Imperial Crown.

Chapter 574 The Mysterious Messenger

Raven got dressed and went to the reception room on the first floor.

Standing there was a man whose attire was distinctly different from that of the Nord Province. He had a full, thick beard, a stout build, and was wrapped in layers of robes like a mummy, yet his tall stature gave him a lean and streamlined appearance. A towel-like bandage clung to his head, intertwined with his hair, binding it securely. His eyes were piercing, and his thick, dark eyebrows, like two sharp axes, slanted upwards. He was quite striking. He stood calmly in place, with no apparent sign of weapons on his person.

"And who are you?" Raven asked, a question forming in his mind.

Upon hearing the voice, the other person turned around. Seeing Raven, he didn't bow but chuckled and said, "Marquis Raven, I've long admired your name. My name is Ochsson Nell, a duke."

Upon hearing this, Raven sat up again, "Oh, so you are Grand Duke Ochison of the Insa Empire. I am so sorry for not greeting you sooner."

On the continent of Miders, noble titles are almost universally accepted. Although Raven is a marquis of the Keynes Empire, he still has to show deference to a duke of the Insa Empire. However, Raven clearly has no interest in this; simply standing up to speak is already the greatest expression of his sincerity.

"Please sit," Raven gestured. He sat down only after the other man had done so. He glanced at Koru outside the door; Koru immediately brought in tea, then closed the door behind him and left. Raven blew on the hot tea, knowing full well what was going on, and asked, "Why isn't Your Excellency enjoying a peaceful life in your own territory? Why have you braved the snow and come to this godforsaken Snowmaple County?"

"hehe"

Ochison took a sip of hot tea, let out a pleasant sigh, and smiled. "The weather this year is strange, a once-in-a-century freezing disaster. There's nothing to do staying in the territory, so I thought I'd come out for a stroll and see the world."

"Oh? I'd like to hear more." Although Raven was extremely disgusted by such polite words, this was the way nobles interacted and the rules were, which Raven could not change. He could only patiently raise his eyebrows and pretend to be very interested as he pressed on with the question.

"I started from Langqing Province and went to Slave Bay first," Ochison said, a strange smile appearing on his face. "Oh, Raven, let me tell you, Slave Bay is amazing! You have to go to Slave Bay! It's a real treasure trove. There's nothing they can't get their hands on—elves, orcs, goblins, dwarves…you name it…" Getting carried away, Ochison put down his teacup and gestured with his hands in the air. "The taste of the elves is truly wonderful, but you have to be discerning. You have to pick the ones that have already been cultivated and trained. The virgins, on the other hand, are utterly uninteresting. Raven, I swear on my noble honor, a man who hasn't been to Slave Bay has truly wasted his life. You understand what I mean, right?"

Raven found this somewhat amusing. He had almost taken in both the Elven Empress and her daughter, and hadn't found them particularly different from humans. Aside from better figures, more seductive voices, and younger looks… that was about it. Clearly, Ochison was deliberately bringing up these topics to quickly build rapport and pave the way for his next business. However, Raven found it odd. Did he really have to bring up such things to build a relationship? Was he, Little Bee, some kind of lecherous person? It was utterly baffling. Anyway, Raven swore that at this moment, he was an absolutely pure and innocent sage. "Congratulations, Your Excellency. I'm not very knowledgeable in this area," Raven added casually at the end, "nor am I interested."

puff--

Ochison spat out his second sip of tea as soon as he took a sip. "Sorry, the tea... is a bit too hot."

"Then please drink slowly," Raven said, somewhat annoyed. He wondered how long this guy was going to keep rambling on and on.

“Tsk,” Ochison frowned slightly. “But for some reason, these elves age exceptionally quickly once they leave the Elf Empire.” “This has created a situation where they are in high demand and short supply, and spending the whole night with them costs a lot of money.”

Raven could tell from Ochison's expression that the other man seemed genuinely pained. This stirred up many memories for Raven, reminding him of the three Shadow Brotherhood members who specialized in capturing and selling elves, and the fact that the Elf Empress couldn't leave the Forbidden Zone. However, Raven wasn't interested in any of these things right now. He had many worries.

