Edward tried to relax his facial muscles to keep his expression from wavering.

Certainly, Evan’s words were not wrong.

After the article about Winston’s approach came out, there wasn’t a single company approaching them, perhaps calculating that there wouldn’t be enough quantity for them from the start.

But that was the story up until now, when he hadn’t shown any particular gestures. Edward spoke in a relaxed tone, trying his best to maintain a composed expression.

“That may be true so far. But you seem to be mistaken about something. One article about a fallout due to discord can quickly turn the tables.”

“Well. It would be great if they could cover in detail how the discord occurred. Demanding an excessive amount from Allen Company… You could become a scoundrel trying to do business with the country’s security at stake.”

To say that what I demanded was an excessive amount was nonsense.

But in the end, articles were bound to be distorted depending on whose side they were written from. Edward clenched his teeth.

“For the same reason, it seems it would be difficult for you to reach out abroad? Above all, I don’t think His Highness the Prince will just sit back and watch.”

Evan spoke as if to show off, shrugging his shoulders. Edward gritted his teeth at the blatant display of his friendship with the prince.

“If you want to resolve this issue, I’ll make you a proposal.”

Evan said with a very friendly smile.

“Divorce Louisa. Then I’ll give you up to the 50 million you mentioned.”

“Ha.”

Edward let out a hollow laugh.

“It seems you haven’t grasped the situation properly yet. In the end, I decide who and what to do with my research.”

“I never denied that. I’m just saying that Mr. Allen will end up choosing the only option available to him.”

“There’s the option of burying all the research without giving it to anyone, Lord Winston.”

“That is, if Lord Ernst allows it.”

Evan said with a triumphant expression.

“Lord Ernst, the major investor in Allen Company, is not the type to tolerate such a thing. Well then, I wish you the best of luck in your efforts, Mr. Allen.”

Evan stood up from his seat.

“It seems we’ve finished our talk for today. Contact me when you’ve made up your mind to make a choice. I’ll always be waiting with pleasure.”

Evan tipped his hat slightly, bowing gracefully, and left the conference room.

Edward sat in the conference room chair for a long time after Evan left, with his arms on his knees, staring into space.

Gilford glanced at him.

He seemed to be deeply contemplating something. It was better than lying around without any thoughts or motivation, but the current situation wasn’t exactly good.

Gilford sat next to him and carefully broached the subject.

“Sir. You need to decide on a direction to take.”

Edward asked without even turning his head at his words.

“About what? Whether to fight or not?”

“Of course, we must fight unconditionally. The conditions Winston is offering are such that even if we make a deal, we’ll lose.”

“That’s right.”

Edward nodded slowly. He unclasped his hands and straightened his back and chest as he spoke.

“So let’s handle everything from start to finish ourselves.”

“Pardon?”

Gilford questioned, unable to follow the context. Edward, who had been sitting for a long time, seemed to have stiff muscles as he pulled his arms to stretch while speaking.

“Find all the shipping companies we could acquire, including those in other countries near Etrania.”

“Acquire… Are you serious, sir?”

“No matter how much I think about it, this is the only way.”

It was true that supplying engines to other domestic companies was unlikely, as Winston had said.

But he couldn’t just be a puppet in his palm. If that happened, the whole company might end up in Winston’s jaws later. That was out of the question.

His research and company belonged to his wife.

“If there are no domestic companies to work with, we can just create one, and if we can’t work with foreign companies, we can make them not foreign. That’s all there is to it.”

Gilford swallowed dryly. Although it would take an enormous amount of effort to make it happen, the expansion on a different scale from before made his heart flutter.

“I’ll make it succeed even if I have to use my personal funds. I was considering it anyway, so I should thank him for giving me the opportunity.”

“Understood.”

“And for now, release an article. About how much effort this research took, and how unfavorable the conditions I was offered were. No need to go through major newspapers, just have it published in a few places that would come when we call. Make them think we’re eager to deal with Winston.”

“Yes. I’ll start by having articles published in the places we can contact.”

“Then I’ll be leaving for a while.”

At his words, Gilford asked.

“Where are you going?”

Edward said as he slipped his arms into his coat.

“Tanasbanian.”

During lunch break in the middle of the college day.

