A Steamy Auction
With the auction approaching, Hudson had already mustered five hundred elite troops and set off.
Ostensibly, it was to purchase warhorses, but in reality, it was to conduct a trade.
In such large transactions, everyone worries about being double-crossed. Choosing a third party's territory is often the best option.
Trading the "Blood Moon Horn" was something that was destined to be done in the shadows, and Hudson wasn't afraid of the Mysterious Organization playing tricks on him.
Even if there's a conspiracy, at worst we can just remove the seal placed on the "Blood Moon Horn." The sheer amount of resentment it evokes will be enough to attract the Governor's Mansion.
A mere coincidence of discovering an enemy plot can be transformed into a conflict between the kingdom and the Church.
On one side are people of unknown origin, suspected to be from the Church; on the other side are powerful nobles from the kingdom. It is self-evident whose words are more credible.
The worst-case scenario is that Hudson loses all his benefits and can only rely on the kingdom's rewards.
But the Mysterious Organization has to pay the price—its life.
As the capital of the Southeast Province, Beda City is not a place you can come and go as you please.
Not only are there powerful figures in charge, but the Crimson Knights are also stationed there. The title of one of the kingdom's Great Knight orders carries considerable weight.
The Crimson Knights wreaked havoc during the last Skull Society rebellion. As far as Hudson knew, only a portion of the Knight Order had participated last time.
The "Knight Order" and the "Cavalry" may seem to differ by only one word, but they are fundamentally different.
The former represents honor; one is not qualified to be named after someone without outstanding achievements. The latter, on the other hand, is simply an organizational unit.
Knight Order can have multiple cavalry regiments, the most famous of which is naturally the Church's Order of Judgment Knights of the Inquisition.
Not only did it have cavalry units that could run on land, but it also had cavalry units that could fly in the sky; the only thing missing was cavalry units that could swim in the water.
Although the Crimson Knights do not have a formal air force organization, they are still the undisputed kings of the Southeast Province.
Hudson felt safe trading in such a heavily guarded location. If the Mysterious Organization sent a ruthless individual, he would simply slip into the military camp.
To ensure a smooth journey, Hudson not only brought his five hundred elite troops but also invited nobles from the county to join him at the auction.
A large contingent of over a thousand people set off from Laite County. Those who knew the situation clearly understood they were going to an auction, while those unaware might mistake it for a trip to war.
With this lineup, sneak attacks are out of the question; the only option is to launch a strong offensive.
Hudson did not believe the Mysterious Organization was capable of mobilizing thousands of elite troops from the Alpha Kingdom to ambush them.
With no army available, relying solely on a small number of skilled fighters to launch a surprise attack on this force, it seems unlikely that several Forbidden Spell will be effective.
Just look at the front lines and you'll know that the war is so fierce that neither side has used Forbidden Spell.
It's not that people don't have the ability to use Forbidden Spell; it's just that this thing is too inefficient.
It's impossible to unleash this without five or six Magister of the same school, or a team of mages.
Once released, the mages are almost completely drained and need to recuperate before they can act again.
The extent of Forbidden Spell's coverage depends entirely on the caster's strength.
In theory, it can be infinitely large, but in reality, the coverage of most Forbidden Spell is very limited; expanding the range of magic will weaken its power.
Historical records of Forbidden Spell destroying cities are just stories and have no practical significance.
On the surface, the human race currently has no Holy Domain, including the Pope, who, despite the blessing of a divine artifact, can only be considered a pseudo- Holy Domain.
It can unleash the power of Holy Domain expert with the help of external forces, but once it is used, it will cost one's life.
Pope Pius VII was clearly a man who valued his life, and in all the years he had been on the throne, he had never personally taken action.
The situation was similar among the alien races. The Elf Queen, who was known as the number one expert on the continent, was only a suspected Holy Domain.
Even if there are experts of this level in secret, their numbers could not possibly be many.
Even Holy Domain powerhouse doesn't have the ability to destroy a city instantly. Those legendary, world-destroying figures are likely artistic embellishments and clearly not representative of reality.
The procession marched forward in a grand and imposing manner, sending chills down the spines of the spies responsible for surveillance. With so many noble lords moving about together, even observing from afar required caution; close-up reconnaissance would be suicidal.
Even the most difficult missions can be accomplished; if it's impossible to get close, then we'll make an estimate. For this kind of reconnaissance mission, a slight margin of error is acceptable.
"My lord, the target has been spotted. They are expected to arrive in Beda City by tomorrow afternoon."
The target was very vigilant, traveling with a large group of people. Judging from the information gathered, there were more than 1,500 of them.
And they were all elites, including many knights. The target had a wide network of connections, and nobles continued to join the group along the way, so the exact number was constantly changing.
