When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 629 - 590: Don’t Put the Rabbit and Eggs in the Same Cage

"Hey, hey, pull yourself together."

Sitting in a window box on the third floor of the tavern, Venice shook Abazi's shoulders, while Abazi appeared despondent.

Abazi brushed off Venice's hand, leaning his head against the woolen tapestry on the wall, sighing deeply.

Black sugar refining technology, Royal Trading Company, putting these two together could only spell trouble.

The lords of Red Leaf Hill drove out the lord, and the new nobles of Clove Corridor poisoned four royal agents all for sugar.

The nobles of both counties even formed an alliance, essentially monopolizing the Empire's sugar trade.

But now, the Falan Royal Family has quietly made a breakthrough in the Thousand River Valley, even miraculously introducing a black sugar refining technology.

Good days are now gone for good.

Not to mention whether the family can climb up by attaching themselves to the Lakin Clan, whether they can retain their current position is another matter.

"Have you noticed, Lupher's attitude towards that Armand has been off lately?"

"A kid whose beard hasn't even fully grown... What are you paranoid about?" Abazi, already annoyed, pushed Venice aside and continued flipping through the booklet.

Seeing Abazi wouldn't budge, Venice sat down, sulking.

At this moment, Lupher entered from outside: "Sister Catherine will be late; she has to handle the church property auction."

In fact, the Galen Inn where they were was once the church's Saint Gallen Monastery.

The local church used to serve foreign nobles and bishops here, and the monks were famous for their exquisite brewing and culinary skills.

The monastery's facilities were luxurious, even comparable to the banquet halls of noble families.

When Horn and Moliat entered Feiliu Castle, adhering to the principle of "church property publicized," they divided up the church's leftover assets.

Moliat acquired a large number of workshops, estates, and manors outside the city from the church, while Horn mainly divided the church's real estate and shops.

This high-end venue requiring titles for entry was now open to everyone, with the hall filled with workshop masters and townsfolk from all over the Thousand River Valley coming to try it out.

"It's different from before now." Lupher snorted, "The chanting of hymns and melodious choir is gone, leaving only folk tunes and the harsh sound of bagpipes."

Currently, the restaurant in the city barely meeting Lupher's expectations was only this one.

If it weren't for Catherine, Lupher and the others wouldn't even have been able to reserve a quiet room on the third floor.

Venice chuckled softly, "You can't blame anyone else; the Saint's Grandson has his eyes set on gold, so the hymns naturally lie at the bottom of the box."

As soon as Venice finished speaking, Lupher glared at him with an unfriendly look: "Enough embarrassment today. If you continue to be discourteous, I won't speak a word to you for the next year."

"I promise," Venice quickly swore.

As the three spoke quietly, they heard the waiter gently knock on the door: "Three distinguished guests, two gentlemen have arrived."

After giving a threatening look, Lupher allowed the waiter to open the door, first entering was Armand dressed in an off-white shirt and burgundy linen jacket, followed by René in a long-sleeved dark blue thin wool coat, fit for the end of spring and the beginning of summer.

Accompanying them inside were their conversation voices.

"Sister Jeanne's actions have been odd lately, even thinking that the relationship between the Autocratic Duke and His Holiness the Pope is too intimate."

"Maybe Sister Jeanne's mana has increased too rapidly, putting more pressure on her nerves."

"She's still under twenty, surely she shouldn't have issues like mana overflow pressing on her nerves?"

Seeing Lupher and the others stand to greet them, Armand and René immediately put on their trained polite smiles, nodding to the three.

"Almost forgot introductions, this is René, René Gallar, my friend." After the five sat down, Armand took the initiative to introduce René.

"Gallar... Ah, you must be a member of the Orphan Imperial Guard from 'Saint's Grand Expedition,' right?"

René simply nodded politely: "Yes."

Lupher and the others looked at this unassuming young man, shaved at the temples, neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, yet being fixed upon by those eyes felt uncomfortable all over.

"Are you interested in 'Saint's Grand Expedition'?" Armand interjected at the right moment.

"Indeed." Lupher picked up a small book from beside, "I just finished reading this book; it's fascinating."

Venice chimed in: "Like the stories told by a minstrel in the countryside."

Lupher elbowed Venice's rib under the table: "I don't recall seeing you in 'Saint's Grandson's Expedition'?"

Armand laughed heartily: "I was too young at the time, the book only has five characters, it certainly wouldn't include someone as insignificant as me."

"Ahem." At that moment, Abazi couldn't hold back and suddenly asked, "Brother Armand, is the black sugar refining technique you mentioned true?"

