Azure Scepter

Page 184

As the title says, there definitely won't be any updates today or tomorrow, and things will be unstable for a while starting in March, but this time I'm fairly certain that I should be able to resume updates from early April onwards. (QWQ)

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Chapter 348 The Plan in the Letter

Trier tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table as he closed his eyes, pondering the pros and cons of participating in the kidnapping of Count Bortard.

A few minutes later, he made a decision, then raised his left hand and used the Mage's Hand to grab a piece of paper, while holding a quill pen in his right hand.

Killing Count Bortard by assisting in the kidnapping would do him almost no harm, and if planned properly, he could even turn this seemingly dishonorable event into a huge opportunity to completely stabilize the security of the entire duchy.

However, all of this is predicated on being able to lead the entire planning and preparation phase of the kidnapping operation, which requires persuasion and communication.

With this thought in mind, Trier quickly wrote a reply.

The quill pen glided across the paper, the black ink spreading slowly from the tip. Line after line of characters quickly filled the page, and in less than ten minutes, Trier had finished writing his reply. He then summoned the banshee who had been staring at the copper coin with a silly grin, gave her a full silver wolf as a reward, and ordered her to deliver the letter back to the City That Never Sleeps as quickly as possible.

When Trier received the reply again, less than half a day had passed. He thought the vampire businessman would try to pull some strings, but to his surprise, the other party was quite cooperative. Not only did it directly reveal its preliminary preparations and manpower arrangements, but it also greatly improved Trier's plan by providing a large amount of preliminary reconnaissance results.

After studying the letter, Trier quickly wrote a second reply.

In this way, with the exchange of letters, the entire conspiracy plan was quickly perfected, and all kinds of details and possible accidents were quickly investigated and determined.

Unlike the vampires Trier is used to, this vampire industrialist is quite straightforward and efficient. She does not try to deceive or hide her motives, nor does she try to leave any way to counter Trier. Instead, she studies conspiracies with the attitude of advancing engineering projects with high efficiency.

Trier held nothing back in the letter, because he didn't care if it would become leverage or expose his conspiracy—after all, if he attended Bortard's banquet and Bortard disappeared during the event, anyone of sound mind would know that he was involved in Count Bortard's disappearance, which was exactly what he wanted—therefore, Trier was quite frank in the letter, and the efficiency of their communication reached its peak.

Both Trier and the vampire Somerset were experts at this kind of thing, and in less than three days, a plan with a very high success rate was freshly produced in one letter after another.

The most unique aspect of this kidnapping is that the target is a legendary powerhouse, and capturing a legendary figure alive is undoubtedly extremely difficult. If Bortard had someone supporting him, capturing him alive would be virtually an impossible task.

Therefore, from the perspective of conspiracy planning, this kidnapping of a legendary expert actually agrees with the kidnapping of an ordinary person that emphasizes secrecy on a key point—both aim to ensure that the target is found or to create an opportunity for the target to be alone.

The original plan of vampire industrialist Somerset Pale Elegy was quite violent and direct: to seize the opportunity when Count Bortard was hunting and had fewer people around, and to solve the problem by force. However, after Trier's adjustments, the plan changed completely.

Trier's entire plan was quite simple, which can be summarized in one sentence: to take advantage of Count Bortard's fear of Trier and make the count willingly let Somerset abduct him.

First, Trier needs to subtly create a tense atmosphere, giving the impression that he has ill intentions and is plotting something.

Next, Sommerser Pale Elegy needs to personally warn Count Bortard during the deer hunt that Trier is plotting to capture him alive.

The warning has two key points. First, it needs to show that Trier's conspiracy has reached the stage of being launched, and time is extremely tight, requiring an immediate decision. Second, it needs to reveal that the person in question had previously made a deal with Trier, but the deal ultimately fell through due to what happened in Beaver Town a few days earlier.

After that, Sommerser could lure Count Bortard to the small boat that had been prepared in advance, and then everyone would work together to knock him unconscious, kidnap him, and load him onto the boat and take him away.

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, the two prepared numerous backup plans, which were soon perfected to an astonishing degree: even Trier, a conspiracy expert, could not find anything that could be improved.

As September, also known as the "Month of Dragon's Shadow," slowly arrived, Count Bortard's invitation to his banquet was finally delivered to Trier.

On a rainy night, the pattering autumn rain pattered against the windowsill, and the rustling sound of the water droplets breaking and wriggling seemed to carry the scent of fresh grass.

Inside the room, the firewood in the fireplace had not yet burned out, but this was after the fact.

"So, Count Bortard invited us to the banquet?" Edith sank into the pillow, her emerald green eyes misty, a slight blush still lingering on her fair face, her voice weak and feeble. "I hope this banquet goes smoothly—the Duke died suddenly at the last banquet, I hope the same thing won't happen this time."

