Chapter 311 : Chapter 311

Chapter 311. Defection?

Phoenix ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍abruptly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the merchant guild elites who had finished assembling behind him, their killing intent cold and severe.

There ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were also the Northern Territory soldiers who had come to receive them, all clad in black magitech armor.

“Raise ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the joint banner of our Golden Griffon Merchant Guild and the Governor of the Northern Territory. Establish emergency supply distribution stations in the twelve major districts of the Royal Capital immediately!”

“On ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the first day, sell at half the market price. I want everyone to know that the Golden Griffon’s supply is inexhaustible!”

“On ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the second day, lower it to one-third and increase the supply volume. Break those fools’ nerve outright!”

“On ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the third day, supply everything without limit!”

Phoenix snapped his fingers. His tone was icy, yet it carried a trace of bold grandeur.

“I want everyone in the Royal Capital to know that our August Family stands on Princess Sylvia’s side!”

“I want those old bastards trying to profit from a national crisis to understand that when they try to wage a trade war before the Golden Griffon, they are not even fit to polish our boots.”

“I want them to cling to their moldy wheat and unsellable coal, watch their own cash flow collapse with their eyes wide open, and then line up to jump into the moat!”

...

The combination of government decree and trade war swept through the entire Royal Capital like thunder.

On the morning of the fourth day, the commoners of the Royal Capital discovered in surprise that neat rows of temporary wooden huts had appeared along the streets.

Above the wooden huts, the Frostwolf Banner of the Northern Territory and the brilliant emblem of the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild flew high.

Northern Territory soldiers in black magitech armor stood on both sides with loaded weapons.

Those responsible for distribution were the quick-handed clerks of the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild.

Under Phoenix’s ruthless method of “openly crashing the market” and the support of his immense financial power, the panic buying stopped in an instant.

The commoners lined up in long queues and used a very small number of Copper Sparrow Coins to buy enough grain and coal to last half a month. The riots in the streets subsided.

Meanwhile, inside the merchant guilds and grain stores controlled by the old nobles, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was suffocating.

“Those Eastern Territory pirates reeking of copper coins! Traitors to the noble class!”

Somewhere in a tall building, several great nobles who had participated in hoarding smashed their exquisite teacups to pieces. Their eyes were bloodshot from anger and staying up all night.

To monopolize the market, they had not only exhausted their families’ cash flow, but had even borrowed enormous usurious loans through underground banks to purchase goods at high prices.

Now that the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild had entered the field openly, its endless stream of low-priced supplies had nailed the market price firmly to the floor. The goods they had hoarded were completely trapped in their own hands.

“What are you panicking for? Grain is not fresh flowers. It will not rot even if we store it for several months!”

A marquis gritted his teeth and slammed the table, forcing himself to remain calm.

“No matter how wealthy the August Family is, it is impossible for them to keep doing this loss-making business forever! We have plenty of warehouses. We will wait them out!”

Although he said that, an uncontrollable chill rose in the hearts of everyone present.

Grain indeed would not rot. But the cash flow they had locked up and the usurious interest snowballing every day were like a blunt knife pressed against their necks.

Even more fatal was that the Eastern Territory’s largest merchant guild had publicly taken a side. Politically, this was a resounding slap to their faces, a fatal heavy blow.

This clearly meant that Grand Duke Tressely of the Eastern Territory, who controlled the kingdom’s economic lifeline, had completely thrown his support behind Sylvia.

The Northern Territory, the Eastern Territory, and the Southern Territory... now, among the four territories, the representative forces of three had already stood on Sylvia’s side, either openly or in secret.

Did they... truly still have any chance of winning?

Fear crawled up the spines of these old nobles like a maggot burrowing into bone.

If Sylvia successfully ascended the throne at the Privy Council ten days later, what awaited them would be a purge a hundred times more brutal than the great purge of the Northern Territory.

“We cannot wait any longer...” The marquis who had forced himself to remain calm lowered his voice to an extreme. Madness and venom born of throwing everything into one final gamble flickered in his eyes.

