Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World-Chapter 210: The Agents

Inside the headquarters of the Sun God Company, Henry sat at the head of a long table, fingers rhythmically drumming against the polished wood as he read through the reports laid before him. Seated around him were six individuals, the heads of the major merchant families who once controlled the kingdom’s trade independently. Now, they were "Agents," each responsible for one of the major trade sectors that Henry sought to develop through the Sun God Company, trades that their families had been getting the know how and developing over decades.

These six merchant families, once the dominant forces in Stahl’s commerce, had been forced under the crown’s control. Henry had made it clear: comply or face extermination. In the end, each family conceded, their businesses transformed into subsidiaries of the Sun God Company, with the crown owning 60% of their profits, while they retained 40%. This structure applied to all merchants across the kingdom; if anyone wished to trade, they had to do so through the Sun God Company, reporting their revenue monthly and surrendering a significant portion to the crown.

For the merchants, the arrangement had its benefits, the crown’s protection, access to resources, and a centralized network that promised stability. But Henry knew that trust was fragile, especially when so much wealth and power were at stake. The challenge lay in supervising these families, ensuring they stayed loyal and transparent, and preventing any attempt to divert profits away from his eyes.

Henry looked up from his reports, his gaze sharp as it swept over the faces of the six Agents. Each represented a specialized pillar of the Sun God Company, essential to the kingdom’s growth and responsible for overseeing distinct sectors: the Iron Agent, the Forest Agent, the Textile Agent, the Blacksmith Agent, and the Miscellaneous Agent.

"Is there any problem within the Iron Mines?" Henry’s cold gaze settled on the Iron Agent, an elderly man with a straight-backed posture that seemed to be like a mountain, though his fox-like green eyes betrayed his sharp, calculating nature.

"There was a blockage in Mine Number Two last month, and we have had to shut it down temporarily," the Iron Agent replied, his tone measured. "Three miners were lost in the incident. We have been working to reopen it, but we’re facing a shortage of pickaxes to give to the miners"- He shifted his gaze to the Blacksmith Agent, a muscular woman with burn-scarred skin, a mark of a life lived next to a furnace, a rarity among the northern people. She came from a long line of blacksmiths, whose tools and weapons were sold all across the kingdom.

"You sly bastard!" The Blacksmith Agent slammed her fist on the table, her voice rising in anger, momentarily disrupting the steady rhythm of Henry’s fingers drumming against the wood. "I have already explained this! We have been under immense pressure ever since the mines increased production, but we don’t have the manpower to keep up. Only fifty blacksmiths work under me, and that’s not enough!"

The Iron Agent remained calm, meeting her fury with a calm, almost reprimanding tone. "Enough with excuses! We have been short on pickaxes for a month. I’ve sent order after order, but you haven’t managed to fulfill a single one. We can’t mine without tools."

The Blacksmith Agent shot back instantly. "And I can’t make tools without enough hands! I’ve told you th—"

Henry’s finger struck the table with a decisive thud, making the table shudder slightly under the impact as all eyes turned to him. His gaze was fierce, forcing the woman to sit down immediately and all the other remained silent.

"Enough," he said, his tone low but powerful, nobody dared to raise their voices again, looking at him respectfully as the Blacksmith Agent lowered her head - "I have arranged for dwarven assistance to help meet the demand. Furthermore, I am instituting a new system: I will appoint a governor to each region of the kingdom, including the iron mines. These governors will oversee operations, provide support, and ensure that resources are allocated properly. They will bring and report all demands to me and assist you with the crown’s power. This is a gift for you all for helping me through all troublesome times."

At Henry’s announcement, the agents exchanged wary glances. The Iron Agent, in particular, seemed caught off guard, his expression betraying a flicker of concern before he quickly masked it. They all understood that this wasn’t simply about offering them more support from the crown. No, this was about tightening the chain around their necks. The king wanted complete control—not only over the kingdom’s resources but also over those managing them.

Henry’s gaze swept over each of the agents, his voice firm. "The governors will rotate every two years, gaining experience across all sectors of our economy. This will ensure you have the oversight and manpower needed to operate efficiently."

In truth, Henry knew that leaving a governor in place for too long would allow them to build alliances and wield influence. These merchants, if ever emboldened enough to disregard the crown, might attempt to sway the governors to their side, forming factions and destabilizing his rule. Henry intended to prevent that. The governors would be neutral, rotating often enough to keep them from becoming too familiar, or too loyal, to anyone but the throne. These were merchants and they had to obey the crown, they were only tools used to develop his lands.

As Henry finished speaking, he leaned back slightly, letting the weight of his words sink in. The six Agents remained silent, each processing the implications of this new development. The Iron Agent cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure, while the Blacksmith Agent sat with her arms crossed and mouth firmly shut. They all understood and despite being unhappy, they could do nothing about it.

After a moment, the Forest Agent, a golden haired man with long hair, the one responsible for the goods collected from the forest, spoke up cautiously - "My king, with respect… how will these governors be selected? Will they have experience in trade matters, or will they be… military appointments?"

Henry’s gaze was fixed on him, responding with a calm but firm tone - "They will be chosen from among those who have proven their loyalty and competence in various areas, both military and administrative. They will not be merchants, and they will hold no personal interests in your operations. Their only objective is to supervise the region and help you all with the demands."

In sum, Henry was telling them that they were all probably going to be picked out from the military.

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