“Coin?” Betty said from beside Ciel, jaw-dropping at the raining currency. “What is this supposed to do? What is Etaceh thinking?”

Xia communicated through the Residence’s channel.

Xia: I’m seeing Accel dropping from the sky, and I am pretty sure I’m not dreaming. Just what the hell is happening here, Ciel?

“Etaceh finally to move the timetable,” Ciel said. “Remember the weakness I talk about? Borbonsi’s Achilles Heel?” He was afraid of the raining coin. “You are seeing it.”

“Money dropping on the sky is Lord Borbonsi’s weakness?” Hikari said, then she grasped what was going on. “I see. This is bad.” 

“You mean his weakness is charity?” Betty guessed.

“Oh no, charity is a form of trade,” Ciel said. “You give money away to buy emotional satisfaction. No, all these raining Accel are fakes.” Ciel watched the counterfeit money flooding the economy of Eleanor. “Etaceh is diluting the worth of Eleanor’s economy, and eighty-sixed Borbonsi’s faith stockpile.”

Betty joined Hikari to gape in horror. They are economically savvy enough to know what Ciel was talking about.

It was Amy who chimed in from the Residence of Lords with a giant question mark above her head.

Amy: Ciel, can you please explain to someone with no background in economics?

Ciel sighed, “Money is just a piece of paper with no inherent value of its own. The only reason people trade with them is that they are widely accepted, can be divided into smaller units and durable enough to last a long time. These properties are called medium of exchange, unit of account and a store of value.” Ciel paused, believing that he might be digging in too deep. “Well, just say for currency to be circulated and measured the worth of an economy, it must be durable, scarce, divisible, uniform and widely accepted. Now, imagine if currencies are no longer rare or acceptable.”

Betty further added as she watched the fake money rained, “Ciel is talking about a scenario of someone pouring millions of fake Accel into the economy, pumping the money supply to eleven.”

Caislean picked that moment to speak up.

Caislean: In that case, what would happen to the cash?

Hikari answered that one, “Its value dropped like a rock from the excess supply. This meant the money as the store of value became increasingly worthless — a process known as inflation or hyperinflation, if things are really terrible.”

Amy: So Accel becomes a valueless metal disk, doesn’t that fuck over the trading… oh.

“Yes,” Ciel said. “This is Borbonsi’s weakness. Given his Authority depends heavily on trade and hoarding treasure, this counterfeiting money rain is wiping his faith reserves, and paralyzed any ways to stabilize it.”

Caislean: Shouldn’t Borbonsi see this coming?

“He wouldn’t. Borbonsi might be a good trader, but he underestimates everything aside from other Lords,” Ciel said. “He would turn a blind-eye to how much his power relies on human’s activity. I’m willing to bet my arms Etaceh didn’t just create a mob for giggles and distraction alone. They are likely robbing goods all-over Eleanor to make him even weaker.”

Xia listened to Ciel’s explanation with a heavy heart.

Xia: What is the plan now? Do we have to go to Montgomery for help?

“No!” Ciel screamed at the very thought of allying with Maximus the Grand. “God. Hell. No. None of you are permitted to even talk to Maximus, or go within a hundred meters near him. It will be best if he never knows you exist!”

Everyone turned toward Ciel.

“What?” Betty said. “Ciel, what is wrong?”

Ciel repeatedly inhaled and exhaled to calm himself down, “Sorry, I panic. Listen. Maximus can’t be negotiated, relied upon, and even conversed with if you want to maintain your objectivity.”

Hikari felt the need to point out the obvious, “Er, you know Apolline is his subordinate, right?”

“Yeah,” Ciel made a face. “That is unfortunate. The poor girl got a shit deal and didn’t even realize it.” He got back to the point. “Trust me. Maximus’ Authority is fuck-up. It will be best for everyone if he is taken down by another Lord. Let not leap into the fire, while the flying pan hasn’t melted yet, okay.”

Xia: So what do we do next?

“We need to support Borbonsi,” Ciel said. “First, we need to stem the riot and stop the robbery to prevent him from getting pancaked too fast.” A lightbulb suddenly lit inside Ciel’s brain. “Xia, I have a plan. I need you to negotiate with Apolline.”

Xia: You said Montgomery couldn’t be trusted?

“Montgomery and Maximus? God no,” Ciel said. “But Apolline is still trustworthy. Xia, I will explain Maximus’ Authority and how it works before the negotiation. You will understand. Trust me.”

…

Up in the sky, Borbonsi was getting hammered. He shook off the icy chill of Freeze and deflected away an orb of Black Mana. His body felt heavier by the minute. An enchanted ballista bolt collided with him. Borbonsi spat out blood. Strange, he should be able to block that.

He summoned an amulet. Lifting the treasure up, Borbonsi unleashed the beam of destruction from the gem-fitted artifact.

