Free Web NovelWe often use the term isolated incident to affirm the purity of an event—not that the event itself is noble or immaculate, but that it has no connection to other past or future events.
This phrase is mostly used in politics.
People like to claim a certain event is isolated and has no ties to anything else. But how many political incidents are truly isolated?
None.
Politics is inherently driven by interests. Without that motivation, there would be no political actions at all. That’s precisely why there’s no such thing as an isolated political event. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
What does it mean when the Prime Minister publicly shakes hands with Lynch?
If you ask the Prime Minister or Lynch themselves, they’d likely say it was a simple handshake, nothing more, no deeper purpose—just a basic, straightforward gesture. Nothing to overanalyze.
But is that really the case?
Not long ago, the Prime Minister was plotting to go after Lynch. And now, suddenly, they’re shaking hands and chatting pleasantly? No one would believe there wasn’t something more behind it.
Self-proclaimed clever nobles began interpreting the gesture. How did Lynch turn the situation around?
He decided to take his faction to develop in the Amellian Province. So, the Prime Minister backed off, even going so far as to greet him publicly.
What does this mean?
It means there were undoubtedly behind-the-scenes deals that the public didn’t see.
Anything involving power attracts attention. A new group of outsiders began to circle in.
Nobles whose families could no longer expand on the mainland started seriously considering whether moving elsewhere might solve their problems.
That was exactly the point of the handshake between the Prime Minister and Lynch—to persuade more people to follow Lynch to new lands. In fact, within the Empire’s leadership, a new idea had already taken root.
They planned to send the newly titled and lower-ranking nobles to the Amellian Province, leaving the mainland to the major noble houses—effectively dividing the nobility into two factions.
Lynch welcomed these nobles and spoke with them about how they could get rich together. It was clear they were interested. Some even expressed willingness to visit Amellia with Lynch for an on-site assessment and investment.
By this point, the situation triggered by Harmony Capital was beginning to settle down.
On November 29th, the final Sunday of the month, word about the Privy Council elders’ selection process began to spread quietly among the noble class.
No one knew who leaked it—it just seemed to appear in everyone’s mind all at once, triggering widespread discussion.
As Lynch had predicted, the noble group was furious. They had invested themselves in the matter only to learn that a decision had already been made without their knowledge. Some believed that the elder nobles of the Privy Council had betrayed the broader noble class.
But the elder nobles offered no response to these accusations—until that evening, when one major noble stated their position at a closed gathering.
He simply reiterated the Privy Council’s rules.
Within the Council—centered on Elders and supported by Senior Council—ordinary nobles had no voting rights.
Whatever deals or alliances they tried to form beforehand were meaningless. They weren’t the masters of the Council and held no sway over its final decisions.
When that statement got out, the entire Council erupted, and the backlash spread across the Empire’s nobility.
The young Count had been following it closely.
In a luxuriously decorated room, Lynch sat with his legs crossed, watching a TV program. Since the Federation’s media had entered Gephra, the country’s own television programs had rapidly begun reforming.
For example, political talk shows—once boring and neutral, never overtly flattering or critical of nobles—were beginning to shift.
Gephra’s culture used to dictate that criticism should be kept private. Nobles wouldn’t care if someone casually said, The nobles are all lunatics on the street, but if that same statement was made on a live TV show, it would be a serious issue.
They didn’t praise, and they didn’t attack. This left Gephra’s political programs feeling lifeless—watched only occasionally by nobles or politicians.
The Federation, by contrast, was a nation of natural-born conspiracy theorists. Criticizing the government, its officials, even the President, was considered a healthy political stance.
Praising them would only make people suspicious of your motives.
But insult the President or the government, and suddenly you had friends at every working-class pub and bar.
This time, though, things were different. They had found a new target to attack—and they were going hard.
The show was still rough around the edges, exploring the format, but it was making an effort. Not a great watch, but commendable.
The young Count sitting beside Lynch tried several times to speak, but held back. Only after the show ended did Lynch glance over and ask, “What is it you want to say?”
He had noticed the young man’s nervous energy long ago and had been curious how long he’d last. The outcome was unexpectedly impressive.
At nineteen, people are in that phase of asserting themselves, trying to prove their worth to the world. They usually don’t care what others think—only about what they want.
It’s a peak rebellious phase. The fact that he held out this long was rare.
Besides, Lynch had a good guess what the young Count wanted to ask. It wasn’t easy to stay silent about something that directly affected your own interests. ƒrēewebnovel.com
“Mr. Lynch, the elders of the Privy Council…,” he began cautiously, concern on his face. “Did they… betray the broader interests of the nobility, like everyone’s saying?”
That’s what everyone was paying attention to now—including him.
He was one of the Empire’s young nobles, and even if this didn’t directly affect him, it still felt like a betrayal.
At that age, people could be selfish and yet capable of idealism. Any harm to the group could feel like a personal violation.
Lynch shook his head and turned off the TV. The former Countess, seated nearby, got up to prepare tea and snacks for them.
Lynch frowned slightly, thinking for a moment, then asked, “Why don’t you tell me what you think first?”
The young Count took a deep breath. “The nobles of the Privy Council should stand united. But now, these elders are ignoring the interests of the majority and giving away this rare opportunity.”
“Some say the Prime Minister made a deal with the elders—offered them benefits in exchange for stalling the nomination list. Others believe it was some kind of backroom deal. Either way, they sold out all of us for their own gain!”
He was emotional and visibly angry. It was clear how outraged he had been when he first heard the news.
“And?” Lynch asked calmly.
“And?” The young Count was taken aback, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. After a pause, he shook his head. “I don’t know, Mr. Lynch. I just feel something’s going on here. They must have made decisions that harmed the nobility.”
Lynch nodded noncommittally. “Is that what everyone thinks?”
“Yes,” the young Count said firmly. “At least the ones I know all think so.”
Lynch’s expression shifted into a faint smile. After a moment, he let out a short laugh. The young Count looked at him, puzzled. He didn’t think there was anything funny about it.
“A life of ease has made you all forget that politics can never be judged by appearances…” Lynch paused as the former Countess brought over fresh tea, pastries, and fruit.
Eating fruit in winter was no small luxury. Gephra’s winters were bitterly cold, and fruit trees couldn’t survive in nature.
But that wasn’t a problem for nobles. On their estates, many had greenhouses heated by boilers—sunrooms where they grew the fruits and vegetables they’d need through winter.
Lynch thanked her, lifted the teacup, and accepted an apple from her hand.
“May I listen too?” she asked.
“Of course. That’s your right,” Lynch replied, taking a bite of the apple. It was crisp and sweet.
As he chewed the kind of fruit commoners could never touch in winter, he gathered his thoughts.
“On the surface, it looks like the Privy Council elders betrayed the nobility. They struck some hidden deal with the Prime Minister, giving him the power he wanted.”
“But in truth, those elders are saving you.”
