Chapter 101.2

“I have an excellent idea to address this,” Julian proposed.

“An idea?”

Keeping his expression as neutral as possible, Canbraman responded to his son’s suggestion.

“Until now, we’ve treated the North with a harsh wind. But the stronger the wind, the tighter they’ve locked their doors, responding with unpredictable and audacious tactics.”

“True.”

“In their cold and barren land, harsh winds are meaningless. It’s their daily reality. Only the warmth of sunlight has any impact there.”

“And what exactly do you propose we do?”

“Thanks to divine providence, the North only shares a border with our empire. Their coasts are surrounded by frozen seas.”

As the Emperor’s interest became evident, Julian’s face flushed with excitement as he continued.

“We should leverage this to make them far more dependent on the Empire’s sunlight than they already are.”

“We’re already doing that. Without our food and cotton, the North would wither. And if Imperial merchants didn’t buy their goods, they would collapse.”

Though the blessings of the goddess Mary had improved the North’s food situation, they were still far from self-sufficient.

Recently, their population had even increased, forcing them to import more food from the Empire than ever before.

“That’s not enough,” Julian insisted.

“Not enough?”

“Yes, we must make them completely reliant on us.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

“Even now, there’s one law in the Empire that continues to oppress Northerners. The ‘No Groups of More Than Twenty Northerners’ Law. That’s the first thing we must abolish.”

“…….”

The Emperor’s expression stiffened at those words.

Sensing a potential rebuke, Julian pressed on before his father could interrupt.

“If we do this, Northern trading companies will flood into the Empire. Conversely, Imperial merchants will form larger groups to trade in the North.”

Canbraman sneered and shook his head at this point.

“Sure, the Northerners will flock to our warm and safe empire. But our merchants? Not so much. First, the Bishop Trading Company already has exclusive contracts with the Northern Duchy. Second, the North is far too cold and dangerous.”

While merchants driven by greed might risk their lives for substantial profit, the monopoly held by Bishop, Arad, and the Northern Duchy left little room for worthwhile opportunities.

At best, the North offered magic stones, minerals, wood, or Arad salt—all of which were already abundant and cheap in Haven.

“Militarily, however, it could be useful. Disguised as trading companies, Sigma’s forces could roam the North freely. But that also means Northern armed groups could move freely through the Empire as well.”

Fully armed Northerners clad in their abundant Northern Steel.

The Emperor chose not to spell it out further.

“Do you think the deeply rooted perception of Northerners among Imperial citizens will vanish with a single decree? At best, they’ll grumble about me bowing to barbaric Northerners.”

The memory of Northern invasions still lingered in the DNA of the Empire’s people, no matter how much time had passed.

The North’s recent growth only exacerbated this.

This was especially true in the Empire’s central and northern regions, where anxiety and vigilance toward the North were widespread.

“Your plan risks losing more than it gains.”

In such a climate, abolishing the No Groups of More Than Twenty Northerners Law by imperial decree?

Even if the Northerners posed no immediate threat, the political risks were enormous.

“Even so, we must abolish that law. Even if our merchants don’t venture north, we must allow Northern merchants to thrive in the Empire.”

Despite Canbraman’s counterarguments, Julian refused to back down.

“This way, the North’s economy and finances will become entirely dependent on the Empire.”

Julian continued,

“Once the North is completely addicted to the prosperity we offer, severing all ties at once will leave them unable to cope.”

The Emperor, along with Ricard and the other ministers present, silently listened to the Crown Prince’s argument.

“Once the North has too much to lose, they won’t dare act as ruthlessly as before.”

“And if we sever ties abruptly, what justification would we have?”

“Justification can be manufactured. The best excuse might be this: during the coronation banquet, Your Majesty wagered the Golden Throne to invite Arad Jin. Not only Your Majesty but also the Golden Tower Master and the Archbishop staked their honors.”

Canbraman looked at his son with a peculiar expression.

“But Your Majesty must have planned to either persuade or eliminate Arad Jin once he arrived in the Empire.”

“?!”

Was this really the same fragile child he once knew?

“To recruit, imprison indefinitely, or eliminate the Northern sorcerer… tarnishing your honor would be a small price to pay.”

“…Yes, you’re right.”

“But Arad Jin, being the cunning sorcerer of the North, must have realized this. His complete lack of response until now is proof of it.”

“If Arad Jin ultimately refuses to come to the Empire, are you suggesting we use that as justification to sever ties with the North?”

Julian nodded and elaborated.

“The problem is, cutting ties in the current state won’t deal a fatal blow to the North. Instead, the Empire will suffer significant damage.”

Canbraman forgot about entering his office and focused entirely on his son’s words.

“The Bishop Trading Company, which relies heavily on the North, would be gravely affected. And since the Bishop is intertwined with the Noble Council and the Imperial Church, they would vehemently resist or outright defy such an order.”

Even though the Bishop Trading Company operated its steam engines and other devices independently, they couldn’t maintain or repair them without Northern resources.

Without the cheap, abundant, and high-quality magic stones and coal from the North, Bishop’s factories would grind to a halt.

The same applied to items like celadon, fertilizers, spices, and certain magical tools. The North was the only source.

“In the worst-case scenario, the Empire might face a civil war because of the North.”

“…….”

Canbraman’s emotions grew complicated.

So this is your true nature!

He was now uncertain whether to see his son as an ally or a rival.

You’ve been hiding it all this time. Just like I did in my youth!

The reason he had left Julian unchecked until now was because, despite his legitimate claim, the Crown Prince had always seemed weak.

Canbraman had believed Julian wouldn’t pose a threat to his throne—at least not before he grew old and frail.

“We need to connect more Northern merchants with the Noble Council and the Church. Our Courtiers’ Faction and the Imperial merchants must also trade with the North. There must be alternatives to the Bishop for them.”

“Again, I’ll remind you: Arad’s company has an exclusive contract with Bishop.”

“If we abolish the No Groups of More Than Twenty Northerners Law, do you think that exclusivity will last forever?”

“…….”

Suddenly, Canbraman felt an uncharacteristic attachment to the throne he had once found exasperating and burdensome.

Right now, his focus wasn’t so much on the solution his son proposed as on the throne itself.

“Your Majesty, the Empire’s and the royal family’s top priority must be the North. The internal issues with the Noble Council and the Church can wait until after we’ve dealt with the North.”

Listening to Julian, Canbraman recalled his own days as Crown Prince.

Will this boy have the patience I did? Can he feign weakness and timidity while biding his time in the shadows of his father?

Through youth, middle age, and well past his forties, he had endured the long reign of his father, the late emperor.

Canbraman resolved to live a long life. Having endured such frustration and anguish in his youth, he intended to stay seated on the Golden Throne for as long as possible.

“If the Empire catches a cold, the North must become paralyzed. If the Empire suffers great injury, the North must be annihilated.”

Still, regardless of those thoughts…

“…The Crown Prince has truly brought a clever plan.”

The Emperor accepted Julian’s proposal.

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