Perhaps sensing Raven's lack of interest, a flicker of surprise crossed Ochison's eyes. He quickly changed the subject, saying, "Then I'll tell you something that might interest you, Lord Raven." "I spent some time in Slaver's Bay, and I encountered a particularly arrogant fellow." "You'll never guess who this guy is, Lord Raven," Ochison chuckled, keeping him in suspense. Only after Raven gave in and pressed for details did he laugh heartily, "He was a vampire! Haha, that idiot even tried to blackmail me, but he was only level four, while I was level five. So I broke off two of his fangs." With that, Ochison swiped his ring, produced two fangs, and handed them to Raven, "Consider it a small gift."

Raven found it increasingly familiar, but still calmly offered his thanks.

"Hmm?" Ochison was slightly shocked to see that Raven remained unmoved. This guy was indeed extraordinary. So young, yet so cunning. Seeing is believing. Seeing that Raven wasn't fooled or taking the bait, Ochison said unhappily, "Aren't you curious about who this vampire is? This guy couldn't take it anymore after I beat him, so he used your name to beg for mercy." "It seems..." "It seems his name is something like Wei... something..." "Lian something..." "Tsk tsk..." "Spineless." "I only spared this guy's life because of you." "That's also why I came to Snow Maple County."

Raven shook his head again, saying calmly, "I don't know him." "Your Excellency has clearly been deceived." "I, Raven, have always been upright and righteous! I abhor vampires, witches, the Order of the Death Hand... I kill every one of these dark creatures I see." "I did encounter a vampire before, and I quickly sent him to the stake to be burned to death."

"I see."

Ochison nodded in deep agreement. "I was even hoping to use this favor to exchange for some Angel's Tears." "I should have just cut off that vampire's head!"

“You have come from afar, Your Excellency.” Raven smiled. “How could I let you leave empty-handed?” “I can make the decision. When you leave, I will give you 100 bottles of the collector’s edition Angel’s Tears.”

"Oh?" Ochison was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. "How could I possibly accept such a favor?" "If word got out, wouldn't people accuse me of bullying the weak?" "Marquis Raven, let me tell you the truth. Your name, 'Little Bee,' is renowned throughout the Insa Empire, known to every household." "Before meeting you, I always thought it was an exaggeration and hearsay, but now I'm convinced." "Just for our first meeting, you've been so generous. My Nell family is determined to be your friend!" "It's nothing but a small gift." Raven finished his tea and put the lid back on.

Seeing this, Ochison's eyes flickered, knowing that he had laid the groundwork enough and it was time to get to the main course. "Lord Raven," Ochison said, knowing that he was just a duke of the Insa Empire and had no influence over Raven, so he hadn't put on any airs since they met and had always addressed Raven as "Your Excellency" fairly. "Are you interested in riddles?"

"Hmm?" Raven raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Looks like I'm about to hear one."

Ochison laughed heartily, finding the conversation with such a clever person incredibly satisfying, like a blissful BDSM session. "Inside a room, there are four people: a king, a priest, and a wealthy man." "However, none of these three possess the talent to become heroes; they are merely ordinary people." "And there is one more person, a superhuman mercenary." "Now, the other three have ordered the mercenary to kill the other two. I would like to ask Lord Raven, 'In the end,' 'who among the three survived?'"

Raven thought for a moment, "Why can't it be a mercenary?"

“Oh?” Ochison shook his head, somewhat disappointed. “Killing the king makes the mercenary a regicide, and he will have no place to stand in the world.” “Killing a priest makes the mercenary a blasphemer, and he will live in darkness for the rest of his life.” “Killing a rich man will not earn him a single gold coin.” “Do you really think a mercenary can do such things?”

Seeing Raven remain silent, Ochison finally regained some confidence; otherwise, he would have truly suspected that the man opposite him wasn't just 36 years old, but some ancient monster. Ochison continued, his words like a devil's whisper, "Power, in essence, is merely an illusory shadow." "But it is omnipresent and all-pervasive." "As a nobleman, Lord Raven, you must understand that power is the most wondrous thing in the world." "It is a man's aphrodisiac, capable of curing a man's 30 years of impotence." "It is a woman's lust; even the most beautiful woman will be infatuated with it, willingly offering herself up and becoming a harlot."

After saying this, Ochison paused, allowing Raven a moment to process it, before continuing, "Lord Raven, although you are a marquis," "you have neither expanded your fiefdom nor been crowned by the Papacy." "If you wish, our Insa Empire has a cardinal named Sassenton. He can perform the marquis coronation ceremony for you." "With the Papacy's approval, even Keynes XVI has no right to strip you of your title!" "As for your fiefdom, there's no need to worry. Our Insa Empire is willing to offer an entire province as your marquisate."

