Do you have a problem with necromancers?

Chapter 36 Rat King
In the study, Renn was reading the interrogation records that Berthalia had brought.

Diamond was also brought in, fully shackled, to await Lord Renn's judgment.

“The Delacroix family?” Renn scoffed with disdain. “You?”

“Wise sir, I dare not conceal anything from you!” Diamond slid to his knees with practiced ease and immediately prostrated himself before Renn. “I have been away from the family for a long time, and years of wandering at sea have worn away my noble bearing, but the blood of the Delacroix family does indeed flow in my veins!”

Ellina, standing to the side, was already starting to look tense.

The High Elves are direct descendants of the Ancestral Elves, so Ellina also considers Diamond to be one of them—watching this fellow kin skillfully kneel and beg for mercy from the necromancer, she really wanted to pulverize him with a bolt of lightning.

They've completely disgraced us elves!

“The Delacroix family never exiles its members who make mistakes overseas,” Renn said slowly. “They only send them back to the family’s territory, Amethyst Isle.”

“I…” Diamond’s expression shifted, and he suddenly changed his words, “You have such keen insight, sir. It’s just that my situation is rather special… I am an illegitimate child and have no way to go to Amethyst Island.”

“So the contents of this interrogation statement are basically all lies.” Ryan picked up the papers on the table.

“Please forgive me for not being able to tell you the truth, my lord,” Diamond said eloquently. “I am ashamed to mention my status as a bastard, but I would never dare to deceive you. I am your prisoner and your captive, my lord. A prisoner should fulfill the duties of a prisoner, otherwise you may simply chop me to death, my lord.”

"How many times are you going to call me 'sir'?!" Ellina said angrily.

Diamond remained expressionless and defended himself, saying:

“I am not servile, for I have not been so obsequious to Kalic. It is only Lord Renn’s magnanimity and breadth of mind that have impressed me, making me unconsciously consider myself a servant…”

“It’s only because I’ve put a sword to your neck that I’ll behead you.” Raine interrupted him, casually drawing the longsword from Berthalia’s waist and pressing the blade against Diamond’s neck. “That’s why you have no choice but to submit to me.”

"Right, Rat King?"

Diamond's expression changed drastically!
His face was extremely pale, and his lips trembled as if he wanted to continue uttering sweet words, but his remaining courage no longer allowed him to do so.

“You have seen through my identity, sir.” He finally lowered his head deeply and buried his face in the carpet.

"What does 'Rat King' mean?" Dia asked curiously from the side.

“He was the previous manager of the underground black market of the High Elf Kingdom,” Renn said casually. “He was probably ousted after losing an internal power struggle.”

“It’s not a power struggle,” Diamond quickly said. “It’s because someone is spreading curses on the black market to frame me.”

"A curse?" Everyone was taken aback. Was it the Corpse Worship Cult of the Gem Islands?

“Starting three years ago, members of the organization would often suddenly go insane at some point,” Diamond continued. “For example, they would scream, go crazy, self-harm, commit suicide, or even attack people around them for no reason.”

"Unfortunately, a member of the group went mad and attacked a nobleman who came to patronize the business, which implicated and put pressure on the entire black market. In order to quell the nobleman's anger, I, as the chairman, had to take responsibility, take all the blame, and go into exile overseas."

"Besides, I am indeed Draculon's illegitimate son, but they have never acknowledged me. A bloodline identification spell can easily confirm it."

No need.

Whether this Rat King of the High Elf Kingdom is actually a bastard son of the Delacroix family is completely irrelevant.

Importantly, his past role as the Lord of the Black Market means that he not only understands the High Elf Kingdom's smuggling routes to the outside world, but also knows about its secret internal transportation channels.

"Are you planning to go back to the Gem Islands?" Renn asked abruptly. Diamond looked up in surprise. His keen sense of danger told him that the answer to this question would determine his fate.

"Of course I'm going back!" His expression suddenly turned ferocious. "One day, I will go back to take revenge and make those who framed me pay the price! Everything I've lost, I will personally take back without missing a single thing!"

He made the right bet.

Ryan was very satisfied with his answer.

People who are without desires are the hardest to control. Someone like Ellina, who is determined to die, is completely unyielding, even when she's caged like a bird, and is incredibly difficult to deal with.

If Diamond truly wants to go back for revenge, then he can be used by Raine.

“I have only recently become the lord of Salt Island,” Raine said slowly. “Before I took office, all of Salt Island’s supplies were delivered by Searock City; all the minerals, timber and fish produced, except for the portion consumed locally, were also transported away by Searock City.”

"Not only that, Iron Harbor City doesn't even have a tax officer, so residents' taxes can't be collected either."

Diamond listened attentively, and when Ryan paused, he immediately expressed his opinion:
"My lord, I can serve you. I can use my knowledge and intellect to establish a free market on Salt Island for you, where citizens can purchase goods and collect transaction taxes. I will select young and reliable people from among the local inhabitants to form a mature and efficient tax collection team, ensuring that the territory's tax revenue is delivered to you on time every month..."

Seeing a hint of amusement in Ryan's expression out of the corner of his eye, Diamond quickly changed his tune:

"Of course, I am only responsible for setting up the market and the team. It would be more appropriate for the affairs officer you arrange to take over the follow-up matters."

“Fine.” Raine removed the sword from his neck. “I agree to this deal. You’ve bought your life, Diamond.”

Diamond carefully wiped the sweat from his forehead.

To be honest, leaving a newly released high elf prisoner with the potential to cause trouble on Salt Island at a time when I was about to head to the capital was not a very wise idea.

The other party was the "Rat King," possessing experience and methods in "leading the rat horde," as well as the ability and skills to evade official searches. Raine could even believe that if this guy were allowed to leave Blood Fortress, he might immediately forget the agreed-upon conditions and run away on the spot.

“Besalia?” he said softly.

Bersalia immediately understood and took out an alchemical bottle from her sleeve, which contained a bright green, watery potion.

It's like the venom of a viper.

“I suggest Mr. Diamond drink this,” she said sweetly. “It’s my latest research on a corpse-transforming poison. After taking it, the body will gradually turn into a corpse… unless he drinks the antidote we provide regularly.”

Diamond's throat bobbed for a moment.

He knew perfectly well that the other side wouldn't readily trust a prisoner who had just defected. Voluntarily taking poison and accepting control was already the best possible outcome.

For these important figures, as long as you can still demonstrate sufficient value, they will not easily take your life.

“Alright.” Diamond stood up, decisively took the alchemical vial from Berthalia, and drank the potion inside in one gulp.

As the medicine entered his throat, a strong, icy sensation swept down his esophagus, as if he were chewing on a block of ice, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

He looked down at the back of his hand and noticed that the skin seemed to be slightly grayish, though not very noticeable. Pressing it caused a slight pain, as if it were a festering wound.

Diamond had no further doubt about the effects of the poison.

(End of this chapter)