A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor
Chapter 1398 - 1398: Childish - Part 4

"Greeves, before you rebuke my Lord any further, may I ask you to imagine the circumstances should we collect as big a crowd as my Lord and I envisage?" Verdant said, cutting Greeves off before he could begin a tirade.

"…Aye, the results would be fine," Greeves said, but he didn't seem that happy in admitting it. "Their restrictions on trade and all that wouldn't matter. We'd have our own stalls… and people would pay fees for entering the tournaments. It'd sort us out… But what's the good on thinking on it? It's like saying 'if I had a million gold coins, I'd control the world'. Good luck getting there."

"You hear what I'm saying, Ser Patrick? Hopes and dreams ain't playing into a situation like this. We're at war. Get rid of ideas like that, and get ready to confront these fools with the basics of blood and threats," Greeves said.

"Is it so impossible, Greeves?" Oliver said. "You suppose so, why? Because of the time limit?"

"The time limit, aye, and you ain't got that much pull. The location is Solgrim, is it? And why are people going to travel half the country just to get here for some pissin' tournament? What would you even offer them?" Greeves asked.

"Why, coin of course," Oliver said. "Perhaps those of a more curious nature could get the opportunity to read the First King's books, if they so wished. Blackwell expressed an interest in doing so. I'm sure he would prefer to pay his way into using them."

"Coin?" Greeves howled. "Coin? Do you know why we're in this mess in the first place!? We don't have enough coin! That's the pissin' issue. And you want to solve our problems with a coin that doesn't exist?"

"Now, now, Greeves," Oliver said. "This is a different sort of coin. We were talking about the continuous stream of coin generated by our taxes dying out. This is simply a pile of money. A pile of money can be found anywhere. But the real reason people will wish fight is for renown. Amongst the nobility, anyway. Coin will not sway them."

"But these books would," Skullic said. He'd stopped his reading now, and seemed entirely invested in their conversation.

"What? Do even you think that this will work, General Skullic?" Greeves said. He always took care to be as polite as he possibly could with Skullic, sensing the inherent danger that the man presented, but even then, the merchant came off as more brusque than he ought to have, from the extent of his exasperation.

"I do not think there will be any particular problem," Skullic said. "If you wish to engage in the hassle of organizing a tournament, people will come. You are a curiosity, Ser Patrick, after all. Though you might not have seen your name celebrated for your achievement, the people are curious about the young man that slew a General, fresh out of the Academy. And they're curious about the Patrick House as well. No doubt, just for the sake of curiosity, you will find yourself with visitors."

"There you go, Greeves, we have one supporter. I assume you will be lending your weight in organizing this?" Oliver said, grinning as cheekily as he could manage.

Skullic's eyebrow twitched at the blatant shamelessness. "You needn't have put it like that slimy merchant next to you would have. My men will wish to be involved regardless. Before we step into Yarmdon territory, they could do with the opportunity to warm up their swords."

"Then I will ask you for a fee, General," Oliver pressed. "For Generals wishing to enter their soldiers into the Serving Class competitions – name, and conditions to be yet decided… I'd prefer to have an event where the nobles and peasantry can cross blades if their skill matches – they will need to pay an appropriate price, for the grand reward, and all of that. It only makes sense, doesn't it? As you said, it is a matter of convenience for you."

"…Very well," Skullic said, conceding, quite clearly, easier than Greeves thought he would.

"Yer agreeing to a sum that you don't even know, General?" Greeves said.

"I am well aware that the specifics will not be decided in an instant, given that I was here when this little idea was given conception," Skullic said, returning to his reading. "I believe my input now to have been sufficient, no? You have my word of my involvement. I imagine, at least, that will make your job easier."

"He could rob you blind with that word of yours, though, General," Greeves said, clearly not understanding.

"But he won't," Skullic said, quite confidently. "He doesn't see the need to. I suppose, as a merchant, you would call this a reputation built on trust. By the sounds of it, that is not something you're altogether familiar with."

"A different manner of attack," Oliver told Greeves, smiling. "For the high nobility, like Skullic, the weight of a coin payment is a matter of considerably less importance than it is for us. For them, it's novelty that's harder to come by, and that they're willing to pay more for. Like this tournament. It offers them convenience for their men, so they'd be willing to pay. At least, the Generals, I should think, will be – those that did not take part in the campaign would be the most likely candidate. For the rest of the nobility, their interest will be slightly less."

"You had no idea of that before you suggested the tournament," Greeves said accusingly.

Oliver shrugged. "Well, it wasn't a suggestion, initially, so much as a joke. It just so happens that the more we dive into it, the more perfect an idea it will be. We already have the backing of one General, and I do not think Lord Blackwell will refuse me, should I arrange a meeting with him, but we will invite as many Generals as we can. Lord Karstly, I am sure, will appreciate the amusement of me hosting something like this. General Rainheart, perhaps, would have enough curiosity. I'm not so sure about the others that I campaigned with… Ah, General Tavar might. Hm. And if I wrote something to Hod, I wonder if he'd have suggestions for me."

"You're cashing in on all your connections now," Greeves noted. "Quite shamelessly at that. That's the real heart of this strategy."