Capítulo 78: Chapter Seventy-eight: Is This an Attempt at Rebellion?
"Whose expression must we consider?"
The marquis momentarily failed to grasp the meaning.
Douglas gestured towards the bill on the table, where the signature of the Seventh Prince, Sean, was inscribed, stating, "His."
Leaning forward, the marquis squinted at it, then suddenly slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming, "I have been the lord of Reverse Wind Port for twenty years! Why in the world should I care about that good-for-nothing's opinion?! What does Sean possess other than a father who is a king?!"
The music abruptly halted, and the simply dressed maidens huddled together in fear, too terrified to move while their master raged.
Douglas, secure in his position, tossed a few grapes into his mouth and casually replied, "Regardless, you now have no choice but to heed the Seventh Prince's wishes."
Inwardly, he scoffed.
Claiming that the Seventh Prince was worthless except for having a good father—well, was he not the same? Had it not been for his ancestors' valiant conquests in the Storm Kingdom, earning noble titles and land, would he have been worthy to inherit the marquisate and rule Reverse Wind Port?
Truly, it was a case of the toad deriding the dung beetle; none should mock the other!
Douglas felt no shame in noting that the marquis's magical talents were even inferior to that of the useless Seventh Prince. Were it not for the substantial benefits tied to this estate, he would never have considered this imbecile as a student...
Unaware of his own shortcomings, the marquis continued to bellow in indignation, "If that is your stance, then I might as well be begging on my knees?!"
As a purely port city, Reverse Wind Port relied heavily on commercial trade for its tax revenue, with industrial workshops trailing behind and agriculture at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Since there was little arable land here, what little "agriculture" existed was primarily supported by the local fishing industry.
With two major sources of income severed and seventy percent of the last one stripped away, how could the marquis not be furious?
Such paltry funds could barely cover the cost of hiring a songstress for his daily pleasures!
"The divine realm is vast, and without any holdings elsewhere, if you wish to continue residing in Reverse Wind Port, you will indeed need to beg on your knees."
Douglas recalled certain lesser nobles who had fallen under the Seventh Prince's judgment and chuckled, "How many wish to beg on their knees yet lack the opportunity?"
"My ancestors have served as marquises for three generations, earning countless military achievements for the Storm Kingdom! How much land have we conquered? How many incursions from the Thunder Kingdom have we repelled?"
The marquis spoke with pride, lifting his chin and huffing, "In my generation, even if my accomplishments are somewhat diminished, I shall never bow to the likes of the Seventh Prince, that useless creature!"
Douglas had anticipated this reaction from his incompetent pupil and raised an eyebrow, inquiring, "So, do you intend to stand strong and continue accumulating wealth?"
"Indeed!"
The marquis replied decisively.
However, recalling the ubiquitous aluminum-armored soldiers on the streets, his bravado diminished somewhat, and he added, "It's best not to provoke the divine realm directly. Does the teacher have any good strategies?"
"Indeed."
Douglas lifted his staff and pointed outside, a bright flame shooting through the window.
Moments later, four servants escorted a woman draped in a veil, her figure enchanting, as she entered the room.
"Esteemed Marquis."
The five bowed in deference, prompting a subtle shift in the marquis's demeanor as he glanced at them. "Your accents... they are from the Shadow Kingdom?"
"Indeed."
Douglas proceeded to introduce the five, who were high-level mercenaries he had painstakingly secured through various connections!
Each was exceptionally skilled in stealth, tracking, and assassination.
Due to the leading woman's tendency to disguise herself as a songstress while carrying out her missions, their small unit had earned the moniker "The Songstress," which fortuitously aligned with the marquis's inclinations.
"I see, each of you possesses remarkable abilities!"
The marquis offered his praise before pivoting to ask, "But the Seventh Prince is under the protection of the divine realm. Can you assure me that you will successfully execute the assassination without revealing my involvement?"
"The target is not the Seventh Prince."
Douglas clarified, "To put it plainly, the Seventh Prince is merely the divine realm's representative in Reverse Wind Port. Our objective is to assassinate the mid-level officials of the divine realm residing here and frame other royal family members, such as..."
"Three..."
The marquis had barely uttered a word when Douglas signaled him to understand, continuing, "The royal family has been conspicuously quiet for over a year; they may have already deemed us sacrificial pawns for the divine realm to placate higher authorities, facilitating their subsequent counterattacks...
To reclaim your holdings, we must first reignite friction between the royal family and the divine realm, allowing our situation to revive!"
"Very well, I shall entrust this entirely to you, teacher!"
The marquis wore a satisfied expression, once again adopting a hands-off approach.
Noticing the maidens huddled in the corner wishing to leave with the "Songstress" team, he beckoned, "You all remain!"
Douglas cast a deep look at the maidens, softly advising his student, "Handle the aftermath carefully."
The marquis licked his lips at this and assured, "Do not worry, I excel in such matters..."
...
Earlier, within the shadows outside the residence.
Wang Hui observed as the "Songstress" team entered through a side door, his expression contemplative.
The energy fluctuations emanating from these five individuals were quite impressive!
In comparison to the standards of the clan world, four of them were approximated at the level of thrice refined body training.
The leader, seemingly frail, had already reached four times refinement!
"Ah, the former lord stripped of his domain, is this an attempt at rebellion?"
While collaborating with Nalan Xia and others to devise a plan for divine authority, Wang Hui had gleaned intelligence regarding the former lord of Reverse Wind Port from the Seventh Prince's subordinate, the sorcerer Lan Nong.
It was evident that the marquis was devoid of talent and virtue, capable only of empty platitudes and superficial noble posturing, lacking any genuine abilities.
However, his father and grandfather had indeed been distinguished figures, leaving the current marquis not only the wealth of Reverse Wind Port but also several formidable supporters.
The most notable among these was a sorcerer named Douglas!
According to Lan Nong, this individual not only possessed strength comparable to the witch Mag but also had a convoluted network of connections, rumored to have deep ties with the underworld of the Shadow Kingdom.
Wang Hui remained unaware of the backgrounds of these skilled individuals brought into the mansion, but it was highly unlikely they were simply there to serve as the marquis's bodyguards!
After a moment of reflection, he turned to leave.
The divine realm had established its foothold in Reverse Wind Port for a year and a half, likely dealing with numerous overt and covert incidents; there was no necessity for him to involve himself directly.
Let the younger ones hone their skills!
Shortly after, he arrived at Liliya's residence on the street.
From a distance, he spotted the imposing figure of the dark-skinned warrior Maris, scanning the surroundings with eyes the size of bronze bells, causing passersby to hasten their steps, fearful of being devoured by the hulking giant...
"Somewhat foolish, yet commendably responsible!"
Wang Hui chuckled softly as he approached, choosing not to greet Maris but rather slipping into a side alley and quietly scaling the second-floor side window.
He could sense that the elven maiden, who had been training for a year and a half, would surely deliver a delightful surprise today...
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