I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 164 Deception and Loyalty

"It is indeed true that Viscount Eric Gamanra sent soldiers disguised as pirates to assassinate Lord Kane and seize the Grande family's goods."

"But the key question is, was the assassination attempt carried out by Viscount Gamanra, who is nominally subordinate to Duke Mosilis, really ordered by Duke Mosilis?"

"Have you ever considered that this might actually be related to the conservative party?"

Meeting Ian's narrowed pupils, John slowly lowered his hands, then tapped the table with his index finger, and smiled as he spoke:

“Ian, I’m going to tell you an interesting story. The protagonist of this story is also named Eric. One night twelve years ago, our protagonist Eric suddenly received a secret letter from another important person.”

"In the secret letter, the other party mentioned that they were very interested in the commodity of mermaid tears, and that if they could provide more than three thousand mermaid tears at once, then this esteemed person would consider agreeing to Mr. Eric's original legislative election, secretly granting the other party a state legislator seat, and indicating that the other party could gain her friendship."

"Out of respect for this important figure and in order to advance his career, our Mr. Eric agreed to the request. He then sent soldiers from his territory, disguised as pirates, to gain Mr. Kane's trust by flying the family flag, just as Mr. Kane had finished his rest at the dock and before he had left the territory's waters."

"Using the pretext of incomplete cargo inspection, they boarded the Grant family's merchant ship and launched an assassination attempt on Lord Kane while he was completely unprepared, successfully injuring him severely."

"Afterwards, under Lord Kane's final, all-out spell, the summoned juvenile Kraken tore apart the merchant ships on the sea with its terrifying tentacles and devoured all the assassins who had launched the assassination. This assassination attempt, which revolved around power and money, came to a complete end."

"But just as everyone was preoccupied with Lord Kane's death, our protagonist Eric had already had the cargo salvaged and presented to that distinguished man who had a fondness for collecting mermaid tears but was unwilling to spend a large sum of money to buy them."

"And this important figure who achieved her goal also fulfilled her promise, but due to her special status, she did not carry it out in the name of a conservative party member."

Instead, they chose to promote Mr. Eric, who was trying to advance, in the name of a duke's niece who was completely unaware of the situation.

"As for that batch of mermaid tears, due to the wide-ranging impact of Lord Kane's sudden death, which even alarmed His Majesty William to send people to investigate, the esteemed lady did not dare to move it rashly, but instead kept it in a mysterious warehouse."

"It wasn't until twelve years later that these mermaid tears were brought back to light. They were then moved to a manor in Kross City by a hastily assembled construction team under the guise of renovating a luxury mansion. It became the most beloved treasure trove for that lady."

"And that lady's name happens to be Mister, which is very similar to ours, who is currently the head of the intelligence department of the Third Army Corps of the Imperial Army and also a member of the Imperial Upper House, the esteemed Mister Falk. Lieutenant Ian, don't you think that's quite amazing?"

Facing the surging anger before him, Ian, whose entire body was trembling uncontrollably from the rage of being deceived and the intense regret, stood before him.

Having realized that the side tidbit of information he had provided had achieved its intended purpose, John didn't say much. Instead, he quietly sipped his coffee, waiting for the other person to completely process his emotions.

Only after the other person had completely calmed down did he speak softly to them:

"Therefore, if you join the conservatives, become their henchmen, and are driven by them, even if you perfectly fulfill your promises in the end, the conservatives will never help you achieve true revenge."

"Because Eric was just a decoy from beginning to end. The one who truly caused Lord Kane's death, the one you truly need to avenge, is not someone else, but the one you were previously loyal to."

"That's the real reason why I say you've been on the wrong path from the very beginning!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Ian did not refute, but instead clenched his fists tightly. The grief and hatred in his heart almost made his face uncontrollably turn ferocious.

The gill marks behind the ears, fueled by intense anger, began to stand erect, revealing the scarlet, scaly muscle tissue inside that was unlike any human's.

He also knew that John had no reason to lie to him about such a matter.

Whether the answer is true or false, he only needs to go to the manor in Krosstown after safely leaving the battlefield to find out the truth.

Moreover, Eric had been investigating the whereabouts of the goods belonging to the Grand family that he obtained after assassinating his father ever since he came of age, but there were still many doubts.

At first, he thought Eric had secretly sold the goods and exchanged the money for the money, which allowed him to buy his current seat as a state legislator from Duke Mosilis.

But he never imagined that the truth was simply a woman's vanity.

