Throne of the North.

Chapter 625 The King's Treasure

There were prisoners of war in this battle.

However, Ryan was somewhat bewildered as he looked at the uniformly snake-shaped nuns in front of him and their nunneries, which could only be seen upon close inspection.

"Aren't there any others?"

He asked Signy, who shook his head and casually replied:

"Bogeld said he didn't need anything else, so he killed him."

Do I look like that kind of degenerate person?

Lord Ryan roared angrily, then looked at the nuns.

"How pitiful."

After struggling for a long time, Lord Ryan finally waved his hand.

“Send it to Archbishop Adriana. This year, due to the fortress fortifications, we have provided her with far fewer supplies. Next time we send supplies, we will bring these people along as well. We will say that they are devout believers rescued from within the Dawn Church.”

"They've been brainwashed to this extent, they must be incredibly devout."

Ryan also considered that he dared not use them at all, and that their faith in the Lord of Dawn was so twisted to an extreme that who knew if they might bite him one night.

"Where is Knight Daryl?"

……

Seeing this legendary knight again, he was clearly much stronger, exuding a heavy aura.

He came for the Kingdom of Andara.

"Lord Ryan, do you have any good ideas regarding the Black Swan assassins within the Kingdom of Andara?"

Daryl cut to the chase: the Black Swan assassins weren't just confined to the Empire. The Kingdom of Andara, the original traitor, was also deeply hated by the Church, yet they lacked the resources to defend themselves effectively.

"The nobles who were killed had too much influence. The Kingdom of Andara is not a large country. The death of a baron is enough to cause an uproar in the capital for a while, not to mention that the Black Swan is targeting all nobles."

Regarding the Black Swan incident, the Kingdom of Andara naturally sought help from the Flor Empire several times. The emperor dispatched a portion of his army as per standard procedures, but to no avail.

There's no such thing as being able to guard against thieves for a thousand days if you're a thief for a thousand days. The Black Swan assassins come and go without a trace, and the Empire's help is simply not enough to effectively stop them from assassinating the nobles.

The Kingdom of Andara can't hold on any longer; they need to come up with more solutions.

“Within the kingdom, more than a dozen nobles have died. Now, the nobles are all in danger, and no one is willing to leave their castle.”

After listening, Ryan sighed and said:

"This is a disaster caused by the Dawn Church, Your Excellency Daryl."

“We are all deeply involved, and I think you are well aware that the number of Black Swan assassins within the Empire far exceeds that of the Kingdom of Andara.”

“We are not afraid of the war launched by the Papacy, but the lives of the nobles are difficult to protect in the dark.”

"The Vatican's hypocritical denial of the existence of Black Swans means that the nobles of the Kingdom of Andara will have to pay a huge price to deal with these evil assassins. Of course, if you can afford the price, I am also willing to provide you with professional support."

"My suggestion is simple: the king should initiate the effort, unite with the kingdom's nobles, and form a special extraordinary army to hunt down the Black Swan assassins throughout the kingdom."

"Black Swan assassins are also human beings. They also need to live the life that humans need. If you are careful, you can actually find their traces during the day."

"I believe the Kingdom of Andara is fully capable of doing it. The Black Swan assassins who entered the Kingdom of Andara are not that powerful. If all goes well, we should be able to eliminate the Black Swans soon."

"Of course, you can also accept my second proposal, which is that I will personally send my people to help you deal with the black swan."

“However, Sir Daryl, I am an imperial nobleman. Without the emperor’s order, my army cannot enter the territory of the Kingdom of Andara. Therefore, the people I send cannot openly receive any help from the Frozen Territory, nor is this a deal between the Kingdom of Andara and Ryan.”

“If we accept this, then this deal cannot be written into the contract, as this cannot guarantee the interests of both of us.”

Knight Daryl pondered, and Ryan offered two methods. The first was to rely entirely on the Kingdom of Andara's own efforts.

But this is too difficult. The nobles are terrified and are clinging desperately to the guards, fearing that if the guards leave today, the Black Swan assassin will appear in their bedrooms tonight.

The lack of trust in the king stems from the fact that the current king of the Andara Kingdom does not hold true authority in the eyes of the nobles.

They outwardly show respect, even swearing loyalty to the death, but respect and loyalty are one thing, and that doesn't mean they're fools who blindly follow whatever the king says.

