Chapter 695: Business Deal
Some things are hard to let go—like hatred.
Invaders, butchers, executioners, demons…
All of these words fit the Gephrans—at least from the perspective of the locals.
For anyone to work for the Gephrans despite public condemnation was already a feat. But most people, still harboring resentment, chose silence.
They might no longer resist Gephraan rule, but to expect them to willingly work for the Gephrans anytime soon? That was unrealistic. You can’t stab someone and then expect them to help you make money while still bleeding.
No workers meant no production. More importantly, the market here wasn’t exclusive to the Gephrans. The Federals could also participate. And so, an unexpected dynamic emerged:
Competition.
Both Gephraan officials and even the Emperor himself were paying close attention. A rumor had circulated that, after suffering repeated diplomatic defeats to the Federals, the Emperor hoped Gephraan capitalists could help him reclaim some ground—by beating Federal merchants in a fair business environment.
As the highest authority in the empire, the Emperor’s wishes quickly became those of the nobility. Many merchants were soon informed by their backers: results were needed—fast.