Chapter 350: Night Raid (Part 1)
Chapter 350: Night Raid (Part 1)
In the late hours, the western side of Lause Archway.
Unlike Redwood Avenue, which was nicknamed the "Noble District" by the residents of the Royal Capital and was home to numerous old noble estates, the western area of Lause Archway, known as the "Rich District," also housed many nobles but rarely had large manors.
As it was completed nearly a century later than Redwood Avenue, the Royal Capital no longer allowed the construction of large estates on its limited land. Moreover, most of the residents here were new nobles who had made their fortunes through commerce, resulting in a lower political status compared to the old nobility, and thus, the standards were naturally much lower.
Owning several exquisite and luxurious terraced villas in this area was already considered the "top-of-the-line" in the entire "Rich District." If one could also have a garden of moderate size, the owner of such a residence would likely be a significant figure in the Royal Capital's political arena.
However, this rule wasn't entirely absolute.
After all, although Lause Archway was completed quite late, it wasn't an empty plot of land before its construction. Several ancient noble estates that had been incorporated into the Lause Archway area, one of which was the Emerald Feather Estate belonging to the Golden Jay Clan.
...
Strange, what was that Golden Jay Marquis after?
As Lyon walked on the road bricks that were originally supposed to be white but had turned deep yellow due to centuries of rain erosion, he approached the entrance of the Emerald Feather Estate. Looking up at the magnificent building hidden among the foliage, he couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly.
Speaking of which, although the Treasure Flower Estate seemed larger in terms of land area, the Emerald Feather Estate wasn't much smaller.
Moreover, the main building's facade featured exquisite bas-reliefs, marble statues scattered throughout the garden, and intricate decorations on the outer porch that were unmistakably the work of a master craftsman. The Emerald Feather Estate's opulence far surpassed that of the Treasure Flower Estate, which had a more rustic style.
So, had they gone mad? Why abandon their centuries-old estate and insist on occupying Senior Emma's manor, which had been abandoned for six years?
Lyon, filled with confusion, emerged from the dark night and stepped into the light outside the estate's gate, catching the attention of the night watch. He opened his mouth slightly.
"Meow~"
"Who's there?!"
The guard on duty immediately became alert upon seeing a slightly blurred figure approaching. Instinctively, he wanted to call out to his resting colleague in the duty room to question the visitor's identity and reason for approaching the Emerald Feather Estate alone at night.
However, just then, it seemed that the oil in the lamp had dripped a bit too much, and the street lamp above the guard suddenly burst into a bright flame. The gentle night light became unbearably glaring, causing the guard to blink involuntarily.
When he finally managed to blink away the glare and looked back at the figure, he realized it wasn't a person but a cat with a necklace around its neck.
Strange... How could I mistake a cat for a person with such a huge size difference?
He stared at the cat in bewilderment, but no matter how he looked, it was just a short-legged cat with fluffy fur, showing no signs of being a catgirl. The Golden Jay Clan's guard could only hiss at it and retreat to his original position, but...
"Meow!!!"
Accompanied by a cat's meow filled with anger, the cat transformed into a two-toned gray and white blur, instantly appearing in front of the guard and roughly knocking him to the ground with a wild motion.
I... got punched by a cat?
Before the guard could process this absurd reality, the small cat with its tiny body and short claws used his chest as a springboard and leaped through the open window.
The duty officer inside the duty room, responsible for registration, only had time to let out a gasp of hair before falling silent. The other two guards on night duty also stopped moving after a muffled hum.
???
After discovering the unusual silence in the duty room, the guard struggled to his feet, shocked to find that the three people inside were lying motionless.
The entire duty room was filled with tiny cat footprints, but the strange little cat had already disappeared without a trace. He could faintly hear the cat's breathing on his neck...
"Meow!!!"
Lyon caught the slightly blurred cat and scratched its chin. He then lightly tapped the small red fork hanging from his chest.
Accompanied by a dreamlike and enchanting chirp, the gray and white cat vanished, and a key with a carved cuckoo design appeared in Lyon's palm.
I'm sorry, I'm not very familiar with this item, and I might have used a bit too much force. But today, you can all knock off work early.
