Spellcasting Gods

There is no doubt that this atmosphere suits his taste perfectly.

Because if it's against Vilia, it means he'll gain a decent ally, someone who can be thrown out as cannon fodder and sacrifice at crucial moments.

However, if we were to prepare to deal with him, it would mean that his strength had been recognized by the surrounding countries, and that he would not encounter much resistance in declaring his coronation and establishing a country.

“My lord, I suggest you be careful. After all, this is not our territory. If they choose to betray you, an assassination attempt might break out,” Baron Kelanster, who was always by your side, warned in a low voice.

Kerwin waved his hand dismissively: "Relax, my Baron. Those rats lurking in the shadows don't have the guts. Remember, while conspiracies can often have unexpected results, what ultimately determines the relationship between two parties is power, absolute power. As long as I am strong enough, then anyone who wants to carry out an assassination will have to bear the risk of failure."

“I never doubt your judgment. But the problem is, not everyone in this world can remain rational; there are many arrogant and self-righteous idiots. In my experience, their behavior is often unpredictable.” Baron Calanster explained, while his eyes darted around.

His hand never left the hilt of his sword. In the event of an emergency, he could draw his weapon in a second at most and stop any enemy rushing towards him.

"Hmph! No need to anticipate, I'm not as fragile as you think. Let's go, don't keep the guys who invited us waiting too long, they don't have much patience."

Having said that, Kerwin pulled his hood tighter to cover his face, quickly disappeared into a dark alley, kicked away a beggar who was trying to approach him for money, and slipped into an inconspicuous little tavern around the corner...

Chapter 1099 The Tempting Proposal

Like most slum bars, this place was filled with a pungent, sour smell and the cheap perfume of women working in the sex industry.

Those penniless drunkards were frantically gulping down cheap liquor laced with some unknown concoction, while others, already drunk, would occasionally vomit in a corner, then turn around and chat and laugh unrestrainedly with the other drunkards.

It's safe to say that anyone with even a modicum of status would never allow themselves to enter such a filthy place.

Interestingly, on the second floor of the tavern, where the dance performance was being watched, there were a few guys who seemed out of place with their surroundings.

Especially the man with the thick beard who was in the lead, he exuded an aura of authority, so much so that even troublemakers dared not approach him easily.

The reason is very simple: next to him, there was a severed hand lying on the ground, with bright red blood everywhere.

Based on the amount of bleeding and the level of medical care available to the world's poorest residents, the chances of survival are no more than ten percent.

After carefully observing the group for a moment, Kerwin stepped forward and greeted them with a smile, "Good evening, dear friends. If I'm not mistaken, you're waiting for someone, aren't you?"

“That’s right! We’re waiting for someone, and it’s you.” The man with a thick beard slightly lifted his hood, revealing a somewhat aged but dignified face.

He was none other than the supreme ruler of this land, King Harrison, known as the Lion of Oros.

It is probably unimaginable that the entire continent would have thought that a powerful monarch with immense prestige and glorious military achievements, who once led his country to expand its territory, would have a secret rendezvous with a notorious tyrant in a tavern in a slum.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty. It is a great honor to have your approval. In comparison, there are probably only a few monarchs on this continent who are worthy of your attention." Kerwin plopped down and gulped down all the wine in his cup.

For some reason, despite having received rigorous etiquette training, he was behaving rudely at this moment, causing a female guard next to him to frown.

Harrison, however, paid no heed to this, nodding with a smile: "You're right. I am a proud man, and also a stern and demanding monarch. In my eyes, those mediocre rulers who inherited the country from their fathers' hard work are not worthy to stand with me. But you are different; your surging ambition surprises and frightens me. Besides you, that young queen is also a remarkable figure, managing to save the country from the brink of destruction."

"Are you praising me?" Kerwin put down his wine glass, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and asked tentatively with a half-smile.

