"Fort, you truly are foolish. Since lord Romantis has allowed us to choose our own new king, he naturally won't interfere. Even if I kill you today, it's by his will."
"Damn it! You planned all of this from the beginning!"
Fort seethed with rage as he thought of the 5 billion Berries he had just gathered in his residence.
The wealthy merchants had only just delivered the treasure, and now Azor had shown up immediately after. It was clear—someone among his subordinates had betrayed him.
But there was no time to find out who. Right now, the only thing that mattered was escaping.
"Azor, I am willing to hand over all my wealth and leave Heim Kingdom. Can you spare my life?"
As Fort negotiated, he slowly retreated, searching for an opening to escape.
"Azor, what do you say?"
"Do you really think that's an option?"
If the weeds weren't uprooted, they'd regrow in the spring. Now that everything was laid bare, Azor wouldn't give Fort the chance to make a comeback.
"Kill him!"
At his command, Azor unsheathed his blade and charged, leading his soldiers as they fired their guns.
"Protect Lord Fort!"
Fort's guards rushed forward, forming a shield around him.
As Heim Kingdom's Minister of Commerce, Fort was merely a noble with no real combat ability. Azor, on the other hand, was the Minister of the Army—a warrior with the strength of a Marine Rear Admiral.
He was the second-strongest fighter in the kingdom, second only to the Royal Guard's commander, who had perished in battle against Germa.
Gunfire echoed across the city, shaking the capital.
Inside the royal palace, Princess Audrey's eyes widened at the distant sounds of battle.
"What's happening?"
"Your Highness, terrible news! The Minister of the Army is attacking the Minister of Commerce's residence!"
"What?!"
"What's the situation? Is Fort still alive?"
"The streets around his estate are locked down by Asor's troops. We can't get close enough to know."
"Your Highness, we must stop this reckless violence!"
"Yes! We must put an end to it!"
Despite their political rivalries, the kingdom's nobles had never resorted to open bloodshed. Most of their battles had been fought in the shadows.
If Azor succeeded, it would set a dangerous precedent—one that threatened them all.
Fear gripped the nobles. If unchecked, Azor's ambition might not stop with Fort.
But Audrey knew the truth. Her elite Royal Guard had been wiped out in the war against Germa. The soldiers left in Heim Kingdom were all under Asor's command—she had no military power left to intervene.
Yet, she couldn't let the nobles know that.
Sensing the tension, the Minister of Finance shifted the conversation, "What about the Celestial Dragon? Has Romantis given any orders?"
"I don't know."
"Then find out!"
"Yes, sir!"
Before the soldier could leave, another rushed in with urgent news.
"Your Highness, an envoy from the World Government has arrived!"
"Quick, invite them in!"
Audrey immediately straightened up, eager to hear what they had to say. Two World Government officials stepped forward, their expressions unreadable.
"Your Highness, St. Romantis has summoned you to serve him."
[AN: Most will address him as Saint, while only his inner circle will call him Lord]
There was no sugarcoating. The words were delivered plainly, as if they were discussing an insignificant matter.
"What…?"
Audrey froze.
Celestial Dragons, despite their supreme status, usually maintained a certain level of decorum when dealing with royalty.
While some nobles had debased themselves to curry favor, it was rare for a Celestial Dragon to outright demand a princess's submission.
For a moment, she didn't know how to respond.
She knew exactly what the word "serve" meant. As a princess, she had her pride. The thought of such humiliation was unbearable.
But refusing a Celestial Dragon? That was unthinkable.
"Your Highness, this is an opportunity."
Unlike Audrey, the Minister of Finance was thrilled, seeing this as a stroke of fortune. If Audrey could get close to Romantis, the path to the throne would be secured.
After all, pillow talk could be a powerful weapon.
The other nobles looked at her expectantly, already envisioning victory.
"Please wait a moment. I will freshen up before meeting lord Romantis."
"Very well."
Audrey had no choice. To refuse Romantis was to court death. If she wanted the throne, she had to play along.
Elsewhere, Azor's troops had stormed Fort's residence. His personal guards had all been slain, and bodies littered the ground.
Wiping the blood from his blade, Azor turned to his officers.
"Have you found the treasure?"
"Yes, sir! It's stored in the treasury."
"Let's take a look."
As they stepped into the chamber, they were met with a breathtaking sight—chests upon chests overflowing with gold, silver, and Berries.
Azor picked up a handful of jewels and scoffed.
"These merchant nobles sure know how to hoard wealth."
"If you wish, my lord, we can keep some for ourselves," one of his officers suggested.
"No. Compared to the throne, this treasure is meaningless. Not only will we offer this 5 billion, but we will also give up the 2 billion we prepared earlier."
As a noble, Azor understood the power of the World Government. If he angered the Celestial Dragons by withholding even a single coin, all would be lost.
Wealth could always be regained. The throne was what mattered.
"You are wise, lord Azor," the officer flattered.
"No...call me King!"
With Fort dead and Audrey disgraced, his victory was assured. His officers eagerly echoed their praises.
"Long live the King!"
Basking in his newfound status, Asor gestured to his men.
"Gather the treasure. We're taking it to St. Romantis."