In the study of the Duke's mansion, Prime Minister Mrak Duke was happily busy with his affairs.

  Although so many important things have happened in the past two days, His Majesty the Emperor still remembered to grant this position that had long been prepared for the Duke. However, to be honest, the Duke was not very concerned about it.

  The title of Chancellor is not something that he can take lightly, but rather it is something that will come to him whether he likes it or not. It's not like eating a small piece of bread requires much effort. His eldest daughter is already the Minister of Finance, and his younger daughter is about to become a princess. The military ministers are being manipulated by his clever tactics, and the Erni family is almost completely finished off. Who else can take this position? So the Duke is not happy about this, but rather he is happy about something else.

  The door of the study opened and the Minister of Finance, dressed in official attire, walked in with a stack of documents in his hand.

  Xiao Yi placed the document in front of the Duke and said, "This is the loss report for the battle against the undead mages two days ago. The compensation for the fallen warriors and mages, the cost of recruiting so many high-level warriors to supplement the Holy Knights' Regiment in a short period... After calculating all the expenses, a total of 2,359 gold coins are needed."

  The duke glanced at the document, with each item of expenditure budgeted out in clear detail, and nodded his head in satisfaction. He let out a contented sigh, remembering the big battle two days ago, he really hadn't felt such surprise and joy for many years.

  More than fifty members of the Holy Knights, four squad captains were killed in the battle against the undead mages two days ago. This was his surprise, and a great one at that.

  This is the greatest and most astonishing loss since the establishment of the Holy Knights. It was just to deal with a lich with the help of nearly a thousand priests and magicians.

  The duke had known long ago that this strange old man who was acquainted with the bishop was absolutely a master, and after what happened to the prime minister's son last time, he could confirm that this old man was indeed a necromancer. Probably due to some other unknown reasons, he lived in seclusion under the bishop's private protection.

  The archbishop actually associated with a necromancer, which was an absolute secret of the highest order. However, due to his unwillingness to expose himself, the duke never revealed this information from start to finish. In the end, it also proved that this was indeed a wise choice beyond compare.

  What is the relationship between this strange old man and that young priest, and what is his relationship with Archbishop? These dukes do not want to investigate further. The archbishop has already died, and the person who knows the real murderer will never be that young priest, which must also be a huge hidden danger, let alone he is the friend of the archbishop and a terrifying necromancer.

  Although his strength should be unfathomable, the Duke had already caught a glimpse of it long ago. A magician who can suppress this swordsman with killing intent and momentum is absolutely comparable to Bishop Ronis, and the outcome of the Prime Minister's son also explains the problem well.

  But under the duke's means, even if he was ten times stronger, it would be useless. It is only a mysterious undead mage who uses the Holy Knights and the Magic Academy to get rid of him, which is reasonable.

  The duke never thought that the battle would be so arduous, so enormous. It was just to kill one person, but it ended up being so shocking and thrilling, with the sky darkening. The fight was brief, but the flames, explosions, poisonous gas, holy light... the chaotic storm of magical elements and sword energy, and finally the dozen or so corpses and the powerful self-destruction of the necromancer himself were all unimaginable. Even with the duke's cultivation, he was completely shocked by what he saw.

  Fortunately, the large house was in the most remote area on the outskirts of Wangdu, only damaging a few insignificant streets and injuring more than 100 civilians.

  However, the duke was shocked and delighted, especially when he saw that two squad leaders of the Holy Knights and more than a dozen swordsmen were torn to pieces by the huge explosive force because they got too close to the lich.

  "How is the budget for rebuilding that district?" asked the duke.

  The Minister of Finance immediately took out another file that was about an inch thick, with all the expenses written in great detail. "The total is around 2,300 gold coins. There are too many items, and the budget can only be accurate to this extent."

  The duke nodded. Clearing the streets, clearing the corpses, letting the priests clean up the aftermath of that horrific poison magic, repairing damaged buildings... Such complex work could still be budgeted to this extent, and no other imperial official had such strong abilities. This finance minister position was indeed well-deserved for her.

  "With both of these expenses at the same time, the treasury can't help but feel a bit strained. We can only reduce spending in other areas... The recruitment and replenishment of the Holy Knights will have to be put on hold for now..."

  The Minister of Finance continued in a clear and calm voice, still using the tone of reading official documents: "Under any circumstances, the integrity and combat effectiveness of the Holy Knights should be guaranteed. That is the foundation of the empire's stability and the system that has not changed for hundreds of years. Moreover, if the reconstruction funds are not allocated immediately, the military ministers will also have opinions about me."

