Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 316 Freya's Feelings!

(Thanks to reader "Nicholas Reynolds" for the donation)

Elio looked ashamed and said:

"Since you've asked, I'll be honest with you."

Yes, Father did intend for me to get closer to His Highness, but this was also my own wish.

After seeing Her Highness's information, I was deeply impressed by her temperament and appearance.

Don't laugh at me, but people of our status have seen plenty of women, but Princess Freya is the girl who truly touched my heart.

I swear, although I haven't met her yet, I've already fallen deeply in love with her. This has nothing to do with her identity or status. I think even if she were just a girl from an ordinary family, I would still pursue her madly.

Iphiel felt inexplicably nauseous, but suppressing his displeasure, he said softly:
"You're not hiding it from me, and I'm not hiding it from you either. To tell you the truth, there are quite a few people who have the same idea as you."

Jaden of the Veritas family, Malfoy of the Lorthermar family, and Wyatt of the Strauss family are all coming to visit our Gavin Territory in a few days!

Elio narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly:

"They're not slow runners!"

Iphiero sincerely said:

“Ellio, you and I are brothers. Of course, I would prefer you to win the princess’s favor more than anyone else.”

Elio wore a smile that looked obviously fake.
Don't you have this idea?

Iphier said frankly:

To be honest, I already have someone I love.

Elio's eyes flickered, and it was unclear whether he believed it or not.

Iphier continued:

"As far as I know, those young masters didn't come empty-handed. They all made careful preparations beforehand and prepared generous gifts for Her Highness the Princess."

Elio's eyes lit up. He had overlooked this. A fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl who had lived in the "Lost Land" since childhood must not have seen many novelties from the human continent.

Elio looked at Iphiel and asked:

"I wonder what Your Highness's hobbies are?"

Iphier said softly:

"As far as I know, Her Highness does not seem to have any suitable magical weapons."

The Eisenhail family is a renowned family of blacksmiths, and you yourself are an excellent magic weapon forger. You should know what needs to be prepared.

Elio's eyes lit up; he had an idea and said to Iphiel:

"Thank you, I'll head back to my family now!"

Iphiel watched Elio's hurried departure, a faint sneer playing on his lips.

They quickly contacted Cohen and told him about the whole thing.

Cohen gleaned the unspoken meaning from Iphier's words—our Gavin family is different from those aristocratic families. When eliminating dissidents in the future, remember to distinguish between friend and foe.

Cohen did not give a direct answer, but instead asked:
"Young Master Ifilo, have you received Her Highness the Princess?"

Iphiero wasn't sure if Cohen understood his hint. He wanted to be direct, but feared it would be pointless. Hearing Cohen's question, he replied:

"They're already on their way and will arrive in a couple of days. Your Majesty, please rest assured that we are treating Princess Freya with the same courtesy and respect we would show to a princess."

I won't let her suffer even the slightest grievance.

Cohen chuckled softly:
"You don't need to say these things to me. She is your princess. How you treat her is your own responsibility."

Also, give me a detailed list of those young masters you just mentioned. Remember, it must be very detailed.

Iphier's expression shifted slightly, and after a brief silence, he agreed to Cohen's request.

Cohen's tone softened, giving Iphiero a much-needed boost:

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Quesaon for you. I can assure you that no matter how the situation develops in the future, Duke Gavin's life will be absolutely guaranteed."

Hearing Cohen's assurance, Iphiero's nerves, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxed slightly.

After ending the communication, a cold glint appeared in Cohen's eyes. These powerful families were really impatient, especially after King Gaius pressed for military expenses, their attitude of cutting ties with the royal family became even clearer.

They even sent the heir to Gavin territory, already making plans for the restoration of the kingdom's princess.

Cohen secretly considered giving Freya a heads-up, since she was still young and shouldn't be fooled by these young masters.

However, if Mavis were here, she would definitely say that Cohen's worries were unnecessary. Having witnessed Freya's dark side firsthand, Mavis had full confidence in the "princess's" cunning and scheming.

Cohen was unaware of these things; he looked down at the information the Military Intelligence Bureau had sent him regarding the major families in Ceylon.

The Eisenhail Duke family, a family of blacksmiths, gained noble status in the early days of Ceylon by providing excellent weapons. They controlled the "Iron Spine," the richest mineral resource in Ceylon, and monopolized the country's weapons manufacturing and metal trade, with their business covering almost the entire northwestern continent.

If the Gavin family wants to succeed in the future, the Eisenhall family's material support is indispensable.

