140: Drive away wolves and devour tigers

On the throne, King Alaric sat in silence. His aged fingers tapped gently against the armrest of the throne, his gaze profound; no one could fathom what he was thinking.

Regarding Linn, his feelings were extremely complex. That young lord who descended upon Glory Fortress with a Legendary Dragon had left too deep an impression on him. A Legendary Dragon, well-trained troops, the confidence and sharpness hidden beneath that calm surface... He knew that while the accusations from Marquis Ellis might have been exaggerated, the core was not wrong. The strength of the Star Sea Territory had indeed expanded too rapidly, reaching a point where the royal Family had to be vigilant.

Regret? A trace of bitterness flashed through Alaric's heart. Back at Glory Fortress, if he had disregarded everything to take down Linn, perhaps... But at the time, with a Legendary Dragon present, even the two royal Legendary figures had no guarantee of victory, not to mention those eleven circling griffins and the clearly extraordinary guards by Linn's side. To force a confrontation would have led to an unpredictable outcome.

Moreover, the Star Sea Territory was nominally still a vassal of the kingdom, and the East Sea Prefecture was the outpost for the kingdom's newly expanded territory. To strike at its lord without concrete evidence of treason would not only chill the hearts of all pioneering nobles but could also trigger turmoil in the Storm Sea Region and even the East Sea Prefecture.

"Your Majesty," seeing the King silent, Marquis Ellis spoke up again, "Count Linn's influence is too great; dealing with him directly might cause chaos. I have a strategy that might resolve this dangerous situation."

"Speak."

"Does Count Linn not enjoy pioneering land?" The corners of Marquis Ellis's mouth curled into a cold arc. "Then let him pioneer! Your Majesty can formally issue an order commanding Count Linn to continue pioneering, deep into the Great Wilderness Forest, to open up more territory for our kingdom. You can even promise that all the new land he pioneers will belong entirely to him."

Many people in the great hall looked puzzled. How was this a punishment? It was clearly a reward!

Marquis Ellis explained unhurriedly: "Your Majesty, fellow colleagues, although part of the eastern Great Wilderness Forest has already been occupied by our country and the Fama Kingdom, the deeper parts remain the sphere of influence of the Dwarf Kingdom and numerous Orc tribes. According to the 'Wolf Fang Armistice Agreement,' the kingdom and the Dwarf Kingdom agreed to thirty years of peace, but the scope of the agreement is limited to the five hundred thousand square kilometers of new land already divided. If Count Linn were to 'unilaterally' pioneer deeper..."

He paused deliberately, letting everyone savor the implication.

Marquis Golden Peacock chimed in, his tone cold: "That would be his personal act, violating the peace agreement between the kingdom and the Dwarf Kingdom! At that time, the Dwarf Kingdom will surely send troops to hold him accountable. With the combat power of the Dwarf legions, plus those unscathed Orc tribes deep in the Great Wilderness Forest... No matter how strong Count Linn is, can he fight a whole kingdom alone?"

Marquis Ellis added: "Once he and the Dwarves have both suffered heavy losses, or if he is simply wiped out by the Dwarves, the kingdom can then step in, using the crime of 'disturbing the peace and unauthorized expansion' to strip him of his title and territory, declaring that all his actions were unrelated to the kingdom. By then, the Star Sea Territory will be leaderless, and the kingdom can send troops to 'take over' in a natural and logical manner."

Borrowing a knife to kill! Driving tigers to devour wolves!

Many nobles in the great hall gasped, and their gazes toward Marquis Ellis held a bit more wariness. This plan was not only vicious but also ingenious. It removed the kingdom from potential conflict, letting Linn and the Dwarves fight to the death; regardless of the outcome, the kingdom would be the greatest beneficiary.

King Alaric's eyes flickered, clearly weighing the options. This plan was indeed in the interest of the royal Family. It could eliminate the potential threat of the Star Sea Territory, avoid a direct conflict with a Legendary Dragon, and might even open up new territory for the kingdom! Even if it were only in name.

