Chương 65: Let's Talk Business

Ch 65 - Let's Talk Business Some time later, the heavy doors of the audience chamber opened once again. Two knights escorted another man into the room. He wore a coarse gray prison tunic made from rough linen, with iron shackles binding both his wrists and ankles. His once-neat hair had become dull and tangled, tied loosely behind his head, while exhaustion and despair were written all over his face. The moment the three nobles saw him, the tension on their faces deepened.

Jester had been standing with his back to the prisoner.

After a brief silence, he calmly stepped aside, raised his chin, and looked down at him.

"Now then, Lord Opopo," he said coldly.

"The most prestigious lord. The man who cared so deeply for his people. Tell everyone everything you know... about yourself and about them." Opopo slowly raised his head.

"Your... Your Highness..." His breathing was uneven, and his voice trembled with rage.

"It was them! The three of them! They're the ones responsible for Necroton's destruction! We worked together... all of us! We diverted this city's resources into their territories. Ore, food, timber, taxes... everything valuable was secretly shipped away. They bought everything at ridiculously low prices through fake agreements, then sold it elsewhere for enormous profits while Necroton was left with almost nothing!" His breathing grew heavier.

"And we squeezed every last coin out of the people! We kept raising taxes, confiscating property, inventing new fees whenever we pleased! Anyone who resisted was threatened by the knights. Families starved while we filled our own vaults!"

"Opopo, shut your mouth!" Silk shouted furiously. But Opopo ignored him completely.

"They've been building their strength under the Second Prince for years! Every shipment, every shipment from Necroton was redirected to strengthen their territories and increase their influence! The Knight Commander they sent here wasn't protecting the city. He was here to supervise everything, making sure every cart, every crate, every coin reached them exactly as planned!" His voice became louder with every word.

"I have proof! I know where the records are hidden! I know where the assets were moved! The ledgers, the contracts, the warehouses, the secret accounts... I know all of it! I can show Your Highness everything!" Silk slammed both hands onto the table before pointing directly at Opopo.

"Watch your tongue, Opopo! Don't you dare drag us down with you!" His face twisted with anger.

"Everything he's saying is the desperate nonsense of a condemned criminal trying to save his own life! We have never participated in such crimes! On the contrary, we have always been the ones sending aid and support to Necroton whenever it was needed."

"If such accusations were true, where is the evidence? Where are these so-called records? Anyone can make wild claims when facing punishment. Your Highness must not allow himself to be deceived by the lies of a cornered man!" Jester's faint smile returned. Without saying a word, he walked toward the table and casually scattered several documents across its surface. Letters bearing official seals. Trade agreements. Detailed ledgers recording shipments of ore, timber, grain, and taxes.

There were even payment records, signed receipts, and correspondence between the four lords discussing the movement of Necroton's resources. The instant those documents came into view, the expressions of the three nobles turned deathly pale. Their composure disappeared almost immediately.

"Your Highness!" Silk exclaimed in panic.

"Those documents are fake! They cannot possibly be authentic! Our families have served the Kingdom with honor for generations. We are loyal vassals under His Highness the Second Prince. Surely Your Highness would not place your trust in forged papers over our reputations." This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. His breathing became noticeably uneven.

"And... and where could Your Highness have even obtained such documents? That should be impossible. Records like these were never meant to leave their proper storage. If anyone claims to possess them, then they must be fabricated. Someone is clearly attempting to frame us!" Jester merely smiled. He paid no attention to Silk's desperate excuses. Every piece of evidence before them had been assembled by combining the testimony he extracted from Opopo with the information obtained from the captured Knight Commander.

Together, they formed a chain of evidence that supported one another almost perfectly.

"If they're fake," Jester said, "then you shouldn't have any reason to panic." His eyes slowly swept across the three nobles.

"Now... what do you think the Second Prince would say after reading all of this?" Silk immediately stepped away from the table. His hands trembled despite every effort to hide it.

"Your Highness. These documents cannot be accepted as unquestionable truth. There must be mistakes, misunderstandings, or deliberate manipulation behind them. We ask only that Your Highness allow a proper investigation before reaching any conclusions." He forced himself to bow.

