CHAPTER 221: A NEW PROBLEM HITTING MALVAIN’S FAMILY

"What? How is that possible? Wasn’t the Caltheron family supposed to be in trouble and begging my Malvain family for help?"

Jason looked at Fenric, who stood before him with a mix of astonishment and confusion on his face.

Fenric stayed silent for a moment before finally replying, "That should have been the case, Lord Jason. But somehow, they managed to form a connection with the Blue Moon Trading House and received help from them."

"Blue Moon Trading House?" Jason’s eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by help? Don’t tell me they’re supporting the Caltheron family."

"You could say that." Fenric gave a small nod. "The twin cities of Valmiris and Lunaris are facing a food crisis because of your previous orders. But suddenly, they arrived and provided food aid."

"They also struck a deal: selling commodities at lower prices. In return, the Caltheron family granted them market access in both cities, along with a plot of land in Valmiris to build a second branch office."

Jason’s face turned pale. His fists clenched tightly, and his breathing grew heavy.

Damn it... How did it come to this? He growled angrily.

He had never expected things to turn out this way. His plan in pressuring Valmiris and Lunaris was meant to force the Caltherons into submission.

Their support for Elina stood in the way of Aldric’s claim to the throne. After all, Jason wanted every southern noble to bow to him and stand behind Aldric.

But the Caltheron family’s maneuver shattered his plan. Many nobles refused to obey his orders and instead chose to act independently.

To make matters worse, the Balfron family had also sided with Elina, fueling more rebellion among the other noble houses.

In truth, the Caltheron region had no farmland and had always depended on the produce of other nobles.

For that reason, Jason ordered that no crops be sold to Valmiris and Lunaris.

Merchants were also barred from entering the two cities, with the hope that the Caltheron family would slowly collapse.

What he never anticipated was the move by the Blue Moon Trading House. They seized the opportunity and formed a partnership with the Caltheron family.

This was something Jason had never expected.

"By the way, there is another matter, my Lord," Fenric’s weak voice broke Jason’s thoughts.

Jason drew in a deep breath and asked coldly, "What is it?"

Fenric bit his lip before explaining, "Several noble families who have always sold their crops to the Caltheron family are now demanding accountability from the Malvain family. Normally, their harvests are quickly sold in Lunaris and Valmiris. But because of your prohibition, the warehouses are overflowing with unsold stock."

"Many farmers are weeping as their crops begin to rot, and the noble families are now facing harsh criticism from their people. They want the Malvain family to resolve this problem quickly. Otherwise, the chaos will spread, and they plan to report the matter to the palace."

"How dare they threaten me?" Jason roared furiously.

Blue veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes widened in rage.

Watching this, Fenric could only sigh silently. Of course, he did not blame the noble families.

After all, the cities of Valmiris and Lunaris were highly developed. Unlike most other territories that relied on agriculture, they thrived on trade and services.

That was why their communities were prosperous and enjoyed higher incomes than the average city.

Moreover, the level of education there is very high—around 80%. That means nearly the entire population is educated, far above other cities where the average is only 40–50%.

Clearly, both cities are highly profitable markets. Crops from other territories could be sold there at high prices, yielding enormous profits.

But when Jason ordered the prohibition on selling crops to Valmiris and Lunaris, the nobles lost their primary source of income.

The Blue Moon Trading House quickly took advantage of the situation. They gained market access and sold various commodities, including agricultural products, at lower prices.

As a result, even if the nobles wanted to restore cooperation with the Caltheron family, it was already too late.

Jason drew in a deep breath to suppress his anger, then looked at Fenric with indifference.

"Take money from the family treasury and compensate them for their losses. After that, lift their ban on dealing with the Caltheron family," he ordered coldly.

"Yes, my lord," Fenric replied respectfully.

"Then leave."

Without another word, Fenric quickly exited Jason’s study.

Watching him go, Jason sighed softly and rubbed his temples.

"What a hassle," he muttered irritably. "The Blue Moon House is such a... damn nuisance..."

***

The Austin family mansion...

In the living room, Nolan, Elina, and Luvistar stood facing Alvaron, Masha, and Anastasia.

"Prince Nolan, Princess Elina, and General Luvistar—thank you for your help. Truly, I don’t know how to repay you," Alvaron said, clenching his fists.

The sea monster problem had long been a thorn in his side. He had tried many ways to kill it, but all had failed.

Even the palace seemed to treat the matter lightly. Of course, Alvaron could guess why Ragan acted that way—and he understood.

Although he himself bore no ill will, that did not mean the Emperor would see it the same way. That was why Alvaron never urged the palace to send the Celestial Mages.

Fortunately, Nolan, Elina, and Luvistar had managed to defeat the sea monster, leaving him both relieved and overjoyed.

"You’re welcome, Duke Alvaron," Elina replied politely. "I’m also glad with this outcome. The sea monster that crippled the eastern region’s economy has finally been defeated. Now the eastern region can recover."

"You’re right, Your Highness." Alvaron let out a small chuckle.

While the two spoke, Masha suddenly ran forward and hugged Nolan’s right leg tightly, sobbing.

"Brother Nolan, are you really leaving? Can’t you stay a little longer?"

Tears welled in Masha’s eyes, her gaze filled with sadness and distress as she looked at Nolan.

Nolan smiled and gently lifted her into his arms. He wiped away her tears and said softly, "I’m sorry, Masha. I have to return to the palace now—my duty here is finished. But I promised you I’d come back another day to play with you. Do you understand?"

Masha pursed her lips and answered in a low, depressed voice, "All right, Brother... but don’t break your promise, okay?"

She held up her left pinky. Nolan hooked his little finger around hers and whispered, "Of course."

Anastasia watched the scene with a quiet smile.

"Those two are so close..."