thinks that, maybe she was just humoring him.

She nods her head from the praise, giving Allan an unusually smug look before returning to her meal.

"My turn." A gruff voice spoke, as the man beside Allan wiped off the meal on his face. He lowers the napkin to the side and looked at him. He scratches his brown hair, trying to remember his reports.

He smiles as her remembers, "Integrating the additional seven hundred men, has been going smoothly. Their specialized training has borne fruit. And the various squads can fire crossbows at an excellent rate and accuracy."

He taps his finger in frustration, "Though our biggest problems come from a few troublesome squads, with a bit of discipline we could curb such actions."

Lucius nods from his words, "I see, have them continue practicing, don't hesitate to ask for weapons. Those men of yours will be an integral part of what's to come."

He nods, his brown eyes glinting in excitement at the implication of Lucius' words. Lucius sighs to himself, aware of Daril's excitement at battle. He certainly felt it once he taught the young boy everything he knew about martial arts.

"My turn then," a woman spoke as Daril return to eating.

She smiles softly before continuing, "The temples of reasons, or as you wish to call it, schools. Have been more than successful."

"We have new students coming in everyday," she looks to Daril with a smile, "I've had the children practice, by making arrows. Since I've heard that your crossbow training has been having troubles for such."

Daril looks at her with his mouth full. He nods gratefully at her.

She smiles softly at him before looking back to Lucius, "While those that have enough knowledge and experience have been researching new and innovative ways to improve city infrastructure and business production."

She frowns, "Though there have been problems regarding the government officials looking for trouble, when they are suddenly devout subjects of the God of War. Questioning Entirum's gifts."

A voice replies, "I've already handled that. It was just some old man, desiring a bribe."

Ann looks to the man, "Oh thank you for that Duncan."

Lucius nods as he listened intently. Ann always was the most devout in her belief of Entirum. She took his gift like fish took to water. A chuckle almost escapes him at the reminder of times when they had to pull her out of the old workshop just so she could remember to eat.

Lucius looks up from his musing, "How about the orphanage?"

She smiles sweetly. "I've integrated the old orphanage into the new school. Where we could also find new talent and have them directly nurtured under Entirum's guidance."

He nods at her, "That's good to know,"

She smiles as she returns to eating.

Duncan then spoke after, "Guess it's my turn."

He takes a note out of his pocket and reads, "The money you gave me allowed me to expand my scope through the continent."

He squints his black eyes, "I concentrated most operatives around Grend. Just as you requested." He looks to Mindy, who smiles. The information Duncan gives has been helpful in her decisions."

"From that, I found the most pressing concerns." He spoke in a concerned tone.

The other four stop in their meal as they listen intently to what he would say next.

"It seems the Grendian King is dying. His granddaughter Princess Giselle has decided to pay us a visit." He lowers the note down as he looks around the silent room.

Lucius looks down in thought. He knew the princess is the supposed heir. Her father, the Late Prince Cedric, died too early. And now Princess Giselle is in a precarious situation, her role as heir is being contested by her uncles. Now she seems to look at us for support.

He sighed as his friends look to him in worry. He looked back up as he spoke, "We shall see what she needs and react appropriately."

He glances to Duncan, "Prepare to triple the guards for her visit."

"Then prepare a gift for her arrival." He intertwines his finger in worry as both Mindy and Allan nod, "We cannot be too prepared for her arrival."

Duncan spoke, "I'll prepare a report on what I know about her."

Lucius nods to his words as they silently returned to their meal.

All the while, they continue to think about the shocking news.