It was all for the sake of their family's unique tears, and to save a damn amount of money.

The other party went so far as to secretly send assassins to murder his father, who was a nobleman!
They even used lies to deceive him and manipulate him like a fool!
The most ridiculous thing is that without John's explanation, he would have continued to be wrong.

In the end, they will most likely be captured by assassins sent by the enemy beforehand when they discover the truth.

Then he was branded a traitor and secretly executed, thus ending his life!
Damn bastards! Damn conservatives! They all deserve to die!
With a burning rage raging in his chest, Ian's eyes were practically bloodshot.

Overwhelmed by grief and murderous intent, his eyes began to well up with warm breath, which, under John's astonished gaze, turned into blood-red tears that streamed down his cheeks.

It gathered at the lower jaw, then dripped downwards, finally transforming in mid-air into a crystal-clear pearl about the thickness of a little finger, before hitting the ground.

It made a faint sound.

"Clap!"

Blood-red pearls rolled on the deck, making barely perceptible noises.

But Ian paid no attention to the exceptional quality of the mermaid's tear, nor did he care about the damage to the magical circuits within his body.

At this moment, he wished he could fly to Kross City immediately to find the woman who was most likely lying on the luxurious bed that had been created by the teardrops condensed by the former members of the Grand family through the overdraft of their own lives and the consumption of a large amount of magical matter.

Then, with his hands brimming with rage, he ripped open the other person's chest, ripped out their filthy heart, and threw it on the ground to crush it completely!

Thus, true revenge can be achieved!

However, Ian also knew that this revenge would not be so easy to achieve.

Putting aside the fact that assassinating a senator would lead to the complete demise of the Grant family, the fact that the other party had such a special and complicated identity was enough to make him, a mere lieutenant, hesitate.

If you want to achieve true revenge.

So what he needs to face is not just a nobleman.

Rather, it is an existence worthy of being called despair!

No, he still has a chance to get his revenge.

But that possibility did not come from the Third Navy, which now sees him as a traitor, nor from the conservatives.

It came from one person.

It comes from a person who shares a similar bloodline with him, but possesses boundless talent and terrifying intelligence!

Like a drowning man grasping at a last straw, Ian suddenly raised his blood-red eyes and stared intently at the figure before him, whom he had previously regarded as a monster, but who now seemed like an apostle of a god.

His voice was hoarse, almost pleading as he asked the other person:
"Lord John, as someone valued by the former Demon King, you must have a way to help me achieve my revenge, right?"

In fact, John's earlier claim that he was favored by Trolowski and selected as a candidate for head of the Eye of Truth's intelligence department was entirely fabricated. After all, this organization was Trolowski's direct force, and none of its members were mages below the rank of high-ranking.

Although John graduated with the highest honors and achieved perfect scores in all skills, he had not mastered any offensive spells, except for two functional spells: magical power and magic power.

Currently, in terms of magician rank, he's at best a low-ranking nobody.

It would be a miracle if someone like John could be a candidate for the next minister of the Eye of Truth.

However, due to Trolowski's status as the previous Demon King and the highly confidential nature of the Eye of Truth, no one except Emperor William himself had the authority to mobilize it.

Furthermore, John himself graduated from the Imperial First Military Academy and was personally awarded the Iron Wreath, representing the highest honor, by Trotsky.

He claimed to be a candidate for the next minister of the Eye of Truth, which would not arouse any suspicion from anyone.

Furthermore, knowing the organization's mysterious and dangerous nature, others who heard this dared not spread it casually.

Therefore, it actually gives John some room to maneuver, and there's no need to worry about the matter spreading.

Surely some brilliant strategist wouldn't actually find Trotsky later and ask him to verify the truth of this matter, would he?

Just kidding, do you really think the previous Demon King was so easy to meet? According to the game's description, this super boss, who had reached the pinnacle of the Grand rank and was almost at the level of the Origin Class, usually kept to himself and refused visitors.

Even Emperor William himself rarely gets to see him, so how could this bunch of scoundrels listening to him boast today possibly have the chance to visit this old man?
So you should just think about it; there's absolutely no chance of it succeeding!
John inwardly scoffed, but outwardly remained unmoved, looking at Ian with a half-smile before speaking in an icy tone:

“I do have the confidence and ability, but the question is, Ian, now that you are a traitor, what price will you pay for me to help you with your revenge?”

"..."

Ian fell silent involuntarily, his lips moving for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.

