Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

"Your Highness, please calm down."

The Duke handed Charles a glass of wine, his voice calm and gentle.

"Haste makes waste."

He gently swirled the wine glass in his hand.

Watching the wine cling to the glass in a beautiful arc.

"The loss is truly heartbreaking; Knight John was a true warrior."

"But what has happened is already done, and what we need more is to remain calm, not to panic."

The third prince took the wine glass, but showed no intention of tasting it; he simply stared intently at Joseph.

He outwardly agreed, "You're right, Duke, I was a bit out of line."

But his heart was already churning with anger, and he let out a cold snort.

He knows it very well!

The most core and independent military pillar under his command, separate from the Joseph system, collapsed.

Overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for this Duke!

Indeed, Ghosn's death was a significant loss to the Duke's faction.

After all, he was a legend he had cultivated at great expense.

But compared to the blow that the destruction of the Knights of John dealt to the Third Prince.

Ghosn's death then seemed "acceptable".

Sir John, from his mother's lineage, was absolutely loyal to him personally.

It is because he is able to operate within his own faction.

This is the greatest source of confidence for them to rival the deeply entrenched Duke Joseph.

Now John and the knightly order he built have been completely wiped out.

This means Prince Charles, the third prince.

They have completely lost their dominant voice within their own faction.

In order to continue this battle for the throne.

He had to rely more on, or even be completely dependent on, the power of Duke Joseph.

Even if he wins the throne, he will likely be unable to escape the fate of being a puppet.

This is exactly the situation that Duke Joseph would like to see.

It's painful to lose two legendary pillars.

But with the Duke's own vast wealth, connections, and potential power.

He was still able to firmly push the third prince, who had lost his claws and teeth, to the position of "top favorite".

However, this "hot topic" will now be completely under his control.

The Duke took a sip of wine, looking at the young prince in front of him who was trying to suppress his anxiety.

A barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashed deep in his eyes.

This is exactly the effect he needs.

A future king who needs to rely entirely on him to secure his throne.

The initial suggestion was to have the Knights of John escort that cowardly princess.

I really didn't expect such a pleasant surprise.

The atmosphere inside the room was subtle.

Duke Joseph sipped his wine with composure, as if admiring a work of art.

They ignored the almost palpable anxiety and unease of Prince Charles.

He waited patiently.

They waited for this young prince, who had once relied on his mother's clan's power to somewhat contend with him, to completely set aside his pride and personally utter that promise.

That would mean he would completely side with them.

They are willing to exchange their future royal power and the vast majority of their interests for immediate support.

Charles was struggling internally, his expression shifting rapidly.

Ultimately, the harsh reality overwhelmed his last shred of pride.

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and spoke in a dry and low voice.

"Duke...I understand our current situation."

"As long as... as long as you help me ascend the throne, in the future... I will have the keys to the treasury and the power to command the army."

"Even... even the distribution of profits from all newly developed trade routes in the Southwest can be considered by you first."

"At the same time, I will marry your daughter and make her my queen."

These words almost drained him of his strength, and also meant that he was voluntarily handing over the power of the future.

A fleeting hint of undisguised smugness and satisfaction flashed across Duke Joseph's eyes.

A warm smile spread across his plump face.

He put down his glass, walked over, and patted Charles on the shoulder forcefully.

The gestures appeared friendly, yet carried an undeniable air of control.

"Your Highness is too kind! We are in the same boat, why should we distinguish between ourselves? Since you trust me so much, I will do my utmost to help you achieve your royal ambitions!"

Charles forced a stiff smile, but inside he was roaring with rage.

If the Knights of John were still here... I wouldn't be suffering this humiliation, like a beggar!

The topic then shifted to the main subject, becoming serious and confidential.

Joseph walked to the door and, with a hint of wariness, opened it a crack again.

He whispered a confirmation to the composed guard leader outside.

"Are you absolutely certain it's foolproof? That no one can eavesdrop?"

The guard leader stood tall, his tone resolute and filled with absolute confidence.

"Rest assured, my lord! Fourteen extraordinary high-ranking knights are on cross-guard duty, and two barrier mages are maintaining the highest level of 'Silence Barrier'."

"Even legendary assassins will be discovered!"

Joseph nodded in satisfaction, closed the door completely, and returned to Charles's side.