  "Rules are dead, situations are alive. Now that we have good relations with neighboring countries and no war is breaking out, it's only natural to slow down a bit on this matter. As for how long to slow down... ...it will naturally be until the time feels right." The duke's mouth involuntarily curled up into a slight smile. "You don't need to worry about the military ministers, I'll go and make things clear to them myself. This is an important matter, I'll personally assist Colonel Roland in handling it... Heh heh."

  If there's one thing he must be concerned about in this empire, it's the Holy Knights. Normally, the personnel composition of this group is extremely strict and almost entirely controlled by Roland, so even if the Duke had the mind and means to do something, he could only sigh in admiration. However, the loss of personnel caused by that respectable and lovely necromancer is undoubtedly a great opportunity. Delaying funding for a while and finding an opportunity to insert his own people, this is really a simple matter.

  "Yes." The Minister of Finance replied indifferently, flipping through the documents.

  A series of footsteps echoed from afar, growing louder. The metallic soles of the knight's boots and his master's unhurried movements struck the floor with a crisp, powerful sound that seemed to convey the youth's vigor and vitality. Moreover, the uniform intervals between each step revealed an extraordinary self-control, strictness, precision, and meticulousness.

  The door to the study opened and a young knight walked in. Like his footsteps, he was impeccable in his knight's attire, every movement and expression exuding perfect knightly demeanor. He wasn't Klaus, but looked as if he were born to be a duke's aide just like Klaus. His appearance was similarly handsome and imposing, yet lacked the sharpness and killing intent that radiated from Klaus, instead appearing gentle and approachable. He was the duke's new aide, Rodhart.

  Two days ago, the news of Bishop Ronis being assassinated by a spy priest of the Death Spirit Association had just spread throughout the imperial capital. Not long after Duke-sama returned to his mansion after eliminating that death spirit magician, Rodhart came to see him.

  "Duke, I've come to be your assistant." Rodhart said in a straightforward manner that even the Duke found somewhat unexpected.

  The duke smiled and said in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "Oh no. Lord Rodhart is now the military's deliberately cultivated newcomer, I don't have such a big face to let you be my deputy."

  "Duke, I have come to offer my allegiance to you." Rodhart repeated his intention in a sincere and humble tone that was not at all servile. "I currently have a promising future in the military, serving as a squad leader in the Holy Knights. I am intelligent and know how to advance and retreat at the right moment. With my help, you will be able to manipulate the military more easily. I will definitely do better than Klaus."

  "You mean to say you're more useful yourself." The duke's smile held a hint of mockery, but mostly admiration.

  "Right. I can be of more help to you." Rodhart nodded.

  "You're a clever man." The duke looked at him with deep meaning and nodded. "Really clever, the kind of person who can do great things."

  Bishop Ronis is dead, and the big backer who could make the Duke take notice is gone. His friend is about to become the most wanted man on the continent. Although things look good in court, the Duke, who has a hand that covers the sky, will not let go of someone who had consciously tried to set up his own gate, with potential, brains and ambition, and knows many things.

  Opposing the Duke was undoubtedly extremely unwise. The gap in power, means and status cannot be justified by reason. Moreover, fighting is always the most brainless last resort. So Rodhart immediately chose a path that seemed almost crazy to others - re-submitting to the Duke.

  To see such a situation requires extremely keen insight and intellect. To make this choice, one must also have the broad-mindedness to do great things without being constrained by trivial matters.

  A duke like him wouldn't care about what you've done in the past. He only cares about one thing, and that's whether or not you're still useful to him. Your previous actions, whether good or bad towards him, are merely a reference for your character and abilities. As long as he can analyze your capabilities and utility value, has confidence in controlling you, and is convinced that you're useful to him, then that's all that matters.

  "I don't know how long it's been since I've had a conversation as straightforward as this." The duke let out a slightly emotional sigh. Smiling as he looked at the young man who had come to surrender of his own accord, he was indeed moved. "I believe you must be very capable. At least when I was your age, I absolutely didn't have your vision and demeanor, nor did I have your city manners."

  Roderick Haupt remained silent, bowing his head and standing still, waiting for the duke's decision.

  The duke still wore that smile on his face as he looked at Rodhart and continued, "But I also know you're very ambitious. Did you think I'd keep a capable and intelligent person with such deep-seated ambition and schemes by my side, waiting for him to stab me in the back?"

  Roderick did not speak and remained standing there humbly.

  "But since you've come, it means you're certain I'll accept your surrender? Now guess, is your judgment right or wrong?" The duke's eyes narrowed, his fingers curled up, and he slowly tapped on the table. "And... if it's wrong, what would be the outcome?"

