The transcript provided by Viscount Roman Fuer was from an underground black market rchant from the Violet Duchy.
They had attacked the rchant’s vessel, plundered their cargo hold, and after capturing and interrogating them, they acquired this information.
Pure piracy.
The contents of the transcript were quite extensive, involving so underground trade between the Violet Duchy and Bold Duchy, with trades mostly involving warti supplies such as food provisions, transcendent materials, and weapons.
In addition, the trade contents also touched upon the allocation of so industries within the Castel Domain, even including the affairs of the Castel secret silver mines.
In the latter half of the transcript, the provider even disclosed the cooperative plans between the Violet Duchy and the Bold Duchy. The two duchies would join hands, coordinating with the rebels to deal with the Castel Domain, aiming to partition the entire Northern Land.
Not only that, but there was also a corresponding plan in place for the Earl of Castel, Charlotte, the lord of the land.
The Bold side demanded her to be captured alive, if possible, and if she fell into Violet hands, they were obliged to present her before Third Prince Philip.
If the provider of the transcript was just an ordinary black market rchant, one would dismiss these contents as sheer fantasy.
However, the provider was not just a black market rchant, but a direct family mber of the current ruling clan of the Violet Duchy, specifically responsible for the communication of underground trade between the two duchies.
Moreover, at the end of the transcript, Viscount Roman Fuer even attached considerable investigative material from his own Roman Fuer family, concerning recent fleet movents of the Violet Duchy and fluctuations in the warti supplies prices of the coastal ports of both duchies.
All the data pointed unequivocally to the fact that both duchies were indeed preparing for so significant action.
"Viscount Roman Fuer, this transcript is so detailed, the source must not be as simple as you’ve stated?" Charlotte picked up the parchnt scroll again and inquired.
Roman Fuer bowed respectfully and replied:
"Count, you can be assured that this matter is well within our expertise. During the attack, we did not fly Castel’s flag but replaced it with that of the pirate flag of the Falling Star Kingdom, leaving no trace behind."
Charlotte: ...
"What I want to know is not this, but where your initial source of information ca from?"
She suppressed the urge to retort and asked.
The Old Viscount answered:
"Lord Count, the reason we could get the ssage, and ambush the other party’s rchant ship, was all thanks to intelligence from within the kingdom’s navy..."
"The commander of the Star Moon Strait Fleet, Count Ver, and I have a longstanding relationship. He inford of this intelligence."
Charlotte’s heart stirred slightly:
"Count Ver?"
"A royal court count and also the forr royal court tutor."
Viscount Roman Fuer said.
"Court tutor? Soone from the Second Prince’s camp?"
The teacup in Charlotte’s hand paused slightly.
Viscount Roman Fuer slightly inclined his head, affirming her guess.
Charlotte suddenly felt a headache coming on.
As a minor count, she had neither the interest nor the will to get involved in royal family disputes at the mont.
But there’s an old saying, ’A man is not at fault for being poor, but for having a treasure in his possession.’ Castel’s position was too special in both Bold and New Moon.
It seed, perhaps from the mont she had inherited the wealthy lands, she was destined to be drawn into the vortex of struggles.
"No wonder Viscount Remisio hinted that I should be wary of the Third Prince; perhaps... he had already received so intelligence as well."
Charlotte thought to herself.
After a brief consideration, she looked towards Viscount Roman Fuer, a glint of light passing through her azure pupils:
"Lord Roman Fuer, the intelligence you have brought is crucial. From now on, the Roman Fuer family should please cooperate with Castel to confront rebellion and the potential invasion."
Viscount Roman Fuer knelt on one knee with a tremble, performing an ancient Northern Land Obedience Ceremony:
"Of course, the Roman Fuer family will always stand by your side, following your orders."
Charlotte pondered as she observed Viscount Roman Fuer’s Obedience Ceremony, which clearly bore the Falling Star style and seed to carry covert ssages.
...
After leaving the fettered envoy of Bold Duchy and the written records, Viscount Roman Fuer departed.
This Old Viscount indicated before leaving that he would remain in North Port until the rebellion was quelled, ready for orders at any ti, while the privateer fleet of the Roman Fuer family would continue to roam the strait as always, collecting all sorts of intelligence.
The envoy from Bold had been scared out of his wits.
This poor soul obviously didn’t know about these secret ssages and truly thought he was rely representing a gesture of goodwill from Bold.
Charlotte didn’t even glance at him and simply left him to one side.
Sebastian then released a Magic Barrier that shielded sound, isolating himself and Charlotte within, and spoke in a grave tone,
"My Lord, if Violet Duchy also enters the war, I fear that we will be in real trouble. Although Violet Duchy is barren, decades of the Star Moon War have forged a powerful military... As far as I know, they possess at least a standing army of over five thousand elite troops. Even without a conscription campaign, they pose a great threat."
"With the rebels in the north eyeing us eagerly, Bold’s garrison in the middle ready to strike at any mont, and the stirring Violet Duchy to the south, our current situation cannot simply be described as being attacked from both sides."
"Moreover, when a Lord of Duchy rank joins the battle, it’s almost certain that the Blazing Sun will participate!"
"If we still have to respond within the confines of secular rules with conventional thods, then... it will be exceedingly difficult for us."
Charlotte’s heart stirred as she looked at him,
"Are you suggesting I use power that is beyond customary constraints?"
Sebastian inclined his head slightly in agreent.
Charlotte thought for a mont and said,
"This is an era that values rules, and even I must be prudent and cautious before gaining absolute advantage, in order to deal with those who set the rules behind them..."
"The sa goes for the rules of war. After thousands of years of developnt, Mireya’s world has already ford its own war etiquette."
"Below Mythical, powers of each Rank have their place and restrictions. For example, the Blazing Sun shall not interfere in Low-Tier battles; Transcendents shall not slaughter Mortals; various forms of Dark, Undead, and Spiritual magic are listed as Taboos... "
At this point, Charlotte laughed lightly,
"But you’re right, when so people are prepared to break the rules, there’s no need for to continue using conventional thods within those rules any longer, not to ntion... the other party is an inevitable enemy."
Having finished speaking, Charlotte stepped out of the sound barrier and approached the shivering envoy.
A crimson glow flashed in her pupils, and she said indifferently,
"Lord envoy, I have a question for you. What would happen if I were to agree to your proposal?"
"I... I know nothing! I’m just an envoy... Just an envoy..."
The envoy shivered uncontrollably, clearly petrified.
Charlotte slightly furrowed her brows.
She cracked a slight smile and cast a spiritual calming spell as well as Charming Speech in a soothing tone,
"Tell , can you do that?"
Under the influence of the magic, the envoy gradually cald down. His expression was sowhat dazed, then with an infatuated look, he answered,
"Count... Lord Count, Lord Gaston said that if you agreed to the proposal, he wishes to invite you to choose a place between Tulip Count Domain and North Port to et and discuss the suppression of the rebellion."
"Gaston? Count Gaston?"
Charlotte was struck with a sudden thought, recalling an aging face she had t at a birthday banquet in the Bold Duke’s court.
She had a significant impression of him because his son, Jordan, died at the hands of the Undead she had awoken at the Drunk Dream Saloon.
With that in mind, Charlotte turned to Sebastian with a slight smile and said,
"Sebastian, it seems like the commander of the Bold garrison is an old acquaintance of ours."
With that, she turned her gaze back to the dazed envoy, her azure eyes turning completely crimson:
"Go back and tell Lord Gaston that I accept his proposal, his invitation... I am in attendance."
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