Noy reached out and smoothed her messy silver hair. She nestled in Trier's arms and smiled gently, "If an assassin suddenly appears out of nowhere, it would be a good thing to just kill Count Bortard and save us trouble later."

Fythia's eyelashes trembled slightly. She had been unconscious for some time, but the sound of conversation seemed to have woken her up, and she seemed to be waking up soon.

“It’s not troublesome. Count Bortard will be dealt with soon,” Trier said, before quickly recounting his kidnapping plan.

As Trier began to narrate, the rich and alluring atmosphere that had been filling the room vanished instantly, leaving everyone stunned.

"So we attended the banquet to kidnap the host?" Faudia woke up at some point, sat up straight, and her deep blue eyes were filled with shock. "Am I really awake now?"

“This isn’t kidnapping, this is setting things right. If vampires continue to be lords, then the entire Earldom of Bortard will probably be wiped out,” Edith retorted, seemingly regaining some strength. “Although I’ve never been there, I can imagine what it’s like—ruined villages, withered corpses, roaming bats hunting, and vampire nobles…”

“Isn’t that a line from ‘The Drunken Moon’?” Futia retorted. “Wait a minute! Defending a kidnapping doesn’t sound like something you would say—Edith, you’ve definitely been brainwashed by the evil Trier!”

Edith remained silent, only smiled, and then suddenly reached out and grabbed Fydia's lower abdomen from behind, leaning her body backward. Fydia cried out in surprise and was also pulled backward by him.

"No, I'm too tired, I really can't do it this time," Futia murmured. "Why are you all targeting me?"

"Who told you not to be brainwashed, little elf?" Edith teased.

As the first rays of dawn shone through the curtains, Futia fainted again.

"Hey, where were we last night?" Edith asked softly, her eyes glazed over.

“Advantages and disadvantages.” Noy stood up. “The disadvantage is that doing so would violate the obligations of a guest, which would make the ducal nobles even more afraid of and hostile to Trier. But since we’ve already killed so many people, there are basically no disadvantages to this.”

"As for the benefits, there are many. Count Bortard has no heir, and his large amount of vacant fiefdom can be used to fulfill the land promises to the mercenaries; in addition, now both inside and outside the duchy, the opponents, whether open or covert, have all gathered under the banner of Count Bortard. After Count Bortard disappears, they will not be able to cause any trouble for a while."

"This seems like something only villains and tyrants in stories would do..." Edith quipped.

“Your Highness, when did you start to have the illusion that Trier isn’t the one?” Noy laughed. “Alright, everyone, goodnight. I’m going to work now. If I can get rid of Count Bortard, the obstacles to my work will be greatly reduced.”

P.S.: Sigh, after thinking about it, I've decided not to ask for leave.

Chapter 349 Earl of Bortard

With the arrival of Count Bortard's hunting invitation, Trier began to carry out the plan as agreed.

He offered no friendly response; instead, he politely ignored Count Bortard's messenger, neither saying he would go nor not. Left with no other option, Count Bortard's messenger had to report the situation back through spies operating in Eraf.

As the start of the hunt drew ever closer, the messenger and Bortard's spies grew increasingly restless.

The distant politeness and silence brought unease, and the unease gradually became distorted and warped with time and distance. When the unease reached its peak, Trier directly began to create a tense atmosphere.

At Trier's behest, the Asmos, who had been stationed in Wirth, were mobilized once again. Many travelers on the King's Road witnessed their large-scale mobilization and the massive transfer of provisions and weapons.

Travelers recounted their experiences in the taverns, and Trier, intentionally or unintentionally, fueled the fire. Soon, fueled by alcohol and the fervor of the bards, these snippets of information about the military operations fermented into unfounded rumors.

The rumors circulating in taverns and the marketplace were quickly captured by the anxious spies. Subsequently, one bizarre rumor after another was transformed into alarming and seemingly irrefutable intelligence reports by the rapidly moving quills.

Thus, in less than a week, the entire southern duchy was once again shrouded in the shadow of impending civil war. From Erlav to Wilt, the entire duchy was gripped by fear. Grain prices, which had been gradually returning to normal, began to soar as the risk of war increased. Soon, even mothers holding babies in the streets and alleys began to discuss the possibility of civil war.

However, as time entered the "Month of the Dragon's Shadow," the previously looming shadow of civil war suddenly dissipated once again.

According to the bards, the unsettling troop movements were merely routine. The Asmos from the heavens did not wish to remain in the same area for long, and the benevolent Duke had already reconciled with the rebellious Earl, and would even participate in the traditional festival of the Earl of Bortard, the "Great Hunting Festival."

