The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 337: One Million Gold Coins
17 King Street, Holy City.

Edmund stood in front of the window of the study on the second floor, gently lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked at the street in front of the courtyard gate.

I saw a rickshaw parked there and a gentleman with neatly combed hair was getting out of the rickshaw.

The gentleman did not ring the doorbell immediately. Instead, he stood at the door, adjusting his tie a little nervously, and even brushed the dust off his sleeves awkwardly.

then--

He took out the perfume again.

Seeing this scene, Edmund felt mixed emotions.

He never thought that a nobody like him who used to have to look at the teller's face even when he went to the bank to withdraw some money would one day make the distinguished president of the Royal Bank so nervous.

Although he is the branch president.

"Remember the lines I taught you. If you really can't remember them, take a look at the letters embroidered on the cuffs. Perhaps they can help you remember something." A frivolous yet dignified voice came from not far behind him, and the man leaning against the door reminded him of his next task.

The man was a genuine noble named Tichi Kosiah, the right-hand man of Prince Colin and also a prominent figure in the Holy City recently.

Lumire specially arranged for the respected Baron Cosia to be his "etiquette teacher" to teach him the complicated social rhetoric among nobles and the etiquette that needs to be paid attention to.

Edmund was flattered, but after studying it carefully, he couldn't help but sigh - aren't those all just lies?
But he was just thinking about it, and he was really studying hard these days.

Looking at his respected teacher, Edmund nodded respectfully and spoke like a student.

"Yes, Baron Cosia, I will keep it in mind."

"Very good. Remember to hold your head high. Your status is no lower than mine, and certainly not lower than that bank president."

Tiqi nodded with satisfaction, adjusted his collar slightly, and left the study quietly.

Edmund took a deep breath, readjusted his composure, pushed the door open and went downstairs to greet his guest.

……

On the other side, outside the Dantes family's new home, Huck Alton was throwing a silver coin into the hand of the boy pulling the cart.

"Take it. No need to look for it."

He suppressed his pain and refused to look, waving his hand to send the grateful young man away.

This silver coin was half a day's wages for him, but he could not walk into Sir Dantes's house with a bag full of copper coins.

The Imperial Royal Bank has a great reputation, but the Bailu District branch is not a very lucrative job.

The people who lived there were basically farmers or rural nobles, and neither of these two types of people had any need for loans. If they did have one, it would mean that they were on the decline, and banks would be even less likely to lend them money.

In the final analysis, there is no industry worth investing in the Bailu District, which is nearly 50 kilometers away from the holy city. The land ownership structure there is complicated and smart people will never come here.

That is why, when Huck heard that Sir Dantes was planning to start a business in the local area, he did not dare to trouble the latter to make a trip in person, so he just came to the door himself.

Standing at the door, Huck took deep breaths repeatedly, adjusted his mood, and then walked up and rang the bell.

"Number 17 King Street... That's it, yes." He whispered the house number to hide his embarrassment.

The door is engraved with a gilded coat of arms, which shines brightly in the afternoon sun, highlighting the owner's extraordinary status.

Soon, a butler in a tuxedo came to the door, opened the door and greeted him with a smile.

"You must be Mr. Huck Alton. My master has been expecting you for a long time."

Huck quickly handed over his business card and forced a sincere smile on his face.

"it's me."

The butler took the business card respectfully and then gestured for invitation.

"Please come with me."

Led by the butler, Huck entered the front yard of the villa. Along the way, he suppressed the urge to look around and tried to focus his eyes on the main door of the main building, but his eyes couldn't help but glance around out of curiosity.

The garden here is spacious and tidy, with endless green lawns and sunshine shining through. A neoclassical villa stands in the center, as awe-inspiring as a magnificent castle.

Although he was the president of the Bailu District Branch of the Imperial Royal Bank and usually went in and out of the mansions of businessmen and celebrities, when he actually set foot in this mansion located in the core area of ​​the Holy City, the shock in his heart was still beyond words.