In terms of wealth, the fact that the other party invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the town of Bahamut without keeping a single penny for themselves, but instead directly into the town's development, already proves that they are beyond the temptation of money.

Even if money could sway them, the amount would be far beyond what the Grant family could afford.

In terms of their relationship, although they both have the blood of the Immortal Qin, they can barely be considered as compatriots.

But this act, which is almost a direct break with the conservatives, makes it difficult for them to lend a helping hand, let alone compatriots they have just met, or even brothers with decades of brotherhood.

As for assistance, although his Mermaid Song technique is unparalleled in naval warfare, the opponent is directly under the air force. Relying on the ability of magic soldiers to fly, the opponent will not encounter any difficulties at sea. Even if he wanted to apply to become the opponent's subordinate, he would not be able to provide any substantial help.

Moreover, he is currently a convict, and it's uncertain whether he will be able to continue living after tonight.

Therefore, the answer is obvious: I have absolutely no reason to deserve the other party's help.

Just as Lord John said, I had gone down the wrong path from the very beginning!

Ian gave a bitter smile. Just as he was about to accept reality, thank John for telling him the truth, and prepare to walk out of the restaurant to face the trial that was about to begin, he was about to leave.

The next second, John's soft voice reached his ears:

"So, you're planning to give up, Lieutenant Ian?"

"...I don't think I'm worth your help. It's regrettable, but that's the answer, and I can only accept it."

Ian looked at the other person with a complicated expression. At this moment, he suddenly felt that fate was somewhat unfair.

If only I had known the truth sooner, if only I hadn't been blinded by hatred.

Will one's fate be different because of this?
But what's done is done, and there's no point in regretting it.

He could only accept it, and then face the impending punishment, or even death!

Thinking of this, Ian took a deep breath and then saluted John with gratitude and respect:
“Sir John, thank you for explaining the truth to me, but I have done too many wrong things now, and there is no way to undo them. Therefore, I will accept any punishment from the military until I have paid for my sins, and then I will take my revenge in my own way.”

Even if it means death?

"Even if it means death, I'm willing to do it!"

Ian replied resolutely that completing his revenge was the driving force that had brought him to where he was today, and if he were to forget this hatred, he would not be worthy of being a child of the Glent family.

Although the final outcome may be unacceptable to the mother, for the merfolk, the most important belief they uphold is loyalty.

Many people mistake this loyalty for love, but in reality, this loyalty stems from kinship and family.

As a son, he had a duty to offer his utmost loyalty to his father, who had died unjustly, and to personally kill the despicable woman who had trampled on his father's life and dignity.

He wanted to use the other person's heart to allow his father's soul to find peace in the deep sea.

He's willing to pay any price for this!

"Clap clap clap!"

Looking at Ian's resolute face, even though he knew this would be the outcome, John couldn't help but applaud him. Knowing that the psychological warfare had reached its final stage, he didn't try to provoke Ian any further.

Instead, after clapping, he deliberately sighed deeply and said:
“Well, Lieutenant Ian, I must say, this time you have successfully impressed me with your unwavering will. It seems that even if it is a bit troublesome, I will have to lobby Marshal Bob for your sake.”

"However, compared to this matter, I think there is something more important for you right now, and this matter is related to your future stance and future, so I hope you can answer after careful consideration."

Meeting Ian's astonished gaze, John smiled slightly, and then extended the invitation he had prepared in advance:
"In the recent war, considering that the intelligence departments of our army, navy and air force mostly perform their own duties, and there are many cases of intelligence leaks and a large number of spies that have not been detected."

"Therefore, half an hour ago, I called and obtained Marshal Dormammu's permission to formally apply to His Majesty William to establish a dedicated secret intelligence agency spanning the three branches of the armed forces."

"The name is tentatively set as Imperial Military Intelligence Division 5. At present, it is only responsible for counter-espionage activities. After seeing the results, I will apply to His Majesty William to change it to be responsible for five tasks: domestic intelligence security, counter-espionage, combating serious crimes, military separatism, and terrorism investigation."

"Currently, we have found suitable candidates for the intelligence chiefs of both the Army and Air Force departments, but we are still lacking a chief for the Navy department."

"As for your techniques and abilities, in my opinion, they are both outstanding and excellent. Although your stance needs some improvement, I believe you should be able to do it."

"Therefore, I wonder if you would be interested in serving as the head of the relevant naval department in this soon-to-be-established small intelligence agency, Lieutenant Ian Grant?"

……

(End of this chapter)