"Praise? No! I'm just stating a fact. You and she both pose a threat to me, and a significant one at that. Of course, her threat is greater than yours. After all, the power of that weapon has been proven on the battlefield, and I really can't think of any way to withstand something so terrifying. So, how about joining forces with me to find a way to obtain the manufacturing method for that weapon? I know you've always longed to change your humble origins, so if you agree, I'm willing to marry my beloved daughter to you as your wife, and even support you in becoming king and establishing a kingdom."

The shrewd Harrison turned his attention to the young and beautiful woman beside him, and calmly laid out his terms, his words revealing an undisguised allure.

In contrast, the young girl with long blonde hair, dressed in silver armor that was more decorative than practical, had a livid face and her eyes blazed with a fury that could devour a person.

It goes without saying that she hadn't received any prior notice, let alone knew that the purpose of her trip was actually a marriage alliance.

Of course, the most important thing is not the marriage itself, but that the marriage partner does not match her ideal of a husband.

Although Kerwin wasn't ugly, he wasn't handsome either; at best, he was below average. Coupled with his greed, lust, and ruthless pursuit of power, he didn't seem like someone you could entrust your life to.

Unfortunately, as a royal princess, she had no right to choose her own marriage. Her only value was to marry someone of value when her father needed her, sacrificing her youth and beauty in exchange for an alliance.

"You intend to marry the princess to me?!" Kerwin raised his eyebrows in surprise, glancing at the princess, who was somewhat out of control, out of the corner of his eye.

Harrison nodded seriously and replied calmly, "Yes! As long as you agree to marry my daughter and designate your firstborn son as your heir, I will fulfill all my promises. From then on, your country will be closely linked to my country, both by blood and by politics and the military. I believe you understand what it means to have my support, right?"

Kerwin chuckled and exclaimed, “How could I not know! You are the Lion of Oros, who single-handedly defeated the combined attack of three kingdoms, even conquering them and seizing vast territories from them, ultimately turning them into your vassals. Your achievements in politics and military affairs are practically a textbook for kings. I have always strived to emulate you, and gaining your favor is undoubtedly the happiest thing in my life.”

"Hahaha! You're very good with words! So what's your answer?" Harrison's eyes revealed intense anticipation.

He estimated that the chances of the other party choosing the same option were almost 100%, leaving no reason for them to refuse.

"I'm sorry, but my answer is no. While agreeing to your terms might seem like a huge advantage, you're actually encroaching on my territory. I'm very sensitive to power and will never allow anyone to share it. This princess may be young and beautiful, exuding an irresistible allure, but the allure of power is far greater to me. If you were to pass away one day, I would be more than happy to marry your daughter, but as long as you live, I will not marry you; that would be tantamount to letting you hold a dagger to my heart."

As he spoke these words, Kerwin showed not a trace of hesitation or doubt on his face, but rather radiated the cruelty and tyranny unique to a tyrant…

Chapter 1100 Regret

The palace is always a place full of intrigue and scheming.

Especially on this continent where bloodline and feudalism are the main ruling structures, wives often enjoy some of the rights that come from their sons and husbands.

Some strong women can even seize power and financial control from their sons and husbands, eventually turning them into their puppets or marionettes. Others are even more direct, deposing their husbands and sons and taking the lead themselves.

Especially when the wife's family has great political influence, or comes from the royal family of a powerful country, the probability of this happening is almost more than 50%.

To some extent, marriage is not only a political and military alliance, but also a game between two allies, in which the party that ultimately gains the upper hand may even have the opportunity to annex the weaker party.

However, in the eyes of most nobles, this annexation through the merging of bloodlines was acceptable.

Unfortunately, the ambitious and lowly Kerwin had no desire to be swallowed up, much less to relinquish any of his power.

Because he was very clear that although he had an absolute and overwhelming advantage in military affairs, he was still too weak in politics. He was so weak that even the people in the areas he controlled did not recognize him as the de facto ruler. Instead, they still insisted on calling themselves subjects of the kingdom. He estimated that it would be impossible to reverse this situation without one or two generations.