The Viscount Vilitas family, descended from royal scholars, shares some similarities with the Cohen family, possessing a degree of prophetic ability. Several family members served in the Church of Prophecy and were even high-ranking prophets. In the early days of Ceylon, they rose to nobility by assisting the Ceylon royal family in deciphering some ancient prophecies, and many family members served as advisors and scholars in the royal court. They possessed Ceylon's largest library and academy, profoundly influencing education and the formulation of laws within the kingdom.

Once Freya establishes her regime in the future, the Veritas family will play a crucial role in consolidating power and attracting talent.

The House of Lorthermar, an ancient maritime trading family, amassed immense wealth through control of ports and shipping. Like Cohen's underworld figurehead, they initially rose to power through piracy, later acquiring their titles by funding royal expeditions. Today, the House of Lorthermar owns half of Pearl Harbor, the largest port in Ceylon. Many members of the House of Lorthermar serve in the Ceylon Navy.

Another family is the Viscount Strauss, a family that rose to prominence during the Reformation. They have close ties with the Holy See and are responsible for managing religious affairs and protecting holy sites within Ceylon. Many direct members of the family serve as bishops and priests within the Holy See, giving them the power to control most of the churches and priests in the country.

The importance of a family that influences the kingdom's belief system is self-evident.

Not long after, Iphier also sent over detailed information about the four young masters. Cohen immediately packaged it up and sent it to Freya, warning her to be careful of these people.

After Freya received the information, she and Lucia looked at the introductions about these family members together.

Lucia frowned slightly and said in a low voice:

"These people are quite fast. We're still back in Ceylon, and they're already waiting for us."

Freya gave a strange smile and suddenly asked:
"Lucia, why do you think the master sent me these documents?"

Lucia replied:
"Your Majesty is worried that His Highness will be bewitched by these纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy and powerful families)."

Freya seemed dissatisfied with the answer, her delicate brows furrowing slightly as she pressed on:

"Besides this?"

Lucia paused, looking at Freya's expression, and considering the princess's recent behavior, tentatively said:
"His Majesty... cares deeply about the Princess and doesn't want her to be deceived by unscrupulous noblemen."

Freya's expression softened considerably, but her face remained somewhat somber as she murmured to herself, "Is she just concerned?"
Lucia heard Freya's mutterings, and after a moment's thought, a mysterious smile played on her lips as she added:
"It could also be a man's possessiveness at play. A girl as outstanding as Your Highness, I think even His Majesty would be tempted."

Freya's face instantly brightened, like a blooming flower, as she looked at Lucia beside her with her hands behind her back:
"Sister Lucia, have there ever been any female prime ministers on the continent?"

Lucia was stunned for a moment, and then her face lit up with an extremely intense light.

Freya spoke slowly and deliberately:
"I believe that Sister Lucia has the potential to become the first female prime minister on the continent!"

……

King Gaius was in a very bad mood today. Although the negotiations with Pirate King Yann Hughes had yielded good results, some recent rumors circulating in the country were giving him a headache.

The source of the rumors was an old historical story that claimed that Gaius's lineage was not a legitimate descendant of the royal family, but rather a usurper who had seized the throne from the founding lineage!
The rumors were growing stronger and stronger, and it seemed poised to sweep across the entire Kingdom of Ceylon.

Gaius immediately realized that the Gavin family was stirring things up behind the scenes. What were they trying to do? Were they trying to dig up old grievances to exonerate themselves?

Not long after, Prime Minister Yod Merrick entered the King's office.

Gaius, upon meeting Prime Minister Merrick, immediately asked:
"How's the investigation going? Have you found out the source of the rumors? Did it originate in Gavinling?"

Upon hearing the news, Gaius secretly appointed the Prime Minister to investigate the cause and effect of the matter.

Prime Minister Merrick's expression was not good. Faced with His Majesty the King's question, he hesitated for a moment before speaking:
"Some of it, but most of it wasn't the Gavin family's doing."

Gaius's face immediately darkened, and he pressed on with the question:

"who is it?"

Prime Minister Merrick's lips moved, but in the end, he let out a soft sigh and uttered a name he was extremely reluctant to mention:

"Pale Wings!"

Gaius's pupils contracted slightly, and he clenched his fists involuntarily. When he spoke again, his voice carried a hint of murderous intent:
"Those damned, heartless businessmen!"

"Can't they just focus on their business? They have to interfere in our affairs; they deserve to die!"

Prime Minister Merrick replied in a low voice:
"I suppose it's because of what the Third Prince and Prince Xia Zuo of the Eastern Empire did regarding the Pale Wings."

They're just using the Gavin family's situation to their advantage and try and sow discord among us.

