novelraw Chapter 743 - 742 - Naive
Chapter 743 - 742 - Naive
"HA! Just as I expected, those women have no idea how to rule an empire!" A large but fairly well muscled man slammed a metal cup onto a tempered stone table. A barely clad woman was sent sprawling as his heavily bearded face was covered in a smile and bits of food.
A partially consumed feast was surrounded by somewhat nervous lords of the Kingdom of Luoxia. It was situated far to the east of the Sanctuary Empire but it had been a hub of trade due to their rich resources.
It was surrounded by orange tinted mountains that were constantly filled with the sounds of ringing metal and shouting. The war had been going badly but then Lind Frey returned to save them all and new Immortals came along.
King Luoxia XVIII had seen opportunities to increase his treasure vaults but the newly christened Sanctuary Empire gobbled up all the good spots before he could move.
The man had hoped the Moebius Sect would come back as training new disciples had limits and would likely just rebuild, but an empire was very different.
Many middle and low powers happily joined the new Empire as their previous overlords had fallen.
The northern territories especially had been devastated but King Luoxia felt constrained. He only had an ancestor Immortal watching over them, but now a fresh faced Immortal man had come to join them!
The idiot had been all arrogant until the ancestor brought him to heel. The King smiled as recalled that humbling vision. The ancestor was old, not dead.
He was also a peak Sliver Tier so a freshly minted one had zero chance of defying him.
The half dozen lords around the large table ate and drank carefully. They were happy that several of their subordinates were doing the dirty work but felt their King was underestimating the Empresses' abilities.
"Majesty, I feel it important to confirm no trace can come back to us? The swift and vicious attack that group once did–" The slim man's head suddenly disappeared as blood flew into the air.
"Anyone else want to say something stupid?" All the faces paled as the King now held a blooded saber in his hand. No one had even seen him move!
All their heads shook quickly as he laughed and picked up the quivering woman on the stone floor.
"Now, where were we?" He began to ravage her right there in front of them all. One of the lords turned red but could do nothing. It was his daughter!
They were about to resume the feast when the double stone doors were slammed open. A well muscled man entered and his aura was terrifying but controlled. The lords wished very much for a window to jump out of but the room was enclosed by wooden paneled walls with light crystals in chandeliers above them.
There was not even a fireplace as it would be a weakness but there was a massive display of a dead aether beast hide displayed over a crossed set of spear and sword. It was a shadowfire bear that was a difficult enemy to fight.
It was a simple display of power as the current King had taken it down alone when such a beast would normally take 6 to 8 people to bring it down.
His peak Sun Tier aura flared in rage that did make the lords flail in the high back chairs they all sat in.
"How dare you interrupt–" His booming voice was cut off as the Immortal aura slammed into him.
The bare muscles were exposed by the simple leather vest and pants the man wore but his square jawed face was calm as his gray eyes looked at the King like he was looking at an idiot.
"Do you have any idea what you have done?" The voice was calm but cold. The King tried to stand up but Immortal aura kept him in place. "Before you go whining, I am here with the approval of Master."
Those words made the entire room take on a different tone. The Immortal noticed the naked woman weeping and a vein pulsed on his forehead.
He summoned a cloak and draped it over her before gently picking her up and placing her on a couch to one side of the room. His actions enraged the King but the lords trembled.
"You think you are safe but you think too small, Lenn." The use of the King's first name made the man turn deep crimson as he clearly wanted to shout but the Immortal ignored him.
The pressure lifted from the lords suddenly.
"Go, return to your lands quickly. You will see why." They bowed and fled like a nightmare was behind them but one paused. His graying head glanced at the girl with a pleading in his amber eyes. "Take your daughter and go."
A grateful look passed before the old man swiftly picked up his daughter who wept into his arms as they left.
"Y–y–you dare!" The King barely got the 2 words out and blood flowed from his nose until the Immortal let him go.
"You are right I dare! By the spirits, do you not understand what is happening right now?!" The saber tried to strike him but it was child's play to dodge it without issue.