In such an environment, let alone marrying a powerful and renowned monarch, it would be tantamount to inviting a wolf into the house.

Although Kelvin didn't think a mere young princess could take much power from him, the problem was that many who were still observing and hesitating would rather choose to be loyal to her than to him.

Over time, the power surrounding this legal wife will grow, and regardless of her intentions, she will be forced into the power struggle.

“Do you know what it means to refuse me?” Harrison narrowed his eyes, a hint of threat in his voice.

He had not encountered anyone who dared to refuse him for a long time, whether the other party was a monarch or a general with outstanding military achievements under his command.

"What, are you planning to lead your army to declare war on me? Or are you merely going to verbally denounce me as a traitor and tyrant? No, you are a thoroughly opportunistic monarch, you wouldn't do something so foolish. On the contrary, your greatest threat is Vilia, who possesses the legitimacy and righteous cause, therefore you will form an alliance with me no matter what. At least until we eliminate our common enemy, there will be no conflict between us." Kerwin slightly pursed his lips, a smug expression appearing on his face.

This is the main reason why he was willing to take such a huge risk to come here.

Clearly, he dared not act rashly before figuring out Zhang Cheng's true intentions. The only way was to find a cannon fodder he could discard at any time, or someone to stab him in the back, to carry out the test for him.

Harrison, however, was unaware of these things and instead believed that he was the one in control and had the upper hand.

So he hesitated for a moment, then burst into mock laughter: "Hahaha! Good! Very good! You are one of the very few people in this world who dare to speak to me like this, and I admire your ambition. But a marriage is a marriage, and you must agree to this before I will give you what you want. If you think there is a risk in marrying my daughter, you can choose to get engaged first, and then hold the wedding when I am about to die. You know, nothing is more reassuring than the union of bloodlines."

“Since you’ve put it this way, wouldn’t it be ungrateful of me to refuse? Alright, I agree to your request. Now, can we talk about the specifics of how you plan to deal with Vilia? After all, she’s no longer the naive princess she once was, but an extremely dangerous opponent.” Kerwin didn’t intend to dwell on this issue for too long and decisively got straight to the point.

As for the arranged marriage and what kind of woman he married, he never cared about it from beginning to end.

For him, the opposite sex is less a partner and more a tool for venting desires and procreation, as long as they are beautiful and healthy enough.

"I heard you once captured her? Why did you release her later?" Harrison didn't give his plan directly, but instead took the initiative to ask a very crucial question.

Without even asking, it's clear that he, like many others, was curious about what had happened to transform a princess, who was known only as a pretty face, into a completely different person overnight. She not only staged a coup to replace her father but also swiftly annexed a neighboring duchy.

"I'm sorry, this is a private matter between the two of us, and I can't go into too much detail with you. You just need to know that she received funding from a powerful being. Fortunately, this powerful being doesn't directly interfere in the conflicts between ordinary people, so there's no need to worry too much about encountering any trouble after eliminating Vilia," Kerwin gave his answer, half-truthfully.

In fact, even he wasn't sure how Zhang Cheng would react if Vilia were killed or ousted.

"Oh? You mean... there's another mysterious figure lurking behind this?"

Harrison raised an eyebrow and stared into the other man's eyes, trying to glean some unusual information.

As a seasoned player in politics and intrigue, it wasn't hard for him to guess that Kerwin had also received funding from this mysterious figure, which explained his rapid rise to power.

The question is, why would a mysterious person choose to support a kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction?

What happened between him and Kerwin?

What unspeakable secrets or conspiracies are hidden behind all of this?

Kerwin sensed this unspoken probing and sighed with feigned helplessness: "Alas... I can't give you a definite answer, but I can offer you a small hint. He is different from us, and don't try to deduce his motives with your own thinking. In his eyes, all worldly power, wealth, beauty, and glory are utterly insignificant."

