When the plot-skips players into the game world

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After the morning's Round Table Hall meeting ended, the ministers simply had a quick lunch before secretly gathering again.

This was not an official Privy Council meeting.

Publicly, they all belonged to the ancient "Chocolate Club," united by their love for chocolate. But in reality, this was a small meeting of only a dozen or so ministers, including the Prime Minister and Trade Minister.

Before and after the Round Table Hall meetings, those knights with common interests or good relations would gather to align their thoughts and suggestions to avoid conflicts at the Round Table meetings.

Although not as divided into two clearly opposing factions like the Irisflower People, they were indeed forming cliques.

The difference was that these knights were well aware that theirs was not the only such small meeting. At this moment, knights surprised by what they had seen and heard must have been clustering in groups, discussing matters among themselves.

Even each minister present here might not only be part of this one small meeting. They spoke ill of others at the Chocolate Club, and some might even hold a "Candy Club" or "Honey Club" in the evening to badmouth them again.

"I feel there's something off with her Majesty," someone remarked.

Prime Minister Camelot frowned deeply, "It's completely different from the reaction we anticipated."

"It seems you're not as close to the queen as we thought," mocked a silver-haired old man. "You don't even know when she changed her personal style."

He was the Minister of Education from Avalon.

But Minister Camelot remained silent.

Previously, the Prime Minister had confidently claimed that Isabel was a gentle and malleable child. She would undoubtedly find the position of queen overwhelming and stressful.

At such a time, if a faction could offer warm gestures and assistance, they would be subconsciously relied upon by the young, helpless, and confused queen.

This was their chance—a golden opportunity to eliminate the Tower Faction.

The Tower Faction referred to the towering headquarters of the Lohar Society, symbolizing those ministers who frequently visited there. It usually implied a close financial relationship with the Lohar Society.

Though the Lohar Society was now a shadow of its former self, it still existed. The immense wealth it controlled was still enviable.

Under such a premise... the now innocuous Lohar Society had become an ATM. Currently leaderless, this conglomerate of merchant interests was plagued by constant infighting.

They lacked the enormous, shadowy control to turn their wealth into political influence. Now fully exposed, they were forced to continuously concede vast interests just to maintain their existence.

As a result, ministers who formerly took money from the Lohar Society still did so.

They could safely take even more money and gain more benefits than before, doing less—or nothing at all. Not destroying them was already considered friendly.

Perhaps with time, the merchants would gradually recover, but not just yet.

And with this tight union of interests, the influence of the Lohar-aligned Knights of the Round Table had not waned but grown. Led by the Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, Minister of Housing and Community Affairs, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Chairman of the Trade Committee, and the Maritime Minister, they had united more closely than ever, supporting each other on many matters.

Their main inclination was to promote open free trade, a free market, comprehensive tax reductions, and the advancement of the "Merchant Knight" system, which advocates for outstanding entrepreneurs to enter the Round Table Hall.

As the only commerce-engaging family among the Founding Families, the Moriarty Family was naturally part of this faction.

Due to the former Trade Minister Drost being under investigation, the position of Trade Minister had been awarded to another large faction opposed to them for balance by the queen.

This was the "Chocolate Club" led by the Prime Minister, also known as the Chocolate Faction.

Chocolate, this sweet treat, became popular in Avalon during the last days of the Helasal Empire. Due to high transportation costs, only a few knights had the power and wealth to taste this expensive delight. Thus, the "Chocolate Club" established during that period was meant only for old knights and Founding Families.

But just as chocolate gradually became accessible to the populace, the wealth once controlled by these knight families was increasingly held by commoners.

They were the knights who initially refused bribes from the Lohar Society. But this didn't mean they were incorruptible—their strategy was to suppress merchant power and trade, to vigorously prevent the establishment of "Merchant Knights," to demand taxation on merchants, and to demand increased welfare and income for the knights.

Tax increases and decreases, the viability of "Merchant Knights," restrictions on knights and their social welfare... these were enduring topics of discussion in the Round Table Hall.

Though these factions were informal, they were essentially embryonic political parties.

And for this reason, the personal stances of these knights were also unstable.

Their individual interests diverged; they each had their own methods for the same aims. This left space for discussion.

For instance, the Finance Minister favored taxing a wide range of valueless goods. He planned to tax matches and kerosene lamps from next spring—not only to further promote electric lights and balance the books through taxation but also to heighten people's subconscious resistance to taxes, thereby indirectly protecting merchants.

But what they were most unsure about was which faction the current "Minister of the Department of Care of Magical Creatures," deeply trusted by the queen, truly belonged to.

On one hand, he was the heir to the Moriarty Family, indeed its future head—while there had been no official ceremony, he might as well have been the current head. Naturally, he should belong to the Tower Faction.

Yet on the other hand, the continuous blows to the Tower Faction—the chairman and vice-chairman of the Lohar Society had been arrested, the Trade Minister and Minister of the Navy detained, and the Maritime Minister executed—had all come about through the direct interference of Aiwass Moriarty.

