The Witcher: Aethan of Cidaris

Chapter 5: 6 Months Fly By

(Author's Note:)

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This chapter is largely exposition since it's effectively a narration of what happens across six months. Kind of like an epilogue or interlude I suppose but I'm saving the Interludes for important stuff, and this is at most an expanded and glorified time-skip.

On a side note, I hope y'all enjoy and continue to read this and to those who support me that you continue to do so.

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(Castle Cidaris, Duchy of Cidaris, Kingdom of Cidaris, Northern Kingdoms, The Continent, Witcher-Verse)

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(Time-Skip: Six Months Later

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A lot can happen in six months, and no one knew this better than King Aethan Jaenerys of Cidari.

Looking out from his tower window overlooking the city, Aethan was pleased by how vibrant and colourful Cidaris looked. Granted it had always been quite well off, but through the forming of a Trade League with Cintran merchants and guilds as well as his own merchants and guilds, Aethan had managed to increase his profits by as much as forty-five percent, and at least twenty percent of that was just through taxes and tariffs and taxing the increased imports from the competition.

It was no secret the trade league got favourable taxes and tariffs

The building of a tavern, brothel, and cabaret in the crossroads had led to a lot of renovations in the city overall. Aethan and his trade league had built up multiple warehouses with an excess of goods, these goods stayed in storage for about two months, before they released them for sale. Flooding the market with high-quality goods for more than fair prices had led to an increased demand and since only merchants in the trade league had access to his goods and the permits to sell them, that netted all of them a tidy profit. All of that profit was subsequently invested into various things such as the business they had, as well as various other businesses and shops in Cidaris. Additionally, Aethan was proudly observing the improvements to the Harbor.

Wasn't up to his standards, but then he'd not be able to rest easy for nothing short of a Grand harbour with a Harbor Chain as an extra security measure in order to satisfy his defensive needs, and with the extra features of Military Piers for the Flagships and a Cothon for important dry dock repairs or quarantines.

Ideally he wanted to have a Lighthouse as well, but Bremervoord made more sense for the location, and the Duke agreed which is why construction of the Bremervoord Lighthouse had begun in earnest.

The Lighthouse was a grand project, and would take around ten to twenty five years for completion. In comparison to real life, the technology value of the Witcher was a lot higher. So with enough support and assistance that timeframe would be cut down significantly. How significantly the timeframe was cut down was anybody's guess, but Aethan was willing to bet at least ten years minimum.

On another note, the Duchy of Bremervoord wasn't the only one to receive an expensive project. Vartburg and Formyre both had received an important update to their geography. Formyre was one of the two Border Regions that Cidaris had with Temeria before Gors Velen was given to Aethan as part of the Dowry for Adda. Nevertheless, it was still a crucial region for the Kingdom. And Aethan planned to build a Great Fortress there. This Fortress would be connected to a Large Wall that spanned the Length of the Cidarian Kingdom. Following the Second War it would also encompass the Kingdoms of Kerack and Verden. It would cost a fortune, but if it was done in blocks it would be less expensive. The Fortress would be the main headquarters and training ground for the Cidarian Army, with the Walls of Cidaris encompassing the Kingdom and its neighbours. As for Vartburg, a Grand Mausoleum would be constructed. It would house the dead of the House Jaenerys from now on, they'd still give their Kings and royalty a Sea Funeral, but a portion of their ashes would be interred in the Mausoleum. This Mausoleum would be enchanted to allow their spirits to rise and give advice to future generations.