Within a meeting room, the three families were in discussion over the recent whirlwind of events that landed in their city.

"What do you think the boy's plans are," The one that started the conversation was Calculate, the head of the Devilheart family and father of Calculus. He had placed his boy as the head of this operation previously, thinking that it would be a good experience for him to learn but never in his wildest dreams did he think that things to devolve so quickly and by so much.

Seven days was all the time it took for Kairos to beat back their businesses and press a knife at their throats.

However, right now, the one that is most furious in this room wasn't Calculate, but the representative from the Steel Rose family.

They had entered into an agreement with the Devilheart and the Hope enterprise because of the possibility to steal the boy's craft. They first experienced this allure when they managed to 'retrieve' the Frost Rod crafted by Kairos for Xuan Xian.

Having that artefact in hand, the Steel Rose family, truly appreciated the boy's creations for the first time, and it sparked the greed within them, driving them with a need to claim all the boy's works as their own.

If they had not stolen the artefact and offended Kairos, they would have invited him to their family. But, on the other hand, they would not have known the beauty, the power, and the magnificence of the runic inscriptions left on the frost rod.

In the beginning, the Steel Rose family did not feel any regret for kidnapping Ling Er to ransom the artefact, believing the Snowdrifts to be an organization made by a child.

When they heard the boy challenging them in business, it further gave them the confidence that 13 years old had overestimated himself far too much, and they only sent a regional controller to represent them for the Devilheart's plan.

But as time passed, the Steel Rose come to recognise that the boy was not the docile sheep that they had thought but a fearsome lion.

To deal with a lion, they changed their representative to a hunter. An heir of their house, the youngest son of their family head, and a shrewd young man who is wise with money and daring with his actions.

Yet, by then, things has already become uncontrollable because of how swiftly Kairos took action. Now the one that is attending this meeting is an elder of the Steel Rose family with a stormy black face and flaring eyes.

He had been sent here after their repeated failure against a tiny Earl from a poor village. Though he had seen the report, he could not stand for such a shame to stain their family's reputation, and he conveniently attributed everything to the incompetency of their partners.

More for the sake of being disagreeable, than from proper reasoning, he barked, "Why do we care what plan does he have? He is only a boy."

"Do not merely judge him so," Calculate said, "Even Lord Yue had his eyes on him."

"Hmph, only your family who stands as a subordinate of Lord Yue, would place importance on that man's views."

Though the elder of the Steel Rose family said that, he kept quiet right afterwards. Lord Yue is still one of the few people that even their Steel Rose family could not carelessly affront.

However, the intended offense is already taken. Those among the top already knew that the Devilheart family does not content to merely be an underling. This ambitious house had long dreamt of rising to the top, therefore, what the elder said was more of an insult than a provocation to Calculate's ears.

At this time, Calculative placed her hand on her husband's arm. The touch of her warm finger calmed him down, and his grim expressions lightened at once.

Seeing it, the elder snorted and turned his face away but dark thoughts flooded his mind.

You think that just by making your family more powerful you would be able to become the 4th Great Noble?

Who will allow you to rise beyond your station? And even if the Three Great Nobles accepts it, without the Emperor's support you are still nothing!

What the elder thought, the Devilheart family also knows. That regardless how large they grow, without the backing of Emperor Galahad, it is nearly impossible for them to ascend above the ranks of 100 Nobles. But, even so, they never gave up on their ambition.

'Nearly' indicates that there is still a path towards their goal, though it is a narrow and arduous one.

The elder from the Steel Rose family did not choose to waste time continuing a clash words with Calculate, and instead he waited to hear their plans.

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"Cannot Hope," Calculate said in a frustrated and overbearing manner, "I know you have the control of most trade routes across the Empire. You are to immediately cut off all resources coming into Saint City, from your streets that are for the Snowdrifts. And also, any supplies to every merchants and nobles that are related to them!"

Cannot Hope's face paled at hearing his words. Though he truly has some power over every trade route in the Empire, he is not actually in charge, but somewhat of a caretaker allowed by Saint Empire.

The troubles that he will invite from following orders, are all things that could destroy him. In addition, to cease the supplies coming in for even a day means to incur a huge losses for the Hope family.

The Emperor himself will question who dares to block the trade routes, and at that time, it is certainly the gallows that he would be sent to.

But before he could protest, the next words from the mistress of the Devilheart calmed him down, "Worry not, no repercussions will come if you reroute those resources towards the Southern Countries. As I recall, the Mage guilds owes a favor to the Steel Rose family, am I right?" His wife asked with a confidence that set the others into deep thought.

