Countess Lindsay Monroe

"If we do that..."

"Then it doesn't count as offending Countess Lindsay Earl."

Because of the heat, his body swayed slightly.

His body swayed, causing his heavy, flabby flesh to tremble. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up in a smug smile, as if he could already see the scene after his plan succeeded.

His cheerful mood seemed to have greatly increased his tolerance for the heat.

The most crucial part of the entire plan was Lindsay Monroe's attitude towards Doug Forbes.

If Lindsay Monroe were to acknowledge Doug Forbes as her adopted son, he would not hesitate and would not dare to entertain any thoughts whatsoever.

Not only would they not take any action against Doug Forbes, they would even treat him with utmost respect and become his most loyal ally.

However, he had already learned that the Earl had not shown her face at all during the entire process of Doug Forbes inheriting the land.

Everything was left to his butler to manage, and the Earl did not receive Doug Forbes when he left the capital.

"After all, Doug Forbes' father is dead, and his connection with the Earl is severed."

The Earl's third husband was a court Earl who was highly trusted by His Majesty the King, and the two had a son.

In this situation, Doug Forbes, the so-called adopted son, seemed to hold less importance in the Earl's eyes.

Baron Stan pondered to himself, and he began to plan more firmly how to deal with Doug Forbes, trying to find a breakthrough in this seemingly delicate situation, to regain the territory and power that might have originally belonged to him, without having to worry too much about the Earl's attitude.

"It's even possible that Her Excellency the Earl herself wanted to kill Doug Forbes."

Rumors suggest that Doug Forbes' father used some very despicable means to marry the Earl.

His death was actually orchestrated by His Majesty the King.

So many years have passed, and the constraints that bound the Earl had long since been removed.

Of course, these are all hearsay.

These are all just rumors.

However, since such rumors are circulating...

That might actually be true.

Baron Stan believed there were many factors that could be exploited in this situation.

"Cousin... Your Excellency Baron, please rest assured, I, Ramesh Singh, will be yours for life."

Even if Doug Forbes became the lord of Hope Town, he still wouldn't be able to command a single soldier.

"As long as my cousin gives the order, I can act at any time and show him what we're capable of."

A middle-aged man, slightly thinner than Baron Stan, looked at Baron Stan with a fawning expression and said confidently.

His fawning manner made it seem as if he were truly ready to charge into battle for Baron Stan.

He is Ramesh Singh, the sheriff of Hope Town. His mother and Baron Stan's mother are sisters, and he holds a knighthood.

At this moment, Ramesh Singh's eyes gleamed with ingratiating and loyal light. He bowed slightly, adopting an extremely humble posture, as if he had completely tied his fate to Baron Stan.

He was eager to demonstrate his loyalty and determination to Baron Stan, wanting to closely follow in Baron Stan's footsteps in this game of power.

In his youth, Ramesh Singh was a decent knight and had been through many battles.

However, now the only place where he can unleash his prowess is in bed.

Years of pampered life had turned him into a useless person, and his former heroic spirit had been gradually worn away by time. However, his ability to flatter and please had become more and more refined.

He knows very well what he relied on to get to where he is today.

He dared not disobey Baron Stan's wishes in the slightest, knowing full well that once he lost Baron Stan's protection, he might lose everything in an instant.

Over the years, when Baron Stan managed Hope Town, he diverted a large amount of funds from the Hope Town.

All of this was carried out by Ramesh Singh.

Seeing that Ramesh Singh had taken the lead, the others naturally did not want to fall behind, and they all rushed to pledge their loyalty to Baron Stan.

For a moment, the whole scene became lively and comical, with everyone trying their best to show their "loyalty" to Baron Stan.

They were unfamiliar with Doug Forbes, but they were familiar with Baron Stan.

Despite his fat appearance, Baron Stan is truly ruthless.

I've heard that he has some unclear relationships with many bandit groups and even with the Beastfolk in the Orc Royal Court.

Moreover, he was ruthless in achieving his goals, often using cruel and Insidious methods to deal with enemies and competitors.

Those who had offended him often met with bad ends; they either disappeared mysteriously or suffered various tragic misfortunes.

So what if Doug Forbes is an alchemist?

A single squad of Beastfolk warriors would be enough to take down Doug Forbes.

The area they inhabited was constantly threatened by Beastfolk.

If a group of Beastfolk were to enter Hope Town, even with Doug Forbes's immense strength, he would likely struggle to withstand a group of ferocious and brutal Beastfolk warriors.

As members of Hope Town, they should, in principle, be loyal to their lord, Doug Forbes.

But they were all as cunning as old foxes, and they were unwilling to be killed by the Beastfolk along with Doug Forbes.

Looking at the reactions of those around him, Baron Stan nodded slightly, quite satisfied with their stance.

These people manage the entire Hope Town, and even after Doug Forbes acquired the territory, he still had to rely on them to maintain its daily operations.

They control every aspect of Hope Town, from public security to economic activities, from people's livelihood to military defense.

Baron Stan knew that as long as he kept these people firmly under his control, he could gain the upper hand in his contest with Doug Forbes.

He believed that with the loyalty and cooperation of these people, even if Doug Forbes became the lord, he would find it difficult to truly exert his power, and he could still control the situation in Hope Town from behind the scenes, making everything develop according to his wishes.

"If this Doug Forbes is sensible, I might let him enjoy the status of a lord for a while..."

"I will take over this territory when the time is right."

"By then, I will be Stan!"

"What if he doesn't know when to back down..."

"The next time the Beastfolk invade, Hope Town will be their first target!"

Baron Stan thought smugly, his eyes filled with greed and arrogance.

Compared to the Human Kingdom, the lands occupied by the Beastfolk were far more desolate.

In addition, the Beastfolk have a large appetite and a high reproductive rate, so their food needs are always very high.

Therefore, Beastfolk frequently attack Human Kingdom to seize food; Beastfolk invasions have long been a regular occurrence.