Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 243: On the throne with the Queen sister...

Facing the Holy Oak Foreign Minister's plea, Adele remained expressionless and cold:

"Just tell me what you want to say, there are no outsiders here."

Holm Oak's Foreign Minister turned even paler, looked around, and said with a bitter face:

"Your Highness, this is a matter of great importance. I can only speak to you and His Majesty."

Yadel frowned slightly, a hint of impatience appeared on her face, and she waved her hand and said:
"If you don't want to talk, then leave."

The Foreign Minister was suddenly panicked and wanted to say something, but the Knight of the Guard who had just winked at him sighed softly and took a step forward.

Following the knight's action, the guards in the court immediately let out a low roar, and their powerful momentum quickly locked onto the delegation of the Holy Oak Principality.

Seeing this, the knight stopped, took off his helmet, revealing the face of a wealthy middle-aged man.

Then the middle-aged man looked in the direction of Baron Holt, Effiin's Foreign Minister, and put his helmet back on.

Seeing the middle-aged man's appearance, Baron Holt's face was filled with deep astonishment. After a pause, he said to Adair:
"Your Highness, I have something to report privately."

Adair glanced at the Guard Knight who had put on his helmet again, a thoughtful look on his face as he said:

"That's all for today. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister will stay, and the rest of you can leave."

Soon, only people from the Holy Oak Principality were left in the hall.

Baron Holt pointed at the Knight of the Guard who had taken off his helmet again and said:
"Your Highness, Prime Minister, let me introduce to you, this is His Highness the Grand Duke of the Holy Oak Principality, His Excellency Uriel Dean!"

Prime Minister Angus's face showed astonishment. He stared at the wealthy middle-aged man and recalled the past. Indeed, a sense of familiarity came to his mind.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. The king of a country actually disguised himself as a knight of the Guard and sneaked into the delegation. Has this Grand Duke fallen to such a state in the country?

A hint of understanding flashed in Adair's eyes, and she turned to Nephthys and said:
"Go and call His Majesty. He should be in the Military Control Building now."

……

Grand Duke Holy Oak came in person?

After hearing the news from Nephthys, Cohen was also very surprised.

It seems that the actions of the Holy Oak Military Station have really scared His Royal Highness the Grand Duke. He is afraid that if he does not come to reach an agreement with Effiin, his generals and governors will learn from the excellent experience of the neighboring countries' rebellion and overthrow him.

Or maybe it was his letter that worked. He had written a personal letter to the Grand Duke of Saint Oak and secretly ordered the spies of the Saint Oak Military Control Commission to put the letter directly on the bedside of the Grand Duke of Saint Oak.

This action is telling him clearly that if he doesn't want to become the second Grand Duke Silver Frost, he should surrender with his entire country!
When Cohen walked to the Government Hall, Grand Duke Uriel Dean of the Holy Oak was speaking sincerely to Prime Minister Angus.

When he saw Cohen coming, his face turned visibly pale, and then he forced himself to maintain the dignity and respect of a grand duke and greeted Cohen.

Cohen also did not like too many cumbersome procedures, so he omitted the process of introducing the foreign officials of both sides to each other.

After nodding indifferently, he sat down on the throne, squeezed next to Adele, and there was no special emotion in his voice:

"Mr. Uriel Dean, you have come all the way to Florence. Is there something important?
Oh yes, you received my handwritten letter, what do you think of it?"

A trace of grief and indignation welled up in the heart of Grand Duke Saint Oak. Cohen's attitude clearly showed that he treated him as a subject.

No matter how poor Holly Oak is, it is still a country with a history of more than 500 years. Cohen's behavior is really disrespectful.

But the situation was stronger than the person, and the Grand Duke of Saint Oak suppressed his humiliation and anger and whispered:
"I have read your Majesty's letter.

Your Majesty, I came here this time hoping that we can clear up the misunderstanding between our two sides and prevent the people of our two countries from falling into..."

Cohen interrupted the Grand Duke of Holy Oak's official speech directly:
"Grand Duke Dean, I am very busy with work. If you came to Florence just to express your apology verbally, you can tell my Foreign Minister, Baron Holt.

I don’t have time to listen to you.”

Grand Duke Holm Oak's face instantly turned red, his face was burning, and his whole body was shaking.

I couldn't help but curse in my heart, you young boy, you were still crawling on the ground when I was talking to your father!
However, when he noticed a cold murderous gaze, the shame and anger in his heart instantly disappeared, turning into complete panic.

The terrifying aura and murderous intent from the youngest legendary figure on the continent were not something he could resist.

Grand Duke Holy Oak closed his eyes, and his voice suddenly became weak:
"Holy Oak is willing to become a vassal state of Effiin and requests that His Majesty spare us."

