"You're so worried about him, you might as well help him a little more."
Annan shook his head. "I'm not an idiot. If I get too involved, I'll be tied to the Kingdom's war machine. When the Ratfolk attack, we could easily get dragged in."
Annan could accept an alliance and offer some help. He could even accept an unpaid debt. But he could not let Free City be dragged into the mire of war.
Free City now had over three hundred thousand citizens and several thousand Professionals. Its schools were expanding, and the gains from the last war would take years to absorb. This was no time to start another conflict.
That reminded Olmedo of something. "Grand Duke Girardi has come to Free City again."
"When?"
"Not long after we got back."
He really lived up to his nickname, the "Squirrel" Grand Duke.
Like Vitalig, Girardi had been personally raised to power by Free City, becoming Grand Duke of the Montablinlock Duchy. Perhaps the Mad Dog Duke had left him with a lasting fear, or perhaps he simply liked Free City too much. Either way, he came here constantly and seemed ready to merge his Duchy with it.
If Annan had not refused, Girardi really would have done it.
As a result, Grand Duke Girardi took the blame for Annan's refusal. The people of the Duchy looked across the City Wall at the prosperity and comfort enjoyed by Free City's citizens and complained that he would not let Free City take the Duchy into its territory.
The nobles were unaffected. They had money. All they had to do was bring their wealth to Gem Bay and buy a house, and they became Free City citizens.
The common people had their own ingenuity. Some crossed the border illegally by every