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overlord_ Welcome the Birth of the King_chapter_0128
Chapter 129
Chapter 128: The Canary Trapped in a Cage, Choices and Arrangements
Leinas also felt that the Kingdom's nobles were somewhat foolish. When compared to the Empire's current policies, this difference was even more stark.
But Leinas held no regrets about her choice to leave the Empire, especially about being the knight of the man before her.
After the incident in the Great Swamp, Leinas knew very well how powerful this seemingly gentle man was. Being able to summon a fourth-tier angel meant his power had already reached the level of an adamantite-rank adventurer.
The depths of the Great Swamp were already incredibly dangerous, yet Lord had stayed alone in an even deeper part of the dense forest for more than two days, returning without a single injury.
This was something that not even an entire squad of adamantite-rank adventurers could accomplish!
And he had helped her break her curse...
No!
She could now freely control the cursed power within her body. This went beyond simply breaking the curse.
Leinas didn't know how Tang Zheng had done it, nor would she ever ask about such a secret.
Powerful! Mysterious!
It was her honor to be his knight.
"Lord, what should we do next?" Leinas's clear, deep blue eyes shone as she looked at Tang Zheng.
"A very beautiful outfit."
Tang Zheng sized up Leinas's current attire, which was both sharp and possessed a noble air, and offered a word of praise. "Since you've just returned from a banquet, I imagine you've had some contact with the Kingdom's nobles."
"Tell me your impressions."
Imina, sitting at a table behind them with her legs crossed, chewed her food a little louder.
Leinas's expression turned serious. She naturally understood that Lord wasn't asking for her opinion on this group of nobles.
After a moment of contemplation.
"I attended a few small banquets held on the pretext of celebrating a countess's birthday."
"From what I've observed, the kingdom's nobles are split into two groups: the Pro-Royal Faction, and a faction of nobles focused on their own interests."
"The noble faction is the more powerful of the two, led by the First Prince, Barbro, who holds the legitimate right of succession. Your Subordinate believes that given the First Prince's situation, he may not be able to control this faction if he ascends the throne."
Leinas reported the information she had gathered and analyzed in detail. She paused briefly before continuing:
"According to rumors, the Second Prince, Zanac, possesses considerable talent, but he has no noble support. If Lord is looking for an entry point, the Second Prince might be a good choice."
She was neither a mere decoration nor a fool with only brute strength; naturally, she could guess some of her Lord's intentions.
"As expected of you, Leinas," Tang Zheng said in admiration.
In such a short time, Leinas had already acquired so much valuable information. Indeed, only a noble truly understands other nobles.
"The Second Prince has no support?"
Tang Zheng chuckled lightly. "That's not necessarily true. Don't you think it's unusual in itself that you could hear a rumor about the Second Prince having talent in such a short period of time?"
Leinas's delicate face froze for a moment, and then she immediately understood.
"You missed one person," Tang Zheng said.
Leinas's eyes showed confusion. Currently, besides the first and second princes, there shouldn't be any other princes in the entire Kingdom with rights of succession.
"The princess... Renner?" Leinas asked in a low voice.
Whether in the Empire or the Kingdom, princesses had no rights of succession and thus held no value for investment.
Suddenly.
"One moment, Lord." A glint flashed in Leinas's eyes as if she had realized something, and she quickly turned and left.
Not long after.
Leinas returned, now holding an invitation in her hand. She respectfully presented it to Tang Zheng, saying, "This was among the several invitations delivered on the second day after we moved into the Noble's Estate. It's an invitation from Renner."
"Your Subordinate didn't pay it any mind, and Renner never sent another invitation after that."
He picked up the invitation and glanced at it. It was rather plain, even inconspicuous.
But a smile appeared on Tang Zheng's face.
"A canary trapped in a cage."
"No matter how clever it is, as long as it can't break free from the cage, its only value is to be admired."
Tang Zheng looked up from the invitation and turned to Leinas. "If you were such a canary, what would you do?"
