Russell not only controlled the Kingdom's Capital market from its positive side, but he also engaged in many unseen activities in the dark side of the Capital. There was smuggling, human trafficking, and even transactions with countries hostile to Lugnica.
"You used coded language to record entries in the ledger, but it didn't take long to decipher their meaning." Ayanokouji said slowly. "Russell, you truly have vast knowledge."
Russell bit his lip tightly, even drawing blood. Only then did he realize that he had completely underestimated the other party.
After Ayanokouji arrived in the capital, Russell had sent people to investigate him, but they found no significant information. However, after this period of experience, he realized that the other party was very valuable. Today, he intended to take this opportunity to establish cooperation with him.
He noticed something special about him but didn't realize the hidden terror within him.
With everything he had done now revealed, he feared he might be sentenced to death.
But Russell wasn't too afraid of this. What truly frightened him were his opponent's methods. Ayanokouji could send people to sneak into his house unnoticed, which meant the other party could easily capture him.
This reminded him of some recent cases in the capital. Among them, Ayanokouji had also helped the guards and knights solve a few cases, earning a good reputation.
Could these cases have really been orchestrated by him?
Russell's back grew cold at the thought.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about…"
Unable to come up with a suitable excuse at the moment, Russell stammered, and his heart suddenly began to race.
All his reactions were clearly observed by Ayanokouji, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Today, Russell, you may want me to delay the rate of returning iron goods to the market." he said calmly.
"Yes." Russell trembled and nodded.
The others enjoying the festive atmosphere did not notice his odd behavior.
"I can promise you that." Ayanokouji said slowly. "Moreover, I won't disclose what you've done."
"Ayanokouji-sama?"
"I will provide you with financial support and connections." Ayanokouji said expressionlessly. "I want to discuss business expansion with you."
Russell was stunned for a moment, then he sighed in relief, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face: "So, Ayanokouji-sama, we are of the same kind."
For Ayanokouji, exposing Russell's underground trade would bring him little benefit. It would only enhance his reputation to a certain extent.
Russell's black market trade involved significant interests and had deeply penetrated the kingdom's core. It was impossible to eradicate it. Greed is a human trait. Even if eradicated, more people would simply take their place.
Moreover, if Ayanokouji decided to deal with Russell, it would be very troublesome and would attract even more enemy forces.
However, cooperating with Russell would be completely different.
First, he could gain more significant benefits and rich intelligence from him. Additionally, he could gradually infiltrate and control their trade routes using Russell's hands.
And for Russell, getting Ayanokouji's support was a boon.
Cooperation was a win-win situation for both sides.
"I'm very interested in your project." Ayanokouji said, but his expression didn't reveal any emotional fluctuation. "I'll come by in a few days to discuss the specifics of our cooperation. Let's get in touch again when the time comes."
"Alright, I'm very much looking forward to my future cooperation with Ayanokouji-sama!" Russell said enthusiastically while shaking his hand.
He looked at the young man in front of him. He seemed to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, but he gave off the impression of a senior figure. Even the cunning Russell couldn't fathom what he was thinking just a few minutes ago; he was chatting and laughing with the Sword Saint in the kingdom, and now he was discussing dark trade with him.
But for Russell, it didn't matter who he worked with as long as there were sufficient benefits.
He nodded to Ayanokouji, toasted a glass of wine, and then returned to the crowd.
The reason Ayanokouji had asked Crusch to hold this celebratory banquet was to contact and establish connections with various people in the kingdom, thus expanding his power.
He turned and looked toward the crowd. When he was just speaking with Russell, Ayanokouji noticed that Emilia had left the group. At this moment, Emilia was standing alone on the balcony with a glass of wine, away from the many people, and seemed somewhat out of place.
"What's bothering you?" Ayanokouji opened the balcony door and asked.
"Ah, Ayanokouji, no, no, no, I'm just feeling a little dizzy. Come and rest." Emilia quickly said upon seeing him, not wanting him to worry too much about her.
There was a hint of red on her face, which was quite noticeable on her snow-white skin.
Emilia had never drunk alcohol before, and today was her first time. Puck usually handled situations that required drinking. However, Puck had disappeared for some time, so Emilia drank for the first time today.
And it was the effect of alcohol that made her face a little red.
Not only that, but her eyes also became slightly dazed, and her behavior was a little different from usual.
"Emilia, it seems like you've had quite a bit to drink." Ayanokouji observed her expression and immediately concluded that Emilia was even holding a glass of wine tightly in her hand.
"No! I'm not drunk!" Emilia held his hand while speaking, a smile on her face.
"It looks different from what you're saying, Emilia." Ayanokouji replied, then looked into the hall.
