Imperial Crown.

Chapter 16 I can do even more scumbag things

The door opened, and Judra and two knights carried Angel and left in a hurry under the gaze of many nobles.

This was a complete defeat for the entire Wharton family.

Ingres failed to predict the enemy's future and launched an army in anger. Even though he could have ended the battle with a smaller cost, he lost miserably because of his own paranoia and arrogance!
The prestige and reputation accumulated over the years were destroyed in an instant.

And everything he lost was taken by Raven.

As irritable, impulsive and unreasonable as Angel was, Raven appeared to be calm, reserved and polite.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Raven said, attracting everyone's attention. "As the organizer, I'm sorry to let you see such an indecent scene. As compensation, after the ceremony, I will give each family a bottle of Angel's Tears."

Viscount John's voice sounded: "Oh? So is today's cocktail party over? Baron Raven wouldn't be so stingy, right? We haven't even tasted much of this fine wine yet."

This remark immediately caused a good-natured laugh. Ingres's sudden attack just now really left everyone with little time to enjoy the wine.

Raven smiled and said, "Of course not. We will serve you food next. Please enjoy it."

The waiters brought the food to the long table and the maids served the delicious food. The most popular buffet banquet officially began.

Out of courtesy, the nobles came up to talk to Raven, and the content of the conversation was nothing more than to establish relationships and reminisce about the past - your grandfather and my great-grandfather once fought side by side on a certain battlefield, my great-grandfather once competed with your great-grandfather for a girl from a certain family.

Whether it is true or false is not important. What is important is to be able to talk and become familiar with people. Maybe one day it will be useful in the future.

However, most of the nobles would just chat with Raven for a few words and then leave. On the contrary, Denise was surrounded by many people - mainly the female relatives of the nobles present.

The nobles were ashamed to talk about profit, so they naturally would not personally negotiate the purchase price, but communication between noble women was another matter.

The banquet lasted until the evening. Both the guests and the hosts were very happy. Many nobles who lived nearby left by car, while those who lived a little further away chose to stay overnight and wait to set off the next day.

After a busy day, Raven returned to his room and leaned against the window to drink alone.

Just as he poured himself a glass of wine, Raven heard a knock on the door and whispered, "Come in."

The door opened, and a cool breeze blew through the hall. Raven looked back and was stunned.

It turned out to be Denise who came.

She had taken off the black clothes she had worn during the day and put on a white gauze dress. The hem of her skirt fluttered in the breeze, revealing her soft arms and two seductive ankles.

She walked gracefully to Raven and sat down. A fragrant breeze blew over her. Her face looked rosy due to the alcohol, and her eyes were moist and affectionate.

Raven took a deep breath, but leaned over and leaned against the wall: "Aunt, I advise you to leave quickly. My concentration is not that good."

“What else are you going to do,” Denise chuckled, “Strip me naked and throw me on the bed now?”

"Do you think I don't dare?" Raven suddenly turned around and got close to Denise's face, with undisguised aggression in his eyes.

His eyes swept over Denise's eyebrows, eyes, nose and lips, all the way down into the valley, then raised back up and moved closer.

Just as they were about to get close, Denise suddenly stood up and said, "Tsk, it's a pity that I'm not interested."

She walked to the window, took a new cup and poured herself some wine. She just took a sip when she frowned: "Why is it flowing amber and not angel tears?"

"I like it. What's it to you?" Raven snatched the glass from Denise's hand, drank the rest of the wine, and said impatiently, "Either strip yourself naked and throw yourself on the bed, or get out of here."

Denise frowned slightly and said unhappily, "Raven, you are such a scumbag."

"I can do something even more despicable right now." Raven sneered and poured himself another glass of wine: "For example, I can press you against the window and let everyone in Eagle Town see the heroic figure of their lord."

"...It seems that I really overestimated you." Denise shook her head angrily: "I don't know how Lux was persuaded by you."

She turned and walked to the door: "Today, there are thirteen nobles who are interested in purchasing Angel's Tears. Within half a month, you need to prepare another three hundred bottles of Angel's Tears. I will prepare the raw materials, so please hurry up and process it."

With a bang, the door was shut tightly.

Raven didn't look back, but just stared at the moon in the sky in a daze.

These damn nobles!
For Raven, today was a day of great victory. He thwarted Angel's offensive, obtained Judra's promise, and the Angel's Tears also sold well.

But he just wasn't happy.

Especially when I think of today's conversation with those nobles.

"Lord Raven, I heard that you were born in an orphanage. What was life like there?"

"Baron Raven, can you tell me what life is like for the untouchables in Mon'en City?"

"Lord Raven, I heard that your nickname is 'Little Bee'. Can you tell us how it came about?"

