Chapter 335: The Tail End of Mutual Suspicion

As the night deepened and the banquet drew to a close, the satisfied guests boarded their luxurious carriages and departed the estate one after another.

However, there were some who did not leave.

For instance, the noble Regent.

Inside the study of the Valencia estate, Granville Bota sat in an armchair by the window, toying with a diamond-encrusted gold pocket watch.

It was a gift from Prince Kelin.

It was said that in the distant United Kingdom of Gustaff, diamonds symbolized an unbreakable bond. He examined it carefully; the thing was indeed quite hard.

The Oss Continent also had diamond mines, but the stones produced there were nowhere near as large as this one.

Albert Valencia stood beside him, quietly gazing at the brilliantly lit Shengcheng in the distance and the carriages leaving the estate under the glow of the lights.

In particular, his gaze never left the carriage emblazoned with the golden rose and scroll, following it until it disappeared at the edge of his vision.

"Our Prince is truly unexpected," Granville said, putting down the pocket watch with a playful smile, speaking in a measured tone. "At just over twenty years old, to be able to handle interpersonal relationships with everyone at such a banquet with such ease—elegant, decent, and yet tactful... It seems the United Kingdom of Gustaff is not as barbaric as we imagined."

Clearly, that continent also had its own nobility.

Otherwise, there would be no explanation for why this descendant of the Kelin family could integrate so quickly into the upper society of the Shengcheng upon his return.

A person's cultivation is directly linked to their education and life experiences; Granville did not believe there were people born with a natural talent for socializing. This skill was even rarer than transcendent power.

After all, the Shengcheng was not lacking in transcendent beings; nobles could become powerful transcendents with a little effort, but those capable of uniting transcendents were few and far between.

Albert smiled faintly and said softly.

"The more shrewd a young person is, the more likely they are to hold themselves in high regard, thinking everything is under their control. In fact, the joint-stock knight order he proposed is an excellent opportunity for our Senate. After all, in terms of financial resources and connections, no one can compare to us."

Granville nodded slightly.

"Indeed, whether it is the outcome of a war or the rise and fall of a kingdom, money is ultimately what dictates it. As long as we have sufficient funds, we can completely determine the future direction of the knight order... However, we must also guard against the military faction and the church faction secretly joining forces. After all, they are far freer on the Gana Continent than they are in the Shengcheng."

Albert chuckled and said softly.

"That goes without saying. The desire for land is carved into the bones of those fellows who crawled out of the mud; they would trade their lives for it. And the ambition of the church is even more unfathomable; they are becoming increasingly restless staying in their churches and have begun to meddle in secular affairs."

He paused, then continued in a tone of making a decision.

"I intend to bring the Lambert and Castellion families in to participate in drafting the charter for the Templar Order. Let's not have internal friction among ourselves at a time like this. We cannot repeat the mistakes we made on the New Continent on this newer continent!"

"Excellent. My biggest worry was that those two families would fight over the distribution of benefits. With you stepping in, it will be much more stable." Granville beamed and nodded with satisfaction. "We can no longer underestimate our opponents as we did in the past. At the very least, at this stage, we must prioritize the interests of the Senate."

The interests of the Senate were the interests of the Valencia family.

And, of course, the interests of the Bota family as well.

The two exchanged a smile, tacitly understanding what was to be done next.

On the other side, outside the window of the Valencia estate's study, Lako Aiboge and Legion Commander Julian were boarding a carriage to return to the Marshal's Mansion.

As the carriage drove through the quiet streets, Julian broke the silence first, his eyes burning as he spoke.

"Marshal, do you think the knight order proposed by Prince Kelin is feasible?"

It hadn't been convenient to ask at the banquet, but now that there was no one else around, it was the time to speak behind closed doors.

As for his own thoughts, they were already written all over his face!

Lako's gaze was deep, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth, and his thoughts coincided perfectly with those of Legion Commander Julian.

"Feasible? Heh, it's more than feasible; it's practically tailor-made for us."

General Hamorton's investment had not been in vain, although the general, who was unwilling to meddle in politics, might not even know what he was doing.

Seeing that the Marshal's thoughts were the same as his own, Legion Commander Julian's face lit up, his eyes revealing undisguised excitement as he immediately spoke.

"That's what I think too! Although the nobles of the Senate might provide the most funding, it is ultimately our own brothers who will be fighting on the battlefield! And the Gana Continent is different from the New Continent; that land has owners. We only need to support the Kelin family's legal claim there, and the Senate will have no reason to send a Viceroy!"