"If we try to ambush them, unless the esteemed officials personally intervene, there's no chance of success."
Shadow Kill said in a deep voice.
Long-term training has caused him to lose normal human emotions, making him more like a cold machine.
However, the fact that an intelligence agent like him, who was almost a suicide soldier, could be rational did not mean that the intelligence agents below him could also disregard their own gains and losses, resulting in an ambiguous intelligence report.
The target is a minimum of 1,500 people, with no upper limit, which makes the situation awkward.
Kevin waved his hand and said calmly, "Alright, don't think about things that aren't certain."
Our current mission is to bring back the Blood Moon Horn; everything else is secondary. There's no need to risk everything for a small gain; it would be troublesome if it affected the mission.
The impact on missions is one issue, but the impact on making money is another major problem. If the Blood Moon Horn is recaptured, how can we reap the benefits?
Even if the merit is greater, how much more can it add? In the eyes of the Church's high command, simply bringing back the Blood Moon Horn is a great achievement, regardless of the means used.
However, this kind of thing is something only those in higher positions should know. In front of the devout believers working below, they still have to put on an act.
After a pause, Kevin turned to Isabelle in the corner and instructed her, "Miss Isabelle, you will be in charge of negotiating the next transaction with Hudson."
It would be best to create some scandal to attract outside attention and serve as a cover for this deal.
A few of us will pose as your bodyguards and follow behind. From now on, everything in the box is nominally yours.
"Rainbow Moon, we've taken care of it for you. Once it's done, you're a free man! Shadow Kill will give you the promised payment."
"Thank you, sir!"
"Isabelle expressed her gratitude with a hint of excitement," she said.
He trembled all over, as if he was incredibly excited. But deep inside, however, the scene was quite different.
The trembling was an instinctive reaction, not from excitement at gaining freedom, but from being terrified by the news.
Having spent many years with the songstress group, Isabelle is no naive Little White; her greatest skill is reading people and situations.
From Kevin's seemingly kind expression, she sensed something unusual, as if he were looking at a dead man.
Of all the people present, she was a close associate of the Mysterious Organization, but she was an outer member, and one who was about to leave.
Knowing such confidential information and then letting her leave is clearly not in line with the usual practices of the Mysterious Organization.
It's too late for regrets now. It was all because she was young and naive; when she joined the Mysterious Organization, she assumed a cooperative attitude and agreed not to hinder them when they left.
Since the "Blood Moon Horn" is involved, unstable elements cannot be allowed to remain. Even if this pawn is very valuable, the Church will not take the risk.
Compared to the Church, the "Skull Society" faction on the other side was much more meager. Looking at the few skilled fighters around him, the masked man began to hesitate.
As an ambitious Skeleton Lord, he didn't want to lose all his wealth for an uncertain adventure.
"The Church's people are in Beda City, Hudson has also gone there with a large group of men. There is a very high possibility that the two sides will reach a deal."
We lack the strength to stop this deal. The plan needs to be changed; all previously deployed actions are cancelled.
Next, we need to leverage the power of the aristocratic group and find a suitable opportunity to expose the identities of the Church delegation.
They claimed they were colluding with the Beastfolk, bringing the Blood Moon Horn to instigate a rebellion in Beda City and destabilize the rear of the Alpha Kingdom!
The masked man said viciously.
Plans can change in an instant. The original intention was to provoke a conflict between the two sides so that the other party could reap the benefits, but unexpectedly, they reached a deal.
The plan, meticulously crafted over half a year, has turned into a farce. It's like preparing a bridal chamber only to have someone else enter the bridal chamber instead.
The masked man couldn't swallow his anger.
Unfortunately, the transaction took place in Beda City, a forbidden zone he wanted to stir up trouble in but dared not go there.
If he had no other choice, he would have to resort to using others to do his dirty work. Now he could only hope that the nobles of the Southeast Province would cooperate and keep all the Church members here.
As for the Blood Moon Horn, it's far better for it to fall into the hands of the Alpha Kingdom than to return to the Church.
As a fanatical believer determined to restore the glory of the Lord of Dawn, he has always been tireless in exposing the dark history of the Church and undermining Church prestige.
The masked man made a selfless contribution to a series of pieces of evidence presented by the Frankish Kingdom in its questioning of the Pope's legitimacy.
"My Lord, our identities are clandestine, and we cannot contact the Governor's Mansion. At most, we can only spread rumors to attract the attention of those nobles."
But doing so could easily alert them. If the Church discovers it, then..."
Before the middle-aged man could finish speaking, the masked man interrupted, "Carlis, your thinking hasn't changed yet."
What time is it now?
The invasion of the Beastfolk army caused a huge uproar with any news about the Beastfolk.
