Causality Chronicles-The Last Tempest

Chapter 24: A Selfish Reason To Make The World A Better Place

Popping a cherry into her mouth, Atalanta savored the tarty flavor as several beast-kin lords crowded around her. Each of them itching to lay down their complaints about her recent appointment of a new lord. Snickering to herself, she decided to let them dig their own graves while snatching another cherry from her personal server.

"Madam Shrine Maiden, anointing a new lord would shake centuries of tradition."

"Not to mention it will upset the internal power balance between the already established lords."

"Reconsider venerable Shrine Maiden. This human may be reputable, but what of his future descendants? If they're as twisted as the Magnus Empire's Imperial Family, it would tear apart the fabric of our nation."

Her copper disposal jar rang loudly as she spat out a cherry pit. "Hold your tongues. Least I remove them myself." The three men flinched as Atalanta's tails curled with malice. "Have you forgotten. I can see and forge the future. Your concerns have been considered and evaluated extensively well before tonight. Do not mock the honor of Goldmere by letting your pettiness alienate our new ally."

Dropping today's newspaper in front of them she drove a stake through their arguments. "That human's inventions and practices will lead to an unprecedented age of prosperity for Goldmere. His printing press alone has already reworked how business and information is consumed. Nearly twenty percent of our domestic income now relies on and thrives off of that machine. And you want me to let such a prized mind slip from my fingers?"

The men went quiet. Each of them overcome by the intensity of Atalanta's unwavering conviction. Not an unreasonable response for them. Especially when most of their own private enterprises also made use of the printing press.

If Goldmere exported the machine to their branch companies in other nations, she could bend public opinion in her favor. Influencing the population of foreigners to take a positive stance with beast-kin and Goldmere. If the royalty of the other nations resisted, their own citizenry would condemn and rebel against them. Should her plan succeed, it would make Goldmere untouchable.

The effects of controlling public opinion had proven themselves well in Zem and in many other cities in Goldmere already.

Atalanta could even get around a mostly illiterate nation like the Magnus Empire. All she needed to do was threaten to pull advertisement from their merchant class, and they would fold to help keep their profit margins up. Atalanta grinned. In other words, she would have a knife to the jugular of most of the world's economies.

Thanks to Rei, she would be able to implement her plans for her long-held wish sooner than anticipated. Yet another cause for her to capture his loyalties tonight.

Turning a commanding tone to the lords she crushed any lingering descent. "You will show Rei your unwavering support. Besides, I have more reason to lord a human then you might think."

Memories of the past when beast-kin were used as playthings ran through her mind. Firming her resolve further she elaborated, "we are not the Magnus Empire or the Elven State of Afrius. We are Goldmere. I refuse to walk down the path of racial supremacy simply because we now find ourselves with the shoe on the other foot."

Waving a hand to the grand hall with its adornments of gold and silver she clarified. "It was a matter of course that beast-kin became the rulers of this government. Six centuries ago, the majority of the populous was beast-kin. That has changed. We now have countless other races calling this land home. And while we afford them rights, we do not offer them representation. It's time that we changed that to avoid devolving into the people we initially rebelled against. Why not let us start with the second most populous race in Goldmere, humanity."