Although everyone is equal in the face of the holy light, there are always people who can enjoy more sunshine.

This is life.

Huck sighed in his heart, and silently calculated the value of the house, estimating that it was at least 5000 gold coins.

Led by the butler, Huck, with a reserved look on his face, came to an exquisitely decorated reception hall.

Edmond Dantès was standing by the fireplace, and greeted him with a gentle smile.

"Thank you for your invitation, Mr. Edmund," Huck hurried forward, extended his hand politely, and said enthusiastically, "Your mansion is so magnificent that I recognized it as your home at the first sight!"

Edmund smiled and said modestly, "No, no, it's all thanks to His Highness Colin's care."

Prince Colin!

Edmund did not hide anything, but Huck's heart skipped a beat, and a gleam of excitement and desire suddenly appeared in his eyes.

Everyone in the Holy City knew about the high-profile and distinguished prince, and most people also knew that the prince had a distant relative in the Holy City. However, no one knew what the prince's attitude was towards this poor relative.

At present, His Royal Highness Colin seems to value tradition more than money!
And if this is the case, the value of the Dantes family will undoubtedly rise!

Thinking of this, his heart became even hotter!

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, but Edmund never got down to business, which made Huck feel itchy.

Looking at the impatient expression on that face, Edmund estimated that the time was almost up. He glanced at the letters on his sleeve, coughed lightly, and spoke in the tone of Baron Cosia.

"Mr. Harker, please follow me to the study. There are some things that are not convenient for a third person to know... I want to talk to you in depth."

finally come!

Huck was delighted, and immediately a serious expression appeared on his face.

"It's up to you!"

Edmund glanced at his butler, indicating that he was leaving the matter to him, and then took Mr. Harker into the study.

He first smiled and invited Huck to take a seat, then sat behind the desk himself, took out a document from the drawer and spread it on the table, and said with a gentle smile.

"Mr. Hack, let's not talk about the pleasantries for now. I invited you here to have a chat because I actually want to discuss with you the business plan of the Dantes Group that is about to land in Bailu District."

Huck's spirits suddenly perked up. He sat up straight and listened attentively: "I'd like to hear more about it!"

Edmund cleared his throat slightly and spoke in a serious tone.

"The situation is like this. In order to help the Colin family develop their business in the Old World, we plan to build a large industrial zone in Bailu District that integrates sugar refining, brewing and food processing. Our main business is to handle the large amount of syrup imported from the Janna Continent. The district head once recommended you to me, saying that the Royal Bank has a lot of influence in Bailu District and can provide us with certain financial support. I thought since we are doing business in Bailu District, we might as well find a local bank."

Huck's breathing tightened when he heard this, his eyes suddenly filled with heat, and he spoke impatiently.

"Sir, you have found the right person! The Royal Bank of Bailu Branch welcomes big business people like you the most! We... cough! I wonder how much funding gap Mr. Edmund is facing now?"

He was just about to say that the loan quota allocated by the Royal Bank head office to the Bailu District branch was so large that it could not be used up at all, because in that poor place, all the money that could be loaned out eventually became bad debts.

Although paying the emperor money was not considered compensation, it was related to his career after all, so he still had to consider it carefully.

Edmund leaned back in his chair slowly, smiled and uttered a number, just like throwing a copper coin into the driver's palm: "According to the financial forecast of the Dantes Group, it's about one million gold coins."

"One, one million, gold coins?"

Huck's eyes widened instantly, and his voice stuttered for a moment, interrupting his sentence three times.

He calmed himself down and asked quickly.

"Excuse me...what kind of winery would require such a huge amount of funds?!"

Edmund smiled slightly, looking calm and confident, folded his hands on the table, and explained softly.

