Chairman Peterson finally sent a reply to
Chairman Peterson attributed the delays and his failure to deliver results entirely to the Commerce League's military defeat. He also exaggerated the difficulties they faced — for instance, the remaining sixteen kingdoms and two alliance factions in the central and southern parts of the continent had once again bared their claws at the Commerce League's territories, stirring up trouble and poised to strike. It was only after the Commerce League announced the enfeoffment of the southernmost territory, the former Duchy of Ganglinia, to the Storm Sword Saint as his domain that these two allied factions had been forced to abandon their attempts to provoke a conflict.
Lorist had to admit the Commerce League had played a clever move. On the surface, they had been coerced into handing the Duchy of Ganglinia over to the Storm Sword Saint as payment for the sword duel challenge against Lorist. But seeing that the Storm Sword Saint was about to slip out of their control, they promptly issued the enfeoffment — clinging to every possible tie to bind the Storm Sword Saint to the Commerce League, while simultaneously stabilizing the situation in the newly annexed central and southern provinces. By leveraging the Storm Sword Saint's prestige, they had neutralized the sixteen kingdoms and two alliance factions' plans to exploit the situation without spilling a drop of blood...
What puzzled Lorist, however, was why the Storm Sword Saint had not severed ties with the Commerce League and struck out on his own, just as he had suggested atop Little Lonely Mountain. After much deliberation, Lorist concluded that the Commerce League must have offered additional incentives to buy the Storm Sword Saint's silence. Nothing unusual there — profit was the most compelling motivator. Even though the Storm Sword Saint had become the ruler of a nation, he would still require vast quantities of resources to develop and build up his domain. The Commerce League had likely seized on this point, leaving the Storm Sword Saint with no choice but to continue cooperating with them.
In his letter, Chairman Peterson devoted only a small portion to describing the Commerce League's predicament and future plans. Instead, he spent several pages of stationery engaging Lorist in a discussion on commercial matters. He even cited examples, arguing that the goods produced in
Lorist burst out laughing. Clearly, the Norton Family goods that had reached the central-southern and southern markets through private shipowners were already threatening the Commerce League's monopolized markets, and the Peterson Trading Company was undoubtedly among the victims. The Commerce League, its influence diminished after its defeat, had been unable to defend its market share and in its desperation had resorted to having Chairman Peterson, in his capacity as a veteran merchant, advise the Norton Family on how to increase their revenue — as though the Norton Family were some greedy aristocratic clan.
Raising prices would be easy, but it would strip Norton Family goods of their market competitiveness. What the Norton Family wanted was market share — a strategy of economic encirclement against the Commerce League. By offering fine goods of the same quality at the same prices, they would crush the shoddy products of the Commerce League's major chambers, delivering a fatal economic blow and utterly destroying any hope or delusion of a comeback. Without market share and product competitiveness, Lorist was confident that the Commerce League's chambers would quickly devolve into ordinary landed nobles, with no source of income beyond squeezing money out of their hapless subjects.
Without commercial profits, what would the Commerce League even be? Those chambers and their territories would become proper noble estates. Since those merchants had always aspired to match the nobility, then let them become true landed lords. Lorist felt he was doing them a great favor, helping these merchants shed their old skin and enter the aristocratic circle — a truly meritorious deed. As for whether the Commerce League's merchants were willing or not, Lorist couldn't have cared less. He had more than enough means to compel them to submit.
"It seems these merchants still refuse to bow their heads and accept defeat," Lorist said, holding up Chairman Peterson's letter. "I've never understood — aren't merchants supposed to be the most adaptable and open-minded of people? Why do the Commerce League's merchants refuse to concede? What backing do they still have to maintain their stubborn stance of refusing any compromise? Are they planning a counteroffensive? Do they even have the capability anymore?"
Standing before Lorist was Tager, who bowed respectfully and reported, "Your Grace, word has come from the Two-Headed Dragon Chamber's territories that Grand Duke Combellete has recovered from his injuries and resumed governance. The chaos within the Commerce League has more or less come to an end. With the exception of the Qikede Chamber, which continues to ignore the Commerce League's orders, all the other member chambers have expressed their determination to continue rallying around Grand Duke Combellete, working together in unity to weather the most difficult period the Commerce League has ever faced..."