Although the people of the Kingdom of Orco have always been warlike, nowadays, the people of the Southern Duchy, who have suffered from war and turmoil for so long, yearn for peace from the bottom of their hearts. Even the knights and mercenaries who make a living from war are willing to believe the bards' words about the coming of peace.

For a time, business improved considerably in all the taverns across the duchy.

However, the bard's words were guided by Noy.

Trier mobilized Asmo's army partly to create tension, but also secretly drew a few hundred elite troops from various units during the constant military movements, and deployed this secret force in batches to the border of the Earl of Bortard.

If the plot goes well and Count Bortard is kidnapped, then this force can directly take over the Count Bortard territory by force; if things don't go well, this force can serve as a support force.

Although Trill's combat power is now virtually invincible in the Prime Material Plane, and he also plans to travel to the Earl's Territory of Bortard with two powerful legends, Fydia and Edith, the transmigrator still does not intend to risk fighting an entire earl's army with just the three of them, after careful consideration.

In short, after much preparation, Trier finally set off on Tuesday of the beginning of the month.

Trier did not display the pomp and circumstance of a duke inspecting his vassals; on the contrary, the entire entourage was lightly dressed, consisting of only twelve people.

In less than a day, the group entered the territory of the Earl of Bortard.

Edith was quite excited before entering the Earldom of Bortard. Although she had been in the Southern Duchy for a long time, this was her first time entering the Earldom of Bortard.

In her imagination, this place should be like this: a dark and desolate forest, dilapidated and barren farmland, deserted towns, gallows and impalement pillars standing tall on both sides of the road, and stone tablets scattered all over the scarlet soil. Thin farmers huddled in fear and trembled in thatched huts, while vampire monsters roamed the hunting grounds with their undead minions, swaggering about with their heads held high.

At that time, I could take on the role of a chivalrous knight-errant, helping the weak, punishing the wicked, and leading my suffering people to overthrow the cruel and merciless vampire lord.

However, reality ruthlessly shattered Edith's daydream.

In fact, the Earldom of Bortard looked no different from other places, and the Blood Plague crisis had a relatively smaller impact on the entire Earldom due to the weakening of the local church's power.

The roads here are clear, and patrolling sheriffs are a common sight; the economy is thriving, and densely populated towns are scattered throughout; the atmosphere is peaceful and harmonious, and travelers on the road will even greet each other and share food.

Overall, apart from the numerous gallows lining both sides of the road and the nearly endless number of goblin corpses on them, the Earldom of Bortard was a peaceful, prosperous, and thriving place.

"You really can't understand the world just by reading books," Edith remarked. "I thought this place would be as desolate as in horror stories, but I never expected it to be so prosperous."

“That’s hard to say,” Trier said. “Don’t let your guard down; something’s strange here.”

He didn't just look at the scenery on both sides of the road; instead, he used his mystical eye and divine power to carefully examine the entire earldom. Behind the seemingly prosperous and peaceful scenes on both sides of the road lay many strange and unsettling details.

The sheriffs patrolling the streets mostly wear obsidian amulets, and after catching criminals, they do not take them to prison or court, but instead torture them by bleeding them to death on the spot.

The problem is that these sheriffs are not vampires, and their purpose in bleeding them is not to collect blood. They seem to be torturing them for the sake of torture, and their methods of torture are quite professional. Even Trier vaguely sensed a peculiar pattern and beauty in them.

Besides, the people here seem to love signing contracts too much. From villages to cities, everyone likes to sign contracts that require blood to be used as a seal. In Trier, I even saw a newborn baby have his fingerprint pressed to sign a loan agreement.

Logically, everything that happens here seems to make sense. After all, the ruler here is a vampire, so it's reasonable for people to prefer bloodletting; and because this place is so close to the Great Swamp and influenced by the commercial market of the City That Never Sleeps, it's also reasonable for people here to like signing contracts.

However, even within his divine power, Trier could faintly sense a subtle smell of sulfur...

Considering the exiles he encountered a few weeks earlier during his visit to Aurelius, and the vampire industrialist's mention of Count Bortard's growing madness, a terrifying answer was already on the horizon.

Perhaps the Bortard County had already been corrupted and infiltrated by the demons of hell. This could also explain, from another perspective, the Bortard County's suppression of the Church of Radiance.

Despite their lingering anxieties, the group finally arrived at the Fort of the Tooth, perched on the edge of a cliff, on the night of the third day.

The swarm of bats scattered in fright, and the waiting servants led the group into the castle courtyard.

PS: Updates will still be unstable during this period.

Chapter 350 Intimidation

Trier had expected the courtyard to be filled with heavily armed, gloomy vampires, but the reality was quite different from what he had imagined.

The courtyard of the Fortress of Sharp Teeth was teeming with humans. It was bustling with activity, as if a grand hunting festival was being held.

The trees were decorated with colorful lanterns, which hung like ribbons among the branches. Under the bright and warm light, a lively and joyful crowd gathered.

The fountain spouted steaming hot, sweet chocolate, and busy waiters shouted for the crowd to make way as they carried a giant roasted wild boar with its mouth stuffed with apples toward the tables laden with buffet food.

Around the long table laden with food, people dressed in various ways were chatting. Some shirtless men were shouting off-key, crude tunes, while others were dancing a clumsy, joyful kicking dance like bears. Still others dressed as merchants had drunk too much cider and crawled under the table to fall fast asleep.

Unlike the Duke's wedding banquet, the banquet at the Fort of the Rake was completely open to the public. With just a quick glance, Trier saw all sorts of people, from farmers and travelers to adventurers, merchants, knights, and nobles. He even saw a large group of brightly dressed prostitutes in corseted tutus around the long table, openly soliciting and conducting business in this lively atmosphere.

But even after Trier searched very carefully, he couldn't find a single vampire, and he was immediately disappointed.

According to his original plan, this place should be full of vampires, and then he could take advantage of the situation to directly intimidate Count Bortard, thereby putting him under immense pressure. But now it seems there is no room for such an opportunity.

"Your Grace, please wait here for a moment. I need to inform the master of ceremonies of your arrival." The attendant leading the way suddenly said respectfully, "Uh, it seems the master of ceremonies has come by himself."

According to the tradition of the Kingdom of Orko, the master of ceremonies' main duty is to receive distinguished guests and, based on the text on the invitation, loudly read out the names of the visitors and guide them to their seats.

However, before the master of ceremonies could speak, Trier immediately waved his hand to stop him.

“Summon Count Bortard to see me,” Trier said. “We’ll wait here.”

The master of ceremonies hesitated for a moment, but less than half a second later, he lowered his head and said, "Yes, ma'am."

After speaking, the portly master of ceremonies took small, quick steps and strode into the crowd, running towards the small hill beside the artificial lake in the distance.

Seemingly due to the proximity of the Great Swamp to the Earldom of Bortard, the level of magical technology here is significantly higher than in other areas of the duchy. Here, there are not only service golems carrying dishes, but also slowly turning phonographs on the tables, and even unemployed mages from the City That Never Sleeps performing magic.

"I suspect this vampire is the only lord in the entire duchy who is actually fulfilling his administrative duties..." Edith muttered under her breath.

Trier remained silent, because Edith's words were very likely the truth...

He shook his head and then turned his gaze to the artificial hill beside the artificial lake in the distance.

If nothing unexpected happens, Count Bortard is in the little pavilion on the hill.

At this moment, the portly master of ceremonies had rushed up the hill. He hurriedly entered the pavilion and whispered to a tall, thin figure standing at the edge of the pavilion. A few seconds later, the tall, thin figure nodded slightly, then said a few words to the others in the pavilion before quickly walking out of the pavilion.

Just then, several beautiful fireworks suddenly burst open in the sky. Immediately afterwards, the fireworks scattered into several clusters of light. Then, these magically manipulated points of light, like spotlights on a stage, shone into the artificial lake.

"What are you trying to do?" Futia asked warily.

Edith grabbed a piece of honey cake from the table and ate it in one bite: "It looks like some kind of grand finale performance."

“This is a popular form of punishment, or rather, a duel, in the Kingdom of Vione,” Trier said, glancing at the lake. “For those accused of capital crimes but unable to prove their innocence, they can choose shark hunting as a form of punishment. The prisoner is forced to jump between several pieces of driftwood in the water and duel with the lurking jumping sharks—look, here comes the prisoner.”

Amid the noisy crowd, several fully armed soldiers escorted a middle-aged man in shackles toward the artificial lake. About a dozen planks floated in the lake, and beneath them, a rather large dark shadow could be vaguely seen swimming.

"What's the acquittal rate for this kind of punishment?" Edith picked up a butter biscuit and then dipped it in chocolate sauce.

Trier shook his head: "It all depends on the strength of the person being executed. If Noy is put on it, the Razortooth probably won't even last a minute... Of course, according to the Vionians, the person who kills the Razortooth is protected by the radiance."

The next moment, the soldiers ripped off the man's cloak and then shoved him forward viciously—they hadn't even removed the man's shackles. The man, whose hands and feet were bound by chains, barely managed to jump onto the first piece of driftwood in the water.

White foam rose in the water, and the swimming black shadow grew larger and larger.

At that very moment, the master of ceremonies led the tall, thin man from the pavilion to Trier.

Without a doubt, the visitor was Count Bortard.

Trier looked at the other person with a kind smile.

Count Bortard's face was deathly pale, his reddened eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of gray, and his whole being exuded a deathly aura.

“I need to speak with His Excellency the Duke alone,” Count Bortard said to the surrounding servants before Trier could speak.