Reborn As A Demon Queen With A Big D!
026: Heated Arguments

Five prominent figures of the beastkind were locked in heated argument, scowling at one another as Alice stepped into the tent. None of them spared her a glance.

Chief Harald of the Bjorn Clan sat at the center, with Chief Nekomata of the Fellini Clan to his left and Chief Lucian of the Wolf Clan to his right. At the far ends sat Chief Orn of the Fuglinn Clan, a bird-type beastkind, and Chief Oromir of the Edlian Clan, who resembled a humanoid reptile.

They spoke in their native tongues, but Alice didn’t need Momo’s help to understand. The system automatically translates their words into the Common Language.

“Perfect. The little succubus is here,” said the burly man with a lustrous beard. Chief Harald’s voice was deep and full of authority. “Let’s hear directly from her how much she’s offering for our goods.”

Chief Nekomata frowned and shook his head. “Nonsense. She’s just a kid. How could she possibly establish a stable market for our products in the long run? Marquess Ludwig’s offer is far more reasonable, especially in this economy.”

“I agree with Chief Nekomata,” added Chief Oromir of the Edlian Clan. “Ludwig’s offer benefits all of us. He can open new trade routes, and we might even move to a warmer region in the process.”

Chief Orn and Chief Lucian remained silent, watching from their seats.

Alice narrowed her eyes at the reptilian beastkind. ‘Ungrateful snake,’ she cursed silently.

Still, she didn’t feel like responding to their doubts. They wouldn’t listen to her anyway, not for now. She let Momo speak in her place.

“Gentlemen,” Momo clapped her hands sharply, commanding their attention. “Young Lady Alice, Daughter of Chieftess Andariel is here to present her proposal.”

The five chieftains immediately quieted. Their sudden obedience made Alice wonder about Momo’s standing within beastkind society.

‘This fox girl isn’t just a simple woman. She has powerful mana pressure yet she suppresses it flawlessly.,’ Alice thought.

She put the thought aside for now. What mattered was that she had clearly heard the name of Marquess Ludwig mentioned during the argument. Ludwig of Nidaross was the fifth most influential figure in Arlenheim after the Queen, and the Three Princes. After the Holy Crusade seven years ago, he had been known for his obsession with all kinds of leather goods.

He regularly purchased leather in bulk from various craftsmen and artisans. But Alice had noticed something suspicious in his buying habits. He only accepted half-processed products and insisted on paying low prices. Most sellers, driven by the unstable post-crusade economy, agreed without hesitation.

Ludwig’s smooth talk and manipulative charm made it easy to sway their decisions. He played with their emotions, made them feel pressured, and they ended up handing over their goods at a loss.

What they failed to realize was that once Ludwig gained full control of the trade, raw material prices would surge beyond anything they imagined. With that, he could dominate the market in one stroke, forcing other merchants out.

A troubling thought stirred in Alice’s mind. As she pieced it together, the pattern became clear.

“He’s robbing you in broad daylight,” she finally said. “Can’t you see the pattern yet?”

Chief Oromir raised an eyebrow. “What pattern?”

Alice let out a long sigh. “Have any of you paid attention to the political state of the Arlenheim Kingdom? It’s a complete mess. Everyone is at each other’s throat. There’s a rumor from my trusted source that Queen Freya Drottning has rejected Emperor Peter Romanov IV’s marriage proposal. It’s not long before martial law will be enforced across the kingdom. Prices for essential commodities will skyrocket. Grain, steel, animal fur and pelts to keep soldiers warm, everything will go through the roof.”

Her words hung in the air. The chiefs fell silent.

“Now take a wild guess,” Alice said quietly. “Who stands to gain the most if war breaks out?”

“The nobles and the members of Arlenheim Kingdom’s Peerage.” Momo chimed in, brushing her pointy chin. “Since Tusa Village is the closest big settlement with abundant treasures and raw materials, many nobles from Arlenheim Kingdom as well as the neighbouring kingdoms from the Eastern Region and Northeastern Region were buying a lot of precious treasure. Now I understand why.”

“Correct.” Alice said. “They were trying to appeal to the Romanov Empire for not besieging their lands as the empire advanced its way northward.”

Chief Harald rose from his chair, his height could easily towered over everyone, and his head almost touched the tent’s fabric. “This is the first time I heard about this. Where did you get this very sensitive information?”

Alice rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief. “Does it matter? Besides, you have no obligation to believe my words. But if you do, you are going to thank me later for saving your tails from a complete bankruptcy. Moreover, why would you trust humans who had usurped your homelands in the name of their God? I can't even fathom the devastation.”

The five chieftains looked at each other, contemplating their decision.

“What do you think, Oromir? If we follow her suggestion and sell our goods to her company, we could generate more profits in the long run.”

“After a while, Chief Oromis raised his voice. “Fine, as long as the price is reasonable. Edlian Clan will join Young Lady Alice’s company.”

The always quiet, calm and charismatic chieftain, Chief Orn, finally joined the discussion. “Our Great Jungle and our brave warriors had sacrificed so much so we could seek refuge in this safe haven. Choosing another merchant from outside the village would be very disrespectful toward our benefactor.”

However, Chief Lucian was still reluctant to accept it. “Needless to say, most beastkind warriors came from the Wolf Clan and had suffered heavy losses among us; it'll take years for us to recuperate. Can you tell me how  you would protect us should something happen? Marquess Ludwig would be so pissed if we terminated our deal one-sidedly.”

“Fret not. I will personally ask Lady Nyxondra to allow Beastkind's buying of steels and building materials from the House of Blacksmith so you can protect yourself and build the necessary facilities for the beastkind. In return, you will sell your products in my store and pay me 2,5% of the gross income as accommodation fee.”

The five chieftains were in a deep discussion once again, head tucked down close to each other while whispering.

Shortly after, Chief Harald strode closer toward Alice, offering a handshake with his big hand.

“Very well… we will join your company and promptly terminate the deal with him. And thank you for the early warning, Young Lady. Your insights and wisdom are invaluable.”

Alice reached her hand, grabbing Chief Harald's fingers firmly. “We will begin producing the end products of your raw and half-processed materials right away. Miss Momo… Could you provide me with the catalogue of the raw materials? I will need it to decide how many end products we could produce.”

“Certainly, Young Lady Alice! I will send to you directly.”

*****