<h4>Chapter 546 Economic zone</h4>


    After clearing my throat, I said, "Guests that havee from far and wide, I thank you foring and wee you to my territory."


    The way that I said this was filled with the majesty that a powerful noble should have, it really made me look like a proper count like this, even if I didn''t feel like one.


    After a dramatic pause, I said, "We are all gathered here to discuss the issue that I have sent to your various lords, but I''m sure that all of you have your questions about what the n is. I just ask that you hold all of these questions until you''ve heard everything that we have to say."


    The people that were sitting around me revealed surprised looks after hearing this, but they nodded in agreement since this was a fair request.


    After that, I turned to the board behind me and there was already someone that was putting up a map.


    It was one of Rose''s subordinates.


    It seemed that they really had been well trained that they could even act without me giving them the cue.


    Of course, I wouldn''t know since I had been away this whole time.


    After the map was ced, I took out the pointer that had been provided and started making areas on the map while reading off the script.


    The script gave information about these ces and the things that they had as their specialty.


    The details given were so precise that even those who represented those areas didn''t seem to know about them as seen by the surprised looks on the faces of the ones sitting around this room.


    They really seemed like they had no idea about anything that I was saying.


    Of course, I had no idea about any of this either since I never did any of this work.


    Once I finished reading the script, I went on to say, "I hope that all of you will consider what I have said today and will look favourably on the proposal that we have for you all."


    The people around the room had looks of deep thought on their faces.


    There were even some of them that were looking at me with wary looks, as if they were afraid of me.


    I could understand this since I had given them information about their territory that they didn''t even know about. If I had information like this, there was no knowing what other kind of information I would have.


    Take for example…information about the structures on their territory or information about their armies.


    If this information was known, it would be easy for them to invade and take their territory. It was even easier since they knew that I had a count title that would allow me to do whatever I wanted with these smaller nobles.


    So it wasn''t strange that they were wary of me.


    However, since I didn''t have any script left, that meant that my role was over.


    I was about to go sit down, but Rose came up beside me and held my arm to keep me there.


    I just revealed a faint bitter smile that the others didn''t see as I remained standing there by her side. But after that faint bitter smile disappeared, I tried to reveal as stern of a look as I could to help her.


    Rose couldn''t help revealing a faint smile seeing me with this stern look on my face.


    She turned back to the others and said, "The proposal that we are making is that we want you to work with us to create an economic zone as we are calling it."


    Everyone in the room looked at her with a confused look when they heard this.


    Economic zone?


    They had really never heard of this term before.


    Rose could see this, but she wasn''t in a rush to exin.


    Instead, after keeping them in suspense for a bit, she said, "The economic zone as we call it is an area where we all work together to improve the economy of each other''s territory. For this, we will want everyone to work together to produce the goods that we specify for them."


    Rose turned to the map and pointed at Viscount Henry''s territory to say, "For example, take this territory as an example. This ce is rich in fertilends and is ideal for nting various types of food nts and nts for materials. So we would designate this ce as a farming territory."


    She pointed at another territory and said, "This territory has a rich copper mine, so we are hoping that the lord there will focus on developing said copper mine and provide copper not just for the region, but also to sell to other regions."


    She went on to point out many different territories and their specialties before going into detail how they would help these territories distribute the products that they produced.


    With Haley''s distributionwork that now spread all over the country with the help of the royal family and the duke, they had no problems helping all of these territories distribute everything for a fee.


    Plus, she showed just how much they would make from all of this which was a major enticement to the representatives.


    But in the end, one of them couldn''t help asking, "So you''re saying that you want us to stop producing food all together and just rely on buying it to support our territory?"


    As soon as this was said, all of the representatives narrowed their eyes.


    This was something that was very concerning for them because…if they couldn''t secure the food supply of their territory, then it was impossible for them to be truly safe.


    If they relied on buying food, there was no knowing if that food would stop because of some kind of ident.


    Though it could also stop if some disaster happened, at least it would be safer to produce one''s own food.


    So this was a major problem in them epting this proposal.