Steel and Mana

Chapter 8 – Sasha

"I was born in the city… My parents were simple bakers, operating a shop, selling pans, nothing more… nothing less." Sasha explained, her gaze growing distant, reminiscing about those long-gone days. "My gift manifested itself when I was eight. They tried to hide it because they couldn't bear the thought of me being taken away from them. All mages are whisked away and transported to the Capital! Nobody knows what happens then, but they no longer appear… never again!"

"Well, they get a new identity from what I know." I murmured, "And be used as strategical resources in wars."

"My parents did not want that. But… it got out when I was 10. I don't know how; I never really knew how to cast a spell for real! But heavily armored soldiers and the church came for me."

"Never did anything weird that others could have seen?"

"No! Not… consciously, I think. I don't know, I was young!"

"Sorry, please, continue!"

"My parents tried to plead, but they killed them… without questions or warning! They said they wouldn't when they first arrived, but then… swords were drawn the moment they didn't pass me over at the first order! When I was transported out, there was a storm, and my hand managed to slip out from their grip, and I ran… I don't remember how I ended up in the forest, but… When I came to, I was already far away from everything. Lost... alone."

"I'm sorry to hear…"

"You just say that because…" She looked at me but stopped mid-sentence. I really meant it, and I think she could see it in my eyes. "Since then, "Sasha turned away, continuing, "I have been living here alone. It wasn't easy, but I managed, and somehow, people started turning up year after year. We came across the logging site and built up our own home."

"As I see it, you didn't really improve your living standards much..."

"At least we lived freely… Until now."

"Oi, I get that you are angry, but you will change your tune soon enough!" I laughed, and seeing her face, expecting something nasty, made me grin, "No, nothing like that! You are too bony for my taste!"

"Hey!"

"Oh? What? Want me to molest you?"

"Hmph! Swine!"

"Ahahaha! Good to see you have a temper; it will be useful when herding the people!"

"..." She suddenly realized I was someone who could sentence them all dead, lowering her head, biting her lip, "What you said…"

"Is the truth. I want underlings, and you are the best first candidate for it! I will provide you a better life in exchange for your loyalty!"

"So we become servants or get killed?"

"You can choose. Be free and miserable, or be under my rule and prosper. I won't make you stay forcefully! I am dragging you all away because I know you won't believe me otherwise! It is like rescuing strays; I need a rope, trap, or something to catch you and show you that it CAN be better! As to will you ever wag your tails to me… we will see!"

"I will never wag mine towards you!"

"Hehe… you are an interesting girl, Sasha. Look weak at first, but act strong afterwards. Huh! I think we will get along just fine!"

…
….
……

It took almost a day to travel back to the castle, where my Mother welcomed us after noticing the group of people heading up the road. Needless to say, it was a bit of a surprise, especially for the ragtag group we captured. They probably expected to be thrown into the dungeons or something, but instead, they were herded towards the barracks, given a small space where they could settle down for now. It was cramped, but even then, it was leagues above how they lived in the forest.

While Oleg oversaw them and kept an eye on Sasha, I went and sat down with my parents, who looked at me questioningly but patiently waiting for my explanation. What was there to say besides the truth? So, I laid out all my findings and ideas. I slowly and clearly told them what I wanted to achieve along with building my own city.

"Big dreams." Mother told me, the first to speak up, preventing Father from opening his mouth. "But-"

"Please! This is the recipe for lime mortar; this one is Roman cement, or if I want to be fancy, opus caementicium!" I interrupted her, knowing full well what she was getting on about. "It's easy to procure and can stand the test of time; I am sure of it! I can do this, Mom!" Heh, from where I am, 2,000 years have passed, and people still go around taking pictures of buildings built with them. "We are surrounded by mountains! Getting the resources should be child's play! I don't know what the Empire is playing on keeping such a thing secret and monopolized… but I don't really care. Get me enough manpower, and I will build a better city than anything this world has seen!"

"How…?" They asked, looking at the recipe, gobsmacked. It was something that was a treasure of the Empire. It was what built the capital city and made it an impenetrable fortress. Even when enemies attacked it centuries ago, their flaming arrows did nothing to it. If the history books were as honorable as I heard, weak fireballs were also repelled by its thick walls. But I could also guess there were other things to it, but… oh well! It is far away from here! "Son?"

“Ah… yes…” I flinched, forgetting to think up a reason for this all… but it seems inspiration comes to my help in times like this. "I found a witch."

