Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

(Dear readers, please subscribe more!!! If the number of subscriptions drops below 100, I will no longer receive the full attendance bonus. My new content is already terrible. If I lose the full attendance bonus, this humble author will have even less motivation, sob sob sob.)

Guimiancheng.

Inside the council chamber of the Princess's Palace in Guimian City.

Viser Adam, who had rushed back weary from his journey, stood upright in the hall and gave Freya a detailed report on the results of the trip between the Seven Cities Alliance and the Crown Thorn Society.

Freya, dressed in a simple yet dignified silver-white palace gown, listened quietly.

His gaze would occasionally sweep over the seven young nobles standing respectfully with their hands at their sides behind Viser.

They are the "hostages" sent by the Seven Cities Alliance, and also the link for future cooperation.

After Viser finished his report, Freya slowly stood up.

Upon approaching the seven youths, her stunning beauty became even more breathtaking at close range.

The seven noble youths had only ever seen Freya in images before, but now that they saw her in person...

Freya's innate noble temperament and flawless face instantly left these arrogant young noblemen speechless and their hearts swaying.

Freya spoke slowly, her voice clear and gentle:

"Thank you to the city lords of the Seven Cities Alliance for their understanding and strong support for the royal cause."

The Royal Family will surely remember the contributions and loyalty of all families during this time of crisis.

This short sentence instantly dispelled the resentment and dissatisfaction in the hearts of the seven youths who had been taken hostage.

An indescribable excitement and a sense of overwhelming honor welled up within them, especially when they saw Princess Freya's stunning beauty and kind demeanor.

Some even began to secretly fantasize that if they could win the princess's favor, wouldn't they be able to rise to the top in one step?
Freya, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil in the young people's hearts, turned to Duke Gavin and said:
"Duke, what do you think is the best way to arrange things for these talented young men?"

Duke Gavin bowed slightly, his gaze sweeping over the seven youths. After a moment's thought, he replied slowly:
"The military is preparing to establish a wartime supplies preparation department, which will have significant responsibilities and access to the core operations of the war."

This is an excellent place for them to gain experience. Why not let these young people serve as assistant officers in the preparatory department first, learning and growing through practice?

Upon hearing the name "Supplies Preparation Department," the expressions on the faces of the seven noble youths instantly became quite varied.

These young people from prominent families were by no means ignorant spoiled brats.

They immediately understood the true nature of this department—it was clearly an organization that raised huge sums of money for the war.

The intention behind placing these heirs from the wealthiest city-states of the Seven Cities Alliance into such a department is quite obvious.

This is to leverage the influence and wealth network of their families to contribute to the war machine of Guimian City!

Despite their deep resentment, they had already arrived in Guimian City and had no room for negotiation, so they had no choice but to obey.

After dismissing the seven noble young masters, Freya's formulaic smile gradually faded, and she calmly said:
"Keep an eye on these seven people. Record their every move in the preparatory department, especially any contact they have with the outside world, and report back to me at any time."

"Yes."

Viser paused to continue reporting on more important military intelligence:
"Your Highness, the Seven Cities Alliance's high-ranking officials have basically made their intention to surrender clear."

However, the biggest problem at present is the actual control of the seven city-states, especially the city defense forces, which have been completely taken over by the retreating Ceylon army.

Unless we send troops to force a crossing of the Leon River now, they cannot openly support us.

Freya said softly:
"No rush, let's wait another three months until the outcome of the naval battle is clear, then we can cross the river."

The most important task at hand is to completely digest and stabilize the territory north of the Leon River that we have already taken control of.

Viser bowed slightly and continued reporting in a clear and steady tone:
"And then there's the Crown Thorn Society; their stance has also become clear."

They agreed to cooperate, and this is their list of specific conditions.

Freya took the materials, quickly scanned the densely packed clauses, and then handed them to Duke Gavin beside her:
"Duke, I'll leave these matters entirely to you. The Crown Thorns have been secretly operating in Ceylon for nearly a century. Their hidden connections and influence will be a great help to us in truly taking control of this country in the future."

You need to find the right balance in this.

“Yes, Your Highness.

The old minister will handle this properly.

After finishing his business, Viser took out a letter and handed it to Freya:
"This is a private letter that His Majesty asked me to pass on to Your Highness."

Freya's composed and dignified expression instantly radiated an indescribable and captivating glow. She took the letter, read it, and a charming smile appeared on her face as she said:
“I understand. Tell the sir that I would much rather he come to me in person in the near future and personally place the supreme crown symbolizing the Ceylon royal power on my head.”

Viser bowed slightly, his tone respectful and solemn:
"Your Highness's wishes will be conveyed to His Majesty without a single mistake!"

……

The first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the crystal windows of the bedroom in the Alfiein Palace, gently illuminating the disheveled velvet bed.

Cohen struggled to break free from Adele's suffocatingly warm embrace, waking the sleeping queen and eliciting a soft moan filled with drowsiness.

With her eyes still half-open and heavy with sleep, Adele helped Cohen get dressed and kissed the corner of his mouth.
"Go be your king and don't bother me unless it's important."

As the king of Effiin, Cohen is probably one of the most "unproductive" monarchs on the continent in the eyes of his subjects.

He attended court assemblies less often than he had feigned amnesia, to the point that when he finally sat on the throne to convene a royal meeting, he couldn't even remember the names of many of the ministers standing below.

If Adele hadn't done his homework beforehand, clearly noting the portraits, positions, factions, and even personality traits of each key minister, Cohen would probably have made a fool of himself at the meeting. However, despite His Majesty's "lazy governance," Effie's various fronts are currently maintaining stability.

With the support and encouragement of his female confidantes, Cohen's various endeavors are progressing steadily.

