Chapter 2201: Final Straw

Chapter 2201: Final Straw



Months passed.

The tensions between the three powerhouses continued to rise as the intelligence war was succeeded by a trade war. The three Sage-level powerhouses sought cripple Kandria's economic reach within East Panama with sanctions, tariffs, and tax hikes. Together, they had the power to box the Kandrian Empire.

This was why one of the main three agendas that Emperor Rael had espoused when he addressed the Kandrian government three years ago was economic independence. Thus, the sanctions by his enemies didn't hurt the most vital parts of the nation. However, the Kandrian Empire's ability to trade with other nations outside of its own domain of influence was heavily hampered.

Unfortunately for the three Sage-level powerhouses, he had foreseen this three years ago. Every military war was preceded by economic, information, intelligence, and public relations

wars.

He knew that there would come a day when his enemies would try and suffocate him as a method of pressuring him into surrendering the mass Apprentice breakthroughs.

That was why he had set into motion a solution three years ago.

"Are all the preparations complete, my daughter?" Emperor Rael gazed at Princess Ranea from atop his throne.Reêad latest novels at novelhall.com

"Yes, father," she smiled. "In the past three years, the maritime and seafaring capacity of the Kandrian Empire has been increased fourfold. We have built many shipyards, vessels, and ports across our eastern coast that can support an enormous number of ships at once. I have overseen the development and securing of highly safe and reliable trading routes with countless coastal hubs across East, North, and South Panama. Our maritime trading relations with Esocline Federation and the Gen Temple have greatly increased, firmly solidifying our political relations with the two Sage-level powerhouses."

"You have succeeded with the task I have entrusted to you quite well," Emperor Rael nodded as he read through the latest reports that she had provided him with. "This will allow us to dodge the sanctions, tariffs, and taxes that our enemies seek to suffocate us economically with. The Kandrian economy will only continue rising as it has thus far."

He had entrusted the development of the maritime and seafaring sector of the Kandrian Empire because she had greater expertise on it than even he did.

He wasn't arrogant in that regard; while it was true that no one understood the Kandrian Empire as a whole better than he did, he did not dispute that there were people who understood certain sectors better than he did. When it came to the maritime sector of the Kandrian Empire, she possessed a more intimate understanding of the matter than he did.

A good emperor could do everything.

Even the common folk, who were the slowest and latest on the uptake, began to smell the impending war that loomed over an entire section of the continent.

The Republic of Gorteau and the Sekigahara Confederate began slowing down and reducing investigative and intelligence operations into the mass Apprentice breakthroughs and the inexplicable streak of lottery hits in the Beast Domain ventures of the Kandrian Empire.

It was a sign.

A sign that they were done.

They were done with snooping around Kandria in hopes of finding the secrets to attaining the miracles of the Kandrian Empire. They were tired of the countless wild goose chases that the Emperor of Harmony had kindly prepared for them.

Enough was enough.

The tensions that had begun rising long ago, the vaunted Silas Clan joined the Kandrian Empire many years ago during the throne war had reached their zenith.

Something had to give.

And something did.

The Gorteau Bureau of Intelligence came across a truly shocking discovery by chance.

Sage Kole Kellin, who had mysteriously resigned as Prime Minister after she exiled the Dawnbringer from the Panamic Martial Federation, had been healed from her Shivering

Disease.

Simultaneously, the Nindo Clan learned that many of the newest Apprentices of the Kandrian Empire had already broken through to the Squire Realm just months after becoming

Apprentices!