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((Triple Monday -- Page 1 of 3))
“That’s... good to hear,” said Hector, “but the renovations aren’t even halfway through the Entry Tower yet.”

“Yes, and that is another reason why I believe this bank is a good idea. With our current resources, renovating all eight towers properly is impossible, much less building new ones on the surface and attending to the sunken structures in the lake. A bank, however, would provide us with a valuable source of income.”

Hector fell quiet for a moment again, obviously thinking. Then he looked at her. “I interrupted you. What were you going to say about getting the ball rolling?”

“Ah. Yes. In order to get started on this bank, we will require considerably more capital than we currently possess. I could go into excruciating detail, but the short of it is that we will need a loan.”

“A loan?” said Hector. “You mean, like, from another bank? Wouldn’t they be opposed to the idea of, uh, funding their rivals or something?”

“Indeed. Which is why the loan would have to come from somewhere else.”

“You have somewhere in mind?”

“I would recommend multiple sources, actually,” she said. “In the event that one of them turns us down or ends up having difficulties of their own in the future, it would be best if we did not have all of our eggs in one basket, as they say.”

“Okay... but what sources are you thinking of?”

She almost didn’t want to say. “The government would be one.”

“...You want me to ask the Queen for even more money?” said Hector.

“Well... yes. It could not hurt to ask at least, no?”

Hector rubbed his face with both hands. Amelia was beginning to see that tiredness he mentioned earlier.

“I admit, it may be a bad idea to take more money from the government. No doubt, they have dire need of it, at the moment. Assuming they even have any left to lend. However, the point remains that you would be working to help them resolve the current economic crisis, and I imagine the Queen would be interested in helping you to speed your work along.”

Hector put his hands down again. “...Hold on. You just said, ‘assuming they even have any money left?’ Why wouldn’t they have any money left?”

“Ah, well... because there are some rather unsavory rumors about, regarding the true cause of this crisis. Some are saying that the government’s coffers are empty, and so the entire reason Atreya National and Longrun collapsed first was because they were so deeply connected with the state treasury.”

Hector’s brow lowered. “You’re saying the Queen’s broke?”

“I am only saying what I have heard. But such rumors, even if they are untrue, are terrible for business.”

“Wouldn’t something like that already be all over the news if it were true?”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps the Queen believes that such news would be so damaging to the nation that she has been suppressing it.”