"Hahaha..."
In nearly two thousand years of history on the Galentea Continent since the End of the Old Era, even during the Thousand Years of Darkness, diplomacy between hostile powers had produced countless surprising outcomes. But never—never—had anything been as laughable as the Commercial Alliance's response. After all, what Lorist had proposed was a peace negotiation, and what they returned was a declaration of battle.
By convention, when two nobles fought each other tooth and nail, they still treated each other's messengers and requests with courtesy. One party would propose peace, and even if the other declined, they would do so tactfully, explaining their reasons. This was, in its own way, a hypocritical display of aristocratic tradition. But for a thousand years, every noble had followed these established customs of war. For the Commercial Alliance to reply outright with a declaration of battle was truly unheard of—because what Lorist had offered was a peace talk, not a challenge to war.
"A bunch of ingrates," Lorist snorted. Just remembering the way Vice President Cait had recited the formal reply, putting on that air of a fearless martyr facing death, made Lorist's stomach turn. Did they really think he was a fool? Did they think he would lose his temper?
"They seem to be deliberately trying to provoke you," Fatty Shi said seriously after his laughter finally subsided.
"I know. That's why I didn't fall for it." Lorist nodded. "I just can't figure out where the Commercial Alliance gets the confidence to fight us to the bitter end..."
Fatty Shi pondered for a moment. "Perhaps it's the million-plus residents of
"Heh, they wish," Lorist laughed. "Perhaps we'll make them regret this beyond their wildest dreams. By the way, how are those multi-party negotiations you've been managing going?"
"Your Highness, I came here today specifically to report on that," Fatty Shi said. "On the community organizations' side, Ledos is taking the lead and there are no issues. They've been closely connected with the twenty-four communities in the outer city, and with the various trading houses no longer bearing down on them, they feel much freer. Becoming the new managers of Morant City excites them—even a temporary stewardship means more income for them, so they're all cooperative.
The temple district's response has been excellent as well. The priests of the twenty-seven temples are overjoyed by the invitation we extended. The Commercial Alliance's rationed distribution system for food and essential goods in Morant these past few years has hit the temples the hardest. The loss of believers and the decline in donations have filled these temples with resentment toward the Alliance's rule, so they very much hope to secure a large share in Morant's new power structure.
The coldest response came from the two remaining academies in the academy district—Saint William Knight Academy and Saint Morinka Comprehensive Academy. Both have survived solely through funding from the major trading houses. Back in the day, Morant City had twenty-eight academies in total. Now the vast academy district is left with just two. It's truly pitiful. Since most of their students are children from trading house families and their ties to the Commercial Alliance run deep, they've been ignoring our invitation and refusing to join the self-governance committee..."
"Heh heh... If they won't take the face we're offering them, then throw them out. But the academy district still needs representation. Here's what we'll do—send Tagel to investigate the heads of those twenty-some closed academies. See if any of them are willing to reopen. If so, we'll establish two academies under the committee's name: one knight academy and one comprehensive academy. Morant City has over a million residents, and there must be several thousand school-age students at minimum. That's more than enough to support two academies. As for tuition, we can offer them loans—sign agreements with them and have them repay slowly after they complete their studies." Lorist quickly devised this plan, drawing on the student loan system from his previous life.
"That's an excellent idea, Your Highness." Fatty Shi's eyes lit up. Back when the academy district had twenty-eight academies, it was precisely their open, inclusive, and teach-all-regardless-of-background philosophy that made Morant City a renowned center of learning across the continent—the famous City of Academies. How different from now, with just two academies left that had essentially become talent development bases for the Commercial Alliance's various trading houses. Although they also accepted children from city families outside the trading houses, with virtually every economic sector in Morant monopolized by those houses, ordinary citizens simply couldn't afford to send their children to academy.
With deep emotion, he recalled, "Yes, back then studying a professional subject required six gold Fordes in tuition. For an average Morant family, that was a fortune—yet many households scrimped and saved to put their children through academy. Even without tuition, there were always ways to work and earn money. It wasn't until the Commercial Alliance and the Kingdom of Trinberg fought the Glass War, and the Alliance antagonized the central and southern nations, that most foreign students abruptly cut short their studies and returned home. Losing those most well-funded students was what caused the twenty-eight academies to gradually decline and grow empty, one after another." He paused to add, "This is all what old Dean Levins told me."
"Even if we funded ten thousand students, it would only cost a hundred thousand gold Fordes or so. I'll cover that sum from my own pocket—a memento of my own ten years as a student. It's decided," Lorist said.
"Now that the Commercial Alliance has formally rejected our sincerity in proposing peace, there's no need for us to hold back. Move quickly to establish the self-governance committee and take over all commercial activity and administrative affairs in Morant City. Perhaps in time this committee can evolve into a council—the supreme governing body for both Morant City and the Mana Hill Plains. Let them do proper work," Lorist instructed.
"Yes, Your Highness. I believe they'll be thrilled to hear about the possibility of establishing a council," Fatty Shi said.
