In the room the Head was situated in, a large display trinket was in front of him which was showing different areas from around the Central Continent.
Many of these were actually the places which had received the trinkets from the Alliance, and the rest were a few spots here and there which now looked as if they were in some sort of panic.
In regards to the former, most of these tiny display windows had flames apparent in them, and some also showed a few people being chased around by angry mobs.
As soon as the Head reacted in the way he had when he heard Daneel's abrupt question, a voice floated to him from a place near him even though there was no one else visible in the room.
"Hmm? Didn't you say that this was the wine that you've been holding for over 20 years because you wanted to have it when watching something exciting? Were you lying, then, and preserving your real cache? I gather that you wouldn't spit out wine that you attach so much value to, right…"
"Yes, I did detect a very faint hint of lilac in my glass, which is indicative of the fact that it may be more recent."
"Oh, yes. You can't escape us now. Maybe it's finally time you hand over the responsibility of guarding your precious wine cache to all of his, so that we can share it and ensure that it's finished of-ehem, I mean, that it is protected well!"
The Head had begun to blush very slightly ever since these voices began to be heard from near him, but the last statement made him panic before saying, "You mistake me, gentlemen. There was merely a sudden message which startled me. By your leave, I wish to go handle something interesting that has popped up. From the way it looks, I think I'll have to consult you about it anyway."
"All right."
"Sure, get someone to send some wild duck while you're at it. My wife just said that she has an excellent recipe for them."
"Ah! Duck! Excellent!"
The Head was almost forgotten as the conversation turned to this topic, so he ruefully shook his Head and teleported away.
When he reappeared at his destination, though, he saw that the king was eyeing a spot below him, and following his line of sight, he saw that it was Nolan from the Goddess's Sanctum sect who was shaking while he sat as if he had heard the most appalling news ever.
Well, the reason behind that was quite clear, and it was also clear that there was almost no way for them to launch a counter-attack.
Meanwhile, after asking the question, Daneel had entered a slight flashback of exactly what had led him to this idea that had worked out brilliantly.
He still remembered the feeling of frustration when he had understood that he was being targeted by someone so smart that they had thought out each and every move that he might make normally, and it had been an excellent learning opportunity for him to find out just how it felt to be surrounded from all sides by enemies that were invisible.
He had had to think really, really out of the box, and that was when he had been reminded of an incident where a very famous company that had squandered a lead in the market that they had been gaining due to a certain product that turned out to be, well, a bit too 'next-gen' for customers.
It was in the mobile phone market, and this company happened to create a very famous line of products which turned out to be exploding hazards that were eventually even banned on most major transportation methods. Many nicknames even began to be attached to the company, and some studies even said that if that fiasco hadn't happened, then they might have found themselves in a much better state than they were at the moment, even though they weren't very bad off as the company with revenue that was only second to the leader.
However, it was a very intriguing case study regarding the thing that could turn people away from a company very effectively: self-preservation.
No one would want something in their homes which would explode randomly and hurt themselves and their families, and this was where Daneel had hit on the idea.
That was also the reason why his father had said that comment, and he once again chuckled to himself as he remembered it.
From there, implementing it had actually been quite simple. All he needed to do was make sure that they switched out those who would be affected with actors that could carry across the point very clearly that it was the most foolish thing one could do to still use the coins of the trading families after it was found out that something like this was possible.
The coins, themselves, didn't even need to be modified, though he could have gone in that route. All he needed to do was have mages in secretly in position to cause fake explosions which would be seen by all those on the Network and in the areas surrounding the houses, and after that, the very people who came to rescue them could activate the real explosions and make sure that there was no proof whatsoever that it was all fake.
The real families would be safely stored away somewhere, where they would wait to be Mind Controlled. After that, they could return to their lives none the wiser, albeit with a few memories that would make them hate the trading families a lot.
They would be given a hefty compensation from the Alliance that would be obtained from the trading families in exchange for the Army of Lanthanor not marching on them, and although they would have a few bad memories that might affect them for a little bit of time, they would find themselves well compensated in some other methods, too, such as being given the right to obtain free recharges for ten years.
As for the actors, the best thing would be if they could be Mind Controlled, too, but as he had said to Eloise, he couldn't really do it himself as that would expose his power to those that were watching. Instead, his plan was to enlist someone from either the Fortress or with the help of the Head who could carry out his bidding, and make it so that the entire plan would be carried out 'legally', using only his intellect and nothing else that he wasn't supposed to have.
