“I never said the investigation was over.”

As I opened my mouth to speak, everyone who had been talking among themselves turned their heads to look at me.

And in their gazes, there was a desperate look directed towards me.

“I became aware of the abnormalities in the East a few months ago.”

“How did Your Highness come to know about the abnormalities in the East?”

“As you all know, I own a trading company, don’t I? I received a report from there and after reporting to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, I supported doctors, pharmacists, food from the trading company, and necessary relief supplies.”

And now, I have received a report that the situation has somewhat subsided.

As I continued to speak, the expressions of those who had been constantly voicing their opposition, including Duke Ballua, gradually hardened.

They probably didn’t expect that everything had already ended.

After all, how could the Crown Prince hastily bring up an agenda at the nobles’ council meeting without proper investigation?

I inwardly sneered at those who only saw what was right in front of them and failed to see what was important.

“Moreover, the dispatched doctors have jointly reported that this is clearly an epidemic, and those present here are all individuals who have been proven by those doctors to have no symptoms related to the disease.”

So there is no chance of getting infected here, but it was obvious they wouldn’t believe me even if I said something like that.

I added with a slight sneer.

“Ah, and according to what has been revealed so far, there has never been a case of infection from being in the same space, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

Don’t be unnecessarily scared and just do what you’re supposed to do properly.

As I spoke with a slightly forceful voice, some nobles who made eye contact with me coughed awkwardly.

I guess they think they made a fuss over nothing.

Still, it’s fortunate that there are people with a conscience left.

Thinking that, I took out the documents I had received from Deimar a few days ago.

“These are the reports I have received on the situation in the East. You can probably guess the severity of the situation just by skimming through them, so I won’t say much.”

As I took out the documents, the attendants who had been preparing in advance distributed the materials to the nobles one by one.

Those who know how to properly read documents would have sufficiently understood with just this much explanation.

Supporting the East is not a matter of dividing opinions between agreement and opposition, but a matter of discussing the scale and method to take.

And what would happen if support is not provided to the current East.

It was when everyone was looking through the materials I had distributed.

“The East is hell, Your Highness.”

Deimar, who had been quietly listening to what I was saying, opened his mouth.

And with those words, the gazes of those who had their eyes fixed on the documents shifted.

“Struggling to survive the epidemic has become as natural as breathing now.”

Deimar’s confession, which began like that, made everyone in the room stir again.

“Children who have lost their parents to the disease can live with their relatives if they are lucky, but those who can’t are driven out to the streets, and if they are unlucky, they become the playthings of vile individuals.”

He didn’t seem to care much about how many people have died from the current epidemic or how many have been cured and are living.

He just seemed desperate to restore the lives of the people that have now been ruined.

“Even with my power as a lord, there are limits. Fortunately, some of the people from the Jenit Trading Company and the imperial knights sent by Your Highness are working hard to help, but there is no other answer than support to restore this state where daily life has collapsed.”

Deimar continued in a serious voice, saying that sufficient manpower, supplies, and time are needed.

“I do not want to see any more victims, Your Highness. You may think that enduring this much is enough, but we can only say that we have completely escaped from the disease when daily life is restored.”

So please help us.

Deimar, who finished speaking, bowed his head deeply.

And following him, everyone from the East bowed their heads towards where the nobles were seated, ultimately towards the seat where Leoprick was sitting.

The people of the East, known for being militant and progressive.

Among them, Alex Deimar, who is said to be the most Eastern-like among the successive leaders, bowed his head in front of the nobles to save the people of his territory.

Some of them clicked their tongues at him, saying he lacked dignity, but most of the nobles had a deeply impressed look on their faces.

Perhaps some of them might follow his example in the future, thinking that a true lord should be like that.

I looked at him with a faint smile, inwardly predicting the distant future.

“Until now, with the help of His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, the Jenit Trading Company has been providing necessary supplies, but it is impossible for a single company to continue providing support indefinitely.”

I put down the documents I was holding and looked around at those sitting nearby.

“Therefore, I would like to receive voluntary support from families to assist the East at this meeting today.”

At my words that pierced through the silence, the hall, which had settled down for a moment, began to stir again.

I guess they feel like they can put down the burden on their minds when they hear the word ‘voluntary’?

But just receiving volunteers is not enough.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have come here.

I looked around at the quiet surroundings and grinned.