"That settles it then. Oh, and tell Ledos—he can loosen his grip on other powers and give people room to hope, but he must hold tight to the two garrison regiments we're currently training. In chaotic times, having soldiers in hand is what gives you strength," Lorist added one more instruction.
Fatty Shi nodded. "Your Highness, I'm sure Ledos will understand your true intentions."
Jenorio knocked and entered. "Your Highness, Steward Sperel and Lord Tagel have arrived as ordered."
"Send them in," Lorist said.
Soon Steward Sperel and Tagel appeared before Lorist.
"The reason I've called the two of you here is this: yesterday, the Commercial Alliance's envoy, Count Cait, came to see us. He's the vice president of Peterson Commerce and has dealt with our family on several occasions—he's visited Shiloas Island multiple times, and he handled the signing of several procurement agreements between our family and Peterson Commerce. This time, the Commercial Alliance has formally rejected our goodwill and refused to hold peace talks. However, Count Cait also brought another demand: they wish to ransom the surrendered captives, including the hundred-thousand-plus residents of the inner city district. I agreed," Lorist explained concisely why they had been summoned.
"But my lord, those hundred-thousand-plus inner city residents are sitting on considerable private wealth. The tavern alone in the prisoner-of-war camp has seen daily transactions of fifty to sixty thousand gold Fordes over these past ten days. Letting them go would be a terrible waste," Steward Sperel said with regret.
"I know. Don't worry—I won't let those hundred-thousand-plus residents walk out with their wealth so easily," Lorist said with full confidence. "To prevent Count Cait from noticing any changes in the city, I've placed them all in the military camp outside the eastern gate and forbidden them from contacting Morant's residents. Baron Shrade, you'll handle the ransom negotiations with Count Cait. Start with the Great Swordmasters, Golden Swordsmen, trading house executives, and Alliance nobles held on the large dock platform at Hidden Gold Bay. Oh, and compile an itemized list of their expenses during this period, then multiply it by ten. The Commercial Alliance must settle that bill before ransom negotiations can proceed."
"All right, Your Highness. I'll do my best," Fatty Shi sighed.
"Not 'do your best'—you will succeed. The Commercial Alliance knows exactly how things stand in Morant City. By doing this, they won't suspect anything. On the contrary, they'll think we're barely hanging on—after all, they know we have to provide for over a million residents. The fact that we're offering these surrendered captives such luxurious treatment proves we've done everything we can. High prices are to be expected, and they won't bat an eye."
After finishing, Lorist turned his gaze to Tagel. "Tagel, give me a report on the prisoner-of-war camp situation at the dock district."
"Yes, Your Highness." Tagel straightened to attention. "There have been seventeen brawls and robberies in the camp these past few days. The cause: some trading house guards who spent all their money at the tavern have turned to targeting their fellow captives. They form groups of several and rob others—especially personnel from rival trading houses—to fund their feasting and drinking. As long as no one dies and they don't cause trouble in front of our patrol squads, we generally turn a blind eye and pretend not to see. We even encourage it, since money in their hands will eventually be spent, unlike those misers who'd rather starve clutching gold coins.
The rising tavern transaction volume in the camp is because of this very reason. Two bowls of plain gruel a day won't starve anyone, but it will leave them weak and powerless. So to protect their private wealth from being robbed, more and more people have no choice but to spend gold coins on bread to fill their stomachs. Give it a few more days, and tavern transactions will climb above a hundred thousand gold Fordes..."
There are plenty of valuable trinkets, treasures, exotic beast pelts, and such. We need to give them a place to convert all these items into gold coins, and then let them spend those coins..."
Tagel praised admiringly, "Your Highness, you truly are a genius. To think of a scheme like this."
Lorist gave him a flat stare. "Get lost. Don't let anyone know these ideas came from me. I simply want the hundred thousand captives in the camp to remember these leisurely days as a wonderful vacation memory—that's why I thought to provide them with attentive and thoughtful service. The prices may be a bit steep, but they need to understand that Morant City is currently under severe supply constraints. Our family has gone to great lengths to provide them with service of this quality.
Oh, and Tagel—when you get back, have Pacheco set up a separate camp in the dock district for captives who've spent all their money. Provide them with normal food rations. The captives in this camp can be negotiated for by Count Cait and ransomed back. As for the captives in the camp where they still have gold coins, their situation is simple: the moment their money runs out, they can move to the neighboring camp and wait to be repatriated through the Alliance's ransom.
Tagel, do you understand what I mean? By whatever means necessary, those captives must leave the prisoner-of-war camp empty-handed—but those means must not come at the cost of camp discipline. Some things can be done in the shadows, but on the surface, we must honor every promise I made when they surrendered. Do you understand?"
Tagel thrust out his chest. "Your Highness, I understand perfectly. We ensure those captives leave behind every last piece of their wealth and walk out empty-handed before being ransomed back by the Commercial Alliance. Rest assured—I know exactly what to do."
...