  If he misjudged, the Duke would not accept this suggestion, and the result would likely be that he could not even get out of the gate of the Duke's mansion. He had shown such an understanding of the Duke's character, style, and current situation, so the Duke would naturally not let him go, nor give him a chance to escape. He had been so close to that spy from the Death Spirit Cult, and this reason alone was enough to kill him on the spot.

  Lord Roderick stood still, saying nothing. The only sound in the room was the dull thud of the duke's fist falling on the armrest with every heartbeat.

  After a while, he finally spoke up. His voice was steady and clear, without any emotional fluctuations mixed in: "I won't guess, because this is my own judgment. And this matter is not just about whether my choice is correct or not," his eyes stared straight at the duke. "It's also about whether your choice is correct or not."

  The duke's finger tapping was ended with a heavy accent. "So I'll tell you, your judgment is correct." His smile was not only satisfied, but also had something else, surprisingly it was fighting spirit. "I'll keep you by my side."

  "Thank you, Your Excellency." Rodhart bowed to the Duke. From this moment on, he transformed from a discarded son and adversary of the Duke into his assistant, subordinate, partner, and ally.

  "Don't thank me. You also know, I'm keeping you not for your sake, but for mine. Not just because you have utility value to me, but also because you pose a threat to me." The Duke stood up and gazed out the window, his eyes filled with ambition and grandeur. "In this country, there is no one left who can be my opponent. Without opponents, there are no threats. And living in a world without crisis, even the most ferocious and cunning beast will slowly degenerate. So I'm keeping you here, not just to have you help me with things, but also so that I myself won't forget to stay vigilant at all times."

  Entering the study, Rodhart bowed and presented a report: "Your Excellency, this is the current personnel arrangement of the Holy Knights, including vacant positions and what kind of people are needed."

  The duke took over the report but put it aside, smiling at Rodhart and asked: "What is your current position in the team? Has Roland Team Leader decided?"

  Rodhart stood by with his hands clasped behind him and replied, "Replacing the original captain of the fourth small squad, leading thirty swordsmen and one fire-system mage."

  The duke smiled and nodded: "Right. How is Colonel Roland's injury?"

  "Thanks to the timely return of the two great mages from the Magic Academy and the Church, our Guild Master is now out of danger."

  "Oh, that's good." Although he said it was good, the duke's eyebrows, which were as thin and long as his eyes, twitched slightly in regret. If there was any small flaw in this surprise, it was this.

  Fifty team members, four squad leaders. This personnel vacancy is indeed a great gift left to the Duke. However, the Duke would rather have none of these team members die, even if five hundred more appear out of thin air, as long as one person can gloriously sacrifice himself - Roland Team Leader.

  If that were true, the duke might be a hundred times happier than he is now, and perhaps even secretly erect a bronze statue of the late, lamented necromancer in his basement.

  But since the old man was not capable of obtaining such an honor, Duke-sama was not in a hurry either. It's okay to take it slow later, as long as there is now an opening for his own people to enter the Holy Knights, then there will be opportunities in the future. The success of the Ronis Archbishop affair had greatly boosted his courage and morale.

  With the death of Bishop Ronis, the Saint Knights suffered a loss. The entire power structure and situation in the imperial capital changed. This was a big shuffle, some cards would disappear, some cards would change places and produce different effects. And the one who controlled the direction of these cards was naturally the Duke, the best card player in terms of political power. For example, the Rodhart card.

  "The duke asked, 'Has the wanted poster for the murderer been issued yet?' If this potential hidden danger is completely eliminated, it can almost be said that all the cards in the entire royal capital are already in hand."

  "His Imperial Majesty is beside himself with grief, and in addition to the five thousand gold coins offered by Bishop Ronis, he has added another reward. Whoever captures this person will be granted a hereditary title of Count of the First Rank." Lord Rodhart's voice was calm and composed, his words simple and concise. "The wanted notice has been distributed as quickly as possible throughout the empire, and envoys have also been dispatched to various countries to negotiate its distribution."

  "How about the church?"

  "The wanted poster from the Magic Academy has been submitted to the Church. I heard that His Holiness the Pope is also extremely outraged and directly sent out a wanted notice to all dioceses and subordinate organizations."

  The duke nodded in satisfaction, saying with a hint of emotion: "Such an evil and crazy criminal indeed requires such treatment. Your Majesty has actually offered such a heavy reward. Five thousand gold coins, although the church will bear some of it, but it is indeed a not small burden on the national treasury. I wonder who will get this amazing reward?" He looked at Rodhart and smiled: "Do you want it?"

  Rodhart thought for a moment and shook his head slightly, "I couldn't catch him."