For a moment, Leinas was unable to answer.
Suddenly, a cool voice came from behind.
"Either I'd struggle desperately to escape the cage, or I'd rather starve to death," Imina said nonchalantly, wiping pastry crumbs from the corner of her rosy lips.
Tang Zheng smiled and glanced at Imina.
Renner was actually a rather complex character; one couldn't judge her with simple concepts of good and evil or morality.
She didn't care at all whether the proposals she made were adopted; rather, she wanted to use the Empire's spies to pass those proposals on to the Blood Emperor.
This was the kind of behavior that benefited no one, including herself—something a normal person wouldn't do. Renner might have done it out of pure boredom, or perhaps to prove her own worth.
Just like how the gaze of her 'loyal dog' Climb, back when he was a slave, made Renner feel satisfaction and comfort.
Therefore.
In Tang Zheng's view, the key to Renner's truly twisted personality was "self-recognition" and "value"!
"The First Prince has majesty and status, but he's a stupid pig."
"The Second Prince is smart and does indeed have the talent to be a king, but that's the extent of it."
Tang Zheng handed the invitation back to Leinas and said seriously, "You can think of this woman as a female Jircniv."
Leinas's eyes widened, and she looked at Tang Zheng in disbelief.
The Blood Emperor, Jircniv, was without a doubt the most remarkable emperor in the history of the Empire. Even those corrupt and incompetent nobles had to admit this.
And yet, Lord had given Renner such a high appraisal!
"After your battle with Gazef is over, go and meet with Renner and join her."
Tang Zheng's smile vanished, his gaze turning profound. "There are many things we won't need to plot. This woman will do them for us."
"Once the obstacle covering a gem is removed, it will actively release its own radiance."
"Yes, Lord." Although Leinas still had some doubts in her heart, she voiced no objections and replied seriously.
"This woman is too smart, so you don't need to hide much. Just treat her as a clever canary."
"In the fight with Gazef, be careful of his ultimate move, 'Fourfold Slash of Light'. If his strength has increased during this time, it might evolve into a 'Sixfold Slash of Light'."
At this point, Tang Zheng glanced at Imina beside him and chuckled. "For a good while, I probably won't be staying within the Kingdom's borders. If anything comes up, you two should cooperate."
"Hey."
Imina's amber eyes glared, her cold face immediately taking on a fierce expression as she looked at Tang Zheng. "Don't talk as if I'm your subordinate."
"Where's my payment so far? Besides, I don't have the ability to help this noble young lady."
Tang Zheng stood up and said casually, "You'll have it soon. The payment will be more than enough to satisfy you."
...
Nightfall.
Inside a small inn in the outer area of the Royal Capital.
Figures clad in tight black garments emerged from the darkness, silently approaching the small inn.
"That Half-Elf is here, right?"
"That's right. She's already changed locations three times. Our people saw her check into this small inn."
"Be careful, this Half-Elf's strength is not to be underestimated."
"A Half-Elf? That's quite a rare specimen. If we sell her as a slave, she'll definitely fetch over 1,000 gold coins. I just wonder what she tastes like?"
"Hehe, I'd really like to have a taste."
"Stop dreaming. Lord Thousand Kills ordered us to capture her alive."
The assassins conversed in low voices, but their movements never paused as they rapidly and silently closed in on the small inn.
However!
Just as they were about to reach the small inn, the closed door of the inn suddenly swung open.
An expressionless Imina walked out of the inn, her gaze falling coldly upon the assassins hidden in the night.
"We've been discovered!"
The assassins' faces changed.
"Since we've been found out, we'll storm the place," one of the assassins said coldly.
Fortunately, this location was remote, so even if they caused a commotion, it wouldn't be discovered immediately.
"As prey, it seems you've mistaken your roles," a flat voice came from behind the assassins.
Their bodies stiffened.
At this moment, Tang Zheng was not wearing his conspicuous priest robe. Instead, he had changed into a black robe, his entire figure concealed within its hood.
