Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 335 Grace's Departure
Upon hearing Cohen's words, Xia Zuo offered a reasonable conjecture:

"A floating behemoth?"
Did they cross the border in a giant airship?

Upon hearing the mention of the floating behemoth, Joren's expression instantly turned grim.

Back at the Northwest Regional Conference, King Effie extorted their Central Empire's floating behemoth from them.

He thought for a moment and said:
“The energy fluctuations of the floating behemoth are extremely intense. If it were used to transport troops, Ceylon would not be able to detect it at all.”

Cohen chuckled softly:
"Your Highness is mistaken. Although Efein's orc army flew over, it was not transported by a floating behemoth."

"Don't forget, you two, King Efein recently married a winged elf queen."

Astonishment simultaneously appeared in Xia Zuo's and Qiao Lun's eyes:
"Did they use winged elves to lead people there one by one?"

Cohen nodded slowly:

"Although it sounds a bit far-fetched, this is indeed the closest speculation to the truth."

My intelligence agents discovered extensive evidence of winged elf activity in Gavin's territory.

Xia Zuo frowned deeply, not because the other party could use this method to transport troops, but because the close relationship between the Winged Elves and Efein made him somewhat wary.

As one of the most powerful races among the elves, the Winged Elves' influence extends across the continent, especially after they supported Empress Shanis Klein's ascension to the throne as Empress of the Central Empire, which led to an unprecedented increase in their strength.

It is showing signs of becoming the leader of all elves.

For Xia Zuo, it was not good news that his enemy had gained such a powerful ally.

Xia Zuo looked at Qiao Lun, who was also deep in thought, and asked:
"The Winged Elves have the closest ties with your Central Empire. With such a large-scale operation, didn't Young Master Joren receive any information about it?"

Qiao Lun snapped out of his daze and replied in a strange tone:
"To be precise, the Winged Elves have close ties with the royal family, and our House of Nobles rarely interacts with them."

Cohen coughed lightly, interrupting their conversation, and looked at Joren:

"Does Young Master Qiao Lun have any other questions?"

Joren shook his head.

Cohen then asked:
So what's your choice?

Qiao Lun nodded slowly and said in a deep voice:
I agree.

But I have one condition.

Xia Zuo frowned slightly, somewhat dissatisfied with Qiao Lun's performance.

Why is this grown man so indecisive and hesitant when he does something? I didn't see him being this timid when I collaborated with him at the Northwest Regional Exchange Conference last time.

Cohen didn't show any particular emotion; his smile remained gentle.

"Please tell me, and I will do my best to fulfill your request, as long as it is within my power."

Joe Lun replied:

"The people I brought were all broken up and dispersed to various parts of Ceylon."

Regrouping is troublesome and could easily alert others.

Therefore, we must proceed step by step.

Cohen's eyes crinkled with amusement as he said:
"So, what does Young Master Qiao Lun mean?"

Qiao Lun said in a deep voice:

"What I mean is that my troops may not be able to join the battle immediately, but you two can rest assured, I will get to it as soon as possible."

To be frank, Qiao Lun wanted to observe the situation for a while before making a move, and only when he was certain of victory would he take action, minimizing the risks.

He simply couldn't afford to lose this time.

Xia Zuo's eyes flashed with undisguised contempt, his tone laced with sarcasm:

"When did the Central Imperial House of Nobles become so 'cautious'?"

"I'm telling you, Joren, if you're really scared, have your uncle send someone else. I simply don't have the patience to play house with you!"

Faced with Xia Zuo's sharp sarcasm, Qiao Lun remained unfazed and calmly replied:
"The Wertheimer family has a weak foundation and cannot compare with the vast wealth and power of the First Prince's family on the mainland. It is better to be cautious when handling affairs abroad."

Seeing the two arguing, Cohen spoke up to ease the tension:
"Then it's settled. Young Master Qiao Lun, you must hurry. The distribution of spoils after the battle is closely related to the contributions made. Don't let us all enter the main camp while you're still assembling your troops!"

Joren answered firmly:

"Don't worry, I will definitely not let His Highness fight alone!"

……

Just as Prince Xiazuo of the Eastern Empire and Baron Qiaolun of the Central Empire arrived in Quesaon, the eldest prince of the Southern Empire, Greg, was also busy. He boarded a luxury cruise ship and landed on the land of the Kingdom of Ceylon at Pearl Harbor, the largest port in the Northwest Continent.

At dawn, a thin mist enveloped the harbor, and a luxury merchant ship slowly docked.

The hatch opened, and Gregor Jarvis appeared, surrounded by six guards.

The crown prince of the Southern Empire wore a deep-sea velvet robe. He had a handsome face and a cold expression. His gaze swept over the bustling port, and a hint of surprise rose in his heart.