King Gaius's voice was filled with resentment:

“That was done by Prince Xia Zuo. We in Ceylon are also victims. If you want to settle scores, go fight the Eastern Empire. Why are you targeting us in Ceylon?”

For so many years, our relationship with the Pale Wings has been quite good. Is it really necessary to resort to such deadly measures against us just because of this small misunderstanding?

Prime Minister Merrick said in a deep voice:
"Perhaps there's another reason. While Prince Xia Zuo orchestrated the plot against the Pale Wings, it was His Highness the Third Prince who personally led the attack on Florence and the overthrow of the Corleone royal family, targeting Effie. Your Majesty, don't forget that the Golden Wing family, the most influential family within the Pale Wings, has close ties with Effie!"

Gaius's eyes blazed with fury:

"Does this tiny country really think I can't deal with it? After I've dealt with these nobles in the country, I'll teach them a lesson sooner or later!"

Gaius hadn't lost his composure like this in a long time; the Pale Wings' actions had struck a nerve with him.

After Prime Minister Merrick and Gaius had vented their anger, he said in a calm voice:
"Fortunately, things haven't gotten out of control yet. Right now, there are just some rumors, which we can still keep under control."

Your Majesty should make plans soon. The Pale Wings have outposts in major cities of the Kingdom of Ceylon. If they are allowed to fully mobilize, it could cause a major upheaval.

Gaius gradually suppressed his anger and regained his composure, then asked Prime Minister Merrick:
"Who is the person in charge of the Pale Wings here?"

Prime Minister Merrick breathed a sigh of relief and said:

“Brennan Reyes, he often deals with His Highness the Second Prince. If His Majesty is interested, the Second Prince can be sent to communicate with him.”

Gaius shook his head and said:

"I haven't told my second and third sons about what happened to our parents yet. I'll go there myself. The fewer people who know about this, the better."

Prime Minister Merrick's eyes showed surprise, clearly astonished that the two princes were unaware of his family history. He carefully concealed his emotions and replied:

"Okay, I'll take care of it."

"Hurry up. Also, there should be a result regarding Gavin's matter by now."

Prime Minister Merrick hesitated, wondering how he should answer.

There's an ironclad rule in officialdom: never let your subordinates verify things you've already predetermined, or you'll only get the same result you predicted.

King Gaius had long believed that Gavin was plotting a rebellion, so what could Prime Minister Merrick do but gather all the clues to verify His Majesty's conclusion?

Prime Minister Merrick, concealing his emotions, stated firmly the conclusion that King Gaius most wanted to hear:

"It has been confirmed that Gavin has a private connection with Prince Airo of the Windbreak Kingdom. If the map of Quesaon's military deployment is real, then the source of the leak lies with Gavin."

King Gaius, his face expressionless, remained silent for a long while before slowly asking:

"Gavin still refuses to come see me?"

Prime Minister Merrick replied:
“I went to the Duke’s mansion in person, and Antoine’s attitude remained firm.”

King Gaius's face hardened, and he slowly said:
"Now that we have the results, let's announce them as soon as possible."

Prime Minister Merrick looked visibly hesitant and asked:

"What about the measures taken against Gavin..."

"Let's do it all at once: urge the House of Nobles to abolish Gavin's hereditary noble title, have the Saxons send troops to seize all the resources of Gavin's territory, and imprison Antoine Gavin!"

A fleeting look of grief crossed Prime Minister Merrick's face, and his voice was unusually heavy:

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

……

Cohen looked at the notice in his hand and breathed a sigh of relief. Gaius was finally going to take action against this veteran minister of three reigns and hereditary duke.

All the gunpowder is ready; all that's left to do is drop a spark on Ceylon's soil!
Cohen looked at Windsordler beside him and asked:
"How is the Duke of Gavin's mood?"

Windsordler replied:

"It's good. I'm still quite calm. I just don't know if I'll be able to maintain this mindset when I go to jail in a few days."

Cohen said slowly:

“The Duke of Gavin is a man who has weathered many storms; going to prison is not a challenge for him.”

After a pause, Cohen continued:

"Quesaon has many fun places to visit. Why don't you go out and explore more? Staying indoors all the time is so boring!"

Windsordler's tone was calm:

"So you're sending me away so you can have your fun with that little succubus Grace here?"

Cohen's lips twitched slightly, and he wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to ask her that question?

Sure enough, Grace, who was busy cooking in the kitchen, caught the words with her keen ears. She sneered and said:

"Your Highness, please be mindful of your position. You are merely a concubine, and it is not your place to make decisions regarding my affairs."

