Equipment Printing School Mage

Rudi's blatant and malicious provocation actually made Emilia laugh.

The recent clash between the Flaming Fist and the Conflict had probably already spread throughout the city. If a Grand Duke was completely unaware of such a major event occurring within his sphere of influence, his position would be effectively dead.

Then he reviewed the strategy they had decided on.

**********

"First of all, gentlemen, when doing things, you must have a purpose!" Sig rambled on. "We, the Flaming Fist, went to the Council of Four to attract attention. To put it bluntly, we'll support those who pay with our money, and those who don't, just to show our support. We'll then make jokes and draw cheers—but to be frank, the only ones who actually pay are the remaining Grand Dukes. The rest are either enemies or just there to show our support. The purpose of our support is to convince the paying Grand Dukes of the Flaming Fist's power and force Valakan to back down."

She spoke for a long time, seemingly without needing a breath, and continued, "What does a figure like the Flame Fist fear most? Being seen as weak and easily bullied! As long as you're tough enough and don't intend to directly harm the treasuries of other Grand Dukes, the Flame Fist's position will remain secure. Therefore, your words must be targeted, and you must be absolutely tough against competitors like Grand Duke Valakan. If Valakan were to bully you in public, the Flame Fist would be on the verge of extinction. You must maintain your usual unbridled aura!"

******************

Emiya took a deep breath and replied, "The reason for Carl Ola Ranyan's absence is simple. A few red-robed mages had entered the lounge without permission. Carl Ola Ranyan used his little finger to poke them to the ground, but unfortunately, he used too much force and injured his knuckle, so he went home to rest."

Such absurd words made the whole audience fall silent.

The other participants present were naturally well aware of the various events that Flame Fist had encountered before. They were all stunned at this moment, and then they all reacted together. Uncontrollable laughter immediately echoed in the conference hall.

This is of course nonsense, so absurd that no one would believe it - but if you want to refute it, you have to refute it with the truth.

But this conversation started precisely with Valakan's pretentious sarcasm.

Yar Valakn, who was originally very proud of himself, was even more stunned: "What are you talking about? Karl Ola is not because..."

He was halfway through his words when he immediately realized he'd nearly made a mistake and forcibly changed the subject: "What nonsense! You're mocking the Red Robe Mage so harshly, without even considering the risk of creating an enemy for the Flaming Fist... The Flaming Fist truly lacks vision in their selection."

"If the Red Mages were people who would return respect, then of course we would treat them with sincerity. Unfortunately, the Red Mages are notoriously ungrateful and greedy. Therefore, there is only one thing the Flaming Fist can do - if anyone plots against the Flaming Fist or the people of Baldur's Gate, or even if they have already done so, the Flaming Fist must respond with a more deadly blow."

Emiya said coldly, "This will show those with ambitions that the Flaming Fist has only shelved its fangs against the people of Baldur's Gate, but it remains as powerful as ever. Anyone who dares to harbor undue ambitions against the Flaming Fist will have their throat ripped out."

The scene fell silent again.

Then, someone started clapping vigorously. Amidst the resounding applause, the others in the room rose to their feet, and the applause became continuous, like thunder on a summer night.

Emiya was silent for a moment, then looked towards Sig with some doubt.

The bard lady responded with an extremely bright smile.

Why did the first round of applause seem to come from Sig's direction?

Amid the uproar, Grand Duke Valakan's gaze swept around the room several times. Finally, his lips trembled as he took off his hat and sat down heavily on his seat. His crimson velvet cloak was wrinkled into deep wrinkles.

At this moment, Grand Duke Silver Shield sighed and slammed his gavel. "Silence, silence. A wonderful exchange, but now, please, let us begin again. Representatives of the Flaming Fist, please begin the annual Flaming Fist financial report and the budget for next year."

Emiya adjusted her breathing.

Valakan's difficulties were just an expected episode.

Now that we have the people, the next question is how to get the money out of the Silver Shield Grand Duke.

Next comes the real finale.

Emiya glanced back at Karkoros, who shrugged. "My promise still stands—Karl Ola has set a budget of 500,000 gold coins. We won't blame you for anything less than that. But if you can secure a higher budget, then, as a personal thank you, I can impart my knowledge. I might even share the intelligence the Flaming Fist has accumulated over the years. I even have some spare magic items that have been gathering dust in the warehouse for years—"

Where did forty-four coins come from?

The report itself wasn't difficult. The Flaming Fist was a well-run mercenary organization, so well-run that they could even afford a full-time expedition of a thousand men to establish a fortress in Chult, thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands, of miles away.

