Ch.64Cutting Off the Livelihood

“Excuse me? What do you mean by that?”

The trade representative dispatched from Fahrenheit asked in disbelief.

Though his attitude was informal, anyone who could see his expression would understand why he allowed himself such rudeness.

“What do I mean? I’m saying we’re terminating our contract after this month.”

“But… why on earth are you terminating the contract? We’ve renewed it countless times until now…!”

That’s right.

The contract between Rainwork and Fahrenheit…

The agreement where Rainwork supplies grains, dairy products, seafood, and meat, and Fahrenheit provides various dungeon by-products in return, was being terminated after this month.

“Well… Fahrenheit isn’t the only place with mouths to feed; our country has many mouths too. Besides, prices have risen considerably lately as we’ve been securing supplies for export to other countries. Shouldn’t we take care of ourselves first?”

“This is…!”

The Fahrenheit trade representative wore an expression of dismay, but there was nothing he could do.

How could one stop people who’ve decided to move out once their contract period has ended?

“Please reconsider. Won’t you also be in trouble if your contract with Fahrenheit is cut off?”

“I suppose so, if we think about all the manufactured goods we import from Fahrenheit.”

“Then…!”

“But.”

Just as a smile began to spread across the trade representative’s face, Rainwork’s representative answered with a sardonic smile.

“We can make such things ourselves too.”

“But they’ll be more expensive… and lower quality, won’t they?”

“We can lower the price and improve the quality. You know what… we’re getting some ‘Amurtat steel’ soon, and I’m quite curious about what we’ll make with it.”

“Amurtat steel…?”

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

Only then did the trade representative realize that Amurtat’s recent “unusual behavior” and the trade suspension were deeply connected.

The deliberate emphasis on the word “Amurtat” made it clear this was a ploy to pressure Fahrenheit through the trade suspension.

And so, the trade representative could only helplessly watch the departing wagons, when he noticed that the communication crystal in his possession was glowing.

“It’s me. What’s the matter?”

-We have a serious problem! Ebenholtz says they’re only supplying goods until this month and then terminating the contract!-

“What?!”

-It’s not just Ebenholtz! Arcadia, Ataraxia, Jericania, and Shailen—they’ve all notified us they’re ending their contracts after this month-

“That’s… impossible…!”

Rainwork, Ebenholtz, Arcadia, Ataraxia, Jericania, Shailen.

Six cities announcing they would cut off trade in a single day meant something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

“What on earth is happening…! Is this all Amurtat’s doing…?”

-Amurtat? Why would they…? We even handed over the fragment of the Earth’s Core!-

“I don’t know either! There seems to have been some protocol issue, but that’s beyond my information… Anyway, check the contracts with other cities!”

-Understood!-

The combined population of these six nations was only about 4 million, not even half of Fahrenheit’s population, but the food they produced and exported was a lifeline for Fahrenheit’s lower-income citizens.

And now that trade with them was cut off…?

Flash!

“Oh… please…”

Seeing another crystal light up, the trade representative picked it up while praying to the angels.

On this day, Fahrenheit set an unprecedented record of having all food imports from 30 countries cut off at once.

*

Clank! Clank!

“Move it quickly!”

At Amurtat’s steelyard.

In this massive steel factory where over 50,000 people worked, diplomatic representatives from various countries were watching with satisfied smiles as Amurtat steel ingots were loaded onto the wagons they had brought.

And watching them was the aide of Amurtat.

“I express my gratitude once again to all countries that have assisted in this matter. Amurtat will never forget this favor.”

Even with justification, actually implementing trade sanctions at their own disadvantage was a brave act worthy of praise.

Even if all these countries combined barely matched Fahrenheit’s power—as Fahrenheit was such a massive nation—if Fahrenheit, now facing starvation, took military action, they could instantly become colonies.

“Haha. It’s nothing. We’ve endured their arrogance for 300 years. Those fellows need to experience real hunger for once.”

“Indeed. They need to be reminded, to their very bones, that we have sovereignty.”

But while they might lack power and money, they didn’t lack pride.

Although Fahrenheit wasn’t a nation that projected its power militarily, its sheer size alone posed a serious threat to smaller nations.

Therefore, other small and medium-sized countries had essentially shown a pattern of “knowing their place” for 300 years. As this became entrenched over those three centuries, Fahrenheit’s people had implicitly or explicitly discriminated against citizens of other nations, deepening the rift between them.

This was common on Earth too. Britain, France, Belgium, China, America, Russia, Germany, Spain… former colonial empires still exert powerful influence today, and countries that resent their hegemony are always looking for ways to get back at them.

In the end, people are people no matter what world they’re in.

“I’m truly curious to see how Amurtat’s steel will be processed in your countries. Being bound to this country, I cannot leave to see for myself.”

Amurtat had sent numerous steel shipments free of charge to countries participating in the trade sanctions.

These steel pieces would be processed for various uses in each country, ultimately serving the people of those nations.

“Hahaha. Don’t worry. I’ve been troubled seeing farmers using wooden hoes because iron is too expensive… Steel agricultural tools should easily last for decades.”

“How can we allow our soldiers’ spears to become blunt and their swords to rust? At last, we’ll see smiles on our soldiers’ faces.”

“I’ve been wondering where to get reinforcement steel for the library we’re building. Indeed, people must help each other to live!”

Agricultural tools, weapons, and construction reinforcements.

The uses for steel were abundant. The problem was simply that demand exceeded supply.

Now that Amurtat was filling that supply, it was like priming water for development in these other nations.

“Now then, let’s join hands and toast to the prosperity of us all.”

The aide handed out Amurtat-produced wine to the diplomats and raised his glass high.

Of course, Fahrenheit was not included in the word “all.”

“To prosperity!”

Clink!

With the sound of glasses touching, the diplomats and the aide downed their wine in one gulp.

Without a doubt, no beverage in the world could taste better than this chilled wine.

*

“Stupid fools.. heh heh.”

In my opinion, Fahrenheit had fundamentally flawed diplomatic policies.

With their enormous population, matching industrial capacity, and numerous benefits from dungeon exploration, they still failed to decisively bring surrounding smaller nations to their side.

Setting aside the labor-intensive process of creating colonial cities, the fact that they relied on third parties for food supply—essential for city operations—yet maintained such shallow trust relationships that unilateral termination was possible, was beyond laughable; it was almost pitiful.

They say people become shameless as they age?

That’s true.

It’s the wise who become sages when they age. The rude simply become old fogies.

Over 300 years, Fahrenheit had become like an overgrown child, unaware of its own strength, and now it was paying the price.

When a boy with the attitude that “if I don’t think it’s important, I can be careless” gets pushed around and sometimes makes mistakes big enough to put holes in his blanket, we can laugh it off.

Because he’s not an adult yet.

But society is never kind to those whose minds remain immature despite their physical maturity.

And society usually has a term for such individuals: “disabled.”

Though much better than Elyssia, Fahrenheit too was slowly becoming diseased due to wrong choices and focus, and the deformed social structure that had solidified over 300 years.

What I’m doing is simply lancing the abscess with a knife.

Whether they will drain the pus completely or focus only on the blood flowing from their body and block even the draining pus—that’s now up to them.