That announcement and the ensuing chaos were enough to take up the entire morning, and Cain noticed that many of the King's closest advisors had disappeared from the hall.
He assumed that was a regular occurrence at first, but by the time the break came around and the Nobles were getting ready to gather for the banquet, it had become clear that their faction was wondering where they went.
Cain took a seat between Duke Chen and Duke Archibald, as Duke Chen instructed him to, keeping with the Palace's strange teired and factioned arrangement. The Upper Nobles sit at one table with like minded Nobles near their rank, with their Companions behind them at another.
Archibald might not be much of a Defense Minister, but much of that is due to his focus on capital politics. He's snobby and arrogant, but after talking with him for a while, his military tactics are superb. The problem is that he only cares about the capital region's safety and views the nation's problems as a nuisance.
He is the majority of the reason King James lived long enough to ascend to the throne, and he's still a staunch loyalist. He's also deeply ashamed of his daughter and keeps trying to introduce her to better influences, but she keeps trying to have sex with them instead.
The Julia, who Duke Chen sent his granddaughter Penelope to see, turns out to be Duke Archibald's youngest daughter, who is also twelve this year. They're seated at the table behind the trio with Misha and Mythryll.
While they eat and share talk of what to expect this afternoon, Cain scans the room for developing political intrigues and finds the Internal Affairs Minister Gibson swarmed by Nobles with demands and plans for the dam project, but Aprilia is missing. Cain thinks she might be coming this way again, bothering him under cover of visiting her father, until he sees her come in from a side room with her hair tousled, escorted by six noblemen. That woman really does have no sense of propriety at all. Nor do the majority of the noblemen it seems.
Cain raises his eyebrow and looks from her to Duke Archibald, who shakes his head in disgust. "There's no hope for that one. It would take an Incubus to bring her back under control, and even then, she might seduce it. But her husband is a pushover with strong family connections, which were very useful during the succession."
So a political marriage then. Bit of a shame, when his wife isn't around to embarrass him, Earl Gibson seems to be a somewhat competent man.
[If only he had a better wife.] Evangeline sends the thought through to Cain. So very true, Gibson deserved better.
When dinner is over, the missing Nobles still haven't returned, causing rumors to spread through the dining hall. Duke Archibald is also beginning to panic, but for a different reason. Earl Gibson has almost finished taking notes from everyone who might be affected by the project, and Aprilia is missing again. If she's late arriving at the afternoon session, it will be another embarrassment for him as her father.
Upper Nobles arriving late is one thing. But Aprilia has no great wealth or political power of her own; coming in without her husband would make her look unfashionably late.
Cain can see there are hundreds of commoners lined up in their very best. A winding column of freshly patched or newly made pants and freshly dyed shirts in bright colors are lined up outside the door, and the two Dukes look over at Cain with matching smiles.
"Ready for the circus? If the petitions are good, any of us can be chosen to hear them out and report back to the King. We're standing close to the front, so we'll likely get chosen near the start."
That sounds like a lot of fun, and it gives the King an excellent excuse to talk to his favored Nobles in private later.
The first few complaints are so petty Cain can't believe they were brought before the King. Grievances between families, accusations of stealing clothes from the line, pleas for funds to upgrade the homes they're renting. All are told to take their problems up with the magistrates, local guard, or landlord.
The first to get a referral is one with a request to have fish stocked in an irrigation pond. Their local noble denied the request, but the farmer has documents on how it might help food supplies and water quality. It's referred to one of the Business Nobles with a fish on his family crest.
That's one thing Cain hadn't made yet, a family crest. As a noble, he will be expected to have one soon to fly on his land, but that's a project he will have to refer to the artists.
The next worthy request is a claim of over-taxation. That goes to Duke Chen, who catches the King's eye first, and the Baron in question looks livid. If he really has over taxed his tenants, he will face a huge fine, possibly enough for the Baron to lose his properties and noble status entirely.
After that, they go a while with the supplicants being sent away before a long-necked Wooly Beastkin woman claims that her neighbors are getting unlawfully imprisoned for refusing to give up the properties they've rented in the Capital when their landlord finds human tenants. She's speaking on behalf of a whole building and has lease agreements and written statements from the Capital police.
Duke Archibald volunteers to take this one, as their landlord is under his supervision as the capital administrator. Nobody is surprised by his actions, he takes his job very seriously, and now Cain is left standing alone. The others don't move forward to take the empty positions, knowing the Dukes will be coming back, so Cain has ample space all around, giving him the feeling of a nonexistent spotlight shining on him.
The line grows shorter as the day progresses until the last hearing of the day enters. It's a ragged Beastkin girl, not yet old enough to have undergone puberty, wearing a stained sackcloth dress.
"Your Highness, King, Sir. I want to petition to stay in the kingdom. I plus ten others escaped a slave convoy in the Niman territory to the east and fled here. We would ask for legal status and not to be deported."