“If there are no volunteers, I will personally determine the order. If you have any complaints, you can speak directly to His Majesty.”

As I said that with a smile, everyone turned their gazes to different places.

Everyone is fine with gathering in a group and cursing, but when asked to talk one-on-one, they quickly tuck their tails and shut up.

After looking at these cowardly individuals, I turned my head towards Deimar.

“So, Duke Deimar, you can also raise your head now and…”

“That cannot be, Your Highness!”

It was then.

Suddenly, Duke Ballua jumped up from his seat as if he was hitting the desk.

“Your Highness, even if His Highness the Crown Prince’s trading company has confirmed it, they are ultimately just the personnel of a trading company.”

The moment I heard the loud banging sound and his resonant voice that interrupted me without any fear.

I heard the sound of something snapping, holding on to something.

“How can you handle such a big matter as if you are forcing it without re-confirming the skills of those dispatched from a mere trading company?”

But Duke Ballua, who was unaware of my state, continued to reverberate through the conference hall with an increasingly louder voice.

So, the gist of what he’s saying now is.

“In other words, you are saying that you cannot trust the words of His Highness the Crown Prince and want to start the investigation from the beginning, Duke Ballua.”

“Yes! That’s what I’m…”

“How impudent.”

But before I could open my mouth first, Father opened his mouth first.

And with a rarely heard angry voice at that.

“How dare you. Not only do you doubt His Highness the Crown Prince’s abilities and authority, but you also want to waste unnecessary manpower? In this situation that seems urgent at a glance?”

“Watch your words, Chancellor! I’m not saying we should be more cautious! This massive support is being provided without any investigation…”

“Are you trying to do business with the lives of the people now?”

But Father’s anger is Father’s anger, and I have to resolve my own anger.

I quietly listened to Ballua’s words and then spat out a voice filled with a sneer.

Are you saying that you’re making such a fuss here just because you can’t bear to spend a few coins?

“I was going to personally form an investigation team if the doubts raised on this matter were reasonable and made sense, but… Your words now are nothing more than saying that you can’t bear to spend the precious money that will be used for the East, right?”

“Do not misinterpret my words, Your Highness the Crown Prince! I was merely suggesting that we should be more cautious. After all, isn’t it a matter involving the national treasury!”

“National treasury. What national treasury are you talking about?”

“Pardon?”

Would you look at that?

Could it be that he thought the national treasury was involved in this matter and was trying to find fault with me or Leoprick somehow?

I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity.

“Does that mean you are implying that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince used the national treasury without any confirmation? Are you trying to portray him as such a rash and foolish person?”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

“But what can we do about it.”

He picked the wrong fight, and he picked it terribly wrong at that.

To think he would do such a foolish thing as baring his teeth on a matter involving me and the Jenit Trading Company, of all people.

I glared at him with sharp eyes and slowly spat out each syllable.

“The money that went into this support came entirely from our company and my private property.”

So, are you saying that I squandered my personal funds to deliberately send people whose abilities have not even been verified?

As my voice slowly continued, his face turned pale.

He looked down on me so much earlier.

I guess he now realizes he’s been properly hit.

I looked at Duke Ballua, who couldn’t even think of any further rebuttal and only moved his lips before lowering his gaze.

And I turned my gaze again to look at the other nobles who seemed confused.

“If anyone has any further objections, speak now. I will clear up any remaining doubts you have.”

As I slowly swept my gaze around the conference hall, the nobles flinched and avoided eye contact.

In the end, they tuck their tails and back down like this.

I clicked my tongue softly, feeling Duke Ballua glaring at me as if his eyes were about to pop out.

I also felt the gaze mixed with support and concern that Father, who was sitting across from him, was sending towards me.

As I cast my gaze a little further, I saw Deimar, who had straightened his back and stood up at some point, bowing his head slightly towards me.

The knights of the East standing behind him did the same.

With a distinctly different expression and gaze from when they bowed their heads to the nobles earlier, asking for a favor, they bowed their heads to me.

Seeing that, I felt it was worth enduring some friction and going through the trouble of arranging this meeting.

In my previous life, I would have tried to trample on them and threaten them to forcibly create results, but this life was different.

I finally obtained the results I truly wanted without any threats or submission, using what I had built up until now.

While taking on conflicts and risks, which I had never done even once in my previous life.