Chapter 172: 172 Orma_1


    Trantor: 549690339


    In the hall on the first floor of the Red Castle, a cripple sat carefully on a chair, not daring to breathe too loud.


    A beautiful half-elf maid ced a cup of hot water in front of the cripple. The cripple kept thanking her but didn’t dare to touch the delicate cup, fearing to make it dirty.


    This half-elf maid was Kathy Savoy.


    Havingpleted the task Colin had assigned to her, she had the opportunity to be a baron in the Half-Elf Kingdom. But against everyone’s expectations, she voluntarily gave the title to another member of the Savoy family and willingly became Colin’s maid.


    Others thought Kathy was too foolish, not knowing which to choose between bing a baron and being a maid.


    But Colin felt, she was an ambitious half-elf.


    However, if Kathy couldn’t show her worth, she could only be a maid who served tea and delivered water by Colin’s side.


    After Kathy left, another fat merchant, escorted by soldiers, walked into the hall.


    He looked very haggard, withsh marks visible on his skin that his clothes couldn’t conceal, making it apparent he had recently endured interrogation under torture.


    Colin looked at the familiar chubby face, and asked, “You’re Orma, the one in charge of the Tulip Chamber of Commerce in Ice Rock City, right?”


    “Yes, Viscount!”


    “Who is Oliver to you?”


    “He’s my younger brother, sir.”


    Colin suddenlyughed: “Oliver and I have some acquaintances. Since you are his brother, don’t feel too restricted, sit down.”


    “Yes, sir.” Orma quickly sat down, but his heart was not rxed at all.


    He had already heard about Viscount Angler from his brother. He knew that this wasn’t a Lord that could be easily fooled.


    “Orma, honestly speaking, I’m very heartbroken. My rtionship with the Tulip Chamber of Commerce has always been very harmonious. We even made a substantial loan of 300,000 gold coins from yourpany. But I didn’t expect that you would try to incite rebellion on my territory!”


    Orma’s face trembled, he fearsomely begged, “Sir, I was only carrying out the instructions issued by the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce! I have no malice towards the Angler family!”


    “But the rebellion has already caused a lot of damage to my territory. What do you think should be done?”


    “I ” Orma hesitated, not knowing what to say.


    Originally, he thought Colin would be wary of Count Uman behind the Tulip Chamber of Commerce and would not dare to do anything to him.


    But unfortunately, a round of brutal beating in prison revealed the harsh reality –


    Viscount Angler had absolutely no fear of crossing the Uman n.


    A momentter, Orma had no choice but to say in frustration, “Sir, how you want to punish me, I am willing to ept ”


    However, Colin didn’t immediately announce the punishment. Instead, he scrutinized Orma with judgmental eyes until Orma felt his hair standing on end.


    “You just said that the order to incite a ve rebellion came from the headquarters of the Tulip Chamber of Commerce?”


    “Yes, sir.”


    “So, it’s all Ms. Penny’s idea?”


    Orma started to sweat a bit, but still gritted his teeth and replied, “It should be.”


    Colin questioned again: “Ms. Penny is the lover who Count Uman adores the most. Does the Count know about this n?”


    More cold sweat poured out from Orma’s forehead: “This ?this ?I’m not sure ”


    “Well, what do you think? Could the Count possibly know?”


    “May… maybe ”


    Bang!


    Colin suddenly mmed the table, startling the two across from him to stand up.


    “Mr. Orma, do you realize that you are questioning the integrity of a Northern Earl?”


    “I ?I ” Orma was shaking like a leaf.


    Colin let out a cold smile: “What do you think Count Uman would do if he knew how you defamed him, defamed Ms. Penny, and defamed the Tulip Chamber of Commerce?”


    Orma fell to his knees and cried out, “Sir ?spare me!”


    Colin suddenlyughed again, and his tone became gentle again: “Orma, I hope you understand, it’s not a question of how I punish you now, but what Count Uman will do if he finds out about you.”


    “Sir ?save me ”


    “Get up.”


    Scared out of his wits, Orma stood up, then saw Colin hand over a roll of letter paper and a goose feather pen, and at the same timemanded, “Write a letter to your brother Oliver.”


    “Write ?write what?” Orma looked puzzled.


    “Tell him, you have leaked Count Uman’s conspiracy to me, ask him to be careful and not to be calcted by Count Uman.”


    “Sir ?this ” Orma dared not touch the pen.


    Because he was very clear, Count Uman might not yet know that he had leaked the conspiracy. But if such a letter ended up in the hands of the Uman n, then he, and his brother, would certainly face certain death.


    “What, you don’t want to write?” Colin’s eyebrow rose, he questioned in a cold tone.


    “I, I’ll write, I’ll write.” Looking at Colin’s stern gaze, Orma knew that, willing or not, he must leave this confession.


    Seeing Orma pick up the pen tremblingly, Colin frowned and said, “Stop shaking! What? Are you trying to intentionally hide your handwriting?”


    “No, no, no! How dare I?”


    Watching Orma obediently write the letter, Colin finally smiled again and even patted Orma’s shoulder a few more times in a friendly manner: “Don’t worry, as long as you don’t leave Ice Rock City, no one would dare touch you.”


    “Yes, Viscount sir!” This time, Orma had also reassured himself.


    Because he understood, he now had no other options.


    Colin collected the letter, pointing at a cripple standing foolishly andmanded, “This is Cripple. You will exin to himter the detailed locations of the incited ve rebellions arranged by your Chamber of Commerce around Ice Rock City.”


    “Yes.” There’s no reason for Orma to not agree.


    Colin looked at Cripple again, andmanded, “Cripple, the task I need you to do is very simple, go to the sites of these ve rebellions, tell the rebels that Ice Rock City has food, a lot of food!


    If you do this, you will not have to work hard every day to earn points, and I can make you a freeman.”


    “Yes, sir!” Cripple agreed loudly even though he didn’t understand why Colin was doing this.


    In reality, Colin just wanted to acquire more cheapbor.


    These enved rebels were just a mob. Letting them spread throughout his territory would cause even greater destruction. It’s better to lure all of them into Ice Rock City and then capture them all at once.


    Having ample supplies of food, Colin was also not worried about not being able to house these ves.


    He could let the ves work without paying wages, just giving them some bread and meat soup every day that could barely fill their stomachs, and they wouldn’t cause trouble.


    If there were also ten slots every month to be a freeman awarded, then these ves would work their bones off for Colin.


    Exploitation, it is that simple.


    Of course, in such times of famine, like Colin, who was willing to feed the ves, would definitely be considered a merciful lord.