Unlike Sol’s initial plan, she abandoned the idea to visit the Imperial Castle. She had enough information and momentum that she was no longer worried about having her father released. If it came down to it, she was rather confident in breaking her father out and retreating without any losses.

Unlike the last banquet, Sol was far more prepared. Even so, her preparations were only enough to force the King’s hand and turn the Reviarra household into a solid enemy. The last thing Sol wanted was to unite the ministers and King with a common enemy.

Her gaze drifted to the castle visible in the distance yet she continued her stride through the early market street. Sellers yelling deals and merchandise lined the edge of the road on a normal day, however Sol’s entrance was far too early to see the lively scene. Instead, she only saw the workers preparing for the day.

Sunlight was just peeking over the horizon and the golden glow had yet to totally fall onto the land. Sol’s group drew glances from the merchants, however that was about it. Since the group wasn’t causing any trouble, her passing was more or less a momentary distraction.

Nearly 30 minutes of travel landed Sol’s feet before a massive trading house with logos embedded in each door. By command, Sol’s Knight knocked the door entrance and yelled for a merchant inside.

The young boy who eventually cracked open the door tried to usher the group away as it was still before opening hours, however his face visibly contorted the moment his eyes fell across Sol. The boy’s reaction didn’t escape Sol, however she only smiled at him. “Boy, tell your manager that Sol Reviarra of Iridescent is here. This Lady has a business deal for his boss.”

“Yes!”

Despite not working for Sol, the boy was well aware of the battle between the two behemoths. He froze for a moment wondering if he should invite her in, however dismissed the thought a moment later. He was only a door boy. The manager could handle any of the courtesies.

Sol didn’t have to wait long before she and her group were invited in. An old man with a well trimmed beard kept a measuring gaze on Sol and yet she remained unperturbed. She sipped her tea before cutting to the chase. “This Lady wants to meet Prince Roland. Notify him that this Lady will give him the throne if he works with this Lady.”

The old manager only glanced across the Knights and An before exhaling. Sol could have sworn the old man aged ten years in that one second. “This servant will notify the Prince. Please make yourselves comfortable for the time being.”

Sol only nodded in response. She liked working with smart people. There was no need to pretend who the owner of Lunar Supply was after the fierce battle between the two conglomerates. Enemies knew each other the best and any facade at this stage would be an unnecessary insult.

Time passed with visitors relaxing inside Lunar Supply. Nearly an hour later, Prince Roland arrived. Unlike the Princely aura exuded during his public appearances, the Prince that entered through the door reminded Sol more of an exhausted minister.

A part of her even felt a tinge of guilt, however she stomped that emotion out instantly. Though enemies, Sol still provided the traditional courtesies, especially since she was visiting to make a deal. “Prince Roland, this Lady has visited you early without warning, please excuse this Lady’s rudeness.”

“Drop the pretense, Lady Reviarra. This Prince understands your offering to assist this Prince to the throne?”

“Of course. This Lady assumes the Prince is aware of Duke Reviarra’s current plight?”

“Yes. This Prince had no part in that, though.”

“This Lady believes that as well. By chance, this Lady noticed Prince Elric’s guard near the gate entrance. The man was rather eager to inform someone of this Lady’s arrival. It’s rather difficult for this Lady to believe Prince Elric is behind Duke Reviarra’s framing, however he must have had a part in it. Since Prince Elric has chosen to strike this Lady’s family, this Lady found it necessary to return the favor. How does the Prince feel about a temporary ceasefire? In return for assisting this Lady’s father, this Lady will provide you the opportunity to obtain the throne.”

Prince Roland examined the young girl across from him. Perhaps his greatest luck was when his brother took him out of the banquet. Lunar Supply was already a shadow of its former self and he was forced to sell off major business fronts to subsidiaries he kept hidden for years in order to retain income for his army.

Despite those efforts though, Lunar Supply itself was forced to retreat step by step and even those hidden subsidiaries have had their cover revealed slightly. Loss of reputation was the last thing Prince Roland cared about. His greater concern was keeping his army fed and armed.

Luckily, he retained control of the Capital and was able to keep Iridescent’s overt business footprint in the Capital to near nonexistence. Though small wins, Prince Roland understood Lunar Supply and his subsidiaries were on their final leg.

Iridescent built major roads around the Imperial Capital. While somewhat out of the way, the safety, speed, towns popping up along the new roadways were becoming increasingly attractive to third party merchants.

In short, Lunar Supply held the upper hand in the Capital, however Iridescent managed to change the battlefield to a new location. Sadly, that location was well under their control. There were already signs of product outflow from the Capital as well as inflated prices.

Lady Reviarra may have come to Prince Roland to offer a deal, however Prince Roland understood that he was only a few weeks away from approaching her for a ceasefire. His eyes narrowed in thought.

“This Prince accepts your deal, but this Prince would like to know why you’re willing to work together despite us being at each other’s throats.”

Sol only smiled at the Prince in front of her. The depth of her gaze belied her youthful exterior and a small chill traveled across Prince Roland’s spine. Standing from her seat, Sol left behind a document she wrote up during her wait and then moved towards the exit. She paused at the door to leave behind a few words.

“This Lady has no eternal allies, nor perpetual enemies. Only this Lady’s benefits are eternal and perpetual and it’s this Lady’s duty to follow those benefits to the end. Prince Roland, this Lady will excuse herself for now. Please review this Lady’s proposition. A representative will appear shortly to finalize any details. As much as this Lady would enjoy bantering and negotiations, this Lady’s father is still retained.”

While Prince Roland started reading the conditions and terms Sol left behind, Sol made her way to one of the disguised Iridescent shops. Although she was unable to overtly take over the Capital, it didn’t mean she stopped trying.

Sol’s control over the Capital’s economy was weak when viewed from the inside, however she never really needed it since she could affect it from the outside. In fact, Sol used her hidden shops to instead stabilize the Capital’s economy as much as possible.

Her goal was to avoid bringing excess attention to herself and Iridescent. Should the Royals discover the degree of control she had, it would accelerate their conflict and the Riverra household would find themselves the target of most aristocrats. Until she reached the critical point, disguising her strength was a top priority.

Sol dispersed the Knights following her into the crowd to help avoid standing out and soon found herself in front of what was better described as a stall rather than a store. She paid for two drinks and chose a table near the market to relax at. An joined her while also maintaining a high vigilance towards the surroundings.

Why this girl would sit in a crowded market was beyond him. His nerves were tense from spreading his spiritual awareness out and examining every person within range. An had only sat down with Sol for 5 minutes when a group of armed individuals entered his observation.

He monitored 12 women who dispersed into the crowd. Each member casually worked their way around until they had An and Sol’s table surrounded. Although the team kept their distance, An refused to take any chances. Just as he was about to make a move, he felt Sol’s hand atop his arm. “Settle down. They’re allies.”

An’s eyebrow rose with curiosity. He realized the coins Sol set on the table were stacked in a particular way. One of the members under his observation made her way to their table and sat across from Sol. She smiled before greeting. “Lady Reviarra, how can we help you?”

“No need for the courtesies. I need your help. Prince Elric and King Blonsall made a move on my father. I’d like your organization to get him out.”

“That’s a tall task, Lady Reviarra… Are you prepared for the fallout?”

“Hahaha! No need to worry about me. I’ve long been prepared for these fools. While I might not win a frontal assault. There’s nothing stopping me from a bit of trickery. If possible, grab Prince Elric while you’re at it.”

“As you wish.” The woman exchanged a knowing smile with Sol before leaving the table.