[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela":3,"chapter-exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-104":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Exiled from the Start and Dominating the Wasteland with an Intelligence System",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1688592,2155,"Chapter 104 : Chapter 104","exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-104",104,"\u003Cp>Chapter 104. Omens of Upheaval\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the royal capital of Orlandia, outside the heavy oak doors of the Prime Minister’s office, a young guard dressed in court attendant’s uniform came to a halt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew a deep breath, but the fear on his face was impossible to hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced a pleasing smile at the knights standing on either side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after a moment of hesitation, he raised his hand and lightly knocked on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A calm yet deeply authoritative voice came from within. It belonged to Duke Federico La Roche, Prime Minister of the Kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard pushed the door open and stepped inside, his movements so cautious that he scarcely dared make the slightest unnecessary sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lowering his head, he hurried to the great desk, not daring to meet the eyes of the old man who held the kingdom’s power in his grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Federico raised his head and swept his gaze over the newcomer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recognized that face. It belonged to a collateral descendant of the Montauban Family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, he served in the palace as the King’s cupbearer, a trivial figure, yet one who, at certain moments, could come close to the center of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“P-Prime Minister,” the guard said, his voice tight with obvious nervousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Summer has arrived. His Majesty the King... has decided to hold a hunting contest in the Royal Forest this afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To... to pray for the gods’ protection over the peace of the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His Majesty... and the assembled ministers wish to invite you to attend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Federico’s gray eyes remained calm and unreadable as he merely looked at the guard without answering at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That silence doubled the guard’s pressure, and cold sweat nearly broke across his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after a moment did Federico slowly speak, his voice devoid of emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who else has been invited?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if he had been granted a pardon, the guard let out a hurried breath of relief and answered more quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In reply to Your Grace, His Highness Prince Aiden will naturally accompany His Majesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In addition, the heads of the noble houses of the Royal Domain, as well as the ministers of the cabinet, will all be present.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Federico’s gaze lowered slightly and fell upon an unfinished report on his desk, while his fingertip tapped it lightly once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hunt that would gather nearly every core figure of power in the royal capital...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the King had often used one pretext or another to hold various banquets before, never had the attendance been so complete, and never at such a sensitive moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His keen political instincts immediately caught the scent of something unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he could not refuse to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The King had invited him personally, and nearly every important minister would be there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Prime Minister of the Kingdom, if he were to absent himself from so grand an event personally presided over by the King, that absence itself would become a powerful political signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would spark endless speculation and might even be used against him by his enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well.” Federico raised his head, with not the slightest trace of anything unusual on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Inform His Majesty that I will arrive on time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes! Prime Minister! The Royal Forest awaits your honored presence!” The guard felt as though a great burden had been lifted from him and hurriedly bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nearly backed out of the office, then carefully closed the door behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the faint click of the door shutting, silence returned to the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Federico’s gaze did not return to the documents. Instead, it remained calmly fixed on the closed door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of silence, he suddenly raised his voice toward the outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Attend me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The office door was pushed open, and a personal guard clad in dazzling armor bearing the golden lion crest strode in and saluted with a fist to his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go and tell Tos,” Federico said in a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have him keep a close watch on the Royal Capital Garrison. Without my direct order, no one is to move them, and under no circumstances are they to act rashly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also have the troops in our camp outside the city make ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard’s expression sharpened at once, and his eyes turned keen, instantly recognizing the urgency of the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without asking a single unnecessary question, he immediately answered in a deep voice,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By your command, my lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saluted again, then turned and strode away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Federico rubbed the golden lion ring on his right hand several times before speaking again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go and summon Count Bos to see me at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By your command, my lord!” came the answering voice of another attendant from outside the door, followed by the rapid sound of retreating footsteps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Count Bos was the strongest and most trusted of the vassals Federico had brought with him from the Western Frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was also one of the Western Frontier’s titled knights, bearing the title of the Cinderblade Knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, deep inside another luxurious estate in the royal capital, within the study of the Montauban Family,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the heavy curtains had been drawn halfway shut, leaving the room dim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several figures stood gathered together, speaking in hushed voices as they plotted in secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, do we... truly have to do this? That is... a duke, and the Prime Minister...