The cost of this decision was staggering, and it was entirely the independent act of the Flaming Fist, and had nothing to do with Baldur's Gate.

************************************

"There's only one thing, incredibly important," Ola emphasized last night. "The Flaming Fist's expedition to Chult was the most important decision made by the previous Grand Marshal. The previous Grand Marshal, Slani, was unwilling to overturn this policy all at once, intending to only bring them back when the expedition suffered a serious setback... and you know the result. Slani's setback even preceded the Chult expedition."

"During the meeting of the four, absolutely, absolutely, we must not disclose the cost of the expedition. First, this is a truly internal decision of the Flaming Fist, and has nothing to do with Baldur's Gate. The Flaming Fist and Baldur's Gate are indeed closely related, but they are far from being completely integrated, just like the Church of Gond and Baldur's Gate. Furthermore..."

He swallowed.

"Not to mention the Four Dukes, even I, every time I see that expenditure figure, want to go to the Umberley Church and dig up the grave of my predecessor."

"As long as you mention this number, unless the Four Dukes are crazy, even if you have the eloquence to deceive the Lord of Hell, they will definitely not agree to add a cent to the Flame Fist."

**************************

"From the Harvest Festival of the year 1470 in the Valley Calendar to today, a total of three hundred and sixty days have passed. I hereby declare to the Council of Four..."

Having said that, he paused and glanced towards the position of Grand Duke Violet.

There, the office belonging to the Grand Duchess was empty.

Today was somewhat absurd—it was normal for one of the four members of the Council to be absent. The four Grand Dukes were often quite old, and there was always a gap between their retirement and the appointment of the new Grand Duke.

But now, half of the four-member council is missing, and the scene can't help but feel a little weird.

As if he knew what Emilia was hesitating about, Grand Duke Silver Shield sighed softly, "It doesn't matter. She always behaves this way at every four-member council meeting. At the beginning of each meeting, there's only a 50% chance that you'll see her sitting in the Grand Duke's Hall."

After all, the Grand Duke was the absolute ruler of Baldur's Gate, and there were no truly effective laws to constrain his actions. Even if Grand Duke Violet acted recklessly in this lifelong position, no one was qualified to accuse her.

Valakon sneered, "You should be thankful that the little trick you're about to pull off probably won't be hidden from the owner of the Witch Grocery Store."

Of the three existing Grand Dukes, Valakon is the undisputed enemy of the Flaming Fist and will resort to any means short of direct military attack to hinder it. Grand Duke Silver Shield has some ties to the Flaming Fist, but they can't be called allies.

Grand Duke Violet is the representative of mobility in Baldur's Gate. He is a businessman and great wizard who has become famous in recent years. He has no connection with the Flaming Fist.

Therefore, the main purpose of his trip should be to win the support of the two - if one of them is not present, that is also fine, at least he can try to gain the approval of the Grand Duke of Silver Shield in a one-on-one persuasion today.

But this matter may become unusually smooth due to some unwise strategies of Karkoros.

After a large amount of extremely long, boring and even meaningless data reports, Emilia finally talked about the fatal points that could not be concealed.

"In the past year, a total of 107 cases were reported within the Flame Fist's jurisdiction, of which 107 were filed. Of these, 32 cases involved the perpetrators not leaving the jurisdiction, and the Flame Fist has apprehended all of them—"

Perhaps feeling that his previous confrontation with Emiya had gone rather poorly, and unwilling to risk his dignity any further, Grand Duke Valakan had returned to his seat, sitting upright and pursing his lips—clearly, he had no intention of speaking again tonight.

However, Grand Duke Valakan was naturally not the only one in the Grand Duke's Hall.

Beside him, besides his guards, were two young men who looked quite similar to him. One was Jesus Valacon, the second son whom Emiya had already met. The other looked slightly older, more mature, and his clothes were more luxurious.

Jesus is the second son of Grand Duke Valakin, so he seems to be the eldest son.

However, even so, it was still Jesus Valracken who stood in front of the magical artifact used to amplify his voice: "Does the Flaming Fist's so-called protection of Baldur's Gate mean that most of the time, they just watch the prisoners leave the city gates and then lock up those poor people who can't afford the bribe in cells as a reward? Our outer city has become the Flaming Fist's garbage dump."

This is the first time in many years that Flame Fist has made all its office data public on this occasion. At other times, Flame Fist, which is on an equal footing with other great equities, is not obliged to submit its annual statistics.

Therefore, even the Grand Duke of Silver Shield leaned forward slightly, revealing an interested expression: "What's the name of this Flame Fist representative?"