Cohen smiled faintly:
"Your Highness, this is the attitude that should be taken in discussing matters!"

After that, he had someone hand him a thick agreement and said:
"Sign or not, five minutes."

The Grand Duke of Holy Oak was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly opened the agreement. The Foreign Minister of Holy Oak next to him also came over to the Grand Duke to help look at the treaty.

When he saw the first clause of the treaty, Grand Duke Saint Oak felt a surge of blood rushing to his heart and head, almost making him faint.

It clearly stated that Effiin would send a governor to the Principality of Holy Oak to guide and assist the Grand Duke of Holy Oak in managing state affairs.

Grand Duke Holm Oak couldn't help but look up at Cohen, and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth:

"Your Majesty Corleone, what's the matter with this Governor?
Yin Shuang didn't say anything about sending a governor!"

Cohen smiled and said something that frightened the Grand Duke of Holly Oak:
"Yin Shuang doesn't have a Grand Duke now!"

Grand Duke Saint Oak immediately closed his lips, suppressed the fear in his heart, and continued to look through the treaty in his hand.

Open ports, the right to station troops, the right to appoint and dismiss officials in important provinces, and resource extraction must cooperate with the Aifein state-owned enterprises...

Each one was shocking, causing Grand Duke Holm Oak and the Foreign Minister to breathe heavier and heavier.

The two of them had only glanced at the general idea and had not yet considered the specific content in detail when Cohen's indifferent voice rang in their ears:

"Five minutes are up. Give me your answer if you want to sign or not."

Grand Duke Holm Oak's hands trembled as he looked at the young and handsome king not far away, a bitter regret filling his heart.

He never imagined that a mere Aifeiyin could not even be able to do anything to the Eastern Territory Empire.

He had never expected that the one thousand [Dragon Wing Guards] that he had hidden for Xia Zuo would cause such disastrous consequences today.

Sorry for the first time!

Grand Duke Holy Oak sighed deeply, took out a pen and seal, signed his name on the agreement, and stamped it with the Grand Duke's seal.

Cohen smiled faintly:
"Mr. Uriel Dean, you are luckier than Grand Duke Silver Frost, otherwise he might be the one standing here right now."

Grand Duke Saint Oak shuddered. If it was Grand Duke Silver Frost standing here today, there would be no need to say what would have happened to him.

Fortunately, Cohen is now taking action with Yinshuang, otherwise...

Uriel Dean instantly felt a strong sense of relief. No matter what, at least his life was saved, his family could continue, and he could still be a rich man.

After the discussion, Cohen had no intention of getting up to see him off. Uriel Dean bowed to Cohen, expressing his complete submission, and left the palace in silence.

As the Grand Duke of Holy Oak left the palace, a voice rang in Cohen's ears:

Cohen Corleone, with just one letter, you made Holly Oak surrender. In just one month, two countries with hundreds of years of heritage were conquered by you alone.

You have already made a significant mark on the stage of the struggle for supremacy among nations, and your fame will once again shock people.

Legend degree, +10.

Cohen clearly felt that his mastery of those rules and skills had increased a lot. As his legendary level accumulated, his understanding of the rules became higher.

After resolving the issues in the Principality of Holy Oak, Cohen is ready to confront Freya and her daughter.

Cohen thought for a moment and looked at his father-in-law not far away:
"Prime Minister, please go find Marshal Arnold and ask him to come to my office in an hour.

Baron Holt, I leave the affairs of Hollyoak to you. Please work with the Prime Minister to come up with a list of candidates for Governor as soon as possible."

"it is good."

After the Prime Minister and Baron Holt left, Cohen looked at Nephthys again and said:

"Go find Freya and ask her to come to the palace. Bring her here, and don't tell anyone."

Nephthys nodded and left.

Cohen then turned to the ladies-in-waiting and said:

"Go down."

"Yes."

Adair frowned slightly and asked:

"What do you want to do?"

Cohen's answer was concise:

"think."

As he said this, he directly carried Adele onto the wide handle of the throne.

Yadel's face showed an incredible look, and said:

"You're crazy, this is..."

Cohen swallowed what Adele wanted to say directly into his own mouth, and with a wave of his hand, he activated the protective formation near the throne, untied Adele's brocade robe, revealing her fair skin. The bones and muscle lines perfectly outlined the expected beauty.

"You can't stay for a few days, sister, just be obedient!"

……

An hour later, in the king's office, Cohen was looking through the action plan drawn up by Hermann and others.

There were footsteps outside the door.

Marshal Arnold and Freya arrived on time.

Cohen welcomed the two men in, poured them tea, chatted about some family matters, then handed the plan in his hand to them and briefly explained his plan.

After hearing what Cohen said, Arnold's face showed deep hesitation and consideration.

In fact, he was mentally prepared for this matter, and Cohen had also given him indirect hints before.

