"...Mr. Lister, please reconsider! I can guarantee that none of the things you are worried about will happen in White Elephant City."
Dawn City, Embassy Street, the embassy of the West Lan Empire.
After personally pouring Lister a cup of black tea, Duke Galava spoke with an earnest—almost ingratiating—expression.
Yet after hearing him out, Lister merely sighed softly.
"Then how can you guarantee what you are saying now?"
Duke Galava's eyes shone as he replied.
"I swear upon the White Elephant God, my family crest, and my title!"
The corner of Lister's mouth twitched as he fought back a laugh, but he ultimately maintained his outward courtesy and did not laugh aloud.
"Forgive my bluntness, but that is the least sincere promise possible."
Duke Galava froze, and a trace of displeasure gradually surfaced on his face.
"You... you actually say that isn't sincere enough! Then what sort of promise would be sincere enough?"
Lister sighed softly.
"I'll give you a simple example. Doing business in The Alliance only requires following the law, and the law is something that can be negotiated. Labor unions can negotiate, consumer associations can negotiate, and naturally, we can negotiate as well..."
Before Lister could finish, Duke Galava's face lit up, and he eagerly cut in.
"We don't need all that trouble!"
Seeing the inexplicable smugness on the man's face, Lister spread his hands.
"That is exactly the problem."
Not only did he lack such safeguards, but he even regarded them as troublesome.
He had not even realized that the more he flaunted his supreme authority there, the more wary Lister became of what he might do with it.
Some of The Alliance's recently wealthy "new money" might not have experienced it, but "old money" like him, who had already built a sizable business back in