The emissary continued, "Those who signed it had no right to make such decisions!"
"Mr. Envoy, I'm not interested in Blande's internal affairs. I don't care if it was signed by your senate, your king, or your baker. It was officially stamped. Anything beyond that is none of my business."
He continues, "Before Blande raises any objection, perhaps you should check your internal affairs first. Having an official seal fall into the hands of a non-governnt entity is a serious security breach."
The words hit like a slap. The envoy's face flushed red with anger.
Bain presses on, showing no rcy. He never intended to spare the envoy with a shred of dignity.
"It makes wonder… who's truly in control in Blande? Is it the governnt? Or just a group of rich n with enough coin to buy decisions like cheap trinkets?"
Bain stopped and stood directly in front of the envoy. "Blande is welco to file a formal complaint with Bideford, though I doubt you'll do it."
The envoy spun on his heel and prepared to leave.
Today, he experienced years' worth of humiliation in a single day.
"We'll see how long Ryntum can maintain that arrogance," he muttered.
It wasn't just empty words.
The envoy had no intention of sitting back and simply accepting this humiliation.
He will live with this setback first and advance later.
Bain, who heard the parting words, smirked. He crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the envoy disappear from his sight.
....
East of Velten, a group of surveyors stood in silence. Their gaze locked on the mountain range before them.
The sheer scale of it was overwhelming.
Craggy cliffs lood overhead, while dense forests clung stubbornly to the lower slopes.
No matter how you look at it, this place doesn't seem passable.
The trees at the mountain's base were thick, untouched by human hands. Who knew what kind of creatures lurked inside?
Alas, because their kingdom considered this place important, they had to find a way to make it happen.
If no path existed, then they would carve one.
"Enough standing around. Let's get started." said the lead surveyor.
The survey and mapping had begun in earnest.
Progress reports were compiled every few days and sent back to Velten. From there, trusted couriers carried the docunts across the sea to Bideford, where they were placed directly in the hands of the king.
Sitting in his study, Riz carefully read each report. He was satisfied with their work.
Everything was in the report, from topographical sketches to elevations to notes on potential routes.
It was a slow and gradual process but progressed smoothly.
A rare smile crossed his face as he set the latest report aside.
But he knew this was only the beginning. He needs to send more manpower to the north.
Skilled workers, engineers, and administrators are essential to integrate these newly acquired regions into parts of the kingdom.
There was a lot to do.
The roads needed to be flattened, widened, and paved.
The cities, which were way below his standard required a complete overhaul.
Land distribution had to be addressed.
The tax system needed restructuring as well.
Knock-
Knock-
Knock-
"Enter."
His secretary stepped in.
"What's the matter?"
"Your Majesty, there's another protest statent sent by Blande."
Riz exhaled heavily, "Again?"
This was becoming a routine at this point.
Ever since Ryntum took control of Velten and Vaale, the Blande governnt has tirelessly sent letters of protest.
Not the nobles or the elites of Blande. Just the so-called governnt officials desperately trying to turn the situation around.
"What does it say this ti?"
"Sa as usual." the secretary replied.
He waved dismissively. "Then, throw it in the garbage bin."
The secretary hesitated. "But Your Majesty—"
"It's pointless to acknowledge a powerless governnt. The matter is settled."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Just as she turned to leave, Riz suddenly called her. "Wait!"
"Yes?"
"What about other countries? Have we received anything from them?"
The secretary shook her head. "So far, we received none. The news likely hasn't reached them yet."
"I see… Then it's only a matter of ti before we do."
"I agree."
Ryntum's previous expansions had already stirred unease among its neighbours.
However, those were all the result of internal conflicts involving civil wars, noble disputes, and power struggles.
Because of this, foreign powers had little to say.
They watched with wary eyes but ultimately remained silent, as his actions never directly posed a huge threat.
But this ti was different.
What he had done now was a true conquest. An outright seizure of land, stripping it from another sovereign power and absorbing it into Ryntum.
There was no strong justification for this to happen.
It was a blatant act of expansion.
And the world would take notice.
"Forget it! I'll deal with them when the ti cos."
There's no point worrying about foreign responses before they even arrive.
With Ryntum possessing a portion of shore on both sides of the sea, half of his objective had already been achieved.
Their next step was to increase their influence on the most important trade routes.
Trade was the lifeblood of any nation. It becos more important when the so-called sea has too few exit points and is almost enclosed like a lake.
Riz shifted his attention back to the developnt of his kingdom.
So far so good. There's no major resistance he received from the people.
As usual, tons of money was poured into infrastructure.
Roads, bridges, canals, railways— everything had to be built in every corner of the kingdom.
He firmly believes that a robust transportation network, accessible utilities, and efficient governnt services will make the kingdom prosper.
Once these projects were completed, everything else would fall into place beautifully.
Moreover, often more than not, dissenters appear and grow their influence in remote, isolated places.
The House of Ryntum, which rose to power through rebellion, is certainly unwilling to witness the sa situation happen to them.
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