"Yes. Pen %Fun %Cabinet www.biquge.info" Victoria continued to smile. He seemed very pleased with William's answer: "Please come with me, I am sure we will have a pleasant and unforgettable evening." ”

"Unforgettable is unforgettable, as for pleasant ......," William thought to himself, selectively admitting half of Victoria's words.

In this way, William walked into the diplomatic embassy with Victoria.

I used to look at the diplomatic embassy from the outside, and I felt very luxurious, but when William came in, he understood that the inside of this diplomatic embassy was more luxurious than the outside.

Sea otter skins from the north of the New World, gold silk cashmere blankets imported from the Ottoman Empire, large crystal chandeliers from the Visigothic kingdoms, arts and crafts imported from distant Indies and dragon kingdoms, a large number of precious porcelain, jewelry and playthings, silk curtains hooked to pure gold, marble sculptures and precious paintings. With a large number of expensive furniture produced from the Kingdom of Briton......

William roughly estimated that just the decoration of this hall would be enough for him to train another 3,000 new troops, even if it was discounted by eight. If you add this mansion and the land together, it will be enough to cover the expenses of the 5,000 new army for two to three years.

"Damn the rich man. ”

William muttered to himself.

Although in the previous two or three years, William had made a fortune by relying on the trade of grain and cooking oil, war plunder, and the previous speculation of crusader bonds. However, it pales in comparison to this kind of real rich people with hundreds of years of heritage.

He suddenly understood what Victoria had said to him at the time of their first meeting.

That is, no matter how hard you work, no matter how talented you are. When the gap between innate beings is large to a certain extent, these efforts and talents are useless.

It couldn't have been more appropriate for him and Victoria. What's worse is that this girl, who is even younger than him, doesn't look like a simple vase no matter how she looks at it. William had to assume for a moment that her talents and abilities were equal to his own.

A heritage and wealth are countless times stronger than oneself. At the same time, an opponent whose ability and talent are equal to his own. In any case, William had no way of defeating her.

Luckily, if this time it was good, then William wouldn't need to beat her. You can even get some benefits from her. It's just that......

"It's just that there's no such thing as a free lunch. William thought to himself: "Since she is in the case of absolute superiority, she is still willing to talk to me, and put on such a low posture." It must be trying to get something out of me...... So, what exactly does she want from me?"

William couldn't stop thinking in his heart, he listened to every word Victoria said, and he felt that there was something in the words. He looked at Victoria's every movement, and felt that it meant something. So, while Victoria has brought out the most precious ingredients, the best chefs have cooked the most expensive and delicious food, and the best wines of the year have been blended from the best cellars...... But William still didn't know how to eat, like chewing wax.

Honestly, so

"You seem to be very uneasy, Count. After several attempts to adjust the atmosphere and the declaration was invalidated, Victoria had to decide on a showdown with William.

"Honestly, yes. After entering the formal negotiation session, William breathed a sigh of relief. Said solemnly: "I am very curious about the reason why you invited me. If I don't figure this out, I won't be able to eat anything delicious. ”

"Okay then. Hearing William say this, Victoria decided: "Let's get down to business." Eating and talking?"

"Of course. William nodded, "So, can you tell me why?"

"Yes, of course there is a reason. Victoria said, "You, and your Mystia, are very important to Britton. "My supporters and I believe that Mystia has the potential to be a strong ally of Britten. ”

"What do you mean...... Can you represent the Kingdom of Briton?" William was incredulous—even though he knew who Victoria was, and he knew the power of the Briton Company. But "representing a company as a representative of a kingdom" was still beyond his imagination.

"In a sense, yes. Because in a sense, the Briton Company and the Briton Kingdom are two sides of the same coin. The company is the kingdom, and the kingdom is the company...... Of course, not many people know this, and in a sense, it's a secret. After all, the Britons preferred to be ruled by a king rather than a merchant or a company. ”

"If what you say is true, then what are you?Another queen of the kingdom of Briton?" But William couldn't help but say such things in the most snarky tone.

