KTMD - Chapter 190

“Even if you are granted immunity and privileges, you will not be able to avoid the crimes of treason and treason during wartime.”

Esmeralda declared, looking down at me with her hands firmly planted on the table. I crossed my legs, rested my chin on my hand, and remained arrogant, my face disinterested. I didn't even bother to look at the documents she handed me.

"Is this a threat to drag me down like this? I'm scared. What should I do?"

"If you don't like it, bring him back from the battlefield. With your prominent position and status, you should be able to do something about it."

I stared at her with one eyebrow raised. There's no need to put on a good face for someone I dislike. Whatever she does, I'll just look at it through a skewed lens.

“What if I can’t do it?”

“Then I will do it my way.”

"Do so. Oh, and I'll personally apologize to Count Harrison for the rudeness you showed me today. I need to investigate who you're receiving orders from."

I know very well what choices people obsessed with power and fame make.

Esmeralda's eyes widened sharply, as if she had been pierced by a sharp blade.

Esmeralda, who had been staring down at me with her mouth shut, gathered up her papers and slammed them on the table. I clicked my tongue as I watched her slam the door shut and leave.

“You don’t even say goodbye.”

I rubbed my eyes, lost in thought. Countess Ruben was too concerned to deal with Esmeralda right now. I decided to think about it later and called my secretary, Henry. He was immediately summoned to my room, and his face flushed with embarrassment.

“Princess. I was just about to eat lunch...”

“Come eat with me later.”

“That’s such an honor, Your Highness.”

I motioned for Henry, who clapped his hands a couple of times with a soulless face, to follow me into the study. He followed behind me, chattering away.

"You eat in the study? You sound like a successful businessperson. They don't sleep for five hours and don't even bother eating."

“I don’t. I have something to give you.”

Entering the study, I opened the desk drawer, took out a document, and handed it to Henry.

"We're planning to recover the funds soon, but the amount is quite large. We may need to assign a dedicated team."

Henry's purple eyes darted back and forth as he looked down at the documents. He quickly understood my instructions, and unlike his usual joking ways, his face was now quite serious.

“Well, it’s not that big, is it?”

***

Late one night, I received a summons from the Queen. It was something I'd expected. After changing clothes, I headed to the Queen's chambers.

The spacious, antique room was as bright as day. Beneath a chandelier pouring light, the owner of the room, wearing silver-rimmed glasses and a thick cocoon coat draped over her shoulders, sat on the sofa, staring at me with a serene gaze.

"They say Esmeralda Harrison of the Harrison family delivered this document to the Undersecretary of the Treasury. Was this a deliberate attempt to deceive her?"

“It wasn’t intentional.”

"My Princess. The reason I allowed this enormous sum to flow into Frogen's private sector and military enterprises was that I trusted you as my daughter."

I looked at her with a gloomy face and pursed my lips.

“I once entrusted the Marchioness Rosalia Wales with an investment. I had no doubt that she was my person and Your Majesty's.”

“Please continue speaking.”

"It seems... information leaked because of the Marchioness. I'd like to believe she's not a spy or in league with the Frogen forces, but the circumstances suggest otherwise."

The Queen's brow furrowed darkly as she lifted her glasses with her fingers. Even before she fell asleep, papers were piled on the table, indicating she'd been working. The corners of the papers were particularly prominent.

"Asphyxiation due to cervical compression..."

Judging by the text that appeared, it was clearly Erita's autopsy report written by the medical examiner. Was the Queen searching for Erita's real killer? Her reaction to the news of Erita's death was apathetic, as if she'd heard someone she knew had died, and she said nothing. However, she couldn't hide the despair in her eyes and the increasingly pale face. I spoke cautiously, pretending to be cautious.

“Your Majesty, there is one thing that concerns me.”

“Tell me.”

"There was someone who ordered Erita's finger to be cut off and killed. I thought it was done out of consideration for me, so I kept quiet until now..."

I sighed, my face unable to hide my disappointment. The Queen silently awaited my conclusion.

"Looking back now, I don't think so. I think she wanted to show her mercy, then humiliate her by brutally killing her. And if she even leaked investment information, it's clear she's trying to frame me, given my history of marriage to a high-ranking Frogen noble."