Felt was awkwardly learning to dance with Beatrice, Rom was drinking heavily, and Rem kept glancing at them with a smile.
In the original world, one was only allowed to drink alcohol when they became adults. In the Kingdom of Lugnica, people could drink alcohol as long as they were fifteen years or older. According to Ayanokouji, this was excessive. Drinking alcohol would affect one's thinking ability and judgment, so he would only drink alcohol in necessary social situations, and he would also eat some fruit beforehand to counteract the effects of alcohol.
He also couldn't understand the purpose of people venting their emotions through alcohol.
"I'm really not drunk!" Emilia puffed up her cheeks, but her slightly swaying body made her words seem unconvincing. "But this is my first time drinking, and it tastes so good."
"Then let's come back again later." Ayanokouji suggested.
From the current look of things, Emilia's drinking capacity was far worse than that of an average person, and she didn't exhibit clear reactions after drinking too much.
"No! It's so rare to come out and play!" Emilia's cheeks puffed up even more, and she was already leaning against the balcony railing.
"Ayanokouji, am I really that useless?" Emilia pouted and asked, "You've taken care of everything, but I feel so useless."
Ayanokouji looked at Emilia and raised his eyebrows slightly. He knew that after drinking, people would unconsciously reveal their true feelings deep in their hearts. It was akin to expressing their own emotions.
Of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility that some people would deliberately pretend to be drunk, but judging by the current signs, Emilia was indeed drunk. She wasn't pretending.
"No, there are many things that require Emilia's attention." Ayanokouji replied. "You are the core of our camp. How could you be useless?"
"But it's clear that you've done everything." Emilia lifted her head and gazed at the starry night sky. "Thanks to your help, I've come this far… A few years ago, when Roswaal found me and told me I was a candidate for the throne, I never imagined that I would reach this point."
"Did Roswaal take the initiative to find you?" Ayanokouji's eyebrows slightly rose.
"Yes." Emilia nodded. "When I woke up from the forest, I met Puck first. After a while, Roswaal came and told me I was a candidate for the throne. He also said he would support me, but because his presence was too suspicious, he ended up quarreling with Puck!"
This left Ayanokouji slightly puzzled as to how Roswaal knew that Emilia would be a candidate for the throne.
The Dragon Emblem only prophesied the existence of a qualified candidate for the throne but did not specify their identity, so the Kingdom was still searching for the identity of the fifth candidate.
Then how did Roswaal know that Emilia was a candidate for the throne?
Ayanokouji quickly seized the opportunity to ask Emilia about her past and learned that she had awakened in the Elior Forest and met Roswaal after living in the forest for some time. Roswaal had told Emilia that as long as she successfully inherited the throne, she could use the dragon's power to thaw the frozen forest.
"This is actually the true reason I joined the candidacy for the throne." Emilia shook her head and said. "I'm very selfish."
"No, I don't think so." Ayanokouji replied, but he felt doubts about Roswaal's actions.
How did Roswaal know that Emilia was a candidate for the throne? Roswaal traveled thousands of miles to find Emilia. Such behavior was too abrupt. He even fought with Puck to win Emilia over.
Looking at the entire situation, Roswaal didn't gain any benefit from it. What could motivate him to pay such a high price?
Could it be... he wants to use the dragon? This is the only explanation that fits at the moment.
Combined with Roswaal's behavior, for instance, when he suddenly brought Ram to a place called the Sanctuary in the middle of the night, every move he made seemed too abrupt, as if someone had suddenly instructed him to do this.
Ayanokouji tapped his fingers lightly on the balcony railing. He suddenly thought that members of the Witch Cult might act like this. They follow the contents of the Gospel, and Beatrice also had behavior similar to the Gospel, which had expired years ago.
This led Ayanokouji to speculate that Roswaal might also possess a Gospel, or something akin to a prophecy, or he might even be a member of the Witch Cult following such instructions.
Beatrice had a Gospel book, which was said to have been created by the Witch of Greed, Echidna, and Echidna's tomb was the Sanctuary, managed by the Mathers family. Given this, the possibility that Roswaal also has a Gospel is quite high.
Echidna died four hundred years ago, so what is the connection between Roswaal and her?
Assuming Ayanokouji's speculation is correct, what could be Roswaal's core objective? Does it have something to do with Echidna?
He stopped tapping. Although this is just one possibility, there is no doubt that Roswaal cannot be trusted. He must have a large and complicated plan.
Ayanokouji was still in contact with the mansion. Knowing that Roswaal had not returned from the Sanctuary was truly abnormal.
'Echidna...' Ayanokouji narrowed his eyes slightly.