Chapter 1490 - 952: On the Past

Chapter 1490: Chapter 952: On the Past

Raymond’s words were flawlessly delivered, both affirming Alfred’s actions and subtly and cleverly refuting Carroll’s accusations of "malicious manipulation."

He attributed the issues to technical and market changes, concluding with an imperceptible hint at the key of "transformation."

He skillfully positioned himself as a purely neutral observer and a highly pragmatic merchant, offending neither side while clearly implying the future direction—adaptation to change.

It was evident from this point.

Though Raymond still stood in a neutral position, his heart had already begun leaning towards the Night Watchers.

Alfred nodded slightly to Raymond, a genuine appreciation flashing through his eyes.

The Earl of Genie Flower indeed lived up to his reputation, with keen business acumen and a flexible stance.

He picked up the conversation, his tone still calm and steady, yet carrying an irrefutable power:

"Raymond’s words are most insightful. The change brought by the Night Watchers is a revolutionary tide sweeping the world. It washes away the old riverbeds with force, naturally carrying away some accumulated, long-decayed sediments without mercy.

"Complaining about the raging waves is futile; learning to navigate them gracefully is the truly wise survival method. My domain urgently needs safety, my soldiers crave power, my people long for sustenance and the bright hope for the future.

"The Night Watchers are currently the only force that can tangibly meet these urgent needs at the same time. This is my choice, unrelated to betrayal, but for the fundamental survival and continuation of development."

He looked at Carroll, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s:

"As for the Kingdom’s order...

"Captain Carroll, while your Silver Lion Knight Order was delayed addressing ’obstacles,’ it was the Night Watchers’ legends that, at the critical moment, blocked the overwhelming disaster capable of destroying my domain.

"When the old order completely fails to protect those it claims to protect, isn’t its collapse a historical inevitability? I choose the order that can truly protect my people—what wrong is there?"

The chaos brought by the Evil God leaves many aftereffects.

It’s not like the Night Watchers simply drove the Evil God away, and everything was settled.

After all, during the years the Evil God rampaged, various nations’ upper echelons and nobles committed many absurd things.

Their once noble narratives have long fragmented, which is why the Night Watchers have devised so many plans.

As a border noble, Alfred is also quite dissatisfied.

Carroll was left utterly speechless by the combined rebuke of the two.

Especially Alfred’s final precise jab at the Silver Lion Knight Order’s tardiness, which completely disgraced him.

He really tried.

This time he genuinely didn’t delay, but who could match the speed of the Night Watchers?

This left him feeling somewhat wronged.

He suddenly stood up, the legs of the chair scraping against the stone floor with a piercing sound.

"Fine! Fine, it’s about continuation! Count Alfred, it seems you’ve wholeheartedly embraced those anomalies! I will report your words verbatim to His Majesty and the Elder Council! I hope you don’t regret it!"

With these harsh words thrown, he didn’t even glance at Raymond, turning and storming out of the dining hall, his heavy footsteps echoing in the empty, deep corridor, gradually fading away.

The dining room briefly returned to a suspenseful silence, only the crackling sound of burning wood in the fireplace remaining.

Alfred calmly raised his wine glass, sipping languidly, his face unruffled.

As if he’d merely seen off an unpleasant, untimely guest.

The Kingdom, Elder Council.

A group of repulsive things.

Count Raymond feigned a relaxed sigh.

Picking up his fork again, he speared a juicy, enticingly fragrant, tender piece of dragon lizard meat, his face re-adopting that calculatingly shrewd smile:

"Lord Alfred, it seems your meticulously prepared sumptuous dinner will inevitably leave one guest with an indigestible stomach ache."

Alfred also revealed a faint, slightly sardonic smile, raising his glass to Raymond:

"The world is like a tide, surging fiercely; some go with the flow, while others stubbornly swim against it, futilely crashing headlong. Lord Raymond, perhaps you understand better how to sail wisely and skillfully?"

Raymond laughed heartily, raising his glass in response: "As merchants, we must always be aware of the wind’s direction and cautiously choose the right channel. The Night Watchers’ wind, although fierce, indeed brings new and enticing business opportunities.

"For instance, the mountains surrounding your castle seem to harbor a kind of exceptionally hard and high-quality construction stone?

"Perhaps we can explore collaborating on mining and transportation? Utilizing the Night Watchers’ logistics is remarkably efficient and impressively convenient."

He cleverly shifted the topic, transitioning from the earlier tense political standoff to a familiar, practically-focused, purely profit-driven commercial domain.

Alfred’s eyes flashed with sagacious brilliance, readily agreeing: "Precisely what I intended, Lord Raymond. It seems we have much to discuss at length."

The two exchanged knowing smiles, the tension in the dining room gradually replaced by a new, realistic interest-based, and mutually understood tacit agreement.