He looked at the two dukes on his left. Duke Aivor Nocturne was expressionless, as if it were none of his business; the other, the elderly Duke Bauhinia, nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with the proposal.

"What do you all think?" the King asked.

"Your Majesty, this is a brilliant plan!"

"I second this! It preserves the dignity of the kingdom while eliminating a hidden danger!"

"Does Count Linn not boast of being a capable warrior? Let him go and clash with the Dwarves!"

The echoes of agreement rose one after another, mostly from the faction of Marquis Ellis or nobles who feared the rise of the Star Sea Territory.

A few nobles who had business dealings with the Star Sea Territory opened their mouths but ultimately chose silence. Speaking up for Linn at this juncture was tantamount to putting themselves in the crosshairs.

King Alaric pondered for a long time before finally nodding slowly.

"Lord Aivik."

"I am here." The white-haired administrative official bowed.

"In the name of the royal Family, draft an imperial edict." The King's voice was steady and decisive. "The content of the edict: Commend the contributions of the Guardian of the East Sea Prefecture, Count Lynn Star Sea, in pioneering; encourage him to continue from east to west as a pioneer for the undetermined territory of the Great Wilderness Forest. Any new land he pioneers, once verified by the kingdom, may be incorporated into his fief. Additionally, to show royal support, grant him fifty thousand gold coins, one thousand sets of fine armor, and some magic Materials, to be collected from the Chamber of Commerce in Holy Radiance City."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Marquis Ellis and Marquis Golden Peacock bowed first, a cold light of success flashing in their eyes.

The content of the edict was high-sounding, and the rewards were generous; no one could find fault with it. But the murderous intent hidden within was clear to anyone with a discerning eye.

"Have the edict sent via royal griffin messenger with urgency to Star Sea City; there must be no delay." The King gave his final order.

"As you command!"

The morning assembly dispersed, and the nobles left the Radiant Hall in twos and threes. Marquis Ellis and Marquis Golden Peacock walked side by side, talking in low voices.

"Hilton, this move of yours is ruthless. Although the Dwarf Kingdom was damaged in the great war, the main force of the Iron Furnace Legion remains, and there are several Legendary figures sitting in command. No matter how strong the boy Linn is, he cannot escape this disaster." Marquis Golden Peacock laughed in a low voice.

Marquis Ellis snorted coldly: "He made my son Allen a laughingstock in the capital, seized my Family's secret treasure, and even colluded with that bastard Payson... This grudge must be avenged. This is just the beginning. Once he is defeated and killed, that foundation of the Star Sea Territory... you and I, our two families, can perhaps split it."

"That suits me perfectly." Marquis Golden Peacock's smile deepened.

The two figures disappeared into the shadows of the palace corridor.

On the throne, King Alaric did not leave immediately. He sat alone, looking at the empty great hall, his gaze profound.

"Gordon." He suddenly spoke.

"Your Majesty." The silent Gordon appeared beside the throne like a ghost.

"Send people from the 'Shadow' to the East Sea Prefecture to watch Linn's reactions and subsequent movements. Also... investigate what other little tricks Ellis and Golden Peacock have been up to lately. This strategy, I fear, is not as simple as just targeting Linn."

"Understood." Gordon bowed slightly, and his figure faded away again.

King Alaric slowly stood up, walked to the window of the great hall, and looked toward the east. That was the direction of the Storm Sea Region, where the Star Sea Territory was located.

"Lynn Star Sea..." He whispered the name, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Whether you are a dragon or a worm, it depends on whether you can break this dead end."

Sunlight shone through the stained-glass window, casting shifting light and shadow on his aged face.

Meanwhile, in the distant east, Star Sea City knew nothing of this. An edict wrapped in sweet poison was being carried by a royal griffin, flying through the clouds, speeding toward the Shattered Star Archipelago.

A storm had already brewed and taken shape in the capital, about to sweep toward that rising territory.