"What?!" The two stood up at once as it seemed it was a piece of even bigger news than my recipes and plans. Those were only on paper, nothing but an amalgamation of an idea. Something yet to be proven. A witch was a tangible existence.

"Yeah, she has been living in the forest since childhood. Escaped from being conscripted!"

"Ah!" My parents looked at each other, quickly remembering the event. As lords, they knew every major thing that happened here, past and present. "We heard they killed her… when she was escaping!"

"Well, evidently not." I shrugged, pushing everything onto Sasha, "She is the source of the recipes!"

"Is she now?" My Mother questioned while I nodded even though I could see the doubts in her eyes… but she didn't pursue the matter any further.

"This is a big problem, son!"

"Why?" I turned to my Dad, "Nobody needs to know about it! Not to mention, I plan to do this… a bit further away from here! Nobody would notice it!"

"I see it otherwise, looking at your blueprints!" My Mom tapped on the table, looking at my Dad.

"This can easily turn into high treason!" He added.

"Only if they know about it!" I retorted, "Sorry, but I am not content with playing the guard dog! Father, I read the history books; your predecessor was wiped out in a nasty incident when beasts pushed through! Our family got to this position because someone got to replace the line that was gone! Not to mention… we are being taxed constantly when they instigate a war with a neighbor! Yet they do not even fund us with food? We need to produce and procure everything for our soldiers… and we defend a land that, in reality, is not even ours?! Hell no!"

"..."

"Heh, I will defend their backs, sure! But only because I will turn this region into my home! They don't need to know about it. We will pay the taxes as usual! If we can improve the region and cut back on spending so much on keeping our men equipped and fed, we will have more remaining in our treasury! Then, we can use that Capital to invest in the land, improve it, get more back, and repeat the cycle! It's simple!"

“Well… he is your son…” My Dad whispered, making my Mom shake her head, but I was too engrossed in my ideas to listen to them.

"I want to take Sasha, the witch, with me and help her make me understand many things while I also teach her about what she doesn't know! She looks capable and smart, and nobody needs to know she is capable of using magic!"

"How far have you planned things?" Mom asked, her voice extra serious.

"Not that far. My first and foremost goal is to start building the new city. Honestly speaking, the living standards around here are abysmal!"

"Heh!" Father snorted, watching me as if I said something equally funny and aggravating.

"Here!" I presented my notebook, "I wrote down everything! We will have roads, aqueducts, and sewers, just to mention a few things! I am not joking! If you let me… I will do my best to transform this region into something that will overshadow any city in the Empire!"

"Son, your ambitions are something that even I, your Father, applaud! But-"

"Huh…" My Mother interrupted, her brows raised high, looking at me, then back at the notebook… then back at me. "Dear, I think we managed to produce a very quirky offspring!"

"Huh?" Asked both of us at the same time.

"I would say, read this, but I don't think you will understand it."

"Hey!" My Father protested, looking hurt.

"Didn't you always complain to me that you hate that there is no chance to advance higher in the Empire? That your talents are being wasted here? Then what should I say, hmph!"

"Err… Dear…, it is… for us... When we are between the four walls of our bedroom…"

"Mom is right!" I agreed at once; it was my chance, "We can become so much more!"

"And I am starting to believe our son." She patted my notebook. "This is a big chance, and I think my family would also be on board! Not right away! But… later on… for sure!"

"And if we fail, our heads will be placed onto spikes! Are you certain?" He asked back, and I was totally ignored in the decision-making process.

"The risks are high… but…" She looked at me, "His ideas did… inspire me."

"Oh well!" Father clapped, surprising me with the ease of how quickly my Mother made him agree, "If you think it's worth a shot, then all is fine! I trust your brain more than mine! Bwahahaha!"

"This is why I love you~!" She snuggled up to him, kissing, and I think if they were alone, something else would have happened… but I was no longer a baby.

"Khm!" I cleared my throat. "So… what do you think?" I needed their verbal agreement spoken to me, not just between themselves.

"We want to know about everything before you make any moves!" They said in tandem, "Got it?"

"Of course!" I clapped, unable to wipe off the grin plastered straight onto my face. "For starters, I need the people I brought back to rest and get back to strength. I will take care of Sasha myself, and when she gets a bit stronger, I want to return to my original plan! Get to the mountains and find a perfect source for the building blocks for my new city!"