Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 205: Marriage Proposal?

"Your Majesty, Princess Astrid recently purchased a large quantity of Windcall wood, ironwood branches, Sabertooth wolf hides, rage bear tendons, and many wind attribute crystals through the Honeysuckle Chamber of Commerce."

Hibbort sat upright in his study chair, carefully cutting a steak while listening to the servant’s report on the recent activities of the third princess, Astrid.

Windcall wood, also known as cloud pine, is a lightweight yet sturdy material often used by craftsmen to build ship hulls due to its lighter weight compared to other woods. Rage bear tendons and ironwood branches are splicing materials, more flexible than steel cables and equally strong.

Apart from the wind attribute crystals, these are typical construction materials. Is Astrid planning to build something?

Hibbort placed a piece of beef in his mouth, savoring the blend of black pepper, light red meat juice, and the added green fruit herb flavor, a taste he particularly enjoyed.

The man chewed the beef slowly, then took a sip of thick soup before speaking softly.

"Where were these materials transported to?"

The servant standing about six or seven meters in front of Hibbort bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, all the materials purchased by Princess Astrid have been transported to Countess Charlotte’s private estate."

"Countess Charlotte has set up a simple workshop near the estate using earth element magic. It is said that Professor Elandor Ferras, a specialist in magical devices, frequently visits, along with many craftsmen closely associated with him."

Various construction materials, a large quantity of wind attribute crystals, Professor Elandor, and an entire team of craftsmen.

At this point, Hibbort had a good idea of what his adopted daughter was up to. He put down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth slowly.

"What are the craftsmen working on?"

"A large inflatable bladder and a cabin-like passenger vehicle."

An inflatable bladder? A passenger vehicle?

Recalling the article Astrid had discussed with him some time ago, it indeed mentioned some prospective magical devices.

It seems Charlotte is planning something big.

Hibbort took a sip of tea handed to him by a servant, cleared his throat, and pulled out the Empire Monthly magazine from under a stack of documents. He found the previously published article and read it again from start to finish.

After another sip of tea, the warm liquid sliding down his throat, Hibbort’s gaze lingered on the last line, clearly printed in ink on the parchment.

"Airship."

Meanwhile, in the territory of the Velmont family, within a grand and magnificent spire-like hall, Tristian knelt on one knee, dressed in fine attire, his left hand on his right shoulder, head bowed, listening intently to the person before him.

"Tristian, a competent merchant should sense potential market opportunities months in advance and prepare accordingly. As the future heir of the Velmont family, you must foresee industry trends years, even decades ahead, to ensure the family remains unshaken and grows stronger amidst storms."

The man standing on the steps turned around, the sleeves of his robe embroidered with honeysuckle patterns gleaming under the light.

Cedric Velmont, the current head of the Velmont family, inheriting his father’s title, and also the brother of Elowen and father of Tristian.

"I will heed your teachings, Father."

After performing a noble salute, Tristian stood up and noticed Cedric’s left hand was empty, while his right hand held a stack of plain paper.

Unlike the common parchment on the market, this plain paper was softer, typically used in the coastal areas of the empire bordering the Pan-Human Alliance, and for various reasons, it had not circulated widely within the empire.

Cedric handed the stack of paper to Tristian, who took it and examined it carefully, his brow gradually furrowing.

The papers recorded the magical devices circulating among the empire’s upper class in recent years, including types, prices, and the total consumption of various attribute magic crystals.

Flipping through, Tristian found the article on magical devices published in the Empire Monthly, and on the last page, details about the new temporary workshop at Charlotte’s estate and Professor Elandor’s recent schedule.

"As far as I know, His Majesty has not drafted any restrictive legislation on magical devices, although he mentioned it in a meeting."

Cedric’s voice was low, his gaze steady and wise, reflecting the shrewdness of a merchant family.

Tristian frowned in silence, continuing to peruse the documents.

Thinking before speaking makes your response more valuable, this was the Velmont family motto and Tristian’s guiding principle.

After a long while, Tristian spoke slowly, "Father, how many people know about this information?"

These documents seemed to form a clear and coherent narrative.

Cedric picked up the scarf at his collar and gently wiped the honeysuckle badge on his chest, speaking softly.

"Any noble who pays even a little attention to external changes in the empire would know."

Astrid had not hidden her intentions, or rather, the sheer volume of materials and the scale of the project made it impossible to conceal.

It was no exaggeration to say that the entire Capital was focused on Charlotte. They knew the countess, who had long studied magical devices, was planning something big.

But apart from the few members who had the complete blueprint of the airship, including some craftsmen, no one knew exactly what Charlotte was doing.

"During that meeting, His Majesty did explicitly state his intention to restrict magical devices, but later he allowed all this to happen under his nose, which aligns with his neutral stance on the matter."

After listening to Tristian’s analysis, Cedric adjusted his glasses, the golden metal frames adding a touch of elegance to his demeanor. He twitched his facial muscles slightly, his tone still calm.

"So you think His Majesty will remain neutral?"

Tristian did not respond immediately but thought for nearly fifteen minutes before gently shaking his head.

"His Majesty’s heart is likely leaning towards Charlotte."

After observing this series of actions, Tristian did not believe the lofty emperor was maintaining a balanced stance.

"His Majesty was probably forced to compromise due to various pressures, hence the lack of urgency in drafting related legislation. At the same time, he gave Charlotte an opportunity to prove the value of magical devices outweighs its potential risks."

This move alone indicated Hibbort’s stance, he was not strictly black or white on magical devices, but he was not entirely neutral either.

