Imperial Crown.

Chapter 419 Titan Cub
The time goes back to shortly after Raven was knighted.

The capital of the Keynes Empire, the Royal High Court.

"Your Majesty, it's time to get up."

King Keynes XVI, who was soundly asleep, heard the maid's call.

Turning over in bed, he asked vaguely, "What time is it?"

"It's just past five o'clock. The Prime Minister and his men are waiting for you in the study."

"These old guys..." Keynes XVI muttered.

He went to bed almost past midnight, and now less than five hours had passed, and he was extremely tired.

But even though he cursed, Keynes XVI knew that if there was no emergency, those old guys would not rush over, so he had to force his dry eyes open.

He pushed away the sleeping girl beside him, stood up with a yawn, and untied the straps of his pajamas.

The maid was extremely beautiful, with the shyness and youthfulness unique to a young girl, especially the beauty mole on her mouth, which made her whole face even more seductive.

If she were placed in any opera house, she would be a well-deserved star.

The maid who was in charge of dressing and washing came into the room quietly in the candlelight.

Keynes walked out.

It was still dark at this time, and the corridors in the Royal Court were brightly lit.

Looking at Mingnagal who was still sleeping outside the window, Keynes XVI felt even more annoyed - even the rich businessmen in the city were sleeping soundly at this time!

Suddenly, I felt like, "I don't even want this throne."

Of course, it's just some thought.

He walked all the way to the study. Although he already knew who would be the visitors, he still felt a little disgusted when he saw those old faces.

There are 4 people in the room.

The first is of course the "Seven-Fingered Prime Minister" Hamilton, who only has two fingers left on his left hand, the thumb and the little finger, like a live crab, and he doesn't even bother to wear gloves to cover it up.

Behind him came Duke Ejihard, Duke Ferdinand, and Duke Gottfried.

Among the three, the oldest is the Finance Minister Gottfried, who is in his early 80s and has a rather coquettish goatee; although the Military Minister Ferdinand is over 70 years old, he has practiced martial arts for many years and has the best physique and energy, with a big mole between his eyebrows.

Interior Minister Ejihad is only 60 years old, but he looks the oldest among the group, with his white hair and beard blending into one, making him look like a white pug.

The four people were originally sitting separately, but when they saw Keynes XVI coming, they all stood up:
"Your Majesty the King!"

Keynes XVI sat behind the desk, leaned back in his chair, nodded, and motioned for everyone to sit down.

Only Ejihad was still standing there: "Your Majesty, as a king, you must have the dignity of a king. You are so disheveled, it is really inappropriate..."

"Shh..." Cairns XVI put a finger to his lips and pointed out the window: "Did you hear anything?"

Ejihad was stunned: "No, Your Majesty."

"It's right that you didn't hear it." Keynes XVI said impatiently:

"It's just after 5 a.m., even Susan's chickens haven't crowed yet - by the way, Susan is my cook, and she makes delicious fried eggs - anyway, I got up earlier than the chickens to listen to your business, not to worry about how I'm dressed!"

"If you don't have any business, please go home. I still need to rest."

After being rebuked, Ejihad's face turned red, but he immediately covered it up and said as if nothing had happened:

"Your Majesty, the funds you ordered to be raised have all arrived. We would like to ask you, what should we do with them?"

Hearing this topic, Keynes XVI perked up and straightened his posture slightly: "Haven't we already decided on the specific method?"

"Each person who died in battle will receive 20 gold coins. If the person is the only son in the family, an additional 10 gold coins will be given. Each disabled person will receive 5 gold coins and will be placed in their hometown to patrol the night for security."

“Is there a problem with the specific implementation?”

"No, Your Majesty." Ejihad said respectfully, "It's just that in the previous battle with Insa, a total of 62274 people died and 10953 people were disabled. In this case, the total cost is 147 gold coins."

"The reconstruction of the two provinces of Blackwater and Silver Pine in the northeast of the empire is now underway. The empire's training of new troops is also a huge expense. In addition, the need to maintain defense in the northeast means the financial gap is huge."

"We would like to ask you whether we can save this money and use it in more practical ways."

Ejihard's attitude is also the attitude of Ferdinand and Gottfried.

Of course, the support of Prime Minister Hamilton was also indispensable.

To them, those soldiers who came from the mud were nothing but numbers and consumables. If they died, they died; if they were disabled, they were disabled; they could just recruit another batch.

Anyway, the empire never lacks people.

Why waste golden coins on them?

"There is no need to discuss this matter." Keynes XVI sat up straight and glanced at the four old guys present:
"There are many great truths, but you also have your own reasons. I don't want to, and I don't need to, convince you."

"You just need to know that this is the king's order. There is no room for bargaining."

"Do you need me to issue another public decree?"

Ejihad had not expected much: "Of course not. Your will will be carried out, Your Majesty."

Prime Minister Hamilton stood up and said, "Your Majesty, there is one more thing."

"explain."

"An earthquake occurred in Ganville Province. The intensity was so strong that many of the local baron's castles were damaged. According to preliminary statistics, at least 370 million people were affected and millions of buildings were damaged. Disaster relief is urgently needed."

Cairns XVI frowned: "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?!"

"How much money is left in the treasury?"

Finance Minister Gottfried stood up and said, "Last year's tax revenue has been distributed at the fiscal meeting this spring. Most of it has been allocated. The next batch of tax revenue will not arrive until two months later..."

"I don't want to hear excuses." Keynes XVI waved his hand irritably: "Just tell me the numbers."

"There are still 57 gold coins." Gottfried said immediately: "But if..."

"The compensation for the fallen soldiers cannot be touched. This matter has been delayed for more than two years and cannot be delayed any longer!" Cairns XVI stood up and paced anxiously: "How much disaster relief money do you need?"

Gottfried was obviously well prepared: "If we don't consider reconstruction, but only consider rescue and temporary resettlement, 130 million gold coins will be enough for emergency; but if we want to restore Ganville to vitality and stability as soon as possible, at least 300 million gold coins will be needed!"

"It's about the same as I expected." Keynes XVI nodded: "That means there is a gap of about 240 million..."

"Can the various chambers of commerce still make advance payments?"

Hamilton smiled bitterly. "Your Majesty, in order to pay the war reparations in the past few years, we have borrowed money from various chambers of commerce, and we have not yet paid it all off. Moreover, this year's budget has been finalized. If we increase the scale of debt again..."

Keynes XVI said decisively: "The money can be repaid slowly, but the disaster victims cannot wait. If we are slow here, people will starve to death over there."

"If someone rules, I am the king and you are the nobles; if all the common people die, our status will be meaningless."

"So, give orders to the provinces of Brad and Drenti to transfer supplies to support Ganville first, as a way to offset this year's tax burden. The national treasury should also be mobilized first. If it is still not enough, we can borrow money again."

Gottfried pulled his goatee and frowned, apparently calculating silently in his mind.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer became the focus of the entire meeting, and Keynes XVI and the other three top nobles also focused their attention on him.

"Your Majesty's method is feasible." Ejihad quickly came to a conclusion: "Based on previous years' situation, the total tax revenue of the two provinces this year should be between 170 and 190 million gold coins. Moreover, the cost can be reduced by mobilizing troops over a short distance. Although this will disrupt this year's deployment, at least we don't have to borrow money now."

"Then do it." Keynes XVI nodded, but his expression was not much relieved. After all, the tax revenue of these two provinces was also included in this year's budget. Doing so would only speed up the disaster relief process. In fact, it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The debts had to be borrowed, but they were just delayed.

"Anything else?" asked Keynes XVI.

Hamilton said: "No, Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty, something's up!" Piler ran in from outside with his short legs:

"Marquis Tyrone, the Governor of Nord Province, sent an urgent letter!"

Keynes XVI's face darkened.

The Ganville earthquake was already disturbing enough, and now Nord has caused trouble again. There is no doubt that it must be Raven who is causing trouble again.

He said irritably, "Read it."

"Yes!" Piller carefully glanced at Keynes XVI's expression, opened the envelope, picked up the parchment, and read aloud without emotion.

Keynes XVI listened quietly.

This is a letter of "condemnation" or, to put it more emotionally, a "complaint".

The first part was a long and boring series of greetings and respects, the middle part explained how diligent Tyrone had been since he became governor, and finally it turned to attacks and accusations against Raven, which were also well-reasoned.

When Keynes XVI heard that Raven was going to attack the Orc Empire, he almost laughed out loud.

If the Orc Empire was so easy to defeat, why would Raven need to take action?
He had called a long time ago.

But when Keynes XVI heard Tyrone say that Raven was aging rapidly and might not live for many years, and that this was a crazy act of self-destruction, his expression became complicated again.