Snapped.

The silver cup was smashed on the windowsill, and Raven showed a trace of annoyance on his face: "Talk about your mother!"

Each of these nobles seemed polite, but their attitude was condescending. They looked at him as if he were a monkey, hoping to consolidate their superior status through his stories.

Their words and actions always reveal one message - it is an honor for you, little Karami, to stand with us.

Raven didn't like this feeling, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

He looked at his palm and let out a long breath: "It's still too weak."

Rank, military strength, honor, status, wealth...

He has none of these.

In terms of rank, he was just a mortal, but through the Eyes of Truth he could clearly see that all the nobles attending the meeting today, as long as they had a title, were at least first-level extraordinary.

In terms of military strength, he only has thirty-six private soldiers and Eric, a first-level extraordinary person.

In terms of honor and status, he was just a baron, and he had only 800 subjects under his command, not even as good as some knight subjects.

As for wealth - where did he get his wealth, the ninety gold coins in the warehouse?

This was a huge sum of money for him, but for most nobles, it was just the price of a set of everyday dress.

And the root of the problem lies precisely in wealth.

Without gold coins, there would be no way to become extraordinary, no way to support and arm the army, and no way to expand the industry he envisioned.

But fortunately, he now has a handle.

His eyes moved to the window. It was dark at night and Eagle Town was in darkness, but there were flickering lights in the three settlements on the other side of the river, especially in Shining Gold Town, which was brightly lit.

It was indeed satisfying to defeat Angel today, and Judra's promise was also serious, but Raven did not think that the Wharton family would really give up the two pieces of land, Eagle Mountain Quarry and Thousand Needles Jungle.

Qualified nobles are all thick-skinned and black-hearted, let alone an old man like Ingres.

After today's battle, unless Angel dies immediately and Judra succeeds him as the baron, the so-called promise will be nothing but empty talk.

What Raven really wants is the town of Shining Gold.

With an annual tax revenue of four to seven hundred gold coins, it is the largest market town within a hundred miles.

If it can be recovered, the Eagle Territory will have a stable source of tax revenue, more citizens who can be mobilized as soldiers, and the strength at hand will be expanded.

More importantly, the new products that Raven is going to promote next can also be produced and released in Shining Gold Town, reducing his dependence on Denise.

The knock on the door sounded again.

"Come in." Raven turned around and said with a smile: "If you really want to strip yourself naked, I hope you wear the lace I like..."

The voice got stuck in her throat because it was Eric who pushed the door open.

The face of this burly man, who was over 1.9 meters tall, was filled with panic and helplessness, and his peanut-sized eyes were wide open like hawthorns.

"Hey, you didn't hear anything." Raven rubbed his nose and changed the subject with a little embarrassment: "Is there something urgent?" "Uh, no, that, yes, Lord Raven!" Eric's mind turned for a while before he calmed down and walked forward to hand over a letter: "There is a letter for you."

Raven took the envelope and saw the wax seal [H&S]. His brows jumped. After opening the envelope, he found only a short sentence inside: Come to the Eagle Wing Inn in Shanjin Town alone immediately to see me. If you fail to show up after the deadline, the consequences will be at your own risk.

"Who delivered the letter?" Raven asked.

"A mysterious guy wearing a cloak, at least a second-level one." Eric replied respectfully, "He specifically asked to give this letter to you."

Raven asked, "Are there green patterns on the cloak, like snake scales?"

"Yes, sir," said Eric. "Do you have any idea?"

Raven didn't answer, his eyes became darker: "Eric, follow me."

The two of them left the castle and came to the gate of Eagle Wings in Shimmering Gold Town. Raven said, "Wait for me here."

Eric didn't understand why, but his loyal nature made him choose to carry out the order.

Raven touched his arm to confirm that the crossbow was loaded, then pushed open the door of the inn.

The smell of burning pine wood wafted into the air, mixed with a hint of wine and meat. The bald innkeeper looked up, then immediately lowered his head again.

"You have a tail." A deep voice suddenly sounded behind Raven.

Raven was not flustered: "I am a baron, of course I have to have bodyguards when I travel, and I did come in alone, is there a problem?"

"Follow me, don't play tricks." A man in a brown cloak walked in front of Raven. The edge of the cloak was inlaid with a circle of green scale-like patterns.

The Eye of Truth quietly opened at this moment, and a strong green light lit up under the cloak of the man in front of him, and two green spots were flashing on his waist and fingers.

A second-level Storm Swordsman, wearing an enchanted longsword and an enchanted ring.

really.

The hotel was silent. Raven followed the man up to the second floor and into the innermost room.

The man walked to the door of the room, pushed it open and stepped aside: "Go in."

