The Dragon's Flame Queen ✔

✔LIII - You Have Two Choices

Demian took his seat as every other eye was fixed on him, petrified after what he had ordered. Seraphina was still standing beside his chair with wide eyes and contemplating the situation as the atmosphere became thick with deafening silence.

"Th— What are you saying, Your Highness?" Lord Heartstone spoke with a praiseworthy courage even when his voice cracked.

"You have heard me, Lord Heartstone, or shall I assume that you have an auditory problem now?" Demian said as he gestured to a servant to pour him wine. The servant came and with shaky hands he poured the sparkling red wine in his golden cup and went away as soon as he came. 

"75 percent! You may have heard it wrong, Your Highness. It's no more than 10 percent." Lord Heartstone said as Demian raised a brow in amusement.

"You certainly have the courage to lie to the face of your Prince, Lord Heartstone. You do know it can get you severe punishment, don't you?" 

Lord Heartstone's face paled as the other noblemen around him froze. 

"Tell me, how did you improvise this city within two years with only ten percent of the tax?" Demian asked, "Alonzo, tell me how much it would take to make the whole city within two years?"

"It will take more than ten years with 10 percent tax if you don't add the other expenses of the needful things which is, providing goods from other cities." Alonzo informed and continued, "but if they had a good trading centre along with a large merchant's market. They may be able to do it within two years however, it is just an assumption." 

The only large trading market was Rockmond that was under Dragon city and Heartstone wasn't that sharp to think of its development for other sources of earnings. If it was his father then there was a chance but then if it was the late Heartstone, things would never have turned this dire.

"Hmm..." Demian nodded, "but as far as I had the information, your city doesn't do well in its trading market and nor does it have any large market to provide you that many coins."

Lord Heartstone's eyes drifted everywhere as he tried to find anything to say against these accusations. "But, isn't it good to improve the whole city system and if we decorate it to the fullest, it might attract the attention of outsiders. That way we can earn more."

"Indeed. But a city with only beggars doesn't attract customers." Demian hissed which made all the noblemen flinch away. Demian added, "You have ran out of goods, you have ran out of food even you don't have anything other than these decorated buildings," he scoffed, "even the buildings are looking hollow without its people."

Demian smiled as he mocked, "Are you supposedly trying to run a city without anyone in it?"

"No, Your Highness! I—" Lord Heartstone could not finish as Alonzo spoke, "May I, Your Highness?"

"Yes."

"Well, after every detailed report and measurements, I found you have to take a minimum of 75 percent of the tax from the commoners if you want to make such a city. However, I found you didn't even buy their crops and goods at the rate of 30 percent."

"That's ridiculous!" Lord Heartstone disapproved as his face grew red with his anger, "I had bought their goods giving them 50 percent of the profit!"

"Indeed?" 

"Yes! I can show you the proof!"

"Then it's settled, show me the proof." Demian said, his smirk turning into a wicked grin as if a devil had possessed him. The men under him exchanged their gazes as their women and children sniffed.

Lord Heartstone called his attendant, "Irwin!" 

The poor smashed-faced attendant came with stumbling feet as Heartstone screamed, "Irwin, get me all those papers and scrolls!"