Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

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An elderly nobleman, dressed in a purple senatorial robe and with graying hair, stepped forward, leaning tremblingly on his scepter.

His face was filled with an expression of deep sorrow, and his voice trembled slightly with emotion:
“Mr. Yaen, when you entered into a marriage contract with our esteemed Princess, it was in a covenant document witnessed by the gods themselves.”

It was written clearly in black and white on white paper.

The crafting blueprint for the 'Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak' in your possession must absolutely not be revealed to any third-party organization.

Your current actions are a blatant betrayal of the sacred oath and a disregard for the interests of the Empire!

The old nobleman's words were met with agreement from those around him.

Immediately afterward, a general whose shoulder insignia were adorned with medals also spoke, his face grim, his voice booming:

"Your Excellency Ya'en, you cannot be unaware of what the complete blueprints for divine and demonic equipment mean for a nation's military strength."

That is the strategic cornerstone that can turn the tide of battle at critical moments!
You so casually handed it over to the King of Effiin, not to mention the delicate relationship between Cohen Corleone and my Empire.

The outflow of technology at this level alone poses an immeasurable potential threat to the security of the empire.

You must give His Majesty, your colleagues present, and the entire Eastern Empire a convincing explanation for this matter!

Another minister in charge of the empire's finances added coldly:
"Moreover, as far as we know, the number of cloaks appearing in Effie's army is by no means small."

This is no longer a simple technology leak, but a large-scale transfer of mass production capabilities.

"The chain of interests involved behind this, and its impact on the future military landscape of mainland China—Mr. Pirate King, have you truly weighed the consequences?"

In an instant, the entire imperial court was in turmoil, and public sentiment was surging.

Various voices of doubt, condemnation, and demands for explanation intertwined, creating immense pressure.

Many nobles' eyes gleamed with undisguised hostility and greed, as if they were saying that if Cohen didn't show enough "sincerity" to quell the public's anger today...

For example, handing over the core technology of his fearsome ghost ship fleet or secrets of equal value.

It implies that it is absolutely impossible to easily leave the palace.

The air seemed to freeze, and everyone's eyes were focused on Cohen, waiting for his response.

Faced with a torrent of questions and inquiries from the court, Cohen stood calmly in the center of the hall, his expression remaining serene.

His face showed no sign of panic or embarrassment. His gaze calmly swept over the faces that were filled with anger, doubt, or anticipation of his explanation. His voice was clear and steady:
"Gentlemen, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding."

Indeed, the blueprints for the 'Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak' in the possession of His Majesty Cohen Corleone of Effie were provided by me.

I have no reason to deny this.

However, I did not break the alliance; I was making a deal!

Before he could finish speaking, Marquis Zess, who had been the first to speak out, couldn't contain himself and interrupted him urgently:

"No breach of the alliance?"
joke!

What kind of transaction could be worth the value of a complete blueprint for a divine or demonic equipment?
Could it be that you…

However, he was only halfway through his sentence when, as if struck by lightning, his voice abruptly stopped, and the angry expression on his face froze instantly, turning into extreme surprise and uncertainty.

Not only him, but also the ministers and nobles around him who were originally indignant seemed to have a sensitive nerve touched by Cohen's unusually calm attitude and the Marquis of Zess's abrupt reminder.

The anger and doubt on their faces were quickly replaced by an incredulous astonishment, and all eyes were focused on Cohen, as if they wanted to see right through him.

An eerie silence fell over the entire hall.

Amidst the deathly silence and countless astonished gazes, Cohen's smile seemed to deepen slightly.

Without saying another word, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he took out a scroll carefully wrapped in some kind of unknown dark leather.

Speak slowly:
"The Marquis of Zess guessed correctly."

The reason I handed over the blueprints for the 'Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak' to His Majesty Corleone was, of course, to make a deal.

As for the bargaining chips...

He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze sweeping across the tense faces of everyone in the room, their tension and anticipation building, before finally settling on the alluring scroll in his hand:

"Of course, it's another set of blueprints for crafting divine and demonic equipment, which is of equal or even greater value!"

Another blueprint for divine and demonic equipment?!

These words caused an uproar in the solemn and dignified court.

Suppressed gasps, incredulous whispers, and the scraping of chairs mingled together, creating a cacophony of sounds.

Another blueprint for a divine and demonic equipment!

what does this mean?
It should be noted that since the founding of the five great empires, each of them has only preserved one complete set of divine and demonic equipment.

For a powerful nation like the Eastern Empire, which stands at the pinnacle of the continent, mastering the complete crafting technology for another divine and demonic equipment is invaluable.

