The Grand Gala in Oakhaven was not just a party; it was a physical manifestation of compound interest. Chandeliers the size of small houses were draped in cut diamonds, and the floor was made of marble so polished it looked like a frozen lake of wealth.
I stood at the edge of the mezzanine, clutching my Lexen Ledger. I was wearing a dress of midnight-blue silk, but beneath the fabric, I had a small, concealed ledger in my corset and a compact abacus in my clutch. This wasn't a party; it was a hostile maritime takeover, performed on land.
"You look terrifying," Kaelen whispered, his hand resting on the hilt of his polished sword. He was in full Royal uniform—a gold-threaded black velvet tunic that made him look like a god. "Like a shark in a sequined dress."
"I am a financial shark, Kaelen," I corrected, a slow, calculated smile spreading across my face. "And I'm about to bite the head off a religious cult."
I looked at the high table. The Emperor's chair was empty—a calculated absence, given his "Divine Sickness." The Grand Chamberlain, a man with white hair and eyes as cold as a bank vault, sat in his place, radiating an uncomfortable, holy heat.
The time came. Kaelen stepped forward, raising his glass.
"Nobles of the Empire, honored guests of the International Guild! Tonight, we celebrate the return of the Crown Jewel and the establishment of the Lexen Free Zone! We are honored to have the Grand Chamberlain here to 'Bless' this treaty."
The Grand Chamberlain stood up, his white and gold robes shimmering. "The Gods bless this union of trade and lineage," he intoned, his voice like the clicking of a divine metronome. "But the gods also demand... a tithe. A tithe for the protection of the Empire, from the 'Divine Sickness' that has taken our Emperor."
The crowd murmured, their eyes wide with religious fear.
"Protection?" I interrupted, stepping past Kaelen. "That's a very interesting word, Your Eminence. In my two lives as an auditor, I've only ever seen that word used in one context: A financial extortion racket."
The room went silent. Duchess Solange, sitting near the table, actually dropped her diamond-encrusted fan.
"Careful, child," the Grand Chamberlain purred, his smile not matching his predatory eyes. "You wouldn't want to find yourself... excommunicated."
"Excommunication doesn't affect my ability to add or subtract," I countered, opening the Lexen Ledger and placing it on the table in front of him. "I've been reviewing the Imperial Household Budget. I've noticed a consistent, large-scale payment of nearly half the national debt... going to a shell company called The Silent Coin."
I looked at the crowd, my voice cutting through the panic. "The Silent Coin is a ghost, my friends. It's not an investment; it's a systematic financial cult. The Grand Chamberlain is using your religious fear to fund a religious army in the Northern Mountains!"
The Grand Chamberlain's smile didn't falter, but his eyes turned as cold as a tombstone. He reached out and touched the Lexen Ledger. A spark of spiritual energy flared, and the book began to smolder at the edges.
"Excommunication... is a slow-burning fire, Lady Elara," he whispered, a smile like a crack in a frozen lake appearing on his face. "But a full involuntary liquidation of your assets... is an instant blaze. Yield... or watch your island, your father, and your Prince turn to ash."
I didn't back down. I reached into my clutch and pulled out my compact abacus.
"I don't yield to auditors who miscalculate their own internal risk," I said, a slow, dangerous smirk spreading across my face. "I found the 0.5% error in your usury rate. You owe me four million dragons. And I'm going to start my collections... by liquidating this party."
The cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers!