The Kingmaker System
Chapter 179 - 178. Devil’s Proxy (4)

Chapter 179: 178. Devil’s Proxy (4)

Zachary stood before me dressed in a sophisticated outfit with a mask covering the lower half of his face.

"Welcome to Shadowcliff. So, have you made your decision?" I asked getting directly to the point.

A couple of nights ago I had discussed with him the pros and cons of being on my side. My deal was simple, he had to give me just some documents and I would in turn hand him Syndrill city.

Zachary’s mother was a dancer whom the previous Count made his mistress. Zachary was born as a bastard which was why he was never brought before the public. But since he was given some amount of attention and money by the late Count he stayed loyal to Erkens family.

He helped them in keeping a foothold on Syndrill City which was one of the Underworld cities of Sestia. The late Count passed away because of tuberculosis a couple of years ago making Peter inherit the title and Syndrill.

But after Peter became the Count, he sidelined Zachary leaving him only the assassination guild which worked under the guise of a strip club.

Peter took over Syndrill city and along with it started his own illegal activities and earned more money while giving nothing of it to Zachary. Zachary couldn’t do anything since he was an illegitimate child and had no support whatsoever so, he stayed in shadows and became the person who did the dirty work for Peter and got nothing in exchange for it.

"I’m sorry but I cannot accept your deal, Baron Ryujin," he said making my eyebrows twitch.

"Why?"

"I had promised my father that I would take care of everything after him. Syndrill was built by him and my stepbrother was meant to take care of it. So, there’s no point in me destroying something that I was meant to protect." He explained and I almost rolled my eyes.

I knew this possibility might arise which was why I had prepared something which would make him change his mind.

"You may kill me, but my decision won’t change and if you still try to mess with us then," he pulled out a dagger getting into a fighting stance, "I won’t hesitate to take you down with me."

I released a deep breath waving my hand dismissively as I leaned back in my seat.

"I won’t kill you, Zach. And I won’t force you to join my side as well, I’m not that kind of person." I said making him relax his stance.

"You may go," I said as I picked up the documents which I had gotten just an hour ago from my informants.

Zach seemed a bit dubious but he stepped back before he executed a bow, "All right then, I’ll take my leave for now. If you have any other request then you can drop by at Scarlet’s Kiss anytime."

"Ah, before you go, why don’t you have a look at this?" I asked placing the documents down on the desk in front of me.

Zach frowned slightly, "What’s this about?"

"Something related to you, I found about it recently and since you’re here, why don’t you take a look before you go?"

Zach looked suspicious as he eyed me, I leaned back and picked up the different papers which I was supposed to read.

"This isn’t something that you made up, right?"

"My world doesn’t revolve around you, Zach. Even if you don’t join my side, I won’t have any severe losses. I can always compensate somewhere else." I spoke nonchalantly without looking at him.

From the corner of my eye, I saw him taking tentative steps ahead with the dagger still in his hand. He stopped right in front of my desk before he hesitantly reached out and picked up the documents.

He once gave me a cautious glance before he started reading the contents of the documents. I saw as his eyebrows furrowed as he kept reading and just as he changed pages his eyes grew strained and the air around him trembled.

"What kind of nonsense is this?!" He shouted as he slammed the documents on the desk while glaring at me.

"Hm?" I turned to look at him, "What? Ah, these,"

I looked at the documents and then at Zach.

"This is what I found out while digging about your brother and father."

"This... It’s all a lie!" He slammed his fist on my desk.

"It’s your choice, whether you want to believe it or not. But I can tell you that my sources are always accurate so, whatever’s written in that is nothing but truth." I gestured towards the documents.

"Where did you even find it?!"

"Hm... My informant said he broke into your brother’s study and found a secret locker which had these documents along with some other things."

"You... What?!" Zach’s jaw slackened before he shook his head.

"You’re lying!"

I shrugged my shoulders before I turned my attention to the documents in my hands.

"Go investigate yourself then, I don’t care. Your brother is already responsible for a lot of destruction and framing my friend so, I am already going to," I glanced at him with an icy gaze as I continued, "rip him to shreds in the court so, you can try whatever you want."

Zach clenched his fists as he raised his dagger before he slammed it down on the documents which he just read before he turned and stormed out of my study.

"Slater?" I called and the said man entered from the window which was near my chair.

"Yes, Master?" He kneeled at my side.

"Keep an eye on that man, make sure he is alive." I ordered.

"Yes, Master."

He disappeared from the window while I looked at the documents which Zach had stabbed.

Gabel entered after Zach left and walked up to the desk before he stared at the dagger with raised eyebrows.

"Did he perhaps try to attack you, Lord Dragon?" He asked and I waved my hand.

"No, rather..." I sighed as I stared at the door behind him, "I think I destroyed the foundation of his world."

Gabel frowned but didn’t ask anything as I plucked off the dagger from the table and swirled it over my fingers before I smirked.

The documents that had set Zach into frenzy were the will of the late Count who had left Syndrill completely to Zachary since he couldn’t give him the title. There were also papers which had the transactions that Peter made with an illegal herb trader, he had imported a kind of herb which was a deadly slow poison. The poison had the addictive effects and after ingesting for a long time it would weaken the lungs of the victim and show symptoms of tuberculosis.

There were also the records of the maids and the servants who were serving the late Count at the time when he was bedridden who were given extra pay and after he passed away they also mysteriously disappeared.

The late Count knew of Zachary’s potential that was why he had made it so that Zach would inherit the Syndrill city while Peter would inherit the title and other business. But Peter’s greed got the best out of him and watching his father favour his illegitimate son, Peter poisoned his father and hid away the real will.

Zachary for all this time believed that he had nothing and devoted himself to fulfill the promise that he made to his late father. But least did he know that all of it was fabricated by Peter.

The next day, I was at Ryujin to check some important documents that were pending since the past few days.

The trial regarding the "Night of Terror" incident was the day after tomorrow and the people from all over kingdom were anticipating the culprit to be decapitated. The Queen herself was leading the investigation so, everyone were seeing her as the epitome of justice.

The King on the other hand, was busy with the matters of war and the trade proposal with Mordino. I had only recently got to know that he would probably send some trustworthy person to Mordino to suggest the trade and further friendly relations and my father’s name was on that list.

It would be good if father could go, I would get the firsthand intel about what was happening in Mordino but it was still dangerous because of the shifters and the bandits.

I sighed as I diverted my attention to the work at hands and looked at the few documents which I had brought over from Shadowcliff. Just as I was looking at those documents I recalled my interaction with Zach yesterday.

"People here find their parents as hurdles in their paths, Roan." I spoke making Roan look up at me.

"Huh?"

"I came across another person who poisoned and killed their father for their title and wealth."

Roan cocked his brow before he sighed shaking his head.

"I don’t understand why people are so blinded by their greed,"

"They forget that after death everything that they had done so much for is meaningless." I mumbled.

"Like what happened with the Tyrant who took over Mordino after killing so many people," Roan prompted.

"And what will happen with the Golden Serpent after my plans come to fruition." I predicted making Roan look at me before he chuckled.

Roan didn’t say anything as he kept working with a small smile lingering on his lips.

I kept working until late at night while I had everything set in place for the next day, the only thing that remained was waiting.