The Morning Has Broken

It’s been long cloudy and windy, seems like the storm that has been quite a talk this week soon greets Mathe with a farewell. It was seven o'clock in the morning, but darker than the dawn. Elaine was trapped frozen on her chair chewing the boring meat-potato-meat stew in front of her when her father and brothers in this life hummed their morning song.

“This morning a raven from Leoth arrives. Seems like Leoth has been in their final talk about the price centralisation plan.”

Today it’s Casper's turn to lead the conversation. Almost every morning during breakfast time, Wilsons would start their day with a meaningful conversation. It’s all to guarantee that every Wilsons is familiar with how the world works. This resulted in Wilson throughout the generations always fluent in politics and managing to keep their powerful natural strength not only in Zeox but also all Iperios.

“Last night Edward said the same.” Said their mother indifferently,

It’s not even surprising that Wilson’s patriarch gets the news faster than the Ravens. The twins were just full of wonder about how and why. Especially the reason why Raven exists if, in the end, the patriarch had a better and faster source.

“We are yet sure if the plan would bring positive or negative impact to us.” His patriarch's tone might sound unconcerned, but every single one who sat at that dining table know, he had a plan.

“Their objective is clear! They want to monopolize the market to fund the war! We should get ready too!” Ehm… Well, maybe all except the sword maniac Matthew.

“Should we intercept with the plan?” Ask Casper calmly, taking advantage of Matthew's naivety.

Elaine was almost choked by their stupidity or maybe because She knew the consequences of such action and they don't? For the price of that knowledge was never been paid here.

As Elaine was immersed in a dilemma. Whether it was wise to stop this stupid disaster or if there was any way that their stupidity would bring her opportunity instead.

‘Let's see... If they centralize the price and control it with whatever confidence they convince their pride, the market will be in ultimate chaos. As much as I know, Leoth has no individual that’s perceptive enough to understand the flow of money. It would definitely trouble Leoth and directly affect Morigrad to some degree since we relied on them for our herbs and lifian stones. I could help stabilize Mathe with the greenhouse and lifian stones we got from Stygian, but it’s not enough for Morigrad.

We can easily build greenhouses in every region, but the power they consume was the problem. Such technology is possible here thanks to the wizards and lifian stones. But Iperios in general are too dependent on magic for their energy resources. It’ll need some time, but I think I can recreate electricity here. I was just unsure if it’s a good decision to bring such change here though. With electricity, there would be a huge change in the world and I am not ready for attention yet. Huh! Mafan lah!!

I don’t care if all of Leoth fall into their own stupidity. But it’s concerning since Morigrad would be affected by their action too.

Heh, a wise man would shut their mouth at this moment, she thought.’

“War won’t happen just because they want to!” ‘I guess, I am not that wise one!’ curse Elaine to herself.

“We have to stop them then?" Matthew asked excitedly

Poking her fingers to Peter that sat next to her, Elaine told him her thoughts. Peter himself was a pure genius. At some point, Elaine suspected that he too remember his old life. In an attempt to make her twin believe in her and share his secret, Elaine told her story to Peter. Alas! The boy clapped for her outstanding imagination instead. Soon enough she gave up on the idea and accept the fact that Peter was just a genius. So, she taught him a Morse code for this kind of occasion. The price centralisation is critical for Morigrad and still too early for Elaine to be trapped in unwanted attention when she does yet know what was it she wanted in this life.

Nodded, Peter understand and proceed with his mission, “We shall not stop price centralisation. Why would we stop an enemy that willingly walks into its own destruction? Leoth madness about the divine power had begun to mess with Iperios and all of us here know where is it all heading. Now or later, if we let them steadily grow their power like today, war is inevitable. Although we ought to admit that the price centralisation would affect Morigrad at some point. I have a few ideas, soon I’ll submit a proper proposal for it to you, father.” Said Peter,

“How could you be sure if the price centralization didn’t give them even more power? In the end, they will be the ones who control everything!” the patriarch finally crawled out of his observatory role.

“Human controls nothing but their own mind and action!” Elaine stated, she put her spoons down and continue, “Do you have their concrete plan for this ‘price centralisation’, Casper?”

“Not yet, they still on the debate about who’d be responsible for the matter?”

“And is there any great Merchant in or connected with Leoth?”

“Leoth had a not particularly good relationship with the merchants. If not because of Zeox as moderator, Stygian would monopolise everything and leave Leoth with nothing.”

“And how did Leoth manage its finance all this time?”

“Instead of a tax, the treasury mainly comes from donors and Royal treasury businesses such Lifian stones and the herbs that they exported.”

“The donor who given as medical fees from all over Iperios that was coming and seeking their so-called divine power of healing you mean?”

“Precisely!”

“It’s ok then! There is a bigger possibility that their plan for centralisation would be more like poison than tonic.”

“How so?”

“Sometimes I wonder if you are a Wilson. As long as there’s no economy genius jumped out of nowhere in Leoth. Their plan would be a doom.” Peter sighed cutting off the conversation.

“Children! Let’s talk again later in the afternoon! All of you come to the study at two.”

“I’ll skip father! Peter caught my point, let him be the one who explained it. I have important things to do with Mr Welch.” Elaine is obviously not in favour to involved herself more than necessary.