Everyone has a scale in their heart, and in the Kingdom of Andara today, the king clearly does not have the same heavy weight as his father.

Moreover, the process of forming a special army would be very long, and by the time it was completed, most of the kingdom's nobles would probably be dead.

"I came here seeking your help, Ryan, but if you cannot openly send troops to assist me, are you confident in dealing with those Black Swan assassins?"

The Kingdom of Andara was in a terrible state due to the Black Swan assassins, and it could be said that every nobleman harbored a deep-seated fear of them.

"Of course, Sir Daryl probably doesn't know that there are no more black swans in the Northwind Province now."

"This is forbidden territory for them."

“I will send people, and within three months at most, we can clear the black swans from the territory of the Andara Kingdom.”

Daryl nodded; he didn't doubt Ryan.

Moreover, he came here to seek help, and he did not want the Kingdom of Andara to resolve the issue on its own.

Why use Ryan's hand? The reason is simple: the Kingdom of Andara fears incurring the wrath of the Dawn Church.

However, the nobles of the Empire did not have this concern. The Dawn Church would only resent the Imperial nobles for causing them heavy losses, thus ignoring the Andara Kingdom's malice towards the Dawn Church.

The Kingdom of Andara is also very shrewd. They only want to hide behind the Flor Empire and oppose the Dawn Church, cheering them on. They have absolutely no courage to actually take action.

"So, Ryan, what do you want?"

This transaction naturally came at a price; the Kingdom of Andara paid Baron Ryan for the personnel he dispatched.

"Me? I don't know yet. I'll send someone to help you resolve this problem first, and then I'll tell you what you'll have to give in return."

“After all, we have a deep friendship, so I can definitely help you first.”

"You came so suddenly, I wasn't prepared either."

Ryan waved his hand and smiled helplessly, then continued:
"Since you've already agreed, while I can't openly help the Kingdom of Andara, I can still offer more support in this matter."

"The number of Black Swan assassins from the Dawn Church is ultimately limited. I will find a way to help you draw their hatred to your side."

"I also do not want the kingdom's nobles to die at the hands of the Black Swan assassins."

"What are you going to do?"

Daryl asked curiously.

“We have ready-made ways to mock them, don’t we? Among the group of Dawn Church clergy killed in the North, there was even an archbishop.”

“I will use their corpses to warn the Dawn Church of their despicable acts. If that Pope still cares about the Church's prestige, he will surely send the Black Swan assassins from the Kingdom of Andara closer to me.” “Then, your nobles will be safe.”

……

An incredibly lucky guy has appeared in Zero Crossing City!

As Euler Booker strutted arrogantly down the streets of Zero City, everyone around him gritted their teeth, their eyes filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

"Why? Why did such a weakling receive that reward worth a thousand gold coins! It even included the chance to bathe in dragon blood."

"He will soon no longer be weak. After being bathed in dragon blood, he will become the most powerful adventurer in Zero Crossing City and will be qualified to compete for the title of one of the Eight Knights."

"It is said that his ancestors were from a branch of nobility, and perhaps he will once again bear the weight of noble glory."

Many people envied Euler's luck, because he completed Baron Ryan's commission all by himself and pocketed the expensive reward all by himself.

In the end, those who were once in the same team as Euler naturally regretted it. They begged Euler for help, and after being rejected, they fiercely criticized Euler for having no team spirit. They were clearly an adventure team, but he was selfish and selfish.

The people of Zero Crossing City were very supportive of them, and the reason was not difficult to understand; it was purely out of jealousy.

Jealousy prevented them from considering the true truth; they only wanted to condemn the other party.

Regardless, Ora Booker will receive the Northern Heroes Guild's reward alone; they are no longer of the same class.

This result drove the envious crazy, and made them even more eager to become the next Euler Booker.

"I heard that guy has already sent a letter of invitation to Baron Ryan and will be going to the Frozen Territory to bathe in dragon blood in a couple of days."

"Damn it, why wasn't it me who discovered the traces of those Dawn Church personnel? If I had, I would have definitely distributed those thousand gold coins to everyone. How would I spend so many gold coins?"

Many people fantasize about being the protagonist, while some of them encourage the adventurous spirit of adventurers.

"Do you know why Lord Ryan was willing to offer such a generous reward as thousands of gold coins and the opportunity to bathe in dragon blood?"