(end of chapter)
Leinas also felt that the Kingdom's nobles were somewhat foolish. When compared to the Empire's current policies, this difference was even more stark.
But Leinas held no regrets about her choice to leave the Empire, especially about being the knight of the man before her.
After the incident in the Great Swamp, Leinas knew very well how powerful this seemingly gentle man was. Being able to summon a fourth-tier angel meant his power had already reached the level of an adamantite-rank adventurer.
The depths of the Great Swamp were already incredibly dangerous, yet Lord had stayed alone in an even deeper part of the dense forest for more than two days, returning without a single injury.
This was something that not even an entire squad of adamantite-rank adventurers could accomplish!
And he had helped her break her curse...
No!
She could now freely control the cursed power within her body. This went beyond simply breaking the curse.
Leinas didn't know how Tang Zheng had done it, nor would she ever ask about such a secret.
Powerful! Mysterious!
It was her honor to be his knight.
"Lord, what should we do next?" Leinas's clear, deep blue eyes shone as she looked at Tang Zheng.
"A very beautiful outfit."
Tang Zheng sized up Leinas's current attire, which was both sharp and possessed a noble air, and offered a word of praise. "Since you've just returned from a banquet, I imagine you've had some contact with the Kingdom's nobles."
"Tell me your impressions."
Imina, sitting at a table behind them with her legs crossed, chewed her food a little louder.
Leinas's expression turned serious. She naturally understood that Lord wasn't asking for her opinion on this group of nobles.
After a moment of contemplation.
"I attended a few small banquets held on the pretext of celebrating a countess's birthday."
"From what I've observed, the kingdom's nobles are split into two groups: the Pro-Royal Faction, and a faction of nobles focused on their own interests."
"The noble faction is the more powerful of the two, led by the First Prince, Barbro, who holds the legitimate right of succession. Your Subordinate believes that given the First Prince's situation, he may not be able to control this faction if he ascends the throne."
Leinas reported the information she had gathered and analyzed in detail. She paused briefly before continuing:
"According to rumors, the Second Prince, Zanac, possesses considerable talent, but he has no noble support. If Lord is looking for an entry point, the Second Prince might be a good choice."
She was neither a mere decoration nor a fool with only brute strength; naturally, she could guess some of her Lord's intentions.
"As expected of you, Leinas," Tang Zheng said in admiration.
In such a short time, Leinas had already acquired so much valuable information. Indeed, only a noble truly understands other nobles.
"The Second Prince has no support?"
Tang Zheng chuckled lightly. "That's not necessarily true. Don't you think it's unusual in itself that you could hear a rumor about the Second Prince having talent in such a short period of time?"
Leinas's delicate face froze for a moment, and then she immediately understood.
"You missed one person," Tang Zheng said.
Leinas's eyes showed confusion. Currently, besides the first and second princes, there shouldn't be any other princes in the entire Kingdom with rights of succession.
"The princess... Renner?" Leinas asked in a low voice.
Whether in the Empire or the Kingdom, princesses had no rights of succession and thus held no value for investment.
Suddenly.
"One moment, Lord." A glint flashed in Leinas's eyes as if she had realized something, and she quickly turned and left.
Not long after.
Leinas returned, now holding an invitation in her hand. She respectfully presented it to Tang Zheng, saying, "This was among the several invitations delivered on the second day after we moved into the Noble's Estate. It's an invitation from Renner."
"Your Subordinate didn't pay it any mind, and Renner never sent another invitation after that."
He picked up the invitation and glanced at it. It was rather plain, even inconspicuous.
But a smile appeared on Tang Zheng's face.
"A canary trapped in a cage."
"No matter how clever it is, as long as it can't break free from the cage, its only value is to be admired."
Tang Zheng looked up from the invitation and turned to Leinas. "If you were such a canary, what would you do?"
For a moment, Leinas was unable to answer.