The prosperity of Ceylon exceeded his expectations; it truly lived up to its reputation as the strongest kingdom in human history.

Greg descended the steps onto the deck, and soon a middle-aged figure jogged over from a distance.

The guards in front blocked the newcomer's view, exchanged a few words in hushed tones, and then made way for him.

When the middle-aged man saw Greg, a fawning smile appeared on his face:
"What an honored guest, what an honored guest!"
"I am Finn Lorthermar, the deputy director of the port authority. The patriarch has already given me instructions, sir. Please."

Greg nodded expressionlessly, then followed Finn into a carriage, which slowly drove towards the depths of the harbor.

Once inside the carriage, Finn began to introduce Greg to the local customs and culture of Pearl Harbor, but Greg seemed rather uninterested and gave him only perfunctory replies.

Fenn knew the purpose of the other party's visit to Ceylon, and after a few polite words, he quickly got down to business:

"Your Highness, what do you think we should do next? Should we return to our clan or go directly to Guimian City?"

Greg did not answer Finn's question, but instead asked in return:

"What is the current situation in the City of Crowns, and what position does your Lorthermar family occupy in it?"
Whose power does your princess rely on most right now?

Greg's questions were very direct, leaving Finn momentarily at a loss for words.

After thinking for a moment, Fein carefully chose his words and replied slowly:

“Your Highness, the City of Crowns is, after all, located in Gavin Territory, and also has the influence of the Duke Eisenhall family. However, our young master Malfoy has already…”

Greg waved his hand to interrupt Finn, and said coldly:

"I understand. Where is Viscount Lorthermar now?"

Finn's lips twitched slightly as he collected his thoughts and replied:

"My lord is currently gathering strength and organizing an army in the territory."

"Then let's go to your viscountry first."

Now that Gregor had made his decision, Finn said no more and ordered the carriage to turn around and head towards Viscount Lothermar.

Just after the carriage left the port, a port authority employee who was directing merchant ships stopped what he was doing, memorized the carriage's shape, and left the port.

Not long after, Julian, the highest-ranking official of the Ceylon Military Intelligence Bureau and the head of the Quessaon station, received secret intelligence from this employee.

The moment Julian saw the intelligence report, he immediately went to find Cohen:

"Chief, the Losermar family you've been monitoring has made some unusual moves."

Julian handed the intelligence to Cohen and then said:

"This person is the deputy director of the Pearl Harbor Authority and the representative of the Lorthermar family in Pearl Harbor. He holds a very important position."

The person he personally received must be someone of extraordinary status.

I've already had my men investigate. The merchant ship this person was on came from the Southern Empire, so he's very likely a nobleman from the Southern Empire.

This is a portrait reconstructed from memory by intelligence personnel.

The other party was very cautious, barely showing themselves, so there was no opportunity to use the recording stone.

Cohen took the intelligence, glanced at it, and then looked at the portrait. It was clearly the image of a typical aristocratic young man.

However, he didn't know much about the royal family of the Southern Empire and couldn't be sure if the person in the portrait was the eldest prince of the Eastern Empire, Greg, whom Claire had mentioned.

He suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of someone who must have met the prince of the Southern Empire.

Cohen accepted the portrait and said to Julian:
Do you know their destination?

Julian replied:
"Judging from the direction, it seems to be heading towards Viscount Lorthermar. We haven't received the latest updates yet; our intelligence personnel are still tracking it."

Cohen instructed:
"Tell your comrades to be careful and not to be discovered."

"it is good."

After Julian left, Cohen knocked on Grace's door.

Early in the morning, the princess, who was enjoying her beauty sleep, was clearly angry that someone had disturbed her peaceful slumber. Wearing a silk robe, she opened the door and launched into a tirade against Cohen:
"What's wrong? Can't we talk about this after I get up?"

Cohen smiled ingratiatingly:

"I'm disturbing Your Highness's rest. There's an urgent matter that I need Your Highness to confirm."

Grace gave a soft snort, turned around, and went inside.

Cohen breathed a sigh of relief and followed her into Grace's bedroom.

Grace walked barefoot across the thick, burgundy carpet and sat down on the sofa.

The ties of her silk robe loosened and fell as she turned, revealing half of her snow-white shoulders and neck.

Grace gently gathered her long hair and said:

Where are your eyes looking?

"Didn't you say something? Go ahead."

Cohen looked away and took out the portrait, handing it to Grace for identification.

Grace has a pretty good memory; after recalling for a while, she nodded.

"It seems to be him, the eldest prince of the Southern Empire, what's his name again, Greg?"

Cohen breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"Thank you, Your Highness. I apologize for disturbing your rest."

Cohen was about to leave when Grace hooked her foot to stop him, saying:

"You heartless bastard, you just use it and throw it away?"