“It seems you are very familiar with this mysterious person. Would you be so kind as to introduce me?” Harrison offered his request.

"Heh, you seem to have misunderstood something. You know what? Neither I nor Vilia have the right to ask him to do anything. Instead, he directly gives us orders, and we have to carry them out without fail. Otherwise... this man will pay the price for his arrogance and stupidity."

As he said these words, a barely perceptible hint of regret flashed in Kerwin's eyes.

He knew that Vilia's rise to power was precisely because he had become complacent and had inappropriate thoughts, which was why Isolte had left him, fearing that she might be implicated.

Chapter 1101 Another Ambitious Person

Because Kerwin deliberately revealed a lot of inside information, Harrison eventually agreed to form an alliance to deal with Vilia, who seemed to be the biggest threat.

However, in exchange, the former must announce his engagement to his daughter and, at the appropriate time, introduce himself to the mysterious man.

It can be said that both sides felt they got what they wanted from this alliance.

However, due to information asymmetry, one party is unknowingly being taken advantage of by the other.

As Harrison and his entourage left the filthy tavern and arrived at the main street of the border town, the princess, whose face had been grim the whole time, finally couldn't help but ask, "Father! Are you really going to marry me off to that filthy, ugly fellow? Don't forget, he's a shameless traitor with neither any honors to boast of nor any historical legacy."

"What, you look down on him?" Harrison stopped and looked at his daughter with interest.

“That’s right! I despise him! I spit on him! I’d rather be a priest in a convent than marry such trash.” The princess used strong words to express her deep anger and dissatisfaction.

She always felt that her future husband, even if not a handsome prince, should at least be a mature and steady king or duke who could give her the love and care she longed for.

But the harsh reality shattered all her illusions, making her realize that the man she was going to marry was not only not handsome, but rather somewhat hideous and ugly, and in terms of age alone, he was almost old enough to be her father.

Most importantly, the other person's reputation was almost completely ruined. The thought of sharing a bed with such a person, or even spending the rest of her life with him, gave her an urge to commit suicide.

Unfortunately, Harrison's thoughts were exactly the opposite of his daughter's. He laughed and explained, "No, my dear, you only see the surface and not the essence. I admit, Kerwin's appearance is not exactly handsome, but he is far from as bad as you describe. On the contrary, rising from a remote town, he is more capable than most monarchs of today, and knows how to protect the power he holds. However, this is not the reason I married you to him. My real purpose is for you to bear him a legitimate heir, and then inherit all the land and property after his death."

"You want to use me to take everything he has? Just like you did to those two countries, making my son a puppet too?" The princess was clearly furious, clenching her fists and staring at her father.

She would never forget how her two older sisters became political victims, and how they couldn't even protect their sons, forced to watch helplessly as they were controlled and deprived of any freedom.

What's even more terrifying is that the only thing they can do in the future is to obediently follow orders. If they show even the slightest sign of resistance, they will be severely punished immediately.

If they still don't know what's good for them, Harrison would absolutely not mind letting something happen to his grandson, and then replacing him with a more obedient one.

For a monarch who aspires to expand his territory and achieve great deeds, family affection is never a necessity, but rather a seasoning in life; it's better to have it, but it doesn't matter if it's not there.

Especially when the former conflicts with the goal, family ties are often the first to be sacrificed.

"No, how could that be? I'm doing this for your sake. You see, Kerwin doesn't have a large family backing him, or even any decent relatives. Once you marry him and give birth to his legitimate heir, you can obtain half a kingdom and a crown. Believe me, once you see his legendary army with your own eyes, you'll understand my good intentions. Besides, I'm very interested in that mysterious person he mentioned."

Harrison cleverly avoided the most contentious part of their conflict and proactively changed the subject.

As a person with very high emotional intelligence, he understood that at this time he must not agitate his daughter's sensitive nerves, but rather try his best to soothe her and ensure that his plan would not go awry.