Money can dictate the outcome of a war, but it cannot dictate who the fruits of victory belong to!

Looking at the excited Julian, Lako reminded him in a low voice: "We must be cautious. Neither Duke Valencia nor the Regent are fools; what you can see, they can see too. We must ensure that the officers of the knight order are absolutely loyal and reliable, and will not be bought off by people from the Senate."

He paused, then continued with a calm expression.

"Additionally, we must ensure that Prince Kelin remains our man."

Although the Valencia family had not made any moves, it was clear that the Castellion and Lambert families could no longer resist taking action.

The thing these moribund nobles loved most was collecting ancient bloodlines to add to their own genealogies.

Especially since the Kelin family possessed not only an ancient bloodline but also a claim to the Gana Continent tacitly approved by all three major factions in the Shengcheng!

Trading a dowry for the status of "Little Kelin's grandfather" was simply too profitable for these families with long histories.

Thinking of this, Lako couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.

It was a pity.

Both of his children were men; they were destined to be unable to take this shortcut.

Hearing the Marshal's reminder, Julian immediately reined in his look of certain victory and said in a deep voice, "Please rest assured, Marshal. I will hint to General Hamorton to put in more effort with Kelin. I believe sufficient benefits will surely lock him firmly by our side!"

After a brief pause, he continued.

"Furthermore, there are countless loyal and reliable reserve talents in the Red Shield Brotherhood. I will personally select the elite to head to the Gana Continent to ensure that the leaders who will determine the future of the knight order are all our own people!"

"I was just giving a reminder; as long as you know what to do, that's fine." Lako nodded approvingly, leaned the back of his head against the carriage seat, and closed his eyes to rest.

The future of the Empire would ultimately belong to those young men who had truly bled for it.

As for those fellows who clung to dreams from a thousand years ago and refused to wake up...

Let them take their glory into their coffins!

The carriage emblazoned with the golden rose and scroll drove slowly along Sage Street toward the Court of Sages. Inside the carriage, the magic crystal lamp cast a soft light, and despite the swaying, it was exceptionally quiet and comfortable.

Sitting opposite Luo Yan, Count Kasite Silfen watched this young and steady Prince with a smile, his eyes overflowing with admiration.

"... I didn't expect you to bring such a big surprise to the Empire tonight. To be honest, you even startled me."

Luo Yan smiled gently and said in a calm, unhurried manner, "To tell you the truth, I only came up with this idea on the spur of the moment, inspired by Mr. Tuodewen. I didn't consult with you beforehand, and I hope you don't mind."

Kasite laughed and waved his hand, saying, "Your Highness, you are overstating it. Of course, you have the final say in your own territory. Besides, as a subject of the Empire, how could I mind another loyal subject of the Empire showing their heart for the Empire?"

"What I want to say is... I am deeply impressed by your generous move! Of course, if you have any special plans in the future, you might as well talk to me first. The Silfen family will always be your partner; whatever others can provide you, we can provide as well."

There was no lack of resentment in that voice; clearly, he did not believe that this massive plan was something Prince Kelin had thought of on the spur of the moment.

Luo Yan smiled slightly and said calmly.

"Next time, definitely."

The two continued to chat in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, and the topic soon flew beyond official business, turning into a discussion on philosophy and art.

However, Mr. Kasite tonight was not as serious and obsessed with academics as usual.

Especially when the conversation turned to the dance, Kasite's eyes became noticeably more ambiguous, and he said in a teasing tone, "Speaking of which, compared to your concept of the Templar Order, I am actually more interested in your dancing skills... I heard you have a good relationship with the nobles of the Gustaff Kingdom. Do those lizardmen often hold banquets like this too?"

"They have their own unique culture, which is quite different from the Empire," Luo Yan paused, then continued with a smile, "As for my dancing skills, they are not worth mentioning compared to yours. It's mainly because the ladies I danced with were very patient; they led well."

Kasite said with a smile.

"Is that so? I actually think it's because you captured their eyes. Ballroom dancing itself is not about the dance, but about the communication between the partners, especially body language and eye contact."

"You flatter me, Count. I don't have such ability... Perhaps it's because my comprehension is relatively high?" Of course, Luo Yan would not say that the culture of the Netherworld and the Empire were truly too similar, like two melons growing on the same vine.

The dance he had performed at Miss Mi Ya's birthday banquet was not fundamentally different from the ballroom dancing of the Shengcheng; it was like two pronunciations of the same word.

