Demonmir listened to Colton's analysis of the White Raven guild and agreed with him. This was too big a pie for a small guild to get its hands on. Ottoman scratched his white beard some more before thinking of something significant.
"How did White Raven come to possess this land? Did that land belong to someone else or was it owned by the kingdom?"
Colton didn't take long to answer.
"The guild happened to buy the land that once belonged to House Remus. I contacted people to find out how much House Remus agreed to sell the land. I couldn't get the exact number. But they say that it was sold for a dirt cheap price because the land was barren from the get-go.
Then House Derringer and Master Levine's faction of House Montmorency got on board this project and immediately dispatched their powerhouses to the scene. They have also hired some mercenary help for the time being. The place is as secure as it can get."
Demonmir started pondering as he listened to further details given to him by his subordinate. He was a cunning man with high ambitions. So of course he thought of taking over Levine's faction while keeping House Montmorency's interests intact.
"Hm. We need to shake things and see what tickles. Set up a meeting with House Remus. Those old fogies from House Remus must be infuriated right now because of the price for which they must have sold the golden goose.
They can be turned into our allies. Contact House Derringer and ask them how the overall profit margin of Utopia's resources has been divided. Tell them we are willing to offer a tad bit more if they get my faction onboard and ditch Levine's."
Demonmir came with a two-pronged approach on the spot after he heard most of the details regarding Minerva's Utopia. Colton nodded at his Lord's decision. But he couldn't help asking him about Eren's guild.
"My Lord, what about the White Raven guild? Do we take action against their members?"
Demonmir chuckled before answering.
"Of course. Big or small, I don't give a damn. Pests need to be taken care of as soon as we find them."
Demonmir said with his eyes gleaming with cruel intentions.
"Slaughter them all," he said effortlessly.
Colton felt firsthand the bloodlust hidden in that statement as Demonmir's mana signature leaked out. His elemental fusion was stimulated by his emotions, wrapping his body in a gust of dark blue wind that buzzed with particles of lightning.
"That being said, I'm sure my dear cousin must have anticipated my actions and taken a few precautions. So we don't want to burn our hands doing something that could be solved with money.
We don't have to get our hands dirty to take care of the pests. We pay for pest control. Find us reliable pest control. Do you understand?"
Colton bowed a bit more than he already was to show his agreement. He was about to get up. Then he thought of something and asked her out.
"My lord, are you entering into isolation once again?"
Demonmir was about to resume his practice of weapon arts when he heard Colton's question. He replied to him while getting his weapon ready.
"No. My ranking progress will stagnate if I stay cooped up in my house. I guess I'll have to check out Minerva's Utopia with my own eyes soon. Maybe I'll meet up with my dear cousin as well. Hehehe. I'm dying to see her face."
Saying that Demonmir started swinging his weapons in an artistic form. It was as if the weapon sets had become a part of him.
Thanks to Demonmir's superb elemental attainment, he unwittingly created a zone of up to 20 meters around him that was filled with Demonmir's weapon attacks. This was without using any of his mana. This was a purely physical force of destruction that was laced with his elemental fusion.
***
Somewhere in the kingdom of Layos.
Isen Osan's Abode.
"Expert Isen, what do we do with the Edinburgh's spies that are keeping an eye on you?"
An army officer in a simple military uniform asked Isen Osan casually. He was speaking to him from the position of equality. That was because he also ranked as an Expert.
Isen and the army officer were currently on the terrace of Isen's current villa. It was located in the middle of dense vegetation that would tell the onlookers that the patch of Badlands was not too far from here.
And yet, this was the most secure place Isen could have asked for. Since this place was near the border of the Kingdom of Layos and the Asikha empire. Which was furthest away from the kingdom of Edinburgh.
And since the place was near the border, the kingdom of Layos had offered Isen Osan military protection. It was because it was easier to do so.
"Hehehe! Expert Saisha Goren, those are not Edinburgh's spies. We are too far away from Edinburgh for it to send its spies here. They are my close friend Arthur's spies.
What can I say? The guy's crazy about me. Hahaha!"
Isen laughed off the fact that he and his family were being spied on. That's because he knew that those spies wouldn't dare to do anything here. The Layos kingdom's military presence was too strong here.
In fact, Isen marveled at the fact that Arthus could dispatch the spies here without worrying about the official repercussions if they are found out to be linked with him and Edinburgh's royalty by proxy. The guy had stopped caring about cross-border politics it seemed.
"Alright. I was just asking. Since you want to keep them around, I'm sure you must have some plan. Just remember, the date is drawing closer. We need to use anything and everything against Edinburgh for what we are about to do."
Isen nodded at Saisha Goren before asking him a simple question with curious eyes.
"How's the talk going on?"
Saisha Goren's deadpan expressions suddenly changed and he looked at Isen with intense eyes before replying to what he knew.
"Our side has already talked with the Asikha empire and some of the nearby establishments that are near our two kingdoms. The Asikha empire is willing to sit on the fence when we launch our campaign in exchange for some trade deals in their favor.
Some of those with whom we are in talks will also come around eventually. They might even join the fray if we decide to "share" the gains. We hope that all of us can work together in this campaign to cause the most damage to Edinburgh.
Isen smiled joyfully when he heard Saisha Goren's response which depicted the kingdom of Layos' progress. Starting a war campaign wasn't easy. The kingdom had thought of a lot of things before deciding to proceed with the plan Isen had come up with.
Isen looked outside and narrowed his eyes. He appeared to be looking at the spies who were watching him intently for a long time before saying to himself.
'You'd pay for ruining my plans, Arthur. The Kingdom of Edinburgh. Soon, I shall engulf you all in the biggest war you have ever seen. And you don't have anyone to blame but yourself for it.'
