The Mythical Path of a Princess from a Destroyed Kingdom

The clownish businessman, with a fawning smile, handed his ledger to the important figure before him.

He had no choice but to flatter him; the man before him was the treasurer of the Shelter Territory, the "Grand Steward" responsible for coordinating all aspects of taxation, the movement of goods, and so on—he was known as "Golden Rooster."

If you want your goods to move in and out of the sheltered area, you have to give them some face.

As a small businessman, he had finally managed to make contact through some familial connection, so he had to seize the opportunity to show his loyalty.

"Yes, you're more sensible than some people."

The finance officer took the ledger, casually flipped through a few pages, and tossed it back to him. He also kicked the merchant's tribute back, then waved for him to come forward and give the merchant a few words of advice.

After hearing the instructions, the wealthy merchant was overjoyed. He gestured for his men to carry away the treasure chest, repeatedly expressed his gratitude to the finance officer, and then backed out of the study.

"Phew, if there were more businessmen like this who are so easy to deal with, my job wouldn't be so difficult."

The CFO slowly shook his head, opened the window, looked at the moonlit night sky, and sighed, wondering if it was time for him to retire.

He has already made enough money, and it is all "legitimate" wealth that he obtained by taking advantage of his profession. There is not a single wrongdoing in the law. As long as Dagong does not resort to underhanded tactics to frame him or fabricate crimes out of thin air, he will never break any laws.

Simply put, it was obtained through speculation. By taking advantage of their positions, they learned what could and could not be done, and also what sold well or poorly, thereby allowing their invested caravans to reap huge profits.

Once I've earned enough, I can sell secondhand information to other caravans, letting them get a share of the profits. This way, everyone can make money, and it won't affect the interests of Windhaven.

That's at least what he thought, but he didn't know what Grand Duke Dainan thought. As the treasurer, he couldn't see through his superior and was actually always afraid that he would be purged.

"It's all my money! They took two million, and I only got one million, and I should thank them!?"

Similar angry pronouncements kept appearing in the CFO's dreams, and every time he woke up from a nightmare, he couldn't help but wipe away cold sweat, but his hands just wouldn't stop moving.

Watching the glittering gold, white, and yellow coins keep coming in, wanting to stop is even harder than forcing him to quit smoking.

He also didn't use his savings to buy anything else, for fear that if others found out, the Grand Duke would suspect him of accepting bribes, or directly provoke the Grand Duke's malice and get rid of him.

As for what to do with the money after he leaves, he hasn't really thought about it. He's just saving money for the sake of saving money. As long as there are so many coins around him, the financial officer will feel extremely at ease.

As a minor nobleman, he did not feel he could entrust his safety to the Grand Duke of Denan's compassion, especially since he supported such a large army. If the funds to support the army were to run out, there was a high probability that the Grand Duke would target him.

"Are we really going to run away... No, should we wait another year? This year's money hasn't arrived yet."

His greed made him hesitate, and besides, Grand Duke Fortestos was at least outwardly easy to talk to; at worst, he could just hand over all his wealth to save his life if he was discovered...

Troubled by the future, he ultimately chose to stay. Whether it was due to greed or inner conflict remains unknown.

The financial officer got up and went to his bookshelf. Just as he was about to turn the mechanism, he suddenly felt a hand pressing on his neck, rendering him completely immobile. He didn't even dare to shout, fearing that the person behind him would kill him.

"Who are you? Are you after money, or have I offended you?"

He calmed himself and asked, but Maginus grabbed him by the neck and threw him back behind the desk. She then sat down on the guest sofa. The finance officer turned to look at the red-haired woman with a ponytail whose face was covered by a veil, and a sense of familiarity welled up inside him.

“It’s not about the money, nor do I want to offend you. Since you have so much money, you must need to deal with all sorts of people. I need a list of all the nobles and officials in the entire city of Shelter, including their preferences, personalities, and positions. I suppose you’ve already collected that information.”

Maginus raised his hand to gesture for him to take out the items, and then added, as if remembering something, "Oh, and yours too. I don't even know your name."

Why would someone who doesn't know who I am contact me?

The furious finance officer nearly choked on his breath. Sensing the beautiful woman's allure, the well-informed man froze on the spot, his anger turning to boundless fear. He dared not remain seated in the main seat, rising and cowering to the side.

"I...you, no, you (formal)"

The greatest nobleman and strongest person he had ever encountered in his life was Fortestodianan. Other powerful figures were like stories or myths to him. He never expected that the real person of the legend would stand in front of him.

"Hmm? Can you do what I say?"

Maginus looked up at the treasurer, the golden light in his red eyes bringing tears to his own. He lowered his head, unable to meet Maginus's gaze.

"Your Excellency, that will take time."

"Time? No rush, I can wait. Anyway, you don't have the guts to tell anyone about my news. Remember to send it to me once you've compiled the information."

Casually picking up the teacup and toying with it, Maginus issued his orders, incidentally giving the treasurer a little something to look forward to:

"Fortestodinan will probably be assassinated by some guys in the next few days, most likely by Ebeslut. I want to take this opportunity to rise to power and take control of the Windward City."

Why did you tell him something so important?

The finance officer inwardly grumbled, but had no choice but to continue listening, realizing that Maginus had dragged him into a thief's scheme...

Wait a minute, is this really a pirate ship? The person in front of us is the most legitimate one, and his strength is beyond doubt. The only thing to worry about is his personality.

While he was pondering, Maginus continued, "Your ability to amass wealth is quite impressive. I won't hold what happened during the Denan period against you. I hope you can be more honest and focus all your energy on serving the Nesseres."

Before the finance officer could even pledge his loyalty, Maginus, who could tell what kind of person he was just by meeting him, disappeared from his sight. The man, whose pressure had suddenly eased, pressed his hands to the ground and gasped for breath, his pupils trembling violently.

The treasurer, who had been pondering why Maginus hadn't gone to the capital but had come here, was somewhat excited as he roughly understood the reason.

If this person really intends to use the Windward Pass as a starting point, then I might be able to clear my name in one fell swoop during the generational change, and I won't have to worry about Dai Nan causing me trouble!

Out of fear of Maginot, the treasurer sided directly with her.

Chapter 472 Dragging Brothers Down the Water and Pulling Them Ashore

"So that's the personnel composition. Do you have any suggestions, Gordon? Who should I try to win over first?"

The following evening, Maginus once again visited the treasurer's residence. He had prepared all the information he had compiled on officials and nobles, and bowed deeply, presenting it to them with both hands in a humble manner.

After receiving the documents, Maginus carefully reviewed them and asked Gordon for his opinion. The treasurer did not hide anything, and obsequiously pointed to several names in the intelligence:

"Yes, my suggestion is that you try to win them over. These people are similar to me; they all have some dissatisfaction with Grand Duke Dainan, but they respect you."

Well, he's just a fence-sitter. Of course, everyone knows this, but it's best not to say it out loud and ruin the relationship. We have to save face for him.

To him, the fact that Maginus didn't kill him outright proved that she wasn't the madwoman rumored to be. Although it was a bit crazy to come to his door and try to talk things out with force, as long as they could communicate, that was fine.

The fact that they can communicate means that they can talk next. As the offspring of an evil god, she shouldn't mind using some evil people or recruiting opportunists for the time being, since they've all come to her.

Gordon was naturally dragging others in the same boat as him down with him. No, it's not so much about dragging others down; he was sharing with them the opportunity to get rid of their fears and start anew!

By finding the intelligence on those people, Maginus learned what the treasurer was planning. She was certainly happy to see it happen, since the territory really couldn't function without them. At least until she found a replacement, the Windward Territory and beyond would have to rely on them.

"okay, I get it."

Stopping her hand from reading the intelligence, Maginus raised an eyebrow and looked towards the castle. Gordon, seeing this, gasped, and combining it with her words from yesterday, immediately guessed what was going on:

"What are you looking at?"

"Your lord has already clashed with the assassins, and the situation is quite interesting."

A battle had already broken out there, with fierce clashes taking place between three opponents. Maginus had a feeling that the battle would start soon, but he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

Based on her understanding of the assassin profession, these guys should have been more cautious and shouldn't have jumped out so quickly.

The Bloodstained Society members were at a loss for words. According to the original plan, Fortestodianan had no one to prevent their infiltration, so they were not to be discovered.

However, after the assassin among the three infiltrated the castle, he happened to be talking with the sorcerer. The unremarkable maid beside them seemed to sense something and looked at the spot where he was hiding, directly pointing out his presence.

Once the assassin reveals his location, he will definitely be no match for the three opponents in a head-on confrontation, so he can only hurriedly escape from the castle and call for his teammates' support.

The game eventually turned into a three-on-three battle, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

About four or five minutes later, the three members of the Bloodstained Society successfully escaped the battlefield and disappeared using magic, leaving behind only the grim-faced Dainan, the sorcerer, and the spectator Greva.

"Damn it, that bastard from the Bloodstained Society, Abeslut!"

Watching the assassin escape, Fortestodian could not suppress his anger. He punched the wall, leaving a hole. His chest heaved and his eyes were fierce, completely unlike the kind and benevolent person he was rumored to be.

The sorcerer wanted to curse, but all he wanted was to find a safe territory and gather sacrificial items by staying with the nobles. He had somehow gotten himself involved in the struggle between the Grand Duke and the King.

But he really didn't want to leave. He had finally gained Dai Nan's trust, and he hadn't even gotten his hands on the goods yet. If he just ran away, he would lose a lot of money.

Noticing the gaze directed at him by the Grand Election Minister, the sorcerer gave a cold snort without batting an eye: "You never said you wanted to go up against the king here!"

"Name your price. How can you help me?"

Dainan knew this was not the time to argue with the sorcerer. He had expected that Ebes would make a move against him, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Was it the pressure that Maginus Imperius had put on him?

In short, he had to cooperate with the sorcerer; the Bloodstained Society's assassination attempt was no joke, and he had to weather this storm.

Once the Bloodstained Society's men are dealt with, Abes will certainly not bleed the Bloodstained Society again for a while, preventing them from launching a second assassination attempt against her.

The two discussed the next transaction, while Greva simply watched quietly from the side, like a transparent person, unnoticed and unimportant.

"Damn it, how did you get found out!?"

On the other side, the Bloodstained Society members fled back to safety. The spellcaster looked back at his teammates, recalling that he had never been discovered in previous operations.

“That woman is suspicious,” the assassin answered truthfully. “Almost the instant I entered the castle, her gaze fell on me without the slightest pause. She might be the strongest of the three.”

"Tsk, let's wait for reinforcements. We can't handle Dainan on our own."

After watching the somewhat uninteresting battle, Maginus, carrying the information Gordon had given her, went to find the people Gordon had recommended. Sure enough, they were all opportunists and had a grudge against Denan.

After her identity was confirmed, the fence-sitters flocked to her one after another. If she could replace Dai Nan, the fence-sitters would all give their full support.

More importantly, Maginus didn't need their help; they could simply stand on the wall and watch the show, swaying whichever way the wind blew.

"Ah! Master, the intelligence has been gathered!"

Back at the hotel, Nei Ke, lying on the bed, gave a rather unserious report that most of those who had taken important positions in the army were related to Grand Duke Dainan, both close and distant relatives, making them very difficult to support or win over from a bloodline perspective.

If there were any people that Maginus could win over, there certainly were. But instead of spending that time trying to win over the Grand Duke's relatives, it would be faster to kill them all and replace them with suppressed lower-ranking generals.

"Let's kill them all then, no, let's start now, and pin the blame on the assassin."

Maginos, who was used to solving problems with violence, stood up and clapped his hands. He hadn't even accumulated any primitive wealth yet, so his methods would definitely have to be more bloody.

"Get up quickly and kill people with me."

“Okay”

Neko stood up limply, and the two left the inn together to scout out the location where the royal army was stationed. When it got dark, Maginus would command Neko to attack, but she herself would definitely not make a move, as that would be too conspicuous.

The cat rolled its eyes at its owner, then conceived the idea of ​​showing Maginus the skills it had acquired over the past two years. Its muscles crackled with electricity to strengthen them, and it entered the military camp.

"Just kill one."

Maginus's words drifted from behind, and Neko gave a thumbs-up to indicate that she had heard them.

Chapter 473 Why the rush?

"A knight commander is dead?"

"Yes, and there were very obvious signs of assassination."

Hearing his subordinates' report, Dai Nan was somewhat puzzled. The Bloodstained Society basically did nothing but assassinations. Now that they had made a move, he wondered if they wanted to lure him out or if they had some other scheme.

Putting the news aside for now, Dainan turned and stared at the sorcerer: "When are you going to begin the ritual?"

Besides treating his own daughter, Dainan also demanded that the sorcerer cooperate in killing the Bloodstained Society assassins. In return, he needed to provide the sorcerer with a sufficient amount of various "materials."

"We can start anytime, as long as we have enough materials."

"There are quite a few prisoners and death row inmates in the dungeon. These are for you first."

Since his own safety was at stake, Dainan generously allowed the sorcerer to freely take ritual materials from the dungeon, treating all equally, whether they were condemned prisoners or thieves.

Hearing the answer that satisfied him, the sorcerer and Greva entered the dark dungeon, drove out all the guards, and emerged a short while later with a satisfied look on their faces and a much stronger aura.

"I've located their location. When do we make our move?"

"Once I gather my troops and completely surround them, I'll see how those Bloodstained Society members manage to escape."

In the inn, the Bloodstained Guild's spellcaster was somewhat unsettled. He took out divination cards and cast a spell for himself. Upon seeing the result, he panicked and quickly woke up his two sleeping teammates:

"Wake up! Someone has found our location, we need to move immediately!"

The other two showed complete trust. The warrior carried the mage and jumped out of the inn window. The three of them made a discreet transfer, narrowly avoiding the large force that was surrounding them.

When Dainan and the others arrived at the designated location, they found nothing. The sorcerer calmly took out a newly enchanted magical item and shook it gently. After a moment, the crystal pendant pointed to a certain location.

A chase ensues within the sheltered city, and the bewildered passersby can only see guards and the rarely seen Grand Duke walking on the streets. Out of fear, they all hide in their homes.

The open road greatly increased the speed of Dai Nan and his group's pursuit. The three members of the Bloodstained Society kept hiding after casting an invisibility spell. The sorcerer tried to counter the sorcerer's pursuit methods many times along the way, but unfortunately the sorcerer was more skilled and the Bloodstained Society sorcerer failed to succeed.

"Is there no other way?"

The three fled with furrowed brows, sometimes venturing into sewers, sometimes into slums, but they couldn't shake off their pursuers. After several unsuccessful attempts, the mage momentarily lost his composure, then suddenly laughed:

"Ha, we don't need to run anymore, reinforcements are arriving soon!"

"So fast!?"

The two turned around, and the spellcaster looked behind them and sneered, "It just so happens that a professional is on his way to the capital of Nesery to do a mission. We just happened to be passing by, so we decided to help him complete it as well, on the condition that we share half of our reward with him."

"Okay, let's split it in half."

"I knew you would say that, so I've already made contact."

Compared to reward, life is more important. After confirming that the rescue would arrive in thirty minutes, the members of the Bloodstained Society ran much faster, and there was more than enough time for them to hide until the help arrived.