Chapter 475 316: Overthrowing the Debei Regime (2)

It was a well-known fact that researching and studying Magic was an extravagant, money-burning endeavor, and one that couldn't be compromised in the slightest.

These Mages were all incredibly wealthy, yet they spent money like water.

Therefore, some Mages had to rely on a nation for the funds to continue their magical studies.

"Of course, that wouldn't be a problem. If it could be done, you, my Lord, would become the wealthiest person in the Seven Kingdoms." Filo smiled charmingly. "But a hypothetical is still just a hypothetical, as unattainable as a dream."

"Yes, it is indeed just a hypothetical," the Lord said with a slight smile, nodding in agreement.

"If this Magic is so powerful, then logically, this Agricultural School would have made sure it was passed down, right? It's hard to believe not even a single fragment survived." Changing the subject, Levi continued to ask.

"Unfortunately, that is indeed the case." Filo shook his head. "The Mountain Kingdom fell too quickly and too strangely, so none of this Magic was passed down. Even historical records of the kingdom amount to a single, pitifully thin page. All we know is that the god they worshipped was the Natural Goddess."

"You could say the applications of this Magic extend even further. If it were applied to agriculture, then..." Filo turned and walked over to a small plot of land. The patch of dark earth, barely a few feet wide, was covered in lush green grass. "The entire Middle Ages Continent would no longer have to worry about food. No one in the Seven Kingdoms would ever starve again. It would be an age where everyone is well-fed and warmly clothed!"

Though his words were calm, they carried a surprising weight and were filled with an inspiring vision.

"Indeed. If it can cultivate Magic Plants, then when applied to crops, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say yields could increase severalfold. Resisting harsh environments would become a simple matter."

Levi nodded.

He thought of the wheat planted at High Cliff Castle last year. The weather in the Wilderness had been terrible for the past two years, with snow falling almost year-round. And yet, with the help of this Magic, not only had the harvest not decreased, it had even surpassed expectations.

Levi had also discovered that this Magic even had the ability to enhance crops. The wheat stored in their warehouses was larger and fuller than the grain purchased from Bailiu City, and its flavor had earned high praise from everyone at High Cliff Castle.

Unfortunately, the only one who had learned this Magic so far was the Kobold, Old Neil, and just managing the fields they had already cleared was pushing him to his limit.

Levi could also see that while this Prince was a crafty old fox of the court, he wasn't like those other high and mighty swine. On the contrary, he seemed to genuinely care about the common farmers.

Otherwise, he would never have spoken of an age where everyone was well-fed and warmly clothed.

Si Kai had told him the Prince didn't have a large fiefdom—just a single manor and the surrounding hills.

But on his lands, it was said that even the farmers could afford thick, padded clothing in winter. They even had enough spare money to buy gifts for their children on the Winter Solstice.

Their standard of living was leagues above that of farmers elsewhere.

Levi gave the Prince a long, searching look, stroking his chin in thought. 'It seems the position of Director of Agriculture for High Cliff Castle is still vacant…'

He didn't realize, however, that Filo had noticed his contemplative gaze. The Prince's hand, which had been stroking his little moustache, froze, and an involuntary shiver ran down his spine.

When they returned to the pavilion, Levi noticed the man seemed terrified of his every move. Though puzzled, he quickly chalked it up to his own overwhelming Aura of Dominance. 'I must have intimidated him.'

"Filo, aren't we going to go over the script with those guys?" the Lord finally asked after a moment.

"There's no need. They all know we're just fabricating more charges out of thin air." Filo smiled, radiating the confidence of a master strategist. "But what does it matter if they know? As long as they're in our custody, we control the narrative."

"As long as we press this issue, we can muddy the waters even further."

"But the success of this plan is ultimately thanks to you, my Lord. An incident involving a Legendary Powerhouse... I imagine certain people are already having sleepless nights."

"If a mountain has two tigers and a greedy wolf, the wolf, with its insatiable ambition, will inevitably provoke the two tigers into fighting each other. It will then watch from the sidelines, hoping to claim more prey for itself." Filo held up three fingers. "That mountain is the Debei Kingdom. You and His Majesty the King are the tigers. As for the greedy wolf..."

Filo smiled, leaving the rest unsaid.

"Someone is plotting treason, attempting to sow discord between His Majesty, King Debei, and the Lord of High Cliff Castle, to subvert the Debei government and seize power." The Lord grunted, then slammed his hand on the table. "As Marquis Debei, I will absolutely not allow such a thing to happen!" he declared, his voice filled with authority. "I'll move heaven and earth if I have to, but I will find the culprit and bring them to justice!"

He hadn't expected such a simple incident could be spun into such an elaborate plot. He couldn't help but marvel at Filo's cunning. 'He truly is a crafty old fox of the court. It makes me admire Fulina's judgment of character even more.'

After all, she didn't have a system that could read people's Attributes like he did.

...

Not far outside Gonda City, a manor sat beside Lion Heart Lake, surrounded by towering trees and magnificent gardens.

The estate's main structure was an elegant white building, its exterior walls draped in vines that lent it a quaint, graceful air.

A wide, cobblestone path led to the front of the manor, flanked by neatly trimmed shrubs and flowerbeds bursting with roses, lilies, and tulips.

This was the private domain of Bedoyel. Here, far from the clamor of the court, he could enjoy absolute power.

He didn't have to tolerate anyone looking down on him or telling him what to do. Here, he was the one and only king. Everyone had to obey his commands; dissenters were beaten to death and fed to the dogs.

At this very moment, however, the Prince was pacing frantically within his own domain.

Bajin kept his head slightly bowed, but his eyes surreptitiously scanned the group of Maids in the room. The women wore nothing but aprons, leaving their backs completely exposed. Meanwhile, His Highness the Prince, seemingly without any pants on, paced back and forth, his two smooth, bare legs a constant motion.

It was painfully obvious what had just transpired in the room.

But he wasn't surprised. The Prince had inherited none of His Majesty's strategic genius from the first half of his reign, but he had thoroughly mastered the debauchery and excess of the latter half.

Rumor even had it that he was involved in a scandal with one of his own sisters.

"Why didn't you stop them?!"

After a long moment, Bedoyel shooed the Maids out of the room and, without any preamble, rounded on Bajin with an accusation.

"Your Highness, even those men from the Holy Sith Kingdom lost several Iron Man and still couldn't stop Lord Levi at the city gates. What hope did I have?" the Sheriff, who had rushed here to deliver the news, said with an aggrieved look.

Inwardly, however, he was already unleashing a torrent of vulgar country curses. 'Stop him? Me? I wouldn't have enough lives if I had a hundred of them!'

"Damn that Crow! I could kill him right now! Why the hell did he have to go and provoke someone from High Cliff Castle!" Bedoyel raged.

Because of the incident with Fatir, he already had a poor opinion of the Lord of High Cliff Castle, but he would never have been stupid enough to provoke him deliberately.

Now, it was clear his opponent was using this as a pretext to come after him, and he started to panic.

He would have scoffed if it were anyone else, but the Lord of High Cliff Castle was not only terrifyingly powerful, he also held an extremely high status and had immense support among the common folk.

If they managed to pin a bunch of accusations on him and ruin his reputation among the commoners, it was hard to say whether he could hold on to his position as heir.

After all, he wasn't the only prince in the Debei Kingdom; his younger brothers had been coveting the title of heir for a long time.

"Your Highness, Margery was captured as well." Bajin had hitched his wagon to this Prince, and there was no getting off now. He offered a suggestion. "Perhaps you could try asking Her Majesty the Queen for help."