Chapter 71 For some reason, Belle could sense things from her lover's expression...

The carriage swayed on the plain, and eventually drove deep into the heart of Belai.

Belae, the land of a thousand lakes and also known as the ocean nation, has an excellent outlet to the sea.

Many of her city-states were even built on small islands, and the royal capital, Feli, was built along the sea, like a seashell washed out by ocean currents.

Therefore, Bailey's shipbuilding industry was highly developed, and its use of tools was exceptional.

Belai's geographical conditions are considered exceptionally favorable by later generations; its people could live a life of plenty simply through fishing and maritime trade.

Unfortunately, the lives of the Belairans are rather awkward in this era.

Fish resources are finite, and people cannot eat only fish. The abundance of aquatic resources has led to a significant decline in their agricultural industry.

A large part of Belair's land must be reserved for human habitation, and the remaining part is not very suitable for growing food, but more suitable for growing cash crops.

Freshwater lakes are theoretically ideal for irrigation, but the fertile fields are very narrow and are frequently flooded by diverted river water.

The people of the Moonlit Continent have no concept of intensive farming or building water conservancy projects to combat nature. They sow seeds in the first year, harvest nothing in the second, and how much iron will it take before they dare to continue planting in the third year?

Therefore, the Belai people's survival is extremely dependent on trade. They are the most commercially oriented nation on the Moonstorm Continent, and their merchants hold a very high status.

Belaine also has royalty and nobility, but his most suitable identity is that of a wealthy merchant.

Eleanor used the Marigold Merchant Guild's name to gather intelligence and sell the goods carried by the caravan along the way. By the time she reached the vicinity of Felli, she still made a considerable profit after deducting the costs of food, drink, and entertainment.

Moreover, in order to temporarily conceal her identity, she did not bring many Enlin specialties, such as glass, porcelain, silk, and some seasonings.

......

Upon entering Belgrade, your nasal passages will feel very moist, and even the wind blowing in your face will have a slightly salty taste.

Swipe—

Andra drew back the curtains and patted the window: "Eleanor, is that the sea over there?"

"Yes, we're almost at Felli."

Eleanor was sitting perfectly fine in her seat when the young man next to her suddenly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into his arms.

"Your Highness, are you planning to visit the new king of Belai?"

As Andra chatted, he hooked her chin with his finger, as if petting a cat.

Eleanor was momentarily distracted but didn't push her fingers away, and began to discuss the matter seriously.

“Yes. Let’s go see their newly appointed king; it’ll make the report we write for Mother look better.”

Their way of addressing King Belai was somewhat ambiguous, using both "king" and "ruler" interchangeably.

When referring to King Hetuya and King Nolana, people usually assume they are kings, while the kings of some smaller countries are often called rulers.

Belai is actually not small. If all the city-states, including the lake, were connected, they would resemble a stretcher version of Norlanda, cut in half.

Is Bele is poor? No, it's not poor. How could a place teeming with wealthy merchants be poor?

The reason why Queen Bala's position is awkward is because her power is very loose.

The nobles of Belai are different from those of other countries; they change frequently, and the transfer of status does not entirely depend on blood ties.

The various city-states within it practiced the earliest forms of democracy, preferring to elect wealthy merchants as new city lords.

The power of these city lords often changed hands. In order to maintain stability, they often belonged to the same merchant guild. Therefore, the power could also be regarded as being passed down by "selecting the worthy" within the same merchant guild.

This peculiar tradition has placed the Belial royal family in a very awkward position.

They have seized a great deal of state-owned assets and can be considered the wealthiest business owners in Belly.

But Queen Belai may not be the best businessman of all; her "merchant guild" privileges are rather ridiculous compared to the powers of other kings.

As a result, the outside world naturally has little interest in the change of leadership of King Belle.

Putting everything else aside, what if King Agnuar of Hetuya suddenly died, and Eleanor and Andra were on their way to Hetuya for a trip?

They would stay put immediately and wait for Eva's diplomatic team to catch up.

Immediately afterwards, the two groups would head together to the court of Hetuya to mourn, and incidentally help Andra seize the throne.