"Just call me Lunya."

"Alright, Mr. Lunya." Grand Duke Silver Shield coughed lightly. "Now, I demand an explanation from you. I believe the probability of allowing the prisoner to leave your jurisdiction is far too high."

"I don't think this is a problem," Emiya said calmly. "First of all, Baldur's Gate pursues a free and open policy and relies on commerce for its survival. In this situation, any high-pressure policy that can help the Flaming Fist lock on its target is very unwelcome—"

He paused, then continued, "Take the past few days as an example. Flame Fist attempted a blockade, but immediately encountered immense resistance. It didn't last long before they had to fully reopen the city. With such a lack of control over the city, the success rate is inevitably significantly impacted."

"This"

"That's not a reason," Grand Duke Silver Shield shook his head. "To achieve astonishing results despite all the restrictions and difficulties is the expectation that all Baldur's Gate people have for the Flaming Fist. Traditionally, the Flaming Fist is employed by the entire Baldur's Gate, and Baldur's Gate cannot interfere with the Flaming Fist's operations. But regardless, such relaxed employment conditions stem from the people's confidence in the Flaming Fist.

"A hundred years ago, the Flame Fist was an invincible and formidable group on the continent. Such unconstrained employment terms clearly stem from the public's trust in the Flame Fist's abilities and credibility. I must warn you that if such data were released, it would severely damage the Flame Fist's image."

Emiya's expression remained unchanged as she replied, "Then I believe your concerns are somewhat exaggerated. From the perspective of the Flaming Fist, these prisoners have fallen into the hands of our long-standing partners. They simply weren't apprehended by the Flaming Fist."

Silver Shield was stunned for a moment. "Partners? I didn't even know about this—did they come here?"

Emiya answered seriously, "Yes. But we are just partners after all. They have no obligation to disclose their data... and perhaps no desire to do so."

Jesus Valracken shook his head. "Mr. Lunya, you're quite humorous. The Flaming Fist is already a mercenary for Baldur's Gate, and you're using Baldur's Gate's money to hire others? Why don't we just hire them and kick the incompetent Flaming Fist aside?"

At this point, he clapped his hands. "Although, in my opinion, any group that could establish a long-term cooperative relationship with the incompetent Flame Fist would probably be equally incompetent."

The Grand Duke of Silver Shield sighed deeply and clapped his hands: "--Mr. Valakan, please don't interrupt me anymore."

Only then did the ever-provocative Valakan family offer a sincere apology: "We are extremely sorry."

At this time, Grand Duke Silver Shield asked seriously, "Then, is your partner willing to come on stage and give evidence as well?"

"Then I have to repeat myself..." Emilia frowned slightly, "He may refuse to cooperate."

"After all, this partner might not even exist." Jesus Valracken shook his head. "After all, we've never heard of such a low-level lie... so clumsy that it's not worth refuting."

Emiya glanced at the Valakon family. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he faced the Silver Shield family but extended his hand in the direction of Valakon. "Then, please introduce to me the Flaming Fist's long-term partner: the Valakon family."

Suddenly, the whole place was silent, as if the only sound left was the sound of jaws dropping to the ground.

"—Are you crazy?!" Jesus Valracken was stunned for several seconds before taking a step forward. He tightly gripped the horn-like speaker in front of him and roared again, "When did we become partners with the Flame Fist?"

"Strictly speaking, it is not."

Valraken's unexpected roar was deafening, but Emiya remained completely unmoved. "However, please note that I am presenting the Flaming Fist's annual report. For the past 360 days, former Marshal Slani, the former Grand Duke, and your father, Grand Duke Yair Valraken, have served on the Council of Four. May I ask, are the four Grand Dukes cooperating to protect Baldur's Gate and its people?"

“You—!” Jesus’ eyes widened, his outstretched fingers trembling constantly, “Of course not…”

"of course."

This time, it was the Grand Duke of Silver Shield who interrupted him.

"If the four archdukes weren't in a cooperative relationship, Baldur's Gate would instantly become a meat grinder for multiple forces, with death being the only output."

Grand Duke Silver Shield slapped the table in front of him and said, "Mr. Valakon, please be careful with your words and actions."

Emilia looked at Jesus Valacken's face from afar - beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead, and Grand Duke Valacken also frowned.

"Then please allow me to continue to prove what I just said." Emilia did not intend to give Jesus a break and continued to ask:

"From what I understand, there's a huge flow of people between Baldur's Gate's inner and outer cities. Every day, merchants travel from the outer city to the Great Open Space, and laborers from the outer city come to the harbor to work. It's inevitable that some criminals will manage to sneak out of the city. Without strict screening, this is unavoidable. This is due to the limitations of the Flame Fist's capabilities, and it's also an objective fact."

