Blackstone Code

In the study, the Finance Minister of Gephra sat opposite Mr. Herbes. Neither of them spoke.

The room was suffused with a unique atmosphere—one formed from wealth, status, and power. It was an air of nobility, of extravagance.

“Extravagance” wasn’t an exaggeration. The lifestyle of aristocrats was beyond imagination. The wealth these families had accumulated over centuries was vast and staggering.

This wealth allowed for an exquisitely refined life—where even the most minute details radiated opulence.

A random painting on the wall might be a masterpiece from a legendary artist’s peak period, worth a fortune.

A book pulled from the shelf might open to reveal the handwritten signatures of historical figures on the inside cover, proof they’d once read it.

Even the carpet under Mr. Herbes’s feet was worth more than an ordinary person could imagine.

This was perhaps the most infuriating and helpless moment Mr. Herbes had ever experienced—it went beyond mere humiliation.

The Finance Minister glanced at him, let out a quiet hmm, then smiled faintly. “Still about that last matter, I suppose?”

Their previous conversation had involved Lynch’s batch of bonds. At first, the Minister hadn’t realized the implications, but he later connected it to the wager between Mr. Herbes and Lynch, and inferred the underlying issue—specifically, when those bonds Lynch used as collateral would be redeemed. Mr. Herbes had repeatedly expressed goodwill, and since the Empire couldn’t afford to release too much reserve capital at the moment, the Minister had resolved the matter easily.

Now, things had clearly changed.

Mr. Herbes nodded. “Yes, I beg your help.”

The Minister leaned back, sighing. His eyes swept over Mr. Herbes before he finally nodded noncommittally. “I’ll try, but you should be prepared. The Emperor’s will supersedes mine. If he changes his mind and is resolute, even if you laid all the world’s treasures before me, I couldn’t change the outcome.”

“Of course. I understand.”

After the conversation ended, Mr. Herbes quickly left the Minister’s residence. He had done all he could—now all that remained was prayer. Prayer that the gods would not abandon him.

Two days later, the business negotiations between the Federation and Gephra were nearly concluded. Honestly, no one—be they Gephran, Federal, or from other countries—had expected such a smooth process.

Neither side wasted much time or energy on any issue. There was no intense hostility, not even much table-slamming.

It may have been the textbook example of diplomatic negotiation, a model case for foreign relations or world history books.

This negotiation embodied the core principle: striving toward common goals and making appropriate concessions to reach a mutually acceptable outcome.

No one clung too stubbornly to their demands. Through friendly, efficient probing, they quickly found solutions. Agreements were reached one after another, and some Federal businessmen had already begun preparing to participate in the Gephran government’s bidding sessions.

At this time, the Emperor of Gephra requested a private audience with Lynch.

“Did you do something I don’t know about?” asked the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in a low voice, as they traveled together to the palace.

The Gephrans were proud, and so was their emperor. A proud emperor didn’t summon a foreign envoy without a compelling reason.

The deputy continued, “Just give me a general idea so I can write the report more easily. Otherwise, once you’re back, the Security Council will want answers.”

A one-on-one audience with a foreign leader was never taken lightly. The Council would inevitably investigate—asking why the emperor summoned Lynch, what was discussed, and whether any national interests were compromised.

There were no small matters in diplomacy. Despite modern technology, understanding other nations still fundamentally relied on people.

Official messaging always concealed key details. If everyone believed what others said at face value, the world would already be united.

Even during the Federation’s campaign in Nagaryll, they had pressured and bribed its ambassador, who then transmitted false information back to his homeland. With coordinated efforts across several fronts, that ultimately led to today’s outcome.