In the decisive battle at Bruvia City last year, the Commerce League had suffered a crushing defeat. The luckiest of all was the Qikede Chamber's armed forces. Stationed at the very rear, they had sustained almost no damage and suffered negligible losses. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, they had retreated early — the only chamber's forces in the entire Commerce League to withdraw intact.
Squabbling over words...
"Heh, the Qikede Chamber is quite clever," Lorist remarked. "The moment they saw this sinking ship of a Commerce League, they scrambled ashore and made off with a nice haul while they were at it. From the looks of things, the Commerce League has absolutely no way to punish the Qikede Chamber. I'd wager that in the end, they'll have no choice but to swallow their pride and keep quiet, just to avoid being laughed at. With the Qikede Chamber setting such an example, I'm sure the other chambers will start getting ideas of their own."
"Your Grace, you're quite right. Apart from the Fude Chamber, the Livode Chamber, and the Weixiya Chamber — three major chambers that have lost their commercial territories — along with over twenty second- and third-tier chambers that have similarly lost their territories, who still firmly support Grand Duke Combellete and uphold the Commerce League, the Mayflower Chamber and seven other second-tier chambers have secretly formed a separate alliance. They blame the Commerce League's defeat on Grand Duke Combellete, question his ability to govern, and are plotting to oust him from power.
According to our intelligence operatives' reports, apart from the Qikede Chamber, which has practically raised the banner of rebellion, the Peterson Chamber has been drifting on the periphery, wavering back and forth as if it had no position of its own. In reality, however, it has already reaped considerable benefits from both sides. Your Grace released Chairman Peterson, hoping he would lend some effort toward reaching a ceasefire agreement among the three parties. But Chairman Peterson merely probed Grand Duke Combellete's stance a little before tossing our proposal over his shoulder. He hasn't conducted any lobbying or persuasion with the other chambers..."
Lorist had to admit, once again, he had misjudged someone — pinning his hopes for peace negotiations on Chairman Peterson. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Aside from these internal disputes, has the Commerce League shown any other signs of activity?"
"It has. After Grand Duke Combellete's return, he once again drew nearly a hundred thousand troops from the various chambers' forces, dividing them into ten army groups and deploying them along the borders of five provinces — Jidelinke, Maweifolin, Sangganwoba, Haosimoke, and Kelinqiusi — all of which had been swept clean by our family's forces. This reconstituted a defensive line and stabilized the situation across the Commerce League's remaining twenty-three provinces. The curious thing is, judging from where these ten army groups are stationed, the Commerce League appears to have abandoned these five provinces surrounding the Mana Hill Plains..." Tager said.
Lorist studied the map for a moment and nodded. "Grand Duke Combellete is very wise. These five provinces have already become worthless trinkets. If the Commerce League wanted to reclaim them, it would directly threaten the security of the Mana Hill Plains, and we would certainly never allow that. Moreover, these five provinces have all become empty wastelands. The Commerce League's forces would need to prepare vast quantities of military supplies, logistical provisions, and enormous transport capacity and manpower just to enter them. In a prolonged campaign, the economic burden alone would easily drag the entire Commerce League to ruin.
So he simply gave up these five provinces, turning them into a buffer zone between us. If we were to attack the Commerce League, we would likewise need to cross an entire province and require equally vast military supplies and logistical resources. The Commerce League's forces could even exploit the empty terrain of the surrounding provinces to launch surprise raids and guerrilla strikes against our rear, seizing the battlefield initiative. That is why I say Grand Duke Combellete's decision to abandon these five provinces was remarkably wise."
"I see." Tager nodded and said, "Your Grace, there are two more pieces of news. In addition to assembling these ten army groups and completing the defensive line's deployment, Grand Duke Combellete is also preparing to convene the Commerce League's parliament to discuss redistributing the territories of the Ford Trade Association, the Livod Trade Association, the Vicia Trade Association, and those second- and third-rate trade associations that lost their lands, granting them new territories in the southern part of the continent."
"However, those southern provinces were annexed by the Commerce League only a few years ago and have not been properly governed. They've also suffered under the Commerce League's cruel exploitation and forced conscription, causing severe population flight and strong rebellious sentiment among the populace. As a result, many trade associations are reluctant to go south. On top of that, the Qikede Trade Association in the south is practically a traitor, so even the three major trade associations — Ford, Livod, and Vicia — are wavering and undecided."