Kasite shook his head and said.

"I am not joking. I have actually been watching you, and I found that the eyes of all the young ladies in the room were on you alone."

Not just the young ladies—

Aren't you the same?

Luo Yan smiled inwardly but didn't expose him, only puzzled as to why this Count kept harping on this topic.

However, his confusion did not last long.

After beating around the bush for most of the conversation, Kasite quickly exposed his purpose, "the dagger revealed when the map was unrolled," and probed with a tone of feigned indifference.

"I just don't know which young lady is fortunate enough to have your gaze linger on her?"

Luo Yan was slightly taken aback, coughed lightly, and said, "Count, this topic is still too early for me. I have no plans to settle down for the time being."

This was actually a flaw for the Kelin family; having no heir meant instability, and many contracts of the old era were maintained by bloodline. However, "Prince Kelin" had his own special circumstances after all.

Currently, he had good relationships with all three major factions in the Shengcheng, and the "Empire" they formed together needed Prince Kelin as a chess piece to open the gates of the Gustaff Kingdom. Therefore, both publicly and privately, he didn't need to worry about anyone wanting to flip the table.

Flipping the table was something only gamblers who had lost their minds would do. At least for now, everyone was still winning, and all he had to do was keep this balance.

And—

Make everyone at the gambling table believe they were the "big winner."

Hearing Prince Kelin's answer, Kasite felt a sense of relief, but on the surface, he still smiled calmly and composedly.

"That is also true. Your Highness is still young; there is no need to rush. What's important is to find a partner who truly shares your interests."

He spoke insincerely, but inwardly he felt secretly fortunate.

He could certainly see that the nobles of the Senate had long been eyeing the Kelin family. Once the Prince truly married into those families, the church's future layout in the Empire would inevitably become even more difficult... especially since the church and the Kelin family had not yet established a sufficiently solid bond of interest.

But now, it seemed he didn't need to worry.

There was a moment of silence in the carriage, and Kasite suddenly changed the subject, saying with a smile.

"By the way, Baron Mitia mentioned to me before the abstract art you talked about while painting. He spoke highly of your attainments in the field of art. You know I am the head of the Imperial Royal Academy; please allow me to make a presumptuous request... I hope you can spare a class to share your insights on abstract art with the teachers and students of the academy."

Luo Yan was stunned upon hearing this, caught off guard by the proposal, and then laughed, saying, "Count, you have truly misunderstood. I am a complete layman in art. I was just chatting casually with Baron Mitia at the time; there's no way I have any profound insights... What he told you was probably his own realization."

He didn't know anything about abstract art; he only knew a little bit about abstract nonsense.

However—

Count Silfen didn't listen to a word he said, still stubbornly believing he was being modest, and continued to persuade him in a sincere tone.

"Your Highness, you are too modest! Baron Mitia has always had extremely high standards. For you to make him look at you with such admiration, this is definitely not something that could be achieved with just a few casual words. And even if he realized something himself, it must have been because of your inspiration!"

Luo Yan said with a bitter smile, "Count, you really overestimate me... I can lecture on other things, but I really don't understand art."

He had thought that once he said this much, Mr. Kasite would give up, but he didn't expect him to be unexpectedly persistent.

Looking at that sincere and expectant expression, Luo Yan was silent for a moment, and finally sighed and nodded.

"Fine... If it's just a casual talk, I only hope the young students of the Imperial Royal Academy of Art won't be too disappointed in me."

It seemed Count Silfen was determined to drag him to lecture on some abstract school.

For the sake of the Silfen family's meticulous care for him, he couldn't give the Count absolutely no face.

Besides, it wouldn't take much time.

At worst, he could have the players prepare the lesson for him.

Hearing him agree, Kasite beamed and said happily, "Your Highness, you are overstating it! You can rest assured; the teachers and students of the academy will definitely feel honored... Prince Kelin's arrival is already their greatest harvest!"

In the Royal Academy of Art, there was no shortage of young ladies who were both knowledgeable and beautiful; that was not something a mere banquet could compare to!

Since Prince Kelin was not interested in family background, he must be more interested in youthful and beautiful flesh—oh no, holy souls!

A glimmer of shrewdness flashed in Kasite's eyes, which he hid behind an elegant and decent smile.

As long as he could grasp this opportunity and not let those old foxes in the Senate get the upper hand, he would have lived up to the Pope's expectations.

