Annan waited for the Wealth Church's "Free City Development Fund." Instead, a ban arrived from the Orr Empire.
The ban accused Free City of colluding with the Ratfolk and stirring up chaos. It prohibited all goods produced in Free City from entering the Empire. Anyone selling or possessing them would be found guilty and arrested.
"Do we have a dispute with the Orr Empire?"
Annan asked without thinking. Olmedo gave him an odd look, so he explained, "I mean, have we done anything to make things worse? Was it the talent show?"
"It's possible."
But would a mighty empire really be that petty? Or had Annan secretly done something else...
They had no Informants in the Orr Empire, so they didn't know what had happened.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I haven't gone anywhere this year!" Annan protested.
Olmedo didn't dwell on it. "What matters now is how we respond."
"We have to hit back!" Annan sounded as though Femi had possessed him, but old and new grievances were piling up. "First they got Broken Fang killed, then they stole our idea, and now they dare to sanction us!"
Since the talent show had come up, Olmedo suggested asking Tarkinson what he knew.
Annan snapped his fingers. The Mana Vortex spun faster, forming a Magic Circle on the Office carpet.
"Gulu-wala!"
A Fishman appeared, clutching a bone spike. His eyes bulged from his dark green face, and he looked comically ugly.
"What happened?" Olmedo asked.
Annan froze. "The Portal turned into an ordinary Lesser Summoning Spell... The Anchor Point I sent over was killed."
"Has Tarkinson betrayed us?"
"Not necessarily. He might have been captured..."
Governor Borgant's face surfaced in Annan's mind. He didn't seem like the sort to conspire with Duke Kingsley... Or was he deliberately