This is enough to give the empire a more advantageous position in future continental struggles, and may even break the existing balance of power!

This sudden reversal instantly transformed the mood of all the ministers who had been vehemently questioning them into one of immense shock and irrepressible curiosity.

All eyes were fixed on the seemingly ordinary scroll in Cohen's hand, a scroll that might contain the power to change the fate of the empire.

Cohen's voice continued to echo in the silent hall:

"Indeed, your guesses are correct."

I did indeed make a deal with His Majesty Cohen Corleone of Effie.

The transaction, as you all might guess, involves the complete crafting blueprint for the 'Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak' that I possess.

They exchanged it for blueprints of equal value for another set of divine and demonic equipment that he possessed.

He paused briefly, as if giving everyone time to process the information, before slowly uttering the name that made everyone's heart race:

"And this blueprint that I brought back as a form of exchange is one of the cornerstones upon which Effie rose to prominence and became famous throughout the continent."

This also represents the complete crafting technique for a new divine and demonic equipment—the 'Star Guardian Armor'—besides the individual treasures of the five great empires!

"Star Guardian Armor!"

These five words seemed to possess a magical power, instantly stirring up a silent storm in the hall.

Even Prince Xia Zuo, who had been sitting calmly to the side, had his pupils shrink sharply the moment he heard the name.

His usually composed face couldn't help but reveal a strong sense of shock and a hint of barely concealed excitement.

He knew all too well the value of this blueprint!

Star Guardian Armor!
Renowned for its exceptional physical and magical defensive capabilities, it is the signature equipment of the Elite Legion of Efein.

It was this equipment that allowed Cohen to turn the tide at the Northwest Regional Conference a few years ago.

If the technology could be brought into the Empire's possession, it would be crucial for his plan to lead a large army to conquer the perilous Hell dimension.

This is tantamount to acquiring a powerful strategic weapon that can greatly enhance the legion's survival and combat capabilities; its significance cannot be overstated.

However, just as Prince Xia Zuo was filled with excitement and almost saw a bright future for the empire's military strength to reach new heights,

Cohen's tone suddenly shifted, causing Xia Zuo's excitement to freeze instantly, turning into astonishment and a hint of gloom:
"However, this deal between us is not a completely unrestricted sharing."

To ensure the absolute security of each other's core interests and technologies, we established a strict agreement at the outset of the exchange.

The blueprints and detailed manufacturing process of the 'Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak' were kept strictly confidential, with knowledge of the process strictly limited.

Only His Majesty Cohen Corleone and his Queen, Princess Isabella Wenzel, are permitted to access and control this information.

As he spoke, he gently shook the dark leather-bound scroll in his hand, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over Prince Xiazuo, before continuing:

"Correspondingly, the right to keep and use the complete blueprints of the 'Star Guardian Armor' in my hand is governed by the contract."

This applies only to myself and to Princess Grace, with whom I am engaged.

We are the only legal holders of this blueprint within the Eastern Empire.

To put it bluntly, His Majesty Corleone's willingness to proceed with this deal was largely based on the deep personal friendship between Princess Isabella and Her Highness Princess Grace, as well as his trust in our future relationship.

Faced with the harsh restrictions imposed by Cohen that clearly excluded Prince Shazo and his forces,

Prince Xia Zuo's facial muscles tensed almost imperceptibly, his previously warm smile instantly froze, a sinister glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, and his expression became extremely ugly.

He suppressed his anger and did not lash out directly, but instead subtly sent a very veiled glance to an inconspicuous spot in the civil official ranks.

Almost simultaneously, a middle-aged official dressed in a dark purple civil robe understood the implication and stepped forward from the crowd.

He first bowed to Emperor Eberron on the throne, then turned to Cohen and said in a loud voice:

"Mr. Pirate King, please forgive my bluntness."

It's not that we don't trust your and Her Highness the Princess's loyalty and abilities to the Empire; it's just that the complete blueprints for the Divine Demon Equipment are ultimately a vital national asset that concerns the fate of the country.

Its importance is paramount.

If we rely solely on your word, sir, and an additional agreement that is known only to you and His Highness.

It's unlikely that this will completely reassure the many colleagues in the court who are concerned about the safety of the empire.

Shouldn't this matter have a more reliable and impartial oversight and verification mechanism?

Faced with this seemingly reasonable but actually increasingly aggressive questioning, Cohen not only did not get angry, but instead smiled calmly and responded:
"You can rest assured about this."

