"That was merely a scam based on a very simple principle. It had been popular in the foreign world for a hundred years. Though it came in countless variations, they all exploited human greed and used ingenious tricks to raise large sums of money in a short time.
The method wasn't particularly clever.
In fact, it worked best the first time it was used. After that, once people became wary, the scam could no longer succeed unless it was adapted.
But as it turned out, Mr. Crow's assessment of us was quite accurate. The kingdom's tax laws really had reached the point where they needed reform. The wealth the Misty Sea Trading Company had plundered from a single region of Kafukhoka Province alone rivaled what the kingdom had collected in taxes there over decades.
By that logic, the resources monopolized by the upper nobility in other parts of the kingdom must have reached a staggering level.
My conversation with Boss Huo made me realize that this was also why your reforms had been so difficult to implement. The common people longed for a better life, and the king dreamed of a wealthy and powerful kingdom, but those hopes clashed sharply with the old powers' iron grip on resources and refusal to let go.
Until you find a way to solve this problem, Nordtov's reforms won't be able to go any deeper.
Building a few factories in a handful of cities won't really solve the problem, Sister. Before his reforms, King Louis defeated the Kingdom of Isha. He used the wealth of an entire country to help the Plantagenet Kingdom through its most difficult period, but we haven't been that lucky.
Or rather, we haven't been—until now!"
Andre spoke at length in the reception room of the Ice Palace.
He didn't