The doctor suffers from amnesia, but not complete amnesia.

"The Great Yan Envoy".

"what?"

The question almost slipped out.

Charles looked down at the paper in his hand. The words "[Qiao Yelan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies of the Great Yan Dynasty]" were clearly written on the application.

He had some recollection of this person—two days ago, the council had ordered him to lead the Knights to the ceremony welcoming the Great Yan delegation, where they would be responsible for security and the military parade.

Despite the nobles' fear of the Steam Knights, when a delegation from a distant and powerful nation arrived in Londinium, their first reaction was to invoke the Steam Knights as a deterrent, concocting a paper euphemism called Victoria.

So Charles remembered that the leading envoy was a young man in a wheelchair.

"...Please let him in."

Although he didn't know why Qiao Yelan wanted to visit him, Charles's experience in war told him that the more unusual the situation, the more complex the changes that would follow.

Those who find themselves in dire straits may still hold onto their last line of defense, but without a doubt, they are not hesitant to trade away anything above that line.

Charles Lynch would not betray his country.

But the nobles never truly represented Victoria.

---------------------------------------------

Qiao Yelan was pushed into a room, and then the person who pushed him in left, leaving only the man sitting behind the table and Qiao Yelan in the room.

He already had a calculation in his mind.

Mr. Charles has most likely already made his choice.

“Your Excellency Qiao Yelan, as an officer in Victoria, accepting a meeting with you would mean that I would be whipped like a top by the parliament’s scribes for the next six months—so I hope you’re not here to talk nonsense.”

"What nonsense are you spouting? Is it my admiration for the Steam Knights, my respect for Victoria, or my attempt to win you over and secure the Steam Knights' loyalty for the Great Yan?"

"All."

Charles said coldly.

"In other words, you don't believe that I came to you without asking anything in return, nor do you believe that I would help you selflessly. At the same time, you will not betray Victoria, whether it is to pledge allegiance to the Great Yan or to leak the secrets of the Steam Knights, you will not agree to either."

Qiao Yelan smiled and probed the officer's bottom line.

There was silence on the other end. He realized that the man in front of him was perhaps far more terrifying than the noble members of parliament.

"Fortunately, besides my official position as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites of the Great Yan Dynasty, I also have another identity—the CEO of the medical company [Babel Tower] in Kazimir."

Charles had indeed heard of this name before—after the coup, he had worked in the black market for several years to ensure the continuation of the Steam Knights.

The medical devices produced by this company called Babel Tower are very popular in Victoria. I heard that they also produce an inhibitor for Originium Disease, but it is extremely expensive and very difficult to obtain.

On the black market, any potion proven to originate from Babel is often priced 30% higher than those from other companies—and its effectiveness justifies the price, provided that the black market dealers haven't deliberately mislabeled the potions.

These potions often originate from Windermere or the Duchy of Wellington, with the latter being the main source of distribution. As a result, there are rumors that the deal is actually backed by military forces within the Duchy of Wellington.

Without logistical support, the Steam Knights could only purchase potions from the black market. The Babel Tower potions they bought were quite rare, and their effects were immediate.

"What do you want to say?"

“Casimir currently has a thriving equestrian industry, with each company having its own equestrian order. Unfortunately, due to the excessive focus on overseas development in recent years, Babel Tower has neglected its domestic operations. Therefore, we urgently need a strong equestrian order to support our operations.”

"Next year, in 1079, the triennial Casimir Knights Tournament will begin. The four mobile cities where the top-performing companies are located will be eligible to join forces to form the [Great Knight Territory], which will be the largest mobile metropolitan area in the world since the Gallic capital [Lingons]."

Instead of giving a direct answer, Qiao Yelan started talking about the current situation in Kazimir.

"Such a massive metropolis must have advantages that other regions cannot match, whether in commerce or other aspects. Therefore, each connected district will have ample development opportunities and can bring sufficient profits to enterprises—Babel is not willing to miss this opportunity."

"The changes in Letania caused Babel Tower's previous investments to go down the drain. We even had to sell a large number of estates and fields in the former Hayden Schwell region to my compatriots in Kazimierz to pay off debts. So this time, Babel Tower is fighting a desperate battle in the Knights Tournament."