According to the caravan, the former King Belai passed away two weeks ago. They were traveling at the time and missed the news.

The throne of the Baley was not inherited by the Baley's daughter, but by her sister.

The reasons behind this are intriguing, but they have nothing to do with Eleanor. In any case, the business would continue as before, regardless of who was in charge.

While chatting casually with Andra, she was mentally planning how to kill him.

She spent several years subtly instilling in Andra the belief that "Eleanor's penchant for wearing heavy gold jewelry for her lovers" was all for the sake of this assassination.

Anyone with a modicum of rationality would not doubt that their lover had planned from the very beginning of their relationship to hang them adorned with gold jewelry and sink them into the sea.

"How about we go to the beach tomorrow? It must be your first time seeing the sea, right?"

Andra took out a wooden comb from his pocket and gently ran it through the little princess's dark hair.

The soft rubbing made Eleanor squint, and in a daze, she saw Andra in her first life.

She used to be like that; whenever the two of them were together, he would like to do something for her, whether it was peeling an apple or combing her hair, and Andra always enjoyed it...

"Let's go in a few days..."

Eleanor gave a vague rejection.

This "first time seeing the sea" in her life was the final act she prepared for Andra.

Everything will turn into foam in the sea, and—she doesn't want Andra to have the luxury of learning to swim.

"Am I really going to kill Andra?"

A somewhat timid voice, one that had never been heard before, whispered in my ear, exactly like my own voice.

The bits and pieces of the past six years have converged into a transparent river, and Andra's figure can be seen in every segment.

The beautiful young girl has grown into a handsome young man. His figure, supporting her arm in the sunlight as they practiced swordsmanship together, is always there to shield her, uttering the same unchanging words: "I will protect you."

I will protect you, Your Highness.

I love you, Eleanor.

Don't worry, I'm here.

Her promise is like a jewel that never fades; in this life, Andra... has done nothing wrong.

"She loves me very much... What are you going to do?"

A timid voice cried out in grievance: Andra is such a good lover.

They are a pair of lovebirds who can fly together, and the so-called "hunting team" was trained by Andra herself.

She worked exactly according to your wishes, and she resolved countless troubles for you, both overt and covert, whether it was dangerous assassins or the annoying city lord!

An invisible scale appeared in my mind.

On one end is killing Andra, and on the other end is a multitude of chips, each chip representing a thorny problem, an impending loss of interest, and... a few specks of love.

"Was it worth it, Eleanor?"

The voice protested with barely a whisper: Andra was so good to you! She loved you with all her heart. You believed in Myrcella, so why couldn't you give Andra another chance...? She poured her best years and her only love into you!

“Okay.” Andra took a strand of her lover’s loose hair and braided it into a small black and gold braid with her own sideburns, then looked up at the window again.

Eleanor snapped out of her jumbled thoughts and followed her gaze.

During the spring planting season, the narrow riverbanks are crowded with farmers.

Some of them were bending over, sowing seeds, while others were gathering seafood.

The beachcombing here is completely different from the playful antics of the blogger on Blue Star.

A group of people, barely clothed, were running around along the riverbank carrying crudely made pottery jars and wooden buckets.

Whenever they saw small fish or scallops washed ashore, they would rush against the waves to pick them up and run a long way to pour them into the supervisor's bucket.

The entire riverbank, including the lake, belongs to various chambers of commerce or royalty. These busy people are not busy for themselves, nor are they serving in the military or paying taxes; they are paying off debts.

They are a special product of Belle, called debtors. As the name suggests, they are commoners who owe the Chamber of Commerce huge sums of money, and the Chamber of Commerce has many ways to make them pay off their debts before or after their death.

Andra's lips slowly curled into a smile.

Eleanor looked at her handsome profile and asked softly, "What are you thinking about?"

Andra responded instinctively.

"Hmm, these people seem to be more efficient than ordinary slaves, don't you think—"

She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly sensed something and turned around to look.

Even though her lover looked bewildered, Andra changed the subject and said softly, "Of course, your measures in Enlin are the best. Changing the tools will improve efficiency the most."

Why can't I give Andra another chance? I have, more than once.

She answered the tiny voice silently.