"In the meantime, we are prepared to demonstrate our sincerity. We will increase our support for Necroton immediately. Additional supplies, manpower, financial assistance, and whatever resources Your Highness requires can all be arranged. We only ask that this matter be handled with caution." Jester returned to his chair. He leaned back lazily before resting both feet on top of the table as though the entire discussion had become unbearably dull.

"I'll give you one opportunity."

"Send one hundred knights to Necroton."

"Deliver every stockpile of unprocessed raw materials currently under your control."

"From this point forward, all material purchased from Necroton will be bought at fair market value."

"I also want twenty skilled specialists from each of your territories. Blacksmiths. Tailors. Carpenters. Stonemasons. Farmers. Engineers."

"On top of that, you'll provide farming equipment, seeds, livestock, fertilizer, and enough supplies to restore our agricultural production." He paused for a moment before his gaze hardened.

"And finally... withdraw every one of your knights from Necroton's borders. I don't want to see a single one of your banners anywhere near my territory." Silence filled the room. The three nobles looked at one another. Silk finally spoke again, forcing out an uneasy smile.

"Your Highness... one hundred knights represent well over half of the standing force available to our territories. Losing so many soldiers at once would leave our cities dangerously vulnerable." He swallowed before continuing.

"As for revising our trade agreements... purchasing materials at full market prices would place an enormous burden on our treasuries. The economic consequences would be severe, not only for us but for the merchants and craftsmen who rely on those arrangements. We sincerely ask Your Highness to reconsider these terms so that we may reach an agreement beneficial to both sides." Jester answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Two hundred knights," he said.

"And your Knight Commander. Or these documents will find their way to the Royal Palace." The three nobles froze. Shock swept across their faces as every last excuse died in their throats. They slowly rose from their seats, exchanging uneasy glances, yet none of them could think of another argument to make. Silk was the first to recover. Even so, the smile on his face was painfully forced.

"Your Highness, we have always believed in your wisdom and extraordinary judgment. We are confident that, under your leadership, our territories can establish a partnership that will benefit us all."

"Our cities possess experienced craftsmen, thriving industries, abundant resources, and a large population of capable workers and players. By combining our strengths with Necroton's future, we believe this cooperation will open the door to unprecedented prosperity for every city involved." He bowed deeply.

"It has always been our wish to support Your Highness's vision, and we remain convinced that your decisions will bring great prosperity to this region." Silk swallowed before speaking again.

"As a symbol of our commitment to this partnership... we will dispatch one hundred and fifty knights, along with our most trusted Knight Commander." He gestured toward the tall man with long black hair standing silently behind them.

"Our trade agreements will also be revised immediately to reflect fair market prices, and we pledge to provide Necroton with the manpower, materials, and assistance necessary for its continued development." He lowered his head even further.

"Long live Prince Caelan. May Your Highness's wisdom continue to guide Necroton toward a brighter future, and may this friendship between our territories endure for many years to come." Jester had no intention of eliminating the three nobles outright. Keeping them alive was far more valuable. As long as they remained influential figures under the Second Prince, they could continue to serve as leverage that he could pressure whenever necessary.

At the same time, he made sure everything appeared perfectly legitimate on the surface through agreements and concessions that could be justified without raising suspicion. If he intended to move forward, he had to do it through lawful means and carefully structured negotiations, always maintaining the appearance of fairness while ensuring every outcome favored him.

Eventually, they would corner themselves, panic under the mounting pressure, and make the fatal mistakes that would ultimately destroy them without him having to dirty his own hands. Jester allowed the three nobles to leave after suffering a crushing defeat. In return, he had secured an enormous amount of military strength and resources for Necroton without drawing unnecessary attention. Damn!

His military force had grown from a mere ten knights to one hundred and sixty knights, with another Knight Commander added to his command. That alone was a tremendous gain. Better yet, Pearl would finally be free to leave the Knight Commander's body and return to her own once everything had been settled.