On the one hand, he instinctively did not want to let his daughter step into such a dangerous situation. On the other hand, if he could seize this opportunity, then according to Cohen's future plan, Freya would become the supreme queen of a kingdom.

For a father, there is no reason to hinder his daughter's bright future. Arnold was still lost in thought when Freya spoke crisply beside him:
"Sir, I'm willing to go!"

The two looked at Freya. The little girl looked at Cohen with burning eyes, as if she wanted to convey her inner determination with her eyes.

Cohen paused, and his voice became much gentler:
"Freya, you have to think clearly. This journey is full of difficulties. You may encounter unimaginable dangers, even...

Don't feel any psychological burden, I have other candidates here..."

Freya immediately interrupted Cohen, her eyes showing no hesitation or retreat. She bit her lower lip tightly, her delicate face full of determination.
"Sir, I'm willing to go. Please give me this opportunity!"

Cohen's expression froze, and his emotions suddenly became extremely complicated. He moved his lips and looked at Arnold next to him.

Before Arnold could speak, Freya's solemn voice rang out:

"Father, please don't try to persuade me, this is my own choice!

Please don’t let me regret it for the rest of my life!”

Arnold opened his mouth, but the words on his lips did not come out. They turned into a deep sigh and he said nothing more.

After Arnold and Freya left, Adele, who had changed her clothes and bathed again, appeared beside Cohen with a refreshing fragrance and whispered:
"What a stubborn little girl."

Cohen took Adair's hand and shook his head gently:

"Hopefully everything goes well."

After sighing, Adair handed a document to Cohen:

"Military Control Commission's investigation report on the Black Sail Regiment."

Cohen raised his eyebrows slightly and said:
"Is that Earl Auston Grey of Helios Province, the one you caught collaborating with pirates?"

Adele nodded and said:
"We've already investigated. The Black Sail Group does have a Ceylon Navy background. To be more precise, the deputy commander, Bonnie Wagner, who's colluding with Austin, is a relative of the captain of a Ceylon naval fleet."

Cohen's eyes moved slightly. This was an opportunity to break into the Kingdom of Ceylon.

He said:
"Have Hermann send people to follow up and find something to hold against the deputy commander. Once I've dealt with the situation in the southern border, I'll go and cause trouble for the Kingdom of Ceylon."

Compared to the Kingdom of Ceylon, what concerns Cohen the most is the traces of demons appearing in the country.

In particular, there is a remnant of the Gaunt family who is hiding very deeply. If he is not eliminated, trouble will sooner or later occur in the southern border.

Whether it is the Golden Sail Port in the southern border or the base camp when conquering the Kingdom of Ceylon, the strategic location of the southern border is of vital importance.

He had to help Asuna completely eliminate the hidden dangers in the southern border before he could go to the Kingdom of Ceylon with peace of mind.

According to his and the queen's analysis, the man who colluded with the devil should be the illegitimate son of an important member of the Gaunt family. Cohen decided to ask Sandro Gaunt, the surviving second son of the former Grand Duke of the South.

As the second young master of the Southern Territory, this person should be able to provide some important clues.

After Sandro was destroyed in the southern border, Cohen arranged for him to be the deputy director of the Post and Telecommunications Bureau and to be monitored in Florence.

Sandro himself is aware of the sensitivity of his identity, so he just eats and waits for death every day. Except for the day when he gets paid, he will show up at work. The rest of the time he either hosts parties at home or drinks too much at a banquet and doesn't come back.

Late at night, Sandro pushed open the door drunkenly and found that no servant came to greet him. He immediately started cursing at the top of his voice.

He cursed until his mouth was dry but no one responded, so he had to go back to the house to get some water. However, as soon as he stepped into the living room, a tall figure sobered him up instantly.

Sandro knelt down quickly, his voice flattering:

"Your Majesty, why are you here?"

Cohen said calmly:

"Let me ask you a few questions. Answer them truthfully."

Sandro said hurriedly:
"Your Majesty, please ask, and I will tell you everything I know."

Cohen asked:

"Do you know if any direct member of your Gaunt family has an illegitimate child?"

Sandro replied quickly:

"Lord Hermann also asked this question not long ago. I even asked a few elders at the time, and they confirmed that there are indeed no illegitimate children."

Cohen's tone was still very calm:
"Think carefully, Hermann should have told you that this person colluded with the devil and killed many people from your Gaunt family. He was obviously trying to silence them.

If you don't catch him sooner or later, you will also fall into his hands."

Sandro took a deep breath, the effect of the alcohol completely gone, frowned bitterly, and tried hard to recall.

After a long time, he still shook his head with a sad face.

A hint of deep meaning appeared between Cohen's brows, and then a flash of inspiration came to him. He took out a stack of documents, glanced at them for a few seconds, and then read out a string of names:
"Aldrich Gaunt, the oldest member of the Gaunt family, and the younger brother of the previous Duke.