King James looks like he's had a great idea and turns to Cain. "Duke Cain, as our newest member, and since the interior minister who usually handles refugees is busy, I shall refer this petition to you. Hear them out well; the crown is feeling generous."
"Yes, your Highness," Cain answers, bowing and motioning for the Beastkin girl to follow him out of the room.
[I could use some loyalty in the palace] King James sends in private message, and Cain understands what he wants.
"Have someone bring in the rest of the escaped slaves," Cain instructs the guards outside of the hearing room closest to him, and the man salutes, before his eyes go vacant as he sends a message.
The young one who petitioned the King is the most presentable of the lot. They're all scarred, branded, and haggard-looking. All are female, but none are adults, and it doesn't look like they were expected to live that long by whoever runs the Niman territory. Cain gets their essential background and then makes a decision.
They've all got domestic experience, serving and cooking for their former masters, so Cain decides they would do well doing the same for the King.
They've all dressed the same, ragged dresses made from used bulk bags, with a collar on their necks. Hardly suitable to present to the King alongside his findings, but the hearing room has a bathroom with a shower. Whether it's for making commoners presentable or for extracurricular activities is questionable, but today, it's going to be very useful.
"Go wash up, get as presentable as you can, and I'll ask the King to take you in as Palace servants. The palace is understaffed; a few more bodies wouldn't hurt anything." That's more than they hoped for, and they are about to rush off when Cain decides to remove the slave collars.
[Devotion Ring Supercedes Collars of Command]
[Claim Item or Transfer Ownership back to Original Party]?
There's no option to remove them? Since it's an equipped item, it will be hard to break them, and they might just come back again; jewelry often self-repairs. The collars are still claimed, which would give their old owners rights over them, a dangerous inconvenience since the collars allow for commands to be enforced.
[All Collars of Command Claimed]
Cain looks at the options he has for them. [Appearance Change], [Set Rules], [Transfer Ownership], [Set Duration]
The last option looks promising to Cain, so he opens it on all eleven collars at once, only to find that the minimum duration is ten years, and they're currently set to life. Ten years it is then.
A knock at the door interrupts Cain's exploration of the menu, and a severe-looking human woman in a chef's outfit enters with an armful of cloth and a put upon expression.
"I'm told you require eleven female palace uniforms, my Lord? I know it's not my place, but if you could refrain from damaging them when meeting with the servants, it would be appreciated."
"What do you take me for? They are for new arrivals. The King wants them as his maids." Cain states, indignant at the accusation.
Cain sees a small set of ears poke around the bathroom door frame, listening in, and sends the chef to the bathroom. "They'll be all clean now; get them dressed and bring them out."
The scars and brands on the skinny bodies are extra noticeable now that they're clean, and the chef gasps in horror at the sight, which the girls ignore and happily grab the dark gray uniforms with white aprons. The color combination matches the palace's stone remarkably well, blending them with their natural surroundings.
Cain switches to the appearance portion of the menu, taking mental notes about the appearance of the Customized Royal Crest on the Chef's outfit. Once he's sure he has it down and everyone has assembled in front of him, waiting for his final verdict, he changes the collars to a simple metal band with the Royal Crest front and center.
"Did I get that right? I'm guessing that you're the King's personal cook."
"I am, and yes, that is the correct mark for the King's own Servants. It allows entry into the Royal Quarters and most of the Palace." The chef informs him, still with the same disapproving look.
"You can take them to my quarters and assign them servants' rooms, Margaret. They will be the Royal Quarters' official servants from now on. They are only to leave the quarters on errands with an escort. And along with you, they are the only ones to be sent in to the quarters unless I request another." King James says, striding in and closing the door behind him.
"You don't want to call me Nanny anymore? I'm hurt, Your Majesty." The chef's stern and angry look melts to fondness when the King walks in, and the girls all hit their knees, bowing face down to the floor.
Cain selects [Transfer Ownership] and picks King James, making him their new master.
[Add Final Command. Effective until reversed by new Owner]
Cain decides to use this unexpected option and give James precisely what he needs.
[Command Registered: Absolute Loyalty to King James and his secrets will be enforced.]
"They all have experience, I asked. They're pretty battered now, but they're all mobile, and they'll be completely loyal to you." Cain smiles at King James, who looks startled at the notifications.
"I don't need slaves, Cain. I banned the practice." James insists.
"The collars have a ten-year minimum, Your Highness. Until that time, you could only transfer them or kill them to get rid of this type of enslavement. There are still a few hundred in the kingdom that weren't sold away and are waiting out their timers. The chokers look good, though; I'll give the young Duke that much." Margaret says, and King James takes the time to inspect them.
Usually, palace servants wear a bracelet or necklace with their identification to access magically locked doors. These aren't too out of place, and they have the crest, so they should work now that King James has claimed the items.
"Ten years paid service it is then. Welcome to the Skyview Palace ladies. You have my word you'll be well treated here. "
