Primotheus Capital

Liam was deeply contemplating. He knew it was impossible to bring Agatha to Etherealis, let alone to Orient Palace. The last time they talked, she had made it clear she disliked—or was it hated?—Blue Bloods. Did that mean, Liam wondered, she didn't want to be a Queen either?

Liam sighed heavily. Since meeting her, it seemed he always sighed, as if he carried the burdens of all Quailsham. He didn't want to force Agatha into anything, especially not to accept him quickly just because the lives of their citizens were at risk.

Liam held a glimmer of hope that she might accept him as her Fate once she realized that rejecting him would bring devastating consequences to the entire Kingdom. When Aiden was poisoned, Agatha could have easily handed over his blood to the Witch for a quick cure. But knowing it would create trouble for the whole Fae Kingdoms, she chose to wait for their plans instead.

She was truly kindhearted. Once she understood the implications of her actions, she might force herself to accept him even if she was unwilling. And that was the last thing Liam wanted. He wanted her to accept him not out of obligation, but because she genuinely wanted to.

"How were they poisoned exactly?" Liam wondered, addressing the Ministers. "Did they get poisoned by mere contact or by drinking it?"

There was a pause. "By drinking, Your Highness," replied Minister Isaac, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm that Liam knew well.

Minister Isaac, the youngest of the current Ministers, was also the only one with the audacity to mock Liam. He had the authority because they were relatives. Isaac might not admit it, but he was their backup plan. He was also in the line of succession to be King, but like Liam, he had no interest in the position.

"What does the poison do exactly?" asked Liam, further probing. "And what's the cure?"

"After a few days of studying the contaminated water, the researchers identified it as Siren's Lament. It causes people to vomit until their stomachs are empty, and then they start vomiting blood. If not treated immediately, the victims will die within a week due to severe blood loss. After extensive searching and numerous trials, we discovered that Emberleaf Poison is the cure," explained Minister Wilhelm.

Liam made a subtle, meditative nod. "Wait. Emberleaf Poison? Did I hear that right? Poison as a cure for another poison? How did you find this out? Has it been proven effective?" His brows furrowed with concern.

Minister Quagmane nodded firmly. "Yes, it has already happened in the past, during your grandfather's reign," he said matter-of-factly. "Hundreds of lives were lost before they discovered the cure. To prevent it from happening again, they ensured there was always a sufficient supply of Emberleaf in the Kingdom."

"It happened before?" Liam was incredulous. "Tell me, if the contaminated water from the lake is put into another container, will it remain poisonous even if..." He paused for a moment. "Even if my Fate accepts the Bond?"

Minister Wilhelm shook his head slightly. "Once the water is out of the lake, your power won't change it anymore, King Liam."

Liam discreetly smiled at this revelation. "If that's the case, then we already have the solution to our economic problem."

The Ministers, with their confused expressions, met Liam's pleased one, waiting for him to elaborate.

"We need Galleons, am I right?" Liam asked, looking each Minister in the eye. One by one, they nodded slowly. "Then gather all our fishermen, even those currently out of work," Liam commanded, standing with an air of authority. "I need to make an important announcement."

The cold dark night was fast approaching when Liam reached the heart of the town, where nearly all the citizens of the Water Fae Kingdom had gathered. There were curious, intrigued, and anxious faces among them. Children, the elderly, ladies, and gentlemen alike stood upright in the Luminescent Circle.

Had he not known where he was, Liam might have thought he was still in Primotheus Capital. Many wore tattered clothing and had thinning bodies, reflecting the hardships they faced. 

It had only been a few weeks since their work was halted, but the impact on their lives was immediate and severe.

Instead of holding the gathering at the Orient Palace, they decided to meet in the town to spare the townsfolk the long journey to the palace.

Liam stood with the Ministers, as well as Lady Winslet, who had been scolding him for his failed decisions. Her relentless remarks frustrated him, but he had to endure her presence because she represented the Water Faes.

The crowd's murmurs were audible but abruptly ceased when Liam stepped up onto the high platform.

"We are gathered here today to discuss the challenges facing our dear Water Fae Kingdom…" Liam began in a respectful, formal tone.

"If only you weren't an incompetent King," Lady Winslet interjected from the side, looking away in frustration. "None of this would have happened."

The townsfolk lowered their gazes, clearly having heard Lady Winslet's harsh remark. Someone even flinched as if they had been slapped by her bluntness.

Liam had heard of Lady Winslet's ruthlessness before. She once had someone beaten to death just because they accidentally stepped on her foot while she was visiting the town. Liam knew people feared her, but he had never realized the extent of that fear.

But as he saw the fear in the eyes of the townsfolk whenever Lady Winslet spoke bitterly, Liam understood the depth of their anxiety.

"Because of you, the Lake of Musk is contaminated! The citizens have no more work! How is our Kingdom supposed to function when no more Galleons are circulating?" she shouted.

Liam had been irritated but was trying not to explode in anger, given the numerous problems that needed prioritizing. However, Lady Winslet was pushing his patience to its limit.

Liam turned coldly towards Lady Winslet, his serious eyes locking onto her pinkish ones, letting her feel the full force of his fury.

