Chapter 336: People Who Sell Their Souls to the Devil

The next morning, the Dantes family woke up early and hurried to the meeting place agreed upon with Lumier, taking a carriage to King Street in the core area of the Shengcheng to see their future new home.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of the street, and the driver looked at the people in the carriage with a troubled expression.

"Sir, carriages without a family crest are not allowed to enter here... How about you get off here?"

Most wealthy areas in the Shengcheng prohibited outside carriages from entering, the reason being that untrained horses would defecate at will.

This was actually inaccurate.

After all, Edmond had seen with his own eyes a carriage emblazoned with a fancy crest drop a large pile while passing Loyalty Street, and it took several days before a neighbor who couldn't stand the smell finally picked it up.

"Let's stop here."

Lumier handed two coins to the driver and, amidst the driver's thanks, signaled for the Dantes family to follow him and walk toward their destination.

Bright sunlight spilled onto the wide and clean stone road, and the tall oak trees and flower beds on both sides of the street clustered around beautiful and elegant detached villas, which were very pleasing to the eye.

The villas behind the green lawns were all built of light-colored stone, with clean windows and carefully trimmed potted plants on the balconies, and occasionally one could see young servants in long dresses.

The environment here was simply two completely different worlds compared to Loyalty Street.

Although the people living on this street were not kings, they had at least escaped the class of leeks...

Probably?

Edmond Dantes looked at the streetscape around him, his heart filled with mixed feelings, both longing and timid. He subconsciously tugged at his collar, trying his best to look more decent... at least not like a newspaper delivery boy.

Just then, a newsboy ran past him, shouting loudly as he ran.

"Extra! Extra! Regent Granville Bota is hosting Prince Luoxi Kelin from the Star Fall Continent at the Valencia Manor! A bombshell piece of news has been released at the banquet, found right on page 2 of the newspaper! This news, worth tens of thousands of gold coins, is now yours for only 5 copper coins! Ladies and gentlemen, what are you waiting for? Buy a copy quickly! It's really not expensive!"

The boy shouted with great effort, and the appeal of the Kelin surname was almost immediately reflected.

Passing gentlemen and noblewomen threw coins into the newsboy's hat one after another, took the newspapers, and stood by the street reading them carefully, the expressions on their faces each more colorful than the last.

Watching those people focused intently, Edmond, who had been somewhat inferior, instantly felt as if he had been infused with divine grace bestowed by Saint Xisi, and his sunken chest unconsciously straightened up.

His wife, Anna, followed at his side, breathing rapidly, her hands nervously clutching a silk handkerchief as she kept admonishing the children: "Lu Lu Xien, Sophia, Francois, you must be polite when we go in later. No running around, understand? Especially you, Emily!"

Little Emily clutched her sister Sophia's skirt tightly, opened her curious eyes wide, and nodded vigorously.

"Mm! I know."

Lu Lu Xien tried to pretend to be calm, showing the demeanor of the eldest son. However, the fists that kept clenching and loosening revealed his inner excitement and anxiety.

His younger brother, François, appeared even more shy, looking left and right as if searching for a crack in the ground to hide in.

Sophia held her head high, but there was not much confidence in her timid gaze, and she looked at the pedestrians on the road from time to time, fearing that they would notice that her family didn't belong here and be thrown out of the street by the patrolling guards.

Of course, the guards couldn't possibly do that, but the occasional glances still made the family feel uneasy.

The only one whose expression remained normal was Lumier.

That face, which had seen great storms, was calm, as still as a windless lake.

This was a skill he had learned after carefully observing Lord Demon King—

No matter what happens, keep your facial expression steady, imagine yourself as part of the surroundings, and completely integrate into the environment.

"It seems we have arrived." Lumier stopped in front of an elegant milky-white villa, pausing to admire it, his discerning gaze filled with three parts satisfaction.

Edmond's breathing was noticeably rapid, and looking at the gorgeous gate inlaid with a bronze house number, he was hesitant for a moment.

Lumier had told him to choose any house he wanted, and he didn't know which one to choose so as not to lose face for the Prince, nor make the other party feel he was too greedy, so he remembered what he always heard people say: the powerful and wealthy merchants of the Shengcheng all lived here.

The facts were indeed so; several of the crests printed on the house numbers were of noble style... at least a Baron's title.

