The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha! -
Chapter 123 - 09: Bribery (Second Update)
Chapter 123: Chapter 09: Bribery (Second Update)
In the distance, Gray saw a soldier holding two small flags of different colors emerging from the Golden Snake Camp, waving them rhythmically.
"What is he doing?" Gray asked.
"That’s flag signaling," Carl, next to him, stretched his neck and whispered, "He is saying... Prince Arthur of their camp wants to meet you, Holy Knight."
"You even know this?"
"I learned it from Huoersi not long ago. As the Holy Knight’s adjutant, one must understand these basic things. Shall we meet him?"
"Let’s meet."
Carl nodded, planted the Silver Moon Banner he was holding into the ground, and then took out two small flags from his armor, signaling into the distance.
Soon, a carriage emerged from the Golden Snake Camp after receiving Gray’s response and gradually moved towards Gray.
Turning his head, Gray noticed that a soldier from the White Fox Camp was also signaling with flags.
"What’s happening over here?"
"Um... He says that Miss Camilla wishes to represent Duke Bert in meeting you, Holy Knight. Shall we meet her?"
"Let’s wait a moment; isn’t the prince already on his way? We should meet one at a time."
"Alright, I’ll let them know to wait for the notification."
Carl walked to the other side and began to signal with the flags.
After receiving Carl’s response, the messenger from the White Fox Camp turned and knelt on one knee, saying, "Reporting to the Duke, the Holy Knight requests we await his notification."
"Await notification? What does that mean?"
"It probably means... Prince Arthur from the opposing camp has already set off for the Holy Knight’s camp."
Watching from afar, Gene II angrily pounded the nearby fence with his fist as he saw Arthur’s carriage heading towards Gray’s camp, "We were a step too late! I knew they wouldn’t play fair, sticking only to the competition! Camilla, no matter what means you have to use, you must win over Holy Knight Gray! Do you understand? If the Holy Knight aligns with them, we’re finished. All of Bert is finished."
"But..." Standing beside the carriage, Camilla, still wearing a cloak that obscured her face, said softly, "I heard that the Holy Knight already has a fiancée."
"Does that matter?" Gene II retorted, "It’s just a fiancée. They haven’t even held the wedding yet. Even if they were married, they could divorce. He’s a Holy Knight, he doesn’t even need the church’s permission, he can adjudicate his own divorce. Even the Pope has no control over him. As long as he’s a man, he won’t be able to resist your temptation. Besides, when we take over the entire Ailuo Peninsula, we can give him even more. This is our chance."
Camilla timidly lowered her head, not daring to look at her father or speak.
Turning his head, Gene II said to an attendant beside him, "Andre, go with Miss Camilla and give her some pointers when necessary. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Understood," the brown-haired knight named Andre respectfully saluted Gene II.
Biting his thumbnail, Gene II widened his eyes and gazed tensely in the direction of Gray’s camp.
...
Opposite, Lusien V provocatively glanced towards the White Fox Camp with a smile on his face.
...
Prince Arthur’s carriage slowly pulled up in front of Gray.
Getting off the carriage, he placed his hand on his chest and respectfully saluted Gray, "Honorable Holy Knight, it’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Prince Arthur of Fides. May your radiance remain with the Holy Spirit."
Gray made the sign of the cross on his chest as a return salute and softly said, "Hello, Prince Arthur. May the Holy Spirit shine upon you."
Following this was an awkward moment.
Prince Arthur smiled at Gray, and Gray stood still, looking at him. The two were at an impasse for quite some time until Arthur’s signature smile began to falter.
"What is he doing? Didn’t he say he has something to discuss with me? Why isn’t he speaking?"
*"Who knows?"* the Black Cat lazily answered from inside the armor.
Having no other choice, Arthur spoke up, "Holy Knight, aren’t you going to invite me into the tent to sit for a while?"
"Are you afraid of the cold?"
"No, it’s summer, I’m not afraid of the cold. It’s just..."
"Then why do we need to go into the tent?" Gray continued to ask.
Arthur spread his hands, looking around, and smiled, asking, "Holy Knight, are you really planning to talk with Arthur here?"
"Is that not acceptable?" Gray countered, "Since I’ve already declared myself your arbiter, I want everything to be transparent to reassure both sides."