After a brief pause and confirming that there were no traps at the door, Raven walked in.

In the living room, a young man with short blond hair parted in the middle was sitting on a bench with his arms and legs spread out, emitting a soft golden light, showing the strength of a first-level Knight of Light.

Green magical light was shining on her feet, waist, and fingers, and the necklace around her neck was shining with blue light.

Excellent grade enchanted item.

Behind him stood a man who looked exactly like the man outside the door. If it weren't for the beard, they would have been mistaken for the same person.

Although he was under great intimidation, Raven pulled a chair over and sat directly opposite the young man, which made the young man's eyes flash with anger: "Raven, I haven't allowed you to sit down yet, right?"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't expect that as a baron, I would need others' permission to sit down in my own territory." Raven said.

"How dare you!" The man behind the young man put his hand on the hilt of his sword: "Do you know who you are talking to?"

Raven picked up a grape from the table and threw it into his mouth. "Of course I know. Hyde Slater, the son of Earl Tyrone, is neither the most favored nor the most respected one."

This silenced the man.

Hyde finally sat up straight: "How do you know my identity?"

"It's simple." Raven pointed at the man behind him. "This kind of cloak is the standard for your family's elite private soldiers, the [Typhon's Fang]. I can't think of a young man who can command them, and whose initials are 'HS'. Apart from you, I can't think of anyone else."

"You are quite clever. This is the survival wisdom of the rats in the gutter." Hyde sneered: "Since you are so smart, why don't you guess why I called you here?"

"If you can't answer..."

His eyes were blue with gray, and looked particularly gloomy under the dim light in the room. He stretched out a finger and pushed it across his neck.

Raven pretended to be terrified: "Oh, my respected Lord Hyde, please forgive my arrogance and my sins. If you ask me for anything, I will do anything for you!"

Hyde showed a hint of pride on his face. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Raven frown and say, "Do you think I would say that, Mr. Hyde?"

Hyde's face turned pale for a moment: "You are seeking death! The dignity of the Slater family cannot be violated!"

"Well, very good, very impressive." Raven clapped his hands slowly: "If Earl Tyrone said this to me personally."

"You!" Hyde's face flushed red, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Aren't you afraid of me..."

"What am I afraid of you?" Raven asked, "Afraid you'll kill me here? Do you really dare, Master?"

Hyde's breath hitched in his throat.

It is true that he is the earl's son, but Earl Tyrone has two wives, seven sons and two daughters. Although he is the youngest son, all the love in the family falls on his sister.

If we really kill an imperial baron here, not to mention that Earl Tyrone probably won't protect him, even if he does, his brothers are also watching him!

"I won't kill you." Hyde said, "But I have many ways to make you live a life worse than death!"

Raven stared at him and asked innocently, "For example?"

"Like—" Hyde's voice got stuck in his throat, and then he froze.

Yeah, like what?

Use the resources in your hands to attack the economic lifeline of the Griffith family?
The Griffith family... does this really exist?

Or send people to destroy Eagle Town’s industries?

But there are only a few hundred acres of farmland in Xiongying Town. We can't let our men set fire to the farmland for fun, right? ?
Or threaten to kidnap Raven's family...like Denise or Vesdon.

But if these two were kidnapped, Raven would probably be very happy, right?

After thinking for a while, Hyde was surprised to find that he couldn't even find any evidence against Raven.

"So do you have anything else to say?" Raven asked. "If not, I'll leave first."

In just a dozen minutes, Raven had completely taken control of the conversation.

Hyde said glumly, "I do have something to ask you."

"I hope you can give up the title of Baron of Eagle Territory and give this title to me. Of course, I will not let you suffer any loss."

He clapped his hands, and the man behind him turned and left. Soon he carried a heavy wooden box with both hands and gently placed it between Raven and Hyde.

Hyde opened the lid, and the room was immediately filled with golden light: "Here are five thousand gold coins, is that enough?"

"Oh my, five thousand gold coins, that's a lot." Raven exclaimed, but reached out to close the lid of the box.

Hyde frowned, "What do you mean?"

Raven said, "What I mean is that the price you offered is too low."

"Raven, don't go too far!" Hyde slammed the table. "You are just a pariah who crawled out of the gutter, a gangster who mingled in the slums. You just got the title by chance. Do you really think you are a noble?"

After looking at him deeply, Raven stood up, turned around and walked out.

"The rainy season is about to arrive in Bloody Highlands, and a large number of bandits will come down there." Hyde shouted behind him:
"The nobles of the fiefdom have the responsibility to defend their land!"

"I'm waiting for you here. Remember, within a month, you will kneel here and beg me to accept your territory!"

……

(End of this chapter)