IWBQ 28

Chapter 28

. The Easiest Way to Tame a Beast (1)
2023.08.28.

“Of course. I did it knowing everything.”

Debois’ eyes were filled with intrigue as she looked at Elise.

She approached me deliberately, knowing Cien’s personality. She even predicted that Iris would show up.

If Elise decided to shake up high society, everyone would be at her mercy.

Even Iris wouldn’t be an exception. She’s incredible.

Debois’ evaluation of Elise soared.

“Debois, don’t you have something to say to me?”

Elise raised her champagne glass and shook it right in front of her.

“There was a matter to pop the champagne, Debois.”

The faint smile on Debois’ face disappeared.

She raised her eyebrows, her suspicious gaze fixed on Elise’s face.

Elise kept smiling, waiting for Debois to speak.

The standoff lasted a while, but ended when Debois exhaled and slumped her shoulders.

“Hey! Yes, you there. Can you bring the champagne?”

Debois called a passing servant to place the order.

The servant in a bow tie quickly brought the champagne.

Debois handed Elise a chilled glass.

“How did you know?”

Debois asked.

“What do you mean? Are you talking about the Phone Newspaper being up for sale? Or that you became its new owner?”

“Both. Did you have someone keeping tabs on me? I didn’t notice anything.”

Elise found Debois’ solo detective work cute. Her assumptions were wrong in many ways.

Even if I had someone keeping an eye on her, she wouldn’t have noticed. I wouldn’t assign someone careless.

Elise kept that thought to herself and answered Debois’ question.

“I know you.”

“You know me?”

“Yes. Three years of you tirelessly pursuing your dream made it possible to predict your actions. You wouldn’t miss an opportunity, that’s what it told me.”

“That’s strange logic, but fine. Still, that doesn’t answer my first question.”

“Same here. The past of the Phone Newspaper’s president shows their future. Their personal life is quite messy. Relationships ruined over money.”

“Are there many like that? Still, not everyone falls so easily.”

“Exactly. That’s why you can’t move based on predictions alone. You can’t bet on the past alone. Debois, it’s a tough problem. And that’s because you asked the wrong question. I didn’t notice—it was created.”

“Created what?”

“The situation. One common mistake people make is waiting for the situation to come. Why wait? You can create it.”

Elise added a few words to the dazed Debois.

“That’s all I’ll say for now. I don’t have time, and I have someone I need to meet.”

Elise clinked her glass against Debois’ champagne glass.

At the clear sound, Debois, coming back to her senses, quickly reached for the retreating Elise.

“Wait, Elise! One thing I’m sure of.”

Elise tilted her head.

“That I need to get along with you. Let’s be friends.”

Elise placed her empty glass on the table. Debois tensed.

Elise’s face was expressionless, making it hard to guess what she was thinking.

“Friends, huh…”

Elise seemed to be pondering. The situation was completely different from when she had asked if she was the owner of the Allecat Times.

Debois felt anxious.

Elise was different. Debois realized that through their conversation.

Someone who could teach her, grow with her.

Debois had been waiting for someone like that.

And they’re even capable.

Creating the desired situation is a far higher skill than predicting and preparing.

It requires an astonishingly broad vision, analytical ability, and execution.

You should never make an enemy of someone like that.

After organizing her busy life following the Phone Newspaper acquisition, she planned to properly thank her.

And she intended to draw an appropriate line.

There’s no benefit for nobility to get too close to the media.

But Debois completely changed her mind. She decided to become Elise’s aide.

As close as possible.

“I’ll be a friend you can be proud of.”

Anxious, Debois added, while Elise turned to walk away.

Is that a refusal?

A cloud passed over Debois’ face. She lowered her head.

Was I too arrogant? I should have trusted her.

At that moment, the sound of heels clicked directly toward her.

Suddenly, a champagne glass was extended in front of her eyes.

Debois raised her head.

“We’ve been friends since that tea time. Let’s do one more thing—business partners, how about it?”

