The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 340: The Devol Family's Ambition
It was a dark night, the lights on Baron Devol's manor were dim, and the dark green fence was covered with bright moonlight.

After fooling around outside all day, Frey jumped off the carriage and rushed into his own door with excitement on his face, his leather boots full of pride making a "dong dong" sound on the floor.

Just today during the day, he witnessed a real knight duel in the largest and most luxurious arena in the holy city!

His heart was filled with excitement, and he couldn't wait to tell his father and take the opportunity to pester him to get a real warhorse - a warhorse worthy of the heir to the Baron Devol family!
Although little Devol often put on a sour face in front of his friends and used an arrogant attitude to show how much he disdained the title of knight, his father was different from those guys after all... He had to make his father feel that his money was worth spending.

"Father! You will never guess who I met in the arena today! Colin! Roxel Colin! The legendary prince of the empire! He was standing next to Marshal Laco at the time... Saint Sith, that prince was such a gentleman! It's a pity that I didn't get his autograph..." He ran towards the reception room excitedly, but when he was about to push the door open, the butler reached out to stop him.

"Young master, the Baron is discussing important matters with guests. I'm afraid you can't go in now." The butler's expression was full of humility, but his voice was uncompromising as he stood in front of the young master.

Apparently this was a task assigned to him personally by Master Devol.

Frey immediately showed a disappointed look and curled his lips in dissatisfaction: "What guest? Is he more important than my horse - ahem, more important than me?"

The butler smiled gently but with some helplessness, and explained in a low voice: "His Excellency the Baron is receiving Mr. Alton, the president of the Bailu Branch of the Imperial Royal Bank, and his wife... They are discussing important matters, please understand."

"Bank president?" Frey was stunned when he heard this, and his heart was immediately filled with curiosity. "What is he doing here?"

My family is so rich, do we still need to borrow money?
"I'm not very clear about the details," the butler looked around cautiously, and after confirming that no one was around, he leaned forward slightly and spoke in a low voice, "But... from what they were saying, it seems to be related to the acquisition of land."

“Merge and acquire land!”

Frey's eyes suddenly lit up, and the dissatisfaction in his heart disappeared, replaced by uncontrollable excitement.

He had long felt that his father was too conservative, guarding the few acres of thin land passed down by his ancestors without making any progress, and living off the land. Since his family took over the land of the Kosia family, the territory of the Devol family has not expanded for nearly ten years!
And now, perhaps stimulated by his previous words, his useless father finally stood up!
This was what he imagined a baron of the Devor family should be like—owning large tracts of land, majestic manors, and even a knighthood like those great nobles.

Frey's mind instantly flashed with the scene of himself galloping on horseback, looking majestic and a smile could not help but form on the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't wait to pull the butler's sleeve and asked anxiously, "How much land does father want to buy? One hundred acres? Two hundred acres?"

The butler was startled by his enthusiasm and quickly waved his hand.

"This... I really don't know. Master, please don't ask me. How could the master tell me such a thing? If you are interested, how about you ask the master in person after the master finishes talking with Mr. Alton?"

How could he dare to interfere in such matters? Usually, the owner would tell him and let him take care of it after he got the land and decided on its use.

"That's true. Of course I can't ask for your opinion on this kind of thing... I understand the situation. I'll just wait patiently for a while."

Frey nodded contentedly, acting like the head of the family, but his eyes quietly fell on the closed door of the reception room, his face full of impatience.

Seeing that the little ancestor had finally calmed down, the butler breathed a sigh of relief, bowed slightly and stepped aside.

The family is supported entirely by Master and Mrs. Devor. Both Master Devor and the young ladies in the mansion are not easy to deal with.

He had worked hard for this family all his life, and now he couldn't help but worry about the crumbling glory...

I just hope that the fall of glory will not happen in his generation.

May Saint Sith bless you, sir, you must hold on!
……

At the same time, in the reception room.

Huck picked up the teacup and was about to take a sip when he heard the sound of boots hitting the ground outside the door, mixed with the excited noise of young people.

He listened attentively, smiled kindly, looked at Baroness and Baroness Devol and said gently: "Your child is really lively. He will definitely be a great gentleman in the future."

Ralph shook his head slightly, his smile somewhat helpless, but there was a barely perceptible hint of doting in his eyes.

"I can't help it. Young people are always full of energy. He went to the Holy City's arena to join in the fun today. He must have seen a lot of new things at the Knights' Conference. I'm afraid he can't wait to share them with me."

Huck's wife Jenny joked and said with a smile.

"Then aren't we robbing his respected father?"

"Respect?" Ralph curled his lips and snorted. "Luckily he is past the age of pulling my beard, otherwise I would not be able to stand his 'respect'."

"You must be worried about your wallet," Baroness Mira said jokingly.

"Hahaha!"

Hearing the Baroness's good-natured sarcasm, everyone in the room couldn't help but chuckle, and the atmosphere became more relaxed and harmonious.

To be honest, although most of the citizens of the holy city dislike these rural nobles, believing that they have the cunning of farmers and the greed of market merchants but lack the responsibility and bottom line of "truly prominent people", Huck cannot hate Mr. Ralph.

Perhaps because he could not be considered a city dweller, Ralph's style seemed more down-to-earth to him, unlike Dantes's mansion which was noble and distant.

Here, he could relax and chat with Ralph without having to be so cautious as a servant serving his master.

of course.

If you insist on saying that it was because "this gentleman had something to ask of him", then that's not wrong.

Ralph picked up the red wine on the table, shook it slightly, and said softly, "President Harker, I heard that you are quite knowledgeable about red wine. This is a batch of winery treasures brewed by our family. Why not have a taste of it."

Hake politely took the wine glass and took a sip. Then his eyes lit up and he exclaimed: "The wine is rich and mellow, and it is really a good wine! Mr. Baron's craftsmanship is definitely comparable to that of a first-class winemaker!"

To be honest, he didn't know anything about red wine. He just read these words from books on social etiquette, and now he was applying what he had learned.

"You are too kind," Baron Ralph said with a hearty smile, "This is not my skill. Winemaking is usually handled by my butler and servants. But speaking of it..."

He paused, and then continued casually, "I do have plans to expand the winery, including buying more land and increasing production."

Mira glanced at her husband, smiled and agreed.

"It's like this. I talked to my dear, and we both agree that it's a pity that there is no competitive local brand in the Holy City's red wine market. We obviously have a deeper historical heritage. When we were drinking red wine, the barbarians in the Kingdom of Ryan were still rolling in the mud."

Huck raised his eyebrows, realizing that the baron had finally gotten to the point, and gently put down his glass, crossing his fingers to show concern.

"Oh? I wonder what size of land you are interested in?"

"Well... about 2 square kilometers," Ralph said as if he was making a casual remark, but the shrewdness in his eyes could not be ignored.

Not one hundred acres, not two hundred acres—

But two square kilometers!
Hearing this, Frey, who was eavesdropping outside the door, almost cried out in surprise. Fortunately, he covered his mouth with both hands to suppress the excitement in his heart.

What a huge piece of land this is!

“Two square kilometers?!” Huck was also shocked. He looked at Ralph in surprise and continued hesitantly, “That will require a lot of money.”

Baron Ralph smiled calmly, as if he had anticipated Hake's reaction. "Mr. Alton is indeed very discerning. This is indeed a considerable investment. In the past few years, the ocean-going commercial fleet I invested in has brought me some income, but to complete such a large-scale merger and acquisition and subsequent investment, there is indeed a gap in funds."

Having said this, he looked at Huck sincerely and continued.

"So, today I specially invited you and your wife to come here, hoping that you and your bank can help with the funding. This is not only for our Devol family, but also for the development of Bailu District."

Huck's mind was calculating rapidly.

The Devol family is also an old noble family with a good reputation and many businesses. Mr. Devol is also in good health and can drink, so he doesn't have to worry about his health... This deal is not impossible to discuss.

He calmed himself down and continued.

"I wonder how much more funds Your Excellency the Baron estimates he will need? If it is within my authority, I might be able to help you think of a solution."

Baron Ralph's eyes flashed with a sharpness, and he slowly stretched out his right hand and reported a number calmly and clearly: "70,000 gold coins!"

"hiss--"

Huck Alton took a deep breath, and the hand holding the wine glass shook almost imperceptibly.

Seventy thousand gold coins!

Although this amount of money was less than one-tenth of what the Dantes family asked for, it was definitely a huge sum! It could buy ten mansions in the most prosperous area of ​​the Holy City that were not inferior to the Dantes family! The relaxed look on his face faded a lot, replaced by the unique prudence of a banker. He took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead - there was a trace of sweat there.

"Your Excellency the Baron, 70,000 gold coins... this is not a small amount. Are you sure you need that much?"

Baroness Mira, who had been listening quietly, smiled at this moment, like a spring breeze, just breaking the stagnation of the moment.

She said softly, "Please rest assured, President Alton. You can go around and ask around about the DeVore family's background. If you look out the window of this house, all the land you can see is our ancestral property. Not only farmland, but also forest land, as well as the taxes paid by the winery itself and farmers... The total output and income for a year is at least nearly 5,000 gold coins. We treat you as a friend, so we can tell you this number very clearly."

After a pause, the elegant lady continued.

"In addition, we are very confident in this investment and believe that it will soon bring rich returns. I know that this alone will not dispel your concerns. We can use the land as collateral."

Mrs. Mira's words were clear and coherent, which added a lot of points to her husband, especially the fact that she was willing to use the land as collateral, which made Huck feel relieved.

However, he couldn't help but feel confused.

Investing in a winery is not a business that can pay back immediately, so why did the Baroness say that it would bring rich returns soon?

No offense meant.

He just wanted to know why this family was so confident!
Or--

Do they actually have other uses for borrowing this money?
Just as Huck was choosing his words and trying to raise his question in a tactful way, his wife Jenny Alton beside him seemed to be unable to hold back.

She quietly pulled on Hake's sleeve, lowered her voice, and said in what she thought was a secret volume: "Dear, have you forgotten? Isn't His Highness Colin planning to acquire a large piece of land in the Bailu District? I guess Baron Devol's land... shouldn't borrow the bank's funds for too long. What I mean is that at least this money will not be lost, and maybe it will be recovered soon with interest."

Huck Alton was startled when he heard this, and said "Oops!" in his heart. He glared at his wife quickly, with obvious reproach and warning in his eyes.

He was indeed careless with his words. As soon as he left Dantes's house, he told the president of the head office about it. Then he told his wife when he got home. However, he did not expect that his wife was so ignorant that she would say it directly!
Although the Devol family was very polite to them, he knew that the two families were not that familiar with each other!

The baroness was just a little bit affectionate to her, and this silly woman wanted to give her heart to him!
"How come you brought this up!" Huck almost squeezed out these words from between his teeth, his voice suppressed and with a hint of annoyance.

Jenny was startled by her husband's sudden harshness. She felt a little wronged and defended herself in a low voice, "This...this is not a secret. Many people in the city are talking about it. Does it matter whether I tell it or not?"

"Hehe..." A chuckle came from the main seat.

Harker looked up and saw Baron Ralph DeVore holding a glass of wine with a knowing smile on his face.

Those deep eyes seemed to have seen through everything, and besides that there was a hint of soothing in them.

"Mrs. Alton is right," Ralph smiled kindly and said modestly, "His Royal Highness Colin does intend to make a large-scale investment in the Bailu District. This is no secret in the aristocratic circle, and our Devol family already knows about it."

Of course he wouldn't tell Huck that his wife had read the news in the local newspaper, but there was no need to tell Huck that.

These words, which were implicitly and explicitly suggestive, might have been intended to create the impression that he was very familiar with Colin's family.

Anyway, Colin wouldn't notice a small figure like him.

Looking at Baron Ralph's calm and cunning smile, Huck seemed to have a flash of lightning in his mind, instantly connecting all the confusion and unreasonable things!
Expand the winery? Two square kilometers of prime land? A huge investment of 70,000 gold coins? A huge return soon?

This guy has no intention of running a winery honestly!
He saw that His Highness Colin was going to come to Bailu District to acquire land, so he planned to first acquire the land at a low price, and then resell it to His Highness Colin at a suitable price, making an astonishing profit from the difference!

but--

What does this have to do with me?

As the president of the Imperial Royal Bank's Bailu District Branch, his primary responsibility is to ensure that every penny the bank lends out can be safely recovered and bring in profits. As for what the borrowers do with the money, as long as they don't break the law and get into lawsuits, and don't let the bank's money become bad debts, it's not something he needs to interfere too much.

