The King's Gamma (Previously The King's Beta)

Seventy

The life of a princess proved annoying. The presence of maids around me all the time as well as the attention of apparently every eligible bachelor in the Demonic Kingdom of Mazgannak nearly had me driven insane. The worst part? The royal couple were enjoying this matter thoroughly. A month in and another turned away bachelor, I'd had enough. Intent on returning home, I stormed into the great hall where Heiji tried his best to stop me, as the King and Queen were discussing affairs with a visiting Official from a neighboring country. Neighboring country being one of the "monster folk" kind, as humans never mixed with any of the other races of the world, and only ever kept them from invading the human countries. 

There were many kinds of "monster folk", but do not ever call them that to their faces. They were classified only ever by their race. Elves, dwarves, beasts, orcs, etc. This particular official, seemed immediately irritated by my presence.

"How dare a lowly human interrupt us?" Roared the large man with rounded ears on top of his head. He likely realized what I was based on smell alone, as he had yet to turn his head to look at me. When he did, however, he seemed shocked by the fact that Heiji, my now appointed right hand man and guard, was already approaching him while drawing his weapon.

"Heiji." I said simply.

The demon guard immediately understood the command and begrudgingly put his weapon away, returning to my side almost immediately.

"Is there a reason you came here, Millicent?" The Queen asked. It was rare to see her agitated. But not so rare to see the agitation focused on whomever decided it would be a grand idea to be mean to myself, her 'Darling Daughter'.

The Bear beast seemed even more confused as to the happenings around him, almost cowering under the combined glares of the royal couple.

"I'm getting bored. I decided to return home."

"This is your home." They immediately responded, the atmosphere becoming heavy. "We told you to keep our dearest daughter entertained, Heiji."

"It's not his fault. You brought me here to make me your heir, but I've been treated like an ornament. If I actually had something to do, I'd actually have reason to stay. As it stands, however, I have more to do in my own kingdom with my own race."

"More to do?" The Queen asked. "We gave you a library, a tearoom, a study, everything a respectable young demoness would need."

"I am not a respectable demoness. I am Human. I was raised as an heir, raised to handle family and political affairs. This? This is boring and humiliating."

"How can we have our little girl handle the matters made for men?"

"Asks the queen ruling while her husband frolics like a dog on a leash."

Both Heiji and the Official audibly choked at the words, while the royals both smirked at the same time. I was growing used to how in sync the pair were. After all, they had been together for millennia. It would be strange if they did not know each other as well as they did.

"Very well, perhaps you can help us with this dilemma of ours." The King said, waving for me to sit opposite the official.

I sat down, hearing the official huff as he glared at me. "What is it?"

"We have been trying to draw up a suitable agreement with the Beast Empire for an alliance that suits us both. This is our last meeting. Neither our nation nor theirs are able to agree on any of the terms of the agreements for the last twenty years. If this meeting ends as fruitless as the previous ones, we are likely to enter a war."

"What are the terms?"

"The area that our nations border is lush with wildlife and perfect for development. We have agreed that this land would be the main trade hub between our nations, but the problem is this: some of our creatures that we enjoy as a dish, are considered against their laws and beliefs to hurt. We argued that the beasts are a great source of income that would likely help the trade hub gain funds as it is being built and expanded. They are completely against the idea and suggested that we develop the lands for slavery instead. It's quite lucrative, they tell us."

I frowned. They already knew well enough that I was set against any and all types of slavery, especially with how it was used to ruin the lives of so many in the human kingdoms. "Can I see the contracts and terms?"

Both quickly appeared before me, it becoming more and more obvious that they had likely anticipated my irritation at their treatment and planned on smearing this on me. This was a test to see if I was worth their adoration. I sighed at the realization. I might as well handle this as a war between them would implicate humans as well either way. I read through the terms quickly, obviously too quickly for them as all of them seemed dissatisfied when I placed the papers down and stood.

"Tired already, little human pest?"

I paid no mind to the bear beast, summoning sand into the room as I walked, eyeing the ground where it was seeping onto and threw a glass of water onto it, watching as the water weaved in-between the small piles of sand and debris as it took shape. It took less than twenty seconds for a full map to show the exact area they were referring to in minute detail. I stepped around it and eyed it from every angle before the map changed to reflect structures resembling a small town first, based on my understandings of the rough layouts they'd had drawn up for the agreements. Before their eyes troops from the neighboring country, a third that they seemed to have entirely forgotten bordered the area as well, stormed in in all of their sandy glory, destroying everything. I played out another attack, and another, and another, and another, and another.

The room remained quiet as they watched. From one side different attacks happened, from another natural disasters like a flood and mudslide, another side posed a threat of beast attacks and the last posed quite simply, nothing. Starvation, infighting and many other issues played through my mind and in quick succession displayed in the map soon after as well.

"You're saying the area is not the best option either way?" the queen asked, sounding intrigued as she leaned forward.

The map shifted, showing a larger area that was both Kingdoms, and I spent another few minutes staring at the area before it all disappeared. "You never considered a guild?"

"A guild?"

"Yes. Like the hunters from the humans. Instead, adventurers, mercenaries, healers, and so on. You said the intent is a trade hub between both Empires, a guild should double as that and an separate force that neither Empire controls entirely, as the guild members would be sell swords, basically. The villages in either Empire near them could hire them for small and large tasks. They can be tasked with keeping that border specifically safe from the outside and monster attacks. They will also have the manpower to stand against any possible disasters that could happen, with mages in their ranks to battle the floods, fires and so on. It would also be a haven for those who do not quite suit anywhere else. Those too brutal for the army, or too weak for battle. Give them ranks and assign them accordingly to small or large tasks with payment rewards. 

"It also does not have to end there, once the first hub and guild is built, they will naturally start spreading out and alleviate the work of armies and watches. Of course, you will have to assign a guild master and assistant to take care of this guild, run it correctly. If neither of you can agree on one sole person, you can send co-masters. One from each Kingdom. It also does not have to only be our nations. Once this is established, we can establish relations with the dwarves. Their smithing abilities are incomparable. The elves make great magical tools as well. The orcs are great warriors. We can unite more as we go. The guilds can be hired by both Empires as well when there is a lack in manpower for monster attacks or raids.

"Strategic locations would be these, especially near ore mines. Once the Dwarven Kingdom enters the alliance it would be easier for them to smith for these regions with the mines nearby. Elves will likely settle in these regions when allowed in, they prefer older woods as their ancestral spirits are more likely to inhabit these areas as well. These areas would be best for coastal guilds. They would be able to assist with marine distribution throughout the Kingdoms as well."

The map changed again, including more empires as I walked them through how each area can benefit from specific additions. 

"When did you plan all of this?" the bear asked aggressively.

"Now?"

"What?"

"What?" I repeated, staring at him.