“Prince Dorg was right. With normal methods, we cannot defeat that woman at all! Our only way to survive is to trust His Highness’s decision!”

“That is right! Once His Highness ascends the throne, I will make every merchant ship of the August Family sink into the Endless Sea!”

Their crushing defeat in the trade war did not make them submit. Instead, it completely snuffed out the last trace of hesitation and illusion in their hearts.

Their extreme fear and hatred of Sylvia became the maddest catalyst.

They no longer placed their hopes on the political struggle at the Privy Council. Instead, they staked all of their fortunes and lives, with even greater blind devotion, on the “secret meeting on the eve” and the armed coup Dorg had proposed.

Just as the old nobles were brewing a bloody counterattack in despair, and just as the entire Royal Capital’s attention had been drawn by this earth-shaking trade war, Logaris changed into an ordinary gray scholar’s robe, put on a wide-brimmed hat, and quietly left the temporary palace.

He passed through the streets and alleys of the Royal Capital, moving from the city gate checkpoints to the garrison barracks, then to the outer plaza of the Golden Rose Palace, and even to the necessary routes leading to the mansions of those great nobles.

Every time he arrived at a key node, he would stop and pretend to tie his shoelaces or check a map.

His fingers would lightly slide across a wall, a floor tile, or a stone pillar.

【Spatial Coordinates】.

A pale-blue glimmer of mana flashed across his fingertips and vanished, leaving behind a miniature rune that the naked eye and conventional detection spells would absolutely never discover.

Under the cover of the complete victory on the commercial battlefield, Logaris was calmly weaving a fatal net capable of strangling everything on the physical level.

Logaris set down four hundred spatial anchor points throughout the Royal Capital.

By the evening of the eighth day, Logaris returned to the study in the temporary palace.

He spread out a parchment map of the Royal Capital before Sylvia. The map was densely marked with red dots.

“The spatial network has been fully constructed.” Logaris pointed at the map.

“I have established the main teleportation array in a hidden valley in the western suburbs outside the city. The elites of the First Legion of the Northern Territory have already assembled there in secret.”

Sylvia looked at those red dots. They precisely covered every strategic location in the Royal Capital.

“How many people can you teleport?”

“For the sake of concealment, and due to limitations in the mana supply, only eight hundred.” Logaris’s tone was calm. “But aside from one hundred personal guards, all of them are equipped with top-configuration third-generation magitech armor, as well as high-explosive crystals and Magiburst Guns.”

“As long as the situation changes, I can airdrop these eight hundred heavy-firepower units into any corner of the Royal Capital within one minute.”

Sylvia stared at the map for a very long time.

The unrest had been quelled, the people’s hearts had turned to her, and the deterrent force had also been prepared. She held an absolute advantage in her hands.

“I do not want things to reach that point,” Sylvia said in a low voice. “He is my brother, after all.”

“It is merely a difference in choices. Things like the old nobles are destined to be swept into the trash heap of history.” Logaris pointed out the truth without the slightest courtesy.

“Dorg has gathered all the old nobles around him. He has already become the spokesman of the old era.”

Sylvia closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, only cold decisiveness remained in their depths.

“I know.” Sylvia straightened. “I will become the king of Astrelia. No matter the cost.”

The instant Sylvia’s words fell, the shadows in the corner of the study rippled like water.

Captain of the Shadow Guard Esmeralda emerged soundlessly from the darkness.

“What a spirited declaration, Your Highness. However, I am afraid the day for you to display your grand ambitions must be moved forward.”

Esmeralda raised her brows. Her tone was light, but she threw out a bombshell.

“A viscount who slipped out of the secret meeting at Redleaf Manor just came to us to defect.”

“Defect?” Sylvia frowned slightly. “What proof of loyalty did that viscount offer?”

“He informed us of something.” A sharp, amused gleam flickered in Esmeralda’s eyes.

“He said Dorg is going to launch an armed coup!”