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"Ola... is it?"

"Please listen to my explanation!" Gru Goolean gently knocked on the table. "Just take this matter right now, you can definitely invite Prince of Engels and Princess of West Percy to sit down on the same desk. You can accept all the conditions that they request of you, but.. when they ask you for compensation or benefits, you can tell them that the those should be coordinated by themselves. Titan has no reason or a need to maintain a balanced relationship on the sea with Engels and West Percy."

Oscar was suddenly puzzled, "You mean... I just take everything they offer, but they have to rely on themselves if they're going to compete?"

"Something similar!" The old man smiled and nodded.

"Is this going to work?" Oscar shook his head again and again. "If this is the case... West Percy isn't an opponent for Engels. They will suffer a big loss when they fight."

"Yes! That's right. When the time comes, West Percy will suffer a big loss!" old man nodded again.

Oscar rolled his eyes, "Then can you tell me? Why should I earn the maritime benefits promised to me by West Percy? It is my indifference that makes them suffer!"

Gru Goolean waved his hand, "Your Highness, what you are interested in is the interest, not a relationship with a dominant power! When the Engels press forward at West Percy, you can terminate the cooperation with the Engels and entrust everything to the weakened West Percy!"

"Ola... Engels will despise me!"

"Haha, but this is the soul of the political life!" The old count spoke with confidence. "Forming alliances... breaking promises... betraying other's trust... getting into alliance again... and then going back on your words... If you still have the bargaining chips in your hand, you can keep this game going on for as long as you want, until one of them can no longer afford to play!"

Oscar did not reply. He just repeatedly pondered on the so-called "soul of the political life".

Gru Goolean patted the young man's shoulders, "Don't forget, Your Highness, the chips are in your hands! And... the rules of the game are not simply gambling, so only your partner can share your stack. If the Engels let West Percy suffer a huge loss, and even drive them out of your sight, then the Engels won't get your chips either, because the chips in your game belonged to the loser. In other words, if Engels want to win the chips, they will also have to pretend to be the losers. They have to reach a consensus with West Percy, and come back to beg for your forgiveness!"

"Well, it does sound like a good plan!" Oscar let out a breath of relief, but his expression suddenly turned cold again! "But... how do you know that the Engelish will follow and play along our way? Maybe they will get rid of me, the big rock that was obstructing their way, by force, and then find themselves an easier going ally!"

Gru Goolean nodded, "Indeed, casting away the obstructing rock will make their journey easier, but I believe you will not give Engelish the opportunity to do so."

Oscar laughed and began sipping on the bright red tea.

Dark brown color with a rich aroma. The understanding of tea in Westland, or all westerners perhaps, was very limited. When the Persian merchants showed them the eastern tea leaves, most of the nobles shook their head in disapproval. They couldn't understand why they had to spend half a day to wait for a cup of tea that could be finished in one sip.

Although this kind of cultural thing was considered a high-end consumption for most nobles, the Crelini House was familiar with all sorts of new finds. The giant drug lord lived in the southern mountainous areas, or to be precise, where they lived was the evergreen Amber Sudan Valley with a warm climate.

The visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Catalina Don Holmes's made the Crelini old house built at the foot of the hill shine with brilliance, but the Princess of West Percy was lifted through the door by several doctors. Even so, Sir Leon Arsea the host did not dare to neglect the distinguished guest, especially not the secret intelligence organization that got the princess's back.

The Crelini House used to shine in its time. However, this giant drug lord failed to bring its house to progress. The opium business in Westland plummeted gravely, and naturally, the opium market bellwether had to bear the brunt. At one point, the Crelini House controlled 70% of the market transactions, but now, especially after the Engelish officials intervened in the opium market, a large amount of trade has been lost from inland to overseas.

The Crelini House had always maintained a good relationship with the West Percy noble circle, as most of their overseas transactions have passed through West Percy's shipping companies and several other trusted dignitaries. Princess Catalina did not deny that West Percy tried its best to prevent opium from entering its kingdom, but she did not think that the Crelini House was paying two-handers with the God. The existence of legal business naturally brought up illegal businesses. Both kinds of businesses had one similarity, that involved either of trading of power or transaction of money.

The Crelini House entered Etha's sight not because of the bulk opium sale, but because of the private salt business that was beyond the opium trade. West Percy was rich in producing sea salt, as often performed highly profitable to sell them inland. The Crelini House inherited the lands and ships of the first sea salt smuggler of Titan, hence Etha had to maintain a good relationship with this House as she began its investigation.

