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"I'm... still pretty new to all this," said Hector, trying to be very careful with his words, "but it seems to me that... my bank would be able to grow a lot more quickly and help a lot more people get through this economic depression if those regulations weren't quite so strict. But Madame Carthrace tells me that you... feel differently."

"I do," said the Queen. "While I did not create those regulations, I think that they were placed there for good reason. And it is precisely in times of crisis like this one when influence and power shift in unexpected and potentially terrifying ways. I will freely admit that I am afraid of the Darksteel National Bank growing too powerful too quickly."

Wow.

Hector had to admire the way she just came right and said it. That still didn't exactly soften the blow, though. "...You think I would abuse that power?"

"As a matter of fact, I do not," said the Queen. "But your Bank is more than just you. How many employees do you have now, I wonder? And how many more would you need in order to cope with the explosive growth that you would undoubtedly see if I were to change the law purely for your benefit?"

Hector frowned. "I get what you're saying, but... Your Highness, there are still a lot of people suffering financially, right now. And we have the power to change that. If you're worried about something like... corruption in my bank--or whatever else--then let's address that issue. I don't think we should avoid the whole thing just because we're worried about one aspect of it."

"Respectfully, Hector, I don't think you do get what I am saying. The economy is on the road to recovery. The situation is improving. And at a historic pace, I might add. Just because we can make it go faster does not mean we should. We would be opening ourselves up to the same essential problem that the Vanguard is currently having: bloat. And once that becomes an issue, it is very difficult to fix."