While chaos was all around in Wright and Amidon, far away from the chaos in a peaceful place.
Lockheart's Merchant Confederacy, Lock City.
Street Of Alsier.
This name may not be well known among the common populace whose day starts with the worry of feeding their mouth but there was no one among the higher society in the entire world of Everton regardless of their country origin or species of origin who doesn't know about this name.
Spanning around fifty kilometres in length, was the heart of the Prosperous Lock city. It wasn't particularly a long strip of land but it is rumoured that 60 % of Kinley and 20% of the entire world's fortune was centred around this plot of land.
Extravagance runs deep down in the genes of the people living in this place.
The Lockheart had created the most extravagant city in the whole world but this extravagant in turn marketed itself and naturally drew in High individuals to this place which in turn made the shops and businesses prosper here.
Royals in power on major continents, princes and princesses of small kingdoms along with every single person who walked on the street exalted certain standing and it was common for them to spend a great sum of money to show their worth.
In the noble sector of Lock City, the leaders of major merchant associations had gathered with their heads slightly lowered out of respect, displaying none of the arrogance which they usually have due to their power and money.
Most of the places in Lock City were private places of Lockheart's, so every single store had to clear out Lockheart's annual check to continue operating for the next year.
Today was the day when the annual check was to be conducted which will be presided over by one of the core members of Lockheart's family.
Sitting on the chair in front of all of them was a young woman. She had long reddish hair with orange shades at the end of the strands that flowed sleekly down her shoulders and her reddish eyes were both calm and cold. She gazed at them like a hawk staring at her prey.
She carried a dignified and noble aura which was the impression most people had.
Yvonne Lockheart
Without any showy accessories or beautiful dresses, her very existence itself felt majestic and noble, as if all luxuries in the world ought to belong to her.
It was said that the Lockheart's had inherited their bloodline from the Goddess of Fortune. In the legends, there was a devoted race of the Goddess that governed the wealth of the world, and mortals would unhesitatingly offer their all to them.
Here at this gathering, it felt like the legend had manifested itself in the real world. The woman carried the grace of the Goddess in herself and she was calmly reading through a set of financial reports in her hands, her emerald eyes reflecting no fluctuation in emotions at all. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
She raised her head and her eyes locked onto a particular man, and a cold voice yet carried a pleasant tone sounded.
"I have read your financial report. Mister Hales, it looked as if your revenue grew greatly this year."
"So, congratulations!"
"Thank you, Mam!"
"Yes, it was all due to your support and Lockheart's blessing."A voice broke out on Hale's face as he started voicing his gratitude towards Lockheart, which looked quite pleasing to the eye as he flattered Yvonne.
"This is the first time you have entered here, isn't it."
"Yes, Lady Yvonne. Our merchant group joined the Lockheart's association last year. This is the first time when....."
Hale bowed down and responded to Yvonne's question but before he could finish his words, a sharp and crisp chilling voice had already interjected it.
"Is that so? Then you don't need to show your face from next year."
"Huh!"
"Pardon me, what did you just say?"
"Perhaps I might have heard something wrong?"
Hale raised his head and stared in bewilderment at Yvonne who was sitting on a chair in front of him and maintaining the same impassive expression she replied calmly.
"Your licence to operate in our territory has been revoked. You are given a month to pack your things and leave the place otherwise we would be enforcing our law and black out your merchant group."
"Wait a moment! Lady Yvonne, you have seen our financial reports so why are you asking us to move out and revoke our license? I can't have this. This is unreasonable."Hales exclaimed in astonishment and demanded the reason fiercely.
" Your numbers are good, and your business is indeed blooming. However, let me ask you a question."
"Did the money in the reports come from your business which is written in the report or did it come from some other source?" Yvonne spoke with a sharp tone while glaring at Hales which made the hair on his skin of Hales stand up.
Yvonne's words brought a jolt of a shock to Hales and his body twitched seeing the woman's frightening senses which terrified not only him but others in the conference.
Through many years of experience and dealing with all types of people while doing business, he tried to put on a poker face and calmed himself down but no matter how hard he tried to explain the situation, he was helpless before Yvonne's fierce counter and cold eyes.
"You don't need to explain yourself. You are just a worthless fellow now. The aura of fortune had already left you. Let me guess...Uh, it must be the gambling and drug dealing, isn't it."
Yvonne spoke while tapping her fingers on the table.
On getting the signal, the attendant beside her took out a document and passed it to Hales whose expression turned dark and sweat started to trickle down his forehead out of fear.
Hale's face darkened as he took the document with troubling hands and scanned it. Inside it was all the details of his shady business.
Seeing this many clicked their tongues. Some did it due to annoyance while some did it to express their pity towards this foolish man.
There was long run rumour since ancient ages that Lockheart could see the aura of fortune in a person and can turn everything into cold.
Although it might be not true in the literal sense, but rumours don't just come out of nowhere.
While they can't turn everything into gold, they had something almost as good as that, which is the ability to sense fortune.
From risky investments to commercial partnerships which had been going on lose, the Lockheart just needed to smell the scent of money to do the investment.
Moreover, they had a terrifying perception to discover whether a person is fortunate enough or not.
Many didn't believe it but after witnessing Lockheart's segregating of people based on this and later it would be proved to be true.
According to the people who earn money by shady means lose the blessing of the Goddess of Fortune. Though they may earn huge sums now in the long run they are bound to suffer and get destroyed.
"Lady Yvonne, Please give this pleasant another chance. I will stop all those things."
"Please give me another chance," Hale screamed and jumped towards the place where she sat but before he could reach her a strong hand clutched him.
"Mark throw him out." A crisp voice resounded.
"Yes, My Lady!" Mark bowed his head and within a flash, his figure disappeared.
