After leaving Lothair, it took the black-haired wizard and his party nearly a week to cross the border between Elemand and Byrne, from the avenue of Fort Allegiance to the Red Blood Castle.

Looking at the bustling, lively and as prosperous Red Blood Castle in front of him, Loren only had infinite emotion in his heart.

The wide streets were clean and tidy, with little to be seen except ruts and footprints, but this was because there were no more pedestrians on the streets, and there was no longer a single vendor on either side, only a pile of fences and tattered tents.

A solitary wooden sign hangs outside a closed shop, which reads in red paint: "This bakery voluntarily follows the teachings of the Holy Cross, closes its doors on weekends and afternoons, and does not engage in any trading activities."

A few peasants carrying bags of grain passed by the door, and they all shook their heads with sighs and turned away.

The city gates were crowded with people, but in reality only a handful of merchants were shouting, and the vast majority were just passers-by, and caravans with sad faces on horse-drawn carriages.

Byrne Cathedral was bustling with activity, but apart from the clergy who were trying to preach the doctrine and some "converted" believers, the rest of the people were still mostly "watching the fun", and it seemed that they didn't even know what was going on.

Only the inner city behind the city walls is as prosperous and stable as ever, except that things are slightly more expensive, salt is twice as expensive, fine fresh meat is three times more expensive, fresh vegetables and refined flour are five times more expensive... Passing by the shop, Loren glanced and saw that the price of fresh eggs was almost the same as that of an aged-wine of the same weight.

Prices are inflated, public grievances are rising, there is no vitality, and the atmosphere is heavy......

I made up my mind to return early... It's really done right!

"It's definitely the Little Yodgangan of the United Chamber of Commerce. Glancing at the "thriving" pawn shop and the almost empty bakery across the street, Lusen said with some hatred:

"I remember something similar having happened in Ellemont before... Inflate prices, hoard goods, these profiteers can do anything for money!"

The black-haired wizard smiled and didn't answer.

"Why didn't anyone stop him?" the little wizard blinked with an equally confused expression, "There's no way the Council of the Round Table can ignore this situation, wouldn't it make Byrne very dangerous if it continues?"

Harlem Van Ashamai behind her wanted to speak and stopped, just silently looking at her proud protégé with a confused expression, and did not make any explanation.

There are some things that are better not explained......

A quarter of an hour later, the knights of the palace came to greet the returning legation, and after a brief meeting, Master Ashamai returned to the Wizards' Guild with Ain, while Lusen had to go to the Wings of the Sky camp as soon as possible to hand over the duties of the acting head of the regiment.

Loren was the only one, and followed the knights of the Guardian to the Council of the Round Table.

Holding down the palace herald who wanted to inform him when he entered the door, the black-haired wizard who was alone walked straight through the door, through the garden in the vestibule, and in the direction of the hall.

Before he could walk up the stairs, Charles Grenwell, the court governor with a serious expression, spotted him first, and quickly stepped forward to greet him, with a shocked expression and a little panic:

"Your Excellency, why did you come back so soon? and... Why didn't I hear anyone from outside......"

Bang——!

A muffled sound came from inside the hall.

The black-haired wizard with inexplicable expressions and the pale Charles turned back at the same time, turning in the direction from which the voice in the hall had come from - the countess, who had clapped her hands on the table, suddenly got up and glared angrily at little Yod, who was sitting in front of her.

Charlotte, who blushed, may have been too excited, her shoulders could not stop rising and falling, and her pupils were filled with murderous intent;

Little Yod, who sat opposite her, was very quiet, with an indifferent expression as if none of the guards in the hall behind him did not exist, and he was calm in his seat.

It's... A rare sight.

"Your Excellency the Treasurer, you are the Duke's most trusted confidant, the President of the United Chamber of Commerce, and in the whole Duchy... No, among the merchants of half the empire, there is a reputation that echoes every voice. Charlotte gritted her teeth, and her cheeks looked unusually cold:

"And you're going to tell me what you think about the current state of the Red Blood Castle... Can't do anything?!"