"Looks like I gave you too much face." Raven coldly raised his eyes, his dark gaze icy. "Ochison, have you forgotten why my wife Nancy died?" Although Nancy ostensibly died at the hands of bandits, the Insa Empire was behind it all. The Insa Empire plotted against Raven's stronghold precisely to force him to withdraw his troops from Eivor sooner. "Please leave, Mr. Ochison." Raven stood up. "Even if I die at Habs's hands, I will never betray my country."

"Ha ha"

Ochison shook his head and laughed. "Raven, Raven, you're still young." "You think you can resist the entire Keynesian imperial machine just because you used some tricks to control a small Snowmaple County?!" "I think you're not just arrogant! You're utterly stupid!" "Even if you occupied the entire Nord Province, you would never be a match for the Keynesian Empire!" "Nancy Fox?!" "Hmph!" "You're a nobleman! Not one of those lowly freemen! Serfs!" "Women are nothing but playthings to be summoned and dismissed at will!" "Don't say such things that damage your noble status! You've actually fallen in love?" "When you become a true marquis, what woman can't you have?" "Besides, you deeply love Priestess Lux, and your marriage to Nancy is just a political alliance." "Don't you think it's absurd to use such an excuse to fob me off?"

Ochison stood up as well, speaking in a gentle and sincere tone: "Marquis Raven, you are still young, and I can understand your arrogance." "However, don't always judge me by my own standards! And don't underestimate the Insa Empire." "The Insa Empire disdains such backstabbing and chilling behavior; we prefer to crush our enemies on the battlefield." "I understand your reluctance to bear the stigma of treason." "I am here with absolute sincerity." "You can leave the Keynes Empire with me now and go to the Insa Empire, all conditions unchanged." "Isn't that better than staying here to die?"

Ochison walked up to Raven. "But I have one condition: you absolutely cannot betray us after the Insa Empire goes to war with the Keynes Empire!" "Raven, even a dog would make the right choice with this condition." "Don't disappoint me."

Raven was startled. "You're going to war with the Keynesian Empire?"

"Ha," Ochison's fleshy face showed a contemptuous expression. "Look at the mess this Keynes XVI has made." "Internally, he's persecuting loyal and meritorious officials like you." "Externally, he's turning a blind eye to the Orc Empire's invasion." "You don't know, do you? The province of Crispi fell more than a month ago!" "Why can't we pounce on this idiot and take a bite?!" "Raven, my sincerity is as clear as day. I bet any marquis would be tempted by these terms." "I've even shared this secret with you." "His Majesty King Hoken Bentham speaks highly of you, which is why he sent me to see you personally." "However, I must also tell you the truth: the reason I'm giving you such great favors is because of the recommendation of an old friend of yours."

“Old friends?” Raven frowned. He couldn’t recall having any friends in the Insa Empire, let alone old friends.

“Hehe,” Ochison chuckled, “You might not remember her name, but you’ll definitely recognize her nickname.” “Black Scorpion.” “McGinja Fluquincy.” “It was because of her strenuous efforts that His Majesty the King was persuaded.” “You didn’t know that, did you?” “She has been reinstated as an earl.” After saying this, Ochison added sourly, “Before coming here, I was a little puzzled. Did you, Little Bee, really have such great charm that women couldn’t sleep at night because of you?” “Now that I’ve met you in person, I finally understand a little better.”

"It's her?!" Raven was genuinely surprised. But he quickly chuckled. "Doesn't the Grand Duke know about the conflict between us?" "This person swindled me out of a full 6 gold coins! How can you expect me to trust you?" "Your Excellency, please leave." "We have different paths." "We cannot work together."

Ochison's face darkened. "You brat!" "It was clearly 4.5 gold coins, how did it become 6 gold coins?"

Raven licked his lips. "Isn't there interest?" "But there's something else I'm curious about. What did she do to regain her title? Doesn't His Majesty the King worry about her making a comeback?" You see, McKinya's Fluquinsi family is a collateral branch of the descendants of the Mad King Frederick. And Frederick was once the most famous emperor of the Insa Empire!
“That’s none of your concern, you little bee on the verge of collapse.” Ochison was clearly unwilling to discuss the topic further. “I’ll be staying in Eagle City for a while.” “Raven,” “Man’s patience has its limits.”

After saying this, Ochsson turned and left the castle, got into his carriage and drove away in the snow.

……

(End of this chapter)