Chapter 312: The Council of Sovereigns, Pt 2

The councilors erupted in a great amount of discussion once Mathilde had finished her arguments. Many agreed with her, of course. But some still had too many misgivings. Risking a sponsorship for a nation of a hundred thousand people was easier to make, simply because of their numbers.

“As you noted,” said one of the dukes, “the House would incur significant costs while the nation-state enters a period of growth. But why should we choose to sponsor them over, say, a second merchant fleet?

“Sponsoring two merchant fleets would ensure a greater return on our ledger far faster than anyone else. And they would help ensure the ducat’s galactic domination. Certainly that’s far more important than anything else.”

“The strength of the ducat is certainly critical,” Mathilde answered. “However, consider the strength of our influence over the other houses as well. There’s no single value that could possibly encompass that, but I’m certain that we all agree on its importance.