Debois grabbed the glass and drained it in one gulp.

“Let’s do it. Everything. I’ll do everything with you.”

Debois felt her resolve ignite.

Elise, having made plans for her next meeting with Debois, hurried off.

There was someone she had to meet today. Her steps took her to where the distinguished guests were gathered.

She noticed Karan as she approached, and their eyes met. He raised his hand to call her over.

Elise naturally joined the group of guests.

“This is the person I’m going to marry.”

Karan introduced Elise smoothly.

Thanks to him, Elise was able to enter a crowd of guests who held little affection for Bedroka.

Among them were the princess of a country forced to retreat due to Bedroka claiming prime land, a merchant paying unreasonable tariffs to Bedroka, and the head of a mercenary group, who all greeted her in turn.

People who would never have been invited as guests by Bedroka in the past.

They were brought here because Ragnaros had to be dealt with. Bedroka couldn’t handle it alone.

Those who were invited needed to share the burden—or rather, take the damage in her place.

Even so, the treatment of the guests was poor. Rangi just greeted them and turned away, and Chase and David were busy chasing immediate profit.

So naturally, the guests’ reactions to Elise, who had invited them broadly, were far from warm.

“One marrying Bedroka… was that your preference, sir? Wouldn’t the academy be better?”

Among them, one was particularly hostile.

Ilaria Magnus.

The first princess of the maritime nation Magnus.

The person Elise had to meet today.

Magnus, sharing the eastern border with Bedroka, had to cross another country’s territory to trade with the continent.
To the north, Titriss; to the south, Bedroka.

Half of Magnus’ territory was adjacent to the sea, but venturing far into the ocean was difficult.

On land, there was Ragnaros; in the sea, the evil dragon Aktuber.

Aktuber wouldn’t awaken for a while, but the seas near him were as impassable as the land where Ragnaros slept.

Tremendous whirlpools, constantly changing winds, and the sirens’ cries made it so.

Therefore, Magnus had to secure a market via land routes.

For Magnus, the ideal partner was Bedroka.

Bedroka had a market capable of consuming Magnus’ products and well-established trade routes.

But Bedroka didn’t like interacting with Magnus.

The products Magnus produced were abundant in Bedroka, and opening trade routes would only increase competition.

So Bedroka repeatedly rejected Magnus’ requests to open trade routes.

About 50 years ago, Magnus achieved revolutionary shipbuilding technology and established diplomatic relations with Bedroka.

Finally, Magnus could conduct maritime trade without crossing Aktuber’s domain.

But was it a mutually beneficial treaty? Not really.

At the time, the Magnus king was foolish and short-sighted. In exchange for handing over shipbuilding technology, Bedroka received a trade permit with exorbitant fees.

At first, Magnus was delighted to have access, but through competition with other nations, they realized: to sell, quality must increase and prices must drop. Subtracting costs and tolls left almost nothing.

Subsequently, fewer Magnus merchants traded through Bedroka.

With better navigation and shipbuilding, it was easier to take the longer sea route.

The problem: whether they used Bedroka’s route or not, they still had to pay annual fees.

They had been paying for 30 years, filling the Bedroka royal treasury.

It was unfair, but Magnus couldn’t let go of Bedroka.

Magnus lacked fertile land and relied heavily on Bedroka for food.

Though Titriss was nearby, the harvest was poor, leaving insufficient food to sell to Magnus.

Magnus was a perpetual subordinate, and Bedroka, as a perfect dominant, ignored and tormented them.

Anyone in Magnus who didn’t hate Bedroka would be a fool or a traitor.

Hating Bedroka was patriotic in Magnus.

Ilaria was the epitome of a patriot, ready to sacrifice herself if her country was in danger.

“My appetite’s gone. I’ll leave now.”

Ilaria slammed her glass down.

Elise ignored her rudeness and began to speak.

“Do you know the easiest way to tame a beast, Your Highness Karan?”

Elise stared intently at Ilaria as she asked.