"General, can you share with us the details of the operation in which you and your brave soldiers confronted these terrorists and successfully apprehended them?" the reporter inquired.
"Certainly, Wendy. But to be honest, we should refer to them as traitors rather than terrorists. They are our own soldiers who managed to acquire the latest bombs from the US and used them to instill fear in us, hoping to force our submission," the General responded with frustration. However, Daniel and Greed, who were skilled in reading emotions, could discern the insincerity in his anger and frustration.
"Then, General, can you disclose the name of the leader of these traitors?" the reporter pressed on.
The General let out a sigh, feigning a sense of despair before speaking, "You may find it hard to believe, but the name of the traitor leader is Elina Sun."
The mention of the leader's name startled the reporter, and her face displayed genuine disbelief.
"Elina Sun!? That Elina Sun!? The hero of Tessia who single-handedly defended against the air raid from the Seraphine Isles two years ago?" the reporter exclaimed, her disbelief evident.
"Yes, the very same," the General replied, pretending to be sorrowful before providing additional information to the reporter.
The General proceeded to recount how he had discovered the traitors' plot to bomb the residential and business areas in the heart of Sector-Alpha City. Unfortunately, he had arrived too late to prevent the devastating explosion that claimed numerous lives. To make matters worse, during the chaos, one of the traitors managed to assassinate the king himself.
Now, guided by Lucian Blackscar, the former king's teacher and the rightful heir to the throne due to his blood relation as Victor's father's cousin, Lucian remained in hiding. He understood the importance of ensuring his safety and ensuring that no traitor or terrorist could harm him before he was fully prepared to reclaim his rightful place on the throne.
"What kind of absurdity is this?" Daniel exclaimed, unable to contain his disbelief as he listened to the news on the TV, sensing the abundance of lies and inconsistencies.
Greed let out a deep sigh before explaining the situation to Daniel.
"Well, Daniel... This is a diversion tactic. I must admit, I'm not pleased with it either. The General used my money to create a spotlight for himself and Lucian, taking advantage of his influence and authority to redirect people's attention away from the phenomenon you caused earlier in the evening. He even utilized my funds and the television company I acquired to enhance his own reputation while tarnishing that of the United States. I can't entirely blame him, though, because I did give him the freedom to do anything as long as he could draw attention to himself," Greed explained, expressing her dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.
"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble this time," Daniel sincerely apologized, bowing respectfully to Greed.
"No problem, just try to avoid pulling off stunts like this in the future," Greed replied with a faint smile, brushing off the matter as if it were insignificant to her.
Unbeknownst to them, their conversation was overheard by Koyuki, who had returned from the toilet and had not yet gone to sleep. She smiled faintly but felt a tinge of sadness, as if she were completely useless and unable to assist Daniel, relying solely on Greed.
The news broadcast continued, with the General stating that they had received substantial financial assistance from the Confederacy of America and expressing confidence in their collaboration to eradicate the terrorists that the United States had purportedly planted within the Tessia Kingdom.
The moment Greed listened to this she stood up in anger.
"What!? How dare he!? He got my money but claimed that it came from the Confederacy!?" Greed exclaim.
During the American Civil War, the United States of America was divided into two separate countries. The Southern states emerged victorious, claiming the East Coast and establishing their own sovereign state with Washington D.C. as its capital. Meanwhile, the defeated Northern states retreated to the West and established a new foothold on the West Coast.
The country formed by the former Northern states retained the name "United States of America" and was founded by ordinary citizens who believed in principles of freedom and popular sovereignty, making them the first to establish a democratic system.
On the other hand, the Southern states, known as the Confederacy of America, claimed the majority of North American territory. This country, founded by mages and elitists within the mundane world, adhered to strict hierarchical structures and was governed by a council of three, similar to the Hightower's rule by the three Grand Councilors. The Confederacy embraced extremist ideologies and white supremacy, perpetuating slavery even to this day.
In subsequent eras, these two countries continued to vie with each other, engaging in numerous skirmishes and even waging wars prior to the onset of World War. However, as technology advanced, the United States of America reclaimed its former glory, leveraging technological advancements and economic prosperity.
The United States of America, known as one of the world's "Big Five" countries, held significant influence and set trends globally. It championed democratic and liberal ideologies, in stark contrast to the right-wing extremist ideologies upheld by the Confederacy. Between these two factions stood three other nations: the Kingdom of Russia, ruled by the Romanovs; the Qing Dynasty, governing the mainland of Qing (known as China in our world); and the Windsor House, ruling present-day Great Britain. These countries maintained their own distinct trends and positions.
During this transformative period, Greed emerged onto the world stage eight years ago, ushering in the golden age of the USA. With her unparalleled ability to predict wealth and financial matters with 100% accuracy, she became the wealthiest woman on earth and held unparalleled economic power, solidifying the USA's dominance in the global economy.
"Why are you so angry? They didn't target you," Daniel asked teasingly, fully aware that Greed had every right to be upset with the General for misusing her money and tarnishing her home country's image. However, he couldn't resist a playful jab.
Greed shot Daniel an annoyed look before responding.
"If I told you that 20% of the US tax revenue comes from me, would you understand then?" Greed's direct statement left Daniel momentarily stunned, stifling any laughter that might have arisen.
"Oh..." Daniel uttered, rendered speechless by the revelation Greed had just provided. He wasn't foolish enough to overlook the implications of that 20% revenue.
This meant that Greed held significant influence in the US Congress and could potentially sway the decisions of the US President if she disagreed with them. Many politicians would have to consider her stance, elevating her position to one that could be compared to that of a queen in the United States—an influential and formidable force.
"So, what are you planning to do about this? Do you need my help?" Daniel inquired.
Greed let out a tired sigh and slumped onto the sofa, feeling frustrated with the current situation.
"Ha... I'll have to wait for things to settle down before establishing my office. Company image is crucial, and I don't want the branch here to be affected by any negative backlash right from the start," Greed explained, pausing for a moment before turning to Daniel. She absentmindedly hugged a stuffed bear that was sitting next to her on the couch.
"What about you, Daniel? What kind of business are you interested in? I'll tell you upfront, you can't rely solely on the local market here in the Tessia Kingdom. The cost of living is high compared to the average income of the people. Most individuals barely have enough money to cover their basic needs and essentials. Your customer base would be limited to the minority of the population, such as those working in foreign companies or a few large corporations, or individuals like Don Veneziale."
Greed continued, offering her insights to Daniel. "If you plan to use this place as a manufacturing base, which is a wise move, and sell your products overseas, it will still take time to recoup your investment. You'll also need a solid PR strategy and some time to establish a customer base and build a good reputation."
"Thank you for sharing your opinion. I have a clear idea of what I want to do, and I believe the people here will love it," Daniel responded confidently, a smile spreading across his face.
"What will you do?" Greed couldn't help but ask, curiosity evident in her voice.
"I plan to venture into the energy business and establish a new company focused on clean and affordable energy with zero pollution," Daniel replied, a smile adorning his face.
"What? Clean energy and affordable too?" Greed repeated slowly, contemplating the implications of Daniel's words. Suddenly, her expression changed to one of alarm, as if she had realized something dreadful.
"No... no, Daniel! Converting mana into electrical energy may sound like a good idea, but the problem is that the world's mana is scarce. It can only be used by mages to power their spells and for experimentation! It's impossible for you to..." Greed began, intending to dissuade Daniel from pursuing this business idea, as it was considered too dangerous.
If this concept gained popularity and mana-based power plants were established worldwide, it would spell the end for mage societies. The generation of world mana would not be able to sustain the consumption in the long run.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