Cohen thought to himself that her words were too ambiguous. He stopped in his tracks, looking at Grace's outstretched, snow-white foot, and asked, "Does Your Highness have any further instructions?"

Grace felt a little hot under Cohen's gaze. She curled her legs up slightly, straightened her posture, and said, word by word:

"I'm leaving."

Cohen froze, all his desire vanishing, and he couldn't help but ask:
"Walk?

where to?
Why are you leaving?

His words clearly revealed his deep reluctance to part.

Seeing Cohen's reaction, Grace was quite pleased and said softly:
"In another six months, the Noble Martial Arts Festival will be held in the Central Continent. It is a grand event that takes place once every ten years, and the Empire attaches great importance to it."

My father has sent a letter appointing me as the head of the Eastern Empire delegation, responsible for selecting athletes for each competition segment. I must return home ahead of schedule to prepare.

Cohen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At first, he thought it was Windsordale and Melantha who made the princess uncomfortable.

"I see. It seems we'll have to wait until the Martial Arts Festival in six months to meet again."

Are you leaving now?

Grace bit her red lips lightly and said:

"Yes, the deadline Father gave us is today. I didn't tell you before because I was afraid it would distract you."

Cohen gently stepped forward and embraced Grace.

Grace trembled, but ultimately failed to break free.

Cohen whispered in Grace's ear:

"Just hand over your men to me, and I guarantee I'll train them into the most elite soldiers."

Xia Zuo has already fallen into the trap. After this blow, his popularity in China will definitely decline.

After I've dealt with the matters of the Kingdom of Ceylon, I'll go to the Eastern Empire and help you fulfill your heart's desire... mmm..."

Grace wrapped her arms around Cohen's neck, tilted her head back, and kissed him...

Just after Grace left, Melantha appeared behind Cohen and said, somewhat surprised:
"You actually managed to resist eating her? I was surprised you two were going to have a farewell nap!"

Windsordler also came downstairs, her tone tinged with surprise:

"No one?"

"Could it be that you've been sucking too much these past few days and drained Cohen dry?"

Melantha picked up a pillow from the sofa and threw it at Windsordler:

"I've only been here a few days. I think you've ruined Cohen."

Cohen stared at the two of them in astonishment and asked:
"You all knew Grace was leaving?"

Windsordler said:

"It's so obvious, isn't it? Haven't you noticed that Grace's mood has been noticeably lower these past two days?"

Cohen scratched his head and said:
"I didn't notice, I've been too busy these past few days."

Melantha blinked and said:

"If you have no questions, then it means Grace chickened out at the crucial moment?"

Cohen waved his hand and said:
"Don't talk nonsense, it hasn't come to that yet. Alright, you guys pack your things too, we'll be leaving Quesaon for a while soon."

Windsordler asked:

"Are we going to Guimian City?"

Cohen smiled slightly:
"Yes, that's our next target!"

……

Led by Finn, Greg entered Viscount Lorthermar's territory, where Viscount Lorthermar was already waiting in the mansion.

After they met, they wasted no time, and Greg got straight to the point, stating his views:

"There are still six months until the [All Nations Nobles Martial Arts Festival]. I will also be participating in the Gold Group competition at that time, so I don't have much time to waste."

Within three months, we will gain actual control of Guimian City and turn that princess into my puppet.

Viscount Lorthermar raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Gregor's words. This young prince possessed the arrogance and self-satisfaction commonly found in high-ranking nobles.

After a moment of silence, the Viscount said in a low voice:
"Your Highness, Princess Freya has the support of the Lord of the Lost Lands, and her talent and appearance are also top-notch."

During his time in Guimian City, he had gained the approval of most nobles and common people, especially the most powerful Gavin and Eisenhail families.

Winning her over in a short period of time will not be an easy task.

There's also another threat, Alfiein, lurking in the shadows. The battle for the Twin Towers was orchestrated by Marshal Alfiein, Arnold Constantine.

Marshal Arnold is currently stationed in the City of Crowns, and to gain actual control of the city, he and his orc legions are indispensable.

Greg sneered and said:

"What do I care about the approval of the people or the nobility? In my opinion, might makes right."

Put a knife to their throats, and they'll know who to listen to.

As for Efein, he's not worth mentioning. I brought a thousand 'special forces' soldiers this time; the orc legion poses no threat whatsoever.

Upon hearing the word "special forces" legion, the Viscount's eyes visibly lit up. After a brief silence, he continued:

“It is good that Your Highness has such great strength, but the biggest threat right now is Gaius’s army. Guimian City has just been established, and it is not good to start internal strife at this time.”

Gregor frowned deeply and said:
"I spend very little time in Ceylon, and I can't let it go to waste."

