Chapter 123 - 114: Bait, Countdown to Downfall

Chapter 123: Chapter 114: Bait, Countdown to Downfall

As soon as Roy finished speaking, the Eldest Prince’s expression turned incredibly ugly.

It wasn’t as if he sincerely wanted to cooperate with the Dark Night Knight, but he had never imagined the Knight would dare to threaten him so brazenly.

The Eldest Prince suppressed the rage in his heart, put on a false smile, and said to Roy, "I’m not doubting the Dark Night Knight’s strength. It’s just that the Ironblood Duke is a Silver Great Knight, after all."

"Joining forces against the Ironblood Duke is surely better than going it alone."

"While I may not have any Silver Great Knights under my command, I can certainly send a few Bronze Great Knights to assassinate the Ironblood Duke."

On the surface, the Eldest Prince didn’t seem to be giving up on cooperating with the Dark Night Knight.

But Roy knew that wasn’t the Prince’s true underlying message.

What the Eldest Prince really wanted to convey was that he would not simply hand over the Ironblood Duke’s wealth and domain.

The Dark Night Knight was a Bronze Great Knight, and he had Bronze Great Knights under his command as well.

If the Dark Night Knight intended to monopolize the Ironblood Duke’s wealth and territory, then he would have no choice but to have his own Bronze Great Knights face off against him.

Roy paid no mind to the threat hidden in the Eldest Prince’s words and said calmly,

"Once my Master makes a decision, he does not change his mind midway through."

"However, since Your Highness has put it that way, I will relay your words to my Master, word for word."

"After my Master has dealt with the Ironblood Duke, perhaps he will find the time to meet with you, Your Highness."

’A threat, is it?’

’As if I can’t do the same!’

’If you really want to play this game, then I’ll be happy to play along.’

Roy scoffed inwardly.

Hearing his response, the false smile on the Eldest Prince’s face vanished.

In its place was a look of haughty arrogance and disdain.

"In one month, I will await the Dark Night Knight’s arrival in Ice Wind City."

The Eldest Prince said coldly.

With that said, he rose without hesitation and walked toward the study door.

Margery sized Roy up for a moment, then followed the Eldest Prince out of the study without a word.

Unlike the furious Eldest Prince, she was in quite a good mood.

The mutual threats between the Eldest Prince and the Dark Night Knight meant she no longer had to perform the so-called "seduction."

Soon, the Eldest Prince and Margery disappeared from Roy’s sight.

Once they were gone, Catherine, who had been sitting silently beside Roy the entire time, spoke in a soft voice. "Was it really a good idea to threaten him like that?"

"What if he gets blinded by rage and sends Great Knights straight to the Ice Wolf Domain..."

Before Catherine could finish, Roy wrapped an arm around her slender waist and said calmly, "He won’t send anyone to the Ice Wolf Domain until the score is settled between the Dark Night Knight and the Ironblood Duke."

"Not unless he wants to face attacks from both the Dark Night Knight and the Ironblood Duke at the same time."

"Neither the murder of William II nor the occupation of the Royal Capital was enough to make him lose his head completely."

"A verbal threat is even less likely to do so."

That may be so, but Catherine was still worried.

After a few seconds of silence, she continued, "Even if you kill the Ironblood Duke and completely wipe out the Reilly Clan, the troops under my and Tony’s command could never take over his domain."

"To completely take over those lands, we would need at least fifty thousand regular soldiers and a thousand Official Knights."

She knew Roy didn’t plan to share the spoils of war, but the Wesley and Olson Clans alone simply didn’t have the strength to take over everything the Reilly Clan possessed.

Territory is a form of wealth, but it’s not the same as conventional riches like gold, silver, and jewelry.

Territory can only be considered wealth when you have enough troops to hold it.

Roy knew what was worrying Catherine and said with a smile, "It’s not as complicated as you think. Or rather, I never planned on taking over the Reilly Clan’s lands immediately."

"Those lands are bait. They’ll be used to distinguish which clans we can win over, and which ones need to be eliminated."

Although he wasn’t interested in becoming a king and ruling over all, he didn’t mind helping the Wesley Clan become a Duke Clan.

’Bait?’

After hearing Roy’s explanation, Catherine said no more. Like a lazy kitten, she used his thigh as a pillow and lay down on the sofa.

...

「The next day at noon.」

Having "recuperated" at Rock Lion Castle for over ten days, Roy returned to Ice Wolf Castle, bringing with him several chests filled with Gold Coins and jewelry.

「The study on the second floor of the main building.」

Roy opened the chests in front of Tony.

Seeing the Gold Coins and jewelry in the chests, Tony immediately frowned and asked, "Did Catherine give you these?"

"No, my Master gave them to me."

Roy replied.

"Then why are you giving them to me?"

Tony continued to ask.

"To expand the army, of course."

"The Clan’s territory hasn’t changed in centuries. It’s time we expanded it."

"I don’t know anything about recruiting new soldiers or training troops, so I’ll leave that to you."

"I’ll take care of the money."

Roy said unhurriedly.

The Gold Coins and jewelry he was giving Tony were what he had painstakingly saved up, bit by bit, since coming to this world.

In other words, this was his hard-earned money.

Aside from a little over a thousand Gold Coins he kept for emergencies, everything else was in these chests.

Looking at the Gold Coins and jewelry in the chests, Tony first clapped Roy on the shoulder, then asked, "How large do you want to expand the army?"