  "Many things are not about strength, but rather a matter of method. I believe you understand this point well. Because you're an intelligent person, someone who can accomplish great things." The Duke smiled as he looked at his new deputy. "Have you found out anything from the file on that spy in the Magic Academy? For example, where is his hometown, what's his family like..."

  "No. They're all forgeries."

  "Haha, indeed a spy. " The duke nodded and asked Rodhart, "You were also friends with that spy, so do you know his secrets?"

  "I don't know," Rodhart shook his head.

  The duke nodded and then turned his head to look at the Minister of Finance. "So you must know, right?"

  "No, I don't know." Xiaoyi's eyes coldly met the duke's for a moment before lowering her head to look at the documents again.

  The duke smiled slightly. "It seems you don't know either. So I'll tell you instead. It just so happens that a long time ago, I got some clues from somewhere and suddenly remembered them now... The traitor's hometown should be in the Carrendo Basin, probably with an ironworker father. With such simple folk customs, it shouldn't be hard to find out about someone extraordinary like him."

  "I understand. I'll go to Carrendo immediately." Rodhart nodded and turned around, exiting with the same crisp and rhythmic footsteps as before, but they gradually faded away along with his figure.

  The duke suddenly remembered the first time he had pursued this man. However, after going through such a big circle, the situation now is completely different. He no longer needs to worry about anything, and whatever method he thinks of can be used. Under his own subtle and ingenious means, the outcome of that little guy is almost in sight.

  For someone who had to spend so much time and effort to deal with, the Duke couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic. So many things had happened in between, the variables of the agreement with Eufor, the actions of Bishop Ronis... But in the end, he was still able to emerge victorious. Thinking that he would soon be able to completely resolve this opponent who had cost him so much effort and gone through so many twists and turns, yet also brought him so many victories, the Duke couldn't help but feel a little reluctant to part with him. He let out a satisfied, yet slightly melancholic sigh.

  "Don't be like this anymore, okay?" Little Yi suddenly said.

  "What's wrong?" The duke was somewhat surprised.

  "Spare him. Don't do this anymore." Xiao Yi looked up, her eyes pleading with the duke's. "He won't tell anyone what you've done. He has no interest in these things anyway. Why must you be so ruthless? Haven't you killed enough people?"

  The duke frowned and shook his head at his daughter: "I thought you were more sensible by now. Why are you still so fixated on personal feelings? That's a cultist who murdered the Archbishop, after all."

  "I know he would never go and assassinate Archbishop."

  "I know it's hard to believe, but at least a hundred pastors witnessed it with their own eyes..."

  "Didn't you arrange all of this, Father?" Xiao Yi's voice was already trembling. "Even the Archbishop was killed by you, isn't that enough? Stop it."

  "What did you just say?" The duke raised his head, his voice not loud, but the look in his eyes and his tone were far from those of a father. "Who have you been listening to with such nonsense."

  "I haven't heard anyone else. Who dares to say you now? But do you think I don't see through it? Besides you, who else dares to do something like this?" Xiao Yi faced the Duke's gaze that seemed capable of emitting an icy stare without showing fear. The trembling in her voice was not from terror, but from extreme agitation born out of despair. Such an expression became even more intense against the backdrop of her dignified and proper official attire. "Have you thought about it? What will be the outcome if you continue down this path? Do you want to kill everyone who stands in your way and become emperor yourself? And after becoming emperor, what then? Go to war with neighboring countries? Stop...!"

  "Shut up!" The duke suddenly stood up, staring at Xiao Yi, his slender eyes emitting a fierce light that seemed to want to pierce his own daughter on the spot.

  Xiao Yi still looked at his father. Two pairs of eyes that looked alike shone with completely different lights, confronting each other.

  After a long while, the duke finally sat down slowly by himself, looked up at the ceiling and let out a long sigh: "You go out first, think for yourself."

  Xiao Yi quietly left the study room. Back in her own room, she sat at her desk, stunned. She really didn't know how to deal with the current situation, or for her, she was simply powerless to do so. The only thing she could do now was to hope that she could influence her father, hoping that a little bit of father-daughter affection would make him consider it slightly and turn his head back.

  But before long, when a dense footsteps sounded outside the corridor, Xiao Yi knew she was wrong. Her father not only didn't turn back but took another big step forward.

  "Sir, we suspect you have connections with the assassin who killed Archbishop. Please come with us." The leader of the guards walked in and bowed first, then politely said to Xiao Yi.

  Xiao Yi didn't say a word, and with a heart-broken expression, she let out a deep sigh.

  In another room, the duke also sighed. Re-washing this card made him feel like he had aged ten years.