The Price of Sovereignty
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"I heard Dapan is huge in the Empire."
"If they're here, the product must be worthwhile."
"We should raise the basic tariff."
"How about 20%?"
"Too low. Make it 30%."
It was almost laughable how quickly they agreed—like pigs squealing in harmony.
But they didn't know the full picture.
If Abel wanted to, he could just move the spirit tree production elsewhere.
Not that he planned to.
But that didn't mean he'd let them squeeze him for 30%.
He looked at them all and thought, You're about to learn who you're dealing with.
"Of course we have to pay tariffs. But opinions like 20% or 30% are too excessive."
"It's like strategic material, isn't that obvious?"
"Do you even know what that is?"
"Huh?"
After one strike, the momentum of Basix Soltree was completely broken.
Abel looked around at the officials and smiled crookedly.
"You are all so mistaken. Let me ask you one thing. Was the area beyond Mount Berkal part of the Duchy of Crawford?"
