The city is a different kind of quiet the next morning. I’m used to the air being still, as if the denizens moving through the ruin are scared to disturb lingering silence left behind by the tragedy. Today, as I move across the few rooftops that remain, I can feel a difference in the air. An energy that almost prickles across my skin.

  Down below, the people of the city, my people, are already working. Their efforts have gone beyond merely clearing debris; I can see tents and simple structures in the city as they try to reclaim their fallen homes, poles and rope marking out plots where they want to begin rebuilding. That’s going to cause some issues as their efforts run face first into my own plans regarding that but hopefully, they can apply that boundless spirit to my vision.

  It feels good, seeing them active. Moving beyond the tragedy. I doubt my well wishes will be welcome, or even taken seriously, but that doesn’t mean I can’t cheer them on at a distance. A part of me still despises them and their complacent attitude, the same attitude I blame for the miserable state of Harvest and my own many misfortunes. Yet, while I’ll never think much of them, I don’t want them to suffer. Beyond that, I want them to do better. It’s almost like feeding a stray; you don’t care enough to bring the mutt home but seeing it duck behind a building is enough to make you smile.

  Is it bad that I’m comparing my citizens as animals?

  Eh. I’ve known nobles that treat pets far better than they treat people. Better than they treat their own children. Saints, it’d make my life so much easier if the population I have to manage had such simple desires and unflinchingly loyalty as hounds. Ah, well. The saints know it could be worse. I could have been given Graywatch. I could have been given land to the south; that would have been as good as exiling me from civilization. Would it be easier starting from nothing? If literal lives weren’t hanging in the balance, would I care enough to do anything with the fetid swampland?

  A question for another day’s pondering.

  Today, there’s plenty of work to do. Starting with checking in on the succubi. After the meeting, the influential people of the city, my future workers, are itching to get their hands on the city’s new charter. I have no problem indulging them; the sooner they get up to speed, the sooner they can make themselves useful.

  As expected of my wonderful elementals, their progress is exceptional. Geneva sits behind the large desk of the study, three blank pages arranged in front of her. Her pink eyes flare with magic as a blot of ink rises into the air. It thins into a string before drops rapidly fall onto the paper, an artificial rain dropped with masterful precision. Identical, neat paragraphs fill the paper, the uniform letters a quality only seen in the most expensive books. The air shimmers with a wave of heat, instantly drying the ink; there isn’t the slightest sign of dripping as she raises a paper to inspect it. Humming with satisfaction, she places each page on a separate pile thick enough to rival some of the thicker records I’ve seen.

  “I see you’re making progress.”

  “Indeed, my summoner.” She smiles in that maddeningly charming way of hers, the one that makes it so easy to ignore what she really is. “These will be ready in two days, keeping in mind your desire for me not to expend too much mana in one sitting.”

  “It’s fine. I didn’t expect the first copies to be ready quickly.”

  She tilts her head. “You misunderstand. The first copies are already complete.”

  A lazy gesture directs my attention to the opposite corner of the room. There, laid out on a small rug I don’t recognize, is Bell. The imp is perusing over books half her diminutive size, their spines nearly as thick as her torso. They aren’t fancy, but their binding is neat and covered in shiny leather. My lips twitch up into a smile as I recognize my personal crest embossed on one of the covers. Ah, I can’t resist a bit of vanity.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Coo~” Bell hands me one of the books after I walk over. I trace a finger down its spine with subdued awe. This…it’s something special. My will made physical. A literal embodiment of my power, a different kind from my unrivaled form. A kind of power I never thought I’d have. I’d trade it in for a peaceful life in a heartbeat, but I can’t say I completely hate it either.

  “What does this cover?”

  “Everything. The city charter, the powers of governing councils, their duties, the requirements to be an official, and, of course, your vision.”

  “Vision?”

  “You are giving people limited power to enact laws in your name. Many will attempt to advance their own agendas while working within the letter of the law. Therefore, I included the spirit of the law, what you intend for your people. That way, even if a n inferior mind cannot untie the knot of a schemer’s logic, they can bludgeon them with your idealism.”

  I can’t help my soft scoff. “Since when is that ever enough?”

  “As you said, you’re not attempting to stop the villains. This is just one more thing to give them pause.”

  “I say they have plenty to give them pause.” I heft the book, testing its weight. It’s hard for me to judge with my ridiculous strength but I imagine it could serve as a passable blunt weapon; it certainly looks heavy enough to dent an iron helmet. I tuck the book under my arm. “I’ll take this one. As for the other two, one should go to Grayskin to share with the CFQ and the other should go to the Golden Feathers.” The hunters will make sure the information is spread through the common folk while all the influential people of the city are gathered in the hotel. “Send a note. Marcella can get the first peek but it is to be shared. She has leeway in making that efficient, but I better not hear word of her hiding it.”

  “And the next three?”

  “The Hall, the Temple, and…” I trail off. There should be one that any citizen can reference, those that can read at least, so they can’t say the powerful people are lying about the rules. There’s considerations for ignorance in the laws, but it’s not a shield for consequences. Yet, it doesn’t feel fair to punish people for that ignorance if there’s no chance to correct it.

  Hmm.

  “Might I make a suggestion?” Geneva offers after I spend several minutes wrestling with the problem.

  “What happened to allowing me to discover my own solutions?”

  “You’ve done fairly well in that field. This is a situation well outside of your experience and won’t benefit from your more…creative solutions.”

  She means my jokes masquerading as policy. Amused, I wave for her to continue.

  “I suggest an amendment to the plans for the city center. You can include a room with a copy of your charter for anyone to peruse, along with someone to interpret its contents. Perhaps one of those who score well but not well enough on the tests to join the council.”

  “…how do you come up with this stuff so quickly?”

  “You give me too much credit, my summoner. Most of my knowledge is a regurgitation of what I’ve seen; I’ve simply experienced many things.”

  “Are you trying to convince me you’re not clever? Please. You scheme far too much, far too well.”

  “Again, my prowess lies in experience.”

  “Alright, I’ll humor you. If you’re not pulling my arm, what separates you from a genius? Answer me seriously.” Because where I’m standing, she’s the pinnacle of intelligence.

  But instead of admitting she’s joking, her open and friendly expression collapses. Her pretty eyes dull with the stiff countenance of logic as she drops her pretense, fulfilling my order.

  “Inspiration, Lou. In the simplest terms, I am a vault. Of power. Of knowledge. When you’ve seen the same pattern a hundred thousand times, taking advantage of it can hardly be called prediction. But the truly terrifying intellects? They can define a patten after seeing it once, even with several steps missing. They’re the ones who make the impossible possible or whose minds can conjure that which has never been thought before. We succubi travel the worlds for those minds as much as we do sources of mana.”

  She blinks and the cute elemental returns, her eyes guileless and her smile enthralling. “But there’s no need to think about that~ One doesn’t need such a talent to be a good leader. You also have other talents.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “A wonderfully contradictory heart.”

  Oi. “Why do I feel like you’re insulting me?”

  “Not at all. It allows you to feel whatever you need to get what you want rather than being chained by pesky morals or responsibilities. A respectable advantage given the many times I’ve seen both bring a soaring legend low.”

  Sigh. “Thanks.” Let’s get out of here before I can’t pretend she’s not mocking me. “Good work.”

  “This much is expected.”