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Now, even the Minister of the Privy Council has been suppressed.

The loyalty of the Camelot family is beyond doubt. Among the twelve monarchs of Avalon to date, eight have had their Minister of the Privy Council from the Camelot family.

But he was assigned to the fifth position.

If it were any further back, one could interpret it as Queen Isabel favoring the Tower Faction, indicating that Avalon will lean toward peace and economic development. In that case, they would need to make certain concessions and self-transformations.

But the fifth position… is actually quite high.

The first four are precisely the "elderly nobles," the pillars of the nation, who belong to no particular faction. In other words, he is exactly the first one after those four fifth power level Transcendents.

"I think, Her Majesty Queen Isabel's attitude has already been very clear."

The Defense Minister, who still wore his armor even at a private meeting, said with a serious expression, "Before the Privy Council there are four Protectors." This means that while maintaining as fair a stance as possible, the monarch believes that "individual strength" is a more important factor.

"When the status of the four Protectors is higher than that of the Privy Council, it indicates that what Avalon needs most right now is a transcendent of the fifth power level."

"…Are you suggesting that the Queen is contemplating war?"

The Minister of Education asked in return.

"Considering the increase in military expenditure and the recruitment of more soldiers, I do not exclude this possibility. In fact, I would say it is quite probable."

The Defense Minister said in a grave tone, "Gentlemen, prepare for war."
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"At a time when Meg may very well have passed away?"

The newly appointed Minister of Commerce, Griffiths, couldn't help but question, "Don't you think we have no chance of winning?"

"I'm wondering if there's a possibility," the Minister of the Privy Council said slowly, "that although Her Majesty didn't have an affinity with the Path of Authority in her youth, it doesn't mean she can't awaken to this path later?

"Just as some of us have awakened to the Path of Wisdom or the Path of Dusk in our old age. These are all influences of later experiences.

"Although we all say that Queen Isabel might be the only Du Lac who couldn't inherit the Path of Authority… her blood is, after all, the Blood of Du Lac. What if she awakens to it later?"

The elder spoke leisurely, "My old peers, don't speak too definitively. Who could have imagined before today that Queen Isabel would have such a demeanor at her first Round Table meeting? And Miss Ligeia might not necessarily be less capable than Meg."

"I think it's not about whether she can measure up or not."

The Minister of Commerce interjected, "It's that 'just a possibility of being inferior' means certain inferiority. Meg was indeed powerful, but our peace is maintained not because Meg has defeated all enemies. It is because the people of Antimony and the Irisflower People won't act against us simply knowing we have Meg."

"Whether Ligeia has the power of Meg or not—of course, she probably does not—but even if she truly did, it would be useless because she is ultimately another person. Her name doesn't intimidate anybody, and that could lead to war.

"Once war breaks out, it could be too late. Today's Antimony is different from Irisflower twenty years ago; Antimony has a strong internal demand for war."

Griffiths cautioned, "Once they start, they will never stop. Because if they do, they will collapse on their own. So, the moment war breaks out, it's a battle for survival."

Before being appointed Minister of Commerce by the Queen, he was a diplomatic envoy at the embassy in Antimony. He was recalled after the deterioration of Antimony's diplomatic attitude. Now that the diplomatic relations between Antimony and Avalon have improved, Griffiths, who has friendly ties with Antimony, was appointed by Queen Sofia as the new Minister of Commerce to negotiate a new trade agreement.

Therefore, Minister Griffiths may be the one who understands the Antimony Kingdom best among all present.

"What are you suggesting, then?"

The Defense Minister said sarcastically, "Raise our hands and surrender?"

He has never liked Minister Griffiths.

Perhaps it was due to the many years spent in Antimony, but Griffiths exhibited a strong Antimony style. Without the firm stance and courage of a knight, he seemed overtly cautious. And for no reason, he enjoyed boasting about the strengths and advancements of the Antimony people—which greatly annoyed the Defense Minister.

"We could very well direct them to fight against Irisflower."

Minister Griffiths said in a low voice, "And we can offer clandestine assistance—to both Antimony and Irisflower. As long as the Antimony people believe they can triumph, they will not cease their war; and as long as they fail to conquer persistently, they are very likely to fall apart on their own."

"A very good proposal."

Minister Camelot said leisurely, "But this matter must be decided by Her Majesty the Queen."

"Is it to be decided by Queen Isabel, or by Minister Moriarty?"

Minister Griffiths said with a tinge of sarcasm, "Are you truly unaware, or are you pretending not to be aware? Today's attitude of Her Majesty was so unusual, it was clearly well-prepared. Last night, Minister Moriarty was with Her Majesty, and yet he is not here today—did the Queen not say that he was unwell? He is a Priest!

"In Antimony, this would be called meddling in the affairs of the harem. Whom are you truly loyal to, Queen Isabel or Minister Moriarty?"