Eisenwald's Third Workers' Canteen had been temporarily converted into a conference hall.
A banner reading "Labor is the Highest Glory" still hung on the wall, but the dining tables were covered with pristine white tablecloths and set with exquisite silverware.
Meklen Neum, the Elector whose wealth could rival a nation, pinched a corner of the tablecloth between his fingers, a peculiar expression on his face.
"Your Excellency Lacey, you certainly know how to pick a venue. This is the first time in my life I've discussed a deal worth hundreds of millions of Ducats in a workers' canteen."
His words carried a hint of jest, but his eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings.
Seated at the table, besides him, were a grim-faced Wolner von Hochberg, and the restless Ziegler, Gabriel, and Alfred.
These five Electors had all come to attend this special summit at Lacey's invitation.
Lacey rose from the head of the table, dressed in the simple uniform of a Workers' Party cadre.
"Gentlemen, I've brought you here not to humiliate anyone, but to let you see with your own eyes what the future we are fighting for truly looks like."
He pointed out the window.
"A year ago, this place was still slums."
"Now, every worker who eats here creates far more value than any serf of the old era."
"They are well-fed and well-clothed, and so they will buy Caplania's grain, purchase cloth from Ziegler's domain, and acquire tools from Schtong."
"This is the foundation of our cause!"
The opening remarks eased the tense atmosphere considerably.
"Your Excellency Lacey."
Ziegler Augustin was the first to speak, looking deeply worried.
"Let's dispense with the pleasantries. I presume you've seen the royal 'Decree of Deprivation' and the economic sanction orders."
"We've all been branded 'accomplices to treason' now."
"Trade with the capital region has been completely cut off. Several of my caravan masters have been detained in Trullinczentyr. What are we to do?"
Gabriel and Alfred nodded in agreement, their situations equally dire.
Although Meklen appeared calm on the surface, he couldn't hide the anxiety in his eyes.
A significant portion of his commercial empire's profits depended on the trade of luxury goods and raw materials with the capital region.
With the sanctions in place, his losses were astronomical.
Lacey scanned the faces of those present, taking in their expressions.
"What are we to do? I invited you here to tell you that not only are we not finished, but we are, in fact, facing an unprecedented opportunity!"
He walked to a map where the connections between the seven grand regions were marked with lines of different colors.
"Her Majesty the Empress has, through her actions, shown us the way."
"They wish to strangle us with the capital's economic sphere, which only proves that our economic community model is the correct one—one that has struck fear into their hearts!"
"They can forbid us from trading with the capital, but can they stop Caplania's grain from being shipped to Wasser Fief? Can they stop Schtong's ore from being sold to Wasser Fief's factories? Can they stop Wasser Fief's industrial goods from being sold in each of your territories?"
Lacey's voice was powerful and resonant.
"They cannot!"
"Because our seven grand regions, from population and resources to the market itself, have already formed a perfect internal economic cycle!"
"Their sanctions have not strangled us; rather, they have helped us sever our final economic ties to the old world, forcing us to unite even more closely!"
He turned to Meklen: "Your Excellency Meklen, you have lost the luxury goods trade due to the sanctions, but have you considered this: once our railway is complete, how much cheap food and daily necessities from Caplania will the millions of workers in Wasser Fief require?"
"Is this market not larger than the pockets of a few nobles?"
He then turned to Ziegler: "Your Excellency Ziegler, the noblewomen of the capital may no longer buy your high-end fabrics, but in the hundreds of new schools we are opening, hundreds of thousands of children need standardized uniforms. Can you handle an order of that size?"
These words instantly cleared the fog of doubt from their minds.
Before, they had only seen their losses, but not the new markets that lay behind the sanctions.
"The Empresses gave you empty promises of trade privileges," a scornful smile touched Lacey's lips, "while I am giving you concrete orders, tangible and real benefits!"
"Therefore, I propose," Lacey's tone became solemn.
"that we upgrade our Leithanien Economic Community into a Leithanien Economic and Mutual Assistance Alliance!"
He had Leinia distribute the pre-prepared documents to everyone.
"The Alliance will establish a unified tariff, dismantle all trade barriers, and jointly invest in building standardized infrastructure. More importantly," Lacey emphasized his words.
"We will sign a mutual defense clause. Any military threat against one member of the Alliance will be considered a threat against all members!"
This was Lacey's master stroke, an open conspiracy.
He intended to bind them deeply with economic interests, then lock them in permanently with a military pact.
To make these Electors understand that once they boarded his ship, there was no getting off.
They would either reach the other shore together or sink together.
Wolner was the first to stand and solemnly sign his name on the document.
He had long since tied his family's fate to Lacey's.
Meklen looked at the document, greed once again triumphing over fear in his eyes.
He calculated the gains and losses and found that the future Lacey painted was far more profitable than clinging to the royal court.
He laughed heartily and also signed his name: "I like this gamble!"
Ziegler, Gabriel, and Alfred exchanged glances. They saw the resignation in each other's eyes, but also a spark of convinced excitement.
Ziegler sighed and picked up the pen: "The times have indeed changed… We'll sign."
With that, the "Leithanien Economic and Mutual Assistance Alliance" was formally established.
A political entity independent of the royal court, possessing formidable economic and military potential, had audaciously risen in the heartland of Leithanien.
...
...
Meanwhile, on the border between Wasser Fief and the Heidenshweir Grand Region.
Abraham Rossetti and Hoffmann Herbert, two old-guard Electors who despised Lacey to the bone, stood side by side on a hill, observing the distant plains through binoculars.
The Imperial Order Restoration Force they had formed under the command of the Twin Empresses had already assembled over fifty thousand men.
"Hoffmann, do you see that? That is Lacey's army." Abraham lowered his binoculars, his face ashen.
On the plains, a vast army was conducting drills.
It was a modern force, with orderly ranks and impeccable military bearing.
The soldiers wore standardized uniforms, marching in perfect step, shifting through complex formations at their officers' commands.
"That's not just Wasser Fief's army," Hoffmann's voice was dry.
"I see the banners of Schtong, and... heavens, that's Meklen's family crest! His private guard is here too!"
What they were witnessing was a grand joint military exercise organized by Lacey to intimidate them.
Wasser Fief's guard corps, Schtong's elite troops, Ruperkan's newly formed militia, and even representative units from the private armies of Meklen and the other three Electors were all participating.
The total strength of this allied army was no less than that of their punitive force, and in terms of equipment and morale, it might even be superior.
"This war… how can we possibly fight it?" Abraham murmured to himself.
He had originally thought this would be an easy armed parade; now it seemed it would be a meat grinder.
Hoffmann fell silent.
He was a pragmatic man. He knew full well that once war broke out, even if they could win, their own armies would be crippled.
And that madman Lacey had countless incited workers behind him; his pool of recruits was practically limitless. He could bury them under sheer numbers.
A war between two grand electoral regions and seven was obviously unthinkable.
"We… perhaps we should report the actual situation to the Empresses," Hoffmann finally said.
"Acting rashly without absolute certainty would be unwise."
Though reluctant, Abraham could only acquiesce.
The military threat had reached a stalemate.
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