Chapter 271: Business Intelligence
Previously, Charles knew little of the outside world beyond military intelligence, and what he did learn was often delayed, irrelevant, or even woven with carefully crafted lies by his adversaries. But now, he had the White Lady.
Although the White Lady organization wasn't ideally suited for gathering business intelligence, Charles feared they might resist such a task. After all, they had requested to be treated as soldiers, and a soldier does not turn their weapon on civilians.
However, Lucia provided a sound justification: "Your factories produce equipment essential to the front lines, Captain, and that equipment is defeating the enemy. Anyone who poses a threat to your factories is, therefore, hindering our victory!"
"That makes sense," Charles agreed, entrusting the White Lady with the task of monitoring Grevy.
As a result, Charles quickly learned that Grevy had visited Saint-Étienne to meet with Layom. Although they couldn't obtain specific details, it was clear what Grevy's intentions were. Charles also learned that Grevy had been in frequent contact with Bonnet, the owner of Le Petit Journal.
This revelation struck Charles like a wake-up call: there were others in his alliances whose interests conflicted with his own, despite the mutual benefits that bound them together.
Take Layom, Steed's eldest son. Layom was originally positioned to inherit Saint-Étienne, a role he'd worked tirelessly for, treating the armory as if it were already his. Now, however, Charles's presence threatened that inheritance. It was less that he would lose his claim than that, in his eyes, he'd inherit Saint-Étienne only to become a "puppet" controlled by Charles.
And then there was Le Petit Journal, which was in direct competition with Le Journal du Mérite. Although Steed was willing to sacrifice Le Petit Journal to support Charles, Bonnet felt differently. Owning Le Petit Journal, he resented being treated as expendable, or as a prop to Le Journal du Mérite. Watching the readership shift toward Le Journal du Mérite only further fueled his discontent. For Bonnet, aligning with Schneider seemed like the best choice, regardless of political affiliation.
After Charles explained all this, Steed sat in stony silence, processing the news, then turned to Charles with an apologetic expression. "Please believe me, Captain. I had no idea any of this was happening, nor would I have ever wished it."
"Grevy came to me as well," Dominique added. "He tried to reach out to me personally."
Steed looked stunned. "He did?"
"Yes," Dominique replied, somewhat embarrassed. "At the time, I dismissed it as mere provocation. I didn't expect there was… more."
Steed let out a frustrated sigh, glaring briefly at Dominique.
"What do you intend to do?" Charles asked.
"Rest assured, Captain," Steed replied, his eyes cold with determination. "I'll take care of this matter myself."
Steed already had a plan in mind: Bonnet would meet an unfortunate end in a "traffic accident." Since Bonnet hadn't yet announced his switch to Schneider, his death would seem suspicious, and all eyes would turn to Schneider. This move would ensure that Schneider gained nothing from Bonnet's passing.
As for Layom, he would lose his place in the family business permanently. Knowing too many of the company's secrets, he'd be kept under close supervision, at least for now. In the meantime, a neutral manager, someone without inheritance claims, would handle Saint-Étienne's operations. Steed wasn't the most creative, but he had his own ways of ensuring survival in France's ruthless world of partisan conflict.
After thinking it over, Steed gave Charles a small bow. "I hope these unpleasant events won't interfere with our collaboration."
"Of course not," Charles replied calmly. "Though I might suggest a different approach."
Steed looked confused, wondering if Charles intended to seek revenge in his own way. A hint of dread crossed his face. Would Charles demand he take drastic measures?
If that was the case, Steed had already decided to sacrifice Layom; after all, compared to the family legacy and Saint-Étienne itself, Layom's individual importance paled in comparison.
But Steed's worries proved unnecessary.
"Bonnet isn't worth the trouble," Charles said. "What you need to do is persuade Layom."
"Persuade him?" Steed asked, taken aback. That sounded like a surprisingly mild course of action.
"Layom could be a valuable asset for us," Charles explained. "In the future, you won't need to worry about transferring blueprints to Pito Armory by firing a technician."
Understanding dawned on Steed.
If Schneider saw Layom as a means to bolster Pito Armory and undermine Saint-Étienne—and, by extension, Charles—then Layom could eventually be used as leverage against Schneider.
"I can persuade him, Captain," Steed said confidently. "If he refuses, he'll be left with nothing."
But Steed couldn't let go of Bonnet so easily. "But Le Petit Journal could still damage our standing…"
"His impact is negligible," Charles replied.
Steed hesitated. For Charles, this might be true; even Schneider's Morning Report couldn't avoid publishing Charles's victories and successes. Even if Le Petit Journal were to "defect," they'd find it impossible to twist his triumphs into failures.
But Le Petit Journal could still harm Republican morale and unity…
Seeing Steed's concern, Charles added, "If you're determined to take action against him, wait a while."
Realization dawned on Steed.
This wasn't leniency on Charles's part—it was all part of a plan, a strategy aimed at a far bigger target: Grevy.
Steed had guessed correctly. For Charles, Grevy remained the most important opponent, a figure who operated like an "anti-Charles alliance," linking together anyone who opposed him, including some enemies Charles hadn't even recognized yet.
Grevy was a shrewd operator. If Steed swiftly dealt with the two "traitors," Grevy would immediately sense the threat, realizing that Charles had access to intelligence and would likely exercise far greater caution.
But if Charles feigned ignorance, Bonnet would still defect to Schneider, and Layom would continue feeding information to them.
As a result, Grevy would carry on with his dealings with the Germans, just as he had been doing. Previously, Charles hadn't had the means to handle him, but now, with the White Lady keeping a close watch—and Grevy unaware of her existence—he could finally take action.
Soon, Grevy and his right-wing allies would face accusations of "collaboration with the enemy."
And the consequences?
A choice between suicide or the firing squad.
"Your call," Charles thought.
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