Moreover, the fact that the Church colluded with the Beastfolk to instigate a rebellion in Beda City was a horrifying event.
Whether the matter is true or false, as soon as they receive the news, those cowardly nobles will send people to investigate.
Write several secret letters, find a few random people on the street, and deliver them to the relevant nobles or officials. As long as you get the attention of just one person, you've achieved your goal.
Do you really think that the identities of those guys in the Church can withstand scrutiny?
Once their identities as members of the Church were exposed, the deal was over. To clear himself of any wrongdoing, Hudson would inevitably take advantage of their misfortune.
The blame for the Blood Moon Horn incident will almost certainly be placed on these members of the Church. He'll also fabricate a charge of colluding with the Beastfolk for the Church.
The highly anticipated auction in Beda City has begun amidst everyone's anticipation.
The allure of warhorses was immense; nobles with some power in the provinces all sent representatives to participate, and some even made an appearance in person.
Besides the Warren Merchant Guild, other merchants also came to join the fun. The number of warhorses to be auctioned was also increased from the initial three thousand to four thousand three hundred.
Although the number of applicants has increased significantly, the situation of too many applicants for too few places remains unchanged.
Hudson didn't know how many warhorses other factions wanted to buy.
He himself would prefer as many as possible, and he would even consider buying all of these thousands of warhorses.
While the quantity appears enormous, it is actually divided among numerous branches of the Coslo Family, and the underlings in the county also have a need for it.
Minor nobles do not need to build professional cavalry, but a small number of cavalry scouts are still necessary.
For their own safety, it was necessary to arm themselves with a few trusted cavalry guards to accompany them in the charge.
It might seem like nothing for one family to take away ten or eight warhorses, but when nearly two hundred noble families come together to share them, the number will quickly swell up.
The competition would begin immediately, driving prices sky-high. How could a shrewd nobleman allow merchants to manipulate him?
At the start of the auction, the powerful figures had already agreed on the ownership of the warhorses. The auction would still proceed, but the price had to remain within everyone's control.
In fact, this is still taking into account the subsequent impact. Otherwise, we wouldn't be discussing how to buy it now, but would be taking action to seize it.
As a powerful figure in the Southeast Province, Hudson was fortunate enough to secure a private box, avoiding the need to squeeze into the main hall.
"Your Excellency Hudson, there is a beautiful lady outside who claims to be a close friend of yours and has come to have a chat. What do you say?"
The maid's gentle voice brought Hudson, who was familiar with the auction rules, back to reality.
"Close friend" is, in other words, a lover. But the problem is, when did he ever have a lover? This is clearly slander.
"You may all leave. I need to speak with Hudson alone!"
Before Hudson could speak, a voice came from outside. The soldiers who were supposed to stop him had already made way.
The maidservant who was serving nearby quickly disappeared. Judging from how familiar she was, she had clearly encountered similar situations many times before.
Hudson rolled his eyes at the Isabelle and made up his mind to teach this woman a lesson.
If it were a different occasion, and she secretly came to his door, he wouldn't mind having another lover.
But to act like this at an auction, doesn't he know that his father-in-law, Lord Hudson, is also participating in this auction?
Although they were already engaged, it wouldn't be worth going back on your word over such a small matter, but it would still be embarrassing.
Instead of immediately turning hostile, Hudson noticed several new boxes in the room. With his keen senses, he knew they contained Magic Crystal Stone and Magic Core.
"The contract is here; have the people behind you sign it!"
As they spoke, a parchment scroll flew from Hudson's hand. It was the contract document they had prepared earlier.
He went through a lot of trouble to create this document. In the end, he was only able to complete the contract drawing with the help of Mysterious Compass.
As for how effective it is, we'll only know after trying it. At the very least, it looks more sophisticated than a regular magic contract, like a high-end product.
In this situation, it was clearly unsuitable for "guards" to stay for an extended period. After several powerful individuals signed the contract, only Hudson and Isabelle remained in the room.
Hudson vaguely sensed someone watching him, and the Young Bear on his shoulder stretched out its paw in response.
"We're being watched!"
Realizing this, Hudson didn't hold back and pulled Isabelle into his arms, as if old lovers were reuniting.
In that instant, the Magic Crystal Stone and Magic Core inside the box vanished completely.
With a "whoosh," the Projection Stone entered Beldens's hand. At the same time, the sealed Blood Moon Horn was also quietly sent out.
The "guards" who had obtained the items used the excuse of needing to relieve themselves to ask the maids outside the door for directions before leaving the scene.
Around the same time, a group of people, similar in appearance to the previous guards, took their place and appeared outside the private room to stand watch.
