Chapter 38

As the party progressed, the children began to gather in small groups with their close friends. While the groups were divided according to their parents' factions, Sora skillfully navigated between them, maintaining a delicate balance.

There were a few other children who, like Sora, did not belong to any specific group, but the ease with which they were welcomed wherever they went suggested that Sora was particularly adept at navigating social situations. Sora maintained a position as an information broker, bringing new topics to each group and organizing the new information he gathered.

"The Brian Baron's territory is showing signs of food shortages, the Trainen Earl's territory needs food to maintain the army, and it seems the only source of food imports is the Belze Marquis's territory."

Sora's purpose for coming to the capital this time was to address the food shortage and the financial crisis. To solve these issues, cooperation from other territories was essential, but Sora had no authority to interfere in the management of the Kleinzelt territory. This meant he could not negotiate on behalf of the Kleinzelt family. Instead, Sora needed to negotiate personally, import food from other territories, and improve the financial crisis.

"It's still difficult. If only we could restore the salt trade..."

The reason for the reduction in salt exports, which caused the financial crisis, was clear. Although the Kleinzelt Earl was unpopular, his territory's strategic location gave him significant influence within the Church faction. Most Church faction nobles had their territories inland and relied on salt imports. The Kleinzelt family was the only Church faction noble with a coastal territory, making them the primary source of salt.

This unusual alignment had a reason. While the Church faction nobles had their territories inland, the Mage faction nobles had their territories on the fringes of the kingdom, making them more vulnerable to foreign invasions. To repel invasions, military strength was necessary, and magic was a crucial technology for that. Therefore, the Mage faction, which opposed the Church's ban on magic, became a faction that controlled the coastline.

The Church faction had to include the Kleinzelt family in their faction to secure the essential salt. However, two years ago, a large deposit of rock salt was discovered in the territory of a Church faction noble. If salt could be secured from another territory, the Kleinzelt family's influence could be reduced. The power dynamics between the Church faction and the Kleinzelt family were reversed.

If the unpopular Kleinzelt family were excluded from the Church faction, they would be ignored by everyone. On the other hand, the Church faction, no longer needing salt, found the incompetent and unpopular Kleinzelt family to be a hindrance. The Church faction began making unreasonable demands, and Sora imagined that they would soon treat the Kleinzelt family like a colony. This is how the financial crisis was born, and there seemed to be no way to restore the salt trade.

"Even if I want to buy food, I don't have the funds, and even if I try to earn the funds, I can't sell the salt. What am I supposed to do?"

Looking up at the ceiling, Sora let out a heavy sigh, one that seemed too mature for a seven-year-old.

"The only way is to import food from the Belze Marquis's territory. But how do I negotiate that?"

The Belze Marquis was a noble of the Mage faction, while the Kleinzelt family belonged to the Church faction. The Mage faction would not interfere with the food exports that controlled the Kleinzelt family, as it would have a significant impact on their territory. Conversely, the Church faction was likely to interfere, as reducing the Kleinzelt family's influence would allow them to treat them like a colony, a benefit that was immeasurable. To avoid being criticized by the Church, Sora needed to prepare a counterargument, even if it was just for show.

"My head hurts."

Sora muttered and looked around the party venue. He observed closely, hoping to find a clue. He considered exploiting the tensions within the Church faction to increase the Kleinzelt family's influence but gave up. He also thought about quickly switching allegiance to the Mage faction, but being treated like a colony would not change. As he paid attention, his eyes landed on the Belze Marquis.

– Could the Belze Marquis restrain the Church faction...?

Sora concluded that it was possible, but not very realistic. The Belze Marquis would be the negotiating partner this time. The negotiation would involve receiving food while the Kleinzelt territory bought something in return. The terms were overwhelmingly in favor of the Kleinzelt family, and the Belze Marquis would not agree to them, especially if the conflict with the Church became more apparent.

"Slow and steady, I'll take a break for a moment."

No matter how much Sora strategized, he could not come up with a realistic plan, so he decided to take a break. He approached a group of children and spoke to them. It seemed to be a rare gathering of the three factions: the Mage faction, the Church faction, and the neutral faction. The children were competing with each other, boasting about their families. Among their boasts, Sora found something that piqued his interest: a noble's son bragging about the lottery sales in the capital.

"A lottery in the capital?"

Sora asked, quickly matching the information with his memory and identifying the speaker as the son of a Church faction noble.

"Yeah. Before, a merchant guild called Wood something was running it, but they caused some problems, so now my family is responsible for it."

No one noticed the glint in Sora's eyes.

"Did the Wood something guild go bankrupt?"

"I think it's still around."

Sora thanked him and left the group. He then approached a guard and spoke to him.

"Are you familiar with the shops in town?"

The guard, who did not like the unpopular Kleinzelt Earl's son, still answered the question.

"I know a fair amount."

"What does the Wooddora Merchant Guild deal with?"

"…The Wooddora Merchant Guild, you say?"

The guard looked puzzled at the name Sora mentioned.

"They were making money from the lottery until recently, but I don't know what they're doing now."

"I see, thank you."

Sora smiled and the guard awkwardly saluted in return. Sora walked away, considering the solution he had come up with.

– The Church has a good piece floating in the air.

If I can capture it, it will become my piece, Sora decided on his plan.