I foresaw this situation when I first reached this exchange agreement with His Majesty Cohen Corleone.

Therefore, I specifically included a clause in the contract terms:
The authenticity and completeness of the 'Star Guardian Armor' blueprint in my possession can be verified and authenticated by His Majesty Emperor Eberron and Prime Minister Tiberius Hawke, the two holders of the highest power in the empire, at any time.

"His Majesty and the Prime Minister are wise and discerning enough to distinguish truth from falsehood; surely no one would disagree with that?" He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, noticing many people nodding subconsciously, before revealing his true plan:

"After verifying its authenticity, the subsequent application of this drawing will be discussed."

This includes manufacturing based on blueprints, as well as the allocation and deployment of the final equipment.

The contract also clearly stipulates that the authority to lead and make decisions on all these matters must be fully entrusted to my fiancée, Princess Grace.

Only she has the right to decide how to use this power to enhance the Empire's strength, and which legions to equip with these powerful weapons, and for what strategic purposes.

This is one of the core, unalterable conditions under which we reached this exchange with Effie.

Cohen's words caused a huge uproar in the court.

The first part of the proposal, which suggested verification by the Emperor and the Prime Minister, was reasonable and temporarily quelled some of the doubts.

However, the latter part of the statement, which completely handed over all core power to Princess Grace, caused an unprecedented uproar in the court.

This not only excludes Prince Xiazuo, but also signifies a strategic piece of equipment that could influence the balance of power in the empire.

The entire lifeline, from production to distribution, will be firmly controlled by the eldest princess's faction.

The expressions of the representatives from all sides changed rapidly. The entire court assembly was once again plunged into an extremely complex stalemate and game of strategy due to Cohen's seemingly yielding but actually more aggressive counterattack.

A thought that Prince Xia Zuo did not want to face surfaced in his mind.

If this blueprint is confirmed to be genuine, then the power structure that the Eastern Empire has maintained for so long will likely undergo a dramatic upheaval.

His body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment.

They had meticulously planned to use this opportunity to attack the "Pirate King," ideally forcing him to hand over his formidable ghost ship fleet as compensation, or at least make him pay a heavy price.

But who could have imagined that instead of harming the other party in the slightest, it would inadvertently give them an excellent opportunity.

This paved a broad road for Grace to win people's hearts and expand her power.

A brand new set of blueprints for divine and demonic equipment, capable of altering the strategic balance.

The benefits involved are enormous.

From mining, supplying magical materials, and establishing forging workshops, to the distribution of the final products and which legions are prioritized for equipment.

Cohen handed over all the reins of this to Grace.

This is tantamount to turning a strategic resource that could shake the foundations of the empire into political capital under Grace's personal control.

It is foreseeable that those powerful military figures who were originally hesitant about the succession to the throne, and those middle forces wavering between the various noble factions, will all be eager to get a share of the enormous profits from this "Star Guardian Armor."

In order to ensure that their legions have priority access to such powerful equipment, how many people will turn to Her Highness the Princess?

This is practically building a ladder for Grace to reach the pinnacle of power.

Xia Zuo felt a surge of cold anger and intense frustration welling up inside him.

It almost made him lose his usual composed facade.

His carefully planned attack ultimately turned out to be a foolish act that benefited others!

……

The afternoon's court session, which was fraught with undercurrents but ultimately ended in an unexpected manner, came to a close.

Night fell as scheduled, enveloping the magnificent Dragon City.

In accordance with the royal family’s tradition of receiving foreign guests of the highest rank, an even grander and more luxurious welcome banquet was held in the most prestigious “Starry Night Hall” in the palace.

The enormous crystal chandelier illuminated the hall as if it were daytime, and the air was filled with the aroma of fine champagne.

A melodious court orchestra played a lively tune.

Compared to the solemnity of the daytime, the atmosphere at the dinner party was noticeably more lively and subtle.

The absolute focus of tonight's banquet, without a doubt, once again fell on Cohen, who was known as the "Pirate King" Yann Hughes, and Princess Grace beside him.

In stark contrast to the turbulent atmosphere of the afternoon court session, at this moment, imperial nobles and powerful ministers came in droves to raise their glasses to Cohen and express their goodwill.

Everyone's face was beaming with enthusiasm, and their words were full of praise for the "future prince consort" and anticipation for future cooperation.

Even Princess Grace had never experienced such star-like treatment in the past many years.

In the past, almost everyone in the empire knew that the next emperor would undoubtedly be Prince Xiazuo, who had made great military achievements and wielded immense power.