"My friend, you must not have listened to me carefully just now. We are not just going to build a brewery, but to fill the dining tables of the citizens of the entire Holy City with the syrup produced in abundance on the Janna continent. Think carefully, what size of brewery would be able to undertake the syrup processing of the entire Janna continent? In fact, the mayor of Bailu District and I have already discussed a bigger plan--"

Having said this, he lowered his voice, his mysterious eyes flickering with excitement.

"In order to make Bailu District compatible with the logistics of this factory, we plan to comprehensively upgrade the infrastructure of the entire urban area. If we can successfully connect with the port resources of the Castellón family, our rum products will be able to quickly reach all markets along the coast of the Whirlpool Sea by both land and sea—"

Before he finished speaking, Edmund suddenly realized that he had said too much, and coughed as if he regretted it.

"I'm sorry, I seem to have said too much. Many plans have not yet been formally finalized. It is inconvenient to disclose them to the public. I hope Mr. Hake will keep it confidential for me..."

His acting skills are not that great, but this reason does make sense.

Most of the highly developed areas in the Holy City have been divided up by the great nobles of the Holy City.

For example, in the port of the Castellón family, where could they possibly squeeze out such a large piece of land to complete His Highness Colin's plan?

but--

If this plan really makes money, they will certainly not hesitate to invest in it.

Huck waved his hands repeatedly, his face sincere and anxious, and spoke with a solemn oath.

"Mr. Edmund, don't worry! I will never reveal a single word of what we talked about today!"

After a pause, he spoke solemnly again.

"As for the loan, with such a large amount of money, I cannot give you an immediate reply with my authority, but please rest assured! I will do my best to help you arrange it as soon as possible!"

He swore not to reveal a single word, because he would tell everything he heard today to his immediate superior, the president of the Imperial Royal Bank's headquarters!
That’s a big project worth 100 million gold coins!
If this matter can be negotiated, his position as branch manager can be promoted!

……

In the following time, the two had a pleasant conversation, and Edmund even personally poured a glass of red wine for Huck, and toasted their friendship which lasted less than an hour.

At this moment, Hack's mind had already flown out of the villa. He wanted to report to the head office immediately and report the matter to the president in person before he got off work.

The Imperial Royal Bank is not the only bank in the Holy City. He believes that he is not the only one willing to lend money to His Highness Colin.

As for why it was Colin, is there any need to ask?

Who would take out the key to the vault just because of a little-known name like Dantes?
Seeing that Huck was absent-minded, Edmund did not try to keep him. He escorted him downstairs like a gentleman, then returned to the study on the second floor and watched the gentleman disappear around the corner of King Street.

To be honest, not to mention Mr. Hake, he himself felt that what had just happened was just like a dream.

One million gold coins...

Saint Sis above, he was becoming increasingly numb to money.

Just as Huck left the mansion, the door next to the study opened quietly, and Lumire and Baron Titch Cosia walked in one after another.

Seeing these two faces who were both his teacher and friend, Edmund breathed a sigh of relief, took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and forced a smile with a hint of complacency on his face.

"What do you think of my performance just now?"

"Not bad, you're one tenth as good as me." Teach nodded in appreciation.

Lumire glanced at him, smiled meaningfully, and made no comment.

It would be good to have one-tenth of a baron.

Edmund took this as an affirmation and finally relaxed his tense shoulders.

However, he still felt a little uneasy in his heart. After hesitating for a long time, he finally turned his gaze to Lumire who had remained silent.

"We have settled the deal with the bank, but we haven't officially reached an agreement on the Bailu District infrastructure renovation project. Is it really okay to release the news now?"

When Huck returns, he will definitely go to the Government Affairs Office of Bailu District to inquire about the news.

Although he had met the district chief once before and the two had a good chat, they were not familiar enough to let the other party take risks for him.

Seeing Edmund's timid look, Tikki couldn't help laughing with his arms folded.

What’s a mere district chief?

This matter has nothing to do with him.

At this moment, Teach had obviously forgotten how cowardly he was in front of General Hamelton.