There were only two people in front of the empty round table, obviously unarmed, but the atmosphere was tense as if both sides would draw their swords and unsheath them at any time, and blood splattered five steps.

"To be precise, there is no effective solution. With his hands crossed on the table, little Yod raised his head and met the angry countess, surprisingly calm:

"I must remind you, Your Excellency the Countess, that I am the tax collector of the Duchy, but the merchants and caravans are not my vassals, that I am the president of the United Chamber of Commerce, and that behind them stand the magnates and magnates of all parts of the Empire, who are our partners and customers, and that I have no power to order them to stay or to control the price of goods. ”

"In fact, you and the duke's humble servants have done all they can just to maintain the current price stability in the inner city and ensure that the duchy's finances do not collapse. ”

As he spoke, Xiao Yode, who had an indifferent expression, deliberately showed a meaningful smile.

It's a pity that Charlotte didn't notice it at all.

"Price stability - you're telling me that the bakery is closed and the price of salt has doubled to be price stability?!"

The countess sneered, and her excited expression was slightly hideous: "This is Byrne, the richest, most prosperous, and most fertile Byrne in the whole empire!"

"I'm sorry, but the price of goods is only related to market supply, demand and cost, and it is not something that my little tax officer can control. Little Yod shook his head again and shrugged indifferently:

"If I force them to lower their prices, the merchants who have fled from the Red Blood Fortress will only close more shops - because it will make them unprofitable. ”

"So you and your United Chamber of Commerce will take the opportunity to raise the price first, and make a fortune at the most critical juncture of the Red Blood Castle?!"

"This is a very ordinary business trick, the increase will stabilize when it reaches a certain level, and everyone will no longer consider the issue of price increases; as for why it is the United Chamber of Commerce, of course, it is for the sake of the principality; after all, if you think about it, if someone else raises the price, the savings of the people of the principality will definitely be lost and robbed by others!"

"Rather than let the foreign merchants plunder the wealth of our people, we should plunder it ourselves, so that in any case it will remain in the purse of the principality!"

The countess, whose cheeks were tense, took a deep breath.

"And what about the merchants of your own country, the grain merchants, the bakery owners, and the vineyard owners, and you will tell me that you are powerless against them?"

"Of course nothing can be done... This is also in accordance with the support policy of His Excellency the Duke for the Church before leaving!" After a slight pause, little Yode nodded thoughtfully:

"They voluntarily followed the orders of Bishop Byrne, did not engage in any money lending business, did not do business on weekends and afternoons, refused to make too much profit, and decided to close their doors - this is a sign of their piety, how shall I reprimand them?"

Little Yode's expression was a look of course, full of grievances: "You know very well how terrible the price of goods outside has reached now, but the United Chamber of Commerce still endures high prices, and uses the past parity to supply the supplies of the Red Blood Castle army, as well as all the needs in the palace. ”

"Why? Because the United Chamber of Commerce and your humble servants regard this as a dedication and obligation to the Principality, and would rather bear the loss themselves than ensure that the Principality's finances do not collapse—and by doing this alone, we have done everything we can!"

"Is even blackmailing the subjects of the Red Blood Castle at a high price a risk to the principality?!" Charlotte gritted her teeth.

"Of course it is!" Little Yod nodded solemnly, "As you know, Lord Bishop Byrne has stopped all high-value lending business, and our Chamber of Commerce is also strongly supporting. ”

"But that raises another question, which is the lack of financial resources – you know, the Principality has relied on the United Chamber of Commerce's large low-interest or even interest-free debts for the past few years, and if the Chamber of Commerce has no money, how can it subsidize the Principality's finances?"

When the words fell, little Yode saw that little Yode in front of him raised his head slightly, and his body trembled instinctively.

This expression... That is, she was really angry.

"Of course... It's not absolutely impossible. Sensing that something was wrong, Little Yode immediately changed his mind and smiled a little flatteringly: "If the Round Table Council can provide some help and cooperation, the United Chamber of Commerce can still think of a way." ”

"Speak. Charlotte didn't mean to be polite to him at all.

