Pirate Kingship

Chapter 381 - 318 You Scheme Against Me, I Scheme Against You

Chapter 381: Chapter 318 You Scheme Against Me, I Scheme Against You

The celebration banquet didn’t conclude until deep into the night.

Byron was merely a projection. He hadn’t eaten a bite of food nor drunk a drop of wine. Yet, aside from requests to arrange introductions for their sisters or daughters, or to purchase female slaves, he accepted all other offers of business cooperation without refusal.

In his eyes, these fellows were simply chives delivered to his door, asking to be harvested. At most, it was a minor matter of organizing another group later on and tossing them in with the three thousand Death Soldiers... oh, the ’atmosphere group,’ that is. He thought the name "New Continent Development, Tourism, and Fishing Crowdfunding Project" was quite good. If he could get Edward IV to join in as well, it would be even better.

By the time Byron stepped out of the banquet hall and saw the stars of the outside world again, he had already put these ’chives’ out of his mind. Only the royal command sent from Edward IV through the Law Network occupied his thoughts.

Those earlier expressions of admiration, importance, being worthy of entrustment with major tasks, a loyal confidante... all were just the usual platitudes, pies in the sky. To Byron, a professional pie-eater, his heart remained undisturbed.

The latter part of the message, once distilled, had only three core points.

First, make money! Go all-out in raising money on the colonial territories of the Royal Port and Arawak Island! Even though he had successfully retained the autonomy to tax and manage flexible accounting, the Church’s tithe still had to be collected in full. Then... give only seventy percent to the Church; the remaining thirty percent goes into the Royal Family’s private treasury. That wasn’t even considering the taxation burdens of the Kingdom itself.

The first point had him curling his lips. Your uncle, Norwich York, originally controlled the ’Touch of the Kraken’ to kill. In the end, you threw him out as a scapegoat, even stripped him of his title. You talk a good game, but aren’t you just turning me into a black glove? Your schemes are so obvious, I could hear your calculations all the way from the Bantaan Archipelago. As long as I diligently collect taxes, I won’t win the people’s hearts. Even if I have a fief in the colonies, I can’t become too big to fail. If those priests from the Religious Orders who have settled in the colonies examine the accounts, I’m afraid I too will meet the fate of a scapegoat, just like Norwich. The money is all yours, and I bear all the infamy. Indeed, a fine move, my liege. Had I not been prepared, armed with the ’Nun, you wouldn’t want the matter of you using public funds to speculate on stocks to be known, would you?’ technique, I might have fallen right into your trap.

Second, continue to exterminate the Lancaster Party. By the end of the year, results must be seen—at least verifiable corpses or heads to prove your merit.

Byron didn’t mind this mission much. There were as many "Lancaster Party" corpses as one could want.

The third point was also a task of particular emphasis.

As a member of the Bloodthirsty Cult, and a soon-to-be Third Order Black Witch about to undergo the Promotion Ceremony, you are to constantly monitor the Bloodthirsty Cult’s research progress on the ’Blood of Immortality’ and report to the Kingdom at any time through the encrypted network.

It was only when Byron read this part that he understood Edward IV’s true intention in granting him a baronial title.

I knew it. Even if it were a case of ’buying a horse’s bones with a thousand gold pieces,’ it couldn’t be this coincidental. I needed a title, and you immediately rewarded me with one. Clearly, the ’Book of Giant Insects Sect’ shared the ’Blood Feast Holy Grail’ Promotion Ceremony with the York Family. Edward IV clearly wants me to use this opportunity to infiltrate the upper echelons of the Bloodthirsty Cult. Furthermore, since this task can increase the Decryption Rate of the ’Shadow Behind the Red and White Rose War,’ it means the direction of decryption is correct. Edward IV and the Church’s deep schemes are both related to the ’Blood of Immortality.’ I must make time to visit the Bloodthirsty Cult.

Huh? Byron was about to dissolve the projection and return to the Royal Port, thousands of kilometers away, when he suddenly noticed a man and a woman holding hands, strolling through the nearby garden, laughing and talking.

Although the two figures flashed past and disappeared into a thicket of blooming white roses, Byron still recognized them.

One was a pretty and lovely girl, exuding an air of purity, a beautiful young lady. Chestnut hair, emerald eyes; though young, she already showed a captivating, stunning beauty. It seemed to be Isabel, daughter of the Kingmaker, Earl Warwick.

Nobles often fought viciously in the shadows while maintaining cordial social relations on the surface, so Isabel’s presence here wasn’t surprising. But the identity of the person holding her hand was strange. It was none other than the Duke of Clarence, George, Edward IV’s brother, who had just been joking with him in the banquet hall.

Key members of politically rival families, sworn enemies, seemed to be engaged in... a secret romance!

"One of the ’Tri-Phantom Sun,’ symbolizing the Mandate of Heaven for the York Family, is dallying with the daughter of an Earl’s Party leader? This just got interesting. An otherworldly version of Romeo and Juliet?"

Byron had long heard that, just before the final battle last year, a miraculous sight known as the "Tri-Phantom Sun" had suddenly appeared above York territory. That is, three suns appeared in the sky. Edward proclaimed that these three suns were a divine sign of the creator’s blessing for the York Family. It signified not only the Trinity of the creator in the Church but also represented the three heirs of the York Family: Edward, George, and Richard. The Church did not deny their interpretation. The Archbishop of Canterbury personally endorsed them and subsequently even tacitly allowed the use of the ’Touch of the Kraken.’ This finally led to a change of regime.