In fact, wasn't this a trade? As long as the Crelini House's ships docked at West Percy ports were full of West Percian sea salt, then Etha would protect this family's status and business within their borders.

For Catalina, this transaction was not only safe, and the benefits were extraordinarily rewarding; even more affordable than the official sales with Titan.

Based on this mutual benefit, when Catalina's team suffered defeat when victory was within reach, the Crelini House felt responsible to step forward bravely. Sir Leon Arsea even released news to the outside world that the Princess of West Percy was in Amber Sudan, and he welcomed friends from all over the world to come for trouble!

It was estimated that the Engelish would not easily provoke the most powerful family of the Underworld, while the West Percian religious zealots would not risk irritating the industry giant for the interests of their annual opium trades. Although Catalina was grateful for Crelini's rescue, her mind and heart were as clear as a mirror. She knew that Sir Arsea was probably asked to lend his hand under O'Neil Andrew Morisette's request. Those involved in the Underworld knew that Prince of Titan was relative to Crelini House.

Catalina continued to ponder on one problem during her recovery – exactly what kind of a person was O'Neil Andrew Morisette? He did not care much about women and did not overly obsessed himself with alcohol and drugs. A great person of power like him normally had some vices or quirks, but the information collected from Etha displayed truthfully that this man did not gamble, use prostitutes, visit salon clubhouses, or like socializing. The Prince of Titan, Marshal of Imperial Guards, and Chief of Military Intelligence Bureau! This lord had not even thrown a ball during his short stay in Dulin! What did this man occupy himself with all day?

Sir Crelini forced a smile before replying West Percy Princess, "His Highness the Prince is busy plotting schemes and causing death!"

Catalina nodded in agreement. The identity and status of O'Neil Andrew Morisette determined his destiny. Even if his depressive behavior was partly natural and further strengthened in the later days, the path he had chosen was out of his own decision. It was a two-way route that could bring him to his peak or death. The closer he reached out to the peak, the closer he was to his death!

Catalina thought again, was it her young ignorance that made her fall in love with Prince Titan, or was there other reasons? Now, Catalina only thought of her old lover as an average-looking Narcissus man. She was the Princess of West Percy, and West Percy produced handsome-looking men. No matter in her past, current, or future, the men that kneeled in front of the hem of her dress were much better looking than O'Neil Andrew Morisette, but Her Highness the Princess did not want to admit that her heart was misled by the man's eminent identity and status.

In Catalina's fantasy, her marriage partner should be a foreign prince of influential power. O'Neil Andrew Morisette was the leader of Titan Andrew, also the Highness Prince of this old empire. He met all of the princess's requirements, in comparison to her navy marshal... Catalina had to remind herself that marriage with the kingdom's navy marshal was a kind of sacrifice for the royal family. In facing the domestic troubles and foreign invasions, the royal family had no alternatives but sacrificing their distinguished princess to win over the mighty, highly-respected, superior navy bureaucratic system.

Therefore, Catalina thought that it was the identity and status of O'Neil Andrew Morisette that gave her the loving affection, or at least an illusion of it! How long had it been since she last thought about him? How long had it been since she mentioned his name? Why did she not play along with the sudden passion that happened on the ship? Why did she retreat backward at a critical moment?

There seemed to be only one answer to these questions... Catalina nodded firmly, "O'Neil Andrew Morisette! I don't love you!"

Princess Catalina fell into a sudden wave of loneliness. She knew she was deceiving herself, so she quickly changed her thinking. "O'Neil Andrew Morisette, I don't love you anymore!"

She must make up her mind since she no longer loved him!

Catalina Don Holmes waited until her deputy arrived from home country and asked the person one question.

"Forget about the conditions we offered! What is the chance that Andrew will choose Engels?"

The person in charge of Etha's secret operations replied, "There is 70% that Engels will be favored!"

She must make up her mind since she no longer loved him! Catalina encouraged herself silently in her heart. In her soft voice, she asked, "If O'Neil Andrew Morisette no longer exists, does it mean that the chaos of Titan sending troops to Slovenia will disappear?"

The other person thought for a moment, " If O'Neil Andrew Morisette no longer exists, the possibility of Andrew continuing to send troops to Slovenia is only twenty or thirty percent!"

"So, what are you waiting for?"

Catalina turned around when she finished while whispering, "I don't love you anymore... I don't love you anymore..."