(IN) Chapter 066 - Stealing Grain From the Grain Consulate!

"It's all you're fault the economy has been greatly destabilized! How are you going to pay for all this, o great lord of Lyons?!"

"That's right, that's right! Many Noble families have taken a big hit because of this disastrous incident!"

"You and the Pendragons should rightfully take full responsibility!"

Inside the Consulate, an assembly of Nobles led by a representative of the Medici's kept berating the tired-looking man on the podium. Shifting all blame of the Noble's ignorant reliance on the monopoly of Grain as their main source of income onto Satrius Nessi Bermont.

And now they are suffering for their idiotic reliance on one product. Accusing him of disrupting the 'fragile' nature of the Economy to suit his own need and hurting thousands of innocent lives.

Of course, the so-called 'economy' they were talking about was only the upper echelons of society. And the hurt innocent they referred to, was also about themselves and not the commoners. As the common folk was quite happy with the cheapening of Grain prices.

You see, normally, if one product's price went down it would inevitably affect the prices of other products. But since Brune's economy was not a natural economy, but an economy slowly molded to fit the Her Noblesse's needs, most of the products that were under Noble monopoly was already overpriced anyway, even if one product became cheaper, doesn't mean that the previous products would change in price as the Nobles were still earning from the products.

That, and another reason was that it was quite hard to change a product's price thanks to the Consulate's strict voting rules and their different constantly changing interests. A product might go up even when they wanted it to go down depending on who Voted for who.

Plus, even the Medicis couldn't raise prices for their other products as their name could be tarnished if the people come to learn that they were the ones against Maine's handing out of cheap grain.

And so, raising prices was strictly restricted if they wished to play the long game.

Plus, the only reason the Nobles were angry in the first place was because their earnings lessened, and so too have their lavish spending because of that. It wasn't life-threatening, but they still wanted someone to pay. (A.k.a. Bermont)

[Why am I even staying here?! These idiots were the ones who elected me as Head Councilman anyway! And with the Pendragon's help... Ha, hahaha... Yeah, I no longer need to be here!] Bermont finally gave up and decided to let go just as what Vivian had advised him.

*Crack* A vein finally popped as Bermont's anger run wild.

*Bang!* Bermont threw the wooden podium to the other side of the room with one hand smashing it to pieces taking everyone's attention as he shouted:

"You're right! Yes... As Head Councilman, I hath o so~ failed my duties~... And so, starting from now, I withdraw my household and Lyons from the Consulate!" Bermont declared.

"Ha, and where are you going to find the funding to keep Lyons a bay with all the subsidies you've been giving? Hmm? Also, don't think we've forgotten what you've done to our young master Silvan! How are you going to pay for that too?!" The Medici representative threatened Bermont.

*Hmph!* But with a fearless smile like the legendary Admiral he was, Bermont looked at old man Philippe as the two men smiled at each other, signaling the start of their plan.

"Well, as Bermont's friend, I too feel responsible for his mistakes and will also withdraw from the Consulate" Philippe smirked.

"Me too!" Another followed. "And me!" And another.

Most of the families under Bermont and Philippe followed and soon a total of 15 families defected from the Consulate.

"What? When was Philippe and Bermont-" A Noble ignorant of the political landscape asked but was interrupted by the Medici's representative.

"Ah yes, of course, the Pendragons have also withdrawn from the Consulte... I shall read miss Vivian's letter:..." Bermont began reading out Vivian's correspondence.

{After much consideration, it had dawned on me that my fellow male counterparts in the Consulate were right. A foolish woman such as I have no business what so ever with 'smart' and 'sharp' Noblemen such as you, and so we the Pendragons, without a representative humbly withdraw from the Consulate, and instead join a humbler faction befitting our stature, namely The Merchants Guild... I humbly thank you all for the time I have been part of your company (Which was just one day) and bid the great men of the Consulate, farewell...}

"W-Wait a minute! Fellow gentlemen! We shouldn't be rash in our decisions, right?" Flustered and in shock the Medici representative suddenly realized what was transpiring before his eyes.

You see, the South produced 60% of all grain within the Empire, meaning if fed the whole of Brune. And Maine, although no longer a Duchy like it was before under Gwaine, and before Milan defected, Maine still produced a whopping 30% of all grain in the Empire or roughly around 50% of Southern Grain came from the vast Villages under Maine.

When Milan split from Maine after it's economic downfall, Darius' father, although once a loyal retainer of Gwaine, was greedy, and so he took most of the populous regions he could tax for more while leaving Maine with only a dilapidated small Town, and Villages that had more untaxable serfs than taxable civilians. (Serfs = Poor farmers exempt from tax)

This was why even though Gwaine and Duke still had half a Duchy, only poor Villages remained for them, and they constantly had to wrestle with money issues. One time, Duke's old pants even ripped apart in front of his classmates due to the wear and tear it received through time.

But sometimes, with curses came along hidden blessings as Vivian saw that even though Maine could levy fewer taxes than it's rich other half, Milan, it still had the most farmland and of course, more importantly, the most Villages; that are considered as the food-producing backbones of the Empire.

As the saying goes, you get Gold from Cities and Bread from Villages.

Lyons was a Port Town, while the Humanitarian faction controlled a large 10% of Grain production. That 10% is surprising considering they were only 10 small families. Nevertheless, 10% is only still just 10%, and so their faction was still powerless, and their true leader Admiral Bermont had to hide behind Philippe's controversial name.

Divided, the different families were dismissable and were forced to go with the flow of the more richer families who had Cities instead of villages to govern.

But united, the newly formed Pendragon faction produced 45% of ALL grain in the Empire. The largest slice of the Grain shares pie was now under Vivian's thumb.

"Ahh~ Ms. Vivian was totally right... A foolish old man like me has no place here in the Consulate, I belong more in a humbler guild, maybe the Commoner's Guild perse~?! Hahaha" Philippe coyly smiled.

"Yes~ I guess that's the only place that would accept us, hahaha" The other Nobles who left incited even further.

Vivian's letter and mentioning of the Merchant's Guild was an open declaration of war against the Consulate...

The sharper Nobles under the Consulate finally realized what our sniveling little Vivian had done under their noses.

First the RTS contract, and now the transfer of most of the grain-rich Village owning Nobles to her faction.

[[[She stole the monopoly of Grain from the Grain Consulate!!!]]]

As if stealing sunshine from the Sun itself: Without its monopoly on Grain, no longer could the Grain Consulate continue to call itself, the Grain Consulate.

It's downfall had finally begun.