Vol.0 Ch.143 Duval’s Mistake


    <span ss="userText">The day went by fast before Duval<span ss="aiText"> arrived<span ss="userText"> at the Divalo Manor with two of his closest allies, Count Sebastian Ingham and Viscount Octavius ckwood<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">ric was wearing his best attire and was waiting at the front entrance for his guests. He had a fake smile on his face as he saw the Marquess<span ss="editText">''s<span ss="aiText"> carriageing into the courtyard.


    <span ss="aiText">''<span ss="userText">The fool is here<span ss="aiText">... Time to <span ss="userText">see how long he can keep that fake smile of his<span ss="aiText"> up.''


    <span ss="aiText">As soon as the carriage stopped<span ss="editText">. A footman who was riding with the driver came down to open <span ss="aiText">the do<span ss="editText">or.<span ss="aiText"> Duval got out first and then helped his two allies out.


    <span ss="aiText">ric couldn''t help but feel the smugness radiate off of the three men.


    <span ss="aiText">"Your grace, you are looking <span ss="editText">surprisingly <span ss="aiText">well," Duval said as he approached the Duke.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">How could I not be? When you get a second chance at life you learn to<span ss="aiText"> appreciate it even more."


    <span ss="aiText">Duval shook his head and said, "You are a lucky man indeed<span ss="editText">. If I hadn''t swooped in. Who knows how the King would have paraded around your corpse.<span ss="aiText">"


    <span ss="aiText">ricughed and said, "<span ss="userText">I must say, Marquess... I''m surprised you did that in the first ce... Wait, where are my manners? Let''s continue this conversation inside, shall we?<span ss="aiText"> I will not have my guests be neglected while standing outside in the cold."


    <span ss="userText">"Y-You seem more friendlier than normal, ric... You better not be nning<span ss="aiText"> anything<span ss="userText">, unsavory<span ss="aiText">," said Viscount Octavius ckwood in an uneasy voice. The Duke was acting simrly to the Viscount''s wife when she was furious at him. And it put him on edge.


    <span ss="aiText">ckwood is Duval''s right-hand man.


    <span ss="aiText">"What? Me? How could you use me of something so vile? And after all the work that Marquess Duval did to save me. The betrayal will kill me, Octavius.<span ss="userText">"


    <span ss="aiText">"T-That''s enough, your Grace... My apologies, Lord ckwood. The Duke is simply happy to have his life spared." Duval said.


    <span ss="aiText">Viscount Octavius ckwood nods his head and then keeps quiet.


    <span ss="userText">"Well then... You can follow me, gentlemen. And Ingham? You can join our conversation if you like<span ss="aiText">. You were always the smart one of the bunch."<span ss="userText"> ric said with a fake smile.


    <span ss="userText">"I prefer to listen<span ss="aiText"> and observe." Count Sebastian Ingham said with a stoic look.


    <span ss="aiText">"Of course, you would, Sebastian.<span ss="editText"> One of these days I will get you to open up.<span ss="aiText">"


    <span ss="userText">Ingham shook his head before the<span ss="aiText"> three men followed the Duke.


    <span ss="userText">***


    <span ss="userText">ric led them inside and they started walking through the halls as the Marquess and his friendsmented on how beautiful the architecture and design were.


    <span ss="aiText">"It''s a shame that it won''t be in your possession anymore, ric."


    <span ss="aiText">"Oh. Why is that, Marquess?"


    <span ss="userText">"I''m sure with theck of funds<span ss="aiText"> and assets. It will only be a matter of time before <span ss="editText">you have to sell off<span ss="aiText"> this manor."


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">No... I believe I will be able to keep<span ss="aiText"> it for myself."


    <span ss="aiText">"That is doubtful. How will you pay the taxes? You lost 50% of your wealth and lost an additional 75% of your ie."


    <span ss="aiText">"I have plenty of assets I can sell off to make ends meet.<span ss="userText"> And if I must then I will cut my staff down to the<span ss="aiText"> minimum and live a modest lifestyle. Besides, I have other ways of making money."


    <span ss="aiText">The Marquess smiled and said, "Ah. You mean selling off the artifacts in the Revelia Treasury?<span ss="userText">"


    <span ss="userText">"You want my mother''s family heirloom? The Core Crystal Compass? I never knew you were interested in dungeon diving, Duval.<span ss="aiText"> But sadly, the artifact is not for sale."