The Queen's face was as expressionless as the Queen on a playing card. She sat motionless, her gaze fixed on me, then slowly tilted her chin.

“They say it was the Marchioness Rosalia Wales who instigated it.”

"The chief inspector of the Levani slum prison camp testified. He clearly stated that anyone who harmed her would be punished, but at the time, he decided it was better to bury it. She was a former chief maid of honor to the Queen, and she was the daughter of a Marquis."

"Why didn't you tell me? That she ordered Erita's death."

I kept my gaze low, then opened my eyes and looked straight into her frosty green eyes.

"A high-ranking nobleman murdering a lowly criminal? It's such a trivial matter, not even worth mentioning."

Even the Queen must have known that Erita's finger had been cut off. She couldn't ask me anything, and I didn't bother to assert my innocence. Erita had already been reduced to a worthless figure.

A subtle bewilderment crossed the Queen's face at the cynical tone in my voice. She dismissed both Ayla's death and Renier's as trivial. If I were a worthless person, she would have done the same. The Queen shook her head, denying it entirely.

“If you had told me earlier, wouldn’t I have known in advance that you were trying to harm me?”

“Isn’t that so? My honor is more important to you than the death of a lowly woman.”

As if the prestige and status of royalty were more important than someone's life. I sneered sarcastically, but she didn't seem offended. I bowed my head with a pitiful expression.

"It was my mistake to trust the Marchioness. While investigating her arrest, I will secretly proceed with recovering the funds under the pretext of embezzlement, breach of trust, and overseas flight of assets committed by economic criminals."

“Diana.”

Queen Grace called my name in a calm voice. I raised my head and met her gaze, and her beautiful lips moved slowly.

“Is it because of Noah that you are putting yourself in danger like that?”

“Danger? I don’t understand.”

"Isn't your intention to bankrupt the private companies that finance the Frogen government's military? To inflict a blow to the economy and ruin the military companies that do business with the state?"

I didn't answer. The Queen, who had been leaning back on the sofa, sat up straight and continued speaking.

"Multinational military corporations, profiting from war, have expanded their factories and mass-produced military supplies and weapons. If they were to withdraw their massive investments all at once, they would inevitably face bankruptcy and insolvency. They wouldn't be able to sell their wares at fair prices to countries struggling with economic difficulties, and the value of their products would decline."

"That's how it is. The Marchioness Rosalia Wales has done a great job, even providing us with the opportunity to purchase military supplies and weapons at a bargain price."

"The same goes for Princess Medea's incredible stock manipulation. My cunning daughter. Investors suffered heavy losses."

The Queen smiled with her arms crossed.

Stock manipulation is a form of fraud where large sums of money are used to lure investors into skyrocketing stock prices, only to then profit at the peak. Even if Medea's royal family were suspected of deliberate manipulation, it would be seen as the Marchioness's own arbitrary actions, so there would be no need for public outcry. The Queen's slanted green eyes softened and curved.

“Your method is interesting.”

It was a satisfied voice. I pretended not to know and asked.

“What do you mean?”

She covered her mouth and let out a childish snort, her white face shining with joy.

"It means do whatever you want. I'll be curious to see the results. And you'll definitely realize who's protecting you."

I couldn't tell what the outcome she was talking about was.

With the Queen's support, I was assigned to a team of highly skilled individuals from the Royal Treasury. The team, led by Henry, was quite capable. After requesting cooperation from the Medea Central Bank and the financial state of the Capel Federation, I dispatched the International Financial Arbitration Board and financial experts to begin collecting corporate debt.

Defense companies faced unexpected pressure to recoup what would have been several years' worth of budgets, and they began to grapple with demands from financial institutions to repay loans. Furthermore, rumors spread that Frogen was considering a ceasefire due to budget constraints, leading to a tidal wave of investors fleeing the defense industry and a plummeting stock price.

One day, when time seemed to pass so quickly that it seemed meaningless, a letter from Noah arrived.

"It's almost done. I'll be back to see you soon, my Diana."