Two college professors, one outpatient, and a professor’s relative were hitting balls and chatting on the grass court behind the engineering college.

“Why do I, ugh, have to be here right now?”

“Why? Ugh! Because Louisa wants to learn!”

“Wants to learn? You’re the one who dragged her out here!”

Bang!

Daniel said as he sent the ball flying into the net instead of returning it.

As the ball got caught in the net, Julia grumbled that he really couldn’t hit it. Of course, Daniel scolded her for not being able to distinguish that he had deliberately hit it there.

Louisa burst into laughter at the sight of the two who seemed like sworn enemies.

They were too far away to hear exactly what the two were saying, but judging by the atmosphere, they were clearly bickering about something again.

Evan, who had been watching her laughing face with fondness, moved in front of her.

As he approached, blocking her view, Louisa looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

“Evan?”

“How about it?”

He pointed with his chin towards Julia’s racket placed in a corner.

“Want to learn? Those two seem to be having fun, and I can teach you the basics too.”

Louisa chuckled at his suggestion and said.

“A businessman who easily handles tens of millions of eta a day is an unpaid instructor here. It’s truly something everyone would be surprised about.”

“That means it’s a special lesson. I hope you’ll consider it an honor.”

Evan said playfully.

However, Louisa now seemed to clearly understand the subtle expectation mixed in his joke.

Instead of answering, she asked something she had been curious about for a while.

“But it’s really amazing. Everyone’s so busy they can’t leave the capital, yet you’re here almost every day.”

“It would be a lie to say I’m not busy… But there’s such a thing as work priorities, you know.”

Evan thought this was his chance.

“You’re my top priority, Louisa.”

Louisa’s expression hardened. Evan said with a good-natured smile.

“You’re going through a tough time as my one and only friend. Of course I should help you first.”

He looked at her with the kind smile he always showed to the nobles.

“A big flaw has appeared, but don’t worry, Louisa. I’m still fine with it.”

Flaw.

Louisa stiffened her face as she read the word that shouldn’t have been in his statement.

But Evan thought as he watched her expression. That fate was surely helping him.

The Allen couple had been on bad terms for a while, and it had intensified recently. This could be sufficiently inferred from the fact that Louisa wasn’t meeting her husband at all.

But while everyone was turning their backs on Averitt, their family didn’t ignore Daniel, and as a result, Louisa came to rely on him, staying in his embrace.

He had also found a clue about the submarine, which had been his long-cherished wish, and was even given the opportunity to obtain it almost for free.

Not only that. As a flaw appeared in her, he was able to stand in an advantageous position.

“I’ll help you a lot. This is a place I often come to anyway.”

He was a person destined to succeed.

Evan thought so and smiled.

Just as Louisa was about to open her mouth to say something.

Daniel, who had sent the ball flying far away with a smash regardless of what Julia was saying from afar, approached them waving his racket.

He stood in front of his sister, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Louisa.”

Louisa composed her expression. She shouldn’t let her brother see what she had seen.

“Something came up, so I don’t think I’ll be able to go look at the party dress we promised this week. Since it’s come to this, shall we go up to the capital together on the weekend to look?”

“Yes. That’s fine with me. I’m looking forward to that too in its own way.”

She said with a bright smile. But then Evan interrupted their conversation.

“Brother. Then I could go along.”

“You?”

Daniel questioned.

It was only when Louisa saw Daniel’s gaze that she realized Evan had said something.

Even if she learned lip-reading, when so many people gathered like this, it was difficult to follow the flow of conversation because she couldn’t tell who was speaking first.

“Yes. You’re talking about Earl Portland’s party, right? I have some business to attend to anyway, so I’ll take care of Louisa and come back.”

Louisa twitched the corner of her mouth at the word ‘take care of’ that followed her name.

Julia, who had belatedly retrieved the ball, watched their conversation with interested eyes.

Louisa shook her head and said.

“No. Let’s go to the capital together on the weekend, brother. I was hoping to visit Ernest while we’re there.”

“Is that so? If that’s what you want, then let’s do that.”

At Daniel’s answer, Evan visibly looked disappointed.

However, Julia, who had quietly observed all the conversation, mocked her brother and went back to the lab, taking her racket with her.