Mark was a transcendent rank expert and like him, five guards would always be with Yvonne to protect him.
The other merchants watched the scene in nonchalance while chatting with one another.
"Hmph.A newcomer trying to fool Lady Yvonne.What a fool!"
"I still can't believe that there are people out there who can think of fooling Lady Yvonne.
"It's just a futile attempt on his part. Lady Yvonne is a prodigy that only appears once in a century even in Lockheart's family."
"Did you all forget that when she was born the Goddess of Wealth statue all over the world glowed which signalled that she had the Goddess's blessing?"
"Instead of wasting your time, flattering me, you all should use that wisely."
Yvonne sighed deeply as she spoke, this wasn't something new and everywhere there would be some oddballs who would try their luck in doing this kind of foolish deed.
"This is fate, they have chosen themselves. Young Miss, please don't bother yourself thinking about it. You should take a rest?"The lady attendant beside her moved forward and spoke with a humbled tone.
Yvonne was quite tired after having checked a few merchants so she agreed with her attendant suggestion.
Yvonne nodded followed by which everyone took their leave and all the attendants immediately got into action and swiftly removed the work-related furniture and the roof above slowly turned into a transparent skylight.
The wall at her back opened up showing a beautiful garden filled with blooming flowers.
In just a few moments, the entire room had been converted from a solemn conference room into a light-hearted resting area filled with greenery.
Yvonne's reddish-orange hair seemed to glow under natural sunlight.
The attendants borough out to quality tea bowed by a tea master followed by exquisite desserts that were freshly prepared by world-class patisseries.
An attendant walked toward Yvonne and bowed her head getting the confirmation moved behind her and started to massage her shoulders.
" Hella, you are still the best, "Yvonne spoke with a sweet gentle smile while extending her hand to take the tea.
However, the sudden arrival of a messenger interrupted her relaxed session.
" Miss, we have an urgent message."
Yvonne raised her brows and asked, "On which topic."
"It's about Nevan and Wright."
Yvonne frowned and got up with an uneasy expression.
"Bring him in," Yvonne ordered.
She took the message from the messenger and opened it while her eyes scanned through the document.
Her expression changed from awe to shock as she read about the recent events of Nevan but the last section of the letter startled her.
Passing the letter to her attendant, she shouted"Call Andrew!!"
Hearing her call, a man appeared as swiftly as possible.
"Andrew, what is this? How did Amidon get the funds to wage the war even after we have put the economic sanctions on it."
"Or did someone approve their loan right under our nose?"
"Young Miss, I have personally overseen the matter, we rejected their demand for a loan and have forbidden anyone from giving them the funds. So, I don't know how they acquired the funds." Andrew spoke and scratched his head.
"Miss, I don't think that even our competitors would take such a risk to offend us by disobeying our order."
Yvonne closed her eyes and fell into deep thought.
The situation was not easy as it seems.
Although it may not look like it, currently Nevan was the centre of the whole world.
And the person who lay in the centre of the whole storm was known other than Alex.
Although the Emperor of Kinley pulled the strings and forced the five of them to marry Alex due to fallout the matter surely wasn't it seems.
Like in her case, it started with the Emperor of Kinley forcing them to give a part of their earnings to contribute to the welfare of the kingdom under the pretence that they should pay more as they earn more which my father completely refused.
And decided to shift the whole Lock to another continent if the situation turned worse.
But one day, her father's stance suddenly changed and he accepted defeat which surprised not only her but every member of the family.
But it wasn't surprising as the decision of accepting the Emperor's condition of her marriage with Alex.
Her brothers even decided to revolt due to her father's decision.
But one day her father came to her and told her to accept the proposal and they had to do this no matter what.
The worried and sorrowful expression on her father's face made her heart wrench in pain.
She remembered how she cried for the whole night at her father's shoulder who said that the matter is not what it seems and one day she would realise that this marriage would be the best thing which would happen in her life.
Hearing this started to research the fifth prince Alex.
Though people say he was an idiot and fatty disgusting pig and Emperor was disgusted with him but the news she received from the sources said that the Emperor had never expressed his disgust towards Alex and it was just a rumour which people assumed like the one where people assumed that Emperor wanted to humiliate the women by forcing to marry Alex.
The Emperor had never expressed anything directly that caused the people to assume their fantasies creating their rumours.
More than that many believe that Alex was the Emperor's secret weapon which he was sharpening under the guise of treating him as a fool.
There was even a rumour which said that when the sky would fall apart, the fifth sun carrying God's power would do his part which led many people to assume that it had to be something with Kinley.
Because thousands of years ago, Kinley was known as the land of the sun which drove away the darkness that prevailed in that era
Moreover, only the royal family of Kinley carries the blood of Gods.
And many assumed that the fifth sun may be Alex but it was proved that he doesn't carry the bloodline power of God as the ceremony to awaken the blood of God took place before the whole world on the top that he was born as an idiot.
Moreover, she knew about it better than anyone just how Alex's character is so there is a big no even before thinking about such baseless rumours after all rumours and predictions generally crept into society in one way or another.
Moreover, no one had seen Alex's mother's face which generally stays hidden and it was said that she supported Kinley from the shadows.
Under the countless mysteries and rumours, only God knows what is true and what is not but Alex returning normal would surely draw much attention.
And on top of that, the war had to be now.
"It is certainly not Amidon's doing. Some are pulling strings from behind."
"Should I extend a helping hand? Although I don't care about him, but my sister might be implicated in this war."
"I have to visit her and ask for her opinion. Only she can guide me about what to do now."Yvonne muttered as her eyes flashed with brightness thinking about her.
"Prepare the Carriage. We are going to visit the Saintess."
