Blackstone Code

“The sudden collapse of Harmony Capital prematurely tore apart the fragile balance of the Empire.”

“The conflict between the commoners and the nobility.”

“The conflict between the nobility and the ruling class.”

“The conflict between society at large and capital forces.”

“All kinds of tensions accumulated from the last war were thrown off balance by Harmony Capital’s collapse. Once these barely-contained contradictions erupt, someone must pay the price.”

“Without question, the incident began with Harmony Capital and ended with the Finance Minister resigning in disgrace. But the damage it caused won’t be repaired anytime soon.”

“The Emperor wants power, but the nobility will never allow that. This is the conflict between the nobility and the ruling class. If His Majesty doesn’t want to be at odds with all the nobles, his only option is to retreat.”

“But retreat doesn’t mean giving up everything. On the surface, it seems he handed the opportunity to the Privy Council, but in truth, he was dividing the noble faction.”

“The Privy Council may not hold power, but the nobility is too united…”

Lynch chuckled. “There’s a saying in the Federation: Make more friends when you’re poor, be selective when you’re rich…”

“It means that when you’re poor, you should make friends freely—regardless of their background—because that’s how you get opportunities.”

“But once you’re wealthy, stop associating with just anyone—people from the slums, gangs, or con artists…”

“The same applies in Gephra. The Privy Council nobles, being powerless, are extremely united.”

“This unity causes problems—like their resistance to national policies. The Privy Council played a major role in this. If the nobles weren’t so united, many would already be active in the province of Amellia.”

“So, by dividing the nobility and stirring up resentment toward the Elders and the Prime Minister, His Majesty is executing his plan.”

“He’s betting that when the next war breaks out, the Prime Minister’s health won’t hold out, and he’ll be forced to abandon his position. At the same time, His Majesty dumps the current mess on him.”

“The Prime Minister is taking the heat—accusations of colluding with Elders in backroom deals, aggressively grabbing power to become a chancellor. That’s the cost. The reward is control over the national treasury.”

“As long as he becomes chancellor, today’s criticisms won’t harm his political future. On the contrary, people will respect him more because he has power.”

“As for the Privy Council, the Elders are thinking far more than you imagine.”

“Tomorrow, you’ll see. The Privy Council nobles will fracture. Some will align with the Emperor, others with the ministers, and the rest—those powerful nobles—will remain dignitaries within the Council.”

“In this way, doesn’t the Privy Council start to resemble the Federation’s parliament—completely broken apart?”

The young Count stared at Lynch, dumbfounded. He nodded absentmindedly, stunned to the point of mental paralysis.

In his heart, only one thought remained—Lynch is so damn brilliant.

Lynch smiled and continued, “In the past few days, some minor nobles have been reaching out to us. They’re planning to go to the Amellian province. I expect it won’t be long before His Majesty offers his olive branch.”

“What could convince these nobles to firmly stand with His Majesty?” Without waiting for the young Count to answer, Lynch did it himself. “Titles.”

“As long as they’re willing to go develop Amellian province, His Majesty will promise to ennoble them again—enticing them not only to go with us, but to support him.”

“They’ll become His Majesty’s loyal representatives in Amellia. And the previously unified nobility will splinter—until the next war.”

“Everyone is executing their own plan. Everyone is making deals and compromises. What you see isn’t necessarily the truth—and even what I see may not be the truth.”

Lynch smiled modestly. He had not only seen the truth, but also used subtle means to accelerate the political shift.

Once the young Count and these minor nobles take root in Amellia and gain real interests there, their influence will surpass that of the local nobles.

They might even split the noble class into old nobility and new nobility.

It might seem like the Elders played no part in all this—but that’s not true.

Even without mentioning all the favors they’ve been handing out, just by pushing out the latecomer nobles from the main island, they’ve cleared more space for themselves.

They didn’t offend anyone, and in the end, everyone will owe them favors and gratitude. That’s the strength of families that last for centuries.

They may not be the most eye-catching, but they’re the ones who survive to the end—earning profit and thanks.

Silently expanding their family’s influence, and then—stunning the world.

Lynch’s words completely overturned the young Count’s understanding of the Empire’s political landscape. What seemed like a simple matter was suddenly… immensely complicated.

He felt like his head had swelled a size—but beneath it all was an undeniable excitement. This was far more fascinating than anything else.

When the young Count’s gaze finally cleared, Lynch patted his arm. “What we’re doing now is quietly growing in these cracks…”

That night, the young Count was too excited to sleep—and the former Countess got another taste of fate… in her lower back.

The next morning, many nobles were up early. They were all waiting for one thing—to see if it would unfold the way they’d anticipated.

At ten o’clock, the ministers gathered in the Hall of Governance. Several Privy Council Elders also attended. When His Majesty took the throne, his expression was already dark.

“Your Majesty…” Several of the Council’s senior nobles rose to speak. Technically, they were only half a rank below the Emperor—he, too, was a noble, though the royal family was the most powerful.

They didn’t need to stand to speak, but perhaps out of caution for what they were about to say—which might displease the Emperor—they stood to show respect.

“After a week of deliberation, we were unable to select a suitable candidate for Finance Minister. Considering recent domestic developments, we suggest the Prime Minister temporarily assume the role, and we’ll revisit the appointment once we find a qualified candidate.”

The Emperor’s expression barely changed—but his clenched fists betrayed his frustration and rage. His voice tightened. “A whole week… and you couldn’t find a single suitable person?”

The Elders said nothing. Their silence was their answer.

The Emperor slammed the armrest of his throne. His face showed unmistakable fury.

The hall fell into a suffocating silence. Even the Elders held their breath.

After more than ten seconds, the tense atmosphere finally eased. The Emperor glanced toward the Prime Minister, his brow faintly furrowed.In the silence, the ministers exchanged glances discreetly, while the Prime Minister pretended to know nothing.

“Let’s leave it at that… for now,” the Emperor finally said after a long pause, sighing as he uttered words that clearly weren’t his true will.

What happened in the Hall of Governance spread quickly. The nobles who had been anxiously awaiting news exploded the moment they heard. Many of them, red-faced and furious, looked no different from the agitated commoners they often disdained.

They tore off their decorative cravats, waved their fists, and shouted at one another in heated arguments. All their rage and curses were aimed squarely at the Elders of the Privy Council.

Some even openly declared they would resign from the Privy Council—an idea that quickly gained widespread support.

If the Privy Council couldn’t protect the interests of the nobility, why should the nobles remain under its banner?

Having already learned the truth, the young Count watched the furious crowds and slowly let out a breath. He was now completely convinced—everything Lynch had said was exactly what was unfolding.

Around 1 p.m., just before lunch, new information emerged from the palace.

Sometimes Lynch found it amusing. Whether it was the commoners or the nobles of Gephra, no one seemed to realize how strange it was that developments from the Hall of Governance were being shared in real time.

It was as if… no one had ever questioned how such things could happen.

In the Federation, even Parliament leaks had to wait until the evening or next morning news, and even then, only limited details were allowed to slip out. They would never dare to operate like Gephra.

In other words, if an emperor can’t even manage the leaks from his own palace, he wouldn’t remain emperor for long.

But this emperor was still in power. Which meant that those who leaked the news were deliberately placed there—by the emperor himself.

The latest message was that after confirming the Prime Minister’s temporary appointment as Finance Minister, the Prime Minister had proposed a new initiative—to accelerate development in the Amellian province.

His Majesty planned to recruit a number of nobles to go to Amellia and advance its development, speeding up the Empire’s penetration into the region on all fronts.

Upon hearing this, Lynch knew—it was time to put on a show of his deep concern for the nation and the people.