The situation on the continent shifted like storm clouds. The Falcon Kingdom, once utterly insignificant, suddenly became the focus of attention from every side.
The last time it received such treatment was when the Rebel Army killed the king.
It had come within a hair's breadth of becoming history.
Fortunately, they reacted quickly enough. They promptly installed Princess Marysol on the throne, swiftly quelled the domestic rebellion, and gave their "neighbors" no opening to exploit.
The great reshuffling of power caused by the civil strife created an opportunity for the Falcon Kingdom's subsequent reforms.
The old noble families were no fools. They had opposed the free trade proposed by the rising nobles before only because they did not hold the right to speak.
After the infighting ended, the noble faction led by the three great families not only annexed the rising nobles' factories, but also inherited the overseas trade routes they had opened.
No one would turn down money. Once the benefits fell into their own hands, everyone suddenly became enlightened.
For the sake of enormous profits, the former conservatives became the new reformists. Having learned from their previous failure, the subsequent reforms progressed very smoothly.
After the Underworld Race invasion, the Falcon Kingdom fully leveraged its maritime trade advantages, serving as the logistical lifeline for the warring nations while casually earning "a tiny little" fortune.
After witnessing the enormous appetites of the two great financiers, every nation that had a choice began seeking new backers.
The Falcon Kingdom, whose coffers were still fairly full, quickly entered the sight of various nations and became a prized target.
"A total of eighteen countries have submitted loan applications to us. What are your thoughts?"
Queen Marisol asked casually.
Because the royal family's strength had been severely damaged, she had remained in