    <span ss="aiText">"Oh, I was never interested in it. I was just curious about its value.<span ss="userText">"


    ***


    <span ss="userText">The Duke and the other three men arrived<span ss="aiText"> in the dining room and sat down. The footmen came and ced a bowl of soup and some stale bread in front of each guest<span ss="userText"> except the Duke who had a nice steak with<span ss="aiText"> roasted potatoes and a sd.


    <span ss="userText">"I apologize for the food, gentlemen. You see the kingdom imed half of my<span ss="aiText"> assets and that includes my food storage. So, this is the best the cook could put together."<span ss="userText"> ric said with a smart-ass smirk.


    <span ss="userText">Duval looked at his allies before turning towards the Duke.


    <span ss="userText">"So, is the Duchess and your childrening to join us as well<span ss="aiText">?"


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">No. They had more important things to do than entertain three<span ss="aiText"> old fools."


    <span ss="aiText">The Marquess was silent for a few seconds and looked like he was offended by what the Duke had said.


    <span ss="aiText">"Well... <span ss="userText">I guess it''s better to<span ss="aiText"> have a serious discussion with no distractions."


    <span ss="userText">ric cut a small piece of his steak<span ss="aiText"> and took a bite before saying, "<span ss="userText">So, you wish to have a serious discussion with me<span ss="aiText">. Is that why you brought your allies here with you?"


    <span ss="aiText">"Of course. They are my most trusted friends. And <span ss="userText">we came here in order to help you in your<span ss="aiText"> time of need."


    <span ss="userText">Duke ric burst outughing<span ss="aiText"> and then stopped to say, "My time of need? Hah! <span ss="userText">Wasn''t it you who advised my brother to weaken me<span ss="aiText"> financially<span ss="editText">?<span ss="aiText">"


    <span ss="aiText">The Marquess didn''t flinch or show any difort.


    <span ss="userText">The Duke continued, "You know... I was racking my brain trying to find out why on the Goddess''s green Tertius you woulde in and stop my brother from executing me... And it finally came to me... You were worried that an uprising would ur<span ss="aiText">. Isn''t that right, Duval?"


    <span ss="aiText">Marquess Duval stayed calm and responded, "Of course<span ss="editText"> not<span ss="aiText">, I didn''t want to see your head rolling in the mud, ric. We may have our disagreements, but you are of royal blood. Your father would have been disappointed in me if I-<span ss="userText">"


    "BYAHAHAH!" ricughed again causing the three men to flinch.


    <span ss="userText">When ric stoppedughing and looked at Duval with a serious<span ss="aiText"> expression.


    <span ss="aiText">"Cut the shit, Duval. I''m not a fool, and you don''t have the balls toe up with a better excuse to convince me otherwise. Plus, you would have kept your mouth shut if it weren''t for the fear of a potential civil war.<span ss="userText">.. And you were hoping that I would agree to whatever scraps you want to throw my way in order to get my support? You are the most predictable Prime Minister in Fiafyrian history... And you''re so short-sighted that you will damn the Kingdom to ruin<span ss="aiText">."


    <span ss="aiText">The Marquess was still smiling as if he was enjoying himself.


    <span ss="aiText">"So, ric. Since you think you''re so smart. Tell me, <span ss="userText">how did you hire an assassin to get through all of the pce''s security only to have them change their allegiance, not because of mary reasons? But because she truly respects the crown<span ss="aiText"> and the royal family?"


    <span ss="aiText">ric froze up. The Marquess had a good point.


    <span ss="userText">The Duke then wipes his lips with the napkin. Before looking at Duval.


    <span ss="userText">"How is it that a Prime Minister is having trouble getting the loyalty of the minor lords<span ss="aiText">? Are you so inept that you <span ss="userText">need me to be indebted<span ss="aiText"> to you in order to secure their loyalty? You''re the one that should be asking yourself these questions, not me. If I didn''t know any better. I would say that <span ss="editText">all those weak offers for minister positions are all you have <span ss="userText">for keeping Baroness Ysandra Fairchild and Baron Thaddeus Windermere from giving their support back to the King.<span ss="aiText"> If you''re going to use your resources and position to make an alliance. Then you should know how to keep the loyalty of your new allies."