He didn't understand the housing prices here, but just looking at the elegantly decorated gate and the neatly trimmed lawn, he knew the price here was definitely not something he could consider.

Saint Xisi above...

Edmond couldn't help but groan in his heart, trying hard to maintain the expression he was about to lose control of.

The stable in that yard was almost bigger than his original house!

The real estate agent who showed the group the house was a neatly dressed young gentleman, whom Lumier had contacted in advance through the address in the newspaper.

The man in the tailcoat stood at the door, his gaze sweeping over the Dantes family's attire, and the smile on his face instantly stiffened, then transformed into a polite but distant expression.

"Good morning, everyone," he bowed slightly, his tone distant and professional, "May I ask... are you the guests who made an appointment to view the house?"

Edmond's heart tightened, and he quickly squeezed out a smile and nodded: "Yes, yes, we are here to view the house... uh, this is the one listed for sale, right? Are you the landlord?"

The agent raised an eyebrow, a smile appearing on his face, but his eyes unconsciously carried a bit of coldness.

"Sir, you are joking. How could guests who can live here have time to personally bring people to view the house?"

"Uh, so that's how it is."

A trace of unnatural redness instantly rose on Edmond's face, and his mouth moved as he was about to explain, but Lumier, standing behind him, stepped forward at the right time, calmly took a business card from his pocket, and handed it to the agent in the tailcoat.

The agent lowered his head and glanced at it, his expression instantly stiffening, and the whole person was like being hit by a petrification spell, his gaze completely stuck on the dazzling and noble Purple Moon crest.

It couldn't be wrong—

This was the Kelin family's medal!

He had only seen it in the newspaper this morning, and before that, he had seen it more than once!

In just an instant, his expression was like being cast with magic, glowing with unprecedented eagerness and enthusiasm.

"So it's a guest of the Kelin family! Disrespectful, disrespectful! I thought I had recognized the wrong person just now..."

He quickly tucked the business card carefully into his chest pocket and bowed respectfully.

"Please forgive my rudeness... Everyone, please come in!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly took out the key, opened the villa door, and stepped aside to make way.

The meticulous care carved all over his face seemed as if the previous cold attitude had never existed.

Lumier didn't bother with a small character, only casting his gaze toward Edmond.

The latter quickly regained his composure, picked up his solemn and serious expression again, and nudged his wife with his elbow... as if it were she who had lost face just now.

"Go, we have to go!"

As soon as the words fell, Edmond regretted it, fearing that this tigress would turn against him because of his unconsciously stiff tone, and finally lose face for the Kelin family.

However, to his surprise, Anna, who was always calculating, didn't say a word this time, as quiet as a sheep.

She gave a soft "mm" and snuggled behind him, like a bird-like noblewoman.

This... what is going on?

Who adjusted his wife to be like this?

Edmond opened his mouth wide in surprise, looking at his wife who had suddenly become more than ten years younger... as if she had returned to when they first met, and for a moment, he felt a bit strange.

"Is there something on my face?" Anna frowned slightly and reached into her bag to find a mirror.

That furrowed brow instantly made Edmond regain his lost memory, confirming that the person standing beside him was indeed his wife.

Not wanting to cause extra trouble, he quickly said.

"No, nothing, I just suddenly thought of some things. Let's hurry up and follow Mr. Kelin—oh no, Mr. Lumier."

The group filed in, passed through the stone road in the front yard of the villa, and arrived at the main building.

This was a three-story Western-style house, the same number of floors as the house on Loyalty Street, but the space was incomparable to the latter.

Not only that.

Although no one lived here, servants had been cleaning it, and the clean floor was spotless, reflecting the light crossing the window like a mirror.

The moment they stood in the hall, the Dantes family immediately felt an elegance and comfort completely different from the outside world.

And the agent was not stingy with his flattery and enthusiasm, like a bard in a tavern, tirelessly guiding them to visit the house.

Not only that, he also blew every brick and tile here to the sky, and used words to imply to them—everything here was so suitable for them, it was even tailor-made for them!

"The first floor has two living rooms, one for home enjoyment and one for guests, one small and one large, the small one is cozy, the large one is atmospheric, and the light is excellent! Look, this fireplace uses high-quality white marble, so you don't have to worry even if it's cold in winter..." The corner there is a study, very suitable for the owner to read quietly.

