The depths of Arda hide many secrets. The titans were excavated just before the Great War, to serve as Arascus’ greatest weapons. It is because of their existence that we needed to call on Tartarian Archdemons in the first place. Yet the dwarves kept digging. Through the endless black depths, what monstrosities they faced, we simply do not know.

I have to praise their loyalty out of respect if not anything else. The Holds were a nuisance until Rhomaion fell. Yet once it did, the dwarves started their retreat from the surface. Their grand armies turned inwards. Holds were once again left exposed. They began their endless excavation. We gave them trouble were we could. Some Holds were captured, but it was a tiny minority. No one was prepared to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of lives from their Orders for what would be a mere scratch on the underground kingdoms.

For the mountain Holds were mere outposts, as fortified as they are, the dwarves considered them little more than encampments. They could not face the surface Divines, so they did not even bother. Inwards they crawled, to their sprawling cities. The sealing of the World-Core extinguished their fires and they were left stranded. I wonder if that moment spelled the end of the race as it was and gave birth to something new. Do they still eagerly seek monstrosities as they once did? Did the depths eventually consume them? Or are they still there?

I have my doubts on this theory, but the prevailing sentiment amongst the Pantheon is rather simple: The dwarves dug so deep that they forgot there was a world above.

– Excerpts from Allasaria’s Diary, hidden within the White Pantheon’s Closed Library.

Arascus took a deep breath. Kassandora was off giving a speech, Helenna was in room organising papers. Anassa was bringing Elassa here, as well as Iniri. Olephia wanted to paint the crumbling mountains left behind by world-breaking and there would be little for her to do in Nanbasa anyway. Neneria would stay with Olephia, he didn’t expect anything to happen, certainly not to either of them, but he didn’t want Neneria to shut herself in a room all day. Better to give her open air with Olephia instead.

So Arascus sat there, in a room of the National Assembly. It was small for a governmental building, but large for anything else. as firefighters worked to contain the flames on the higher levels. The fire had spread across the carpets, but there wasn’t enough wood in this building for it to do any damage. The fact Maisara had designed it meant it would still keep standing even if it was hit by Elassa’s magic. The smoke had cleared out through hidden chutes and large windows, and the men containing the fires were working on bringing gas masks out.

So Arascus put the fire out of his mind as he took up one of the governmental room. Zalewski had done a good job at recalling all of Kirinyaa’s politicians. They simply sat and waited as soldiers outside barked orders. Now that the flames of revolution were blazing, he was free use it to cook whatever he wanted. And, more importantly, there was no one who would be looking at what he threw to the flames. Kassandora’s soldiers were organising the proceedings as General Sokolowski and General Zalewski sat next to Arascus. They were only here to make it obvious to anyone who would be called into the room that if someone went against Arascus, they would go against Kassandora.

Someone knocked on the door. “Enter.” Arascus called out. It was one of the soldiers, the man invisible under his heavy vest, loaded with magazine, a facemask over his head, a single set of black goggles covering his eyes. His rifle was slung across his shoulder. He pushed a man in. Arascus already knew the fellow, Okure. Tall and stout, although not so much that he was fat. A soft fellow, with a hand for his position that was rather gentle. He had been a blessing when Arascus was working from the outside.

But Arascus was not on the outside anymore. So Okure could not stay on as Minister of Economics. “Minister Okure.” Arascus said. “You did well to assist us in the Reclamation War.” The man only cast a single glance at Sokolowski and Zalewski, his entire attention was focused on the Divine that dominated the room. Even with Okure standing and Arascus sitting, Okure still had to look up. “I would you to thank you for that.”

The man would be removed, and it would be impossible to leave without a certain note of bitterness, but there was no reason for Arascus to make a list of enemies immediately. “However the situation has changed.” It has, Arascus wanted to manage the economy himself. The markets simply would not do when he was here to build an army to assist in the conquest of Epa, his hand would be needed.

“I see.” Okure said timidly. “I…” He took a deep breath and calmed himself.

“You’re welcome to speak.” Arascus hurried him along. The man nodded and took a deep breath.

“Is Ruku dead?” Arascus replied quickly and flatly.

“He was reported to have perished in the fire.”

“Oh.”

“The military will lead Kirinyaa now.” Arascus said. “The economy will take a different turn, we are currently reading through the documents and…” Arascus dropped his tone and took a pause. “Well, the situation has changed now, but another invasion was being planned.” Okure’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped.

“Again?” Arascus merely nodded. The fact he was the one planning the invasion was irrelevant.

“I want to forcibly industrialize Kirinyaa. Set up new resource ventures in the west, refineries, industry away from the coasts, somewhere closer to Central Requisitions.” Arascus said. “And, I do not know how to say this, so I will say it straight. I will do it myself.”

Okure seemed to realise what was going on. He blinked for a moment then took a breath of relief. “So I’m out?”

“We’ll provide you with the minister’s pension of course.” Arascus said. “But yes, you are no longer Minister of Economics. Effective from this moment.” Arascus took a piece of paper he had prepared on the tables and stamped it. It was simply Okure’s dismissal form. The man read it and chuckled. He actually laughed! Arascus didn’t know what to say.