In Tristian’s view, he hoped to use Astrid and Charlotte to silence certain critics.

"A very good inference."

This time, Cedric’s voice carried a hint of approval, the square glass lenses reflecting a bright light.

"Continue."

Tristian spoke again, "Princess Astrid’s lack of concealment is actually building momentum for Charlotte. She is creating a strong buzz to attract everyone’s attention. If Countess Charlotte’s new invention truly has vast development potential, then the day it is unveiled, overwhelming reports will follow."

Their success would not only fulfill His Majesty’s desire for change but also sway some neutral parties towards the reformists.

Although they are insignificant compared to the empire’s majority conservatives, every bit counts, and with royal support, the reformists will only grow stronger.

"If Charlotte succeeds, it will undoubtedly push magical devices into a new era of reform. We can use the family’s established trade network to seize resources first, or at least sell the stockpiled crystals at a high price. No matter how magical devices improves, it will always rely on these crystals as a power source."

"Even if Charlotte fails, we have no real loss. The family already dominates the sales of magical devices. Her failure would at most force us to reduce our investment in related industries."

After listening to his son’s analysis, Cedric showed a rare smile, inwardly marveling at how the young noble he once protected had grown into a capable individual, able to calmly analyze situations and keenly discern how to benefit the family.

It seems keeping Tristian away from Lucas was the right decision. The crown prince is not fit to be the next emperor, and associating with him would not accumulate much influence but rather lead to indulging in hedonistic habits. free𝑤ebnovel.com

As for the second prince, Alistair, Cedric held even less regard. The young prince’s compromises with various nobles, thinking he could suppress them once he ascended, were naive and uncharacteristic of Hibbort’s offspring.

The more he looked, the more he found his son pleasing. Cedric took off his glasses, took a deep breath, and said.

"Princess Astrid Calliste seems to have changed recently."

"I initially thought she had a mentor guiding her, but now it seems otherwise. According to Elowen, her performance at the negotiation table was remarkable, unlike the spoiled, self-absorbed princess she used to be."

Hearing Astrid’s full name, Tristian was momentarily stunned, then placed the plain paper by his side, quietly waiting for Cedric to continue.

"I remember she liked you and tried to meet you several times."

Tristian straightened slightly, responding calmly, "That was in the past."

During his recent stay in the capital, Astrid had not been as fervently pursuing him as before. Their interactions were purely professional, devoid of any emotional undertones.

"Do you like her?" Cedric asked.

"..."

After a few seconds of silence, Tristian replied, "No."

Her changes, while significant, were still not enough to evoke any feelings of affection or love.

"Do you still dislike her?" Cedric asked again.

This time, Tristian took longer to respond, about half a minute, before he slowly said, "I wouldn’t say I dislike her."

Astrid was often an excellent business partner, a consensus between Tristian and Elowen.

Hearing this, Cedric sat on the hall bench, his back to Tristian, lowering his voice.

"Astrid Calliste, backed by the royal family, can use official channels to publish the monthly magazine, which is an inherent advantage. His Majesty seems to have no intention of restricting her."

"Moreover, Astrid is close to Crown Prince Lucas, whose chances of ascending the throne are far greater than Prince Alistair’s."

"As long as Charlotte succeeds, magical devices will experience rapid development, the likes of which haven’t been seen since Fanya’s disappearance. As a key supporter, Astrid will secure a significant share, and with her and Lucas’s influence, they won’t be able to fully utilize it."

At this point, Tristian began to understand his father’s implication.

"We are currently Astrid’s business partners and a long-desired ally of the crown prince’s faction. Collaborating with the family would be the most rational win-win strategy for Astrid."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tristian heard Cedric say, "So to ensure our mutual interests are secure, we can add an extra layer of insurance."

An extra layer of insurance? Tristian’s pupils slightly contracted.

Among nobles, the most common forms of insurance are limited, and currently, the most suitable way to bind Astrid and the Velmont family together is one.

"..."

"Marriage?"

Tristian frowned, his tone tinged with hesitation.

Cedric placed his glasses in their case, speaking softly.

"Yes, and if you have children, even better."

Everything Astrid currently enjoys stems from Emperor Hibbort. If the Velmont family marries her, they can avoid future succession disputes and ensure both families benefit when Lucas ascends.

Even in the worst-case scenario, if Prince Alistair takes the throne, given Charlotte’s rising reputation and the contributions of improved magical devices to the empire, they would still remain unscathed.

Seeing Tristian remain silent for a long time, Cedric was in no hurry, simply placing his hands by his side and closing his eyes to rest.

"Your lack of immediate refusal is already better than I expected."

Tristian remained silent, and after an unknown period, he heard the sound of fabric rustling against the bench. Cedric stood up and patted his shoulder.

"Tristian, think it over, for yourself and for the family."

"If you agree and Charlotte’s plan succeeds, find an opportunity to propose to Princess Astrid. If she truly likes you, she likely won’t refuse."

Whether from a rational or emotional standpoint, Astrid seemed to have no reason to refuse.

Standing at the hall entrance, Cedric saw Tristian standing straight and silent in the candlelight, then turned and left quietly.

He was already quite satisfied with his successor today and saw no need to press further.

However, Tristian had overlooked one point, his consideration not entirely comprehensive.

Tristian had seen Hibbort’s governance, knowing the emperor ruled with a firm hand.

But he hadn’t considered why the once lion-like man was now gradually making compromises.

Hibbort did not wish for overly radical actions to provoke noble discontent, leading to imperial instability. Moreover, he no longer had the energy to forcefully clear all obstacles for the next successor.

The emperor’s health might not be as robust as they thought.