Charles stared at Qiao Yelan.

The other party has made their point very clear—Babel Tower urgently needs to hire a fighting force to compete in next year's Knights Tournament.

And they are willing to pay a very high price.

Why did you decide to come to us?

"We're just trying anything—there's no hope for the Letania region, and the Great Yan is currently engrossed in their economic games and unwilling to get involved in the internal affairs of Kazimir."

Qiao Yelan's words sounded somewhat helpless, but his expression was one of utter torment and nonchalance.

"I can't get anything I want from Ursus, so the only option left is Victoria."

“In Victoria, what knightly order can rival the Steam Knights in prestige? And you certainly seem to be in dire need of funding.”

Charles was thinking.

In fact, when Qiao Yelan came in, he had already made a decision: apart from the steam armor and the defection, he would try to agree to all other requests—as long as he was willing to give a sum of money to support the Steam Knights.

He never expected that the other side was just looking for mercenaries.

To be honest, Charles was really tempted.

The other side was clearly willing to pay a high price; otherwise, they wouldn't have adopted such a humble stance, practically laying their cards on the table and letting Charles name his own price.

Moreover, the things they were asked to do were not excessive. After all, they were going to Kazimierz to play knightly games, not to fight to the death on the battlefield, and it had nothing to do with Victoria, so it would not cause them any psychological burden.

"...I need some time. Although I am the Grand Master of the Knights, I must discuss the matter of accepting employment from foreign companies with the knights in the Knights."

"No problem, I can wait here, or do you need more time?"

Qiao Yelan's reply was very straightforward.

"No, please wait here for a while. After you leave today, it won't be easy for you to come back in or for me to find you."

Charles was also well aware of his current situation.

This deal must be closed today, right now.

Otherwise, the nobles will realize what's going on.

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PS1:

Happy Chinese New Year!

Wishing everyone a successful year ahead, with both academic and career advancements, and good health and happiness in everything you do.

PS2:

Thank you to [Yin Yang Dao Jun] for the golden treasure chest.

Thanks for the support!

Thank you to [OvO] for the 5 panties!

Thanks for the support!

Chapter 121 In short, it's all about throwing money at it.

Following an instruction from his adjutant Charles, the knights of the Steam Knights sat in the combat research room, watching their commander.

With just a few dozen men, this was Victoria's most powerful force, and their combat prowess certainly lived up to such an honor—a fully armed three-man squad was enough to destroy a high-speed warship by boarding it.

"Any new combat missions, Commander?"

One of the knights couldn't help but ask.

"Will there still be no support or logistical supplies this time?"

The other knights also looked somewhat annoyed, but none of them said they would refuse the mission.

They are the sword of Victoria, and even though the past they served is long dead, and even though their homeland no longer recognizes their identity—the Steam Knights will continue to fight for Victoria.

“It’s another matter—something I can’t decide for myself.”

The knights fell silent, watching their commander in quiet contemplation. Some were still bewildered, while others had already placed their hands on their sword hilts.

If their chapter leader's words disappoint them—then this place will surely be flooded with the blood of traitors.

Charles noticed their actions but made no comment, instead tacitly approving of their behavior.

“A giant medical company in Kazimir wants to sign a mercenary contract with us.”

When these words were spoken, neither the bewildered nor the wary knight seemed to have expected it.

“A mercenary contract—they need us to send men to participate in next year’s Kazimierz Knights Tournament and to win a place so that Babel can gain a better position in the competition for benefits.”

"For this, they are willing to provide funds, medicines, and personnel and logistics."

The knights fell silent once again.

Undoubtedly, what the other party offered was exactly what they desperately needed. But it was precisely because it was what they desperately needed that they were worried – because it meant that the other party knew their situation inside and out.

"The Kazimierz Knights Tournament... I've heard of this tournament. I remember Victoria TV used to broadcast it. This tournament has been held in Kazimierz for decades."

An older knight recalled and slowly recounted the relevant details.

These words stirred up memories in the other knights, memories of life that had been covered by five years of numb, mechanical battles, and they came alive again.

By piecing together various pieces, they came up with a competition that was almost identical to the one Qiao Yelan had described.