Origin Paradise!

"...The nobles' combined fleet lost nearly half of its strength, while the Northern Fleet suffered only a quarter of the enemy's losses. Duke Dejouk considered this a remarkable victory and hoped that the royal family would revoke the decree granting the two colonies as a reward and reward."

After the court minister finished reading, he returned to the queue.

Almost everyone present knew that this was the Duke's ultimatum. He had restrained himself to the point of exhaustion and was launching a massive naval battle just to reclaim what was rightfully his. The White Rose family had shown a rare show of concession.

This attitude caused much discussion among the nobles, as the duke's fate could very well be their future.

“This is a disrespect for the monarchy.” Queen Margaret expressed her anger; her emotions reflected her attitude.

"The two colonies were a betrothal gift from His Majesty. How can a monarch's word be taken back? The Northern Fleet's expedition was an act of deliberation, using merit to coerce rewards. Is this the principle that a subject should adhere to?"

There were few responses.

Chapter 299 Wizarding Techniques

The main hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The commander of the Imperial Guard closed his eyes.

The Duke of Djouk completely outmaneuvered the Queen in terms of political maneuvering. When he attacked Wyatt, no matter how the Queen responded, she could not escape the framework of her family. Any words she uttered would be seen as stemming from hatred rather than from a desire to uphold royal authority. Even the so-called "rewards and gifts," while worthy of sympathy, were nothing more than a strategic retreat.

War is now inevitable.

Despite seeing through everything, the captain of the Royal Guard remained silent. He had sworn an oath to the late Queen, in the name of chivalry, that he would never interfere in politics under any name, for any reason, or by any means during his lifetime.

"Are you all silent because you are dissatisfied?" said Queen Margaret.

“Your Majesty, the White Rose family has guarded the Chaotic Corridor for over a century and deserves some leniency,” a high-ranking nobleman stepped forward and said.

"The royal family has not held anyone accountable for starting a war without authorization." The Queen shook her head and said, "My tolerance has its limits."

"Duke de York is a title..."

"What are you arguing about?"

On the throne, the King of Stuart opened his eyes.

A guard stepped forward to relay the contents of the discussion.

Henry VI nodded and decided, "There's no need to argue anymore. I'll set off tomorrow to discuss this with the Duke of Djouk."

"No, Your Majesty!"

"The situation is tense right now, how can you enter this bustling city without permission!"

"Your Majesty must be joking."

The previously tense and solemn atmosphere was easily dispelled by the king.

The captain of the Royal Guard said, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Dejouk has won a great victory and hopes to reclaim those two colonies."

The queen said coquettishly, "Your Majesty, I have no one to rely on since I married into this family. I can't expect to ask the Red Castle for everything. I hope our love is free."

Henry VI raised an eyebrow. "You would love me even if I turned into a maggot."

"Of course," the Queen said, covering her mouth with a smile.

Seeing the Queen like this, many nobles cursed inwardly, but her beauty was indeed unmatched.

Henry VI laughed heartily and said, "Little Dougman."

"Father."

A royal guard knight stepped forward and knelt on one knee. He was the king's eldest son, born to the first queen, and now served in the Royal Guard. Out of respect for the explorer Dogman, he had asked the king to change his name, and this was permitted.

“You go to the bustling city yourself, deliver my crown there, sell the jewels for money, and get the Duke of Djouk to give up a few more colonies. Don’t always be so stingy.”

"No way!"

"Father, I am seriously ill."

"Your Majesty, please return to your quarters to rest."

"How dare the Queen wreak havoc on the Red Castle!"

Inside the hall, the crowd was indignant; the nobles were going crazy, and the king was acting without any regard for the consequences.

But in Henry VI's eyes, these men had woken him up, opposed him twice, bullied the Queen in person, and forbade him from meeting with the Duke of Djouk, whom his father considered a loyal subject—all of them harbored malicious intentions.

"Seventeen, come out! Seventeen!" Henry VI shouted.

A female knight in heavy armor stepped out of the ranks; she had delicate features and a cool demeanor.

Cheshire Lancaster, an elite Grand Knight.

Countess of Lemon Ridge, twenty-fourth in line to the throne.

At the same time, she was also the founder of the East Falvi Colonial Company, holding a 20% stake and being very wealthy.

When the high-ranking officials and nobles who had spoken out in protest saw the seventeenth princess, their hearts sank. Princess Chesia was the king's butcher's knife. Although she was on the margins of power, she was truly capable of killing anyone. They wondered who would suffer today.

"Kill them all."

"Yes, Father."

With a wicked grin, Si Ning drew her secret treasure sword from her waist and with a single slash, cut two high-ranking marquises in half at the waist.