Cohen sighed and said:
"Ladies, please stop arguing. If you keep arguing, I'll have to move out."

This statement posed a significant threat to both of them, and they both stopped speaking at the same time.

Not long after, Grace came out carrying the dishes. Cohen looked extremely interested and exclaimed:
"I never imagined that I would be able to taste a dish personally cooked by the eldest princess of the Eastern Region Empire in my lifetime. I am truly blessed by the goddess of fortune!"

Windsordler couldn't help but say:
"You're praising it before you've even tasted it. What if you can't swallow it later and we all go hungry?"

Grace gave a soft hum:
"I am not like that certain elven queen, who was pampered since childhood."

"For a lowly half-blood like me, before awakening my extraordinary talents, I always had to do these things myself."

Grace was right. As a child, Grace was a mixed-race person who was out of place with the royal family of the Eastern Region. Because of her mother’s devilish identity, she was not well received in the royal family.

It wasn't until she later awakened her extraordinary talent and stunning beauty that Grace gained a certain status.

Furthermore, Emperor Eberlon was unable to have any more children, so Grace, his only offspring, became the apple of his eye.

When Grace talked about her past misfortunes, there was no sadness on her face. However, it touched Windsordler, who was hearing about her experiences, and he stopped arguing with her as usual.

The three of them were enjoying their meal in a pleasant atmosphere when Cohen received a communication from Wiesel, the head of the General Affairs Department of the Military Intelligence Bureau.

Cohen initially thought something had happened to the Military Intelligence Bureau, but upon inquiry, he learned that the matter was actually related to "Pale Wings".

"Director, Brennan Reyes, our Pale Wings' head in Ceylon, has contacted me and says he has something important to report to you."

Viser's extremely skillful use of "Our Pale Wings" slightly displeased Windsordler, while Grace smiled and stared at Cohen.

Cohen coughed lightly and asked:

"I'm eating right now. What is it?"

Viser immediately realized the problem. As the head of the General Affairs Department of the Military Intelligence Bureau, he had the clearest understanding of Cohen's itinerary. He knew perfectly well that his director was currently in Quesaon with Princess Windsor and Princess Grace of the Eastern Empire.

So he definitely couldn't be eating alone!

Viser immediately understood the crux of the matter and realized his slip of the tongue, quickly trying to make amends:

"By the way, Director, there's another little thing before we talk about this, so let's report it together."

The gifts you asked me to prepare for Her Highness the Princess and the Eldest Princess are ready. When would be a suitable time to send them over?

Cohen was very pleased with Viser's quick wit and said slowly:
"The sooner the better."

Upon hearing that Cohen had quietly prepared gifts for the two of them, Windsordler and Grace's expressions instantly improved.

Viser breathed a sigh of relief before getting down to business:
“The matter that Brennan asked me to report concerns King Gaius of Ceylon.”

Gaius sent his prime minister to contact Brennan, wanting to negotiate with the Pale Wings. I guess it's because the Pale Wings' previous spreading of information throughout Ceylon made Gaius restless, and he wanted to make peace with us.

Brennan couldn't reach the chief, so he contacted me directly.

Cohen's eyes lit up, and he quickly came up with an idea, saying:
"Okay, I understand. Give me Brennan's contact information and I'll talk to him."

"Okay, Director."

After ending the call, Cohen's lips curled into a slight smile as he looked at Windsordler beside him and said:
"Have Julian prepare a high-quality photographic stone for me. This time, I want King Gaius to make a name for himself in front of the entire continent!"

Windsordler raised an eyebrow and nodded thoughtfully.

After finishing his meal, Cohen contacted Brennan Reyes, the head of the Pale Wings in Ceylon.

Cohen's identity is now public knowledge within the Golden Wing family, and everyone tacitly agrees that this renowned King of Effie is the future son-in-law of the Golden Wing family.

As a subordinate of the Golden Wing family, Brennan naturally showed the utmost respect.

Cohen asked Brennan:

"Can we confirm that Gaius personally negotiated with the Pale Wings?"

Brennan said cautiously:
"Yes, I reckon that Prime Minister Merrick will also be accompanying them. As His Majesty knows, the content of this negotiation involves some of the dishonorable history of the Gaius family, so the number of people who know about it should be limited as much as possible."

Cohen said:

"Okay, you agree to negotiate with him. The time is set for tomorrow, and they can choose the location."

Brennan asked:
"Do we agree to the conditions they proposed?"

Cohen said with a smile:

"Agreed, of course I agree, but as for the specifics of how to discuss it, let me tell you..."

(End of this chapter)