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it would be better for her if she had never been born - Epilogue: Lilia, Alex
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"Hmmm. I'll take the deal, but I'm going to try to hire Sevar away from you. You can have the same split of funding and ownership in the factories if it means you'll forgive me for it."

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"...I don't think that's going to change whether or not I forgive you. Why?"

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"Because it is in my interests to have Sevar working for me? Probably in her interests too, I can pay better."

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"But not mine."

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"Well, it's probably worse for Cheliax. And for you personally. But your interests are pretty broad."

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"...You think it's better for the world?"

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"I have a preemptive guilty conscience that can only be salved by preventing the worst war Avistan's seen in at least a lifetime and probably more."

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"And Sevar will help with that?"

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"Well, maybe. It'll give me more power and influence, and in particular strengthen my pseudo-monopoly on the most powerful weapons in the world, which really seems like a good if unorthodox lever for working towards world peace.

 

...I realize this is probably also how my evil maybe-lich self got started, and I'm hoping to avoid her fate through a combination of self-awareness, listening to Iomedae, and the fact that powerful magic seems to present a lot more opportunities to gain power at horrible non-metaphorical soul-destroying costs than capitalism or steam engines do."

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He doesn't believe Alfirin that this is good for the world. It sounds like she's already thought of his objections though.

"Sevar is free to work for whoever she pleases though I really hope you won't hire her away from me and don't think that it will improve the world if you do."

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"No forgiveness then? More's the pity. The broad strokes are agreeable. Let's see the detailed proposal and work out the size of these factories."

 


 

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“It would not be very hard to nail Sevar down but I think it wouldn’t be very Lawful Good,” is Lilia’s analysis. “And if you don’t make any effort she might stay or she might see who has the biggest mountain of spellsilver, which isn’t us.”

 

 

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"Sevar - deserves to get the chance to hear Alfirin's offer. Not that I expect to do it, with that lead-in, but how would you nail her down?

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“Call her in, explain the situation, and ask her if you can count on her to choose her country over a mountain of spellsilver. She’s less disloyal than most people. She’s not going to decide to defect while you ask, and she’s not going to make a liar of herself later either.”

 

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"And she won't decide to defect while I ask because she's easily moved by invoking her patriotism, or because she thinks I'll kill her if she does, or something else?"

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"Oh, I don't know if she'd consciously think you'll kill her. But they work hard on the most promising wizards. It has never in her life been a good idea to have disloyal thoughts in the presence of her superiors, and she never has."

 

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He sighs, heavily. "Thank you. I would not have imagined that sort of problem was so - deep-rooted... Send someone to call her in?"

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            "The Lord Marshal wants to see you," the messenger says, and she drops what she was working on as if it's been electrified and stands and follows him.

 

She enters the throne room that has a desk for some reason, and kneels.

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"You may sit." he gestures at the chair on the other side of his desk.

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She will do that.

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"Please don't make any promises about what I'm about to say - We're going to send you to Almas, to teach some of our allies how to enchant guns and to learn from them how to run a factory to make guns in large numbers. Our ally is probably going to make you an offer to stay there in Almas and work directly with her instead of here in Westcrown. You're allowed to accept that offer. You won't be punished for accepting that offer. But I'd be glad if, before you do, you tell your supervisor on the trip to Almas what the offer was and give us the chance to match it. If you decide not to tell your supervisor you won't be punished for that either. Do you understand?"

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There is a long pause. 

 

 "I hear you, your majesty, but it pains me to imagine that my loyalty is in such question."

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He puts a hand to his forehead. "Montero, do you -" know what that answer means? Have anything to say to Sevar that will make her less scared and confused? Actually - "Sevar, would you prefer to be less afraid?"

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