In a sense, it is. ”

To William's surprise, Victoria admitted it shamelessly.

"I ......" William was speechless for a moment.

"Yes, yes. I don't have a crown, I don't have a title, I don't have an inch of land. "But I have the Briton Company," said Victoria. My company controls the entire kingdom financially. I am in control of all the food, clothing, shelter and transportation of the Britons. Ninety-five percent of the time the kingdom colonized overseas, waged foreign wars, expanded or compromised, it was the will of the company and its partners, not the Briton royal family...... Although there are not many people who perceive this...... However, that's actually the way it is. ”

"It's unimaginable. William felt a little dizzy in his mind - perhaps he might have understood it a little better if he had just escalated to 2:47.

The current Kingdom of Briton implements a constitutional monarchy of hypocrisy. The power of the monarch, the power of the nobility, was largely deprived by the "cabinet" as well as the "parliament". And the so-called "cabinet" and "parliament" are really nothing more than a game for the rich.

The Briton Company is the richest force in the Briton Kingdom. So in a sense, the Briton Company is indeed equal to the Kingdom of Briton. And Victoria de la Normandy is indeed equal to another Queen of Briton.

It's just that in the past few years, William has been imperceptibly influenced by the way of thinking in this world. The aristocracy, the king, and the feudal hierarchy had a great influence on his thinking. It was hard for him to imagine such a country in the world......

"Although...... But it looks like you've got it, right?" asked Victoria, observing William's expression.

"Yes, I understand a little, Your Majesty. The final "Her Majesty" William used only half the sarcasm at most: "But it's a secret, isn't it? Why tell me?" ”

"Secrets are also hierarchical. In the case of a high enough rank and a high enough status, the secret is no longer a secret. Victoria said.

"Well......" William reluctantly accepted Victoria's explanation, and then asked, "So, you mean, you want Mystia to ally with Briton?" I'm sorry, but I can't decide on this matter. Because—"

Of course you can decide. William's words were interrupted by Victoria: "Everyone knows that if there is anyone in this world who can convince Duke Otto, then it must be you." ”

This time, William did not refute it, and it was a tacit acquiescence.

"And why?" asked William, in a deep voice, "what do you want from me, and what can I get from you?"

"On the continental side, the Kingdom of Briton needs the support of a strong land power. "The kingdom devoted the vast majority of its forces to building its navy and colonizing overseas," Victoria said. Despite its wealth, the kingdom was unable to maintain a large native army while maintaining the world's largest navy and the large cost of garrisoning troops overseas.

And the kingdom is on the continent and has huge interests. And it is an interest that cannot be abandoned...... We have large tracts of land in Visigoth, and the kings and nobles of Visigoths want to annex these territories all the time. This makes us irreconcilable with the Visigoths. At the same time, within the Ostrogothic Empire, we occupied part of the territory of the Kingdom of Frisia and the Kingdom of Lotternia.

However, the kingdom of Briton did not want to obey the orders of the emperor. The Gothic territories, ruled by foreign dynasties, were also hostile to the local nobility. The other kings of the empire also hoped to reap the benefits of the kingdom. Reclaiming Frisia and Lotteria would be enough for them to become Emperor.

At the same time, because of the expansion of overseas territories, our contradictions with the Kingdom of Asturias are acute...... We have offended almost all, the main, powerful kingdom of mankind. We cannot reconcile our contradictions with them, and we cannot find an ally in these countries to defend the kingdom's continental interests. ”

"Then why not abandon these territories altogether?" asked William, "if Briton does not seek supremacy on the continent, and the territories on the continent, perhaps Briton will be able to find a few countries willing to ally with her." ”

"That can't be. "Combined, these lands are even bigger than the Briton Islands," Victoria said. The kingdom was reluctant to abandon them, and the nobles of the House of Commons did not want to be called traitors. ”

"Hmm...... So, do you want a continental state that has no contradiction with the Britons and has a strong army, and an alliance with the Briton Kingdom to balance the continental power and ensure that the continental territory of Briton is inviolable?"