***

A strange thing happened at the stock exchange in Hafenreich Square in Effenberg, the capital of Frogen.

One day, during a major battle on the Western Front, dozens of people suddenly appeared at the exchange and began selling off all of Frogen's bonds. They scuffled over who would sell first, creating a commotion. The exchange was filled with shouts and shouts, as they grabbed each other by the collars.

"I have to sell it before it turns to scraps of paper, just like I said! If I don't, I'll die!"

Count Balt, a member of a wealthy banking family, captured one of them, put a gun to his head, and demanded to know who he had obtained the information from. An older man in a suit, pushing the gun away, whispered in his ear.

"Put your guns away. I'm actually a trader for the head of the Rotsilt family. I'm telling you this because you and he have been longtime partners. Don't you already know his intentions?"

The Count's eyes widened at the mention of the "Rotsilt family." A rumor circulated like a rumor in the stock market, claiming that Noah Rotsilt had betrayed his country and fled to Medea, pretending to be in exile. It had long been rumored that the Rotsilt family was seeking to amass immense wealth through this war. Otherwise, he wouldn't have committed such a mad act, abandoning his wealth and title for a woman. Moreover, the woman he married turned out to be Medea's heir to the throne. Count Balt, who had pointed a gun at the man, paled. He swallowed hard and asked the man.

“Are you saying that the Allied Forces lost to the Coalition Forces again in this battle?”

"I can't tell you everything. I'd say it's better to stock up on sausages than to keep them. If you're keeping them out of patriotism, I won't stop you."

Count Balt recalled the information that the entire nation was reeling from the excessive defense budget spent on mass production of bombers, and the public opinion that the series of major defeats had left Frogen at a significant disadvantage. Furthermore, the Emperor was completely insane.

That crazy Duke was trying to do all that nonsense and eat it all by himself.

Count Balt, who had been quietly chewing on his words, shouted at his traders with blood in his throat.

“Sell all your bonds! Now!”

A silence fell over the exchange. Soon, everyone, bearing all pretense, began desperately selling their bonds. Even those who arrived late, immediately aware of the chaos reminiscent of a racetrack, began selling their bonds. Rumors spread quickly, and the value of Frogen's bonds plummeted, hitting rock bottom. The dozens of people who first stirred up a ruckus were secret agents sent by Noah Rotsilt. They secretly purchased all the bonds, now at a fraction of their value.

Three days later, after the news of Frogen's victory in battle was revealed, the value of the bonds skyrocketed, jumping dozens of times. Those who had sold their bonds at a loss were left in shock. Capitalists residing in the Eugen United States and the Kappel Federation held over 70% of the Frogen bonds. Among them, one person named "Diana Parsene" held over 15% through a title transfer. Upon hearing the news, Count Balt tore his hair out and went into a frenzy.

"That woman! Princess Diana Spencer Grace! That crazy bastard, Noah Rotsilt, is behind this!"

The ironic situation unfolded: the Princess of the enemy nation, Medea, ended up owning most of Frogen's national debt. Other capitalists, who suffered significant losses as a result, were furious but were powerless to do anything about it.

Creditors holding more than 15% of the assets are protected by central banks and international financial laws worldwide, even if they hold enemy assets. Deliberately harming these protected entities will incur significant penalties for financial transactions and, at the direction of the Kappel Federal Government, will be barred from accessing Kappel financial institutions. This is a reversal of the law enacted by capitalists to protect themselves.

Emperor Mayer III's plan to raise military funds through bond transactions with private companies and control the central bank was also facing difficulties. The private companies that had received state contracts were on the verge of bankruptcy and bankruptcy. The Emperor, facing such humiliation, roared like an old lion, his eyes reddened.

After the death of Crown Prince Sebastian, his madness worsened, and he was so angry that he shot and killed a palace servant in front of him with a pistol. The Emperor's eyes were filled with madness.

"I will never let this happen. If it comes to this, it will be all-out war."

Mastiff, who had been watching his father's ferocious rampage, turned around and suppressed a chuckle. The mocking smile on his lips suddenly twisted into a fierce grin, as if a memory had struck him.

“That’s crazy.”

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