The reaction was so fast that Hudson hadn't instructed Beldens to keep an eye out, and they wouldn't have noticed the change of personnel outside.
"Sir, is it possible to let go now?"
"Isabelle said softly, her face flushed."
Hudson's hands had been quite restless, driving her crazy. She was clearly angry, but dared not retaliate.
From the moment the deal was struck, she was abandoned by the Mysterious Organization. If it weren't for the need for her to draw attention and cover up the smooth progress of the transaction, she might already be dead.
"Let go, why are you letting go of my lover?"
Some people claim to be lovers, do they want to back out now? Do they think I'm easy to bully?
As he spoke, Hudson's hand slammed down.
This scene left the two elderly men hiding on the opposite side, who were spying on them, quite embarrassed. Spying on people flirting was not something they were in a position to do.
"Yuri, are you sure the other side is colluding with the Church and the Beastfolk plotting a rebellion, and not just a couple flirting?"
Everyone has a youthful phase, and making a few minor mistakes is perfectly acceptable. Which capable nobleman hasn't had a few romantic affairs?
If this were to come to light, it would be bad for the reputation of the Coslo Family and Hollisir Family, and it would also be against the rules.
Isabelle's beauty is renowned far and wide; from the moment she entered Beda City, she attracted the attention of countless noble young men. Even my son is clamoring for me to help him propose marriage.
Most likely, it's a fabricated story born of jealousy, intended to frame and harm this couple. They want to use us to ruin their relationship.
"It's such a small matter, why be the bad guy?"
"It doesn't matter," said Magister Antal indifferently.
It doesn't matter who Isabelle harms, as long as it's not his son. He can't bear the shame of marrying a songstress.
Now that he's hooked up with Hudson, he can finally put an end to his son's delusions and put an end to a long-standing worry.
As for the accusations that Hudson colluded with the Beastfolk and that the Church was plotting a rebellion, Antar never believed them.
Why give up being a proper nobleman and go and get involved with these two families? Isn't that just plain stupid?
Despite the Beastfolk' current strength, humanity will ultimately prevail. As for the Church, it goes without saying that if the charge of colluding with the Beastfolk is proven, internal strife will erupt within the Church first.
The lack of integrity at the top doesn't mean that those below also lack integrity. At the very least, those Cenobites who represent the highest fighting force cannot tolerate the Church betraying the interests of humanity.
In Antar's view, even if the Beastfolk and the Church were colluding, they would only do so secretly. To drag Hudson into it was utterly ridiculous, as if they were afraid the news would leak out.
"How would I know? Anyway, you've seen the secret letter. In times like these, we must be careful in everything we do."
They also reported several people within the Church, right? We'll know once we investigate. Oh, and there were a few boxes that went in with them; we can send someone to check them out.
"I'm going to say this with a forced smile," said Magister Yuri.
Yuri was so eager to get things done because he thought he had caught Hudson red-handed last time.
He hadn't expected to be bombarded with displays of affection right from the start. If it weren't for the inappropriate setting, he would have suspected that the lovestruck couple opposite him could put on a real show for them.
"If you want to investigate, then go ahead and investigate yourself. I'm not going to play along."
As a popular singer, it's understandable that she has some savings. Unless you can find the Blood Moon Horn to prove the contents of the letter are true.
Otherwise, it's pointless except for offending people. If you're not afraid of making enemies and having your descendants suffer the consequences, then go ahead and cause trouble!
As he spoke, Antal turned and left, leaving Magister Yuri in a dilemma, and in the end, he could only let out a helpless sigh.
Even the strong are human; they may not be afraid of offending others, but they also have to consider the younger generation.
Normal people don't want to offend someone unnecessarily.
If catching someone in a compromising situation can be considered leverage, then more than half of all the nobles in the world have similar incriminating evidence against them.
If everyone rots together, then it can only be called "frivolous".
Although it happened before marriage and was a bit excessive, the Hollisir Family, as the victims, will definitely not be grateful to him for bringing this to light.
Having unwittingly dodged a storm, Hudson continued his relentless pursuit of revenge. What surprised him, however, was that despite giving Isabelle a chance halfway through, she didn't rush to escape.
"Miss Isabelle, why are you staring at the door from time to time? What are you afraid of?"
Could it be that the Mysterious Organization thinks you know too much and are getting in the way, and wants to kill you to silence you?
Seeing Isabelle's astonished expression, Hudson thought to himself: Holy crap!
This melodramatic plot actually unfolded right in front of him.
No wonder she was willing to let him take advantage of her rather than leave in a hurry. It seems she had to stay here to escape being hunted down.
Having been exposed, Isabelle didn't try to hide it any longer. Instead, she asked with suspicion, "You're not Magister Undead, so what happened last time?"