Chapter 218 Lucian little scheme
— Tessia Kingdom - Sector Alpha City —
Two seismic events shook the Tessia Kingdom, yet in the eyes of the common folk, they often blurred into one. The first was the astounding discovery of the Kraken's existence, a creature of immense proportions that captured imaginations. However, eclipsing even this remarkable revelation was the sale of Sector Alpha City island. While the island covered a modest 50 square kilometers, it housed vital business districts, shipyards, and commercial docks, rendering it an unparalleled economic hub within the country.
This event ignited spirited debates among the kingdom's citizens. Many remained indifferent, for their homes were not directly affected. However, a segment of the population, still swayed by the nation's propaganda, clung to the belief that the royal family, as benevolent and noble beings, should be venerated and could do no wrong. They seethed with anger over this decision.
Curiously, their ire was not directed at the royal family for selling the land but was instead aimed squarely at Astral Tech, the entity that had purchased it. Fueled by the incitement of some with malicious intent, their discontent escalated into a full-fledged protest. Their rallying cry demanded that Astral Tech display its loyalty by donating the funds to the royal family without claiming ownership of Sector Alpha City.
In front of the gleaming, futuristic Astral Tech HQ building, a sizable assembly of protesters had gathered. The crowd, numbering around 500 strong, reflected frustration and determination in their faces. Banners and placards bearing slogans like "Our Home is Not for Sale!" and "Stand with Tessia!" were raised high, punctuating the air with bold declarations.
In the heart of the throng, a charismatic speaker stood upon a makeshift stage, a megaphone in hand. Their voice, fervent and impassioned, carried over the crowd, rallying their fellow demonstrators. The atmosphere was charged with a potent mix of anger and defiance, a collective voice that refused to be silenced.
Police officers in riot gear formed a protective cordon around the Astral Tech building, watchful but determined to maintain order. The tension in the air was palpable, as both sides held their ground firmly without wavering.
Within the Astral Tech building highest floor. Daniel looked down from within his office toward the crowd of protesters below. Besides him there are Aryan Sharma, the CEO of Astral tech and Vlad, with the identity of the task force manager of his PMC (Private Military Company).
"What do you think, Mr. Sharma?" Daniel inquired, turning to his CEO.
Aryan responded with a disdainful snort, though it wasn't directed at Daniel but at the crowd of protesters below.
"Honestly, Mr. Emberweave," Aryan began, "this is the oldest and tritest method those elitists in the capital use to bring you down. It's an open secret in the business circle that the royal family has a lot of stock in the energy production market. They gain significant benefits when energy prices rise. And when the old conglomerate of the energy production market suffers from our intervention, the royal family indirectly suffers as well."
Aryan continued, his eyes fixed on the energy stock market displayed on his tablet, showing a gradual decrease.
"From my point of view, they should hire some of the leaders in this protest to guide their descent toward us, in the hope that we would suffer some setbacks," he concluded.
He then pointed to a mark on his tablet screen, indicating a specific point in the stock price.
"If my hunch is right, once our stock hits this point, someone with power will eventually contact you to make a deal, trying to resolve this while gaining as many benefits from us as possible. Maybe they even want our technology."
Daniel accepted the tablet and observed the mark Aryan had made on the screen. It would take a few minutes before the stock price hit that mark.
As predicted, after a few minutes, the telephone on Daniel's desk rang. He glanced at Aryan, a mix of surprise and respect in his eyes. Aryan, known for his frivolous pursuits and romantic escapades, displayed an uncanny aptitude for business and navigating the complex world of political intrigue in the business realm.
Aryan smiled and gestured for Daniel to answer the phone, maintaining his confident expression. In his mind, he had prepared many plans to counter the other side. There weren't many people who would call Daniel, and Aryan knew all of them, along with their little dirty secrets. He was confident that he could counter them, no matter who they were.
Daniel pushed the speaker on his phone to receive the call, intending for both Aryan and Vlad to listen in on the conversation.
