Chapter 324 - A Dumb Genius!

Speaking of progress, Aatë has brought in more help than one would take time to put in to word. Thanks to her, Gaster Kingdom has a proper stable. Of course, a big stable could have been built but it would be empty. Because Horses are both rare and expensive.

Before she arrived, Gaster Kingdom held a minor stable at the other side around the fishing area. Enough to hold the Horses brought here because of the Wheat Grain project. Even at that time, some horses were bought and the rest were borrowed by either Pameres Kingdom or Zar.

Now, it holds 13 Horses most of which belong to Aatë. She came here with hopes of aiding the newly formed Revolution, she was sick of ill.u.s.tratios even though she shares the same race.

She felt heart warmed due to all of the welcomes and hospitality she got here, it felt as if she had entered a different realm. Instantly after she arrived, with the proper tools bought from Pameres Kingdom they've expanded the stable.

Typically, Aatë wanted to just live in the stable and grant access to her Horses for free. In exchange of free food and lumber too when the cold season hits. The people she joined in this journey gave her a detailed description of what Gaster Kingdom carries.

So considering that fact, she just didn't want to rob them out of their budget. Plus it is a lot more peaceful there, so she kept convincing herself that gold isn't better than peace. And when Gaster Kingdom progresses, she planned to ask for some kind of reward for her contribute.

Originally, King Michael didn't want to let such a contribute slide by unrewarded and his personal assistant and business partner, Alama had almost the same thought. But she wanted to reward Aatë a bit more.

So she started the conversation with, "I think Aatë should be given a monthly pay for her contribution."

King Michael is all on board with this plan, but didn't exactly understand what she meant although he felt like he understood it. "I know, I want to offer to buy all her Horses and pay her 200 Gold Coins a month to run the place."

Letting out a stressful breath, she added as she waved her hands left to right rapidly in front of him. "No no no." Afterwards adding firmly, confident with her words. "That isn't a good idea."

"Why not? She would earn a decent pay! I'm not trying to rob her out of her Horses for a small price. That doesn't define what this Kingdom can offer." He felt a bit offended, thinking that Alama was calling him indirectly cheap.

Comfortable enough around him to use language that doesn't fit in with the one people would use on royalty, she said. "Slow down there Mister obvious."

Seeing that this light joke has made him smile either if he wanted too or not, she continued. "If we just buy her Horses and offer a small salary, she wouldn't really care enough to give the Stable professional hard work."

Seeing that the King isn't talking, patiently awaiting for the Business woman's point of view. She continued to speak, "But if you offer her this thing called, "Rental Pay". She would be a lot more enthusiastic towards this work and maybe even end up bringing us more Horses here, possibly by reproduction."

Although it was hard to say this in front of a lady, King Michael added under a low tone. "Um yes, I mean no one would willingly help Horses reproduce for such a low pay... Especially for Horses that aren't hers by parchment."

Unwillung to admit that he saw Horses reproduce when he was studying them, he added. "I hear it is a mess to do so."

"Exactly, I saw it with my own eyes." Although feeling a bit embarrassed, but on the other hand able to hide that embarrassment more than well. She continued to explain her point, "Anyway a rental pay, means that we will pay her a monthly tax to use her Horses whenever we please for any affair."

"So what you are saying is, we won't buy the Horses but they will be ours to use as we please?" Now the King is catching on, although such a topic is new and at the same time confusing.

"Yes. Most of Ignis struggles with Horses, yet at the same time they are too cheap. She wouldn't be happy at all if you just took her Horses away for 300-600 Gold Coins." There is a reason why she is the advisor here, a business point of view is always useful and King Michael feels proud to be corrected for once.

Now getting him to the point where she wanted for him to be, she finally added. "Plus, just getting a bundle of Horses here would cost a few thousand Gold Coins for travel and at least two months. They are just too rare and catching them in the wild isn't a skill we specialize on!"

"You have excellent points Alama but how much do you want me to pay her, be direct here." The King was finally willing to cooperate, and considering how many fair points she has spoken here, he would be willing to offer up to 800.

"Pay her 500 a month. I guarantee you that she will make this pay worth more than our time." The offer came indeed as a shock, but what reason would he have to disagree at this point? If only they both knew that Aatë was going to offer them freely thanks to all her compassion.

...

Salaries have faced a 20-40% change for all the employees under Gaster Kingdom's employment who earn under 150 Gold Coins each month. Now, the lowest salary in this domain is 90 Gold Coins but like everyone else they get free food and wood in the winter.

At first, King Michael offered the guaranteed 20 Gold Coin raise for anyone who earns under 150 Gold Coins. It is the fairest move and with all expenses covered for each individual, everyone is basically entering middle class in the joy of life.

Recently, he gave another 20 Gold Coin raise when they struck the deal with Bale Town. Considering that they are left here with 30 Guards only, giving this raise was painfully easier.

Now, the monthly expenses have increased from 10 thousand to 23 thousand! Almost one and a half time more, but yet again the Domain breaks out with a profit of 9,200 Gold Coins a month.

He needs to provide proper salaries here, because for once when everyone earns more than 200 Gold Coins a month, the only thing he would need to provide for free, is wood for the winter. With a salary of 200, and months of salaries saved previously, anyone can afford to buy food from the Castle. Especially if more than one salary goes in a house.

...

While the Continent is going through its worse for some and its best for others, Stefan has been keeping busy with other activities. But thankfully nothing demoralizing.

Dea, the kind girl he began to have a crush on... Well until now they have been in a couple of dates, by that I mean they met up alone and not with kind and lovely Misses Wood.

There really isn't really a good place to have a proper date here, well at least when you take this stereotypically. The Kingdom doesn't have a Tavern nor does it have an Inn. There aren't many options for people to get their hands on Ale.

He could take her to the Castle, King Michael wouldn't really mind it but quite the opposite he would give dating advice to the Genius although he is sick of his Romance Novels missing often, that specific shelf is never full now. But last thing Stefan would need at that time would be the King teasing them here and there.

So their best option for a light innocent date, became to scroll through the flat fields on the front side of the Kingdom walls. It is the only place not overwhelmed with the bursting agriculture, stables or fishermen.

The area is quite calm, and most importantly private. Luckily they didn't run in to any wild animals either, because admitably both wouldn't be able to fight back.

They had picnics, using fur to cover the ground and he even managed to sneak in some striped marlin meat with the help of... you guess it, Lia. She became the reason why men are stealing hearts here, although it seems odd to steal hearts with fish meat!

The topics they had in these picnics, were both light and heavy. Stefan made it a bit complicated because although a Genius and a known idea man, he had absolutely no clue how to properly ask this fine lady out.

His best description when asking her to join him on a picnic for the first time, was. "Will you join me on the thing that people do when they want to eat but also the reason isn't just to eat as well?"

A poorly formed sentence for a genius and an all around flop, but it worked. She realized where he was trying to go with this so jokingly she answered, "Sounds like fun, I'll join you to eat but also not to eat."

Cute language but at the same time they understood each other, at such a rate she didn't want to reject him and crush his spirit, noticing that he was in war with himself while asking.

But on that picnic, she figured that he is even more amazing than she figured, his points of view in life are amazing yet at the same time illogical in this Continent. He explained quite well that gold couldn't mean a thing to him and before he was indirectly robbed with taxes, he donated most of his earnings.

Heart warming, but at the same time very rare. Here everyone just looks out for their selves race regardless. Noticing what a soft heart he has, she decided to not miss out this opportunity although the best she could do for now is give a light hug.