"Of course." Armand scrutinized the young man from Aleir, "I just returned from Joan of Arc Castle and the ry Court Barracks last month. Around Joan of Arc Castle, five sugar workshops have already been built and are recruiting workers.

Once summer passes, and the raw black sugar from Black Snake Bay arrives, production can begin."

Abazi still found it hard to believe: "Black sugar purification is something we've studied for hundreds of years. You managed to research it in such a short time?"

"The Saint's Grandson has divine guidance." Speaking deliberately, Armand's gaze turned to Abazi's face, "No harm in telling you, it's an alchemical method. In the world of alchemy, everything has both an upper and lower attribute. It's difficult to purify black sugar using only the lower attribute."

Indeed, it's an alchemical method!

Abazi was almost drained; if it were any other method, they could have sent commercial spies to steal the formula, but alchemy, damn it, they used alchemy!

Seeing Abazi drenched in sweat, Armand suddenly laughed, "Does Mr. Abazi's family operate sugar trade?"

"Uh." Abazi opened his mouth but couldn't hide it ultimately, smiling wryly, "My father is indeed in that industry."

"Is that so?" Leaning back against the chair, Armand pretended to wipe his sweaty nose as he glanced at René beside him, while René had already squinted his eyes, fixing his gaze on Abazi's profile.

There are several large-scale projects under construction in Langsande County, funds are already stretched thin, and His Holiness the Pope doesn't want to put all eggs in the Royal Falan Trading Company's basket.

And this Abazi, clearly rose with the new noble lineage through sugar trade. No wonder Lady Catherine invited them.

René quietly memorized Abazi's face and name.

Lupher's gaze circled around Armand and Abazi's faces, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Generally, as the only daughter of the Lakin Clan, she is always the center of banquets and parties, but why the focus of these two is all on Abazi.

"I heard the family is recently involved in tobacco business; it's said to be as profitable as white sugar." Lupher attempted to guide the topic back to herself.

"Would Mr. Abazi be interested in visiting Joan of Arc Castle? Perhaps you could offer some guidance to our sugar workshops."

Lupher was skeptical: "Where is Joan of Arc Castle? I thought Salvation Army's base was at ry Court Barracks."

"Joan of Arc Castle is the base of Salvation Army, ry Court Barracks is the base of Shepherd Leader, the two aren't far apart. I dare say ry Court Barracks is the only city of classical revival in Thousand River Valley with a very rich commercial atmosphere. If Mr. Abazi is interested, I can personally accompany you."

"... My dowry is twenty-five thousand pounds." Suddenly blurting this out, Lupher instantly regretted it; she didn't even know why she said that.

"Oh?" Armand glanced at Lupher with flushed ears in surprise, nodded, "Certainly a huge sum, almost exceeding Langsande County's annual tax. However, with our current development plan, doubling in two years isn't difficult, Mr. Abazi, what do you think?"

In Venice's triumphantly gleeful expression, Lupher inexplicably began to blush warmly, but was interrupted by the sound of the door opening just as it started.

"Sorry everyone, I'm late." Catherine smiled as she took off the large hat on her head, "It's a bit hot, let's open the window — look, Lupher's face is flushed red."

"We heard many things about ry Court Barracks from Mr. Armand." To shift Catherine's attention away, Lupher quickly changed the subject.

"Are you interested in ry Court Barracks? Anyway, Leia is in the civil war, and you can't attend school, why not take a look?"

Take a look at ry Court Barracks? Lupher recalled the content mentioned during Armand and Abazi's conversation and the slang words Catherine taught her.

A city where wizards and alchemists can operate openly?

While Lupher hesitated, Catherine had already walked towards the dining table, quickly taking a seat.

"Really sorry, His Excellency Armand, for being rather impolite at the venue today." Catherine pulled out a chair and sat down, "Ah, Mr. René is here too."

"Haha, I just came for the food." René forced a smile.

Armand waved his hand, "No matter, even if they don't ask, I would have initiated the conversation."

"Really magnanimous, indeed the diplomacy minister's stomach could accommodate a fleet."

"Hahaha, I haven't reached that level yet."

After a few chuckles, Catherine took her seat.

Beside her, Lupher couldn't help but raise the menu, leaned over, and whispered, "Sister Catherine, why do you call them Excellency? Aren't they members of that Orphan Imperial Guard?"

"Oh, I haven't had the chance to introduce them yet." Smiling as she lifted her head, Catherine pointed to René with her right hand, "This is Cheka Chief of the Shepherd Chief District in Thousand River Valley, Mr. René Gallar."

"And this is the Chief Privy Councillor of the Shepherd Chief District in Thousand River Valley, His Excellency Armand-Jean Richelieu Kosse."