Blackstone Code

The real drivers behind this turmoil weren’t Lynch, but the Prime Minister and the Emperor.

Lynch had merely identified some underlying problems and triggered the dissatisfaction that noble groups had long harbored toward imperial policies—resentment that had been suppressed by the Emperor and his ministers.

In essence, the nobles had lost money during the war. Lacking the means to recoup their losses, and with no outlet to vent their frustrations due to the imperial clampdown, their grievances only deepened until eventual eruption was inevitable.

The Emperor believed that once the Amellia region developed and created opportunities for the nobility to make money, their anger would subside.

The ministers held similar views. Though they too invested heavily in the war and didn’t get returns, they didn’t harbor much resentment—because they were ministers.

They still held power. In fact, for many, investing in the war was about consolidating that power.

But Amellia’s development didn’t go as smoothly as expected. Beyond earlier sharp conflicts and armed resistance, even now, it was difficult for nobles to find viable business opportunities there.

A completely open and free market was unsuitable for merchants who had grown accustomed to profiting through connections and influence. They preferred resolving competition the noble way—behind closed doors.

Just like in the movies: a few nobles sit around a round table on a lazy afternoon—some arrogant, some rebellious, some silent, some disdainful. After perhaps heated or calm discussion, they divide up the territory and industries. Everyone gets their slice, and no one steps on another’s turf.