My Players Are So Fierce

He exhaled deeply, calling Runa to arrange his trip while thanking Sir Palian.

This time, the gratitude was filled with genuine emotion, once again confirming the rumor that Fraser was Count Leon’s lifeline.

“I know you must have come with certain demands from Governor Murphy. Although including my son in such a deal deeply dissatisfies me, I must admit, I owe Governor Murphy a debt that cannot be repaid.

So, speak, Sir Palian.”

Count Leon sat at the head of the table, leaning on his cane, and asked:

“In what aspects does the Governor wish for the Cape Family’s assistance?”

“We hope the Cape Family will build more factories in Transylvania to further deepen the commercial cooperation between both parties.”

Sir Palian maintained her burly appearance, but when she spoke now, she was calm and collected, long past the humble posture of her early days as a small merchant, replaced by the gravitas and dignity of a government official.

She toyed with the blood-red ring on her finger and said to Count Leon:

“Transylvania warmly welcomes distinguished commercial giants like the Cape Family to integrate into Transylvania’s business circle, especially after the end of the Black Disaster. The ties between both sides should be closer, but these matters are only presented for your consultation, and the specifics will be handled by professional representatives from both parties.

My real purpose in coming today is to invite you to resolve the current refugee issue in the Kato area.

On my way here, I witnessed local workers, led by thugs, attacking the refugee camp. It’s no exaggeration to say such actions would certainly lead to the gallows in Transylvania, but I suppose there are domestic circumstances in the Kato area.

As the local master…”

“Watch your words, Sir Palian. The Kato area is part of the Goldenrod Kingdom, and only King Louis is the master of this land. The Cape Family is but a humble servant of the King, entrusted with the duty and mission of managing the province.”

Count Leon immediately corrected the overly presumptuous remarks of the Transia person before him.

Certain truths cannot be spoken, especially in a feudal state with a strong monarch.

“Alright, I misspoke, that was my fault.”

Sir Palian smiled and continued:

“As the temporary Governor dispatched here by King Louis, it is only right for you to work towards the long-term stability and peace of the region. Since the refugees from the Ligurian Peninsula have become an unsettling factor, we must find a way to resolve it before it explodes.

Transylvania is in great need of manpower.

These skilled individuals, who have been nurtured in the Half-body Man’s realm, are the valuable resources we crave.

You see, you can eliminate a troublesome matter, and your partners can gain benefits; that’s what we call a win-win.”

“But all I see is Transylvania winning twice, while the Kato area loses manpower, potentially even causing some border conflicts.”

Count Leon shook his head and said:

“This does not align with His Majesty’s interests, and therefore, I cannot agree to it…”

“But the Kato area is part of the Posya Confederation, Your Excellency, and Transylvania has a claim over it.”

Sir Palian said in a low voice:

“Our Governor will not allow it to remain in the hands of the Goldenrod Kingdom forever, just as the Crimson Regent declared the ownership of Kavkhoka before the Lupa. I, too, declare the sovereignty of the Kato area before you.

Just because you seized it doesn’t mean you can rightfully own it. For warriors eager to reclaim their dignity, war is the most reasonable option!

But the Governor is a lover of peace, and unlike with our necessary reclamation of East Prussia, the Kato area can continue to exist in another way.

An independent region, neither belonging to the Goldenrod Kingdom nor Transylvania, a trade zone ruled by vampires and Ancient Nobility. The Governor has already reached an agreement with Duke Wolfsbane, Count.”

The next Chancellor of Transylvania stood up.

She took out a letter signed by Murphy from her bosom and handed it to Count Leon.

She said:

“You can report the disloyalty of the Wolfsbane Clan to King Louis, forcing a border war to start immediately, or you can pretend not to know this matter and, at a future time, follow the popular sentiment and make a difficult choice for peace to protect the people.”

“You are insulting the Cape Family!”

The Count also stood up and reprimanded:

“From my father’s generation, the Cape Family has been staunch royalists. We are loyal to our Majesty.”

“But King Louis will eventually die, and as far as I’m aware, His Majesty indulged in wine and women from a young age; his health is not optimistic.”

Sir Palian shrugged and said:

“Loyalty is one thing, self-preservation is another.

The size of the Cape Family is too great; under King Louis’s indulgence, you have become a behemoth hidden within the Goldenrod Kingdom.

The next King, willing or not, will likely strike at you.

The next King will also have his own loyalists to tend to, and unable to continue expanding through war to seize external benefits, to feed his loyalists, you’ll have to sacrifice everything in the name of loyalty.

To put it bluntly, for I come from rough origins, but have you ever raised pigs, Count?

When pigs grow too fat, it is time to be served on the table. If you don’t want to die, you either avoid the trough from the start or break the pen and dash into the wild.

You think your ambitions are well-hidden, but in fact, you don’t need to hide them. Anyone with any sense knows the Cape Family’s rebellion is only a matter of time.

Some realities cannot be solved just by the word loyalty, Your Excellency, be prepared.”