Getting Even
That afternoon, Imperial Capital Finance Department, Assistant Office of the Finance Minister's Secretariat.
Gordon Campbell, assistant secretary to the Finance Department's chief officer, looked worriedly at Jacob Shubin, the minister's chief secretary assistant. After thinking for a long while, he finally asked, "Sir Jacob, are you really certain that Landen Gallop can swallow... your terms?"
Jacob smiled. "Of course. Judging from the agreement they signed, that is the only road left to them."
"But..." Gordon looked at Jacob, who was brimming with confidence, and voiced his concerns anyway. "That Landen does not seem like a noble willing to compromise with us."
"Then he can only find a way to conjure up two million Year 900 God Emperor Gold Coins." Jacob shrugged. "As far as I know, only five million of those coins were ever minted. Just seven hundred thousand are in circulation; all the rest are in the Finance Department's underground warehouse."
"But as the only person in the world who can make Magic Furnaces, he could go to the minister and use Magic Furnaces to offset the debt directly!"
"Exactly. And then what?" Jacob said with a smile. "The Finance Department gets at least four Magic Furnaces, perhaps even more, for nothing! We can 'gift' those Magic Furnaces to Lords with abundant magic, allowing their Workshops to earn greater profits, while the Finance Department takes only a very small share."
"Very well, sir. As long as you are certain." Gordon Campbell nodded.
The office door suddenly opened. Frank Douglas, the Finance Department's chief secretary and a Legend Law Mage, entered with a cold expression. Behind him was Landen Gallop.
"Jacob, this morning, did you have Lord Landen's wives sign something without his knowledge..." Frank winked frantically, trying to give Jacob a way out, but the Law Mage