But people are like this. After surviving the storm, they completely forget about the self who was hiding in the cabin and praying to the gods.

Lumire did not laugh at Edmund's knowledge, but simply relayed the Demon King's instructions to him in a very low voice.

"If you hide it, hold back, and hesitate, then it will probably not work out."

"But as long as your influence is big enough, so big that the nobles in Bailu District are all leveraged and in debt—"

“This project just came about naturally.”

...An invisible storm is brewing quietly over the Imperial Royal Bank.

At the same time, at the Imperial Royal Arena, which is less than five kilometers away from the Imperial Royal Bank headquarters, the boiling atmosphere has surpassed the crowded circular stands and rushed to the sky in one go!

The noisy sound waves seemed to shatter the clouds in the sky. The dazzling sunlight sprinkled on the wide and crowded field, bringing a hint of heat to this late autumn that did not belong to this season.

Sitting in a corner of the stands, Fred Devol watched the excitement in the venue with excitement and laughed along with the people around him.

However, the follower next to him had a bitter face and muttered.

"Master Devor, do we have to sit here? We can't see anything here..."

He was taller than the others and stood in the crowd like a flattened pumpkin; only the backs of the people in the front row could be seen.

"Stop complaining. It's good enough to have something to see. Think about who bought the ticket for you. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be able to pay the fare!" Frey squinted his eyes and impatiently interrupted his companion's complaints.

This is true.

Several teenagers sat down reluctantly, but were soon attracted by the lively atmosphere in the arena and had no time to complain.

Frey pulled out a bronze telescope and began to look around while showing it off.

He looked pompous and kept muttering to himself.

"Look at those knights. They act so impressive, but I don't know how capable they are."

Upon hearing this, several young men nearby immediately laughed and agreed.

"Lord Devol, if you were to go down there, you would definitely be a hundred times more handsome than them!"

Frey smiled proudly.

"Nonsense, of course. You have seen my riding skills... It's a pity that martial arts are only for inferior people. My father insisted that I learn magic."

In fact, he was too lazy to even learn magic. To learn that, one not only had to memorize a lot of knowledge, but also had to hone his character. It was as boring as listening to priests preaching the Holy Scriptures in church.

Of course, everyone burst into flattery upon hearing this, praising young Master Devol for how talented he was and how he would definitely be able to carry forward the Devol family.

Several citizens nearby heard the offensive words and glared at Frey fiercely, but dared not say anything.

This guy looks like a nobleman.

Although one could hit two nobles with a brick in the Holy City, these high-ranking guys were still not people that ordinary citizens like them could afford to offend.

The warm-up show began in the center of the arena. The circus boys displayed amazing skills on horseback, winning cheers from the audience.

Frey and his friends applauded and made bets on which rider would fall off his horse and make a fool of himself. Unfortunately, no one did.

Just when the atmosphere on the scene reached its peak, a long horn suddenly sounded.

Hearing that majestic voice, the atmosphere in the arena was immediately pushed to its climax. Almost everyone stood up at the same time, standing on tiptoe and craning their necks to look towards the main entrance of the arena.

"It's Marshal Laco Eiberg!"

"Look! There's His Highness Colin!"

Frey was stunned when he heard this, and quickly raised his telescope, looking in the direction people were looking like a soldier who had received an order.

The main entrance to the arena slowly opened, and two distinguished figures walked in from the entrance, crossing the wide aisle and coming to the special seats directly above the arena.

This knight assembly was a coming-of-age ceremony prepared by Marshal Laco Eberg for his son, and one of the knights was naturally Marshal Laco himself.

He was wearing a light blue military uniform, a scarlet robe, with shining medals on his chest. His face was serious and steady, and his every move exuded an awe-inspiring aura.

And accompanying His Royal Highness the Marshal is Prince Colin, who has been in the limelight these days!

He was wearing a dark purple robe, had a gentle temperament, handsome features, and his every move showed dignity and composure. He responded to the citizens who looked at him with a gentle smile.

