Chapter 27: “The Arbiter”

Dusty and weary from his journey, Howard stood at the forefront on the left after returning from the Hantmann West Dome.

"My Lord, I've recruited workers from the surrounding domes. Currently, all factories in the Hantmann West Dome have resumed operations."

"During the Night-Kai Shift, I will announce work standards at the Magnitogorsk Steelworks and deliver a speech to convey your will to all the workers."

"Very well," Nareth turned to Yelena. "Yelena, your turn."

"My king, the Hive City Garrison has completed its first recruitment. After Busak conducted initial training, order in the Upper Hive has been restored."

Busak noticed that the nobles who once scorned him were now casting him respectful glances.

He smiled and stood tall with pride.

The strategy agreed upon by Nareth and Yelena was not to have him appear right away. Instead, they would ease into it, let the major families see the benefits first. Only then would he step in, establishing rules and ensuring that cooperation could be efficiently enforced through contracts.

He and the cabinet ministers tacitly avoided mentioning this for now. After addressing questions about road reconstruction and other matters, Nareth made his announcement.

"I will launch an assault on the Hive City of Lukevo during the Night-Kai Shift."

The nobles and courtiers exchanged startled glances. They hadn't heard a whisper of this before. Many now recalled that Captain Roslov, who had supported the new king from the very beginning, was absent from this emergency court meeting.

Howard felt the weight of all eyes turning to him. Since becoming the "Arbiter," he knew Nareth possessed extraordinary power, and he was certain that Lukevo could not withstand this god of war.

He ignored the stares. Nareth's trust meant more than anything else. He yearned for the next blessing.

Then everyone turned their attention to Yelena, a countess and founder of the cabinet.

She felt another strand of hair go white. With resignation, she spoke.

"My King, are you not being a little too hasty?"

"Would it not be more appropriate to begin with Mazov?"

"Too slow."

Nareth rejected her suggestion. "If we have the strength, there's no need to go in circles."

Everyone could feel the confidence radiating from him, it wasn't a mere judgment, but a prophecy.

The court meeting ended. Ten minutes before the Night-Kai Shift, Nareth stepped out of the Hive Spire.

His gaze passed over Rosicky and landed on a truck surrounded by mech-servants.

"Your halberd has been delivered. The armor is expected to take another fourteen work cycles."

Nareth nodded and walked toward the truck. He reached out and pulled out a jet-black alloy halberd.

A mech-servant nearby heard a rush of wind overhead and looked up just in time to see Nareth's imposing back. The man had already turned and strode away, leaving behind just one word: "Not bad."

At the same time, Howard returned to the Hantmann West Dome. He took a silver cup from his guard captain and drank the purified water from the Upper Hive in one gulp.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. He capped the cup and, instead of returning it, gave an order.

"Send my dinner to the high platform at the factory."

"At once, my lord."

The guard captain immediately dispatched someone to carry out the order.

As Nareth boarded a specially made open-top war chariot, Howard ascended the platform.

Below, thousands of workers looked up at the noble on the platform, as if staring at some strange creature.

Howard wasn't wearing a gas mask. He inhaled the air reeking of blood and oil, wrinkling his nose.

It was merely a reflex, his enhanced body quickly overcame the discomfort.

He smiled. "Brothers, I bring good news—news that could change your fate."

A filthy worker in tattered clothes scratched his ear with a pinky.

"What good news could a noble bring? A pot of rat stew?"

"I heard that new king, Nareth, once let workers drink rat soup. One guy even found a tail in it."

"Just thinking about that taste is enough to make your mouth water!"

Dozens of workers around him swallowed hard. At the same time, workers at other factories, watching Howard's speech on broadcast screens, lit up with excitement.

"Silence, you-"

The guard captain's face turned pale with rage. He drew his laser pistol, ready to teach these Lower Hive scum a lesson, to show them what respect toward a count should look like.

But Howard raised a hand to stop him. A flicker of anger passed through his eyes, but he quickly composed himself and kept smiling.

"You've only ever eaten rat meat, so you think that's the finest delicacy in the world."

He picked up the aluminum meal box at his feet and opened the lid. Instantly, a rich aroma filled the air, and the workers craned their necks to get a look.

"What is that?"

"This is tuna, from the Symphony of the Sea, an oceanic world."

"Even in the Upper Hive, it's rare to taste. But now you have a chance."

Howard wasn't lying. The alliance of hive cities across Vostonia had failed to gain the upper hand against the xeno pirates. The disrupted supply chains were already affecting the Upper Hive.

While workers at other factories voiced skepticism and sarcasm, the ones at Magnitogorsk Steelworks fell silent.

They were gradually swayed by Howard's convincing tone and friendly demeanor. To them, this blond noble no longer seemed aloof and untouchable. They fell quiet and listened to the speech of "The Arbiter."

The guard captain was pleased by their change in attitude, but also puzzled. Then he heard his lord speak with added authority.

"On behalf of King Nareth, I hereby declare the implementation of a new rationing system."

"Every job will have a set quota. Those who meet the quota will receive a portion of corpse starch."

"Those who exceed it will be rewarded proportionally."

Workers in other factories spat at the ground and machines in disgust.

"Lies. Since when did we ever get paid by output?"

"Exactly. Ever since the followers of Omnissiah abandoned the Lower Hive, all we've had are thugs with clubs. When have we ever been full?"

"Even if it's true, the quota is probably impossible. Just another trick to make us work harder."

Inside the Magneto Steelworks, however, the workers stayed quiet. Howard seemed to radiate a powerful aura that made them instinctively want to obey.

He walked down from the platform and spoke as he descended.

"You think the standards are impossibly high, but I tell you, with just a little effort, they are entirely achievable."

The guard captain hurried after him, clutching his weapon nervously, eyes scanning the crowd.

But the blond noble in his artisan-crafted power armor remained calm. As the Arbiter, not only had he been granted enhanced charisma and commanding authority, but he also possessed formidable combat skills.

Even if the workers rioted, Howard was confident he could fight his way out.

But no one moved.

All eyes followed the noble's every step.