"Mad King, you will die a horrible death!"

I curse you to have nowhere to rest in hell.

"The red rose of Lancaster will surely wither."

"Father, I'm setting off for the bustling city right now!"

"Too late, Seventeen killed him!"

The Red Keep was engulfed in a bloodbath. The usually dignified and solemn nobles howled and cursed. Princess Chesia wielded a butcher's knife and murdered her elder brother. The Queen lay in the King's arms, giggling incessantly, while the latter wore a proud smile.

The captain of the guards stared at the head of the king's eldest son, his heart churning violently as he trembled like a puppet.

In the queue, Viscount Heru, who had fled all the way to the capital, had now been promoted to Earl for his "merits". He stood with his father-in-law, Marquis Soren, feeling fortunate. Given the current situation, war was bound to break out, and this might be an opportunity to reclaim his territory and make a fortune.

In a corner, the king's most favored painter was incredibly excited. He painted this scene, capturing the expressions of everyone with lifelike realism, and finally, he put on his brush and wrote: "The Peaceful Red Castle."

……

A chaotic corridor in the north, a bustling port.

After a seven-day voyage, the fleet returned from the waters of Calibib. The Duke of Djouk personally came out to greet them, and the harbor was filled with onlookers. Despite the huge investment in the war and the losses suffered by their side, the positive impact of the victory was immeasurable.

Amid cheers, the fleet's main commanders and captains arrived at the Duke's Castle.

The group took their seats around the long table, where candlelight flickered and silver cutlery shimmered in the interplay of light and shadow. The Duke of Djouk sat in the head seat, a rare sight, and smiled, with the elder with the sword standing guard beside him.

"Looking at the entire history of our family's expansion, your achievements in battle are commendable. Dejok has always adhered to the principle of tit for tat and rewarding merit. In this war, Earl of Rock and Baron Browne commanded with great skill. Of course, our Baron Rhine had a decisive influence on the battle."

Warm applause broke out.

At the left of the long table, the Duke's eldest son wore a forced smile. Due to the leak of intelligence about the fleet's voyage, he had been having an exceptionally difficult time lately.

As Earl Rock clapped, he raised an eyebrow at someone. This person had killed the demon wolf William, and even though he was young, he certainly had the qualifications to be on equal footing with him.

Brownie returned the smiles to all the guests; Rhine was his vassal, and as his lord, he naturally shared in the glory.

"The Duke's leadership is excellent." Jiang He raised his glass in acknowledgment.

"The Duke's leadership is excellent!" Everyone raised their glasses in unison.

The Duke raised his glass in response, took a sip of the wine, and continued, “In the year 1530, Dogman seized enemy ships and sank six escort ships in the war with the Empire, rising from lieutenant to vice admiral. The old king made him an earl. Since there is a precedent, I will not be stingy. Besides, an earldom is nothing.”

The elder statesman read out the decree: three-quarters of the Duke's eldest son's earldom would be transferred to the Rhine, and the Duke would also grant him a colony no less significant than a standard marquessdom. The only problem was that this land was given away by the King.

Noticing the Duke's eldest son's hateful gaze, Jiang He thought to himself that acquiring these two lands would not come without a price. First, he had to continue helping Brownie fight in the arena to maintain balance. Second, if he wanted to obtain the colonial marquessdom, he would have to fight against the royal family.

Two land deeds and a decree of investiture as earl were delivered immediately.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Grace."

The Duke laughed and said, "I underestimated your talent and combat strength. Otherwise, I would have given you more opportunities. But it's not too late now. What do you think of the position of captain of the main fleet?"

The elder with the sword spoke up at the right moment: "The captain of a second-class cruiser cannot be appointed without outstanding military achievements. The Saint Lilith of the Count of Rhine can be handed over to someone else."

"Congratulations, Earl Rhein."

"A promotion indeed! The Duke is truly generous."

"The Saint Lilith seems to be somewhat mysterious."

Amidst the chatter and congratulations, the Duke remained silent with a faint smile.

Brownie advised, "Count Rhine, we young people should listen to the advice of our elders. Sooner or later, we will have our own time to stand on our own."

Brownie felt his hint was very clear: he was only temporarily handing over the St. Lilith; once he inherited the Duke's title, he could easily return it to the other party.

Jiang He spoke up: "Gentlemen, my personal reward is just a drop in the ocean. In this naval battle, our side was ambushed by the enemy fleet at Kalib. Apart from someone leaking intelligence, I can't think of any other possibility. This time it may be a great victory, but next time it may not be. We must find out the truth as soon as possible."

