Master Ceeran eyes wandered about for a few moments as he thoughtfully considered his answer to Rui's question. "Princess Ranea is a…visionary. Her vision for the future is one of prosperity and hope. It is one that I sincerely hope will unfold, even regardless of my vested interests in it as a long-range Martial Artist. She wishes to enrich trade by reducing tariffs and customs on maritime trade and seafare, doing so will weaken the Royal Treasury considering that the sea industry is second only to the Martial Art industry, but it will significantly enrich the economy according to her. I am not an economist and my understanding of these matters is quite limited, but my personal secretary has informed me that the policies are indeed quite effective."

He turned towards Rui. "She believes that the Maritime sector is much more fundamentally important to the Kandrian Empire than the Martial Art industry. Naturally, she does not intend to disenfranchise Martial Artists. She has no strong opinions and aside from increasing the Martial Union's engagement and cooperation with the Kandrian Seafare Association, she does not have any strong views regarding Martial Art aside from the norm."

"So…under her rule, the maritime sector will likely rise to prominence, more prominence than the Martial Union," Rui noted. "Interesting."

He didn't strictly mind that. He wasn't egotistical about the exaggerated status he had as a Martial Artist. If another industry became more prominent than the Martial Art industry, Rui would welcome that. owns this.

He didn't strictly mind that. He wasn't egotistical about the exaggerated status he had as a Martial Artist. If another industry became more prominent than the Martial Art industry, Rui would welcome that.

"She plans to expand the Kandrian Empire's shipbuilding capabilities aggressively and has already begun working on that. Building new schools and academies in port towns to educate students in the art of shipbuilding to produce more shipwrights in the long term," Master Ceeran informed Rui. "For the short term, the Ranea Foundation has funded and overseen the development of more harbors and shipyards to facilitate greater maritime activity. She has even announced Project Seaflate, which aims to create entirely new port towns across certain uninhabited or sparsely-habited regions across the Kandrian Empire's coast."

Rui nodded with interest as he recalled that a particular bit of information from the information he purchased from the Beggar's Sect and the Martial Union. "It's quite ambitious. But it will drastically increase the Kandrian Empire's maritime affairs within a remarkably short amount of time after the completion of the project."

He didn't think that she would be on short of funds for such an extravagant project. After all, if he was able to afford the expenses, then a Royal princess certainly ought to be able to afford it as well.

11:04

"It serves as a great way of increasing her political capital and ability to persuade the government to crown her Empress in the crowning ceremony," Rui muttered. "Yes, but those aren't her only measures. She has worked side by side with her biggest patron to establish concrete sea routes and ocean current corridors between Kandrian and all other coastal nations in the world!" Master Ceeran told Rui with enthusiasm.

Rui's eyes lit up with surprise. "That's extremely ambitious. Who is her biggest patron?"

"Ah it's someone you should be familiar with, if I'm not mistaken," Master Ceeran remarked. "It is Guildmaster Bradt Patrick of the Shionel Confederation."

Rui's eyes widened with surprise. The information he had purchased did not cover their various associations and individual patrons, but he was nonetheless taken a bit aback.

'Ah, but it makes sense,' Rui realized. "Seafare is an extremely important method of transportation and shipping of goods and services. No wonder the guildmaster has decided to throw his weight behind Princess Ranea. He has probably negotiated an extremely sweet deal with her that allows him to make use of Kandria's seafare and maritime infrastructure free of cost and free of tariffs or duties in exchange for his support. That will drastically lower Bradt Distribution Service's cost and price of seafare shipping."

"Er, something like that, I think," Master Ceeran remarked.

"He has probably also contributed to their ship technology," Rui remarked. "He undoubtedly has among the best there is to offer as far as commercial and cargo vessels go. As expected of him, he's a man who knows how to squeeze the best out of any given situation."

Rui smirked. It was good to see that Guildmaster Bradt was still the excellent merchant that he had known him to be. They hadn't met since the Virodhabhasa Martial Contest nearly five years ago, but it seemed as though the Guildmaster was constantly monopolizing on one opportunity upon another, using that to grow significantly.

It was to be expected of him. Furthermore, with Chairman Deacon dead, he no longer needed to worry about the man competing for the position of guildmaster, although the man's son had indeed taken over the company, just his death alone had hurt the company, causing several partners and associations to break away.

Guildmaster Bradt got the last laugh.

"Heh, I'm glad to see he's doing well."

"He has been visiting the Kandrian Empire frequently if you're wondering," Master Ceeran. "You could probably meet him if you wanted to with your status and prestige."

Rui shook his head. "We're not buddies. Our relationship was strictly and purely business-related. He did make a bit of an investment in me, but it was nothing by his standards. He's a strictly business-oriented man, and the conversation would probably last four minutes before he would excuse himself. If he wants to cash out his favor from me, he knows where to find me, he has undoubtedly heard the news of my return, after all."

Rui didn't think he was going to have Rui do anything at the moment. Although Rui was indeed a powerful Martial Senior, Guildmaster Bradt had powerful Seniors, Masters, and now even a Sage, after his contract with Sage Sariawar.

Knowing him, he was probably waiting for Rui to grow. Best to cash out the favor from him after he became a Martial Master, especially when Rui had demonstrated prodigious growth since then.