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nAt the luxury hotel where Liam stayed, the three summoned merchants arrived.

nThomas of the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce who had the longest relationship with Liam.

nElliot of the Clave Chamber of Commerce who is doing business in the imperial capital of the Empire.

nAnd lastly, Patrice of the Newlands Trading Company, which is widely involved with businesses in the empire.

nAll three were very impatient.

n“Is it going to be okay? Banfield’s’ main source of revenue is rare metals. If we can’t trade this, it would be a big blow.”

nThomas seemed very uneasy, Patrice returned irritably.

n“It’s a big blow. I don’t have a solid position in the Newlands Chamber of Commerce. Right now, some of the executives have begun cutting me off..”

nElliot appeared calm, but his inner heart was in turmoil.

n“It’s the same with me. The Executives in my organization are debating a change of leadership. Turning His Highness Linus into an enemy-what on earth was the count thinking?”

nThe three were staggered by Liam’s incomprehensible behavior.

nHowever, Thomas had experienced various things so far, and he was used to Liam’s behavior.

n“That’s right, Lord Liam may act brash, but he’s a firm man. There was Rosetta-san’s case, and maybe this time as well.”

nPatrice shudders remembering the fate of the Berkley Family.

n“I wouldn’t want to be crushed by that kind of force. It’s proof of Lord Liam’s endless depth.”

nBut this time, the enemy is not a noble family like the Berkeley’s, but a genuine prince contesting for the throne.

nIt’s not like how it used to be.

nBesides, the aristocrats of the Linus faction are also turning belligerent.

nIt would be hard for even Liam to tackle them alone.

nElliot’s eyes turned cold.

n“We need to deliberate this”

nThe two were thinking about abandoning Liam, but Thomas had other thoughts.

n“–I think Lord Liam is up to something in this case”

n“What do you mean?”

nWhen Elliot asks, Thomas has a hard time answering.

nHowever, It felt like Liam is planning something, something immense.

n“I don’t know exactly, but something big–“

nThe door opens and Liam entered the room where the three were waiting.

n“Thank you very much for gathering here!” Liam greets them cheerfully.

nLooking at Liam’s cheerful smile, Patrice and Elliot both greet back mockingly.

n“Thank you very much for this situation, Lord Liam.”

n“Looking at your smile, It doesn’t look like you’re engaged in a battle with His Highness Linus.”

nLiam was completely unfazed by the stinging words of the two guests.

n“Is it about the second prince? It doesn’t matter, I don’t care about him.”

nThe second prince was not someone Liam put in his eyes in the first place.

nWhen Liam sat down on the sofa, Thomas asked a question on behalf of the two of them.

n“Lord Liam, what are you going to do about this? I hear that economic sanctions are going to be imposed upon your territory?”

n“Economic sanctions? Oh, that. If I said that I was going to fully support the Third Prince and make him the Emperor, it would naturally result in fighting the Second Prince.”

nThe spines of the three people who heard it suddenly became chilled.

nLiam was still smiling.

n“I will make His Highness Cleo the Emperor. You can help me to do so if you wish.”

nThomas was dizzy.

nWhat the hell is this guy saying? It’s mind-boggling to think that a count of the Empire could decide the next Emperor.

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n“But is that really possible? In the first place, Lord Liam received economic sanctions on your source of wealth…”

n“I have a few ideas. The empire isn’t the only trading partner, you know. The world is vast-is there any shortage of other interstellar nations?”

nThomas had his mouth wide open.

n“Do you intend to trade the rare metals with other countries?” he asked. It would be a felony to trade with other countries without permission…

nSome nobles also traded rare metals to other nations, but the amount was not large by any means.

nThey would be covert dealings evading the Empire’s gaze.

nHowever, the amount of rare metals in Liam’s territory is colossal.

nIf that amount moves, even the Empire will immediately notice.

n“His Highness Linus, who picked a quarrel with me, is the one in the wrong. And I’m not going to be a criminal. I’m just dealing with undesignated metals and commodities. Did Thomas and Patrice ever trade with foreign countries?”

nThomas had traded with various countries before becoming Liam’s contracted purveyor.

nThat is why there was merit in believing that this was an avenue they could pursue.

n“Yes, but even if I had some dealings with them, it’ll become a problem when it comes to regular transactions.”

nThe same goes for Patrice.

n“I can’t say that I have a reliable network either. Finding a trading partner is will be difficult.”

nIs there a foreign country that wants to do business with the Empire?

nEven if there is, could they trade openly?

nThe Empire is currently at war with its neighbors, and should their dealings come to light, it would be seen as an act of treason.

nThe military wouldn’t be silent about it either.

nIt was Elliot who smiled at the two worried companions.

n“-There could be something we could explore, Lord Liam.”

n“What would that be Elliot?”

nLiam turned his attention to Elliot and asked him to explain.

nElliot talked about the rumors he heard in the imperial capital.

n“There is a rumor going around among the court nobles of the capital, and it seems to be extremely credible. The countries adjacent to the Empire seem to be having internal problems.”

n“Continue”

nLiam expressed his interest.

n“We are collecting various materials to be used for war efforts. That is why the Empire was seeking cooperation with us.”

nIt was an open secret that the Empire had begun gathering various materials for the war.

nIt also involved the upper echelons of the Empire.

