Within the peaceful Imperial Audience Room…

Wolfgang Rui sat with a grim expression, waiting for the Crown Prince, his mind racing.

‘The rumors must have reached him…’

After all, an unfortunate event had occurred. Wolfgang knew the Crown Prince’s attitude would likely change. Perhaps today’s audience would even be canceled, he thought as he clenched his eyes shut in the heavy silence.

“Damn it…”

The western sea had frozen over. The western canal, the Empire’s largest trade route, where tens of millions of gold moved daily, had completely iced up.

The canal showed no signs of thawing, and the losses …