Suddenly, a cool voice came from behind.
"Either I'd struggle desperately to escape the cage, or I'd rather starve to death," Imina said nonchalantly, wiping pastry crumbs from the corner of her rosy lips.
Tang Zheng smiled and glanced at Imina.
Renner was actually a rather complex character; one couldn't judge her with simple concepts of good and evil or morality.
She didn't care at all whether the proposals she made were adopted; rather, she wanted to use the Empire's spies to pass those proposals on to the Blood Emperor.
This was the kind of behavior that benefited no one, including herself—something a normal person wouldn't do. Renner might have done it out of pure boredom, or perhaps to prove her own worth.
Just like how the gaze of her 'loyal dog' Climb, back when he was a slave, made Renner feel satisfaction and comfort.
Therefore.
In Tang Zheng's view, the key to Renner's truly twisted personality was "self-recognition" and "value"!
"The First Prince has majesty and status, but he's a stupid pig."
"The Second Prince is smart and does indeed have the talent to be a king, but that's the extent of it."
Tang Zheng handed the invitation back to Leinas and said seriously, "You can think of this woman as a female Jircniv."
Leinas's eyes widened, and she looked at Tang Zheng in disbelief.
The Blood Emperor, Jircniv, was without a doubt the most remarkable emperor in the history of the Empire. Even those corrupt and incompetent nobles had to admit this.
And yet, Lord had given Renner such a high appraisal!
"After your battle with Gazef is over, go and meet with Renner and join her."
Tang Zheng's smile vanished, his gaze turning profound. "There are many things we won't need to plot. This woman will do them for us."
"Once the obstacle covering a gem is removed, it will actively release its own radiance."
"Yes, Lord." Although Leinas still had some doubts in her heart, she voiced no objections and replied seriously.
"This woman is too smart, so you don't need to hide much. Just treat her as a clever canary."
"In the fight with Gazef, be careful of his ultimate move, 'Fourfold Slash of Light'. If his strength has increased during this time, it might evolve into a 'Sixfold Slash of Light'."
At this point, Tang Zheng glanced at Imina beside him and chuckled. "For a good while, I probably won't be staying within the Kingdom's borders. If anything comes up, you two should cooperate."
"Hey."
Imina's amber eyes glared, her cold face immediately taking on a fierce expression as she looked at Tang Zheng. "Don't talk as if I'm your subordinate."
"Where's my payment so far? Besides, I don't have the ability to help this noble young lady."
Tang Zheng stood up and said casually, "You'll have it soon. The payment will be more than enough to satisfy you."
...
Nightfall.
Inside a small inn in the outer area of the Royal Capital.
Figures clad in tight black garments emerged from the darkness, silently approaching the small inn.
"That Half-Elf is here, right?"
"That's right. She's already changed locations three times. Our people saw her check into this small inn."
"Be careful, this Half-Elf's strength is not to be underestimated."
"A Half-Elf? That's quite a rare specimen. If we sell her as a slave, she'll definitely fetch over 1,000 gold coins. I just wonder what she tastes like?"
"Hehe, I'd really like to have a taste."
"Stop dreaming. Lord Thousand Kills ordered us to capture her alive."
The assassins conversed in low voices, but their movements never paused as they rapidly and silently closed in on the small inn.
However!
Just as they were about to reach the small inn, the closed door of the inn suddenly swung open.
An expressionless Imina walked out of the inn, her gaze falling coldly upon the assassins hidden in the night.
"We've been discovered!"
The assassins' faces changed.
"Since we've been found out, we'll storm the place," one of the assassins said coldly.
Fortunately, this location was remote, so even if they caused a commotion, it wouldn't be discovered immediately.
"As prey, it seems you've mistaken your roles," a flat voice came from behind the assassins.
Their bodies stiffened.
At this moment, Tang Zheng was not wearing his conspicuous priest robe. Instead, he had changed into a black robe, his entire figure concealed within its hood.
(end of chapter)