"The owner here told me that what he likes most is reading here for an hour before going to bed and tasting a glass of wine produced in the Lei En Kingdom in the 970th year of the Holy Calendar, which helps him think."

Can drinking wine help you think?

Edmond was greatly surprised and secretly looked at his wife.

Seeing that she didn't frown, he secretly remembered this useless knowledge, but forgot the vintage and origin of the red wine completely.

Anna didn't hear what the agent said to her husband at all; she had been completely captivated by the fairyland-like environment in front of her.

Reaching out and gently touching the soft velvet curtains in the living room, her fingers trembled slightly, and she muttered to herself: "This is... velvet? Then what is the one in our house?"

Sophia said in a low voice.

"Maybe it's duck down... but it's actually quite warm."

Anna blushed and glared at her daughter.

"I know! Also, don't mention this again... especially don't mention it to Mr. Kelin."

Sophia nodded with a blushing face and gave a soft "mm," indicating she knew.

Her mother had hinted to her, and she also knew that relying on her father was unreliable, and she had to make some sacrifices for this family, as for whether it was justified, it didn't matter at all.

Besides, this wasn't a sacrifice.

Nobles all did this, and then turned around to use shame and morality to restrain the poor.

Precisely because she had read books, she was particularly clear about this point.

Emily curiously wanted to touch the swan's fur; she had only seen it in picture books, and she would tell her good friend little Margaret when she returned to school.

But thinking of her mother's warning, she quietly withdrew her hand.

Edmond walked into the study cautiously, looking around at the bookshelves neatly arranged on the four walls and the exquisitely carved mahogany desk, a burst of eager excitement surging in his heart.

He suppressed his joy, maintained his outward composure, but couldn't help saying.

"Not bad... very not bad..."

The man in the tailcoat was happy in his heart, continuing to lead them to the second floor, talking endlessly: "The second floor is the bedroom area, the master bedroom is on the south side, with plenty of sunlight and good ventilation. The north side is the piano room, equipped with a top-level piano, very suitable for young ladies to learn music."

Sophia walked slowly into the piano room, her fingertips sliding gently over the black and white keys, the piano sound crisp and pleasant.

Her eyes were full of joy, and she whispered to her mother: "Mom, the piano here is much better than the one in the academy... will the owner leave it for us?"

"Of course! Everything here is yours!" The man in the tailcoat said eagerly, "The owner here is about to go to the New World to develop, I heard it's the Gana Continent... perhaps this is fate."

"Be careful, Sophia, don't break it!" Anna's tone was full of nervousness, but she couldn't hide her inner pride and anticipation. After visiting the interior of the house, the group returned to the yard, because the eldest son, Lu Lu Xien, who was full of knight dreams, insisted on seeing the stable here.

This seemed to be a separate yard, different from the main yard in front of the door, the lawn was more lush and softer, even if you fell on it, it wouldn't kill you, it was probably some magic that accelerated plant growth.

Edmond didn't understand either, just heard that this thing didn't work for growing crops, but it was first-class for growing grass.

The stable was on one side of the small yard, well-maintained, with three mangers empty, and hay and wood piled beside them.

Lu Lu Xien ran excitedly toward the stable, pushed open the small door, poked his head in, and turned his head back, his eyes shining with light.

He couldn't wait to say: "Father, this is much better than the one in our suburbs! I really... like it here too much!"

Edmond nodded to his son with a bit of restraint, but a trace of satisfaction and joy quietly appeared in his eyes, but he couldn't hide that trace of awkwardness and anxiety.

He secretly observed Lumier's expression, but couldn't figure out what the latter was thinking at all.

This guy was clearly a butler character, but gave him a feeling like a priest in a church.

And the most pedantic kind at that.

"The servant's dormitory and miscellaneous warehouse are behind the stable, this can not only raise horses, but also raise some harmless magical beasts, such as hybrid unicorns or big-horned deer," the man in the tailcoat introduced enthusiastically, "The overall design is very thoughtful, and daily life is very convenient... Is there anything else you need me to show you?"

"No, no need, I've already seen it." Edmond's heart had long been filled with excitement and thrill, but he still tried to put on a calm and composed posture, cleared his throat, and pretended to ask casually: "Well, the house... looks pretty good, so, what is the price?"

The man in the tailcoat answered with a smile.