"Yes? Who are you?" Daniel inquired the moment he answered the call.
"Mr. Emberweave, how do you do?" The voice from the other side was familiar to Daniel but not to Aryan.
"Lucian... What do you want?" Daniel responded, revealing the identity of the caller.
Aryan was stunned when he heard the name. Lucian Justius? The one who would ascend the throne after Victor Justius? This was outside of his expectations. If it was Lucian, he didn't know how to deal with the future king of the Tessia Kingdom.
"Oh, please don't be angry, Mr. Emberweave. I just called to offer that I can resolve this... complication for you," Lucian said, his voice dripping with superiority.
Daniel replied in a cold tone, "Oh? Am I to understand that you are behind this complication? If so, you should know that, according to the agreement with the Hightower, I clearly stated that I won't find trouble with you as long as you're not attacking me, my people, or my interests."
Aryan was taken aback. Was his employer really speaking to the king without using any respectful titles such as "your majesty"? Wasn't he afraid of being accused of lese-majeste, a charge that the other side might use against him?
"Of course, Mr. Emberweave. I am clear about that. I'm not the one who is attacking you, you see. I'm just calling to offer my help. Why do you always interpret my sincerity as something else?" Lucian replied, with a hint of mockery in his tone.
Lucian was feeling rather pleased with himself. This protest and the complications Daniel faced weren't directly his doing. He had merely suggested to the business conglomerates suffering losses due to Daniel's actions that they could use public opinion against him, diverting attention toward this matter and making Daniel suffer in the process.
According to their agreement, there was no way Daniel could retaliate against him since he hadn't done anything directly. All the processes and the funds used to hire the protest leaders came from the pockets of those conglomerates who had seen their interests threatened by Astral Tech's involvement in the electricity production market.
Hearing this, Daniel realized that Lucian must have played a role in this matter, but according to their agreement, he couldn't take any action against him. Daniel was sure there would be no evidence leading to Lucian that he could present to the Hightower as justification for retaliation.
"Thank you very much," Daniel said, his tone seemingly sincere. But before Lucian could savor the moment, Daniel's voice took a sharp turn. "But please, go fuck yourself, your majesty," he spat, full of contempt, before abruptly hanging up the phone. This left Lucian stunned and unable to respond, anger boiling within him.
Meanwhile, on Daniel's end, he let out a snort after pressing the button to end the call. Aryan, who was on the verge of a heart attack, couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. Did his employer dare to curse directly at the king? Was he crazy? The conversation had hinted at a personal history between the king and his employer, and they seemed to know each other. What was this Hightower organization?
Many questions raced through Aryan's mind, but there were no answers in sight, as Daniel showed no intention of clarifying. Instead, Daniel turned his gaze toward Vlad.
"Count... This requires your expertise. Tonight... Please persuade those protest leaders to speak the truth," Daniel requested, addressing Vlad, who wore the elegant smile of an old aristocrat.
"With pleasure, Mr. Emberweave. Please leave it to me," Vlad responded with a graceful bow before making his way toward the elevator just outside Daniel's office.
"What? Mr. Emberweave, you're sending him to negotiate with those protesters? Please reconsider. Those people might resort to violence. We don't even know if they are open to negotiation," Aryan protested, trying to persuade Daniel to change his decision. But Daniel only smiled and turned to face Aryan.
"Mr. Sharma, trust me. No one can harm Mr. Tepez, and he's the best at this kind of negotiation," Daniel reassured his CEO.
Hearing this, Aryan worried that Vlad might resort to violence, and he quickly tried to persuade Daniel against it.
"Do you mean... he'll use violence? Please reconsider, Mr. Emberweave. If we resort to violence, it could backfire against us!" Aryan urged, attempting to sway Daniel's decision.
Daniel simply chuckled and shook his head.
"No, there's no violence involved. Trust me. If violence occurs, it won't be from us. Just watch," Daniel said with a mysterious smile, leaving Aryan bewildered and wondering what kind of plan his employer was about to execute.
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