Pacifying the Three Vassals (Part 2)

After Phile signed the contract Master-Servant Contract once again transformed into two beams of light. However, unlike the previous time with the Prime Minister, this time the light from the Master-Servant Contract was a dark purple. Moreover, after the light merged into Phile's body, there were no obvious changes in Phile's body. The Prime Minister keenly noticed this problem, so he asked Sordil through the contract in his mind, "Master, you shouldn't be sharing your life with him, right?"

"Oh, how did you know?"

"When you and I signed the contract last time, the Master-Servant Contract turned into two bright purple orbs and merged into my and my body. But just now, the master-servant Master-Servant Contract turned into two dark purple orbs. Moreover, after I signed the contract with you, my body became much younger, but his body did not change at all. That's why I think you did not share life with him."

"Red (the Prime Minister's name is Red Townsworth), I didn't expect you to be so observant. That's right! I didn't share my life with him because he wasn't qualified yet!"

Upon hearing Sordil's words, the prime minister felt a long-lost sense of trust returning to him, and it also brought him an extra layer of glory and good fortune.

After concluding his private meeting with the Prime Minister, Sordil's attention shifted to the Black Robe Phile. Unlike his favorable impression of the Prime Minister, the Black Robe himself disgusted Sordil, especially since he had caused the young master to be soundly beaten by the Mother Tyrant. Therefore, Sordil had no intention of having a proper discussion with him. Of course, the most important thing was that the young master didn't have much time left. He had to control the situation before Belmod could react, otherwise, the current favorable situation would be ruined in an instant. So, the young master directly used the punishment of the Master-Servant Contract to tell the Black Robe about his predicament, and then let him choose the path he should take.

"Discipline!"

"Ah!"

As the young master uttered the word "punishment" in his mind, the Black Robe, who had just stood up, lay down again, emitting a chilling scream.

"Ah!"

The tearing sensation in his brain made Phile feel as if he were being sawed in two. Stimulated by the intense pain, he clenched his fists and repeatedly pounded his head in an attempt to relieve the agony, but to no avail. Moreover, the pain intensified over time, until finally he couldn't even move his arms, and could only curl up in a ball, silently enduring the hellish torment.

Fortunately, this time Young Master Sordil only gave him a warning, so the punishment didn't last too long. But even so, when it was all over, the man in the Black Robe was completely soaked in sweat, as if he had just been caught in a rainstorm. As one of the spectators of this brief but terrifying punishment performance, the Prime Minister seemed to see the consequences of his future rebellion, which made him both grateful to Sordil and fearful.

"Black Robe, do you now realize your predicament?"

"Black Robe... Black Robe will definitely... will definitely be loyal to his master, and will never dare to have... to have a second thought!"

"Okay! Then let me ask you, how do you usually pass messages to Belmod?"

"Reporting to Master, there is a secret passage in the restaurant that leads directly to the palace. I always use this passage to get to the palace, and then use the token given to me by Belmod as a pass to move around the palace. After nightfall, I sneak into the King's bedroom, lie in wait on the balcony, and wait for Belmod to return before reporting the news to him."

"Oh? So, you decide when to report each time?"

"Yes!"

Upon hearing the report from the Black Robe, Sordil revealed a smug, sinister, and lewd smile. He then said to the man in Black Robe, "Black Robe, take me to the secret passage. We need to go and report to His Majesty the King now!"

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Faced with his new master's first command, Phile dared not utter a single word. He lowered his pale face, bowed, and then hunched over to lead the way.

Just as the two were about to leave the room, Sordil suddenly stopped and turned around, saying, "Sister Murellia, go and comfort Sister Mevajena for me, and then the two of you work together to completely take control of the Wundest Guild. Oh, and remember to take Red home for me, and don't let anyone know that he has left the manor."

After speaking, Sordil glanced at the Prime Minister. As a smart man, the Prime Minister naturally understood what the young master meant, so he said, "Master, rest assured, Red has been reading in the study all day and has not left the room once."

Sordil nodded in satisfaction, then followed the man in the Black Robe out of the room.

King's Bedchamber

After Gould and Diphiya left the palace, Belmod secretly sent men to follow them in order to find out the true purpose of their attack. It wasn't until recently, when she received a report that the two had returned directly to Duke Gould's residence and had not made any further moves, that Belmod's anxious heart finally returned to normal.

After confirming that she had not been exposed and that her life was still safe, Belmod declined the Queen's routine request and went straight to her bedchamber, quietly waiting for the Black Robe to arrive.

"What's that guy in the Black Robe up to? Why isn't he here yet, so late?"