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A somewhat hesitant female voice rang out, filled with unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What answered her was a steadier voice, though one that could not conceal its bone-deep hatred for Federico.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. We must strike first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bernard’s people have discovered that old lion... Federico... has been making frequent moves lately, as though he is shifting things in secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we continue sitting by and doing nothing, then by the time he finishes preparing everything...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“the next ones to suffer will most likely be us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was none other than the head of the Montauban Family, the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom from the Royal Domain—Marquess Cons Montauban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But, Father,” another young voice spoke up again. It belonged to the Marquess’s son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We truly were not involved in the Queen’s matter...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He should not target us for no reason, should he? And besides, over in the Eastern Frontier, Duke Russell’s side...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Utterly foolish! Hopelessly naive! Vilus! How could I have a son like you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquess Cons’s voice carried the sharp rebuke of a father furious at his child’s inadequacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember this well: the truth has never mattered!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What matters is what the kingdom’s nobles and citizens believe, what he believes, and what he can use that belief to do!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you guarantee that old lion, who is already half a step from the grave, would show mercy to nobles of the Royal Domain like us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for the Eastern Frontier... the Eastern Frontier now... in any case, they cannot give us much support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, another voice cut in, calm and level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Livia, Young Master Vilus, please rest assured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This matter has already been planned thoroughly since the moment he entered the royal capital. There is no chance of failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On top of that, that old lion Federico has been acting arbitrarily and without restraint for some time now. He has long since provoked public outrage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This time, he must be made to pay the price.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vilus Montauban, who had earlier voiced his concerns, still seemed somewhat uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But... the Royal Capital Garrison is already firmly in the hands of that old lion’s trusted men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The deputy commander of the garrison, Marquess Leon—Lady Livia’s husband—seemed to have held talks with him before as well...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we move the family troops, there is no way he would not know...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And besides, their Western Frontier troops are still occupying the camps outside our city... if he decides to move his forces...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Lady Livia heard Leon mentioned, she shot to her feet in anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Vilus, what do you mean by that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she turned to Cons. “Father, please trust me. Leon will listen to me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen to you? Hah, then—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough! All of you, be silent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this point, Marquess Cons had already raised a hand to cover his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not understand how a man whose entire life had been full of schemes and intrigues could have children this... childish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that among those who carried Montauban blood, the only truly clever ones were his grandson, Kellers, heir of the Black Family,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and his grandson Kane Montauban, in whom he took such pride. Could intelligence really skip a generation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That calm voice spoke again, easing the tension in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, everyone, calm yourselves. Lord Vilus, sometimes, when it comes to killing someone...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“you do not need a naked blade. Poison, public opinion, pressure, even a single sentence—any of those can do the job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is enough.” Marquess Cons cut off their discussion, his tone allowing no argument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Roman Family and the Memphis Family of the Royal Domain have already sent me their replies. Earlier, I had also already reached a preliminary agreement with the envoy from the Eastern Frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His Highness Aiden... neutral Bernard, the Graham Family, and Leon... they are indeed somewhat troublesome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Vilus jumped to his feet excitedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, the nobles of the Royal Domain have intermarried for generations. They will definitely help us. I can go persuade them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cons was already used to his son’s foolish remarks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You idiot. It is precisely because the nobles of the Royal Domain have intermarried for generations that their choice of neutrality is itself a rejection of us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember this well! When you are in conflict, and your friend chooses neutrality,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“whether intentionally or not, they have already taken the side of your opponent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Used to being cursed by his father, Vilus scratched his head and finally seemed to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cons sighed helplessly and turned to the middle-aged man who had been watching this loving father-and-son spectacle with a smiling expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bernard, personally arrange for reliable men to travel in secret to the Southern Frontier as fast as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They must see Duke Hackson and deliver both our plan and... our sincerity to him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, the owner of that calm voice was none other than Bernard, the current Minister of Intelligence of the Kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Called by name, Bernard, the Minister of Intelligence of the Kingdom, gave a slight bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was not the slightest expression on his face, and his voice remained steady and emotionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord. I shall obey your command.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1753,"2026-06-06T13:50:45.844Z",1,"novelbin.me","4ea174a283f1d41388d08f9fdf08b7edb96c1e9624e67e32c37e5cac08decb78","exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-105","exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-103",112,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fexiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-cover.jpg"]