In a snap, Liam was surrounded by blazing fire. Realizing what was happening, he immediately calmed himself. He inhaled sharply, and the flames vanished in a second. No one was hurt, as unlike Ludwig, Liam could contain his fire. His body was the only thing aflame, not the surroundings. Nevertheless, it scared everyone, and Lady Winslet collapsed in absolute terror.

Liam scratched his head, glancing at Minister Isaac, who discreetly raised an eyebrow at him. He should have known this was bound to happen. He had let Lady Winslet's words get the better of him and lost control.

Now, Lady Winslet could immediately order his death for what he had done. She was being carried back to the Orient Palace. Although Liam was still the King and held the highest authority over the Water Fae Kingdom, there were limitations to his power. One of them was harming his own subjects.

Though Liam hadn't physically harmed Lady Winslet, his display of fire had been an unprovoked warning. She had tested his patience by focusing more on the scarcity of Galleons entering the Kingdom rather than the welfare of its citizens.

Liam gestured for someone to remove her from his sight. Once the unconscious lady was taken away, he finally faced the citizens, who were staring at him with wide eyes. He could see the fear in their eyes, but he ignored it. He needed to address them quickly so he could return to Agatha.

"I am aware that, like the spread of poison in the lake, poverty is also spreading across the Kingdom," Liam began. "But don't worry, there is a new project for our Kingdom that will help us all."

The citizens seemed to pay more attention now.

"They always say every problem is just an opportunity to create wealth, and that is what we must do. Just because we are facing a crisis doesn't mean we will stay facing it for a long time. We can turn this crisis into our advantage. We don't have other means of production since our precious lake is contaminated. But we can use that to our favor. We could sell the lake's water."

The crowd stared at Liam with a mix of confusion, admiration, envy, disgust, and delight. Even the Ministers seemed to disagree with what he had said.

Minister Wilhelm stood up, worried. "What do you mean, King Liam? Who would buy water contaminated with Siren's Lament?"

"Minister Isaac," Liam called out, noticing that the Minister was amused by the situation. This was typical of him, just as it had been during Ludwig's crises. "As the Minister of Trade, what are the most sought-after items in a Kingdom waging war?"

Although confused, Minister Isaac smirked and answered listlessly, "Everything related to war, obviously. The usual: swords, arrows, shields, armors, daggers..." He paused and then grinned. "Poison..." He was indeed brilliant. "Siren's Lament is a potent poison. Other Kingdoms will pay handsomely for such a resource in times of conflict."

The crowd and other Ministers began to murmur, the confusion starting to give way to understanding and a glimmer of hope.

"Minister Isaac is right," said Liam. "Poisons are in demand not just during battles but at all times, as they can be used discreetly. If we sell the water from the lake as poison, we would earn not just from the poison itself."

Liam scanned the crowd, gauging their reactions. "We would also profit by being the ones to treat the poison. We can tell our customers that only a Water Fae can cure it, and we would earn even more if they ask for our products and services."

Liam sighed. "If you are not comfortable going outside the Kingdom to treat others, we could also earn through its cure. We can sell Emberleaf Poison. All we need is a bottle to contain the water of the lake, and we need groups to help Minister Isaac."

Liam gestured to the Minister in front of the attentive townsfolk. "As the Minister of Trade," he resumed, "it is part of his responsibilities. We need to advertise our product and earn a place in the inter-kingdom market. In that way, we would not only solve the unemployment problem but also potentially increase the wealth of our Kingdom. War is always inevitable anyway, whether we like it or not…"

The crowd erupted in applause, admiration evident in their eyes. Even the Ministers, who had often made things difficult for Ludwig, were grinning at Liam's unconventional idea. Everyone except Minister Isaac seemed delighted. He was staring at Liam as if he had sentenced him to death.

Liam discussed more crucial matters, and by the time the gathering and private meetings concluded, it was late at night. Despite the long day, Liam felt lighter. They now had a short-term solution to their problem, and the citizens would not struggle for a while.

"Why should I manage your silly idea, King Liam?" Minister Isaac remarked as the meeting adjourned and the other Ministers bade farewell. "This is your idea, you must lead it."

Hiyasmin, standing nearby, laughed heartily. Liam hadn't even noticed her presence. "You're really cousins," she remarked. "You're both lazy."

In a formal setting, a Minister must uphold grace and elegance, but Isaac disregarded this. "You speak as if we're not cousins," said Isaac to Hiyasmin.

"Hiyasmin," called Liam to her. "Why are you here?"

Hiyasmin shrugged and pouted. She accompanied Liam and Minister Isaac as they entered the Orient Palace. "I heard about the problem in your Kingdom, brother, that's why I am here." She paused. "What can I do to help?"

Minister Isaac seemed delighted. "Great timing, Hiyasmin," he said joyfully. "Help me with Liam's very first project for this Kingdom…"

And that set the tone for the rest of the night. Hiyasmin and Isaac planned the logistics, marketing, and other aspects of selling the poison. Meanwhile, Liam didn't waste any time staying.

After hearing their ideas, he immediately departed. Hiyasmin and Isaac understood why he had to return to Primotheus Capital. They assured him they would manage the Kingdom's affairs while he was away on more important missions.

Liam's eyes were heavy from exhaustion. He hadn't had much rest due to constant thinking, though he had tried to lay down. Still, he desperately wanted to get back to Primotheus Capital. As much as he tried to deny it, he wanted to see Agatha as soon as possible.