The elder who was pretending to ignore the conversation, was actually listening carefully, and when he heard of the daring proposal to close the roads put forth by the heads of the Devilheart family he was outraged initially. But when the 'favor' was mentioned, a smile broke through his stoic expression.

Indeed, the Southern Countries owe a great favor to the Steel Rose family. The idea is workable.

If the resources are sent to the Southern Countries, even the Emperor would not object, and it would cut off all supplies to Kairos and any who dares ally with him.

Not many knows what exactly are the relationship between these two world powers, but those that are astute have noticed that Saint Empire frequently sends valuable resources to the South.

There was even a period of time, where rumors say that Saint Empire was paying tribute, however that idea was quickly turned over because the Mage guilds in control of the South have no ambition to expand their territory. Their search for the truth of the universe take up far too much of their time and resources for the Mage guilds to be a threat to any country.

Even by land mass, by military strength and by the length of their history, the Southern Countries are definitely unable to compare with the titan called Saint Empire, and therefore the possibility of paying tribute is easily denounced.

Soon, another rumor replaced the first. That Emperor Galahad the Twelve has learned magic from the mage guilds and in return, he is generous to the needs of the South.

Like before, this rumor is quickly destroyed, but unlike before it is not refuted by reasoning but by fear. A royal decree was immediately issued, and the rumor starter was executed. All citizens were then warned, that the Southern Countries treat their magical ways as a heritage and a secret forbidden to be divulged to outsiders, anyone who persists in slandering the Emperor of having learned the use of mana will face execution of their entire tribe.

His subjects quickly realise the gravity of the situation, and nobles educates their men while fathers their sons, to not be careless with their words. Since then, Saint Empire's relationship with the South has become a taboo to be mentioned, but knowledge has instead become widely known.

However, even if the plan is workable, it still wasn't enough to defeat the Snowdrifts with its unstoppable momentum.

The elder asked, "It is possible for us, Steel Rose, to call in a favor. But what is your next intention?"

"Our Devilheart house owns the Steel Woods Mountain, with an entire mountain of crafting resource, that boy could match us neither in price nor quantity of equipment. Your Steel Rose family has three Medical Gorges, I wonder if you are willing to use them?" Calculative said.

The elder laughed loudly, both impressed and confident with Calculative's plans.

The head of the Devilheart family had always been two people, for a good reason.

The elder nodded in agreement and said, "With the Hope's trading route, the Devilheart's Steel Woods Mountain and our Medical Gorges, we will easily beat the young Earl into submission, I see no reason to be unwilling.

However, you will remember our deal."

"Of course," This time it was Calculate, the head of the Devilheart family who answered without hesitation, "The boy's crafts are all yours to take, while the profits made will belong to our Devilheart house. And the Hope enterprise will receive the trade contract as agreed."

The elder nodded his head. Each house has their own agenda. While the Steel Rose family gave in to their greed, and Cannot Hope had a satisfied smile from hearing his agreed share, the Devilheart stands to gain powerful allies.

With each of them in deep thoughts of their own profits, none saw the darkness in the eyes of Calculate and his wife. They have longed for a way to expand their family, and the success of this operation will greatly speed up their plans.

.....

Within Saint City, the shops that Kairos purchased are starting their operation. They have purchased over 30 stores at different locations but now only half could open because of the limitations that the Snowdrifts have in both manpower and supplies at a moment's notice.

To resolve their issues, Grand Elder Feng quickly gathered enough staff to man the new outlets. It was a significant amount of people, over three hundred able man in the matter of days, but the Grand Elder's eye for hiring potential employees, and his prestigious status made it possible. However, these people are still too inexperienced to run the stores independently.

Fritzgen, not wishing to be deemed inferior, made a call with his communication token and ordered each of his shops to send an experienced store manager to Saint City immediately.

Shortly after, a large group rushed through the city's teleporter at his beckon. Famous clothiers, appraisers, pill makers and masters of every trade arrive. Each a prominent old hand working under Fritzgen.

The Treasure Pavilion's extensive network stretch across Silent Lambs Empire, and its title as the number one in Vox Shalua, the capital of thieves, is not just a decoration.

His store managers quickly took control. Each person are assigned to one of the Snowdrifts' new shop, to train the newly hired staff. When they depart in the future, they must ensure that each the shop has the capacity to run smoothly by itself.

Between them, Grand Elder Feng and Fritzgen, has created a new record of staffing this many shopfronts. They once again stared admirably at each other, in recognition of the other's abilities.

The young man's backer is certainly impressive!