Naram-Sin walked slowly down the hallway, lost in thought. His hand gently reached for his wrist, unconsciously rubbing it as he reminisced. His eyes clouded with the memory of the excruciating pain when his hand was amputated. He could still feel the phantom sensation of the blade against his skin, the memory lingering like a haunting echo.
Though his wrist was now healed, the physical scars had faded away, but the mental wounds were still fresh. The incident had left him mentally broken, and even though days had passed, the trauma lingered like a dark shadow in his mind.
Despite his desire to escape the kingdom after the ordeal, he hesitated when he witnessed the young and incompetent king make a druid kneel before him. It was an unprecedented act that caught the attention of his calculating merchant mind. Few knew the druids possessed the gift of divination, but Naram-Sin did.
As he drew nearer to the King's training chambers, the faint but unmistakable sounds of clashing swords and the echoes of battle reached his ears. The noise reverberated through the hallway, punctuated by the occasional grunt and battle cry. The intensity of the fight could be felt even from outside the chamber, sending shivers down the man's spine.
With practiced ease, the knights opened the massive wooden door, revealing the chamber's interior. The door swung silently despite its imposing size, a testament to the skill and strength of the guards.
As he entered the chamber, the sight before him was striking and unexpected. The king stood there, his regal robes discarded, revealing a sight that spoke of intense exertion and battle. Clad only in trousers, his upper body was exposed, displaying a budding well-defined muscles of a young warrior.
The room's torchlight danced upon his glistening skin, now covered in a mixture of sweat and dried blood, evidence of the rigorous training he had been engaged in. The king's chest heaved with each breath, a clear sign of the physical strain he had endured.
As Naram-Sin greeted the king with a respectful bow, he noticed the presence of two other figures in the chamber. The young priestess stood with an air of serenity, her presence supposed to be exuding a calming aura was unsettling him. Beside her, a maid held bundles of fresh towels, ready to assist the king in his recovery from the strenuous battle. There was also a bowl of water at her feet.
The king acknowledged the man's presence with a subtle nod, indicating that he was aware of his arrival. With a signal to the old steward he had been sparring with, the steward stepped back gracefully, unlike the king, showing no signs of exhaustion after the intense practice duel. His composure remained unwavering, leaving no doubt about a remarkable stamina.
Naram-Sin knelt down, offering his respects to the king, "I greet your majesty," he said with a tinge of nervousness in his voice.
"Rise," the king replied, using one of the towels to wipe the sweat and blood from his face.
As he stood back up, he couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension about the reason for his summons. However, he found some solace in the fact that there were no guards trailing behind him, unlike the last time he was brought before the king.
"I see your hands are intact, Chancellor" the king said.
"I thank your majesty for your mercy"
The king's gaze fell upon him, his expression empty as he considered the chancellor's words.
"Why do you think you are still alive, Chancellor?" the king asked, "Even though you forfeited your life few days ago"
Naram-Sin found himself lost for words. He had pondered that himself. Why did the king let him live? After all he had done, the king would have easily had him executed, yet he spared him. The fact that he didn't know why was the main reason why he wanted to escape the kingdom.
"Because the king wishes it" he replied cautiously.
"True, but why?" the king inquired further.
"I do not know, your majesty," Naram-Sin replied honestly.
"Because I think you will be of use to me," the king replied simply.
It sounded like a compliment to the ordinary, but not to Naram-Sin. He recognized it for what it was, especially since he had used similar tactics many times himself. The king's words held a deeper meaning, one that further intrigued and unsettled him.
The king gestured to the priestess who brought a small item of strange color. The priestess then handed it to Naram-Sin, who looked at it with curiosity. It felt smooth and solid in his hand, unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
"What do you think that is?" the king asked.
Naram-Sin examined the object closely, trying to make sense of it. The texture was unlike anything he had encountered before. The item felt smooth and solid in his hand, but its appearance was unlike anything he had ever seen. As he brought it closer to his nose, he was greeted by a captivating fragrance that filled the air around him. The concept of this item eluded him.
"My apologies, your majesty" he said "But even I do not know this strange item"
His voice tinged with genuine curiosity and confusion.
"Use it to wash your hand" the king motioned to the bowl at the feet of the maid.
Uncertain but willing to obey, Naram-Sin approached the bowl, dipped his hand in the water, and hesitantly rubbed the unfamiliar mold against his skin. As he did so, the item began to produce a surprisingly soft and foamy lather, leaving Naram-Sin astonished by the magical transformation. The room filled with a pleasant fragrance, adding to the increasing mystery of this peculiar discovery.
In that moment, Naram-Sin quickly recognized it as a soap, though it was almost silky to the touch, a stark contrast to the roughness of traditional soaps. The lather it produced was luxurious and abundant, far beyond what he had ever experienced.
"How much are soaps sold at markets?"
"uhm" he began, standing up, his gaze momentarily fixated on his hands as he continued to feel the enchanting effects of the soap. The freshness they felt kept him glancing down at them, marveling at the newfound cleanliness that lingered.
"It depends" he continued "Some can be gotten at 5 copper coins but I have seen one go as high as 22 bronze coins"
The king appears to give it a thought but it's obvious he already knows of the information.
"How much do you think this soap will go for in the market?"
"It's hard to say, your majesty" he said, still captivated by the sensation on his hands. "A luxury of this quality could sell well and high amongst the nobles."
The king nodded.
"And what would you say if I tell you the kingdom have over 200,000 of this ready for sale?"
He stared at the king in disbelief. If such a number exist then that would suggest it was made here in Drakoria. Suddenly everything began to come together. The large purchase of herbs, crystals and rumors of top and budding alchemists gone missing.
"...i want it to sold to the open market. For everyone who can afford it" the king continued. "An awareness for the new direction our kingdom will be taking. The kingdom is without money as I'm sure you are aware. As much as I want awareness, I am in desperate need of coin and I want this to make as much gold coins as possible, while reaching as many people in the continent as possible, do you understand?"
Naram-Sin nodded. He somehow felt the relief of someone who have discovered why he was spared. The king wanted him to use the skills that were used against him to be used for the kingdom.
"I will do my best, your majesty"
"No, you won't" the king said sternly. "You will impress me, Chancellor Naram-Sin. You will make me agree that I was right in keeping you alive."
Naram-Sin's throat tightened with a nervous lump, and he swallowed hard, trying to contain his apprehension.
"I will, your majesty" he bowed.
"Good. I believe I will be hearing from you in a couple of days."
Taking that as his cue, Naram-Sin bowed and left.
┌─────── ⇦♕⇨ ───────┐
I watched the chancellor leave the room, his steps hasty and stumbling, as if he was fleeing from a place he never wanted to be.
"Add ten knights disguised as guards to the squad accompanying the main group." I said to the Butler. "Also increase the number of spies across the continent. Their focus should be on alchemists. Anybody making any major attempts to the recreation of the soap should be eliminated. Quietly. Any death that will not lead to the confrontation from a kingdom must happen."
"Yes,your majesty" he bowed.
As he stood up, I noticed a faint glimmer of something running down the left nostril of the butler.
"What is that?" I asked.
The Butler, trying to maintain composure, quickly wiped it with the back of his hand and replied, "Don't mind it, my king."
A shiver of fear crept down my spine, sending a chill that froze my breath. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, and an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
I'm fucked.