Volume 4 Chapter 41: Do you regret it?

"Don't look at me like that, I know what you are thinking."

When Seveni looked at the smiling Xu Yi, she couldn't help rolling her eyes at him.

"Relax, I came this time not to ask you why you stopped cooperating with the magic machine industry management department. Rather this isn't your first time doing something no one can understand, I'm already used to it."

"Oh? Is that so?" Xu Yi was a bit surprised, "Since you aren't here for this matter, dear highness, what did you come all the way to the Stantine Duchy to see me for?"

"Other than official business, I can't come and see you?" Seveni snappily said.

"Private business?" Xu Yi was more confused, "What private business do you have with me?"

"Because it's a matter of my territory, it can be considered my private business." Seveni replied, "Didn't we reach an agreement last time that you would help me build a small production base in my territory? I didn't have time before when I was the Banta City's City Lord, so now that I've resigned from being the City Lord for half a year, there shouldn't be a problem. So aren't I here to ask you when you're planning on officially starting?"

"Oh? This, it's simple." Xu Yi nodded and said with a relaxed look, "Our company is very skilled in building production bases. Your territory isn't big and there aren't many citizens, so there aren't any strict demands. It should be easy to build one. But Seveni, have you thought of the most important choice of the production base?"

"Un, I've already considered it very clearly. My territory doesn't have rich resources, so it isn't good to process materials. Moreover, I don't have many people, so I can't work in components that require a lot of manpower. So after thinking about it, I've decided that this is the best. Take a look....."

Seveni took out a document and Xu Yi was surprised when he looked it over.

"I say, your highness.....you are planning to steal business from me?"

This document had Seveni's plan to create a large fruit production base on her private territory, then she would build a large canned fruit factory and a large fruit juice factory.

Only the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was involved in these two businesses because the other companies weren't interested since they thought the profit margins weren't high.

Now that Seveni wanted to join these two industries, naturally it was equal to stealing business from the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.

"How can this be considered stealing?" Seveni revealed a rather sly smile, "Don't forget, you've said many times to me that we shouldn't let people snatch pieces of the same cake, rather we should make his cake bigger so everyone could eat their fill? I'm joining now not to steal this cake from you."

Xu Yi shook his head with a bitter smile, "Alright, then how about you tell me how I can make this cake bigger? Right now the Lampuri Kingdom has a limited average living standard, there's no increase in demand for canned fruits or fruit juice and the market of a rich city like Banta City is saturated. We went all out in expanding the market, but we have no ways."

"The Lampuri Kingdom is saturated, then we should look outside the Lampuri Kingdom. Don't you normally do this?" Seveni asked back, "Don't look at me like this, I know that your Frestech Chamber of Commerce doesn't have the right to sell goods to other countries, but I am different. I am the princess, I still have this bit of privilege."

Xu Yi couldn't help muttering, "Damn privilege."

Seeing Xu Yi's unconvinced expression, Seveni couldn't help laughing before giving a sigh.

"Who told you to give up your title as a noble? Moreover, you broke the contract on your own and stopped cooperating with the magic machine industry management department. Your Frestech Chamber of Commerce enjoyed many benefits, but your decision has angered many people in the Lampuri Kingdom. Even I can't talk to them for you."

"I know that you would be unable to let this go." Xu Yi shook his head and gave a sigh, "Alright, since you can't help mentioning it, then I'll explain. When I chose to cooperate with the department, it was because the situation forced me and because I already decided to transfer the technology to develop the magic machine industry in the kingdom. This was something that I think that you should already know about."

"Un, I know your desire." Seveni said with a look of regret, "But it's a pity that big brother Eric and many people in the kingdom can't understand your ideas. Even if they didn't force you, you would have released this technology sooner or later. Now that they have snatched this from you, I'm very dissatisfied and I've complained to big brother Eric many times."

"Many thanks for your care and help." Xu Yi nodded with a faint smile, "But these two aren't the main reasons. The main reason I decided to cooperate with them was because our Frestech Chamber of Commerce wasn't prepared before."

"Not prepared?" Seveni knit her brows and looked at Xu Yi in surprise, "This means.....that you're prepared now? So you decided to break this cooperation? Xu Yi, do you know the seriousness of this? Do you know that because of your decision, many nobles behind those ten companies suffered large losses. The powerful people in the kingdom have decided to use forceful methods against your Frestech Chamber of Commerce."

