The Extra's Role is Too My Taste (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 77

“Trade with the South,” River mused, recalling days long past.

Before the Empire had even escalated matters to outright war, how desperately had the North pleaded with the South for food supplies?

Though nominally part of the Empire, the South was a region with strong autonomous characteristics—much like the North itself.

Yet the South showed no mercy toward the North’s plight—likely because they were wary of drawing the Empire’s ire.

“It’s because the North lacked goods tempting enough to defy the Empire.”

They had already traded away nearly all their gems and precious metals, leaving their reserves utterly depleted. Even those transactions had been conducted quietly and covertly out of fear of the Emperor’s scrutiny, forcing them to sell at pitifully low prices, with bitter tears in their eyes.

Once even those reserves ran dry, the South simply turned its back on the North.

Well, fair enough. River understood. Had he been in their position, he might well have made the same choice—to protect the South by ignoring the North.

Precisely because of that, he could never have imagined relying on trade with the South as a viable solution.

“But what if it succeeds?”

For several years now, famine had plagued the North—yet during that same period, the South, blessed with a warm climate and abundant rainfall, enjoyed plentiful harvests.

If they could secure a trade deal enticing enough for the South, then even if famine struck the North again, it wouldn’t be left utterly devastated as it was now.

River still judged this trade proposal as uncertain—success remained far from guaranteed.

Perhaps a 50% chance of success? Still, that was fifty times higher than the previous probability, which had been less than 1%.

Without a doubt, it was Brody who had inspired that renewed confidence.

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