Chapter 293: War Bonds

Chapter 293: War Bonds

While the troops of the Alda army were battling bloodily on the frontlines, a certain lord was indulging in a peculiar pleasure.

With her green hair and a graceful figure, the female advisor Ladi Sertia was gently massaging his shoulders from behind. The pressure was just right, and through the clothing, the warmth of her tender hands was palpable, almost eliciting a moan.

Oh, to have a dignified scholar and a legendary witch stoop to such a level was a matter of great satisfaction.

He slightly raised his head, meeting a pair of expressive, affectionate eyes. The owner of these eyes, Betty Dias from the Gubera Empire, knelt beside him on the carpet, elegantly dressed, highlighting her enticing form. She rhythmically punched his legs, left and right, with her little fists.

Upon meeting his gaze, Betty turned away shyly, playfully scolding, “Really, I have never done this before...”

He chuckled and gently stroked her beautiful blonde hair. Betty squinted her eyes, reveling in the touch like a cat enjoying its master’s affection.

Ah, what a decadent, corrupt life!

...

“Count... Count... Count!”

The world suddenly started to shake, blurring the view before his eyes.

What’s happening? Paul shook his head.

When he came to his senses, the enchanting eyes he saw were replaced by a man’s stern face.

“Barnett! Why is it you!” Paul almost jumped out of his chair, startled at the sight of the man before him. “Where are Ladi? Where’s Betty?”

His chief secretary apologetically said, “Lord Grayman, I’m sorry to disturb your rest. The ladies are right here. Shall we continue with the meeting?”

“Uh... Yes, of course.”

Paul then remembered he had scheduled a meeting with heads of various departments to discuss recent work progress. To his embarrassment, he had dozed off midway.

Recalling the events, he blamed Hansel, whose reports were always convoluted, lengthy, and rhetorically complex. Hansel’s words would twist and turn, expanding a word into a sentence, a sentence into a paragraph, forcing Paul to engage every brain cell to grasp his meaning.

Now, Hansel’s seemingly century-long report had ended. Paul glanced inside the room, finding Ladi and Betty seated nearby.

The witch lady showed no expression, her head down, flipping through her notebook.

“Actually, if you stop providing allowances to the soldiers, you could save a significant amount of money. Like other lords, serving in the army for one’s lord is a duty of the citizens.”

Hansel’s suggestion garnered some approval, but Paul immediately shook his head: “No! Absolutely not! Material incentives are crucial for maintaining morale. Our recent string of victories has proven that my decision to provide allowances to the soldiers is correct. Whose army is as capable as ours in battle?”

“If it’s about material incentives, there are other methods that are commonly used...”

“No! That’s even worse!”

Paul interrupted Hansel, knowing what he was about to suggest, and could not bear the thought of his painstakingly trained army falling to the level of bandits.

Seeing the Count reject all suggestions, Hansel proposed another idea: “Count, if I’m not mistaken, isn’t Port Fran in the process of establishing a stock exchange?”

Paul nodded: “Yes, that’s a long-established plan, as you know.”

Hansel continued: “In that case, why not issue war bonds through the stock exchange? It would not only raise military funds but also promote the business of the exchange. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”

“This... Issuing bonds for personal gain as soon as it’s established doesn’t seem right?”

“What’s right or wrong in this? Isn’t it common for kings and lords to borrow money for war? As far as I know, the Grayman family has never had an incident of not repaying debts. Besides, with our army’s impressive progress, there will surely be no shortage of bond buyers. Moreover...”

Hansel paused, lowering his voice: “This could also be a way to test the rich in your territory, to see who is truly with you and who is not. After all, those who buy bonds certainly don’t want you to fail.”

Paul had an epiphany: “You’re right, Hansel.” But he hesitated again: “What if the war drags on too long and we can’t repay the debts?”

Hansel replied: “Given the current situation, running into a deficit sooner or later is inevitable. Why not raise a substantial amount of money now, make more firearms and cannons, and quickly take over Center City? I’ve heard that the Ferdinand family’s wealth, accumulated over generations, is unmatched among the northwestern lords. If you seize the northwest Duke’s treasury before others, why worry about repaying the money?”

“But what if... unfortunately, there’s not as much money in the treasury as rumored? Those rich are not like the penniless salt miners. Stirring up trouble with them could be more problematic.”

Hansel smiled slightly: “What’s there to fear? Haven’t you also made more firearms and cannons?”

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