Cedric Gaunt, responsible for researching family history and compiling the Gaunt genealogy.

Harold Hawke, the old captain of the guard.

Martha White, senior housekeeper.

Tom Brown, the family's lawyer.

When these five people come to mind, what commonalities or special connections can you think of?

Sandro muttered these names in a low voice, recalling them carefully in his mind. After a few minutes, his whole body suddenly stiffened and he blurted out a name:
"Baron Gillivos Gyan!"

Cohen stared at Sandro for a while, and after making sure that he was not talking nonsense, he asked:
“What is the origin of this person?
Why do you associate these five people with this person?
Besides these five, who else can you think of?"

Sandro's brows were still furrowed, still immersed in distant memories, and his voice became much deeper:

“I don’t know his exact origins… I only know that he was my father’s tutor and came from a declining baronial family in Redstone County in the southern border.

Baron Gian has always been very low-key. He never asked about family affairs and had a low sense of presence. Few people in the family paid attention to him. It was not until I was about to become an adult that this person suddenly disappeared.

It's like it never existed.

I had very poor talents when I was a child. Everyone compared me to my brother, and even the servants looked down on me in secret. Baron Gian was one of the few people who was willing to show kindness to me.

As for why I connected these five people to Baron Gian, it was because when I was a child, I secretly read my father's diary, which recorded an incident that mentioned Baron Gian and the names of those people.

Cohen's eyes became serious and he asked:
"How can you remember it so clearly after such a long time?"

Sandro said:
"First, at that time I had only one friend, Baron Gian, so when I suddenly saw his name in my father's diary, I paid special attention to it.

Secondly... later my father found out that I had read the diary secretly. He got very angry that day and beat me up severely, asking me which diary entry I had read secretly.

If Baron Gian hadn't stopped my father, I doubt he would have beaten me to death."

Cohen's eyes showed a trace of contemplation, and then his voice became much lower:

"Do you still remember what was written in that diary?"

Sandro nodded and replied:
"It's about Baron Gian and my father going out for fun. To be more precise, it was Elder Aldrich Gaunt who took my father and Baron Gian out for fun.

At that time, Cedric Gaunt was the family secretary, and Harold Hawke, the head of the guard, Martha White, the housekeeper, and Tom Brown, the family lawyer, were all accompanying him as part of the entourage.

"Apart from these five people, are there any other names in the diary?"

Sandro quickly replied:
"Yes, and there are several mages and warriors accompanying us."

Sandro then named a few names.

Cohen compared the text in his hand and found, as expected, that these people had been executed by Effiin during the recent Florence turmoil.

The five people mentioned above were exiled to the northern border and died inexplicably on the way.

In other words, all the people who appeared in that diary are no longer alive.

This Baron Gillivos Gian might be the source of all this!
Cohen closed his eyes and thought for a long time, then opened them and asked:

"It's just an ordinary outing, why do you have to write down the names of servants and guards?"

Sandro shook his head.

"I don't know that."

Cohen then asked:
"Do you know where they are going for fun?"

Sandro thought hard for a while and gave a negative answer:
"It's been too long, I don't have any impression."

Cohen pondered for a moment, then flipped through the document in his hand and quickly read out a few more place names:

"Dusk Town, Amber Valley, Red Rock Pass, Silver Moon Shoal..."

Sandro suddenly cried out and said in a loud voice:
“Silver Moon Shoals!
It’s Silver Moon Shoal!

I remembered!
They went to Silver Moon Shoals, fish, and magic fish. At that time, my father's diary also described a very disgusting magic fish with many tentacles.

I remember that my father even drew the image of the magic fish in his diary, and I had nightmares about it for several days!"

Cohen's indifferent voice sounded:
"Aboleth?"

Sandro shook his head.
"I don't know what it's called."

Cohen conjured a simple image.

Sandro took one look and said with certainty:
"Yes, it's this kind of magic fish."

A fierce look flashed in Cohen's eyes. What he just read out were several places with strong demonic auras that the Military Control Commission discovered when searching for the remnants of the Gaunt family.

The Aboleth is a magical beast that can reach the silver level when it reaches adulthood and generally has difficulty surviving in the wild.

Unless someone is raising it intentionally.

However, it is not something that ordinary people can raise. Even in the entire northwest continent, there are very few aboles fry and breeding methods.

Even if there is, with the status and strength of Aifei's southern border, there is no way to obtain it.

In addition to purchasing, there is another way to get it, which is to make a deal with the devil!
Everything points to one fact: the mysterious tutor of the former Grand Duke of the Southern Territory, Baron Gillivos Gian, is the culprit who is colluding with the devil!
(End of this chapter)