Chapter 34: Games, Drugs and Lives

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“Well, if we remove the symptoms of the problem, it isn’t going to really remove the problem, but rather the effects of it, which will restore itself in time. Instead we just remove the cause of the problem, it is that fucking simple. Why can’t you idiots get that through your head?!”

 

 

Student-Dropout Bill, Trying Not to Fail

Year 1006

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--POV: Laurence—

--Place: Chamberlayne Residence (Lounge Room) / Time:14:33—

*TAP*

The sound of a chess piece hits the board as I move it a step forward.

Theodore invited me for tea in the afternoon, for “small talk”.

I agreed and here I am, sitting and playing a game called chess.

A game I have never heard of before.

It is a game that capitalizes on strategy and logic, in which each soldier has a certain pattern they can move in.

It is intriguing to say the least.

“Enjoying it?” Theodore asks me with a mischievous grin and a raised eyebrow. Thinking back to the way he giggled on the balcony the first night here after the previous semester, I’m starting to really question his childish behaviour sometimes.

“It is quite interesting.” And quite simple, if I can memorize every single scenario and every single situation that can be staged on the board, and I can memorize the most optimum move for every corresponding scenario, I can always win.

Of course, this requires millions of millions of scenarios to be memorized in order to achieve perfect strategy, but it is possible.

“You are getting better and better with every move, dragons really have it easy.”

“Is that so?” This guy is vexed that he found someone better than him? Truly the tragedy of the century.

“So, the Magic Order isn’t backing down on it’s request to have Falone on trial.” He didn’t even try to smoothly enter this topic, he just brute-forced his way to it. We went from talking about a game, to talking about politics in one damn sentence.

“Yes, and Adion is still refusing. However, that isn’t what I’m concerned with, what I’m concerned with is how you did it.” This oldie is playing the fool, and on front of a dragon no less.

At least the guy has the balls to do this.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He denied it too quickly, he should have showed some visible confusion at my question to at least can gain some authenticity.

“Quit the bullshit.” I have to respond just as brazenly as him, to show him it’s no use. If he thinks he can play the fool on front of me like he can in front of his children, then his rotten brain probably forgot who is actually older here.

“I persuaded Lorenzo to keep charges on the head priest.” The schemer that quickly denies also happens to quickly give up.

“As expected, it was you.” I have a lot of suspicions on this old man, but just because he is old doesn’t mean he lost those skills of his. “So, my guess is you want to republish this ordeal and follow up the fact that Adion is sheltering Falone.”

“Yes, it is so easy to talk to a mind reader.” Let’s ignore the passive-aggressiveness this time.

“More importantly” I move my eyes away from the chess board, looking directly at Theodore, and he does the same. “The Avalon churches aren’t declaring themselves independent of the pope and the central religion, despite the public, legal and economic pressure placed on them.”

Theodore nods his head. “They truly believe the pope’s influence still exists. Or are not willing to rule out the possibility of the pope regaining control of the situation, however, they also don’t like the fact that a lot of people in the cities they are in, don’t like them. Thus, causing their decisiveness.”

“Mhm.”

“Stella, is producing some results with seducing and influencing some priests, allowing these church’s loyalty to the pope to wane and erode from the inside.”

But it isn’t enough, the majority currently have a negative opinion of the church but they aren’t willing to make a revolutionary to destroy it. Which is good, I don’t want to deal with an angry crowd.

“She really does have good uses.” Oh? I thought you were against her joining Chamberlayne? Suddenly changed your mind because she produced results? What a tyrant.

“We should use the Volkhiem Co. to request a case in the Supreme Court to have democratic elections for the leader of the reformed church.” Now is the right time, as this has enough public support and the Magic Order would be on our side.

The federalists are nothing more than annoying flies at this point.

“However, they probably caught on by now.”

He furrows his eyebrows. “They?”

“Adion and the Pope are definitely aware that The Avalon Times is deeply connected to the St’ louis church explosion by now. They understand that after we disclosed the fact that there is a demon on the loose. However, they had no way to deny it. Because, in their eyes, we could produce substantial evidence to prove there is a demon on the loose. Making it that the church not only made a mistake in allowing a demon to escape, but they also denied it, putting them in an even worse situation.”

They didn’t immediately deny it, they just stayed silent, because they knew whatever they did, they were going to take political damage. So ignoring The Avalon Times’ claims, is basically them trying to minimize the damage.

The pope isn’t an idiot and not as much of a religious zealot as his followers, and the aforementioned words prove that.

“When the split up of the Avalon church from the pope occurs, our relations with Adion as a whole will reach below zero. Making it an ideal situation for war.”

“Finally.” It hasn’t been that long, Mr. Impatient.

I choose to ignore him again. “Other than getting in contact with mercenary guilds, there is something else we must do, and that is taking the black market into our own hands.”

Theodore looks straight at me, with wide open eyes, didn’t expect that, now did you?

“The black market is used to sell products at illegal prices, and is a breeding ground for drug cartels to bring supplies of drugs from rural areas, and sell them off here to make a fortune.”

This also happens in the Chamberlayne territory, as given that it has very rich land, it is very urban due to the wide variety and great quantity of resources, also causing a lot of slums and dirty districts to form.

Theodore catches on why I am talking about the black market. “You want to execute the drug lords?” Well, nothing that big, per se.

“No, no. If we kill ants, more will come to take their place. We need to make it unbeneficial to make drugs here, so we makes taxes on drug ingredients.”

“Won’t they get their dough from other territories and possibly Adion?”

“It won’t be possible to do so from Adion with the new securities at the Avalon-Adion border. And as for them getting supplies from other territories. It won’t happen.”

“And why is that?” He leans back, before putting his hand on his mouth, only to realise there is nothing in his hand. This geezer here is addicted to Tobacco, yet is going to destroy drugs. The hypocrisy is real right now.

“Because if we release danger of drugs to the user’s health, some will stop. And if we criminalize smoking drugs, those that weren’t scared away by the health danger of drugs definitely will.”

“That’ll get a lot of negative feedback.” Theodore is sceptical on the idea, but let’s look at the benefits.

“While that is true, this stunt has too many advantages to give up. The black economy and the black market will both contract and shrink in size. So with a dwindling demand and record-high prices due to taxes on drug ingredients, the market may fail. This will also help us out in controlling the gold coins during war, because the black economy is invisible to us, and we can’t exactly see what is going on there, and we can’t tax it either.”

The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. “This will also lead to greater productivity, as the worker will work instead of getting addicted and high on drugs, as well as the money spent on drugs by the average consumer will instead be spent on other goods and services, giving a higher demand in other industries to make up for the lost economic activity.”

“So, we need not to destroy the drug lords, but just make it unsuitable for them to continue business is what you are saying?”

Yep, that’s it.

“If you kill a seller because you don’t like what they are selling. Another dude will come and sell in the guys place. However, if you make the seller unable to continue selling, they will pack up and leave on their own, with no one idiotic enough to not realize the failure of the previous seller.” That’s the most efficient way to get rid of them, which doesn’t involve even meeting them.

“Decent suggestion……since you are the creator of this great idea, I will leave it to you to carry out this amazing objective.” He could have just asked me to do it, but instead he had to praise me and try to imply that I’m the only one good enough to do such a noble task.

“You and your silver tongue again.” I don’t have to wonder where Clarissa got her acting skills from, as the proof is right on front of me.

*TAP*

Another sound of piece hitting board indicates that Theodore finally decided to continue the game.

“Your move.”