1979 New Floors (Part 1)

"I know that giving people such a powerful tool is bound to backfire. Once the amulets network develops enough, it will take a life of its own and become impossible to fully control." Lith nodded.

"Yet I still think you should do it. Keeping your citizens boxed makes them easier to control, but it also limits the development of the Kingdom. Sooner or later that box will not be enough and you'll lose control anyway.

"You can choose whether to oppose the change until it tramples you and then waste years to contain the damage, or to channel the growth of your society and guide them to the best of your ability.

"After all, it will take a long time before someone other than Royal Forgemasters develops their own network. Until that moment, the amulets will be under your control.

"You can use that time to study the effects that giving free knowledge has on the Kingdom and be the spider of this web." Lith had a hard time not laughing as he conjured a fitting hologram over the city of Valeron.

"It will be up to you to decide which threads to cut and which to weave. As long as you have the monopoly of the network, with enough manpower and resources you can keep things from escalating until the law is ready to face further change.

"This matter is no different from what happened with the academy system. You can leave it as it is until it blows into your faces or you can be like Linjos and take the matter into your own hands. 

"Until this moment, due to the incompetence of your predecessors and the load of stuff to fix they have left you, you have focused solely on day-to-day crises. That's what a mediocre ruler does, dealing with the problems of today.

"A great ruler like Valeron, instead, prepares for those that he knows will arise in the next thirty or fifty years. He works for the future because the longer you wait, the bigger a problem will become."

"How do you know so much about the First Ruler?" The King asked.

"As a Divine Beast I had the opportunity to talk with people who knew him and since I want the Griffon Kingdom to be my home, I also want it to be ruled by a new Valeron instead of Thrud." Lith replied.

"By the way, communication amulets network sounds terrible. I'd go for something catchier, like Web of Knowledge or Web for short."

"We'll keep your suggestions in mind." Sylpha said and this time, when they turned around after shaking his hand, Lith didn't stop them.

"One last thing." Meron said. "Upon your return to the Kingdom, you should thank Marchioness Distar, Archon Ernas, and Baron Wyalon. They have rallied respectively the south, the center, and the north of the Kingdom for you."

"I will." Lith nodded. "About that, I am planning to hold a second marriage ceremony for my friends who couldn't attend the first. Many of them live in the Kingdom and I'd love for them to come here without the risk of being charged with treason."

"The borders will remain open." Queen Sylpha replied. "Until the Royal Court and the Mage Association are done deliberating your offer, you are still considered an enemy of the state, Archmage Verhen.

"Yet as a sign of goodwill, we'll grant your request. I wish you all the happiness that comes your way because once you return to the Kingdom, only the battlefield will wait for you."

Lith gave them a polite bow that the Royals returned and then plunged into the nearest seat.

"What do you think, Solus?" He asked.

"I think it went well." She replied from her ring.

"Me too." Lith inhaled sharply, pinching his nose to fight an incoming headache.

"Why are you so stressed then? I thought returning to the Kingdom was what you wanted." Solus said.

"It is, but after a blessed month during which I only worked how much I wanted, now I must go back working as much as it's needed." Lith replied. "Before I enter the War of the Griffons, I need to complete my Golems, craft a crapload of equipment, and understand what the heck the Mouth of Menadion does."

"I'm sorry. I wish you had a bit more time alone with Kami." Solus said, yet her tone and words didn't match.

The idea of spending a lot of time together again and exploring all the magical theories they had developed during the second half of the honeymoon, made her jump with joy.

Solus was jealous and just like Kamila, she wanted to set her own boundaries in their relationship. She even assumed her human form to be the first to congratulate him with a long hug.

"The silver lining is that the new floors of the tower, our friends, and Grandma should be enough to get our job done in time." She said, trying to sound casual.

Lith pretended to not notice her enthusiasm and nodded.

He was about to open the door and walk out of the room when the handle seemingly turned on its own.

"I'm proud of you, Featherling." Salaark patted his shoulders and then pinched his cheeks to congratulate him. "Don't worry about the Association, your theory is worthy of a Magus and if the Kingdom denies you the title, I won't."

A snap of her fingers produced a spark of light that turned into a drop of darkness.

"Wait, how did you do that?" The Guardian squinted her eyes in focus, managing to switch all elements at will before Lith had the time to answer.

"Granma! Didn't you say that you would stay out of the treaty?" He would have liked to get angry with her, but he simply couldn't.

Lith now considered Salaark a member of his family as much as she considered him one of her own. The Guardian had already done a lot for Solus and his family and before Lith left the Desert, he would still have to ask her for help countless times.

"And I did. I just wanted to make sure that the Royals didn't try to blackmail you or something. I swear that I had no hidden agenda." Salaark had already mastered how to switch the first three tiers of magic and was now trying with the fourth.

"Don't be a sourpuss. Stop pouting and go celebrate with your wife while you still have the time."

"I will." Lith and Solus nodded before walking through the door.

"I was not talking with you. Give them some privacy!" Salaark dragged Solus away, making her yelp like an angry puppy.

"Did you really include my reinstatement as a Constable among the terms?" Kamila was both happy and shocked at the news.

"Yes. As I told you the day you came here to propose to me, you have worked too hard and made too many sacrifices to build a life for yourself. I couldn't stand the idea of fixing only my problems." Lith replied.

"You have sacrificed over ten years of your sweat and blood for my sake and now it's my turn to put something I love at risk for you. Either we'll both get our old lives back or no one will.

"Whatever the future holds, we'll face it together."