"The reason for all this is simple, that is, the merchants ... Primarily Bishop Byrne's fear of recent new reforms. Little Yod smiled brightly:

"Actually, we have nothing to fear of the new reform of the Church itself, but the pace and process of the bishop's implementation are too fast and too sudden, and people will inevitably have some fear of this sudden change. ”

"We're just ordinary people, we don't like to see too many changes that are different from the past; They tend to do things that aren't very rational. ”

"So......" Charlotte said as calmly as she could, holding back the anger in her heart, "how can we make your 'honorable' merchants no longer be so afraid?"

"Quite simply, let the Council of the Round Table and the court stop supporting Bishop Byrne—I mean, no longer so unequivocally assist the Bishop in carrying out his new reforms. "The more the color of the little yode pleases:

"The affairs of the Church should be left to the Church, and the Round Table Council should not be involved, which is also the wish of Bishop Byrne... What do you think?"

Of course, these are only the next side of the story, whether it will succeed or not, maybe it can, maybe it can't... But if the Round Table Parliament refuses to take a stand, I think it will be difficult for the businessmen to be persuaded by the following few words. ”

He's blackmailing himself, forcing himself to make a bid......

The enraged countess, the killing intent in her chest swelled more and more.

No, you can't get angry, you have to be calm, you can't let his words touch your emotions.

There had to be a way to reach a compromise with the United Chamber of Commerce behind Yode, Jr., without making it appear that the Round Table Council was showing weakness in front of a group of businessmen.

What to do?

Is there any good way to end this predicament......

"Bell ——!"

A knight of the guard guarding the door inadvertently slammed his sword sheath against the door, and with a slight thud, a screeching metallic sound echoed through the hall.

The two of them who were facing each other raised their heads almost instinctively, and their eyes collided with the black-haired wizard and Charles, who were also looking back and forth outside the door, and they looked at each other.

For a moment, all four of them were stunned.

In the end, the first to react was still Charles, the head of the palace.

"Lord of the Thirteen Lords of Byrne, Duke Loren Turin has arrived!"

A loud and clear voice broke the silence for a moment, and Loren, with a blank face, stepped through the door and entered the empty hall.

was stunned for only a second, and Xiao Yode's expression, which reacted instantly, was immediately difficult to see.

He's just outside, that is... Himself, he just persecuted the countess and opened his mouth to blackmail......

All of them, all of them were seen by him?!

In an instant, little Yod suddenly remembered the horror of many years ago, when the sailors on the returning ship had been slaughtered, and he had been completely dominated by Loren Turin's curse......

The bloodied man who sat in the sun on the deck and smiled at himself... I remember it vividly!

He's coming, he's coming to himself!

He-he's going to kill me, he's going to kill me, he's going to kill me, he's not ...... with the countess

Well?

Little Yod opened his eyes suddenly, but he saw the figure of the black-haired wizard passing by.

Combo look... Didn't even look at yourself!

By the time he came back to his senses, the black-haired wizard was already standing in front of the countess.

Charlotte, who stood with her head held high, stared at her slightly red eyes, bit her lower lip, with some stubbornness in her eyes, and some inexplicable panic.

Expressionless, Loren raised his right hand and pressed her right shoulder, which was still trembling slightly.

"I remember... A certain Earl said that when I returned, he would return Byrne in one condition. Looking at the countess, whose expression was a little stiff, Loren raised his eyebrows narrowly:

"But what I heard seemed to be a little different from what she said. ”

"It's just a little bit wrong, it's not a big deal. Charlotte, who did not bow her head, pressed the palm on her shoulder violently, and her slender fingers pinched Loren's pulse:

"Give me another half day, and I'll let everything go back to the way it was. ”

“...... Can I assume that you refuse to throw in the towel?"

"Whatever you think, punish me, even if the punishment is good, I am willing to gamble and lose. ”

With a soft snort, the proud Charlotte turned her cheek sideways, and her cold gaze swept towards a certain president with a frightened face:

"Until then, I'll have to deal with some of the Turin's evil servants!"