Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?
Chapter 358 - 156 War Broker

Chapter 358: Chapter 156 War Broker

Peggy stayed in Falcon Castle for a few days.

At Fire Island, Peggy consumed "Flesh II" and successfully advanced to Lv.7.

"Flesh II" made her body without any fatal parts, possessing super-strong wound recovery ability, and the ability to freely control flesh transformation and the like.

Because of this feature, she was also gloriously dubbed the team’s communal punching bag, a tool role that allowed everyone to practice with her to their heart’s content, delivering fatal blows as long as they left her with a breath to be revived...

Aske went back to Fire Island several times, and Peggy would cling to him, snot and tears streaming down, barely stopping herself from saying she would resign.

So, he could only invoke the Squad Leader’s authority, decreeing that no one was to use the guise of sparring to abuse Peggy excessively, or else the Squad Leader himself would step in to spar.

This warning proved so effective that everyone began avoiding Peggy, and no one practiced with her anymore.

Outside Fire Island, on the Main Plane, under Friedrich’s hospitality, Nora and Aske also toured the military camps near Hexingen and their family’s army.

It turned out that this family was indeed a big bad wolf. Long-term loyal to the Griffin Family of Franconia, having received vast tracts of land and rewards, the Falcon Family was second to none in terms of equipment, financial power, and the quality of soldier’s origins within the Swabian Duchy.

No wonder Earl Fishbone was so eager to push the front lines forward. Should the Falcon Family choose to expand, the surrounding three to five small Lords would be swallowed up immediately, and then leveraging these territories to expand their military forces, Earl Fishbone would stand no chance.

The question was, why would such a big bad wolf be holding back?

"Because they’ve been under the Griffin Family for too long," Nora said, analyzing the results of her mind reading, "The Sorren Family has been loyal vassals of the Hohenstaufen family since Friedrich’s great-grandfather’s father, a loyalty which has persisted nearly a hundred years, across four generations."

"Exactly for this reason, even Friedrich’s suggestion to take advantage of the Duke of Franconia’s distraction and quietly nibble away some territory nearby met with fierce opposition within the family. Everyone fears the old Griffin’s reprisal for their disloyalty once he regains his strength."

"Not to mention replacing the old Griffin and swallowing the whole Swabian Duchy—such ambitions probably never even crossed their minds."

"How long would it take if we used Thought Implant ability?" Aske asked.

"Thought Implant isn’t slow," Nora replied, "The main issue is to clearly identify who in their family opposes expansion, and then subtly change their minds..."

"Hmm, that won’t do," Aske said.

"It won’t?" Nora mused, considering the massive task of changing so many people’s minds.

"We would be at too much of a loss that way," Aske said, "Find Friedrich and come clean with a deal, make him offer us a good benefit."

Nora: ...

"This, this is also a bit..." Nora was at a loss for words to describe the maneuver Aske had suggested she try.

Directly approaching Friedrich with an offer—give me enough benefits, and I will brainwash those in your family who oppose you? Does this not sound a little...

"Isn’t that normal?" Aske said, "We are an arms-dealing conglomerate; how could any arms dealer be without a War Broker? But this isn’t suitable for you; let’s find Medea."

After discussing it with Medea, her eyes immediately lit up.

"What! Such an interesting thing and you didn’t call me, but went for Nora instead, Squad Leader you’re being too biased," Medea wrapped her arm around his.

"Didn’t I call for you just now?" Aske brushed off her hand.

Medea was about to utter some flattering words when suddenly her body stiffened and became numb, and even her thoughts slowed down as if some invisible Spiritual Body was forcibly invading her—Nora watched her expressionlessly.

Then the feeling of being out of control quickly disappeared, and Medea came to her senses, her heart filled with a certain near-death fear.

Was the ability of Spirit Body II so terrifying when used in a sneak attack?

She lifted her gaze, filled with surprise and doubt, and saw Nora softly say:

"It’s not that Aske doesn’t trust you, but because he plans to enter using the disguise of an arms dealer, he asked me to impersonate using the name of my family."

Medea lowered her eyes and quickly restrained her apprehensive thoughts, as if contemplating something, and after a moment:

"So, you mean to say that you want me to pretend to be your family’s War Broker, to help this Earl Friedrich deal with the anti-war faction in his family, right?"

"That’s right," Nora said.

"Give me some time to think about it," Medea said.

"Think?" Aske felt puzzled, "What’s there to think about? Isn’t it a very simple matter for you two Mind Mages?"

Medea sighed.

Squad Leader, are you truly clueless or pretending to be? I don’t want to play the servant of Nora’s family, to be below her—do you find that hard to understand?

"Alright." In the end, she decided to abandon that meaningless pride and, in the small revenge notebook in her heart, she marked down Aske heavily once again, "Let’s do it that way."

"You’re becoming more and more tolerant of him," Medusa suddenly said out of the blue from deep within.

"Then what do you think I should do, rush up and bite him to death?" Medea suddenly asked, "Haven’t we talked too little recently? It feels like I haven’t heard your voice in a long time."

"That’s to be expected," Medusa answered, "Don’t forget, I was split off for a reason."

"Are you referring to the fear of men?"

"That’s the wall between us, dividing what was once a single personality into two clearly distinct parts," Medusa said coldly, "But now, a crack has appeared in that wall."

"So, our personalities are merging," Medea mused, momentarily unsure whether this was good or bad.

"As the merging deepens, all of my traits will return to your mind," Medusa explained, "The preference for suffering, the special connection with Purgatory, and... aside from that man, the intense revulsion towards the rest of the male gender."

"You don’t seem to be upset?" Medea asked curiously.

"Of course not, because it was inevitable," Medusa went silent, "Sometimes I really envy you, Medea."

"Envy me for what?"

"So you still haven’t realized it? The Enchanting Demon’s longing for intrigue and suffering, and the torment of never being satisfied with your desires, they’re all things you no longer have to contend with," Medusa said distantly.

"Medea, you’re not at all like an Enchanting Demon. Marquina has arranged your future clearly, without you needing to know anything, you can live carefree."

"Marquina?" Medea suddenly felt something was wrong, but no matter how she continued to question, Medusa had already sunk deep into her mind, and fell silent once more.