Thinking of her own suspicions, Belmod couldn't wait a moment longer; she only wanted to see the Black Robe immediately and have him investigate the truth of the matter. However, the palace lights remained bright as day, with no sign of the Black Robe's imminent arrival. Frustrated, His Majesty the King picked up the red tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp to pass the time.

"Call!"

Suddenly, a cold wind blew up on the balcony, and then all the lights in the palace went out, shrouding it in the pitch-black night.

"You've finally arrived! I need you to investigate something, it's urgent!"

All around was quiet, without a sound, but His Majesty the King did not stop speaking. Instead, he raised his voice slightly to ensure that his voice could reach every corner of the balcony.

"Immediately use all available resources to investigate Duke Gould and find out his relationship with Diphiya and Oddek!"

"Don't worry, as long as you help me accomplish this, I will immediately use all the power of the kingdom to help you annex the Silver Moon Society and Drunken Sky Snow, making you the Dark King of Cuiyi'aorshu!"

The surroundings remained quiet; the cold, hoarse voice that should have been heard on the balcony did not appear. At this moment, His Majesty the King finally sensed something amiss. He slowly stood up and quietly walked towards the palace gate.

"Buzz!"

The lights around them suddenly came back on, and a figure dressed in Black Robe appeared in the center of the palace.

Although he hadn't seen the other person's face, Belmod recognized him at a glance based on his familiarity with the Black Robe. What puzzled him was that the other person had clearly stated that he didn't want anyone to discover their relationship, yet now he was openly appearing here.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't appear in the light? Why have you changed your mind?"

"It's not that I changed my mind, but that my master needs me to be here!"

Although the person opposite her was still Black Robe, and although she still heard that familiar hoarse voice, Belmod was utterly shocked. The unruly Black Robe figure, whom even she couldn't subdue, now had a master. What was even more terrifying was that the other party seemed quite interested in her.

At that moment, that terrifying figure entered His Majesty the King's mind, reminding him of something horrifying. He hurriedly asked in a shrill voice, "Who is your master? What do you want?"

The Black Robe didn't answer his question, but instead pointed to the palace gate. Belmod turned her head towards the gate, and the next second, a familiar silver-white color caught her eye.

"Thump!"

Upon seeing that terrifying figure actually appear beside her, Belmod, overwhelmed with surprise and joy, collapsed to the ground, her voice trembling as she cried out, "You... you... how are you here? What do you want?"

"Heh! Don't you know why I'm here? As for what I want to do... Hmph! Isn't it obvious?"

"This is the royal palace. If you kill me, you won't leave here alive!"

"Haha! Your His Majesty the King, have you forgotten my other identity? Or do you think the palace's defenses can withstand the attack of a dragon?"

After her threat of force failed, Belmod felt that her life was coming to an end, and even Cuiyi'aorshu seemed to be disappearing from the Ishgar territory.

"Wait! Ishgar? How could I have forgotten about that!"

After retrieving a memory shell from his mind, His Majesty the King regained his confidence. He raised his head and looked directly at Sordil, then said, word by word, "Prince Sordil, even if you can kill me and my men, can you wipe out all the humans on Ishgar? Once they know what you have done, do you think they will still stay in the United Front Alliance and serve you?"

"A good excuse! But you said one thing wrong. It wasn't me who killed you and your men, but the Western Continent dragons who broke through the front lines and entered the heart of Ishgar that attacked your palace and killed you all. Am I right, Phile?"

"You're right, that's exactly how it is! And in order to ensure the stability of the kingdom and to better deal with the Evil Dragon of the Western Continent, shortly after His Majesty Belmod's death, Duke Gould will inherit the throne and become the new king of Cuiyi'aorshu, leading us to continue the struggle."

The Black Robe's words shattered Belmod's last hope, pushing him to the brink of death. Faced with the terrifying prospect of life and death, His Majesty the King instantly lost the courage to resist. He knelt down with a thud, then scrambled to Sordil's side, pleading tearfully, "Prince Sordil, I know I was wrong, please spare my life!"

"I'll do anything you want, as long as you spare me!"

Seeing His Majesty the King kneeling and begging for mercy, Sordil said nothing more and simply handed him a Master-Servant Contract. As a dutiful servant, Phile naturally wouldn't allow his esteemed master to explain the purpose of the contract to a prisoner, so he Master-Servant Contract explained its function to His Majesty the King.

Although reason told Belmod that she absolutely could not sign the contract, the instinct for survival prevailed over reason, forcing her to sign her name.

Thus, Prince Sordil, through a contract, gained control of the four most honorable people in Cuiyi'aorshu, successfully taking control of the kingdom's central government, stabilizing his rear, and ensuring that he could focus on the front lines without having to worry about anything else.