Looking at the unusually happy Count Silfen, the expression on Luo Yan's face was a bit strange, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

Building a good relationship with the Silfen family had no downsides for him.

In short—

This was also part of the plan.

Shengcheng, midnight.

An inconspicuous stone door slowly closed, shutting out the clamor of the surface.

Inside the dimly lit basement, a meticulously carved obsidian statue stood in the shadows. The man in the statue had a beautiful and feminine face, his eyes half-open, and a smile playing on his lips.

Under his gaze, a cloaked figure walked in from the door carrying a silver candlestick and placed the candle gently beneath the stone statue.

In the dim candlelight, the shadow cast by the hood obscured his face as always, revealing only a pale chin and slightly pursed lips.

He knelt on one knee, his voice low, hoarse, and respectful.

"Respected Lord Karamos, I have brought the latest news."

After a brief silence in the air, a faint smile suddenly appeared on the statue's lips, and it continued in a measured tone.

"Speak, how did the banquet go? What fresh tricks does our Prince Kelin have? And, whose bed is he in now?"

The statue's voice was soft and playful, as if watching a stage play with twists and turns, and those obsidian eyes could see pleasures that ordinary people could not.

The cloaked man was stunned, unable to process the question for a long time, and after a moment, he said in a low voice.

"This... I don't know, but he should be returning to the Court of Sages in the Silfen family's carriage now."

Not knowing if Lord Karamos was satisfied with this answer, he continued in a hurried tone.

"Additionally, Prince Kelin proposed at the banquet to take out land from a county to establish an organization called the Templar Order, which successfully piqued the interest of the Senate, the Imperial military, and the church."

"Templar Order?" The statue's tone carried obvious interest, and it clicked its tongue lightly, saying, "That name sounds truly pious..."

The cloaked man nodded heavily and continued: "Yes, my lord. He proposed establishing the knight order on the Gana Continent, operating in a joint-stock form. Wealthy nobles provide the money, officers provide the people, and the church provides priests and missionaries—everyone is happy. And from my observation... both the Regent and the Marshal are quite interested in this."

As for more details, that was not something his level could access.

The Valencia family's banquet invited many people, but the families that could truly walk into the core of power in the Shengcheng couldn't even fill a single room.

"Heh," Karamos chuckled, commenting as if it were none of his business, "That really is a genius idea, actually twisting three forces into a single rope."

If the real Prince Kelin knew he had such a formidable "grandson," he wondered if he wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

Oh right, that guy didn't need to sleep anyway.

The man pursed his lips and probed carefully: "But... my lord, if this knight order can really be established, wouldn't that be a bad thing for our Netherworld?"

He didn't know about the Netherworld's layout on the Gana Continent, but just looking at the information in the newspapers, he could feel something—the Netherworld, which had sent a Demon King to the Gana Continent, was definitely not uninterested in that land.

The smile on the Karamos statue deepened, and its voice carried an unfathomable pleasure, speaking in a relaxed tone.

"Is that so? Then you underestimate us too much."

The man quickly lowered his head, saying in fear and trepidation.

"I wouldn't dare..."

Karamos smiled meaningfully and continued.

"I actually think this isn't a bad thing for us. Three people with mutual suspicion deciding to do a big thing together will surely end in a mess. Perhaps this is exactly the purpose of 'Prince Kelin'; that guy is no pushover."

Speaking of this, a chilling laughter suddenly leaked from the stone statue's mouth—

"Hehehe... I'm becoming more and more curious about how he will do it. I really want to talk to him about his plan in person; maybe I can even help him."

The cloaked man shrank his neck, feeling a trace of fear from that eerie laughter, but he could only stand there, biting the bullet.

People who sell their souls to the devil often end up like this; they sink deeper and deeper, and at some point, lose the right to quit.

This was exactly the terrifying part of the corruption from the Netherworld.

They hadn't won much on the front lines, but they rarely lost when it came to corrupting the Shengcheng.

Through Lord Karamos's subtext, he could vaguely perceive that Prince Kelin seemed to be a chess piece of this lord as well, and perhaps, like himself, had been caught by the devil and couldn't leave them.

But—

Was it really that simple?

He had seen that gentleman a few times, and that gentleman was clearly not someone easily manipulated, but a deep and hidden chess player.

The statue's voice gradually faded, becoming ethereal and distant.

"News about him always makes me feel so pleased. Continue to observe—"

"I look forward immensely to you bringing me more joy."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 336 =====

(End of chapter)