"The selling price is 5052 gold coins, but I think if the owner hears about your noble status, he should be willing to round it down and make friends with you... I can negotiate for you!"

This sentence drifted lightly into Edmond's ears, but it exploded in his heart like a thunderbolt, and a fine layer of sweat uncontrollably seeped from his forehead.

Fifty million copper coins!

This money could buy half a road on Loyalty Street!

"Fifty million... cough, I mean five thousand gold coins is not much," Edmond tried to keep his voice calm, barely avoiding exposing that he was a poor ghost who usually bought things with copper coins.

He was silent for a moment, trying his best to hide his inner panic, barely squeezed out a smile and said: "The house... is indeed good, it's just, my waist has always been bad, I'm afraid this lawn is not easy to take care of..."

Lu Lu Xien heard that his father seemed to want to give up, and was suddenly anxious, quickly saying: "Dad! I can clean the lawn, I can do this kind of thing completely!"

When he went to the farm to practice equestrianism in the summer, he would occasionally help his old man do some farm work, this little thing was nothing to him!

The agent was slightly stunned, then showed a smile that he couldn't help but laugh at, politely explaining: "Sir, you are joking... This kind of work is of course the responsibility of the servants, of course, unless you are particularly keen on this kind of activity, that's another matter."

Edmond's face turned redder and redder, embarrassed to the point of being unable to find a place to hide,

"I, I do have this hobby..."

The agent immediately said eagerly.

"Then this house is even more suitable for you! You will exclusively enjoy 2000 square meters of lawn, becoming the most noble guest on King Street, and everyone on this street will be deeply impressed by your diligence!"

This sentence was definitely not sarcasm.

Properly maintaining a harmless quirk helps deepen one's impression in the eyes of noble guests, and serves as a conversation piece to resolve awkwardness, which is something many nobles do.

In any case, "diligent person" can also be considered a positive nickname, much higher than a nickname like "shoe dropper"!

However, Edmond was not in this circle after all, and couldn't even hear whether the other party's suggestion was sincere or sarcastic.

Just when he was stuttering and unable to speak, Lumier stepped forward gently and said unhurriedly.

"I don't think we need to choose anymore, walking all the way here, I haven't seen any house bigger than this one..."

He paused and said.

"Let's take this one."

As soon as the words fell, Edmond was instantly stunned, and an expression of disbelief appeared on everyone's face.

He looked at Lumier dumbfounded, opened his mouth, and after a long while, barely managed to spit out: "Mr. Lumier, this, how can this be..."

Lumier smiled faintly, didn't point out his subconscious awkwardness, and said casually: "I will arrange the servants and gardeners properly, you don't need to worry about these trivial matters."

"This, how can I be embarrassed..." Edmond's voice grew lighter and lighter, his mouth already unable to suppress the upward curve, revealing uncontrollable ecstasy and emotion.

This is human instinct.

Not just him—

His children were the same!

The young people could no longer suppress the joy in their hearts, hugging each other excitedly, even little Emily, the youngest, foolishly joined in the fun.

Watching that warm scene, Anna kept wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, sighing in a low voice: "Saint Xisi above, thank you Prince... thank you Prince..."

Lumier watched the wife who kept praying and nodded with a smile.

"I think it is precisely because of the gift of the gods that Mr. Kelin and Mr. Dantes, whose bloodlines have been separated for five hundred years, have reunited. I hope you will remain as pious as ever."

The property transfer procedures went exceptionally smoothly, and under Lumier's familiar arrangements, before the sun set, the villa was officially registered under the name of Mr. Edmond Dantes.

In addition, he asked the real estate agent not to mention the name of the Kelin family, and just pay the original price.

It wasn't that he was worried about the landlord raising the price on the spot, it was purely because wanting to make friends with Mr. Kelin for 52 gold coins was too degrading.

5052 gold coins was definitely an astronomical figure for ordinary people, and even for ordinary nobles, but for His Majesty the Demon King, it was just a number.

Besides, maybe it wouldn't be long before this money returned to that lord's hands.

In the few years after the Great Storm, there would be no project on the vast ocean more suitable for investment than "Gana Dream."

When Edmond saw his name on the contract with his own eyes, he still felt as if he were in a dream.

