Chapter 389: Another Battlefield
Negotiations went smoothly, with Charles securing five artillery production lines in exchange for 30 "Camel" fighter planes. Three of these lines were even dismantled in Britain and shipped to France. Naturally, Charles wasn't about to deliver all 30 planes immediately; the contract specified that the Camels would remain in training status until the production lines reached Paris and were fully operational. In the meantime, British pilots and ground crews would be trained on their use and maintenance.
Dealing with someone as notorious as the First Lord of the Admiralty—famous worldwide for his ruthless reputation—required caution. After all, this was the man whose policies contributed to the starvation of millions in India during the Second World War. Doing business with such a figure meant Charles couldn't afford any mistakes.
That afternoon, Charles returned to the small town of Davos. Instead of going home, he headed directly to the tractor factory to find Deyoka.
Perhaps out of habit, Deyoka used the factory as his headquarters, even though they also owned an aircraft manufacturing plant and a newspaper in Paris. He left Steed's armory mostly to itself, trusting that as long as Charles maintained his military advantage, Steed would remain loyal. Nonetheless, managing these businesses kept Deyoka busy, and his latest endeavor to acquire struggling insurance companies stretched him even thinner. Some days he barely had time for a coffee break, working late into the night, often not even going home despite living nearby.
Camille had voiced her frustration with this hectic lifestyle:
"I heard our assets have surpassed a hundred million francs. Don't you think that's enough?""Why do we need all this money? We still eat the same food, live in the same house.""At this rate, it'll never end. I just don't see the point!"
At the breakfast table, Deyoka sipped his onion soup and read the newspaper, keeping up with the latest news, even minor events like a local fire, as part of his insurance industry research. He let Camille's words wash over him, barely reacting.
Seeing his indifference, Camille snatched the newspaper from him, raising her voice: "Did you hear a word I said? Both you and Charles need to take a break!"
Deyoka stared at her for a moment, letting her words sink in. "A break? Because we've made enough money?" he asked, shaking his head. "No, Camille, it'll never be enough. And now is not the time to stop. You don't understand; we're on another battlefield."
"Another battlefield?" Camille asked, clearly puzzled.
"Yes," Deyoka explained, "many capitalists openly and covertly aim to harm Charles. Some even wish him gone. Now that we're finally making progress and Charles has managed to deter these capitalists, we must seize this moment to strengthen ourselves. And you want us to take a break?"
Deyoka concluded, "This isn't about money, Camille. Or maybe, in a way, it is. But it's more about standing up to those capitalists. Do you understand? This battlefield is just as dangerous as the one Charles faces, maybe even more so."
Camille nodded, partially grasping the danger he described. She quietly returned the newspaper to Deyoka and went back to clearing the table.
The world of capital was indeed another battlefield, filled with its own brutality, though devoid of gunpowder. Deyoka, who came from a family of merchants, understood this all too well, which drove his commitment to running the factory.
Ironically, he had once detested the deceit and cutthroat tactics of the business world, which was why he had distanced himself from it in the first place. But now, he found himself fully immersed in it once more, drawn back by Charles—and, surprisingly, by his own growing sense of satisfaction.
In this way, Deyoka began to find a strange pride and fulfillment in outmaneuvering the once-invincible capitalists, a feeling of self-worth he hadn't expected.
One day, as Deyoka was on the phone overseeing the acquisition of Ninay Insurance, he was surprised to see Charles, dressed in his military uniform, walk into his office and wave.
Deyoka quickly wrapped up his call and greeted Charles with a smile: "Finally found some time to visit your factory?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Charles's rank insignia—a pair of stars. It was his first time seeing Charles in his brigadier general uniform, and a sense of pride and admiration filled his eyes. Charles had reached a level he himself could only dream of.
Next to Deyoka's desk was an empty one that belonged to Charles, complete with the original desk lamp he'd chosen when they first moved in. If not for the few books Charles left there, Deyoka might have forgotten it was even his desk.
After accepting a coffee from the assistant, Charles settled into his chair and casually asked, "How's the insurance acquisition coming along?"
"Very smoothly," Deyoka replied. "We've acquired three companies in Dunkirk for next to nothing. Their owners were scared off by German bombings and eager to sell."
He handed Charles a summary of the acquisitions. Charles glanced at the report—three insurance companies acquired for a little over a million francs. A bargain indeed.
But Charles had something else in mind. Setting the report down, he took a sip of coffee and asked, "Father, did you hear about the German bombing of London?"
"Of course," Deyoka replied. "It happened last night. News spread all over France by morning."
Charles grunted in acknowledgment, taking another sip of his coffee. Suddenly, Deyoka seemed to realize something. He looked up at Charles and asked, "You're not…thinking of getting into the London insurance market, are you?"
"Why not?" Charles countered. "It's the perfect time to buy in at rock-bottom prices."
Deyoka considered it for a moment and nodded in agreement. The Zeppelin bombing of London had left the British shaken and defenseless, creating widespread fear. Rumors were circulating that Germany had hundreds of airships ready to attack.
Opening an insurance business in London right now would have people scrambling to buy policies, fearing for their lives and homes.
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