Eloise had done really, really well as the reporter, and he had always known that she had a certain charm to her which would allow her to enrapture anyone around her. That had been present even before she had gone through the miraculous rebirth through the resource that had been used on her from the Goddess's Sanctum which was apparently more valuable than the Kingdom of Lanthanor, itself, and it had only become much more prominent thereafter.
In the feast, Daneel had even had a slight urge to sweep her into a hug, but he had to restrain himself because of the fact that she was in front of all the people that she needed to command every day. Later, though…
Just as he started to make a few plans that brought a smile to his lips, the Head appeared in front of him with a livid expression on his face, snapping Daneel out of his reverie and making him smile graciously and even laugh when he heard the Head's remark.
"Casually? Casually! King, if it weren't for the fact that I could use a spell to scoop up the precious wine which is worth more than a thousand of the coins that you are creating, I would have had half a mind to charge you for it. And now, coming to your question. No, it doesn't work like that! It only works if you are a seed, or at least someone who could become a seed, because those cells have special security features just in case someone might want to attack when these precious people are imprisoned. And killing a Champion would get you punished - in Jessica's matter, there was at least only the intention, and she was stopped, even though what she was going to do was very vile. If she had succeeded, there would have been no method for her to escape punishment, but if you do end up killing someone who is precious to the Big Four, like Nolan, then no one will be able to help you. Only a crime which was intended but then stopped can be argued for that it was out of misaligned intentions, and that it only requires imprisonment, and not the harshest of punishments."
The Head said the entire second part in one breath, almost as if he was afraid that Daneel would go ahead and do something out of a flawed idea and then find himself in a lot more trouble than he had bargained for.
Once again, Daneel found himself admiring the care that the Head was showing for him, because it was clear that he did not want him to make any missteps that he might regret.
The news that he had just received was kind of a letdown, though, because he had been hoping that his simple plan of getting himself thrown in prison along with Jessica and then using the World to kill her, or do something to her would work.
He had expected there to be difficulties, and he was ready to overcome them, but he definitely had not bargained for the fact that it might not be possible at all.
Yet, when he went over the Head's words again, he suddenly hit on something.
"A potential seed? Hmm, what is required for one to be given this identity?"
The Head had considerably calmed down after seeing Daneel going into deep thought instead of getting bloodlust on his face, which he had half expected to see as he knew just how much trouble Jessica and Nolan were giving the King of Lanthanor.
When he heard this, he answered in a calmer tone.
"As was already explained to you, seeds are typically chosen at birth, but there is a different process which also comes into play now and then. It is when someone unexpectedly happens to master a Champion Path or technique which is classified as top tier, and ultimately becomes one of the valued assets of the Big Four. They are able to enter this world where even the scale of resources available to them are incomparable to what general disciples of the Big Four can obtain, but theirs is more of a probationary position, and if they do not reach the expectations that are placed on them, then they may be forcefully made to leave that world. You are very close to achieving that identity, too, and all that remains to be seen is just how good your Mage path is. If it is good enough, you might just enter directly. I didn't want to tell that you this before because I didn't want to place additional pressure on your shoulders, but I feel that you should know it. As for Jessica…"
The Head's voice trailed off, because he could tell that at the moment, that woman was probably planning something else to trouble Daneel with.
With that being the truth, how could the Head say that he could only endure and not fight back?
The Head wished that he could help, but his hands were really tied. Even with the support of those whose company he had just left, it was nigh impossible to reach her, leave alone killing her, but still, the Head decided to speak.
"Whatever you are planning, I advise you to not think of killing Jessica. The death of a seed is a very, very grave matter, and that is why your commander was called on before, even though it is something quite, well, what's the word, uncouth, in the eyes of many, to take the help of someone from the Central Continent. Anyone who was found guilty, regardless of if they were a seed, would have had to face the harshest of tortures for a long time, and I can promise you that they are capable of making anyone wish that they were dead."
Surprisingly, the king only waved his hand at this, almost as if he already knew all of it, or as if he killing Jessica wasn't what he was planning at all, in the first place.
He didn't say anything after that, though, and it looked as though he was working out something in his mind.
The Head waited, and after a few moments, when the king finally opened his mouth and told this plan, there was only one reaction that the Head got: he really felt glad that he didn't have more wine in his mouth, as otherwise, he would definitely have spit it out, too.
"So, here is what I want to do…"