“Honestly…” Okure said. “Actually, never mind.”

“Do go on.” Arascus said it merely out of curiosity. He was expecting needing to have executions today. If this is how the minister of one of the highest positions in the nation took it, it would go even better than he expected.

“It was simply a hard job. Stressful.” He said. “I wasn’t going to accept another term.” Arascus smiled.

“Then I congratulate you on your retirement Okure. You were instrumental to Kirinyaa’s victory in the first invasion.” The man laughed, turned and left.

And the next one came in. Minister of Education. Minister Musyoka. Tall, thin, once a professor, the country was under enough pressure from the Jungle that it didn’t have the useless bureaucrats that plagued the ancient kingdoms pre-Great War or today’s Epa. This man had to replaced too. Not out of malice, Arascus had some respects for the man’s intelligence and honesty, he had been one of the few warn of Kassandora’s rise to power, yet he had done nothing about it. “I have a question.” Arascus said.

Musyoka looked around at the from behind his glasses. In a dark blue suit as was the custom in the National Assembly, he did look like the sort who knew how to give a lecture. “Ask away.”

“Why did you never sponsor any bill to limit Kassandora’s power?” Musyoka only smiled.

“I gave warnings. I said what would happen.” He extended an arm out to Damian Sokolowski in his dark suit. “And it did, Kirinyaa was taken over.”

“With your popularity, you could have rallied support.” Arascus said and the man shrugged.

“I could have, but could I have done better than Helenna or you?” The man said flatly. “I have some arrogance in me true, but I’m not going to let it blind me to the fact that you are Divine and I am mortal. Major Divines too, even if I had your skill in manipulation, you do not sleep. How do I compete?” Sokolowski and Zalewski both shifted in their seats when they heard the word manipulation. Arascus let it slide, he wasn’t going to be hooked by bait that obvious.

“What did you teach before you got this position?”

“Geology.” Arascus nodded, he had assumed it would be some subject like that. Where the principle was about analysis of information.

“I think you realise what will happen then.” Arascus said.

“I’m gone.” Musyoka said.

“Indeed you are.”

“And if I refuse?” Arascus turned to Sokolowski, the man pulled the pistol out of his belt and put it on the table. The Minister of Education looked at it dryly and without comment as Arascus turned back to Musyoka. There had been a plan first for Helenna to find their families, but Kassandora had crushed that plan. Why bother with so much wasted time? Just eliminate the problem at its source. “So I can’t refuse.” Musyoka said. “Anything else I should know?”

“You’re talented.” Arascus said. “And obviously you have what it takes, you can live off the pension, don’t go back into education.”

“Understood.” Musyoka said dryly. “I appreciate the pension, if that means anything.”

“It doesn’t.” Arascus said. “The pensions are there to make sure you grow fat and comfortable.” Musyoka smiled at that.

“I worked that out already.” He said.

“I know you did.” Arascus replied. That’s why he told him in the first place. It was simply better to leave the man with an honest impression. If Arascus simply dismissed him, then the man could get delusions of stupidity, but this fellow was that rare mix of intelligence and honesty that appreciated bad news, even when it was directed at them. But that sort of man was not who Arascus needed to run the education in country. Too much honesty brought about inaction, everything could be analysed from every angle at the end of the day. Someone more… direct was needed, who wouldn’t be afraid to spin an angle in the name of the greater good. Kassandora would find them, from her army.

“Well.” He said. “That’s it then. There a sector I can work in? That won’t be just micromanaged by you?”

“Look for private companies. Don’t bother with anything that ties into manufacturing or logistics.” Musyoka nodded as Arascus signed his early-retirement form. The man turned and left. Another one down. Another came in. Ministry of Policing. A low position, but Arascus had grand plans for it. Minister Kitili. Tall, imposing, although Arascus already knew it was for show. Kirinyaa had little issue with criminality in the first place. “Minister Kitili.” Arascus said as he leaned back. “I have sorry news for you.” The man said nothing as he looked at Sokolowski’s pistol on the table and back at Arascus. “Your department is being re-arranged.”

Kitili blinked with those dark eyes. “I see.”

“You will no be Minister of Policing. There will be no Department of Policing. The Kirinyaan Provincial Police Force will come in to replace you. You will be uniformed troops.” The man blinked in confusion and made a nervous giggle.

“I don’t follow.” He said.

“The KPPF will be part of the military. In direct hierarchy from Kassandora. You’re job is getting re-arranged.” Arascus said. “You will assist in the transition from DoP to KPPF, depending on how you will affect what will happen after.” The man was young, the DoP was used as a testing bed for new politics or a political reward. It was an easy position and it paid well. The KPPF would pay well too, but it would be anything but easy. The man blinked again, Arascus didn’t like his lack of confidence. Kassie wouldn’t either then, he would last a month, maybe two if luck favoured him.

“Is that all?” The man asked.

“That is all, I wanted to inform you personally.” Arascus sighed as the man left and the next one came in. Kirinyaa had plenty of ministers.

He would be here all night.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep