Daily News: Insect Girls' Heavy Dependence

Richard remained silent for a while.

Yekalin thought he was angry or something. She spoke in a slightly comforting tone:

"If you really want to send Sally there, it's not impossible. Once Govi ​​and I reach Tier 4, we can go to the Inner World and talk to those old men about the distribution of profits..."

"Let me reclaim some of my rights in the inner world... Of course! If they push their luck... then we'll wipe them out! A strategy of diplomacy first, then force!"

Richard: ! !

Yekaterin thought the same thing as me!

It's said that two kinds of people can't sleep in the same bed.

Even though Richard and Yekaterin had never slept in the same bed, the fact that they thought alike proved the unspoken understanding between the fake couple…

He no longer cared where his sister Astelle was hiding. Richard prepared to discuss his detailed plans with Yekaterin:

"Once my fortress is built, we'll return to the inner world. First, we'll go to the Charlemagne family and deal with the old geezers on my side... then we'll go to your side and deal with the old geezers there..."

Realizing that Richard and she were thinking the same thing, Yekalin didn't say anything more.

She listened quietly as Richard explained his plans to her, only occasionally raising questions:

"I can take you straight into the inner world of the walls. Do you think the Wall Guards would dare stop you?"

Humans who come to the world outside the walls are all verified and registered... They belong to a certain pioneering lord and are employed by a certain pioneering team... The Great Wall is not a place where you can just come and go as you please.

There is even a complete legal framework to back this up.

But Yekaterin, the de facto ruler of Stormwind, naturally had some minor privileges that superseded the law.

Bringing a few humans back to the inner world is something she can do with ease.

Richard naturally understood this principle as well.

But being taken back to the inner world by Yekaterin... and building a fortress and returning to the inner world legally and legitimately are two completely different things!

Although both are forms of living off a woman, there isn't much difference in essence. However, there are differences between openly living off a woman and secretly living off her.

If he were to return directly as Yekaterin's puppet husband, not to mention the gossip from the nobles... Richard couldn't accept being completely dependent on someone!

Moreover! Yekaterin helped him build the fortress; that was a perfectly legitimate transaction! It was the fruit of her labor that she received!

Even during this transaction,

Richard and Yekaterin had an ambiguous relationship...

But this still reflects Richard's personal strength and charisma!

Do you really think just anyone can be kept by the Duchess? What a joke!

Yekalin, of course, understood his considerations.

Just as she couldn't accept Richard's past coveting of Stormwind's power, Richard certainly couldn't accept becoming her, Yekaterin's, vassal...

She changed the subject, taking a roll of map from a display case and handing it to Richard:

"Since we have to wait for you to build your fortress first, then you can choose a location."

Yekalin pointed to the map that Richard was unfolding.

"This is a map of the terrain around Stormwind. The red circle indicates Stormwind itself. The yellow circles represent fortresses built by other pioneering lords; some still have ownership, while others are abandoned and unwanted. I suggest you choose an abandoned fortress to renovate and expand. This will speed things up..."

"Okay, sure."

Richard nodded, agreeing with Yekaterin's idea. He simply didn't understand the science of fortress construction.

Actually, Richard's original thousand-strong pioneer team did have technically skilled individuals in this area. Unfortunately, all of them met with accidents and did not make it to Stormwind alive.

Since Richard himself didn't understand this aspect, he hoped that Yekaterin could give him some advice:

"Do you have any recommendations for abandoned fortresses? I don't know much about this, so I'd like to hear your opinion..."

Yekalin was very satisfied with Richard's attitude: at least this guy would rely on her, which made her very happy.

Even this duchess herself didn't know how to build a fortress.

But she had already prepared several experts in this field within Stormwind. They were already waiting outside…

The well-dressed experts were quickly ushered into the reception hall.

Yekalin pointed to the long table of insect-shelled creatures, where there were several stacks of Dior coins in hundred-yuan denominations...

The question was posed to the experts, which quickly sparked a lively and heated discussion.

……

"Young Master, Miss. After discussion... we unanimously agree that Nightswell Keep, south of Stormwind City, is the most ideal location..."

"What's the reason? Tell me?"

Yekalin spoke calmly.

She treated everyone else the same way, except for Richard.

The expert who was sent out to respond immediately began to explain:

"I've observed it myself. Even though Night Tide Fortress has been abandoned for three years, its main outer walls are not damaged and only require simple repairs to be put back into use..."

This was indeed a great deal, but Richard clearly didn't believe he would get lucky and stumble upon such a bargain.

He asked Yekaterin:

"Shouldn't there be some kind of registration or logbook for Nightsurge Hold in Stormwind? What caused it to be abandoned? Did the pioneering lord who built this fortress really abandon it?"

"I don't remember, I'll check for you later..."

Yekalin, of course, wouldn't have any recollection; she'd only been in the world outside the walls for a year. How could she possibly know about what happened three years ago?

Besides, before the Duke of the North died, she was just a lazy noblewoman. She wouldn't care about such trivial matters.

"Alright, you can all go back to work."

Yekaterin dismissed the experts and sent them back to provide a repair plan for Night Tide Fortress... She also gave them an advance payment of five 100-dollar Dior coins.

They were paid 500 Dior coins just for asking a question and providing a simple solution. That's a month's salary for them! The experts didn't dare shout with joy until they left the Duke's mansion!

……

At the Duke's mansion, Yekaterin had already taken Richard to find information.

This was Richard's first time visiting the Duke's residence, outside the reception hall.

After passing through layers of guarded checkpoints and staircases, Yekalin opened the door to a basement.

Despite being called a basement, it's actually an extremely spacious underground plaza! It's filled with many neatly arranged, tall bookshelves.

At the center of each bookshelf was a brightly lit luminous insect lamp. This made the surroundings bright even in the basement.

Apart from Ekaterin and Richard, the maids who accompanied them, including Sally, remained outside the door.

Ordinary people are not allowed to freely enter or leave places like this where books and documents are stored.

Even though Richard didn't want to engage in any kind of knowledge monopoly, this was still Yekaterin's territory, and he couldn't possibly let Sally come in.

Yekalin picked up a lamp and began searching for the bookshelf where the logs of the fortresses around Stormwind were kept.

This underground library originally had several librarians. But unfortunately, they also went to the Inner World with the Duke of the North. To this day, their fate remains unknown.

Yekarin could only search by chance.

Moreover, Richard wasn't much help in finding books.

Because he can't read!