Deafening applause and cheers echoed throughout the arena, half for the marshal and half for the prince.

Frey's eyes widened. When he saw that face, his heart beat faster unconsciously. He exclaimed, "Look! Prince Colin is here too!"

His friends became excited upon hearing this.

These young men did not care about their status and stretched out their hands to scramble for the telescope, eager to catch a glimpse of the prince.

……

Amid the applause and cheers of the citizens of the Holy City, Prince Colin and Marshal Laco slowly sat down in the special seats.

Loyal imperial soldiers stood behind them, their postures straight as sculptures.

Marshal Laco first glanced around the venue, then turned his gaze to Colin beside him, and said with a tone full of relief.

"...After hearing about your deeds, my son has been in awe of your legend. I still remember when I told him that you would come to attend his coming-of-age ceremony, he was so excited for the whole day. Speaking of this, I have to thank you for your kindness."

Luo Yan smiled faintly and responded modestly.

"You are too polite, Marshal. Your child is a pillar of the empire, and his coming-of-age ceremony is naturally a major event in the empire. As a subject of His Majesty the Emperor, I should offer my congratulations to him. Moreover, I can also take this opportunity to get to know the younger generation of the empire."

Marshal Laco nodded appreciatively, laughed heartily, and picked up the wine glass on the table.

"Your Highness is so modest. Allow me to toast you!"

Luo Yan also picked up the cup and clinked it with his.

"Please allow me to toast you... To the Marshal who defends the glory of the empire. May the sword in your hand always be sharp!"

Just as the two were clinking their glasses, the circus performance in the arena reached its climax.

The audience sitting in the circular auditorium also burst into warm applause and cheers at the same time, as if the glory of the entire holy city was focused on this huge venue at this moment, and all this glory was enjoyed exclusively by the two most distinguished guests in the special seats.

Frey stared at the special seat, his eyes full of envy and yearning.

That was the aristocracy he imagined—

It's a pity that his father was not ambitious enough and never got out of that depressed and dilapidated town in his entire life, and he could only sit here and look at other people's lives with envy.

The applause gradually died down and the horn sounded again.

The east gate of the arena slowly opened, and a young knight rode slowly into the arena.

The audience held their breath, their eyes focused on the protagonist of today's celebration.

Marshal Laco's youngest son, Arthur Aberg, was seen riding on a tall and handsome pure white horse.

He was wearing a specially made silver knight armor with the Aberg family's iconic black iron eagle embroidered on his shoulder. Under the helmet was a handsome but resolute face.

That childish face was filled with confidence and pride, but if you looked closer, you could still see the nervousness flickering behind those eyes.

This was his first step towards adulthood—to show the elegance and bravery of a descendant of the Aberg family in front of the citizens of the Holy City!
Frey was in the stands, looking at Arthur on the field, his eyes full of jealousy, and he couldn't help but snorted.

"Look at that kid. He doesn't have to worry about food and clothing in his life. He can have everything just by relying on his father's name... Tsk tsk, I really don't know what he is so proud of."

The friends next to him looked at each other with a little fear on their faces. They didn't dare to respond, and didn't know how to respond.

Frey curled his lips, turned his gaze away from the pretentious boy, and turned to look at the girls in the audience who were so excited that they were exposing themselves.

In the special seats stands.

Marshal Laco looked at his child, and a rare gentle smile appeared on his face, which was intimidating without being angry.

He nodded slightly and whispered to Prince Colin beside him:

"This is my youngest son, Arthur... Although he is still a little immature, his riding skills and courage make me very proud. His future achievements will not be inferior to mine!"

Luo Yan watched Arthur standing in the arena with great interest. The blazing soul fire indeed exuded extraordinary power!
He could also feel that those eyes were staring at him intently.

"...There is a proverb in the Janna Continent that says, 'A good father will have a good son.' I believe Mr. Arthur will not disappoint you."