After he finished speaking, the long table fell silent.

The group exchanged bewildered glances; such a thing had indeed happened during the naval battle.

Count Rock grinned, the Duke's eldest son turned pale, and the Duke himself lost his smile.

Brownie's eyes lit up. As the commander, it was obvious that the person who least wanted him to succeed was him. This might be a golden opportunity.

“Yes, we must take responsibility for the fallen soldiers. It is a basic moral obligation of a nobleman. Earl White Sail’s brother also died in the war. We must investigate this thoroughly.”

Compared to the promotion of a newcomer, the importance of investigating the traitor is clearly greater. Everyone knows that the naval battle is just the beginning, and in the war to come, no one can say that luck will continue to favor them.

The elder with the sword gave Brownie a gloomy look. Brownie was wavering from side to side, lacking a firm will and unlikely to amount to much. When the Duke ordered the stripping of the eldest son's land, many people present realized the truth. Otherwise, stripping the land would have been a very serious political signal. The Duke simply did not want to air his dirty laundry in public. As the youngest son and a competitor for the heir, Brownie was jumping around and did not gain any favor.

“That makes sense. I’ll leave this to Earl Rock. I don’t want Dejouk to end up losing face in the future,” the Duke said.

"Understood." Earl Rock nodded in response. With his eldest son out of power, the Duke was going to use him as a bargaining chip to balance the situation.

As for investigating traitors, we can't really investigate them, because if we find something wrong, it would be a big problem.

The celebratory dinner continued, with beautiful waitresses serving dishes. The main courses consisted of white bread and breadfruit, a specialty of the Chaotic Lands. The cold cuts included ham, sausage, and bacon, sliced ​​thinly or in small pieces and served with cheese. The vegetable salad was mixed with rare spices, fruit, and honey.

The main course, roasted lamb, is made from a selection of lambs, coated with sauce, and roasted until the skin is golden and crispy while the inside is tender and juicy. There are also several soup options to try to satisfy the guests' tastes.

Jiang He drank half a barrel of Dragon Blood Wine. Although this wine is named after dragon blood, it has nothing to do with real dragon blood. The ingredients are selected from the Flame Fruit, which is often used to keep warm in winter in the chaotic land. After being brewed, the originally orange-red fruit pulp turns dark like blood and is extremely potent. One cup is enough to make a person drunk.

The Duke cut the lamb chop with his knife and fork, saying casually, "Count Rhine, with war imminent, I hope someone can share the burden. Since you are unwilling to serve as the captain of the main ship, then the merchant ships of the Royal Merchant Guild and the East Falvi Colony will be left to you to handle."

Jiang He asked knowingly, "Duke, isn't it time for a full-scale war yet?"

The Duke laughed and said, "So if you can rob merchant ships as a pirate, Brownie will issue you a letter of privateering."

The nobles who overheard the conversation fell silent; this was no longer a promotion in name only.

"I will certainly share the Duke's burdens." Jiang He raised his glass and said, "I have heard that raiding merchant ships at sea often requires long and continuous voyages. Is it possible to get some help from the wizards?"

The Duke waved his hand, and the Elder with the Sword handed over a pass to the Wizard's Tower.

"Take care of it yourself. If you want to sell the stolen goods, just contact Olivia. She's been in charge of the Djouk Chamber of Commerce for the past few years."

"clear."

The celebratory banquet lasted until evening, when the nobles took their leave one after another.

The elder swordsman bowed, "Master?"

The Duke sipped his wine and said, "The injury is indeed severe; it will take two or three months to fully recover."

The elder with the sword whispered, "Count Rhein is ambitious. During the naval battle, he first disobeyed orders and then left the battlefield, which shows his willful and reckless behavior. Whether it is the eldest son or the youngest son, they will be difficult to control in the future."

After a brief silence, the Duke sighed softly.

"Use it while being cautious."

……

Outside the castle.

Jiang He walked down the brightly lit street.

He didn't have a fixed place to stay in the bustling city, so he preferred to go back to the ship to rest.

A crow swooped down from the sky and landed precisely and skillfully on my shoulder. Several white seagulls bid a reluctant farewell to their newly acquainted leader.

“Boss, while you were keeping an eye on the Duke, I got a lot of information.”

Wuhe whispered, "The Duke's eldest son not only betrayed the Northern Fleet, but also has ties with the Holy Blood Church. The intelligence was passed to Wyatt through the church. In addition, the White Gulls have been paying attention to the Wizard Tower and have stolen most of the data. There are a few that I think you might be interested in."

Jiang He looked at the player panel, and Wu He had entered several pieces of knowledge about alchemy wizards into the friends list.