"Isn't this a bit aggressive?"
Ett muttered, reading the declaration that Guren had just made after keeping quiet for quite a while. She had begun to doubt whether Guren was really the tyrant in the novel after staying quiet for these past few months, and even thought that the little guy might have had enlightenment.
"It seems he's making a booming debut, huh?"
"Wait, let's think about why he did it."
"What is the probable cause?"
You see, Ett was confused about the letter. It stated that His Majesty, her darling son, wanted to cut off trade.
Yes, trading.
"Could it be that after those illegal traders were caught, there's a problem with security?"
Since the rumor had been spreading for so long, had the monitoring become lax?
Even if it hadn't, there would always be people who wouldn't be satisfied and would find ways to contact other empires for their own selfish needs, thinking they wouldn't be discovered.
"Is that how it is?"
Now look, the empire had permanently blocked all transactions with the other empires. Pirated CDs and DVDs would be too hard to smuggle into this area, to the point that they would become nonexistent or extremely rare. Well, she was making an analogy, since there was truly nothing like this in this era.
"Then there will be complaints from those empires we've traded with over such a sudden announcement."
Ett sighed, thinking of the consequences.
"Then there will be complaints from those empires we've traded with over such a sudden announcement."
Ett sighed, thinking of the consequences.
They might be closed off, but that didn't mean there was still some trade with empires of their choosing, those with mutual, 'I don't think that guy thought this through, though kind of agreement'.
And here she even had a plan to open more trading partners. Although it hadn't been implemented on a large scale yet, is it a great way to advertise when Iron Bridge 2.0 opened?
Akan even had a draft regarding expanding trade and communication. He had also built a positive working relationship with those potential merchants.
"Should it be delayed?"
Although the Adiand Empire could sustain its people and had enough resources from its conquered lands, so much so that it could live without relying on crops from neighboring countries, it still lacked something.
Alliances with other empires and kingdoms.
Being isolated for too long, then opening up a little, only to isolate yourself all over again, wasn't good.
"A person can be antisocial, an extreme introvert, but an empire cannot!"
Although forming alliances would mean other countries might wage war and seek the Adiand Empire's support, which could indeed become troublesome… that's not the point.
"The benefit could outweigh the disadvantages as long as Adiand can navigate it properly."
That's why this shouldn't be announced.
Let's see…
It was an external problem; the current issue was the missing graduate students of Adiand, and she still didn't know how things had gone between the Emperor and the dean. Other than that, there hadn't been much trouble with trade involving the smaller empires and kingdoms recently.
Internally, some nobles were doing some monkey business within their territories, which was quite normal, even on Earth during those kinds of eras. For Ett, however, their actions still weren't enough to make her intervene.
Unless it really had the earliest potential to warrant a closer look.
"Come to think of it, they belong to the Noble Faction."
Those guys had been low-key active these days. It was quite a coincidence that this happened at the same time Akan went to the Ostenian Estate.
Ett pulled out the papers she had marked and reread them.
"Oh, I see."
"A sudden direct approach."
"Good thing Ares gave it to me as soon as he got the news."
It hadn't even been an hour yet.
"Should I go?"
Ett was filled with reluctance.
"Ugh, Akan is still away."
Other than Butler Xiwen, Akan understood her thoughts, or rather, the novel Ett's thoughts, well enough to communicate with Guren, and he could do so.
This wasn't something Ares could do yet, as he was still learning and growing. Right, they hadn't seen each other much lately unless she summoned him. Both of them had been busy with the servants' affairs and whatnot.
After all, this place was massive despite having so few people.
It was already a feat that he hadn't gone crazy these past few months with little to no supervision.
"I really…"
Don't want to go, but I have to.
"Ack."
I don't want to meet him.
I don't want to meet him.
I really don't want to meet him.
I can't.
I don't.
I…
Agh.
"Come on, be professional. This is work, not personal."
"But I still don't want to."
It's the feeling of being unable to do so.
Okay, that's just a lie. She had the will; her laziness had gotten the better of her.
"…"
"What to do then?"
"I'm not in the mood to communicate."
"The less I see him, the better I feel."
Just thinking about him makes my breathing feel suffocating.
"Ay, I'm so mean."
"Maybe I'll teach Ares. Just a quickie. That somehow sounds wrong…"
Ett was talking to herself too much.
The gears in her mind are running at maximum horsepower.
"Right, just let it be."
Yes. We can delay it.
She convinced herself.
"It won't affect things that much. Just delay it, wait for Akan, or I should seriously think this through AND teach Akan."
"Hence, the pros are Akan. Butler Xiwen isn't part of my servants anymore."
Yeah.
Let's conclude that.
"Wait until Akan comes back."
Other than the delay, that's fine. As for the countries we've traded with so far, I'll write a letter and pass it to Guren to see what he thinks. Akan can handle the potential merchants by offering reasonable compensation and an explanation.
"Right, that's it."
Good.
"My love, you'll have to wait a little longer."
She uttered mournfully, staring at the coffee beans she had drawn.
One of the affected trades included coffee beans.
Her most-awaited drug.
"Revise a bit. Revise."
Another round of crumpled papers was thrown into the hearth.