In response, from the top of Magic Tower’s HQ, Etaceh fired her blast.

White Magic Rank 4: Exterminate

The two beams collided in the arena of clouds, but the contest was over before it even began. The light of Exterminate punched through the beam of destruction. The White Magic smashed into Borbonsi, tackling him onto the road amid the burning streets.

Borbonsi coughed from the damage. Somehow, the faith in his stockpile couldn’t repair his body at the usual speed.

Then Borbonsi saw the crimson lighting.

Red Magic Rank 6: Thunderstorm

The Red Magic slammed into the Lord with the force to shake the earth, crumbling the burning buildings around him.

…

While Borbonsi was getting his teeth kicked in, Ciel relayed the knowledge about Maximus the Grand to Xiahana La Louve.

The former princess of Curtis felt positively creeped by what her lover told her.

“Ciel,” Xia said after absorbing the information. “Doesn’t this mean the entire Montgomery…”

From the Residence’s channel, Ciel confirmed Xia’s fears.

Ciel: Yes, the entire Montgomery is a ranch of sheep. Maximus could slaughter them at will, assuming he is still the same prick I know.

“What about Apolline?” Xia said. “Did she know about this?”

Ciel: Given her attitude, I doubt it, which made this more unfortunate. Maximus might be a pompous, selfish prick with a head that shouldn’t balance on his shoulder, but he isn’t blind. I’m betting our fortune that Apolline is his prized lamb.

“You mean she is a sacrifice?” Xia asked.

Ciel: They are all sacrifices. I’m betting he had been fattening his Archangel project for generations.

“Wow,” Xia said, having a new understanding of the Lords. “Your relatives shouldn’t be ruling anything. Should we expect anything like this from Yulong?”

Ciel: Nah, Mandrake might have the world’s worst communication disorder, but he is actually a decent guy. The dude just has no experience aside from blasting people and forcing them to kneel before him. He probably wakes up every day praying that his paper thin charade can continue for another year, while sweating buckets.

“Dear,” Xia said. “We are talking about the oldest institution in Acceltra.”

Ciel: I’m still surprised the dude lasted this long. I originally estimated he would fall flat in the first decade. If I have to wing a guess behind this luck-out, it is either nobody is questioning the silent humongous dragons capable of bringing flash-floods or everyone in Yulong is stupid.

Xia laughed dryly, “I am guessing it is the former.”

It was then the majestic galleon landed on the port.

“She is here,” Xia said.

Ciel: Okay, proceed as planned.

Xia waited for the ship to respond to her presence.

The gangplank slammed into the port, and walking down it was a familiar face of Dios Apolline Sfolgorante.

“Hello, Apolline,” Xia said. “I never take you for a type who kicks people when they are down and on fire.”

“They deserve it,” Apolline’s reply was short and to the point.

Behind Xia, another explosion went off. Fires from the riots and arson had spread across the once prosperous port, scorching it down to cinder.

Xia opted on the script Ciel wrote, “So what is your plan? Charging into a burning city, murdering everyone you don’t like and rescuing the adorable oppressed slave.” Xia paused and added. “Slaves who may or may not be taking part in Etaceh’s riot right now?”

“I will do what I have to,” Apolline said without her usual kindheartedness.

“What if I say there is a method that both saves your energy and helps you satisfy that sense of justice burning inside your heart,” Xia said. “A way that costs you none of your manpower, and helps you earn a huge profit margin to justify this expensive deployment to your boss.”

Apolline’s face scrunched at the mention of Maximus the Grand, “Go one, and it better be good.”

“Oh, you will love it,” Xia said, quoting her lover. “Don’t you ever heard of the phrase ‘when in Eleanor, do as an Eleanorian do.’”

“Yes,” Apolline said, gritting in annoyance. “I hate that phrase.”

“Well, you will love this very karmic plan then,” Xia gave an award-winning smile. “Trust me, it will kick them where it hurts.”

Apolline asked one more question before hearing Xia's idea, “Why are you doing this?”

Xia pointed at the flying city delivering punishment after punishment to the ground, while screams and chants of pillages assailed the air.

“Look, we might be on the opposing side,” Xia said. “Let's be real, we will probably be at each other's throats by next month. That doesn’t change the fact we need the smartass having the time of her life in that flying city to lose.”

That moment was punctuated by at least fifteen more Flare launching from Hecate and peppering the burning wreck of Eleanor.

Both women watched the destruction unfold in melancholic silence.

Xia turned toward Apolline, “Unless my eyes are lying, I believe Etaceh might be winning too hard for both of us. You know she will be coming after you guys next, right?”

Apolline sighed, “What is the plan?”

“Thank you for coming around,” Xia clapped. “We need to set a few tents.”

Thus, Operation Fleecing was officially sold.