If we can't gain control of Guimian City within three months, how about we take control of that princess first?
Her background is simply that of the Lord of the Sequence; the Lost Lands' influence can't yet extend into the human continent.

Viscount Lorthermar nodded slowly and said:
"That shouldn't be a problem, but it's best not to be too direct and to keep a low profile as much as possible."

The Southern Empire isn't the only one eyeing Ceylon now.

I've heard that both the Eastern Empire and the Central Empire will be sending people to Ceylon. If we make too much noise, it could easily give them an opportunity to exploit the situation.

Gregor largely agreed with Viscount Lorthermar's words, and his voice softened considerably:
"Does the Viscount have any good suggestions?"

Viscount Lorthermar said:

"I've heard that Her Highness is actively recruiting people recently. I can disguise the people Her Highness brings as my people and find an opportunity to send them to Her Highness's side."

There is also a struggle between the Gavin family and the Eisenhall family, both of whom hope to become the princess's most relied-upon force.

At this point, if we extend an olive branch, the other party, needing to maintain a balance, will certainly not refuse us.

Greg nodded slowly and said:

"That's a good idea. My people will arrive in a few days. They'll be coming to Ceylon under the guise of seafood merchants and fishermen to do business."

You should send someone to pick them up then, but be careful not to let the word get out.

Viscount Lorthermar replied:

"Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will handle this matter properly."

After the two reached a consensus on the next course of action, Greg visibly relaxed and casually asked:
"I heard that princess is quite beautiful, and also has sorcerer blood; she's very charming?"

A strange light flickered in Viscount Lorthermar's eyes as he replied:

"That's right, Your Highness has already captivated many young nobles in Ceylon in Guimian City."

Many sons of royalty and nobility spend their days waiting outside the palace, conscientiously clearing any obstacles for His Highness's various activities.

Greg raised an eyebrow and asked with a half-smile:
"Is young master Malfoy among them?"

Viscount Lorthermar made no attempt to conceal it:
"Yes, I'll send Malfoy to the City of Crowns to try and win over the princess. If he can win her heart, that would be wonderful."

Greg was long past the age of youthful pursuit of romance and jealousy. Moreover, given his status, the goddesses that the sons of Ceylon nobles were vying for might not even catch his eye.

Although Princess Grace of the Eastern Empire had once harshly rejected and humiliated him, in Greg's heart, Grace was still the most perfect goddess.

Thinking of this, Greg couldn't help but feel a surge of hatred towards that pirate king.

His main purpose in coming to Ceylon this time, besides vying for the favor of the gods on Cohen, was to seek revenge on Yann Hughes, who had stolen the goddess in his heart.

Greg suppressed his emotions and said:
"Viscount, please get things done as soon as possible. I'll go to Guimian City first, and once my men are in place, I'll have a proper talk with this princess."

Viscount Lorthermar readily agreed and sent men to escort the imperial prince to Guimian City.

……

After Greg left the Viscount's territory, Cohen received accurate intelligence.

At this moment, he also embarked on the journey to Guimian City with Greg, accompanied by two beautiful "maids".

Windsordler looked at the intelligence report and said in a low voice:
"Even the eldest prince of the Southern Empire is going to Guimian City. Freya's place is really going to be lively now."

Not long after, Melantha appeared in the carriage and said to Cohen:
"Xia Zuo from the Eastern Empire has already set off, while Qiao Lun from the Central Empire hasn't taken any action yet, as if he's waiting for someone."

Cohen's lips curled slightly as he said:
"He wasn't waiting for anyone; he clearly didn't want us to track him down."

He should now suspect that I have planted spies around him.

It's estimated that he'll replace all the guards he brought with him before setting off.

Windsordler clicked his tongue lightly:
"Central Empire, Southern Empire, Eastern Empire."

"So many people have gathered in such a small city as Guimian; it's truly exciting to see what happens next."

A glint of light flashed in Cohen's eyes as he murmured to himself:
"This Greg seems a bit arrogant, much like Xia Zuo and Qiao Lun who haven't experienced the harsh realities of society before."

We need to teach him a lesson he won't forget.

Melanza asked curiously:

"What did Greg do?"

Cohen handed the intelligence to Melantha:
"According to the intelligence sent by the Military Intelligence Bureau, he wants to place his people around Freya in the name of the Lorthermar family, and after he has sidelined Freya, he will coerce her into submission and thus take control of Guimian City."

Melanza replied:
"The plan was good, but he chose the wrong target. Did he really think Freya had no one backing her?"

A thoughtful glint flashed in Cohen's eyes, and he quickly realized something, letting out a chilling laugh:
"Let this eldest prince of the Southern Empire be the appetizer of this grand feast!"

I think Prince Xiazuo and Young Master Qiao Lun would also be very interested in dividing up the power brought by the First Prince of the Southern Region Empire!

(End of this chapter)