CHAPTER 181: THE PARTY CONTROLLING THE STRINGS FROM BEHIND THE SCENES (1)

The Eastern region was the second wealthiest after the South, with most of its income coming from marine products and trade with the Empire and other kingdoms.

In many ways, the sea route was the lifeblood of their economy—so the appearance of the sea monster naturally shattered the region’s prosperity.

Many foreign merchants could no longer enter, and fishermen dared not venture out to sea for fear of the creature.

If left unchecked, it was entirely possible that a greater crisis would erupt and affect the other three regions as well.

Huh... Nolan let out a long breath, massaging his temples. That old man is really something. Why dump this matter on the throne candidates? What’s his real aim?

From the very start, it had made no sense to entrust this task to the candidates in the throne room.

After all, the sea monster had proven to be far more powerful and terrifying than anyone had anticipated.

By now, the Eastern region was in the grip of a severe crisis—so much so that even buying Magmoral and Lucite was a struggle for the Austin family.

"Brother..." Elina called softly, clasping his right hand.

The warmth of her touch slowly calmed him. Nolan turned to her and gently ruffled her hair.

"It’s okay," he said in a soothing tone.

Elina closed her eyes, savoring the tenderness of the moment.

Nolan turned to Rafine. "Does the Austin family have a way to resolve this crisis?"

Rafine gave a wry smile and shook her head. "Not yet. But we’re working to secure capital as soon as possible. Father has already contacted the palace, but their response will take time. For now, our only option is to approach the Red Obsidian Trading House for financial assistance."

The Red Obsidian Trading House, second only to the Blue Moon Trading House, had deep business ties and connections throughout the Eastern region. Many noble families—from Barons to Marquises—had relied on their capital favors.

Of course, their help never came cheap. The Austin family would likely face massive interest rates or be forced to accept other harsh terms.

"Red Obsidian Trading House?" Elina’s eyes widened.

A figure immediately came to her mind—Zarak.

"Brother," she said, tugging lightly at the hem of his robe. "Don’t tell me..."

Before she could finish, Nolan gave a small nod. "Yes. It must be connected to them."

His expression hardened, his eyes narrowing.

As expected of Belfor Horven—truly cunning and shrewd, he mocked inwardly.

Everything fit together now. The crisis in the Eastern region was likely not caused solely by the sea monster but by the deliberate interference of another party.

And that party was without a doubt the Red Obsidian Trading House. As absurd as it sounded, it was the truth.

After all, the troubles that had plagued the Marquis Valmire family also bore the mark of the Red Obsidian’s meddling.

The Marquis Castellan family, which had never ventured into the weapon industry before, had suddenly risen to become a giant capable of competing with the Valmire family in just a short time.

When traced back, all signs pointed to the Red Obsidian Trading House. From the patterns Nolan had observed, Belfor’s aim was clear—disrupt the Eastern region’s economic order and claim everything for himself.

Their ultimate target was the Austin family. The goal was to weaken them to the point where they would have no choice but to seek help from the Red Obsidian Trading House.

And when that moment came, the Red Obsidian would indeed offer assistance—on one condition: that the Austins support Zarak in the battle for the throne.

Pfft! Nolan let out a short laugh. That really is a brilliant plan. No wonder the Red Obsidian Trading House has survived for centuries in the Empire...

Unlike the Blue Moon Trading House, which had emerged only nine years ago, the Red Obsidian had been established for hundreds of years, its influence deeply rooted in the Empire.

The reason their position had been overtaken by his Blue Moon Trading House was simple—he possessed knowledge of a far more advanced economic system from his previous world.

No matter how powerful a company was, if another offered better products, systems, and innovations, it would eventually be dethroned and eliminated. In his previous world, Nolan had seen countless corporate giants collapse simply because they failed to adapt.

The same pattern had struck the Red Obsidian Trading House. The only difference was that they had managed to endure thanks to their deep roots within the Empire.

But that, too, was about to end. Their time in this world was nearly over.

A cold glint flashed in Nolan’s eyes, and the atmosphere instantly grew oppressive.

What’s with this guy? Why does he look so... scary?

Rafine swallowed hard.

To her, Nolan had always been a lazy man indifferent to his surroundings. But now, that image crumbled as she saw the intimidating presence he exuded.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Nolan withdrew his oppressive aura and returned to his usual laid-back expression.

"I understand your situation," he said, taking a slow sip of coffee. "But I strongly advise you not to seek help from the Red Obsidian Trading House."

Rafine was startled by the sudden shift in his demeanor. His words made her brows furrow.

"If you dare to say that, then do you have a solution?" she asked, her gaze fixed on him.

For some reason, a voice deep inside told her that Nolan wouldn’t say something like that without having a reason.

Nolan gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, I have a solution—and I can guarantee it won’t interfere with the Austin family’s interests. That’s very different from asking the Red Obsidian Trading House for help."

Rafine straightened in her seat and asked carefully, "Can you tell me?"

The arrogance and haughtiness she had shown earlier were gone—replaced by politeness and respect.

Elina, watching from the side, was clearly taken aback. This was the first time she had seen Rafine so genuinely humble toward her sister.

After all, during the few days they had stayed at Duke Austin’s mansion, the two had done nothing but argue.

Under Rafine’s expectant gaze, Nolan rested the left side of his face against his palm and said, "The best option is to seek help from the Blue Moon Trading House."

Rafine’s expression froze at his words, then slowly turned into a frown.

Before she could speak, Nolan continued, "I know your concerns. But hear me out. The Blue Moon Trading House has no stake in the battle for the throne. If the Austin family requests capital assistance to suppress the crisis, they’ll provide it—and in return, they’ll only ask for interest."

His reasoning was sound, leaving Rafine speechless as she sank into deep thought.

What Nolan said was true. In fact, Rafine had already imagined the terms the Red Obsidian Trading House would eventually demand—helping and supporting Zarak in the succession.

As the future duchess, she had no intention of agreeing to that. Zarak was not only unfit to be emperor but also possessed a deeply repulsive nature.

Compared to Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, and Elina, he was nothing.

But another problem remained—the Austin family had no ties to the Blue Moon Trading House.

As if reading her thoughts, Nolan gave a small grin and said reassuringly, "Don’t worry. I have connections with their higher-ups. I’ll let them know about this."