Therefore, most nobles and officials, while maintaining a facade of respect for the princess who was destined to marry into another country for political reasons, harbored a certain degree of estrangement and observation deep down.

Few people would actually invest resources to deliberately curry favor with a princess who seems to be drifting further and further away from the core of power.

However, today is different.

Cohen's appearance directly disrupted the internal situation of the empire.

He is not only a powerful ally who controls the Northwest Sea and possesses a fleet of ghost ships.

More importantly, he holds the right to distribute the blueprints for divine and demonic equipment such as the "Star Guardian Armor".

This series of heavyweight moves instantly gave Princess Grace's side a qualitative leap in strength.

From her seemingly destined role as a "princess" assisting Prince Xiazuo, she has transformed into a formidable force with sufficient resources to compete for the throne.

In addition, Prince Shazor has suffered repeated setbacks in recent years in his numerous open and covert struggles with Cohen Corleone of Effie, whether in direct confrontations or in the war of supporting proxies.

Both its reputation and strength have suffered a certain blow.

As one side gains and the other loses, the various forces within the Eastern Empire that had originally remained neutral between Xia Zuo and Grace, or who had long been dissatisfied with Xia Zuo's autocratic style, will be affected.

At this moment, they couldn't help but re-examine the situation and start making new plans.

They realized that now might be the perfect time to curry favor with this previously underestimated princess and invest in this "potential stock" in advance.

After all, it's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. Betting when the situation is not yet fully clear, if successful, the future rewards will be immeasurable.

The entire dinner appeared harmonious on the surface.

Beneath the surface, however, turbulent waves were surging, much like the empire's future situation, fraught with unknown risks.

The hustle and bustle of the banquet finally came to an end, and the guests, slightly tipsy and with many thoughts on their minds, gradually dispersed from the magnificent Starry Sky Hall.

Grace naturally took Cohen's arm, intending to return to her bedroom with him.

This is the safest and most reasonable arrangement.

Cohen, after all, infiltrated Dragon City under the guise of "Yan Hughes," finding himself in a dangerous situation.

Prince Xia Zuo and his cronies are no benevolent people, and no one can guarantee that they won't set up some magical traps or eavesdropping arrays in advance at the residence arranged by the emperor.

Only by keeping Cohen by her side, protected by her most trusted court guards and magical barriers, could she feel at ease.

However, just as they were about to step out of the palace gate, a female official dressed in simple palace attire quietly and quickly stepped forward and respectfully blocked their way.

He first bowed deeply to Grace and Cohen, then conveyed Emperor Eberron's decree:

"Your Highness, Lady Ya'en."

His Majesty has decreed that accommodations have been prepared for His Excellency Ya'en at the State Guest House.

All supplies have been prepared to the highest standards, and attendants have been arranged.

Upon hearing this, Grace's delicate brows furrowed instantly, and she rejected the offer without hesitation:
"No need. Go back and inform Father that Mr. Ya'en's accommodations for the next few days will be arranged in my palace. There is no need to prepare any other accommodations."

A genuine look of embarrassment appeared on the well-maintained face of the female official.

She lowered her head slightly, her voice even lower, carrying a hint of admonition, and cautiously reminded him:
"Your Highness, please reconsider..."

After all, you and Mr. Ya'en have not yet held a formal wedding ceremony, in accordance with court etiquette and the reputation of the royal family.

If we were to allow the gentleman to stay in your bedchamber at this time, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it would attract a lot of criticism and damage Your Highness's reputation..."

Grace's eyes turned completely cold, as if they were covered with frost.

Releasing Cohen's arm, he took half a step forward, looking down at the female official. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a commanding presence befitting someone accustomed to a superior position.

"We don't sleep together. Does my palace lack a bed for him?"

As for those gossipy people outside the palace, let them say whatever they want.

When has my behavior ever required me to consider their opinions?

Then, without giving the lady-in-waiting any further opportunity to argue, she made her final decision:

"Alright, that's settled then."

You only need to report my words back to Father Emperor.

Now, step down.

The lady-in-waiting paled, knowing full well that once the princess made up her mind, there was no possibility of changing it.

Grace then turned around, took Cohen's arm again, who had been standing quietly to the side, and her tone returned to its previous gentleness:
"Let's go back!"

She pulled Cohen along, ignoring the various complicated gazes that might be directed at them, and walked straight towards her bedroom.

However, before they had gone far, another, slightly somber voice slowly rang out:

"Your Highness, let's follow His Majesty's arrangements!" (End of Chapter)