"Ah..." Youyou sighed, and Keynes XVI said, "Okay, stop reading."

After sorting out his thoughts, Cairns XVI looked at Pillar and said, "Draft an order for me immediately and give it to Raven."

"Doesn't he want to attack the Orc Empire? Then ask him to capture a Titan cub for me. If he can't do it, he doesn't have to come back!"

Pillar quickly wrote the content and handed it to Keynes XVI for review.

At this moment, Ejihad suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, how much more budget do we need to increase for the operation against Earl Raven?"

Keynes XVI frowned and asked, "What budget?"

"Since Earl Raven is going to attack the Orc Empire, the Empire should naturally provide him with corresponding support and assistance. At least the defense of the border areas should be strengthened."

"On the one hand, we can support Earl Raven, and on the other hand, we can also guard against the counterattack of the Orc Empire."

Cairns XVI sneered: "That would require Raven to defeat the Orc Empire."

"Your Majesty!" Ejihad asked solemnly, "Have you forgotten the shame and hatred of the empire?"

"If it weren't for the fact that His Majesty the 11th King Cairns was defeated on the battlefield and his head was cut off by orcs, thus destroying the dignity of the royal family, how could the Second Dynasty be overthrown so easily?"

"The orcs are the mortal enemies of the Empire. No matter who attacks, the Empire must support them!"

Keynes XVI looked uncertain: "How could I forget..."

According to the king, since Raven killed Anthony, it would be a blessing for him to live one more day.

Now that he allowed Raven to choose his own way of death, it was already magnanimous enough for Keynes XVI to do so.

But what Ejihad said makes sense. We have to be prepared for the orcs' retaliatory counterattack.

"The budget does not need to be increased." Cairns XVI said, "Aren't the 8 newly trained guards preparing for marching training? Let them go to the three southern provinces to deploy defenses."

"It's a good opportunity to get the nobles in those places to move. Don't think you can live in peace in the southern part of the empire."

Ejihad was about to add something.

giggle-

A loud cock crowed.

I don't know when the day started to dawn.

"Okay, that's all for today." Keynes XVI stood up:
"Since you came at the right time, please have breakfast with me. Susan's cooking skills are really good."

……

Time returns to the present.

In Eagle City, Tyrone was holding the letter from His Majesty the King. He was arrogant as he read out the contents:
"Lord Raven, do you have any questions?"

He suppressed the smile on his face, but his heart was already beaming with joy.

Raven, Raven, don’t you want to attack the Orc Empire?
I’ll let you beat me enough this time!
Titan cub, it may seem like a simple sentence, but Tyrone knows too well the difficulty involved.

The Orc Empire is ruled by two major royal families in turn. One is the descendant of the dragon tribe stranded on the continent; the other is the Titan!

Getting a Titan cub is no different from breaking into the Royal Court of the Keynes Empire and kidnapping the heir to the throne!

Thomas on the side had a gloomy look on his face.

If this had happened half a year ago, Thomas would have simply gloated over it.

But the problem is that he has now jumped on Raven's pirate ship and has already invested!

Seeing that Raven's ship was about to sink, his heart bled a little.

As for the members and subordinates of the Griffith family nearby, they all looked pale.

Eric stood there in a daze, his little left eye had widened to the size of a peach pit, and his pupil was a little dilated.

Denise's face was pale, her fingers were shaking, and her eyes were red and she was about to cry.

Only Raven behaved normally, staring at Tai Lung:

"Since this is His Majesty's request, as a subject, I must resolutely carry out His Majesty's order!"

Even though he was unhappy with Raven at the moment, Tai Long couldn't help but secretly praise Raven for his calmness:

"Very well, I will convey the original words to Your Majesty."

"Then I won't stay any longer. I hope you can prepare your troops and set off as soon as possible, Earl Raven!"

"I'll take my leave now," Thomas said.

As the footsteps of the two of them gradually faded away, the entire hall fell into silent silence.

"What are you all standing there for?" Raven looked around at the whole place and said solemnly, "It's just an order. Isn't our original target the Orc Empire?"

"Go get some work!"

When Raven raised his voice, his subordinates including Denise, Eric and others suddenly came to their senses and left one by one politely.

When the last person disappeared from his sight, Raven could no longer hold on. His body, which had been sitting upright, slumped down, his teeth clenched, his cheeks trembling, he held his forehead with his hand, and his breathing was as heavy as an old cow.

squeak
A white figure pushed open the door.

……

(End of this chapter)