He began to show Charles the vast network he had woven with money and connections.

How to eliminate the other two strong competitors.

"That legendary assassin under the Fifth Prince? He's been secretly collecting the 'Fountain of Life' that can prolong his granddaughter's life. Coincidentally, I happen to have a few drops in my treasure vault."

"As for Princess Diana, who has the support of two dukes... well, her treasurer owes a huge sum to the underground banks."

"As long as I help him pay it off and promise him the position of future Chancellor of the Exchequer, he will naturally become our most loyal eyes and ears."

"At the same time, I have acquired all the outstanding bonds of her three largest chambers of commerce, and I only need to sell them all at the crucial moment..."

Charles hesitated. "Will they give in so easily? Those men are their die-hard loyalists..."

Joseph chuckled, as if mocking Charles's naiveté.

"Your Highness, what is true 'die-hard loyalty' in this world? It's just that the price of betrayal isn't high enough."

"When it comes to wealth, even the royal treasury might not be as full as the Joseph family's!"

"And... what about Elvia?"

Charles mentioned the name with a hint of apprehension.

"Although she has lost power, she is still an unpredictable factor."

Joseph gave a cold smile.

"Her? She's not worthy of our personal attention."

"I will secretly fund and guide those good-for-nothing princes and princesses, as well as the group of foolish rebels they collude with, to carry out that crazy 'Assassination of the Saint' plan."

"The Assassin Saint?!" Charles's pupils contracted.

"You mean... assassinating the Holy Maiden of Light?!"

"That's right." Joseph's smile grew even colder.

"Those fools, do they really think that by assassinating the saint and inviting the Church of Light's crusaders to purge the Carter royal family, they can profit from the chaos? What a ridiculous joke!"

"Although the saintess was used by the church as a expendable object in the fight against the demon god."

"But until she officially joins the hero's party and goes to the battlefield, she still represents the face of the Church of Light!"

"Is the protective force as simple as it appears on the surface?"

"When they make their move, I will send someone to stop them 'in time,' and then point all the evidence at our newly returned Princess Elvia."

"As luck would have it, those few Assassin Saints who have risen to the highest ranks are actually subordinates of that cowardly princess, and they are quite willing to carry out this plan in her name."

"By then, it doesn't matter whether her little boyfriend is a member of the North Wind Caravan or a believer in the Light."

"Faced with the heinous crime of assassinating the saintess, no one can protect her!"

"The wrath of the Church of Light will burn her and all her hopes to ashes!"

"That ridiculous princess didn't even realize she was being betrayed by her own loyal ministers. How laughable."

Charles breathed a long sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Elvia's own strength and influence are indeed not a cause for concern.

But she had an exceptionally high reputation among adventurers and ordinary people, as well as a keen political sense.

This will provide significant support to the other party, regardless of which side she leans towards.

Especially her intelligence organization, whose specific members she didn't even know.

They finally managed to exile her, but unexpectedly she came back.

This time, we must seize the opportunity to completely crush her in this capital!

After confirming some details again, Joseph was in a great mood and decided to strike while the iron was hot.

He said to Charles with a smile.

"Your Highness, there is no need to worry too much."

"Come, let me show you my real treasure trove, so you can rest assured."

"I, Joseph, have every right to support you!"

He wanted to use this real, mountain-like wealth.

To calm the prince, who had just been forced to relinquish control and was undoubtedly filled with unease and anger.

……

Above them, in the heavy shadow of the beams.

Lin Gui, perfectly covered by the [Dark Night Veil], clearly felt Elvia's body tense up instantly as she lay on his back!

A cold hand had silently gripped the hilt of the sword at her waist.

An intensely suppressed killing intent spread out.

Lin Gui reacted quickly, grabbing her hand that was about to draw her sword and asking in a low voice.

"What do you want to do?"

Elvia turned her head.

Even in the dim, hidden space, Lin Gui could "see" her eyes, which seemed to be spitting fire.

And his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

She gritted her teeth, the sound squeezed out from between them.

"Let's take this opportunity to kill this old bastard who's trying to shift the blame onto me!"

Lin Gui stared at her speechlessly, mercilessly exposing her previous remarks.

"Who was it that advised me not to kill him, saying that killing him would be worse than killing your father?"

Elvia: "..."