"Forceful methods?" Xu Yi gave a laugh, "You think.....their methods before were gentle? Although it was considered cooperation, how was it any different from stealing?"

Seveni was silent for a while before saying with a sigh, "No matter what, Xu Yi, you're too impulsive this time. I don't know what you've prepared, but you've offended the most powerful people in the kingdom this time. Your company's days in the kingdom will be very hard, it might even be possible.....that you can't stay open anymore."

"Is that so?" Xu yi didn't look worried at all. He spread his hands and gave a shrug as he said in a strangely relaxed voice, "It's fine if we can't stay open. If they feel that this is for the best for them and the Lampuri Kingdom, I don't care."

Seveni deeply knit her brows, "Xu Yi, what are you thinking? Wasn't the Frestech Chamber of Commerce single handedly created by you, the treasure in your palm? Could it be that you're giving it up?"

"No, no, no, Seveni, I think you've made a mistake." Xu Yi shook his finger, "I'm not giving up on the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, rather the Frestech Chamber of Commerce in the Lampuri Kingdom. Do you understand the difference?"

Seveni's expression became a bit ugly.

"Are you really planning on giving up on the Lampuri Kingdom? No! You can't do this! Xu Yi, don't forget, Banta City's prosperity was brought by your Frestech Chamber of Commerce. You giving up on the industry you've set up in the Lampuri Kingdom is giving up on the people of Banta City!"

"You're exaggerating too much. The Frestech Chamber of Commerce is just a normal company and I'm just a normal merchant, I can't take that heavy responsibility. Moreover, as for giving up......" Xu Yi gave a cold laugh, "Your highness, compared to how you gave up, this can't be considered anything, right?"

Seveni trembled and her agitated look calmed down, as her expression became more pale.

After a while, Seveni gave a long sigh.

"Xu Yi, you've finally said your true feelings. You're not happy that I gave up the throne in the end, right? You hate me in your heart, right?"

Xu Yi slowly shook his head, "That isn't accurate. I am unhappy since I have imagined many times that after you took the throne, with how you supported the magic machine industry, my dream would have become a reality. However, you gave up the throne just like that, how could I be unhappy? As for hatred.....it isn't that far."

"Really?"

"Really." Xu Yi gave a serious nod, "I've said it, no matter what the decision is, it is your decision, I don't have the right to interfere. If you're talking about hate, there are many people in the kingdom more qualified. But at this time, I have something that I can't help asking. Seveni, when you made this decision, did you really not regret it?"

Seveni had a pained look on her face. After struggling for a bit, she shook her head and said with a sigh, "I don't know....."

"You really don't know? Xu Yi asked back, "Your highness, I'm afraid you're just not willing to face the truth, right? How Banta City has changed compared to when you were the City Lord, I don't think you don't know. Think about it, if our Frestech Chamber of Commerce continued staying in Banta City, what would it look like now?"

The pain on Seveni's face deepened and she struggled to refute, "I think.....no matter what, it is better than having civil strife......"

Xu Yi gave a sigh and shook his head, not willing to continue discussing this.

The position he had was different from Seveni. To him, if the Lampuri Kingdom wanted to become stronger, it had to change. The most possible change was Seveni taking the throne, supporting the development of the magic machine industry to change the kingdom.

But to Seveni, she didn't want to cause civil strife and put the stability of the kingdom first.

It can't be said that this idea was wrong since now that Eric had taken the throne, the kingdom had fallen into the control of the stubborn nobles that had supported him to the throne.

The so-called support of the magic machine industry was to gather wealth for them through those ten companies.

It was impossible for Seveni not to see this, but she didn't have the decisiveness that Xu Yi hoped for.

Of course, if she really had this character, she wouldn't have given up on the throne in the first place.

Comparing Seveni to Anklo he met just a few days ago, Xu Yi couldn't help sighing.

If he could combine the personality of the two together, that really would be perfect.

Of course that was impossible. Xu Yi could only dream about this, but he gave up on this fantasy. He looked at the sky outside before standing up.

"Alright, let's not talk about these meaningless things. Seveni, it's about time, let's head out together. For this joint operation, you are the commander in name."