"Indeed."

"However, our partners outside the city, the Valaken family, should have a strong control over the outer city..." At this point, Emiya asked seriously, "Excuse me, Lord Valaken, does your family have a complete control over the outer city, or does it just occupy the mountain and rule there, just happening to be the stronger of the many forces?"

Grand Duke Valakan pursed his lips and shook his head: "You are not qualified to question me."

Emiya wasn't angry, but she had no intention of backing down. "Then, I suppose the Valaken family should be responsible for security and criminal work in the outer city, doing their best to ensure the residents of the outer city live in safety—not allowing crime to run rampant in the outer city, and acting as a protective umbrella for those criminals who leave the inner city, right?"

[Pfft. Of course he did—he's just a gang leader.]

Just as Emya was bullying Grand Duke Valakan, Sig, a real out-of-towner, sneered disdainfully in the mind link.

It’s just that there are some things that you can do but cannot say, especially not in such a public place.

Grand Duke Valaken could no longer remain silent. He patted his second son on the shoulder and replied, "Of course, the Valaken family always stands with the people of the Outer City."

As to whether it is of course there is, or of course not...it's up to your imagination.

Emilia finally asked, "But, I suppose your relevant data should not be made public?"

This time, Grand Duke Valaken did not answer, but simply stood up, pushed away the guards, and strode out of the Grand Duke's Hall. The people around him were stunned for a moment, and immediately followed him in a hurry, disappearing together into the depths of the Grand Duke's Hall.

The red-haired wizard looked at the gradually disappearing figures of Valakan and his group, nodded, and said to the Grand Duke of Silver Shield with a serious face: "I told you, the partners of the Flaming Fist are not easy to get along with."

At this point, the most prestigious Grand Duke of Silver Shield could only shake his head: "Even if... you are right."

"puff……"

The Valaken family's reputation in the inner city was clearly not good... perhaps even in the outer city. At least, the church members present had already begun to cover their mouths and snicker—at most half because of Emiya's eloquence, but probably more because they just wanted to see Valaken embarrass himself.

"Okay, silence."

Grand Duke Silver Shield said: "No matter what you said before, there is still one problem that has not been solved."

"I believe the current efficiency of the Flame Fist is unsatisfactory. Responsibilities can be shared, but problems cannot." He knocked on the table and turned to the old mage behind Emiya, who had been smiling but remained silent. "Carcorros Burning Flame, this time, I want a direct answer from you. If I want the Flame Fist to further improve its efficiency and work capacity, do you have the willingness, ability, and plan to do so?"

It would be better to say that this was exactly what Karkoros wanted, and he finally got it.

He took a deep breath and answered loudly: "I have already made all the preparations - but..."

Emiya took over and continued, "Baldur's Gate has developed rapidly under the guidance of the Silver Shield family over the years, and its status in Faerun is no longer the same. Baldur's Gate's population has expanded several times, and countless people flow back and forth through the city gates. The current size of the Flaming Fist is no longer sufficient to meet Baldur's Gate's needs."

"...In fact, Flame Fist has already paid a heavy price for this."

"Sure enough, it's finally come to this." Grand Duke Silver Shield sighed and pressed his brow. "In principle, I agree with Flame Fist's budget increase... However, I need a copy of your proposal. I can't just hand you the money outright. Furthermore, such an allocation requires the majority approval of the four-member council. This means that at least the other two Grand Dukes must be present, and one of them must give the nod."

"Prepare to secure Grand Duke Violet's approval..." Grand Duke Silver Shield sighed. "Personally, even if I agree to a budget increase... I can't give it to you indefinitely. Baldur's Gate doesn't have that much revenue. Furthermore, I demand that you resolve all difficulties you encounter quickly. Even if you have to seek external assistance, you must extricate Baldur's Gate from these incidents before the Harvest Festival."

"This year, 700,000 gold coins, no more."

Behind Emiya, Sig's eyes suddenly flashed with golden light like the sun.

The budget indicator given by Karl Euler was only 500,000.

Of course, it is impossible to give all the extra budget to them, but it is not too much for them to take at least 10,000 gold coins!

After just a few days of changing jobs, she already earned an income equivalent to her total income from the past few years! Even though her income was already quite good before, it was still a huge difference from the life she was making by picking up money from the ground!

Grand Duke Silver Shield stood up and said, "Also, Mr. Lunya—your speech was very impressive."