"Enough!" Gene, having witnessed their debate, seemed to have found the answer and called a halt to it.
The two sides that had been fiercely arguing fell silent, involuntarily turning to wait for Gene to finalize the subsequent transaction.
"The war has left the Empire fragmented, but it has also brought forth many opportunities—a rare chance for us to break free from being a minor commercial group and grow strong. Therefore, I have decided to commit fully to transporting grain, investing the money we get in bolstering the strength of our commercial group. By then, Walter will be nothing but an ant we can crush at will."
Gene's ambition was actually greater than he let on. Having witnessed the power of true magnates, he no longer considered matters of the Ovando region a priority. Neither Walter nor Ovando held any significance for him anymore. He now desired only to seize this opportunity to ascend, willing to pay any price.