As a result, whether among the Royalist Party or the Earl’s Party, all distinguished gentlemen firmly believed that the ’Tri-Phantom Sun’ and the three brothers were clear proof of the creator’s favor. They were also the core symbols used to unite people’s hearts. Even the personal emblem that Edward IV himself had crafted bore the image of a phantom sun. This spoke volumes about the significance of the Tri-Phantom Sun and the three brothers to this political faction.

Watching the spot where the young couple had vanished, Byron’s gaze grew profound. "Compared to the populous York Family, we Lancastrians are few, but that’s not entirely without benefits. Being the only one with succession rights means I have no competitors. Anyone from the Lancaster Party, the moderates, or factions opposing the York Family who wants to make a move can only support me. While the York Family rallied people with the ’Tri-Phantom Sun’ gimmick to claim victory, they must also bear the corresponding price. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Perhaps I can build my strategy around this."

Byron stroked his chin, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu about the situation unfolding before him.

"A young son, still a child, and two uncles, young themselves yet already bearing the halo of kingship... Should the sagacious and valiant Edward IV pass away prematurely, it would set the stage for a royal drama: a Regent King, a sister-in-law, and a young King. Things would truly become lively here at Ganquan Palace. And judging by Miss Isabel Warwick and George York, it looks like the ’Kingmaker,’ Earl Warwick, definitely intends to get involved. Perhaps within a few years, an unexpected change will roil the domestic situation."

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded behind him:

"Torrent Castle Baron, what are you looking at?"

Startled, Byron slowly turned around. Before him stood a robust, silver-haired man in the uniform of a Naval Marshal. It was none other than the Kingmaker himself, Earl Warwick, a man who could stand toe-to-toe with Edward IV!

After a moment of shock, Byron promptly gave a military salute: "Marshal, Your Excellency."

Not only was he the Kingmaker, but he was also Byron’s immediate superior, the Naval Marshal. To Byron, like Edward IV, Warwick was a formidable figure he dared not provoke at this moment. Noticing Warwick’s steady gaze, Byron solemnly answered his question:

"I was just thinking how well-matched Miss Isabel and the Duke of Clarence are. It made me watch them a little longer than I intended. I believe that in the future, they will become invaluable aides assisting His Majesty in governing the Kingdom."

A meaningful smile touched Earl Warwick’s lips as he probed further: "Do you, as a Great Loyalist of the York Family, also think so?"

Byron, feigning the naiveté of a political amateur who was knowledgeable yet not entirely so, responded: "The Duke is young and handsome, and the Earl’s daughter is beautiful and gracious. A union between them would not only solidify relationships among the Kingdom’s elite and benefit its stability, but they also clearly share a mutual affection. Is this not beneficial to the state, to both great families, and to themselves? Surely, that is very good."

Warwick laughed heartily upon hearing Byron’s "heartfelt words." After a pause, he exclaimed: "Hahaha, not bad, not bad. Very good, Baron. You have quite an eye."

Patting Byron’s shoulder, he turned and strode away.

But in his heart, he sneered. Though clever, capable, and certainly loyal, what does this country bumpkin know of the Kingdom’s high-level political games? I’m not interested in mending relationships—I aim to make another King! He’s nothing but a target set up by the York Family, yet he’s smugly commenting on high-level affairs, oblivious to the disaster looming over his own head. A commoner who got lucky, aspiring to be a player in the political vortex? Laughable. Go back and enjoy what little time you have left. The assassin should be on their way by now.

「Meanwhile.」

Having returned to his bedroom, Edward IV also used the Law Network to watch the clandestine meeting in the garden, but he had no intention of intervening.

"Kingmaker? Hah. Let’s see just how many nobles in the Kingdom oppose me and support you instead."

Within the Kingdom of Hightins, the first order of business for any new King was to wrestle Authority back from the hands of the nobility and Parliament. The struggle for power was about to reach a fever pitch. The Kingmaker Warwick’s actions clearly provided him an opportunity to eliminate all Dissenters in one fell swoop and consolidate royal Authority. As for who would ultimately prevail, that depended on who employed more cunning strategies.

Edward IV then gazed toward where Byron’s projection had disappeared, murmuring to himself:

"Bloodthirsty Cult! Blood of Immortality! I seek everlasting life to become an eternal king. Meanwhile, several Saints of the Church are dissatisfied with merely taking turns at supreme power; they too desire a bloodline sublimation and transformation into true..." He suddenly caught himself, glanced around to ensure no one was present, and then, after a long pause, sighed deeply. "The Torrent Castle Baron, this Loyalist willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, is indeed the perfect... ’test subject’ for the ’Immortality Project’!"

Byron wanted to watch Warwick and Edward IV tear each other apart. Warwick was plotting against Edward IV, preparing to make an example with Byron’s head. Edward IV not only intended to use Warwick to eliminate rivals and seize royal Authority but also to use Byron, his Great Loyalist, as a test subject.

These three men, entangled in a struggle for power within the Kingdom of Hightins, harbored no goodwill, even if unaware of each other’s specific malice.