A few moments passed and then the saber blade was caught between 2 fingers like it was just a toy!
"Satisfied yet?" The Immortal looked displeased but restrained his response as the King roared.
"Declan, you are my weapon! How dare you defy–" A new aura slammed into King Lenn but that one made all the blood drain from his face and disperse his anger.
"Calmed down now? You enjoyed the abortive conflict the Crimson Syndicate had to endure in your place? They kidnapped a royal to reap the benefits of mines the Sanctuary Empire held! What were you thinking?!" The King sneered but kept his tone respectful.
"I proved those wenches are reactionary and overbearing. I showed they use a hammer to strike an ant! Only foolish idiots react like that!" He was not wrong. Many new leaders often overreacted or did not react at all.
It took time to settle into the role of ruler but even the best advisor could not see all aspects of it. Even so, King Luoxia was smart enough to offer up a sacrifice he could afford. Now that the Alliance saw how desperately the women acted, they would demand sanctions from the Empire.
Powers that could not properly judge their foe was a major issue and waste of resources.
Declan grabbed the bridge of his nose before breathing deeply for a bit.
"I only know his Majesty, Emperor Frey, the best but I have spent my time in the wide world learning and you seem to have a bias in your views that have left us vulnerable. The wives of the Emperor are from various races and walks of life." Declan tried to explain but saw disdain in the eyes looking at him so he chose to skip it.
A jade slip was tossed to the King who examined it.
"The point is that they have been together for almost the whole time and have grown stronger with the passage of time. Those women settled and built the Moebius Sect from scratch while stomping out both political and literal enemies like gnats! They never suffered a single defeat!" The King was shaking before the jade slip shattered.
His hand was bloody as he stood up in rage once more!
"How could they betray us?!" The slip contained a detailed financial report. The Crimson Syndicate had been wiped out, as expected, but shortly afterward, things spiraled.
The merchants and guilds that once happily kept goods flowing in their kingdom had begun to abandon them. A better deal from the Sanctuary Empire it seemed. How could they move so fast?!
Further, the Alliance had sent a warning to him! They knew what happened already?!
"They already knew, you idiot! Emperor Frey did not wait for threats, he sought them out and prepared for when they acted! They are the same as him! He felt safe leaving the Empire in their hands! How idiotic could you be?!" Declan's words made the King want to shout but then a minister came running in.
"Majesty! The Heavenly Maiden Sect has escorted auditors to look over our ledgers! They are already going through the major lords and ladies!" The King stumbled back but Declan just shook his head as if he had already expected it.
"ANCESTOR! STRIKE DOWN OUR ENEMIES!" The King roared but nothing happened. No change in the fine weather outside nor a shaking of the castle.
"You still don't get it. I am not here to explain how you screwed up and how to fix it. I am here to tell you that you have already lost. They were ready to gut the heart of your power, the merchants and trade routes without interfering in the Alliance needs. Further, they presented evidence of your involvement in it." The choice of words seemed to pierce the King's fragile state.
"'Your' kingdom?" Declan actually smiled wide for a change.
"Master is leaving and so am I. Immortals are meant as last lines of defense for the war. We are not beholden to idiots. You were too naive to think you could play with fire and be unscathed. Enjoy your crumbling kingdom!" Declan then left and an old man went with him.
Lenn tried to stop them but then 2 Maidens entered with grim looks on their faces.
"King Lenn Luoxia VIII, you are found guilty of violating the rules of the Alliance, in accordance with war time laws, you will be taken into custody and then tried by a tribunal. Your royal status is revoked but you may avoid execution if you are able to compensate the Alliance." Their words did not sink in as the once robust man seemed so small.
What had gone wrong? How had those whores done it all to him so quickly? How did they know how to do it?
Even at the end, King Lenn had no concept that each Empress was at least equal if not more adept at ruling as their husband. The Sanctuary Empire was not to be trifled with and he became the shining example of how powerful it really was.