"Dear sirs, while I'm deeply honoured by the offer, I don't think I'm capable of handling such a responsibility. From the fact that I was acknowledged as a capable governor of my own lands, I dare to speak within the authority granted by said acknowledgement, that if I were to leave my own lands in order to take care of the ones that this great Senate wanted to bestow upon me, rather than increasing the growth in both places, I wouldn't be able of maintaining the stability of either one."

Just from the fact that Ostros attempted to push me into this position it was obvious that I had to refuse it, yet doing so without a proper reason could be easily taken as an affront to not only this crafty family but to all the Senators that were kind enough to vote for this proposition in the first place.

"On the other hand, it goes without saying that our eastern and southern lands require not only a lot of attention but also a lot of funding to properly grow. That's why I would like to propose the Cheerio family to take on this proposed duty while offering myself to contribute ten thousand red goldens worth each year to help them fulfil this mission!"

In my current spot, unless I could push this position onto someone else, then this entire meeting would end up not as a ruse, but as me denying the earnest honours given in hopes of using my talents somewhere else. Even if some of the n.o.bles would understand my decision, with how Ostros were given to use it to the best of their capability, it wouldn't be that long before I would be completely ostracised.

That's why I came out with this proposition of mine. While offering entire ten thousand gold coins might sound excessive, I made sure to phrase it in a way that opened quite a lot of possibilities for me!

Because rather than paying the money like that, as long as Cheerie family would agree to take this t.i.tle, I would provide them with all sorts of necessities to kickstart the development of the area in question, from huge amounts of concrete, through steam-powered carriages that I could easily produce all the way to the steam horses to power literally anything that they would want to create in that land!

And as the sole owner and producer of all of those items, I could claim any price I could ever want for them, effectively taking down the initial number of ten thousand to something closer to just a single thousand! 

On the other hand, offering such a generous amount that couldn't be scoffed at even by the richest households in the country, I secured two different things. 

First, I declared to everyone how giving away this kind of money didn't bother me in the slightest, at the same time blocking any attempts that either Ostros or literally anyone else could make to tax my new inventions! After all, if someone was willing to give out more in a voluntary donation than most of the great n.o.bles paid in several years, how could one have the guts to dare to propose additional taxation on them?!

And second, while the fact that I would still have to provide Cherrie were they to accept my proposition with quite a lot of expensive items stood, it was not only the thing that I wanted to kickstart the circulation of those new, inventive goods of mine, but also a perfect way to rack up favours with them!

"While we will take your proposition into consideration, it will be the decision of the Senate whether this position will be offered to Cherrie household or anyone else in this regard. For now, since you decided not to take up on the offer, you are free to return to your own duties. I wish you save travels."

Hearing the dismissal from the mouth of the Zamoysky presiding over the Senate, I simply bowed to the gathered elders while sending a quick glance towards both Jan Bone and the Senator from the Ostros and Cherrie family. 

As expected, Cherrie one was smiling, while Ostros one looked at me as if he wanted to suddenly gain the ability to kill with his sight alone, yet the greater surprise was for me when I looked at someone who I so far, considered my friend and protector.

There was no sign of happiness on the Sandomir Province Governor's face. While it was only a quick look that made me unable to a.s.sess his emotions in any realistic way, I could swear that I saw a disappointment and some kind of heavy resolution striking through his eyes.

But while it was just enough to alert me, it wasn't a clue strong enough to alter the course of my current politic. With this quick moment ending, I straightened up and moved outside of the Throne Room of the Wawel castle, the legendary housing for the King that managed to last through the entire Commonwealth history, years of occupation and all the way to the modern times when it was turned into a popular meeting spot and a museum. 

"How did it go?"

Despite how usually Elia would stay behind in one of the areas of the ongoing development in order to manage it whenever I was about to be absent, with how important this senate summoning was, I couldn't help but ask her to follow me there as soon as she would be done with some matters regarding the Tarnowian market that she wanted to finish up. 

"Three problems have appeared. Not great, not terrible. I heard this is about as much as one senate meeting is supposed to create, so if you want something to rack your brains about I can arrange for a summons for you."

With how deeply infatuated I was with all the fine details of both of my meetings, I couldn't help but turn a little sarcastic while replying.

"Auch!"

Feeling Elia's elbow digging deep into my side, I was forced to almost instantly reflect of my behaviour. I guess rephrasing the quotes from the popular HOBO series about the meltdown of the nuclear reactor somewhere at the current Commonwealth outskirts wasn't the greatest idea given how no one else in this timeline would have any clue just what the heck I was speaking about!