Melantha was left in the City of Crowns by Cohen to assist Freya in a step-by-step strategic pressure on the Gaius regime.

Empress Shanes continues to engage in a silent battle of wits and courage with various factions in the turbulent power struggles of King Constantine.

On the one hand, they had to maintain the apparent balance of power within the empire to prevent any one side from becoming too powerful; on the other hand, following Cohen's instructions, they secretly took over the Holy Radiance Academy to accumulate strength.

They are preparing for the upheaval that will soon reshape the landscape of the mainland.

Isabella is consolidating Cohen's previous achievements in the Dragon Plane, shuttling between the Shadow Dragonborn and the Mourning Dragonborn tribes.

By skillfully balancing the various forces and igniting their desire for unification, it is estimated that a dimensional war will break out in the Dragon Plane in less than six months.

Help the Shadow Dragonborn and the Mourning Dragonborn unify the entire plane.

Windsordler is personally leading the country's top research team, traveling between various military regions.

Establish a large-scale teleportation array network that can be interconnected in every strategic location.

Once this massive project is completed, all of Effie's main forces will be able to rapidly mobilize across regions in a very short time, completely overturning the traditional mode of warfare.

Asuna was recently recalled from the Ceylon front by Cohen and is currently secretly stationed in a secluded valley in the southern border of Efein.

The training focused on the thirty Gold-tier Shadow Dragonborn and twenty Gold-tier Mourning Dragonborn that Cohen had brought back from the Dragon Plane in the early stages.

To form the first dragon legion in Effie.

Nefertis, along with her agents from the Military Intelligence Bureau, used the Black Rose Key they had just acquired to open the treasure vault left behind by the Robben family.

Since leaving last time, Belmod has been staying in the Lost Lands with Mavis, maintaining the daily operation and covert expansion of the vast "Endless Alliance" force.

On one hand, they monitor the Demon Lord and the Machine Lord, who are preparing to establish their nation.

Princess Grace, who returned to the Eastern Empire, seemed to have temporarily toned down her sharp edge after experiencing a series of ups and downs.

He dutifully played the role of "the jewel of the empire" for a few days, but after hearing that Cohen had broken through to the eighth rank, he began to actively prepare to go to the hell plane.

Let Cohen accompany her to contact her great-grandfather, the Lord of Afonas, the first level of Hell, the great devil Grand Duke Zariel.

As for the Elf Queen Vilekis, she has not returned to the Forest of Life since she intimidated the three tomb masters in the Ash Plains.

Instead, he stayed in Florence, or more precisely, moved into the villa located on the shore of Emerald Lake.

This suggests they're waiting for Cohen to break through to the legendary rank so they can purify the divine will within them.

Cohen was naturally pleased with the decision to keep Virekis there, as having such a demigod-level powerhouse stationed near Efein's capital was tantamount to having a living guardian deity for his stronghold.

In the eastern hilly region of the Kingdom of Ceylon, Saint Garin is leading a small but well-equipped Starbringer army in a campaign to wipe out the remaining Ceylon forces.

However, they did not appear as the main force, but rather conducted more of a combat-oriented drill and training exercise.

According to the agreement between Cohen and Garlin, the true stage for the Star Clan will not truly begin until the future war against the Kingdom of Serene.

At that time, this ancient race, whose lineage originated from the stars, will officially step onto the central stage of the continental war with overwhelming force.

Meanwhile, in the distant southern seas, Claire, the chieftain of the Merfolk, found herself embroiled in an increasingly fierce conflict over maritime rights with the Southern Empire after returning to the Tide Capital.

The two continued to contact each other frequently, and Cohen planned to help Claire after finishing his business on the mainland.

Looking at the big picture, there are currently no urgent battles that require Cohen, the "King of War," to personally take to the front lines.

This rare strategic lull allowed him to temporarily set aside those intricate schemes and battles, return to the most basic duties of a king, and incidentally share some of the pressure with his sister, the queen.

In the following days, the people of Efein were astonished to find that their elusive king had begun to appear in the council chamber every day without fail.

Adele finally got a rare period of leisure, no longer having to bury herself in mountains of memorials day and night, and even having time to pick up her paintbrush again and quietly depict the scenery of the garden outside the window in the afternoon sun.

In the council chamber, seeing the mysterious King appear on the throne, the symbol of supreme power, for the third consecutive day in place of the Queen, the ministers present could not help but reveal a hint of smugness in their lowered eyes.

Despite Queen Adele's stunning beauty and noble demeanor, earning her the title of "the most beautiful woman on the continent," her almost harsh governing style made these ministers, accustomed to the smooth maneuvering of officialdom, feel uneasy.

Over the past decade, no amount of slackness, dishonesty, or exaggeration within the cabinet has escaped the Queen's discerning eyes.

What followed was a ruthless dismissal and replacement, with many officials from the Queen's own family, the Angrayn family, being personally dealt with by her.

The Queen was intolerant of even the slightest imperfection, and she couldn't stand any empty formalities or bureaucratic jargon.

In contrast, the mysterious and unpredictable King, who is rarely in the capital, is at least more "reasonable" in his limited appearances and does not seem to be overly critical of details.

Taking advantage of the queen's absence, the ministers exchanged knowing glances.

They quietly reorganized the report documents they had prepared beforehand.

He carefully pulled out the reports that the Queen had repeatedly criticized as "showy but impractical" and "embellishing the truth," filled with flowery rhetoric praising the emperor's achievements, from the bottom of the pile of documents and placed them in the most conspicuous position.

He planned to thoroughly extoll his "great achievements" before this seemingly "easy-going" King, perhaps even using this opportunity to secure benefits and rewards that would have been unattainable under the Queen's rule! (End of Chapter)