To the people of Middle Earth, Free City was a strange place.
The city-state possessed wealth beyond the reach of many small countries, yet its prestige fell short of that of many ancient kingdoms.
Whether they mocked it or admired it, they had to admit one thing: it was all thanks to its sorcerer City Lord.
That was why the major powers watched Annan's every move: what he had done yesterday, what he was doing today, and what he planned to do tomorrow. And because Free City had never built an intelligence network of its own, they knew his movements inside out.
Annan might not remember how many times he had visited the Succubus Massage Parlor or what he had said to its owner, but they did.
So while Annan was still giving his speech in the morning, the powers of Middle Earth had heard about it by noon. By afternoon, even the taverns were talking about it.
The Duchy of Keating.
As a "Trade City," the Duchy of Keating had always kept an eye on Free City, another "Trade City."
Their relationship could have been good. Annan remembered old ties: everyone who had once stood by him had received favorable treatment. Minister of Finance Fronning had known him since his days in Breeze City and had even bought dozens of Susan Spinning Machines.
If not for that arrogant delegation they had sent later... In short, relations between the Duchy of Keating and Free City were now "half good, half bad." Because Annan valued old ties and had an ambiguous relationship with the Elven Royal Court, he got along well with Fronning, the Half-Elf Minister of Finance. But he still despised that delegation.
It did fit the duchy's idea of "neutrality": half of us agree, half of us disagree. How