2.1

“Father Xavierno, we have come to discuss the accident that happened in Underconqueron today.” Four councilmembers barged into the dining area where Aidan and his father were seated, enjoying another exquisite meal made by the best chefs in Conqueron. Aidan seemingly focussed on the perfectly cooked Wagyu steak on his plate, but tried to listen in on what they were discussing. He was never dismissed, but also never included in the conversation. One day, this will be your job, so every bit of experience is valuable. But don’t bother us, his father had told him when he had turned twelve. So now, he just took every opportunity to listen to an official council meeting that came his way.
      “Take a seat, gentlemen. We should discuss our course of actions immediately. Please have some dinner while you’re at it, it’s too much for just the two of us anyway.” His father forced a smile on his face while he invited the others to eat. The council members didn’t notice it was just a gesture out of hospitality and decided to actually dig in.
      Their plates were filled to the brim with the fancy foods on the table and it kind of disgusted Aidan. It was well-known that anyone in the council was filthy rich, but they behaved like malnourished hounds, eating like that too.
      “Our initial plan is to apologise to the people of Underconqueron and promise them a safer working environment. They won’t know it’s just a lie, but that doesn’t matter. However, we feel like just an apology and fake promise isn’t going to be enough. There are more than four hundred casualties and a lot more wounded, let alone those who might get sick due to the exposure to exorbitantly high levels of radiation. Even they are not built for exposure like that. We have to do something in addition to an apology, immediately,” council elder Jura said. He was the most polite and well-behaved of the bunch, but was still waving around a piece of meat on his fork while talking.
      “How about a festival? We could organise an evening of festivities down there. Give them one day off of work to prepare for the festival and give them the means to celebrate something. That might raise morale a bit in that grey hole?” The other council elder, Kley, took just enough time between his chewing and swallowing to throw this awful idea on the table.
      Aidan cringed at the thought of it and decided he had to give the council a decent option. “Can’t we move our periodic visit up? Go there sooner to pick our new servants, maybe pick a few more than usual. Giving more people a chance to leave, and to leave sooner, might take their minds off what happened. They’ll be too busy doubting whether they’ll be chosen by us.”
      Father Xavierno looked at him, at first disappointed at Aidan’s interruption, then surprised and proud of the input he delivered. He gave an approving nod to his son and actually smiled. “That seems like a wonderful idea. Let’s start preparations tomorrow. Instead of in two month, we’ll be going in two weeks!”
      “Oh yes, magnificent idea, Father. Your son really takes after you, we’re blessed with him as your successor,” Kley said, not even trying to hide how hard he was kissing his ruler’s ass.
      “Glad the council agrees. Please leave me and my son alone then now if there’s nothing further to discuss.” In other words, could you kindly fuck off. The council members got the hint, shoved a little more food in their mouths and left the dining hall as quickly as they came in.
      “Aidan, I thought we had agreed on you shutting the hell up when I am discussing things with the council. Listening in on the conversation is an experience for you, participating is out of the question until you’ve finished the academy!” His father didn’t sound awfully mad, but was trying to exude authority. His voice softened, “But I am proud of your problem solving skills. That was some smart thinking. An easy solution, but effective. As a token of appreciation, you’ll get to pick one of them as your personal servant.”
      “I already have personal servants, father. I have enough people taking care of me, cleaning my mess and all those other things. I don’t need another one of those annoyances running after my ass to gain favours or something,” Aidan responded, a little disappointed.
      “Not a servant of the house that has been appointed to you, Aidan. A personal servant, who you can pick yourself and has to do whatever task you give. An assistant, if you will. They’ll be happy to be out of down there and you have someone who will actually accompany you instead of doing chores,” Father Xavierno explained.
      “Doesn’t sound too appealing, but I’ll give it a try. Worst case scenario, they can get demoted to normal servant or be sent to a different elite family to be a personal servant there, I guess.” He shrugged before finishing the remainder of his wine. He set the extravagantly decorated golden goblet back down on the dining table with a little too much force, denting the wood of the table just a tiny bit. He winced at the thud, afraid his father would scold him, but it remained terribly silent on the other side of the room.