Life of Leadership: Gambling and headache
Real-world date: 2026-09-17
Author: Valdemar Hvide
Valdemar could do little to stop the growing headache as he looked across the table, at the red haired twins, who had decided that their project was important enough to talk with him about it.
“Run the idea by me again” Valdemar asks as he tries to keep his boredom in check by pinching the bridge of his nose, which did not seem to affect the mood of the twins at all.
“So we make…” the first twin started
“A machine” the other finishes.
“That allows people to play,” the first continued.
“With money” the other twin ended.
Valdemar stared at them, wondering if this would be the kind of topic he would deal with as the regent.
“And how does this machine ever work?” Valdemar asked the question, hoping that he could find a flaw, so he could dismiss this talk and get some actual useful stuff done.
The twins looked at each other
“Well….”
“They put a diamond in”
“And pull to see”
“if they get 3 shovels!”
The twins answered after each other, looking pleased with this idea.
Valdemar could just stare at them, his headache growing by each sec, and as the silence filled the room.
Valdemar stared at them. His headache pulsed.
"So," Valdemar finally said, carefully choosing his words, "you wish to construct a machine that allows people to gamble?"
"Yes."
"And give them a chance to win more money."
"Exactly!"
For a brief moment he imagined throwing the entire table through the window to end this conversation. It would be satisfying, yet led to more problems for him. "Who would be operating this machine?" He asked
"We would."
"And where?"
The twins hesitated.
"The Market?"
"or maybe in a tavern?"
Valdemar's expression immediately changed.
"No."
The twins' smiles disappeared.
"The Royal Emporium would be the only place, it can be at"
They looked at each other, confused.
"But....."
"I said it will go there," Valdemar interrupted them, and leaned back in the chair.
The idea was absurd, but annoyingly, it did not lack any merits.
People liked games and money. Combining the two are an enticing possibility for many.
But gambling among the faithful? Oh that was another matter to deal with.
The Sogn would descend upon him before the first customer, denouncing it as temptation, and he didn't have the time or patience for another fight right now.
Having the Voice knocking upon his door because two red-haired twins had invented a mechanical method of encouraging people to lose their money was not something he wished for.
"The Royal Emporium???" The twins asked
"Yes. I would allow it there"
"Thank you, Regent!"
"Thank you, good friend!"
Valdemar raised one finger as he spoke "However."
The twins froze.
"You will not operate it alone"
Their faces fell.
"You will demonstrate how it works to the merchants there. You may be allowed to operate it under their supervision and guidance"
The twins nodded reluctantly.
Valdemar waved them away.
The twins hurried toward the door.
"And gentlemen?"
They stopped, fearing what else would come.
"If I hear that either of you has used that machine yourselves, I will ensure you spend the rest of the year counting grain."
The door closed.
Valdemar leaned back in his chair and slowly exhaled. His headache refused to leave him.
Another topic to deal with, if he didn't have enough work already with the railways and Kingsport.
He rubbed his temples, hoping that the headache would go away. Perhaps being Regent had been a mistake....
No.
He dismissed the thought immediately.
Being Regent was not the mistake. The mistake was thinking that he had free time to spend.
In service of the Godking, free time was a luxury not meant for men like him.