nThis is one of the reasons why Calvin and Linus are intensifying the fight between their factions. After all, the enemies are unable to move on a large scale.

nConsidering the current state of the neighboring countries’ immobility, this could the ideal time to push for succession.

n“What are the movements of the Imperial Army?”

n“We don’t cooperate, we don’t attack. I don’t know what exactly is going on. But it’s true that something is happening.”

nThomas recalled after hearing Elliot’s story.

n(This is it. Sometimes it seems like heaven is on Liam’s side. This moment of desperation is offset by the neighboring nations internal conflicts-I think it’s immensely lucky.)

nIf this wasn’t the case, Liam might have been stuffed.

nIt was as if some higher force, a powerful guardian angel was watching over Liam.

n“Let’s make money by picking sides in the neighboring countries’ conflicts. I’ll prepare the resources.”

nLiam said, wondering if Patrice had finished the calculations in her head.

nBelieving it would be profitable, she seemed to be enjoying the situation.

n“I will prepare a list of trading partners later. Before that, I beseech you to lend us your power.”

n“My power?”

n“Escorts to guard our shipments. Hundreds of ships.”

nElliot was a little dispirited and requested the same.

n“I don’t have a firm standing in my organization right now. I will aid you, but I would need your power as well. The Executives of my organization would raise a fuss if I were to use my own.”

nLiam nods and immediately issued an order to prepare the escort ships.

n“Thomas, do you need protection as well?”

n“If you can, please provide them, Lord Liam” Thomas replied.

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n“I would be in trouble if you were to die.”

nLiam immediately leaves the room for a detailed meeting with the military, but the remaining three stay to discuss their plan.

nElliot immediately confirmed the requisite supplies.

n“If we prepare a lot of rare metals to trade with the adjacent nations, His Highness Linus will catch on to us. We need to prepare a dummy.”

n“We don’t need to. I think we’ll be able to make good excuses when we sell through my channels, so you can leave this matter to me.”

n“We just need to pick a side then.”

n“Yeah, it’s me and Thomas who’ll be on the scene. Is it permissible for us to decide on which side to pick?”

n“It would have been so much simpler to pick the one with the most funds, but alas-“

nThe two of them were very lively unlike just a short while ago.

nThomas joins in on the conversation.

n“I’m going to talk to someone I’ve traded with before. Even so, the surroundings of the empire are getting very busy.”

nIt was eerie.

nIt is not uncommon for a civil war to occur, but large civil wars rarely occurred.

nPatrice comes up with a suggestion!.

n“Oh! The Imperial Army’s fleets are annoyed and weary due to this long-running dispute. If we can make a ceasefire in secret, we can sell a favor to the Imperial Army!”

nThe Imperial Army can also take a break.

nThe truth is that the people who wanted to fight and the Imperial Army both wanted to take a breath.

nElliot knew a few people.

n“I’ll talk to an acquaintance of mine in the Army.”

n“It would be nice to see the enemy weaken. We’ll take a break before the big offensive and monitor the situation meanwhile.”

nThey don’t know what exactly is going on.

nHowever, the three of them smell an opportunity.

nAnd at the same time, there is no other path for them.

nIf Liam loses, their status and life will be in jeopardy.

nAt any rate, they needed to survive this crisis.

nAnd hope is now visible.

nAll they had to do is win.

nThomas observed the two who seemed happy about making money by supplying resources to the conflicting parties.

n“Don’t get too greedy and touch upon Lord Liam’s bottom line. Lord Liam is a virtuous personage. What would happen if he knew that you had dealings with someone unscrupulous?”

nPatrice hurries to settle Thomas’s apprehension.

n“Of course, of course. We will investigate and only deal with personages with the right cause”

nElliot is no different.

n“We can’t make mistakes by looking at just the profits and choose the one that’s most convenient for us. Lord Liam attaches great importance to just causes.”

nLiam told them to make money for themselves.

nHe had a good understanding of how the merchants moved.

nHe understands that you can’t ask a merchant to do business by absolutely complying with the law. But they know that Liam was also a virtuous ruler who had a bottom line.

n“That’s right if you look at his actions so far, it’s better not to get on the bad side of Lord Liam. Once he gets angry and judges you to be an enemy, you’ll be decimated just like the Berkley’s.”

nThe two of them acknowledge Thomas’s opinion, after all, he had been with Liam for many years.

n“Okay. Let’s support only those who have a just cause. Anyway, it would be convenient if they would fight. This will allow us to earn their grace while enriching ourselves.”

nElliot nodded at Patrice’s opinion.

n“I will support the two of you, so make sure you choose right.”

nIt meant that they carried great responsibility.

nElliot smiles at them.

n“Good luck. I really wish you good luck. This is very important. Lord Liam is blessed with luck on this occasion. I am still anxious about the matter of the Third Prince, but the future is not all bad.”

nFor the three of them, it’s important that Liam is alive and well.

nPatrice agrees.

n“Even if it fails, it’s an opportunity to branch out abroad, and I’m happy to get involved.”

nAnd it’s extremely desirable to make new connections in other countries.

nAlso, their rewards would be enormous if his Highness Cleo, whom no one other than their Lord has bet on, were to win.

nAnd both Patrice and Elliot were optimistic about their chances.

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