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Chapter 619 - Viscount Valente's Interrogation

After Marquess Samed's interruption, Viscount Valente turned towards Earl Blaise to pick up where they had left things off.

"So where were we?" He inquired and this time, it was Marquess Samed who interrupted them once again.

However, it was with good reason this time.

"Viscount, you were asking the Earl…" He reiterated the exact statement that the other man had said a few moments earlier.

The little girl who was now standing with three of her brothers shook her head at his oh so helpful nature.

But his assistance did the trick as Viscount Marcus Valente knew exactly where he had stopped their conversation.

Shooting him an appreciative nod, he gazed at Earl Blaise whose body radiated hostility right now.

"You should know better than to say such misleading statements about CLOVER." He reminded him in good faith.

CLOVER had the support of a majority of the commoners, many fief lords were standing with them, and finally, their King had shown his acceptance of this new business.

Earl Blaise knew very well what the truth was yet had tried to sway the opinion of these noblemen.

If the fief lords were to cancel their deals with CLOVER then the commoners in their fiefs would have to go back to struggling just to purchase a sliver of soap from Earl Blaise.

It would be a disastrous disadvantage both to those fief lords and to their citizens.

However, it would be a win for Earl Blaise as he would regain his profit.

So how could Viscount Valente let such a thing happen?

Thus, right before everyone, he decided to let the others know of some truths that the other man had skillfully twisted to work in his favor.

Since a few fief lords were already on Earl Blaise's side, he chose to ignore them right now and focus on the rest.

Turning his attention first to the men who had contracts with CLOVER, his gaze finally landed on the Duke standing there.

"Duke Tanner, could you be so gracious to answer a few questions of mine?" He requested while staring at the conflicted face of this man.

Duke Obinn Tanner was someone with a high social standing and also possessed a contract with CLOVER.

Thus, Marcus had chosen this man to be his first priority.

When Duke Tanner heard him, he gave a slow nod as he too was curious to know more from this man who was closest to CLOVER and its management.

"When were you first aware of CLOVER's existence?" Viscount Valente interrogated the Duke once he got his approval.

As this was an easy question, Duke Tanner replied almost immediately.

"When news about Ocular Caravan traveling to other fiefs and selling CLOVER's products was heard in the Capital." He answered in a firm tone as that was when everyone here had also heard about it.

Seeing them nod, Marcus also nodded as this was about right.

"And when did you first come in contact with any of CLOVER's products?" He posed another question soon after.

This time, Duke Tanner glanced at his younger son for a brief moment before answering.

"When Ocular's men arrived at our Tanner fief." He revealed without showing any expression on his face.

However, what he had just said was a lie.

His younger son was the first person to bring him a sample of a soap from CLOVER but made him vow to never let anyone know about it.

Taylor had revealed to him that this was something he received from his best friend who had acquired it from a relative.

The Duke did a little digging and found that this relative happened to be from the Valente fief.

Thus, Duke Tanner, for a very long time, had known that the Valente family was closely connected to CLOVER.

Yet now he kept the promise he had made to his son and did not mention a word about the same in the presence of everyone.

Taylor had been flustered when he saw his father looking at him, wondering if he would disclose the truth but thankfully, his father had been a man of his word.

His sheepish eyes then landed on his sworn sister who was looking right at him.

Back when the Hagen family had mass-produced the first batch of soaps, Uncle Marcus had sent a few samples to his sister's family in the Capital while the rest were transported with Ocular.

At that time, Yvonne had decided to let Taylor see how they looked as he was already aware of her secret identity as VC.

She had a calculated motive in mind when she had handed a neatly packaged bar of soap to the young boy and just as expected, he had gloated about it in his family's presence.

The Duke was curious to know more about it but could only learn that it was from the St. Claire family who in turn had received it from the Valentes.

Coming to a dead end there, the Duke wished to hear more about this new business and its owner but was left stranded for a long while.

Only when Ocular arrived at the Tanner fief did he get a chance to see those products again and even had a meeting with the representative of Ocular, a manager in command after the secretive owner.

Ocular was already a mysterious organization and now it had joined hands with a new and upcoming business whose owner was equally mysterious.

Thus, on that day Duke Obinn Tanner formed a contract with CLOVER through the assistance of Ocular just like numerous other fiefs.

Therefore, even when the Duke lied, the others did not suspect a word that he said as the same had taken place with others.

Viscount Valente nodded before turning to Marquess Jace Kiron as he too was someone who had formed a contract with CLOVER under similar circumstances.

"Did the Marquess thoroughly read the contract that had been sent to you by VC?" Marcus questioned when he saw that this man wasn't against getting questioned just like the Duke.

Marquess Kiron gave a stern nod as perusing through a contract was essential.

To sign without knowing what you are getting yourself into was a foolish thing to do and he was no fool.

Thus, back when Ocular had arrived at his Kiron fief, he had made the trip there and met with the caravan's representative who had brought him a contract.

The contract stated that in the Kiron fief, CLOVER would have exclusive rights to supply their soaps until a predetermined period.

The duration was for a year and the contract would be renewed and revised to extend the duration of supply later on or at any given point in time.

However, the prices would vary and depend on CLOVER but it was the Fief Lord's prerogative whether he wished to extend or end the contract once this duration was over.

When Marquess Kiron had gone through the contract and even asked his eldest son for his opinion as the heir, they both agreed that the terms were suitable for them and their citizens.

The prices were lower so as to not burden their people, the duration was a year so it would be easy for them to decide whether to end or extend the contract once this period was completed.

Finally, they would not have to deal with Earl Blaise's constant hiking up of prices as, during the contract period, CLOVER would not change its prices as well.

Since everything was in their favor, the Marquess had signed the documents without hesitation.

Yet now, he was wondering whether he had done the right thing.

The contract had already come to an end during the time of the plague so right now, they still had time to decide if their Kiron fief would choose CLOVER or return to Earl Blaise's family business.

When Marquess Kiron was speaking of the terms of CLOVER's contract, the other fief lords who had not signed this deal were astonished to hear about it.

Even Duke Maldock Brodie had not signed this contract when Ocular had arrived at his fief.

CLOVER was just a small business when compared to the hegemony that the Blaise's possessed in the soap industry.

He wished to see how the new business would fare for a little longer before signing an exclusive contract.

However, listening to these terms, he regretted not signing it back then.

'All isn't lost.' He reminded himself that there was still a chance for him to work with CLOVER in the future and even decided to have a good talk with Viscount Valente about the same.

On the other hand, that same man had moved along with his interrogation.

"Did you find anything unlawful or unreasonable in that contract, Marquess?" Viscount Valente questioned as his head tilted to the side.

Marquess Kiron thought for a second before shaking his head in denial.

All the terms were profitable and fair to both sides and there was nothing that he could find fault with.

"Then did someone force you to sign that contract?" Marcus added another query.

At that time, Most other fiefs had already signed their contracts with CLOVER so when Marquess Kiron got his chance, he did not hesitate and signed it once he was sure that it was in his favor.

"No. I thought that it was the right thing to do so I signed it without any external coercion." He made it clear that he was the one who made the decision.

Marcus chuckled when he heard this declaration from Marquess Kiron before his eyes narrowed.

The shift in his demeanor was so rapid that it took the Marquess a moment to realize that the air around the other man had gotten colder in just a second.

"So why are you doubting your judgment now?" He questioned as a mocking smirk formed on his lips.