“Lynch… is it?”
The Finance Minister sat in his chair, reviewing the reports from his subordinates. He already understood what had happened.
The nobles around the Pri Minister had begun frantically borrowing money from the banks. At first, the Finance Minister didn’t grasp their intention. It wasn’t until he started calculating how much capital he’d need to stabilize the stock market that he realized—their real goal in borrowing was to cut off his financial lifeline.
There was no way he could use the state treasury for this. It wasn’t yet ti to make the empire take the hit, and His Majesty wouldn’t approve such action.
So he had to find a way to handle it on his own.
He was already in talks with executives from major listed companies. But the results… weren’t promising.
Those executives were just figureheads. The real power lay with the shareholders and nobles behind the scenes, and few of them were willing to take on losses for the sake of the Finance Minister.
They claid to respect the market’s freedom to fluctuate—words that ant nothing.
Aside from one or two companies agreeing to buy back shares to reduce circulation and support prices, the others had shown little cooperation. His only option now was to find another way to halt the market’s decline.
This ti, he was determined. If these people didn’t care about his survival, they shouldn’t be surprised when he played dirty.
As for the risk of the banks running out of money… he gave it a mont’s thought and then dismissed it.
There was no point dwelling on it. It would only slow him down. Besides, Gephra wasn’t the only place with money—there were other countries.
As the Finance Minister of Gephra, he had connections with capitalists and bankers abroad. He was confident that, if the price was right, they wouldn’t mind lending him money.
That evening, the Finance Minister appeared on television.
It was his first public appearance since Richard’s suicide and the freezing of Harmony Capital. Though the public loathed him, they still wanted to hear what he had to say.
“I want to apologize to all the victims of this incident. My absence these past few days was not an attempt to avoid responsibility. I simply wanted to minimize capital flight during this critical ti.”
He looked haggard. His hair was unkempt, his face weary, with pronounced dark circles under his eyes.
“All shareholders involved in Harmony Capital who could be apprehended have been arrested. Others with lesser involvent are under surveillance.”
“I’ve done my best to prevent the outflow of large sums of money. Anyone—individual or organization—who holds Harmony Bonds may register at their local police station starting next Monday.”
“Those bonds will be the primary basis for future compensation…”
As he said this, many watching at ho began cursing loudly.
Especially those with hot tempers—many had already torn their bonds to shreds and tossed them away. Now compensation would require the original bonds? With what were they supposed to claim refunds?
Ignoring this uproar, the Finance Minister continued:
“His Majesty has authorized the Pri Minister to form a special investigative committee to examine all individuals and departnts potentially involved in misconduct. I am, of course, not exempt.”
“The case is progressing in an orderly manner. I’ve also heard a public outcry…”
He paused, casting a strange look at the cara.
It wasn’t quite a smile—more a chilling glare, full of malice, like a predator watching its prey.
After two or three seconds, he swallowed and went on,
“Many believe we should launch a thorough investigation into all listed companies and financial institutions.”
“I admit, I was negligent in so areas. Now is the perfect opportunity to launch a full-scale overhaul of the financial sector.”
He pulled out a list.
“These companies will be our first targets. To ensure public safety, their bank accounts and stocks will be frozen until the investigations conclude…”
In front of his television, a well-dressed man stared in disbelief, unable to tear his eyes away. Even when his cigarette burned his fingers, it took him several seconds to react.
He was not alone. Others shouted angrily at their screens, hurling curses at the Finance Minister and his family, demanding to know how he dared to go this far.
The Pri Minister watched calmly. His face showed no emotion.
As soone who also held high office, he knew very well—no minister rose to power purely by royal favor.
Court jesters and lucky favorites didn’t last. Ministers were refined predators—elegant in appearance, ruthless in action.
A mont of weakness could get you devoured.
He had made his move. Now the Finance Minister was responding. It almost made him want to laugh, even applaud.
This—this was the thod of a true colleague. A man worthy of controlling a nation’s finances.
His Majesty the Emperor was also watching the broadcast. A faint smile played on his lips, but his eyes weren’t focused on the Finance Minister—or even on the screen. They stared past it, into the void beyond.
He was deep in thought.
This sudden crisis had nearly upended everything he had worked to build. Even he didn’t know what the future might hold.
By separating fiscal power from the Pri Minister’s office, he had weakened that role considerably. In the past, powerful pri ministers had made life difficult for the royal family—even daring to oppose the emperor’s will.
Things improved slightly under his father’s rule. And under his own reign, the Finance Minister had held tight control over the treasury, rendering the Pri Minister powerless—yet still allowing him to pose a counterbalance to that very minister.
The emperor had enjoyed this balance.
But now, it was unraveling. He had expected this arrangent to last until the next world war—at which point he would personally seize fiscal control under the pretext of national ergency.
War would help deflect dostic tensions, allowing for a postwar shift in focus and a restructuring of the political system, centralizing his authority and weakening the noble class.
He had thought of everything—except how fast the crisis would erupt.
What if the Finance Minister couldn’t hold out?
The emperor’s eyes lit up. His gaze sharpened and rested on the Finance Minister.
“If the Pri Minister cos to power, the emperor’s authority will be curtailed… but now isn’t the right ti for political infighting.”
The rise of the Federation, the resurgence of other nations, the defeated powers plotting revenge—
Ti was running out. If the empire wasted its strength on internal power struggles, they might be the ones defeated next ti.
They say being an emperor is a blessing—but who truly understands the burdens that co with it?
His Majesty the Emperor shook his head, setting aside these unpleasant thoughts, though a new idea had already taken root in his mind.
“What’s Lynch up to lately?” he asked offhandedly. Ever since that bastard arrived, everything had spiraled out of control.
If he hadn’t shorted Gephra’s financial index, if that bastard Richard hadn’t committed suicide, if there hadn’t been issues with the Harmony Bonds—none of this would’ve happened.
And all of it started with Lynch. He had initially planned to grant Lynch a noble title just to irritate the Federals—never expecting it would disgust him first. Truly, it left a bitter taste.
The Royal Steward gave a slight bow. “As usual, he’s been mingling with the nobles all day. There are even signs of faction-building.”
The emperor frowned. “Didn’t I tell him to get out? Why is he still here?”
The butler gave an awkward smile but said nothing. It wasn’t surprising—the emperor had too many matters to deal with daily and sotis forgot things. “Last ti, Your Majesty instructed an investigation to see if Lynch was involved in these events.”
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs found no evidence linking him to any conspiracy. However, given the possibility that he knows sothing, his exit from the country has been temporarily restricted.”
“Once the Harmony Capital case concludes, he will leave.”
The emperor waved his hand dismissively. “I get a headache just hearing his na.” Pressing his temples, he closed his eyes, visibly irritated. “Once the case is over, make sure you oversee it—get him out imdiately.”
Because the case involved Harmony Capital, the emperor couldn’t act purely on personal preference and expel Lynch prematurely. In fact, he even hoped Lynch would end up implicated. That way, he could confirm it was all a Federal plot, which would help rally the people.
After the conversation, the emperor no longer felt like dealing with state affairs and retired early.
Though he hadn’t personally intervened in the political struggle, he had been closely monitoring it—and the constant stress was wearing him down.
What frustrated him most was how the nobles had chosen sides—so pledging loyalty to the Pri Minister, so to the Finance Minister, and so staying neutral. Not a single one declared loyalty to the Crown.
A bunch of shaless, despicable cowards!
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