The next morning, Pablo summoned Marco to the grand reception hall of the royal palace.
Marco ca with his usual heavy steps. He still wore his simple clothes; he had not yet grown accustod to luxury. He stood before Pablo, his eyes asking without opening his mouth.
"Marco, I want to give you sothing."
Marco raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"A palace. Not as large as this one, but beautiful. It overlooks a lovely garden. Your family will love it."
Marco was silent for a mont. He had not expected this.
"My family?"
"Yes. I will bring your parents and your little sister. They will live with you here in Sorbet. It is ti for rest."
Marco did not reply. His eyes were watering. He did not cry, but he almost did.
"Pablo..."
"Say nothing."
"I will say it. Thank you. For everything. For Naraka, for Sorbet, for the trust, for the family. Thank you."
Pablo placed his hand on Marco's shoulder. "You are my companion. This is the least I can do."
Marco smiled. A rare, sincere smile.
He left the hall thinking of his parents, of his little sister, of the first ti they would see a palace.
---
After Marco left, Pablo summoned Shigo.
Shigo entered with his quiet steps. His face was as stony as ever, but his eyes were sharp.
"Shigo, you have a palace."
He raised an eyebrow. "A palace?"
"A small palace. Quiet. Far from the city's noise. Suitable for a man like you."
Shigo said nothing. He just nodded. He knew Pablo did not give without reason. But he also knew he deserved it.
He left without speaking. But before he left, he stopped at the door.
"Thank you."
Then he disappeared.
---
Pablo sat alone in the hall after everyone had left.
He was calculating in his head.
Marco, Shigo, Kuma, Baldog. Four palaces. And he still had thirty palaces left, not knowing what to do with them. He left them empty for now. Perhaps he would use them later. Perhaps he would sell them. Perhaps he would give them to his loyal n.
But not now.
---
In Baldog's new palace, the old king was busy.
He sat at his desk, a pile of papers before him. He was signing new decrees. Decrees that would change people's lives.
First: Reducing taxes. The taxes that had burdened the poor were reduced slightly.
Second: Releasing the wrongfully imprisoned. Everyone who had been jailed on false charges or for political reasons during Bekori's era was freed.
Third: Raising the purchase price of herbs from the farrs. The farrs who had been exploited for years now received three tis what they used to take.
The royal orders went out to every corner of the kingdom. The people celebrated. Cried. Danced.
Baldog knew what he was doing. He had been king for decades. His decrees would help soften the atmosphere in the kingdom and make the revolutionaries feel that what they had done had yielded results.
But his decrees were also calculated. He raised the price of herbs but kept it below the threshold that would generate profits for the kingdom, so that the kingdom could support its army, its navy, and pay the Heavenly Tribute to the World Governnt.
---
Later that sa day, Darin stood before Pablo in the throne room. In his hand was a thick file.
"Sir, the land survey is complete."
Pablo opened the file. He read the numbers.
Hundreds of hectares. Fertile land, especially in the south, where the soil that grows rare herbs exists.
Pablo calculated in his head. Each hectare could produce herbs of a certain value. The arithtic was simple.
Between 500 and 600 million Beli annually.
He closed the file. He smiled.
"We will farm them ourselves. The family will manage everything."
"How will we farm? We have no farrs."
"We will hire farrs. We will pay them fair wages. They will be happy, and we will take the profits."
Darin understood. "I will begin arrangents."
Before Darin left, he stopped.
"Sir, there is sothing else."
"What?"
"The ships. When the nobles fled, they left their ships in the port. I counted them. Forty-three ships. So are warships, so are rchant vessels. Large and small. Most are in good condition, seaworthy."
Pablo's eyes widened. This was an opportunity he had not expected.
"Forty-three ships?"
"Yes."
Pablo stood up. He walked to the window. He looked at the port in the distance.
"We will use them. We will build a naval force. They will beco family ships that we will need in the future."
He turned to Darin.
"I have another task for you."
"I am listening."
"Choose from the young revolutionaries. Between three hundred and four hundred. The strongest, the smartest. Bring them into the family. We will need n. I have appointed all the n."
"Are there specific criteria?"
"Strength and intelligence. Nothing else."
Darin nodded. "I will begin imdiately."
He left the hall.
---
After everyone had left, Pablo went out into the palace courtyard alone.
The workers were still working everywhere. So were cleaning the marble floors, so were repairing the torn curtains, so were trimming the trees in the gardens. Sunlight flooded the place, and a cool breeze ca from the sea.
The place was transforming. From a defeated king's palace into the headquarters of a great family.
Pablo stood on a balcony overlooking the port. He looked at the vast sea, at the distant horizon where the sky t the water.
The wind was cold. The sky was clear.
He was thinking about everything. About the lands that would bring him hundreds of millions every year. About the ships that would build a naval force for his family. About the new n who would join him. About Naraka, which was the beginning, and Sorbet, which was the great leap.
But he knew this was not the end.
This was only the beginning of a new era.
He breathed deeply. He smiled.
Then he returned inside the palace. There was much to do.
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