Chapter 310: First Place

The Homeworld Channel erupted as Lords checked the closed betting pool and found Divine Province’s new position.

Where had that confidence come from?

The favorite explanation was still that Cassian had paid a billion Aether to attract attention and gather Faith Power. At the other end of the argument sat the idea that Divine Province had somehow acquired a World Wonder. Almost no one believed that one.

At the lunch table, Cassian remained maddeningly relaxed. His friends watched him as though staring hard enough might force an answer out of him. Darian looked close to drawing a blade.

Nessa alone gave a delighted cheer.

"More money!"

They knew Cassian’s habits. He did not stake money on a result he could not secure. Yet no matter how they turned the problem over, they could find no way for Divine Province to win.

The more they knew, the more impossible a Mythic Building seemed. A Wonder might appear in a Province, but taking control of it was another matter entirely.

That was precisely why Cassian had dared to place his billion-Aether wager. Even if another Province had discovered a World Wonder, its Lords would not be able to claim it in time.

At last, noon came.

Golden mist spread across the sky. Within it, great lines of text slowly formed.

[Announcement: The results of the Homeworld’s first Provincial Ranking will now be released.]

[100th Place — Whitehorn Province. Governor Samir: all attributes +50. Resident Lords: all attributes +5. Provincial National Fortune +1. Fortune Talismans ×100.]

[99th Place...]

Ten names appeared together. Across the listed Provinces, Lords burst into cheers.

"We have National Fortune!"

For ordinary Lords, the attributes and Fortune Talismans were reason enough to celebrate. Their leaders were looking further ahead.

Even one point of National Fortune gave a Province something to contribute to the founding of a Nation. Its people could share in the benefits of national offices. A Province that contributed more would receive a greater share of those positions when the Nation was established.

A minute later, another ten names appeared.

[90th Place — Rimehold Province.]

The rewards were identical from eleventh through hundredth place, and the announcements moved quickly. Name after name filled the golden list.

When the final group had been released, the leading Lords of Cloudrest, Fairhaven, and Plantagenet let out the breaths they had been holding. They had reached the top ten.

Eight of the thirteen Crown Provinces had not.

Southreach, Harrowmere, Ironpass, Dragon Tiger, and four others had fallen short. They had lost too many Lords during the Legion Contest. Sixfold resources had not erased the consequences of that lost population.

To the rest of the Homeworld, however, the result was alarming enough.

"If Divine Province is still in the running, that means five of the top ten belong to those thirteen Crown Provinces!"

"Who was it who said one victory sets up the next?"

Lana was merciless.

[Lana Whitmere: Plain Yellow finished twenty-fifth? The Jade Court’s strongest Province? How embarrassing.]

The Jade Court Lords had no answer. They claimed to represent the Crown’s lawful government, yet a group they called rebels had left them far behind. There was nothing in the results they could use to argue back.

Darian added his own cheerful contribution.

[Darian Frost: And aren’t Vaust, Ravenscar, and Tervain supposed to be the Black Banner’s strongest Provinces? I seem to have seen all their names already.]

Faces darkened across the Black Banner. The damned man would not even let them suffer their defeat in peace.

Crown Lords everywhere enjoyed the exchange, including many who lived under Jade Court rule. Meanwhile, some smaller nations were reconsidering their position. A power with only one or two Provinces could hardly ignore a result like this.

Perhaps it was time to cultivate better relations with the thirteen Provinces, even if the rest of the Homeworld called them its enemies.

Cassian had been surprised to see Hidden Dragon make the top ten. Then he remembered the Whitmere family’s ties to House Arkwright, and the result became easier to understand.

What surprised almost everyone else was Divine Province’s absence from the announced ranks.

Had Cassian really acquired a Mythic Building?

Some still insisted there was another explanation. Divine Province might not have reached the top hundred at all. It had only a few hundred thousand Lords, after all.

Even those who believed that kept their mockery to themselves. The Legion Contest was still much too fresh in their memories.

The next announcement appeared.

[10th Place — Hidden Dragon Province. Governor Lana Whitmere: all attributes +100. Resident Lords: all attributes +10. Provincial National Fortune +2. Fortune Talismans ×200.]

Hidden Dragon celebrated without reservation. Tenth was enough. Fourth through tenth received the same reward.

[9th Place — Plantagenet Province. Governor Oswin: all attributes +100. Resident Lords: all attributes +10. Provincial National Fortune +2. Fortune Talismans ×200.]

A groan went up among the Golden Lion’s Lords. Six billion two hundred million Aether had been placed on Plantagenet to win. Who could count how many people had just lost their money?

The top ten were announced one at a time, several minutes apart. Every new name brought another wave of disappointed voices to the Homeworld Channel.

Eighth. Seventh. Sixth.

Apart from Hidden Dragon, none of the remaining Crown Provinces had appeared.

[5th Place — Fairhaven Province. Governor Gavin Roswell: all attributes +100. Resident Lords: all attributes +10. Provincial National Fortune +2. Fortune Talismans ×200.]

For a moment, the Channel fell silent.

Then the Free Will Lords erupted.

"Impossible! Fairhaven had a Region with two thousand Fortune two months ago. We’ve been able to construct Epic Buildings since then! How could we lose to Provinces with less than half our population?"

"If Divine Province isn’t bluffing, does that mean all four remaining places belong to the Crown?"

Lords began checking the other favorites. Every serious contender outside the thirteen Provinces had already been named. Unless some unexpected challenger remained, the answer was yes.

The Crown’s celebration grew louder.

"All four! Look at that!"

"Which one will take first?"

"Cloudrest, of course. You have no idea how many middle- and high-grade Buildings we’ve constructed."

"Divine Province! It has to be Divine Province!"

Lana laughed in the Channel.

[Lana Whitmere: Whichever of us wins, we all benefit. Our thirteen Provinces will found a Nation together one day.]

The announcements continued.

[4th Place — Westreach Province. Governor Alwin Valcrest: all attributes +100. Resident Lords: all attributes +10. Provincial National Fortune +2. Fortune Talismans ×200.]

The Crown Lords cheered again.

[3rd Place — Dawnspire Province. Governor Hugh Caerwyn: all attributes +200. Resident Lords: all attributes +20. Provincial National Fortune +4. Fortune Talismans ×400.]

Another roar of delight swept through their Channels.

[2nd Place — Cloudrest Province. Governor Benedict Breck: all attributes +300. Resident Lords: all attributes +30. Provincial National Fortune +6. Fortune Talismans ×600.]

The cheers had scarcely risen before the next line appeared. The Realm seemed to consider any further suspense unnecessary.

[1st Place — Divine Province. Governor Cassian Vale: all attributes +500. Resident Lords: all attributes +50. Provincial National Fortune +10. Fortune Talismans ×1,000.]