Marshal Laco laughed and waved his hand modestly, but the smile on his face still revealed the joy in his heart.

Obviously, he liked to hear this.

In the center of the arena, young Arthur stopped his horse and slowly took off his helmet, revealing his short golden hair.

He raised his head and saluted in the direction of his father, then solemnly drew his sword and raised it high above his head.

"For Saint Sith! For the Emperor!"

The loud voice echoed in the arena, and for a moment it even drowned out the cheers of the citizens.

That was the slogan of the Imperial Knights as they charged.

Although he possesses extraordinary powers and has not yet been to the front line, he has looked forward to this moment countless times.

And this is not just his vision——

The citizens of the Empire sitting in the circular arena also burst into thunderous applause and cheers at this moment. People shouted Arthur's name and long live Marshal Aberg. The atmosphere reached its peak again!
Frey looked at Arthur on the field, feeling sour in his heart, and felt that the world was full of injustice.

Laco, who was sitting in the special seat, was observing Prince Colin, who was sitting next to him, with a smile on his face.

He believed that the other party must have felt the kindness he showed.

In this competition that was destined to be won by the officers, he did not need the Colin family to stand on his side with great fanfare. It would be enough for the scales in the hands of the Colin family to tilt slightly towards him.

"Your Highness Colin, I have an unwelcome request."

Luo Yan said with a smile.

"Please speak."

Laco narrowed his eyes, cast his gaze towards the arena, and spoke in a heroic tone.

"I would like to add some bonuses to today's Knights' Conference. The top ten riders in this duel will become the first batch of knights to be awarded the title of Knights Templar. What do you think?"

Luo Yan looked at him in surprise, then said with a smile.

"If Arthur wins, will you let him go to the New World?"

Laco smiled faintly.

"It is the long-cherished wish of the Aberg family to expand the empire's territory... and it is also his ideal."

When he said this, Laco suddenly took off the sword from his waist and placed it on the table.

Looking at Prince Colin who looked surprised, he spoke solemnly.

"If he wins, I would like to entrust him and the sword in my hand to you. I hope you can accept it."

This is a request from a demigod-level strongman—

Luo Yan was surprised at his decisiveness. After a moment, he nodded happily and said solemnly.

"It's my pleasure."

The development of the matter was somewhat beyond his expectations. He never thought that the marshal would entrust his youngest son to him.

But the atmosphere has come to this point, he can't just say no, right?

It's just a knighthood anyway.

He can wholesale a bunch of them.

Laco smiled and nodded, then stood up from his chair and walked forward, announcing in a loud voice the agreement he had just reached with Prince Colin.

Upon hearing about the increased prize money for this knights' convention, the audience in the arena and the eager contestants instantly became excited.

It's not just them—

Even the guys sitting next to Frey showed an irrepressible desire on their faces.

Becoming a knight of the empire does not necessarily mean that one can own land of his own, but it certainly means that one has freed himself from the constraints of the land.

For ordinary people in the empire, this is almost their only chance to change their destiny!

After all, not everyone can receive a good education and get recommendation letters to study in a "worthwhile" university.

Only Frey, the son of the baron who was not interested in the title of knight, curled his lips in disdain.

Although Baron Devol was just a small fry in the Holy City, he was not envious of a mere knight's title, nor did he think that getting the title of knight could change his destiny.

They were going to the Knights of the New World, not the Royal Knights. I really don't understand what these poor guys are so excited about...

Looking at his father and His Highness Colin in the stands, Arthur's face flushed with excitement.

At the sound of the horn, he retracted his gaze, put on his helmet again, straightened his back, rode his horse into the competition team, his eyes firm and confident, waiting for the competition to begin.

The citizens of the Holy City will review the bravery of the Aberg family in the sacred arena!
However, he did not know at this moment that it was not only Saint Sith and the Emperor's children who were watching him, but also the unfathomable Demon King...

(End of this chapter)