    <span ss="aiText">Count Sebastian Ingham <span ss="editText">shook his head <span ss="aiText">as he saw the Prime Minister''s confidence break.


    <span ss="userText">"Wee here to offer an olive branch to a traitor of the kingdom<span ss="aiText">, and this is the thanks we get? Your Grace, if you have no desire to ept the generosity of the Prime Minister. Then I see no reason <span ss="userText">why we shouldn''t have let the King execute you in the first ce." Octavius<span ss="aiText"> said with a hint of anger in his voice.


    <span ss="aiText">ric looked at the Viscount and then to the Marquess.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">And have the kingdom plunged into a civil war? That''s mighty risky, Viscount. You were meant to be in Duval''s shadow."


    <span ss="userText">Octavius gritted his teeth<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">That''s what I thought... Listen, I took my one chance to get the throne for my son. And now I''m paying the price. But I can promise you one thing, Duval... I will never let the Alliance of the Divine Three take over my Kingdom by letting one of their whores spread their legs<span ss="aiText"> wide open <span ss="userText">to my nephew<span ss="aiText">. That bitch has no ce in the court of Fiafyr."


    <span ss="aiText">ric mmed his fists down onto the table.


    <span ss="aiText">"You can''t stop the marriage from happening, ric.<span ss="userText"> And all your fear-mongering over the Divine Three trying to im my kingdom is nothing short of lunacy! All because you think Quinus''s heir<span ss="aiText"> won''t be Fiafyrian enough? It''s a waste of my time reasoning with you. This Kingdom will be safer with this marriage, whether you like it or not."


    <span ss="aiText">"And the moment that <span ss="editText">a half-blooded Diviner takes the throne<span ss="aiText">. Is the moment the Alliance takes control over my country."


    <span ss="aiText">"You''re being paranoid. <span ss="editText">We can''t have conflict be the answer to all of our foreign problems! What would happen if the Kingdom of Fiafyr became an empire? Huh? Do you think the other races will sit idly by and let us humans have our <span ss="userText">bastion<span ss="editText">? You''ve read the history books just like I have. We would be lucky if it was only the High Elvesing after us!<span ss="aiText">"


    <span ss="aiText">ric <span ss="userText">leaned back into his chair and smirked at Duval.


    <span ss="userText">"Stagnation leads to failure, Duval."


    <span ss="userText">"NO! Keeping ourselves from overreaching will be the only way to prevent our kingdom''s downfall. You''re too blinded by your ambition for power<span ss="aiText"> that you don''t see the dangers that we are in."


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Who wrote those texts about the downfall of our <span ss="userText">ancestors? It was in the Demon''s texts, the vampire''s texts, and the High Elves'' texts. Strange how it was never written by our forefathers.<span ss="aiText"> Don''t you think?"


    <span ss="aiText">Duval sighed and shook his head.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Or they are giving us a warning!"


    <span ss="userText">"It''s all hearsay to make humanityg behind. If we don''t make our move now. Then we will lose our advantage over the other races."


    <span ss="userText">Duval stands up.


    <span ss="userText">"I see there''s no reasoning with you. If you lose your support, ric. I will be the first one to suggest that you be executed<span ss="aiText">."


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Tell me Duval... What happens if the Alliance ims our kingdom... Wouldn''t they be a step closer to bing what you fear?"


    <span ss="aiText">"They won''t!"


    <span ss="aiText">"Are you certain of that? If I recall, the Alliance is a coalition of kingdoms... They will have to makepromises in order to survive and evolve.<span ss="userText"> But you are too short-sighted to have realized that<span ss="aiText">."


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">You talk nonsense! Come Prime Minister. Let''s leave this fool to plot<span ss="aiText"> his next steps alone. I''m sure it will backfire on him just like what happened when he hired an assassin,"<span ss="userText"> Octavius<span ss="aiText"> said.


    <span ss="aiText">Marquess Duval gave the Duke a long look of disappointment. Before leaving with his allies.


    <span ss="userText">Once they left the dining room. ric went back to enjoying his meal.


    <span ss="userText">"Hahaha... If he hadn''t insisted on meeting with me a day after I was punished I probably wouldn''t have known that he was afraid of an uprising. That was a big mistake, Duval... I just need to make sure my friends don''t leave my side<span ss="aiText">."