Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The few days of joy passed in a flash.

Cohen quietly left the witch's tower, which was filled with a warm and languid atmosphere.

However, instead of returning directly to Effie, they went to the headquarters of the Endless Alliance.

At headquarters, some administrative matters that had been piling up due to Mavis's absence were dealt with, while a series of preliminary deployments were carried out.

Some strategic resources were allocated, and the defenses of several key strongholds were secretly strengthened. Several preparatory orders were issued in response to possible future chaos.

After arranging all this, he secretly met with several influential leaders of forces in the Lost Lands in his dual capacity as King of Efein and Supreme Leader of the Endless Alliance.

Among them are the president of Unicorn Trading Company, which controls a vast commercial network with footprints across major oases; the current patriarch of the Taivo family, which has been in the financial business for generations and practically holds the economic lifeline of the Lost Lands; and the leader of the Nilsson family, which specializes in arms dealing and has intricate connections with various forces.

These important figures, who rarely appear together, gathered in the Endless Alliance, their expressions varied but all carrying an undisguised solemnity.

Cohen did not reveal Thrall's earth-shattering conspiracy with the demon legion in detail, but hinted to them in an extremely subtle way that the demon lord Thrall was closely colluding with the Machine Continent and that his ambition to establish a kingdom was already imminent.

These news items were not too surprising to these well-informed and astute industry giants.

They had long anticipated Sal's ambitions through their own channels. In fact, long before the Noble Martial Arts Festival, they had extended olive branches to Cohen on several occasions, seeking cooperation.

However, Cohen postponed the talks because he was busy preparing for the martial arts festival.

Now that the time was ripe, the two sides almost immediately hit it off at this secret meeting and quickly established the tone for comprehensive cooperation.

The most important factor that prompted these usually shrewd giants to make such a decisive bet was Cohen's dazzling and undeniable strength and record.

At the Noble Martial Arts Festival, he swept aside all rivals with his absolute strength, shocking the entire continent. Not long ago, in the Battle of Ash Plains, he completely crushed the main army forces of the Kingdom of Ceylon and the Kingdom of Serene with a classic battle that can be described as a textbook example.

This once again proved to the world Effie's unfathomable power, and it is said that he is now the Emperor's consort of the Central Empire.

All of this instilled in these seasoned leaders a sense of awe and reverence for the young king before them.

Therefore, when Cohen proposed to work together to address potential "major changes" in the future, these leaders showed a more urgent and proactive attitude than in any previous collaboration.

They knew that in the coming storm, sticking close to this ally who always managed to create miracles was the best way to protect themselves and gain the greatest benefit.

During the meeting, Cohen did not speak so clearly, only mentioning that the Demon Lord Sal would receive a huge boost, but he had not yet found out what that boost was.

The representatives of the various factions present are all seasoned veterans.

They immediately grasped the deeper meaning and unspoken warning in Cohen's words, and all expressed that they would use all resources to strengthen the monitoring of the chaotic Demon Continent upon returning.

After the matter was settled, Cohen assigned Ryder Gallo to be in charge of advancing the cooperation between the two parties. Ryder Gallo was not only outstanding in ability, but more importantly, he had previously had successful cooperation experience with the forces present.

Having established a certain level of trust with each other, he is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate to serve as the coordinator.

After dealing with the Lost Lands, Cohen didn't linger. He said goodbye to Belmody and returned to Effie.

……

Nephthys, who returned to Florence to unlock the family treasure, also returned with a full load.

To be fair, the far-sighted ancestor of the Night Rose family went to great lengths to ensure that his bloodline and lineage could continue for many years.

The family treasure they left to their descendants is so rich in content and so ingeniously designed that it far exceeds the imagination of ordinary people.

Besides the mountains of high-purity magic crystals and the seemingly "ordinary" wealth of pearls, gems, and gold and silver treasures that would make any family envious.

What is truly priceless is that complete and systematic family-inherited techniques!
Cohen casually picked up a thick tome made of some kind of ancient magical beast hide, and after flipping through just a few pages, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

The magical principles, rune structures, and energy circulation methods recorded on it all reveal an indescribable antiquity and obscurity, and their origins can definitely be traced back to the ancient times, which are far more ancient than the mere few hundred years of history of the Night Rose family.

This could never be something the Night Rose family could have created on their own.

The answer is obvious—these invaluable legacies must have been preserved by the Night Rose ancestor, who was fortunate enough to receive a portion of the inheritance from the first god, the "God of All Thoughts," and sealed here as the core of the family's heritage. Finding the Night Rose family treasure was not only a huge material gain for Nephthys, but also the fulfillment of a long-cherished wish buried deep in her heart for many years.

She finally restored the lost glory and foundation of the Night Rose family. With this family treasure, she is fully capable of rebuilding the Night Rose family.

For Cohen, this treasure was equally significant.

It not only greatly enriched Efein's national treasury and strategic reserves, but also provided a clear and powerful path for cultivating high-end magical talents in the future.

……

The afternoon sun cast dappled light through the glass of the study.

Nephthys sat upright at a large oak desk, leaning slightly forward, intently organizing the ancient spellbooks she had just retrieved from the family treasure.

Soft light shone on her stunning profile, a masterpiece of nature, outlining her exquisite and captivating features.

Her beautiful, captivating eyes were fixed intently on the yellowed pages of the book in her hands, as if she wanted to etch every rune on the page into her mind.

Cohen stood quietly not far away, his gaze involuntarily falling on her.

Watching this girl grow from a somewhat naive and stubborn little girl into such a beautiful and elegant woman, it's amazing.

A subtle ripple stirred within him.

What makes him even more gratified and proud is that Nephthys is no longer the girl who needs his constant protection.

She has grown into a capable and independent assistant, managing the vast and complex intelligence network of the General Staff Headquarters with great efficiency, and has become his true virtuous wife.

Gazing at Nephthys's face, which had shed its childishness and appeared increasingly charming and full of mature elegance, Cohen's thoughts drifted away.

It felt as if I had returned to the scene of our first meeting and our duel in the extraordinary arena; everything was still vivid in my mind, as if it were yesterday.

Just then, Nephthys, while carefully placing a scroll bound with silver thread into a specific shelf, asked softly without looking up:

"Are there any promising individuals within the royal family or among their close relatives who possess exceptional talent as sorcerers?"
Such a wealth of invaluable knowledge should not be simply left unused and stored away; it would be a terrible waste.

After a long while, there was still no response from Cohen.

Nephthys couldn't help but raise her head slightly, and the next moment her gaze met Cohen's unusually intense eyes.

The intense gaze made her heart skip a beat.

Nephthys felt a slight tremor in her heart, as if a subtle electric current had suddenly passed through her body.

Before she could react, Cohen sat down beside her without a word and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Nephthys immediately understood what was about to happen, and two charming blushes instantly appeared on her originally fair and jade-like face, spreading all the way to her ears.

Her eyes involuntarily welled up with a hazy, watery look, becoming somewhat dreamy and bewildered.

Cohen lowered his head, his gaze lingering tenderly on her slightly flushed cheeks.

Fingertips gently traced the delicate neckline of the dress, and with a soft rustling sound, layers of gorgeous fabric slid down the shoulders.

In an instant, a patch of skin as white and delicate as the first snowflakes was exposed to the warm afternoon light, and its dazzling luster seemed to instantly illuminate the entire slightly dim study.

Cohen leaned down slightly, his warm lips gently landing on her delicate collarbone, then slowly moving down to plant a series of delicate kisses.

At the same time, he whispered in her ear:

"As far as I know, there is indeed no suitable sorcerer in the current royal family."

But I have a better idea! (End of Chapter)