Do you think Andra has changed a lot?

[...]

She hasn't changed at all.

Andra kissed her lover's forehead, then looked out the window in a good mood, seemingly lost in thought.

Their hands were clasped so tightly.

Eleanor bit her lip and blinked, letting the tears fall silently.

That's great, we are indeed on the same path we started on... without deviating at all.

......

Why does Norlanda have the largest market on the continent when Belleville has the most vibrant commercial atmosphere?

Eleanor sat in the carriage, while Manju showed the city guards the credentials of the Marigold Merchants.

This certificate exempts you from the city entry fee, as the Chamber of Commerce operates with much higher taxes everywhere.

Everyone knew how much money Belle made in the porcelain and silk trade, so much so that even the gatekeepers would smile and make way for him at the sight of the Marigold Merchant Guild's logo.

Upon entering the Emerald City, you are greeted by the sound of flowing water.

Eleanor's carriage was guided to a designated spot, and she took Andra's hand as she stepped down.

The rest of the city tour will not require vehicles, as clear flowing water surrounds the entire city, converging into a network within it.

Bridges of all sizes connect the area, but there are even more boats than bridges, and even more people than boats.

Rows of brightly painted gondolas, resembling blue stars, floated on the water, adorned with colorful flags, and carried by vibrantly colored Filipinos.

The locals, leaning on their oars, waved their arms frantically to attract customers to the shore.

At this moment, Belle's Emery and the Venice of Blue Star overlap, transforming together into a vibrant oil painting.

Norlana has two markets, both luxurious and spacious.

How many markets are there in Belleville? Countless, they are scattered in every corner, big and small.

Some boats are moored along the bank or in the corners of the waterway, laden with colorful goods. The boat owners shout in their simple local dialect, something like "No cheating, no cheating," expressing their promise to offer substantial discounts.

The houses along the banks of the River Félix are mostly low and narrow, with each passageway only wide enough for one or two people to pass sideways.

Every now and then, Pei Liren and her group would run into each other, but fortunately, Eleanor had made sure that the main force stayed outside the city, so each time they yielded to each other, it didn't take too long.

Occasionally, they would encounter enthusiastic and agile locals who would smile at them as they walked by, and then perform an acrobatic feat, vaulting over the railing and leaping over them.

The children would sell flowers and seashells along the way, laughing and joking as they coaxed Andra to help "the most beautiful sister" buy an expensive rose.

As you walk along, a window or door will open beside you, and a trustworthy-looking middle-aged man will appear behind it, trying to sell you exquisite decorative items for your home.

Andra followed closely beside Eleanor, and even with a bouquet of flowers in her arms, her movements as nimble as ever in shifting her gaze.

Snap.

Eleanor suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Andra really wanted to ask: What do we do next?

But she was willing to accommodate her little princess, so she watched Eleanor silently, waiting for her to suggest the next part of the itinerary.

Eleanor remained silent for several seconds.

A tiny voice cried and screamed in her mind, trying to stop her from asking that question.

"......"

Eleanor closed her eyes briefly, turned her head, and asked softly, "Do you want to visit King Baley? If not, let's find an inn to stay for a few days and have some fun in Feli City."

Andra tilted her head in surprise: Does Your Highness mean to choose one of the two?

This is a bit strange, as Eleanor clearly really likes the watery scenery of Belial.

Why can't visiting King Bale be selected together with sightseeing? Is something urgent?

A fleeting doubt crossed her mind; at that moment, Andra was most concerned about Eleanor's gaze.

For some reason, she could sense numbness and...sadness in her lover's expression?

Do not be sad, my princess, nothing is worth your sorrow.

The young man suddenly took his lover's arm, and with his other hand he supported Eleanor's waist—

Thump! She grabbed her and jumped onto the sampan.

Splash~

Water splashed everywhere. Andra gracefully set Eleanor down while spinning, and casually flicked a gold coin to the shouting boss.

She gazed intently at her lover, picking up a paddle with one hand.

"Let's visit them first, and then—let's go see the sea together! Hahahaha."

She laughed heartily, and with a push of her oar against the riverbank, the small boat drifted far away, leaving behind shimmering water.