Chapter 336

Chapter 336. Phoenix: Me?

She ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍raised her head, and a rational light flickered in her silver-gray eyes.

“The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍financial system of the Royal Capital is extremely complicated. It involves international trade, tariff barriers, exchange rates, and even dealings with many industries that cannot be brought into the light. Grayson cannot handle that kind of macro-level economy.”

Logaris ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pulled out a high-backed chair and sat down in a relaxed posture.

“Since ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Grayson will not do, we can only choose from the existing personnel in the Royal Capital.” Logaris paused for a moment.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍leaned slightly forward, his long fingers interlaced beneath his chin. The eyes behind his lenses carried a trace of fox-like slyness.

“Or... ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍we find outside assistance.”

Sylvia’s pen stopped.

She raised her head and happened to meet Logaris’s gaze.

It was as though some invisible electric current flashed through the air. The two looked at each other and smiled, understanding each other without words.

The answer was obvious.

The corner of Sylvia’s mouth curved into an extremely faint arc.

Her pen tip landed on the blank space at the very bottom of the list, and with a slight movement of her wrist, she wrote down a name.

Phoenix.

“The young master of the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild.” Sylvia put down the pen, leaned back into her chair, and folded her hands over her knees.

“Being rich enough to rival a nation is only the surface. What is truly impressive is that he can find loopholes in the tariff barriers of various nations, smell blood before exchange rates fluctuate, launder dirty money into clean money, and turn clean money dirty.”

Logaris nodded in agreement.

“I know my old classmate’s methods. He is a pure merchant, and profit comes first. As long as we can guarantee the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild’s profits under the new order, he will desperately help us scrape every Golden Lion Coin in the kingdom into the national treasury.”

Logaris picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip of black tea that had already cooled.

“Moreover, placing him in the position of Minister of Finance also allows us to use him as a bridge to carry out reforms in the Eastern Territory.”

Sylvia made the decision decisively.

“Then it is him. Draft the appointment edict immediately.”

That afternoon.

At the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild’s temporary residence in the Royal Capital.

Phoenix was sitting on a luxurious leather sofa with one leg crossed over the other, listening to the steward under him report today’s results. The smile at the corner of his mouth simply could not be suppressed.

“A commercial street in the west of the city has been fully acquired.”

“Seventeen properties sold off by old nobles were resold at a thirty percent premium, earning a net profit of eighty thousand Golden Lion Coins.”

“The merchant fleet from the Eastern Territory has already docked. The first batch of goods will enter the market tomorrow morning.”

After the steward finished reading, he closed the account book.

Phoenix tilted his head back and drank all the red wine in his glass.

The cool liquid slid down his throat, bringing with it a pleasant shiver.

Just as he was calculating which auction he should visit tomorrow to pick up bargains—

The door was suddenly pushed open.

A guild steward hurried into the room in a panic, holding a parchment scroll stamped with the Royal Family’s Golden Seal in his hands.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow and leisurely sat upright.

“What is the rush?” He straightened his collar, and a professional smile spread across his face. “Is it a commendation edict? Moving a little grain was such a small matter, yet the palace actually made a special trip for it.”

He reached out and took the parchment scroll.

It felt heavy in his hand.

The royal crest on the wax seal glowed with a dark-gold sheen under the lamplight.

Phoenix skillfully broke the wax seal and opened the scroll.

His gaze swept over the first line.

The smile froze on his face.

He blinked.

Then blinked again.

Then—

“What the hell?!”

Phoenix sprang up from the sofa.

“Hereby appointing... Phoenix, representative of the Golden Griffon Merchant Guild... to succeed to the post of Minister of Finance of the Astrelia Kingdom...”

Phoenix’s hand trembled, and the parchment scroll nearly fell to the floor.

His eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Sylvia’s handwritten signature and Logaris’s countersignature seal at the end of the scroll.

“Minister of Finance?!” Phoenix shrieked, his voice cracking.

Phoenix tightly clutched the parchment scroll stamped with the Royal Family’s Golden Seal. He brought the scroll close to his eyes and read it word by word three times.

At the end, Sylvia’s handwritten signature and Logaris’s countersignature seal were perfectly clear.

He slammed the scroll onto the long purple-goldwood table and sprang up from the leather sofa.

“Minister of Finance... Haha, Minister of Finance of the kingdom!”

He paced back and forth in the spacious room with huge strides, stirring up a gust of wind. His coat fluttered, and his entire person radiated irrepressible ecstasy.

“My old classmate... my dear old classmate.” Phoenix stopped, placed both hands on the tabletop, and said, “Minister of Finance. This is handing me the moneybag of the entire nation.”

Phoenix picked up the scroll and stroked the golden seal on it with his fingers.

“However, this is also a hot potato. That old bastard Moran ran things for so many years. Who knows how many Golden Lion Coins he transferred to underground banks?”

“Magitech industry needs money, military expansion needs money, and even repairing the city walls needs money.”

He stroked his chin, his mind racing at high speed.

“I have to think of a way to get some money from other countries. I cannot keep staring only at the domestic market.”

“For example, the Elven Royal Court to the south, or the Meriga Confederation across the sea?”

A shrewd merchant’s light flashed in Phoenix’s eyes.

“Go. Turn on the Magitech Communication Device. I want to contact the old man directly.”

The steward hurriedly nodded, then turned and ran out of the room in haste.

...

Eastern Territory, August Family Castle.

Inside the heavily guarded circular meeting room, solemn portraits of successive family heads hung on the walls.

The family head, Old August, was staring fixedly at his useless son in the communication projection.

“Are you certain? This appointment edict... is real?”

Old August’s voice was trembling, and his breathing was so rapid that it sounded as if he had just finished a long-distance sprint.

“Old man, would I joke with you about something like this?” Phoenix rolled his eyes in the projection.

“Her Majesty Queen Sylvia’s handwritten signature, Professor Logaris’s countersignature! It is absolutely genuine! My people have already gone to the Ministry of Finance building to handle the handover!”

“Hiss—”

Inside the meeting room, the core figures of the Eastern Territory collectively sucked in a breath of cold air.

Phoenix’s in-law, Grand Duke Tressely of the Eastern Territory, an old noble always known for his composure, abruptly stood up and planted both hands on the table. His aged face flushed red with excitement.

“August! We won the gamble!” he said in wild delight.

“The old nobles of the Royal Capital have been wiped clean. Now, this is a feast of power that appears once in a hundred years! Phoenix has obtained financial authority, so the tariff barriers in the Eastern Territory can be directly abolished!”

“Our merchant ships can sail into the Royal Capital, the Western Territory, and the Southern Territory without obstruction! Let those damned checkpoints and exorbitant taxes all go to hell!”

Old August took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the ecstasy that almost seemed ready to burst through the top of his skull. He looked at Phoenix in the projection, grinning almost from ear to ear.

“I said it long ago! Back when Phoenix insisted on going to Saint Arcadia Academy, I knew this move was brilliant!”

“Look, look! Did that not allow him to become acquainted with the two true gods, Her Majesty the Queen and Professor Logaris?”

Duke Tressely glanced at him from the side and exposed him on the spot without mercy.

“Bullshit! Who was the one who said going to the academy was a waste of time, and that it would be better for him to come home early and take over the family business?”

“It was clearly me! I was the one who overruled all objections and saw at a glance that Professor Logaris and Her Highness Sylvia had the signs of those destined to help a dragon ascend!”

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