Pimp Him Out!

Calilah didn’t really like what I showed him.

“You are playing a very dangerous game, Cotter. There are rules and regulations for a reason. If the Magic Guild heavily limit their research, it must be for a reason!”

“It is called having faith in common decency. If the Magic Guild had already cleared house here, who’re they to dictate what East Gate can or can’t do? Besides… we have all the cards here. We’re only giving them a place to do their research. Anything they hide we will know since we designed the buildings ourselves.”

“It would put whatever I said about respecting Elders and nature as drivel!”

“Then we crack down if it isn’t working. I don’t see a problem with this. It is called research and development. With any research comes the expectation of a little risk involved. We can establish an ethics committee too.”

Calilah and I were going in circles. My Earth-bred corporate instincts—efficiency, scaling, fail-fast-fail-forward—clashing with his deeply-rooted fantasy world caution. He was currently failing to realize we didn’t have the luxury of slow!

“Can we—can we circle back to how we’re supposed to fund this reckless venture?”

“Of course.” I slid the schematics closer, tapping the paper. “We need to open the gates. Literally and economically.”

He frowned.

“East Gate has space, cheap land, and people desperate for work,” I continued. “We need to give more businesses a reason to come here.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Sure, let me cultivate free land that hasn’t been taken over by wilderness and savages. How do you propose we do that?”

I sighed. Savages is a choice term, Calilah…

“Taxation incentives,” I said, tapping the table firmly. “We lower business taxes for the first five years of operation. We give them free leases on our abandoned workshops. In exchange, they’re required to hire local East Gate residents. It'd be a win-win.”

“I get the theory. But the Capital’s guilds don’t need East Gate. They’re already at capacity.”

I held up my hand. “Hold on. I’m making assumptions here. Tell me—what exactly is clogging up the Capital’s businesses? Is it lack of space? Over-taxation? Corruption…?”

Calilah clicked his tongue. “Space isn’t the issue. The guilds monopolize prime locations, choking out newcomers wanting to compete in their industry. Either they get bought out or are ruthlessly penalized. Though some may skip the pretenses and go right for the entrepreneur's jugular. As for taxes… they’re sky-high for anyone outside the Guild’s favor.”

That confirmed it. A textbook case of barrier-to-entry monopolies. My gut was right, but the circumstances were worse than expected.

“So, new businesses can’t grow because they’re crushed from the top,” I muttered. “But if we give them land, resources, and independence here, they’d jump at the chance. The Guild wouldn’t follow them out this far.”

Calilah’s eyes narrowed. “You’re suggesting we invite the Guild’s enemies into East Gate? They'd block trade with us near instantly! And that's if we are lucky!”

I winced. I hadn’t exactly accounted for that possibility. Sure, aggressive takeovers existed in Japan, but here was a whole lot more literal.

“I shouldn’t entertain it anyway.” He exhaled slowly. “Our laws don’t allow free entry of foreign trade without—”

“Then change the laws,” I said, dead serious. “That’s why you’re the Duke now, right? If they’re scared of monopolies, we’ll write strict terms into the permits. Vet every applicant. And if they break the trust, we’ll boot them out.”

“Cotter…”

“And while they build their workshops,” I continued, “we use the new influx of commerce taxes to fund city restoration. Hiring a properly motivated guard force with actual pay. If we generate business first, the rest will follow.”

For a moment, he stared at me like I was mad. But then looked like he started to get it.

“Besides all the ethical implications of this strategy… how do you suppose we attract these businesses in the first place?”

\\

“I cannot believe I agreed to this!!”

“Duke, the curtains open soon… you need to compose yourself,” one of his poor attendants muttered, adjusting his fluffed braids for the third time.

Calilah hissed. “How is everyone already here?!”

“It’s a festival, in a normally dreary town. Of course everyone’s here,” I said.

He spun on me. “You’re smiling. Why are you smiling?!”

“I can’t help it.” My grin widened. “You’re just so cute, milord.”

“I’m not a girl!!” he sputtered.

“Who says boys can’t be cute too?” I leaned in. I was genuinely curious.

His face exploded red. Guy needs to suck it up, he’s a duke for a reason!

His get-up wasn’t only for my amusement, believe it or not. During the Midwinter Festival, after the public procession outside, there was the private procession. Only those wealthy enough (code for: those entitled to be in the know) could enter the palace halls. I suppose the public weren’t entitled to the goings-on of the city since they were the common people!

So here Calilah was, getting ready to present himself in front of fairly wealthy guests.

The attendant, tactfully ignoring this exchange, gave the curtain ropes a final tug.

I gave him a final tap on the back. “G’luck, your Excellence…”

“Why you…!”

Calilah wouldn’t be given the chance to swear, for the velvet walls of privacy were already winding open.

A tidal wave of noise soon hit us as I hid in the corner.

The royal hall was packed, more alive than I’d ever seen it… guild reps, merchants, minstrels, even old nobility dusted off for the occasion. The “upper echelons” of East Gate, or so they say.

Calilah’s breath caught. But he squared his shoulders.

“C-calling all minstrels and merchants!” he declared, voice cracking adorably. “I have an announcement regarding the future of our… of our t-town!”

He stumbled over the word, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind.

Calilah cleared his throat, smoothing his robe with a trembling hand.

“Our town may be humble, but we’re working very hard to make it a place where merchants can t-thrive! As your new duke, I plan on instating, subject to change, new taxation and business policies in East Gate.”

The hall responded with polite claps.

Calilah pressed on, bless him. “We will be offering free leases for workshops… And oh, business taxes will be lowered for new ventures! And we will guarantee fair treatment… no Guild monopolies here! So spread the word to your friends in Bouquet Crystal City or the Capital if you can!”

For a while, there was only silence.

I have a feeling it was the calm before the storm.