The Longest Road
"Burn, burn, burn..."
At almost the same time, similar scenes appeared in major cities across the mainland.
The recovered war bonds were thrown into Bear fire in front of a crowd.
Creditors who were initially skeptical of the Alpha Kingdom's ability to repay its debts suddenly gained confidence after witnessing this scene.
Regardless of where the money came from, it's true that the Alpha Kingdom is collecting bonds, and it's also true that it's destroying bonds.
The nobles who were previously hesitant about whether to cut their losses now put their minds at ease and wait for the market to recover.
In the entire market, only Alpha Kingdom is still massively selling off its bonds. However, because it is breaking them down and selling them in batches, it has not yet been detected.
A bizarre scene unfolded: the more the Church members tried to cash the war bonds, the faster the Alpha people were to make their payments.
At first, there was a series of approval processes, but later they simply moved the office to an open square.
Rumors spread as fast as a forest fire; once ignited, they cannot be stopped.
"You don't have to get involved, since we're not expecting you to do anything anyway, but your portrait will have to be included in the admissions brochure."
Hudson decisively refused.
Hudson didn't care at all what Caesar IV had promised these people; as long as his share wasn't overlooked, that was enough.
Lambert: Sky Knight, an ancestor of the Aram Family.
Hatred may fade with time, but it certainly won't disappear in just one or two generations. The dissatisfaction of various countries on the mainland with the Church may stem from the influence of the older generation.
The ancestors were all heretics who opposed the Church, so the younger generation inevitably followed suit and were influenced.
For some reason, he has been finding Blake Legion Commander increasingly unpleasant lately.
Anyway, we're all getting on in years, and we don't have many more years to live. If we don't do it now, we won't have the chance to do it later.
"Blake said angrily."
The Holy Protection Knight Order See are obviously subordinate to the Church, but the church institutions in the Alpha Kingdom are controlled by the royal family and a number of nobles.
It's possible that these old guys' mentors or elders participated in the anti- Church wars, and their hatred was directly instilled in them.
Although Hudson had conflicts with the Church, those were all behind-the-scenes clashes; on the surface, he was still a "devout" believer.
Whether it's voluntary or not is not important at all. As long as it can be publicized, that's enough. Anyway, no one expects the Dragon Knight to go there to teach in person.
As soon as Robert finished speaking, Hudson realized something was wrong. That "you" seemed to have included him, a mere bystander, as well.
"Have someone mark the gold coins to verify if the speculation is accurate. Stop all redemption operations until the news is confirmed."
Dozens of people died, including two Magister. If it weren't for the Frankish Kingdom's all-out protection, they might all have perished.
Despite Caesar IV's repeated pronouncements that the kingdom's great nobles had contributed, Pope Pius VII remained completely unconvinced.
Hudson asked tentatively.
How could nobles be without selfish motives?
Even if the nobles of the Alpha Kingdom work together and have already paid out more than 30 million gold coins, their cash flow should be exhausted by now.
Morrison: Sky Knight, member of the royal family.
It hasn't risen to the level of "heresy" yet, so there's no need to put it on the kill list.
With such a strong popular base, it's not surprising that Caesar III dared to confront the Church head-on.
After all, it's impossible for everyone to be willing to sell at a loss if their reputation hasn't collapsed.
This is an awkward issue; the Church did conduct market research before taking action.
You said it was the Alpha Kingdom that did it, so it was them?
Where is the evidence?
Morrison retorted without holding back.
It's impossible not to be tempted by the wonderful vision Robert painted, but Hudson is also someone who hates trouble.
Morrison's perfect explanation left Hudson speechless.
Someone has to take the blame for this. If it can't be these high-ranking members of the Church, then it can only be that the Alpha Kingdom is too despicable.
Listening to the conversation of these "veterans," Hudson felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.
Judging from his eager expression, it was as if he was really looking forward to this scene. Hudson's intuition told him that this man probably had a grudge against the Church, and it was an irreconcilable one.