On the contrary, if Ralph really intended to use the money to run the winery honestly and compete with the nobles of the vassal states who were still raising serfs to see whose wine was cheaper and more delicious, he would have to carefully consider whether the baron had lost his mind!

No need to think about it——

Even the Hilfen family's winery could not defeat any ordinary baron of the Ryan Kingdom in the market.

Because the peasants of the Kingdom of Ryan are not people at all, but crops growing in the fields. They can grow with wheat and grapes, and they only do one thing in their lives. If they don't do it well, their lords can immediately make them move their heads.

Maybe the actual situation is not as exaggerated as what is written in the newspaper, but the principle is the same.

Looking at Ralph's calm demeanor, Huck had no doubt that Ralph was a sensible man, so he quickly calmed down, thoughts racing through his head.

Who is His Royal Highness Colin? He is one of the richest and most powerful princes in the empire! His wealth is so great that even the most distinguished families in the Holy City are envious!

Since that gentleman has decided to make a big splash in the Bailu District, he probably wouldn't mind if these "small fish and shrimps" take a bite of him.

And since Ralph is a sensible man, he will definitely not ask for an exorbitant price like a short-sighted countryman and ruin the whole deal.

He estimated that Baron Devol would at most add 20% to 30% to the cost, and would be satisfied with making a "decent quick buck" and use this opportunity to establish a relationship with the Colin family.

But for His Royal Highness Colin, this may not be a bad thing.

It was much easier to acquire land from nobles than to buy it bit by bit from countless scattered farmers. And country nobles like Baron Devol were best at handling those complex relationships with a strong rural flavor.

They can use their titles and influence to quickly complete land annexation and solve the subsequent problems accurately and ruthlessly... as long as there is enough benefit to motivate them to do it.

Thinking of this, Huck's heart, which had been hanging in the air, was completely relieved, and he even felt a little excited.

He wiped the sweat off his forehead, pondered for a moment, and his eyes met Baron Ralph's in the air, and he spoke with a barely perceptible hint.

"Your Excellency the Baron is very thoughtful. In principle, I agree to your loan application. But... uh, you can make a lot of money by selling your land. You may not know that the Royal Bank does not like to do this kind of 'bridge' business. We can't make much money on interest."

As for Mr. Dantes's business, he was seeking career advancement. As for Baron Devol, since this loan could not help him to seek career advancement in the Royal Bank, he would certainly have to seek something else.

Anyway, he will be transferred away soon.

Ralph was so shrewd that he naturally understood that greedy look.

The smile on his face deepened. He raised the glass in his hand and gestured to Mr. Harker in a gentlemanly manner, "Of course. President Alton helped me in my time of need today. The DeVore family will always remember this friendship."

He paused, lowered his voice a bit, but with unquestionable sincerity, "After the matter is completed, you, the president, will also get a share of the profits."

"Oh, Your Excellency the Baron is too polite! Serving the nobles and contributing to the empire is the duty of our Royal Bank!"

Huck Alton was overjoyed when he heard this. The wrinkles on his face were all smiling. He quickly picked up the wine glass, stood up, and said seriously.

"It is my honor to help the Baron's grand plan! Don't worry, a mere 70,000 gold coins is still easy for me!"

"Hahaha, you're welcome, Mr. Alton!" Ralph also stood up.
The two wine glasses touched lightly in the air, making a crisp sound.

The atmosphere in the reception room instantly became extremely warm and harmonious, just like the blazing firewood in the fireplace of the reception room.

The two families were talking and laughing, as close as one family.

Little Devol, who was lying at the door, had his heart beating wildly and his cheeks flushed. He tiptoed out of the door.

His Highness Colin wants to invest in Bailu District!

In front of the honorable Prince of the Gana Continent, let alone a mere two square kilometers of land, even the fifteen square kilometers of land that his family originally held in their hands seemed overshadowed!

Happiness comes so suddenly.

To round it off, I will be considered His Royal Highness the Prince's person from now on!

Little Devol's heart was filled with excitement at the thought that an extremely distinguished gentleman would soon arrive in this reception room.

Becoming a "real nobleman" has always been his dream, and the gentleman sitting next to His Highness the Marshal undoubtedly fulfilled all his fantasies.

He suddenly felt that the name "Knights Templar" didn't seem so unfashionable.

Who knows, maybe I can even get in and become a knight...

(End of this chapter)