After apologizing in his mind to the guard, who was terrified, Lyon pulled him through the window into the duty room. He then used the key found by the Dream Cat to open the locked gate and entered the Golden Jay Clan's estate with an air of authority.
The Third Generation Director had crafted the 【Dream Invader】 using the core material from the 【Dream Master】's weapon.
The method of activation is extremely covert.
As soon as there is any form of "interaction" with the target, their soul will be shaken, and the power of the Dream Realm will briefly intervene in reality, using their soul as a springboard.
A regular person with no abnormalities, upon hearing the "meow" sound coming from themselves, the Golden Cuckoo Clan's sentry fell under the control of the [Desire Invader]. Under its influence, they directly "dreamed" of a kitten.
This dream cat, which invaded reality through the sentry's soul, easily knocked out everyone in the duty room under my control, leaving behind a trail of cat footprints in the room.
When the headquarters sends people to investigate, if the investigator is not thorough enough, as long as they verify the memories of the sentry, the direction of the investigation will be directly misled, and even led to an anomaly like "turning into a cat."
Even if no results are found in the end, they will still trace it back to me, but with this non-existent decoy, my suspicion will be indirectly reduced. This is my second backup plan to shake off suspicion, following the "alibi" provided by the carriage driver.
As the saying goes, there's always a first, second, and then a third and fourth time. As for my third backup plan...
"Let's get to work!"
Lyon touched his button, brought out the Black Sheep, and pointed at the brightly lit main mansion in the distance with a calm expression.
"Come on! Help me find someone!"
...
"Shh, shh, shh..."
Even though it was already late at night, and the sky was starting to show a hint of dawn, there was still someone who hadn't fallen asleep and was busy working at their desk.
After filling half a sheet of paper with intricate and colorful calligraphy, a slightly fatigued man folded the paper in his hand and handed it to the secretary standing by the desk.
"Go ahead, seal the letter, stamp it, and tomorrow, deliver it to the Mining Guild along with my order!"
"Yes, sir."
The secretary carefully took the letter, finished processing it as instructed, and with a tired expression, said, "Lord Leonard, after you deliver it, should we continue to court the Mining Guild as before?"
"There's no need to court them anymore. They have no other value now."
Leonard took another document from the desk, glanced at the signature at the bottom, and frowned. "I had previously supported the Mining Guild to reduce taxes and encourage them to mine in Merino County, which would create a water dispute with the large spice gardens there. This would suppress our biggest competitors in the spice market while also reducing the kingdom's spice production, thereby increasing spice prices.
That was the real reason I supported them, not because the miners themselves had any value. Now they have the order to start mining, so we don't need to waste more effort on them."
"Oh, I understand!"
After noting Leonard Marquis' instructions, the secretary paused for a moment, then hesitated to say, "But the miners from the Mining Guild have already had several conflicts with Merino County, and dozens of people have died. If this escalates..."
"Then let them go to the Princess. The Energy Guild's policies are under her jurisdiction, so she's responsible if anything happens."
"Moreover, she's always wanted to bypass the Finance Department and Parliament to find a source of revenue that doesn't require approval to fill the military's budget deficit. These industrial guilds established by citizens are the ones who support her the most, and they even voluntarily donated funds for two military units.
If more people die this time, it might wake up those commoners and make them realize that the royal family's game is not something they should get involved in.
Also, who delivered this letter to my desk?"
After quickly scanning the heartfelt petition in his hand, Leonard's brows furrowed, and he said with displeasure, "The Weavers Guild sent a petition, complaining that they're struggling and asking for a tax reduction... If we reduce their taxes, how will the municipality manage this year? The plants in the Church District and the Arcade need to be refreshed. If we don't collect their taxes, where will I find the money?"
"Well, the Weavers Guild is indeed facing some difficulties..."
After flipping through the corresponding materials, the secretary cautiously reminded him, "After losing the war six years ago, the kingdom lost two of its overseas trade routes. Many goods couldn't be sold, and a batch of weaving workshops went bankrupt.
As for you and the Bao... and the joint venture's land trade route to the north, although it can still transport woven goods, the heavy taxes imposed by the Eisheto Kingdom result in very low profits. So, they might genuinely be struggling..."