Looking at the "good news" sent up by his subordinates from all over the mainland, Pope Pius VII, who was good at math, finally realized that something was wrong.
Even disregarding the financial aspect, they've acquired so many war bonds that the bonds circulating in the market should have been exhausted.
"It's time to go back. We've suffered such a huge loss; the Church won't let this go easily."
For small-amount redemptions, gold coins were settled on the spot; only larger amounts required queuing. Once a transaction was completed, the recovered bonds were immediately thrown into a brazier for destruction—the entire process was carried out without the slightest hesitation.
However, this low-level cover-up only lasted a few more days, and soon the truth spread along with the rumors.
"Count Hudson, as one of the founders of the Kingdom's Arcane Academy, don't you have any opinions to offer?"
If you want to cause them trouble, then go and lead the establishment of the Arcane Academy, specifically to train disciples and followers to oppose them.
Don't worry, we're just using it for publicity; it won't damage your reputation.
If it weren't for the stability of the Church, he would have replaced this incompetent and troublesome fellow long ago.
Looking at the epic heroes of the human race, very few died of old age. The lives of most could only be described as tragic.
The academy's founders, mentors, and even ordinary students were all put on the Church's kill list.
He was initially full of doubts. Why was the Alpha Kingdom, which was thousands of miles away, always being targeted by the Church? It turned out that this place was a gathering place for heretics.
Even Caesar IV, who had previously boasted about seeking a coronation from the Church, turned around and stabbed the Church in the back. It's likely that these old guys had some influence on him.
It's definitely a "routine"!
Such a big deal, agreed to in just a few words, clearly indicates prior collusion.
Look at that Arcane Academy in the Frankish Kingdom; it has been plagued with problems since its establishment.
The number of people who knew about the incident expanded from dozens to tens of thousands, and the news could no longer be kept secret.
Ultimately, it is still a long-established overlord, and the number of experts in the Church is still the highest in the entire continent.
The original plan was to acquire 10 to 20 million bonds in batches to trigger a run on the Alpha Kingdom and collapse its credit system. Pope Pius VII was even prepared for the possibility that millions of bonds would become worthless.
Fortunately, the kingdom covered it up; the bonds were issued by powerful nobles from various regions, without directly using the kingdom's name.
Their exact identity is unclear, but they hold a very high position within the royal family and are able to influence the King's decisions.
The thought of them using money to buy bonds, Alpha people taking their money, taking their profits, and then using that money to pay them back is unbearable.
Pope Pius VII immediately reprimanded him.
"Sir Lambert, the matter of establishing the Arcane Academy is best left to you seniors to handle. I know nothing about it, so I won't get involved."
The supervisory team was dispatched, and the people in charge of carrying out the tasks also sent in evidence of their hard work— Projection Stone.
The first to leak the news was not the Church, but the Alpha Kingdom.
According to the Church's statistics, the war bonds issued by the Alpha Kingdom overseas amounted to approximately 30 to 40 million gold coins.
Three hundred years is a long time for ordinary people, but for experts, it may only be two or three generations of inheritance.
Hudson quickly realized that the Church had declined over three hundred years ago. The specifics of what happened are not recorded in history books, but it is certain that a major war must have occurred.
As soon as Ulise finished speaking, everyone's expression changed drastically.
"Idiot, calm down."
"How many war bonds has the Alpha Kingdom issued in total? Why haven't we seen a decrease even after destroying so many?"
"I can lead the establishment of the Arcane Academy, but you all must come and serve as instructors, otherwise I can't withstand the wrath of the Church."
Great Sorcerer Robert with a chuckle.
Moreover, this was a rumor mixed with some truth, and even while busy shipping bonds around, Hudson received the news.
"I'll handle things with the King; I guarantee I'll provide you with the greatest support."
On the surface, one-third of the kingdom's Magister are his students, those who have formally become his disciples.
Instantly, everyone felt worse than if they had swallowed a fly. It was just too much of a bullying, clearly treating them like suckers!