-

After the ordinarily fiery breakfast they had, Peter walked her sister to her greenhouse as always. The twin was close like no others. Outsiders might see it as it because they were born twins, but both of them knew there was more to their bond. Nevertheless, it was a fact that both of the twins were geniuses. Yet only Elaine knew the truth that the only genius in today’s Wilson was Peter while Elaine herself was simply a child with an adult mind. She was eighteen when she died on her first life and forty on her second life. Now in her third life, she neither wants to fight in others’ wars like James nor raised anyone else child like Fei. She wants to live for herself.

“Ehmm, controlling prices might sound good, but money is the hardest thing to control in human history. Power indeed needs money, but money needs no power. It will flow on its stream as long as the greed is preserved.” In Peter's eyes, no one is more knowledgeable than his twin. He saw Elaine as a teacher and mentor, a sister that shared her soul with him. She was just too soft for Peter. Whereas Peter was the one full of mystery for Elaine. It’s understandable for Elaine to act like a grown-up since that is what was inside her. But Peter that child, he was only seven!

“Money is linked like a spider web. It looked like a mess, but actually it has a pattern. They tried to put a chain in money and it’s an amazing idea if they know how. Make sure Raven supports arrogant noble with pride and insecurity. Better if the fool comes either from an old noble family or the recently rising one. Don’t eliminate every single candidate that has even slight knowledge of the flow of money. Leave some to keep the fire burning. I feel bad for the Leoth, but not much I can do nor do I want to do it. For now, let’s prepare for the incoming wave of refugees. Make sure father secures five years' worth of lifian stone stocks and let’s hope the best for the mine they just found in the western part of Morigrad. I’ll ask Ben to develop some local plants into staples with this we can hold the wind for at least five years. Let’s think about what's next a bit later.”

“Remember! Don’t debate Casper too much! We’re still weaker than him. Well, of course, there’s nothing exact in life. They maybe succeed to face up the challenge, but because it is a centralized government, we just need to cut its head. It best for Raven to put someone a bit higher there,” Elaine gladly took the opportunity for herself, but she knows she was not ready yet.

”I have been wanting to ask you about this for quite a time. But Ellie, why is it me?”

“What?”

“Why is it always me who takes your idea? Everyone already knows you have a brilliant mind. It’s no point by now. Why don’t you come up to the study and prove yourself?” a genius once was a child after all, Elaine sighed.

“Proof myself to whom? For what? I am not a genius but I know I am capable. I believe in myself and I don’t need anyone's acceptance. Most importantly, I love Wilson but I don't want it. Stuck here forever in my life is the worst nightmare. I am yet to know what I want in my life Peter, but we know what you want in yours. So just cover me for this ok??”

-

Mathe’s castle has its infamous tower library. Full of books from hundred years back to the most recent one. Wilson had a serious attitude towards their book collections. They even preserve many ancient records from ancestors of their own and other's. Scholars all around Iperios had to wait in an endless line to get permission to access the tower and even though they were lucky enough and get one their access was limited. Even Wilson themselves needs certain merit to access each level of the tower. Being born as a Wilson is indeed a privilege. Every newborn Wilsons automatically granted access to the third level of the tower. The fourth level of the study was only accessible to one that finished reading the book from all three levels and passed the test. The fifth level was for anyone with a role in the family. And the underground was only permitted for the heir of the family. Elaine and Peter were the youngest in all of Wilson's history to step their feet in the fourth level. But different from Elaine who limited herself to being directly involved with Wilson’s issues and deliberately avoided the study, Peter on other hand was very active and well-spoken. The only reason that forbid him from accessing the fifth level and officially holding a role was his age. A Wilson needs to be at least nine years old to be able to claim their right to succession.

“Which one is more crucial Casper? Preventing continental war or saving Leoth people from their own leader?” said Peter firm

“Both!” Fiery Casper stubbornly holds his opinion.

When Casper was born, his parents were thrilled with excitement. The patriarch put his high hopes in his son and personally educated him in every aspect. But the boy grew up with a heart of gold his father knew better than others that the combination of his son's golden heart and the family’s power he might inherit one day would be turned into a deadly curse for Wilson’s future. His frustration culminated when his secondborn was highly passionate about his swords and heroism but was blind to the bigger picture. Unwanted to fall to the same frustration once again, he set no expectation for the third born who turned out to be a twin one of which was a girl. Drunken with happiness from the birth of his first daughter, he gave the little girl everything she wished for. The father was much impressed by how the twin grows into geniuses. As the year passed, it’s clear to him that his daughter was the one with the best quality of leadership. She’s smart, strategic, clever, wise, and ruthless, but known to give mercy. Her twin, Peter was no fool. The twin seems like sharing all their traits except for the mercy Elaine possessed. Peter was a cool-headed kid. He was able to see the bigger picture and excellent decision-maker. He was as ruthless as Elaine but knows no mercy. This made Peter to best candidate to be the next patriarch.

“You are a decade older than me but more naive than Matthew. Knowing our limits is a virtue, my dear brother! At the moment, we do have not enough power to stubbornly save both Leoth people and preserve peace. You can’t fool yourself by denying the fact that we can only choose one! I stated my stand and report my solution. Now, it’s your turn to choose! And whatever decision you make, I hope you guarantee our state of peace and prosperity at least until Ellie and I turn eighteen. I’ll take my leave.” Peter rushed over to the door and leave the two men behind. Casper’s action on his expectation, but Elaine was right. They yet have the power to make a move themselves. Down to every step of the stairs on his way to meet his sister, all the cells inside Peter’s mind were dancing with the thought of creating their military power. He knew Elaine would agree with the idea. Thrilled with excitement, he couldn’t hold the smile on his face any more.

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