The study of the mayor's castle in Lancaster.
This was an extremely luxurious and exquisite study. The walls inside were made to look like bookshelves, which were stuffed with all kinds of precious manuscripts. However, there were basically no signs of them being read.
The fireplace was burning fiercely, bringing the warmth of spring to the room. That warmth was like a completely different world from the bone-chilling cold weather outside.
Knock, knock.
There was a knock on the door carved from a single piece of Tesrian sandalwood worth more than gold.
"What is it?" Count Corinth, the mayor of Lancaster and also known as the Black Stag asked flatly, putting down his quill.
"My lord, we've found the corpse of Baron Nigelania in the north of the city." The retainer at the door reported at a volume that was just loud enough for the mayor to hear, but not too loud.
"Hmph. I've already warned that fellow not to act recklessly …" Corinth snorted coldly. "Come in."
Outside the door, a man dressed as a city guard entered the room respectfully. After a bow, he placed a parchment report on Corinth's desk, and left the room at Corinth's signal.
Corinth picked up the report and studied it.
Moments later, he threw it on the table, a troubled look creeping over his aged face.
He had long since heard that the son of an old noble of the Valla Empire, who had been parachuted into the city by the Emperor himself, had been abusing the citizens as he pleased.
Be that as it may, Corinth was the mayor of Lancaster in name and a count of the Empire who was two ranks higher than Nigelania. In reality, he couldn't do anything to him as he pleased.
The reason was simple: Lancaster had survived the siege of Tierra to the best of its ability because it was the only city among Tierra's four great prefectures that had directly surrendered. Only some of Tierra's diehard factions were chased to the civilian district north of the city, where they were completely wiped out.
As a reward for his tactfulness and as an example to persuade other regions to surrender, the Emperor at the time naturally allowed Corinth, a former subject who had surrendered, to keep his position as mayor.
But now, the Empire had completely ruled over the Tierra lands it had carved up, and those who were not born in the Valla Empire naturally became a thorn in the new emperor's side.
That Nigelania who had appeared out of nowhere and acted as he pleased, even attempting to take over his authority as the city lord was just the first step.
Corquelin was well aware of the Emperor's plans. If he could not resist being cut by a soft knife and made a move against Nigelania, the Emperor would definitely grab hold of it and clean him up! Even if the connections he had painstakingly built over the years could secure his position as city lord, his most trusted subordinates would probably all be replaced by Nigelania, and his position as city lord would naturally be a mere figurehead, becoming a statue without any real power.
On the other hand, if he could endure Nigelania's provocation, he would slowly and methodically wrest away his authority as the city lord. While the process would be ugly, his final outcome would not be any better if he did not stop it in time.
As a matter of fact, there were already some nobles in the city who were less determined, or perhaps felt that they had 'foresight', who were beginning to waver and extend an olive branch to Nigelania.
Corquelin could not help wondering if the nobles' brains were full of shit whenever he received such a secret report. They had only achieved their current position because of him, and if he were to fall, would they think that they would meet a good end?
In fact, Corquelin had already secretly prepared a plan to deal with Nigelania. Who would have thought that Nigelania would be so easily killed by a few peasants due to his own greed before the plan was ready?
"How fitting for that fool's death," Corquelin said coldly.
Be that as it may, Nigelania's death was certainly gratifying, but it was a problem for Corquelin.
Even if he had all the evidence to prove that Nigelania had run to the north of the city and was killed, the new emperor would not care about such evidence, and there were as many ways to frame him as one could wish.
Corquelin sighed deeply, feeling that the last few years had been much more tiring than before.
Not only did he have to keep running Lancaster, which was being drained of blood by the Valla royal family, he also had to deal with the nobles and politicians.
For a moment, he even missed the King of Blind Stupidity who supported him in his business reforms and eventually developed Lancaster into a city of commerce.
"Now that things have come to this, regret is useless."
Corquelin leaned back in his chair and thought about what to do next.
That was when the door to the study was pushed open a little.
The old man looked toward the doorway by reflex, only to find a cute and adorable round face poking in.
"Why are you here, Gwendolyn?" The old man asked his granddaughter with a kind expression.
"Grandpa, you're sighing again!" Realizing that she had been discovered, the little one simply pushed open the door and ran inside, crawling on all fours into her grandfather's arms. "I want to go for a picnic in the outskirts of the city during the seeding festival, but mom says I need your permission! It's been a while since we left the city. Can we go out this time? "
The old man gently patted her head. "Alright, of course I agree, but I'll send some people to protect you when the time comes. Don't run around, got it?"
The little girl quickly beamed and nodded, and bit the side of the old man's face hard. "Thank you, Grandpa!"
Half of the old man's face was covered in the girl's saliva, and he stared at the little girl who ran out cheering, his gaze immeasurably gentle.
"Even if it's for Gwendolyn, I have to work harder …"
He picked up the report on his desk again and read it again, but this time, he found something amiss from some of the uncertain information. "Before Nigelania was killed, he tried to monopolize that weird healing potion of unknown origin but was very popular? Even my report is of 'unknown origin'? "
Having worked in Lancaster for decades, Corquelin had innumerable eyes in the city. Even so, he couldn't find the source of the potion, and the meaning behind it was very interesting.
"Looks like I might be able to meet Mister Marni the Undying …"
The old man looked out the window thoughtfully.
That was when a ray of sunlight pierced through the thick dark clouds, bringing some warmth to the snow-covered land.
Winter is over.
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Chapter 160
The End of Winter
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