"Your Majesty, we cannot suffer this loss. We must expose this and let everyone know the despicable nature of the Alpha Kingdom!"
Secret support is fine, even financial and physical assistance is negotiable, but personal involvement is out of the question.
"Like begets like."
If this continues, even if they manage to defeat the Alpha Kingdom, how much money will they have to pay in the long run?
Five million, six million, seven million, eight million...
After a pause, Pope Pius VII added:
If this trend continues, four major Arcane Academy will soon appear on the Aslant Continent, which will just be enough to divide up the four Dragon Knights.
Money isn't important; the key is that the kingdom's situation has stabilized.
Can I say no?
If it weren't for the significant results and the resulting morale boost, everyone might have gone on strike.
Just as I was busy organizing my words to refuse, a bunch of old guys forced me to accept it.
The only problem is that the price they've paid is quite high; so far, they've already lost nearly four million gold coins.
The Franks Arcane Academy is guarded by Dragon Knight; we can't afford to lose face!
Perhaps the extra bonds came from these people.
"Your Majesty, according to the investigation, some nobles of the Alpha Kingdom have also been secretly selling off war bonds."
It's clear that Pope Pius VII hesitated.
The truth will out eventually. Despite the Church's repeated attempts to suppress the news, too many people knew about it, and word eventually got out.
This isn't our territory. If they block it, that would be a real problem!
Robert: Great Sorcerer, former Dean of the Kingdom's Magic Academy.
Who knows, your name Count Hudson, might even be included in the future epic heroes of the human race!
The bystanders became "mentors," and then immediately upgraded to founders of the academy. Hudson felt that the world had gone mad.
Hudson smiled slightly at everyone and said.
The plan has now been completed, and even far exceeded expectations, yet the Alpha Kingdom shows no signs of financial collapse.
Frost: Sky Knight, Holy Protection Knight Order of the Kingdom, and a member of the royal family.
The price for early redemption is constant, but bond prices continue to rise. The more aggressively bonds are acquired, the higher the price of bonds circulating in the market will be.
There was no other way; the war bonds held by the great nobles were not unlimited. After being continuously burned, in order to continue profiting from the Church, the kingdom had no choice but to "borrow bonds" from the smaller nobles within the country.
Despite performing such a strong job, the Alpha Kingdom, which was under pressure, showed no signs of collapse.
"Of course, but when it comes to external publicity, your name will still be placed at the very beginning."
If the guess is correct, then wouldn't the money that Alpha people uses to make payments be money that Alpha provides?
This scene might just have been prepared specifically for him.
After all, the number of bonds is limited. Once the war bonds held by the Alpha Nobles are exhausted, the subsequent bonds will truly drain their cash flow.
"Looks like we should head back!"
The group of old men present were all people of considerable importance.
On the sacred mountain.
Pope Pius VII angrily questioned.
Besides, this is a win-win situation. We've expanded our influence, and your reputation has also been boosted!
When a new era begins, future generations will surely learn about your deeds when studying history.
When faced with the same argument from a group of men whose average age was over 160, Hudson, still sharp-witted, promptly chose to leave.
Enough!
You bunch of guys who're practically half-buried, how come you're still able to cause so much trouble?
Correspondingly, the amount of money they need to lose will also increase.
"Morrison is right. Robert, go ahead and do it. We all support you."
These days, they've been working day and night, traveling back and forth across the mainland.
Theoretically speaking, as long as these payments continue, Alpha Kingdom's arbitrage game will eventually collapse.
Unfortunately, he had barely taken a step when someone called out to him.
"Alright, we've made a profit, let's call it a day!"
If they were to be targeted by the Church, it would be uncertain whether they could escape unscathed.
If it weren't for their age and the fear of them getting into trouble and being blackmailed, Hudson would have loved to go over and beat them up.
Of course, a fight can only break out when these guys are alone, otherwise they're more likely to be the ones getting beaten up.
Who told him to be so weak and let his mount hold him back?