Standing in the living room, he watched his wife and children discussing their future life with full joy, and couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

At this moment, he turned his head unintentionally, and his gaze fell on Lumier, who was standing quietly waiting on the side.

The other party nodded slightly, as if waiting for him to come over.

Edmond quickly organized his emotions, hurried to Lumier's side, his expression respectful.

"Mr. Lumier, do you have any other instructions?"

After a day, he admired the butler beside the Prince to the point of prostration.

Lumier raised his hand gently, signaling him to follow him to the corner of the room, and then slowly took out a map cut from a newspaper from his pocket and handed it over calmly.

"Remember what I said before? The Prince hopes you can help him manage his industries in the Shengcheng... Recently we have taken a fancy to a good target, but neither he nor I find it convenient to negotiate personally, so we need you to come forward."

Edmond quickly took the map and asked: "What instructions does the Prince have, just say it directly!"

He knew very well who everything he possessed came from.

If that person wanted to take it back, it would just be a matter of one sentence.

Contracts are only valid when both parties are commoners.

As for nobles, that's another set of rules, and this rule has nothing to do with the Dantes family.

Lumier said in a gentle tone.

"Simply put, he intends to invest in a winery in the Shengcheng, with the site selected in the far suburbs about 50 kilometers away. It is not far from the port controlled by the Kastelion family, the transportation nearby is convenient, and the land price is relatively less expensive."

The Great Storm affected more than just cornfields; the sugarcane fields in the New Continent were also hit hard.

The hot and humid climate of the Gana Continent is just right for growing sugarcane; they can open a sugar refinery in Deadwood Port, then transport the syrup to the Shengcheng to be processed into rum, and then use the profits earned to develop real estate in the Shengcheng, harvesting the wallets of the middle class and the souls of the nobles.

As for those who have nothing—

They got jobs.

To be honest, the Demon King didn't really want to harvest them, but if they insisted on this, they could also wait until they had saved enough money and practiced their skills, then buy a boat ticket and move from the Empire to the Gana Continent to work.

The Demon King called it a "simplified version of the rum triangular trade," and since the Empire's cattle and horses were in the Empire, they didn't need to go to Africa to find them.

Lumier didn't understand the meaning of this sentence, nor did he understand what Africa was, but he was deeply convinced of the correctness of the Demon King.

When that lord takes the first step, he often has already seen the last step.

Waiting for Edmond to try hard to digest the massive information, Lumier continued in a measured voice.

"In short, the Prince hopes to take down this piece of land in your name and establish the Dantes Group to operate it. Except for the equity, this group has no direct relationship with the Kelin family."

"As for the funds for purchasing land, taxes, etc., you don't need to worry about them, you only need to do some things for him as the chairman when necessary, and then you can get a 1% family dividend of the annual profit."

"I understand!"

Edmond nodded solemnly.

Let alone this little thing, even if the Prince asked him to die, he wouldn't frown.

He quickly unfolded the map and examined it carefully, suddenly seeing a familiar crest, and couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

"Is it this one? Baron Devoe's territory?"

He had seen a carriage with this crest on Loyalty Street before, it seemed... he had just brushed past it this morning.

But this didn't matter.

What Edmond was truly alert about was that these rural barons were always the hardest to deal with.

There were often two sets of laws on their land, one was the law of the Empire, and one was the feudal law of the nobles, as for which one to use specifically, it purely depended on which one was more beneficial to them.

By comparison, he would rather do business with big nobles, at least those guys cherished their feathers, followed the rules and wanted face, and looked down on the few cold and hard copper coins in his pocket.

Or doing business on land directly under the Empire was relatively safer.

The bureaucrats in those places mainly came from church schools and were of citizen origin, even if they were greedy, they had limits, and rarely wanted both.

As for why he said this, it was because his ancestors and Baron Devoe belonged to the same ecological niche.

Edmond just wanted to persuade him, but Lumier just glanced at the map in his hand, and then pointed to the side of the circled position.

"Not it, it's next to it."

"Next to it? Where?" Edmond was confused for a moment, not finding a second mark on the map.

There was quite a lot of land next to this, a full several dozen square kilometers, equivalent to two or three Baron territories, or about an administrative division of the Shengcheng.

What kind of factory needs such a large area?!

However, just as he thought this, Lumier's next sentence made him freeze in place.

"Of course, all of it."

"Negotiate as much as you can."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 337 =====