"The second piece of news is that Grand Duke Combellete has dispatched numerous envoys to the sixteen kingdoms of the central-southern continent, as well as the Qigeda Kingdom, wildly proclaiming the threat our Andinark Kingdom poses to the central-southern kingdoms. He's attempting to convince them to ban goods produced in our family's territories from crossing their borders and to forge alliance pacts, so that when our family's forces attack the Commerce League, they won't receive support from other central-southern kingdoms — recreating the old scenario of uniting to resist the former Krisen Empire's invasion..."
Lorist burst into hearty laughter. "The Commerce League is still dreaming? Look at the times — and they're still talking about uniting against the former Krisen Empire. Do they not realize the Commerce League itself is the greatest threat to the central-southern continent now? Of the thirty-six central-southern kingdoms of old, how many remain? Including the Commerce League and the Qigeda Kingdom, there are only eighteen countries left — the other eighteen were all swallowed by the Commerce League. How does Combellete still have the audacity to go around persuading those kingdoms to unite against our kingdom?"
"Rest assured, this scheme of the Commerce League has absolutely no chance of succeeding. The fact that our family established and backed the Free Alliance proves we have no interest whatsoever in the central-southern territories. The five provinces around the Mana Hill Plains that our family's forces swept clean into wastelands proves that our family has no ambition to occupy the central-southern lands. As for the goods produced in our family's territories, whether they're banned or not makes absolutely no difference to us — we only sell wholesale in
"Also — here, and here — which countries did the Commerce League annex these three provinces from? Look into whether any heirs or royal descendants of those countries still survive."
"Yes, Your Grace," Tager replied.
"Oh, right — didn't Sambawood impose a naval blockade on the Qikede Trade Association's territory? I hear that anyone in Qikede territory who wants seafood now has to buy it from somewhere else. Send an order to Sambawood — have him write a letter to the Qikede Trade Association. Tell them that if they're willing to break away from the Commerce League and establish themselves as an independent kingdom, our family can arrange to lift the naval blockade on their territory, allowing their merchant ships to sail for trade and fishing. If the Commerce League threatens them with the Storm Sword Saint, tell them I personally guarantee the Storm Sword Saint will take no action against them..." Lorist added yet another flame to the Commerce League's troubles.
At the end of August, Lorist quietly boarded a lightning-type warship with only a handful of guards. Under the personal escort of Northern Sea Fleet Commander Sambawood, he returned to his family's territory unnoticed. He had come back specifically to be at Princess Sylvia and his concubine Daisy's sides, caring for them through their childbirths.
On October eleventh, Princess Sylvia gave birth to another healthy baby boy. Three days later, Daisy also delivered a son. Lorist stayed by their sides until April of the following year before setting out once more for Morant City.
A List of Lorist's Children:
Mother: Former Maid Elinna (died suddenly of illness)
Eldest Son: Norton Laisect (deceased) — executed by order of Lorist for rebellion and tyranny.
Second Son: Norton Wellward — adopted by Lorist's cousin, the golden female knight Chrisya, after his mother's death.
Mother: Nico Tressti, Director of Nico Academy, Lorist's lover.
Eldest Daughter: Nico Oligas.
Second Daughter: Nico Freshia.
Mother: Dina Aridoli, female knight of the Dina Family and acting family head, Lorist's lover.
Eldest Son: Dina Triec.
Youngest Daughter: Dina Ili.
Mother: Princess Silvea, matriarch of the Norton Family, Lorist's lawful wife.
Eldest Son: Norton Andebel.
Youngest Son: Norton Jedebins (named in memory of Deputy Commander Paul Bins, who died heroically in the Artillery Battalion).
Mother: Deliana, the young aunt of Aridoli and Fennagari, Lorist's concubine.
Eldest Son: Norton Shlobel.
Youngest Daughter: Norton Vilian.
Mother: Dina Fennagari, Aridoli's younger sister, Lorist's concubine.
Daughter: Norton Diloria.
Mother: Maria, eldest daughter of some minor noble, claimed by Lorist as his concubine.
Son: Norton Muyepete (named in memory of Deputy Corps Commander Pete of the Hunting Cavalry Corps, who fell bravely in battle).
Mother: Daisy, Maria's best friend and second daughter of some minor noble, similarly claimed by Lorist as his concubine.
Son: Norton Rolinos (named in memory of two old alumni of