Chapter 37
“As you all know, following the rise in prices of Batashu silk, the price of Astraia silk is also climbing. It’s skyrocketing. We need a countermeasure.”
“But silk is a luxury item. Is it really necessary to regulate the prices of such goods?”
“That’s right. What’s urgent now is to find a new mana stone mine to replace Narot. The silk prices will stabilize on their own. Didn’t we see the same happen with the Batashu silk?”
Lyndon Skyler quietly watched the nobles argue around the round table. This noble assembly, held every month, never seemed to change.
They merely danced around the topic of hoarding and price fixing, and it always ended unresolved. Likely because many nobles profited from it.
‘Scum.’
Lyndon stared coldly at the man orchestrating the scum.
One of the barons had diverted the topic from hoarding to mana stone mines—clearly taking cues from someone.
That someone was Elion Corneille.
“Since the lords have brought it up, discussing the mana stone mines might indeed be worthwhile,” Elion said, smoothly shifting the topic without even speaking much himself.
He was a snake.
Worse than a snake—his greed knew no bounds.
The Corneille family was the family of the First Prince’s consort, already linked to the imperial house. The same was true for the Roshanak family, the family of the Empress.
And yet, they both acted as if they wanted more.
It was clear even without intel networks that these two families had colluded.
Recently, Elion Corneille had tried to push Nyris Roshanak onto the Second Prince.
Why would the Corneille family try to back the Roshanak daughter?
Even if the Empress wasn’t directly involved, it was clear what kind of calculations had gone on at the family level.
Moreover, with the mana stones of Narot, held by the Roshanak family, nearly exhausted, the Corneille family had become desperate to find a new mine. Clearly, this was all part of the same ploy.
“What’s the point in discussing mines? The issue is who gets the mining rights.”
Sharp as ever, Lyndon halted Elion’s momentum and narrowed his eyes.
The Roshanak family already held the mining rights to Narot, and thus had no further claim to more. Hence, they sought to align with the Corneille family.
That made it even more critical not to let them win the next mining rights. If they did, the empire would be toyed with in the hands of Corneille and Roshanak.
The current inflation would look mild by comparison.
Even now, the people were suffering. Lyndon couldn’t allow the empire to endure more.
‘You bastards won’t get your way.’
Lyndon cast a sardonic glance around the room at the gathered nobles.
“Without mining rights, nothing can be done.”
At Lyndon’s single remark, Elion’s eyes began to dart nervously.
Until now, he had operated from the shadows. But now, with tension on his face, he spoke up.
“You’re right. But that’s why finding a mine is key. Securing the rights to a useless site is pointless. Didn’t you yourself go to Dapa for that reason, Lord Lyndon?”
“You even know where I’ve been? How surprising.”
“Don’t pretend otherwise.”
“Yes, I went to Dapa. But to bring that up now… why? Are you worried I might take Dapa and leave you at a disadvantage? Seems I was the only one who didn’t know this meeting was a game of territorial conquest.”
“That’s not what I meant… I’m saying the mine exploration must be approached with care. You understand how vital mana stone rights are. If the wrong family monopolizes it, prices will spike far worse than with silk.”
“Hm. I didn’t realize you were so thoughtful, Lord Elion. I was just vacationing in Dapa.”
Lyndon replied lazily, stroking his chin as if truly unaware. Elion’s face twisted with growing frustration.
“Are you mocking me?”
“Of course not. But let’s stop talking about resorts. Let’s discuss something worthy of a proper meeting.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard that Astraia silk is only available from businesses owned by the Corneille family these days. Mind if I ask what deeper meaning lies behind that?”
“It’s simply because my wife’s niece is from Astraia and could source it. I’m not sure that’s even worth explaining.”
“Oh, then I must have misunderstood again. First salt, then coal, now silk too. What a coincidence. I apologize for always misunderstanding the same way. Please forgive me.”
Lyndon made an exaggerated gesture of apology. Elion scoffed at his attitude.
“It’s hardly new. I expected petty criticism when I started my trade ventures out of love for the empire.”
“Hahaha. Well, it’s good to know your heart is so big.”
Lyndon laughed heartily at Elion’s sarcasm and slapped his knee.
The tension between the two heads of noble houses made the other nobles visibly uncomfortable.
‘Pathetic,’ thought Lyndon.
He stood up and theatrically rubbed his shoulders. The sheer presence of his towering frame rising was enough to dominate the room.
Looking around, Lyndon announced boisterously, “My shoulders are getting stiff from the long meeting. The chairs in here are too small for me. Anyway, I’ll take my leave. With Lord Elion here thinking so much of the empire, I trust the rest is in good hands?”
He winked at Elion. The man was left speechless, his mouth agape.
“We’ve only been here for two hours! You’re leaving already?”
“Yes. My wife is waiting.”
“You let a mere woman dictate your actions?!”
Elion openly scorned him, but Lyndon ignored him entirely and threw open the doors.
“See you next month.”
“You’re a disgrace!”
Elion’s insult flew at Lyndon’s retreating back, but Lyndon, as always, didn’t respond and walked on.
As soon as he exited the chamber, the genial smile vanished from Lyndon’s face.
He stared coldly at the closed doors.
‘So Corneille was after Dapa too.’
He leaned against a pillar and reached inside his jacket. From a pocket, he pulled out a small note.
“For the Skyler family’s winter retreat, I recommend Y instead of D.”
The note had come flying through his study window the night before, tied to a pebble.
There was no sender or recipient named. Just that one, cryptic line.
At a glance, it seemed like a joke.
But Lyndon didn’t dismiss it so lightly. The hidden meaning behind it was too deliberate.
“A winter retreat…”
He pondered its implications seriously.
The empire of Laurentz was currently in a “winter”—a metaphor for the absence of the Emperor.
And recently, he had had a conversation about just that with someone.
“The Second Prince?”
A frown creased Lyndon’s brow. His heavy eyes narrowed.
If the note had come from the Second Prince, it was worth deep consideration.
A “winter retreat” likely meant a place to endure this imperial winter.
In other words, the next mana stone mine.
Indeed, the “D” mentioned likely stood for Dapa, which Lyndon had just visited.
“Not D, but Y…”
Lyndon began thinking of locations starting with Y. After a brief moment of contemplation, a deep smile formed on his face.
He crossed the palace corridor with lighter steps than before.
“How is it? Not bad, right? I brought in weavers from Batashu just for the greenhouse. Especially this tulip garden—stunning, isn’t it?”
Franz glared coldly at Crayton’s smug expression. The two sat facing each other over a tea set in the Empress’s greenhouse.
Franz gave the fresh tulips a cursory glance and said blandly, “Is this really what you called me for? You should brag to Her Majesty instead. She’d reward you properly for your filial piety.”
“Of course I showed Mother first. But I couldn’t skip showing you either. We’re family.”
Family.
Franz scoffed, repeating the word, and smiled faintly. Crayton looked surprised to see him smile.
“What’s so funny?”
“You trying to act normal. I can’t even manage to be normal with my own wife.”
“What’s not normal about it?”
Crayton smirked and gestured to a servant, who began pouring Franz’s tea. Folding his arms, Crayton said leisurely:
“Speaking of which—about the Second Prince’s consort…”
“What about her?”
“Don’t get too defensive…”