"Why are you talking so much today?"
Leonard narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at his secretary with a cold gaze. "Did the Weavers Guild pay you?"
"They did give me a little... but these are indeed the facts."
"The secretary hesitated for a moment, then spoke up, "You know, many of the Weavers' Guilds are small workshops. They can't compare to those wealthy merchants. Even a slight change could be too much for them..."
"Then let them endure it!" Leonard huffed. "I don't care about your money matters, but there will be no tax reduction! Don't think I'm unaware. I've been in this business before. To make a profit, you just need to squeeze the weavers dry. A weaver can produce two hundred bolts of fabric, but paying them for only fifty or sixty bolts is enough.
So instead of asking me for tax cuts, just squeeze more out of them. Reduce their wages to forty bolts, and they won't starve. If you can push it to thirty bolts, it'll be more effective than two tax cuts!"
"That's true, but the weavers might not agree..."
"Then get rid of those causing trouble! Do I need to teach them everything?"
Leonard crumpled the weavers' tax reduction petition and tossed it into the trash. With an impatient gaze, he said, "If you can't find enough workers, go to the slums! Those people will work for a meal. Find the ones who can use their arms and legs for weaving. Don't tell me you can't do it just because you're a Kuko too. No matter how many favors they've given you, this is where it ends. Not a single copper wheel less in taxes!"
"Okay, I'll talk to them the day after tomorrow..."
"Go tomorrow! And how's the situation at the Treasure Flower Estate?"
After sipping some stimulant tea imported from overseas, Leonard rubbed his temples, which were throbbing from the pressure. He closed his eyes and asked, "It's been four or five days since they started cleaning up, right? Is the main mansion ready for habitation?"
"Well... it might take another three or four days..." The secretary replied awkwardly. "Marquis, as you know, the estate has been abandoned for six years. Apart from the garden, which is occasionally maintained, most of it has fallen into disrepair..."
"Never mind if it's abandoned or not. Just get the living quarters ready!"
"But... if you move there, won't it be too..."
"It doesn't matter if it's abandoned. As long as it's habitable and won't collapse."
Pausing his temple-rubbing, Leonard explained with a weary gaze, "The Princess has gained the support of the Lionheart Duke, effectively securing the Senate's Vice President position, in addition to the Department of Transportation and the Road Administration. If Prince Joshua wants to compete with her, having the Minister of Finance's backing isn't enough. He needs a voice in the Senate.
According to the Minister of Finance, if I acknowledge the marriage between us, he can pull some strings and transfer the Treasure Flower Family's Senate seat to me. This way, both princes will be on equal footing.
Moving to the Treasure Flower Estate is the first step in this plan. Even with the Minister of Finance and the Royal Family's backing, my people must be there to maintain appearances. Only then can I inherit the Treasure Flower Family's political legacy. Understand?"
"I understand..."
"Then get it done!"
Leonard, with his last ounce of patience, urged his cousin, who was nominally his secretary but was actually learning governance from him in preparation for an eventual assignment abroad. "Put other matters aside. This is a task given by the Minister of Finance, and if we can secure the Treasure Flower Family's Senate seat, His Majesty will also support it. So, go and hurry up those workers. Get them to start working overnight!"
"Yes, sir! I'll go right away!"
The secretary quickly stood up and left the office. With the interruption gone, Leonard put down his teacup and resumed reviewing the towering pile of documents on his desk. The room fell silent again, except for the scratching of his pen on paper.
"Pshh!"
The whale oil lamp on the desk flickered, emitting a soft sound that caught the attention of the man writing intently. Leonard turned to look at the empty desk beside him and frowned.
"Mark?" he called out.
There was no response, not even from the guards outside. Leonard stood up from his desk, puzzled.
"Mark?"
"I'm here." A slightly indistinct voice replied, and a figure emerged from the shadows by the door. The person seemed a bit thinner than the slightly overweight Mark...
"Mark?"
"Yeah."
As the person stepped into the light, their initially blurry figure became clear.
Seeing Leonard's tense body relax, the secretary, still weary-eyed, smiled gently and said, "Marquis Leonard, I'm here."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