"So many gold coins! Even other noble lords would be tempted to try their luck."

"You know why?"

These people's curiosity was easily aroused, and once someone brought up the topic, many people naturally gathered around to guess what the nobleman was thinking.

"Lord Ryan, it's for an even greater fortune."

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized something, as if they had discovered a great secret.

"Yes, the Baron is willing to offer a reward of a thousand gold coins. Is he after a fortune worth ten thousand gold coins?"

"Wow~ 10,000 gold coins! If I had so many gold coins, how would I spend them?"

"Hehe, all you can think of is ten thousand gold coins. Baron Ryan not only took out a thousand gold coins, but also the invaluable opportunity to bathe in dragon blood."

"It is said that those clergy from the Dawn Church even received orders to assassinate the Baron, and they have already been killed by the Baron's followers."

“Those clergymen possessed more than ten thousand gold coins.”

"But this is not the ultimate goal."

"It is said, just said, that those priests from the Dawn Church appeared in the North because of a huge treasure."

"They even came for the Pope, for the treasure that the Pope wanted."

hiss~
A chill ran through them; the North was already cold enough, and these people made the temperature drop even further.

"A treasure that even His Holiness the Pope is interested in?"

Treasures, like the Dragon Quest, are something that any human can't help but yearn for.

What kind of treasure is it?

"The King's Treasure of the Kingdom of Nantes".

Some people said with absolute certainty:
“I went out of my way to find those adventurers from the south. Did you know that a terrible war has broken out in the south of the empire? Even Baron Ryan recently went to the south to participate in the war.”

"The war destroyed the Kingdom of Nantes, and their kings all disappeared."

"The kingdom has been destroyed?"

Everyone was shocked. What kind of war was that? Luckily, it was far away from them.

"It was said by those adventurers from the south. It's true. The capital of the Kingdom of Nantes was said to have been destroyed by the power of the gods, and that land was turned into ruins. The king of Nantes fled to the north with immense wealth, and he is trying to restore his kingdom."

"He buried the entire kingdom's wealth in the North."

"The reason why Baron Ryan sought out those clergymen of the Dawn Church and helped the King of Nantes kill them was to curry favor with His Majesty the King. Baron Ryan wanted a share of the kingdom's wealth."

"But those treasures were buried under the snow and wind of the North, and no one has found them."

Upon hearing these words, everyone's eyes became uneasy. The wealth and treasures of an entire kingdom! They weren't greedy; even just one percent of it would surpass the fortune of that lucky man, Euler Booker.
If they find it... how will they spend it? It's hard to imagine.

Everyone was engrossed in frenzied thought. Meanwhile, in the distance, on the main street of Zero Crossing City, seemingly to verify the words of the one who had spoken, a powerful cavalry force entered Zero Crossing City. They dragged corpses one by one onto the square. The corpses were all clergy members of the Dawn Church, dressed in magnificent robes of believers, inspiring awe in everyone.

But they are now corpses, and their bodies have been dragged here to be viewed by onlookers.

"The nobles of the Empire will absolutely not tolerate assassins belonging to the Dawn Church carrying out such a shameless and despicable assassination of the noble King of Nantes!"

"The Kingdom of Nantes is worthy of the favor of a great god and the protection of all nobles. If the Dawn Church wants to kill him, it is a betrayal of the immortal God of Light!"

The knight shouted loudly, his words clearly showing his support for the King of Nantes.

To the adventurers, it sounded like the baron was making an unwarranted attempt to curry favor with His Majesty the King.

"Kingdom Treasures..."

Many people became enthusiastic.

In fact, Ryan on Rhinoceros Horn Mountain was just as eager for this treasure.

"His Holiness the Pope of Dawn personally dispatched a high-ranking archbishop with two disciplinary priests from the Holy Land, all to find the King of Nantes."

"What secret does he hold that makes the Pope so nervous?"

Ryan's gaze fell on his followers. Brand was not suitable. After looking around, his eyes finally landed on Wolfskin Ulf.

“Those nuns from the Vatican should still know some information. We can extract it through interrogation. Also… we can add more requests to the Northern Heroes Guild.”

"Find His Majesty the King of Nantes, and as for the reward..."

"Don't write down the payment."

Unpaid commissions, ironically, drove even more people crazy.

(End of this chapter)