This is a story of which happened when economic sanctions were placed upon Liam.

The Seventh Weapons Factory which Liam frequented had received several orders from the Empire regarding how they should conduct transactions.

Tax will be raised if you receive commissions from the Banfield Family.

Do not buy rare metals from the Banfield Family.

Postpone any orders from the Banfield Family.

The instructions that were detailed and extensive, to say the least.

Niass expression turned cold.

Count Banfield is the only frequent customer that we have! Theres nothing to postpone since we dont receive that many orders!

The Seventh Weapons Factory was not popular in the Empire as it manufactured weapons that always prioritized functionality over anything else.

Liam had been purchasing their products simply because the Seventh Weapons Factory was where Avid, his mobile knight, was made.

We wont be conducting any more transactions with you because the Empire told us so!

If they said this, the Seventh Weapons Factory was bound to face astronomical losses.

To being with, its not like they ever provide us with any rare metals! Whenever they get money, they purchase things from the more popular Weapons Factories!

It pissed her off greatly.

A junior who had been watching silently asked what they should do in the future.

How should we proceed? Were supposed to deliver three fortress-class battleships to the Banfields before the end of this year!

For the Seventh Weapons Factory, Liam was their number one customer who never hesitated to swipe his card.

Asking them to cut off their relationship with Liam was absurd.

The Seventh Weapons Factory would be finished the moment they did so.

Those orders were placed before the instructions from above arrived.

But today, we also received a commission asking us for 1000 battleships to be prepared.

Those battleships were meant to be for Cedric.

Since theyll be sent to the military, we can manufacture them under the militarys name.

Are we allowed to do that?

Of course not! However, well be dead meat if we cut off our relationship with the Count!

There was a reason why Nias was clinging to Liam.

It was because she was trying to develop a next-generation battleship.

When she attempted to build a prototype without holding anything back, she figured out that she would need a ridiculous amount of rare metals.

Within the Empire, nobody except Liam could prepare such an extraordinary amount.

There were other aristocrats who owned rare metals, but with the exception of Liam, no one was willing to invest such a huge amount of rare metals on her hobbies.

For personal reasons, Nias could not turn her back on Liam.

Senior, youre being too reckless trying to finish that battleship of yours!

Im betting my life on that child! Even if its the last thing I do, Ill make sure that this plan succeeds!

The battleship that Nias was developing contained all of the best technologies that the Seventh Weapons Factory had to offer.

She wanted the battleship to be completed no matter what.

Are you sure about this?

Were in a bad position, but theres little we can do about it. Besides, the tables will turn in the near future. If you stress yourself out every time this kind of thing occurs, you wont be able to last long.

Events such as this were not uncommon in the vast Empire.

Even the Berkely Family which commanded tremendous authority was easily annihilated by Liam.

The situation was always changing.

Nias suddenly received a call by Liam.

Ah, Lord Liam~~

Nias answered the call like a cat and requested Liam for rare metals.

Nias wants rare metals~~~

Her junior stared at her behaving in this manner with a distant look in their eyes.

Liam, who was on the other side of the screen, also looked at her with exasperated eyes.

Didnt I send them to you a while back?

I want more! I want to try out a new technology!

Youre always like thisugh, whatever. Ill send some more. So, how are the constructions of the fortress-class battleships going?

Theyre about 60% done. We dont have enough manpower to simultaneously build three ships.

Im understaffed here as well, so I guess a little bit of delay is fine.

Liam then asked Nias about Avid.

Putting that aside, hows Avid?

He had requested the Seventh Weapons Factory to perform a detailed inspection of Avid which had taken in the Machine Heart.

Nias put on her serious face.

There wasnt anything wrong in particular. Nevertheless, I found something interesting.

Interesting?

I believe it wont affect Avids functionality as a mobile knight, but the Machine Heart is gradually eroding Avid. More precisely speaking, the Machine Heart is merging with Avids nervous system and trying to become one with Avid.

Would that pose any problem?

No. In fact, Avids performance has been improving as of late and will continue to improve in the future. Think of it as a mobile knight that has the potential to grow stronger.

Thats kind of romantic

Oh, you understand? Its romantic, right!?

The two became enthralled over the topic of Avid and ended the call after a brief talk about sending more rare metals.

When their conversation was over, Niass junior asked worriedly, Will this be alright? You just bought rare metals from the Count, you know?

Huh? Youre wrong. Im receiving rare metals from him. That means Im getting them for free!

In exchange for inspecting Avid, that is. Regardless, the Count found something truly amazing. I always thought the Machine Heart was something that only appears in legends.

I agree. Its a pity he used it before he told me about it. The Machine HeartI wouldve loved to have seen it. And studied it. And dismantled it.

Niass junioragreed with her words.

In the end, they were birds of a feather.

I know right!

____________________________________________________

Brian (): This marks the end of Volume 5. Thank you everyone for joining us on this journey. Although nothing about Volume 6 has been decided yet, I trust that well meet again someday.

Wakagi-chan (): Not yet! I still have things left to do! If you found the story interesting, please dont forget to comment down below what you thought! Also, please leave a review! Make sure to spread words about Naegi-chans achievements to the

()~;): Ugyaaa!!