Chapter 19
I looked at the thing before me. The Throne. Its owner made me promise. I couldn’t believe I agreed to do it. Was I drunk or something?
But if I didn’t, she would find out when she got back.
I did promise.
Damn it, damn it, damn it.
Sighing, I moved to sit down on the throne and shifted my wings, looking out over the throneroom.
…Nope.
Jumping off the throne, I trotted past Grey Velvet. “Nope. Not today. Cancel it.”
“Lord Page, ponies are already lining up,” she said and quickly caught up with me, trotting next to me. “There are fifteen applicants today. The doors are scheduled to open in ten minutes.”
I sat down as soon as I was out of the throneroom. “Can’t do it. I know I filled in for Luna before, but that was only a couple of ponies and no real crowds and…”
The royal aide moved before me to look at me from across her clipboard. “Lord Page…” she started and then hesitated before she frowned at me. “… That’s how Princess Celestia does things.”
“I know, but I hate public speaking, I don’t like crowds and I’m a horrible replacement of Celestia and what was I thinking!”
She smiled a bit. “Lord Page, that’s how Princess Celestia does things. You may have agreed to take up her duties while she is away on her ‘royal meeting’,” you could hear the quotation marks around that one, “but nothing says you have to do it the same way she does.”
I blinked at her. “…I could? I could.”
Grey nodded. “That’s right, sir. Now, what adjustments would you like done?” she asked, lifting her clipboard and quill.
“More than ten minutes to think?”
“Push court back one hour,” she said with a nod, writing it down. “I’ll move the meeting with the hospital until this evening to make room.”
I nodded and sighed, rubbing my forehead beneath my horn. “…I’m sorry for messing things up for you, Miss Velvet.”
She smiled. “It’s perfectly alright sir. Now, what else do you need to have changed?”
“No crowds would be nice. Less… just less everything.”
Grey nodded and made some notes. “Closed court, applicants only. Is the location alright, Lord Page? The throneroom is quite large for that few ponies.”
I blinked at her again. “…I can move things?”
“Of course, you can, sir.”
“…Miss Velvet, whatever we pay you, it’s not enough. Make sure I raise it during these two weeks.”
“Noted, sir.”
XXXXXXXXXXX
“So, you want to start a business?” I asked the earth pony colt across from me. The wind ruffled the leaves above.
“Y-yes sir,” he agreed with a nod. “Been my dream since I was little,” he said and looked down at his cup of tea. “I have been trying to get a loan to buy a boat, but it’s almost impossible as I don’t have any security.”
“It is,” I agreed. “I tried a couple of times when I wanted to get my first book published. Almost impossible and that’s a lot smaller than a boat.”
Flowing Wave grimaced and sighed as he started to get up. “It is,” he said and then shook his head. “…Sorry for taking up your time, Lord Page.”
“Sit back down and drink your tea.”
He sunk back down and sipped his tea.
“Now, why do you want to move back and forth along the coast carrying boxes?” I asked him.
“I love to sail,” he admitted. “I was an apprentice on a ship moving across the ocean for a year and then worked for two years. I know every part of the business. But I want to choose where I sail.”
I nodded. “I can see why,” I agreed. “What kind of ship were you thinking of?”
He shook his head. “Not a ship, a boat. A ship is a vessel that can carry a boat. A boat is much smaller, I even know the one I want to buy.”
“Found one already?”
Wave nodded. “It’s a pre-owned vessel and the old owner is retiring. It’s a one mast boat and despite being old, it’s in very good shape and able to move over a hundred tons of cargo. She isn’t the fastest, but reliable.”
“Sounds like a good vessel.”
“She is.”
I nodded. “How much would one of those cost anyway?” I asked and sipped my tea.
“…Ten thousand bits. Well, seven thousand for the ship and the rest would be to set up the business, hire a small crew and get word out about it,” he admitted. “It’s a lot of money.”
“It is a lot of money,” I agreed. “And while the crown does give loans to promising businesses, without any kind of solid proof that it has a chance to be successful other than your enthusiasm, I’m afraid I can’t grant it. It would be irresponsible of me.”
He sighed. “…I figured. Sorry, sir. I’ll stop wasting your time. I need to go apply for a job now.”
I smiled at him. “Giving up already?”
“What?”
“I said it would be irresponsible of me to loan you from the crown's money. My own money I can do whatever I want with. Ten thousand bits you said? Done. Not a loan, an investment. I’ll have somepony draw up some papers.”
Wave blinked at me in surprise. “Y-you would do that?”
“Dreams are important, Flowing Wave. But even more so, I believe that you know what you are talking about,” I said with a smile. “You have experience with sailing, you thought to budget for more than the actual boat and to actually make sure you had the budget to pay your crew until you start to make a profit. I think that says something.”
“Thank you so much!”
I smiled at him. “Don’t thank me, make me money. I intend to make a profit on this.”
“You will! I promise!”
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Damn, literally updated as I re-refreshed lol
Edit: great chapter. Glad Page is realizing that he doesn't have to do everything the same way Celestia and luna do it.
And here we get the Rise of the Shining Star that is... Blank Page Lemonis...
10 years later, Page finds himself on the cover of Time (or pony equivalent) as Equestria's newest billionaire after taking a chance on a small shipping firm.
No, it's "sit back down and drink your goddamn tea".
This makes any pony happy. Why can't our bosses feel this way?
8664460
Full quote.
“No Twilight. We need a boat. I know a guy. Let’s go.
An investment... nice, he gets a business and if things go well both will profit, very nice.
I somehow missed the release. Time to binge it!
Ok, the setting for holding court sounds way better than the throne room.
Hmm… I’m really looking forward to seeing if the investment pays dividends.
Great chapter as always. :)
Thanks for the update.
8665019
Including me working, I'm caught up and I am eagerly awaiting more.
Dibs on the name! Boaty McBoatface!
8665613
"Uh your highness thats me name already."
"Oh."
"....my parents didn't love me that much"
sounds like a vary sound investment and he helped a pony to see his dream come true.
No-one can argue that making someones dream come true, is anything negative of Awesome. A lovely addition to this story. Thanks.
Is that a hint for Assassin’s creed Black Flag?
8664744
That’s good thinking!
For all his complaints about doing Celestia’s job, he DID agree to her terms without hesitation. He seems to fold like a house of cards whenever either of the Royal Sisters asks him to do something.
For all this trouble he’s going through, you’d think that Celestia would have had to flag her tail for him or something!
Love this chapter, I like to see interactions
I reread the stories, and... I get some Nafoumi-peddler vibes here.
Page has a heart of gold
♡
Blank Page, a Alicorn of the small hard working ponies
♡👍
8664744
This us brilliant!
Damn I will make that idea a part of my story if you don't mind