"Uh... Alright." Arthur grew even more uncomfortable and had to turn back to his attendants, saying, "Deliver the gift for the Holy Knight to the camp."
"Gift?" Gray asked.
"Yes, a small token of our appreciation," Arthur smiled, "You can take a look at it in the camp when you’re free. If you like it, we can send more."
"Are you bribing me?" Gray asked bluntly.
This question nearly made Arthur choke to death. His hard-won composed expression faltered again, his mouth opening and closing, while he struggled to find the words. Sweat poured from his forehead.
Gray continued, "Please do not send me gifts. Bribing an arbiter is wrong. You are insulting my integrity and questioning my fairness."
Arthur stared wide-eyed at Gray, laughing awkwardly, "No, Holy Knight, you misunderstand. Arthur doesn’t mean that at all. My intention was merely... Just... Just... I was only testing you!"
"Testing?"
"Yes," Arthur wiped his sweat and said with a forced bravado, "Since we’ve never interacted with you before, my father had doubts about your fairness. But from this, I can now return and tell my father that the Holy Knight is indeed as honorable as the legends say, perfectly suited to arbitrate between our two nations!"
"*I think he’s lying.*" Gray whispered to the Black Cat.
"*Yes, anyone can see that.*" The Black Cat, now awake, stuck its neck out from inside Gray’s helmet and said, "*He’s a scoundrel. But you’d better not expose him; otherwise, they might think you’re prejudiced against them and refuse to participate in the competition.*"
"Alright." Gray paused for a moment and then said to the still awkwardly smiling Arthur, "Now you can go back and report to your father. Tell him to rest assured, as long as I am the arbiter, I will uphold justice."
This sounded somewhat like a dismissal.
But naturally, Arthur wasn’t going to give up so easily. After finally regaining his composure, he paused and then continued, "Uh... Before I return to report to my father, I’m very curious about something, Holy Knight. May I ask, what is your purpose for coming to the Ailuo Peninsula this time? It shouldn’t be just to serve as our arbiter, right?"
"To borrow grain, I’m here to borrow grain." Gray answered straightforwardly.
"Borrow grain? You need grain?" Arthur suddenly became excited, as if grasping a key point.
"Yes, I lack grain."
"This is quite the coincidence. Fides happens to have a high grain yield and frequently exports to northern countries. How much grain do you need?"
"Ninety thousand tons," Gray answered nonchalantly.
Immediately, Arthur’s expression stiffened again.
The breeze blew gently, and the smile on Arthur’s face slowly faded, his eyes flickered continuously. It took him a while to snap back.
"Holy Knight, ninety thousand tons... Did you really say that number?"
"Yes, that’s correct. It can be supplied in installments, not all at once. But it must be within five months."
"Even in installments, no country on the continent can supply that much grain."
"I didn’t intend for one country to supply it all."
"You intend for multiple countries to supply it?"
"Yes." Gray thought for a moment and then added, "So, I need to resolve your dispute first, because I need to talk not only with Fides but also with Bert."
...
In the distance, Lusien V’s brows furrowed.
In contrast, Gene II’s expression eased, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
They had talked for quite some time. Although the distance was far, he didn’t know what Arthur and Gray had discussed nor could he see their expressions. But from the fact that Gray hadn’t invited Arthur into the tent, he concluded the conversation hadn’t gone well.
"As I expected, my judgment was correct," Gene II chuckled, "What could possibly buy a Holy Knight? Only love. Delightful love! Hahahaha, every fallen Holy Knight in history fell for love! Therefore, let’s become demons this time! Make him fall for you! Hahahaha."
He cast a glance at his daughter standing next to him.
Under the blood-red night sky, Camilla quietly stood, her head bowed.
Finally, from a distance, Gene II saw Arthur’s carriage leaving Gray’s camp. He hastily waved his hand, signaling his soldiers to start signaling with the flags.
"Did you see that? They didn’t even manage to deliver the gift. Hahahaha, we’ve won! Hurry, get in the carriage! Prepare to set off!"
With the help of her maid, Camilla boarded the carriage prepared for her.
...
Gray continued standing on the hillside, tilting his head to watch Arthur’s carriage leave.
*"I can say with a hundred percent certainty that he was trying to bribe you just now. Your asking price scared him off, though—ninety thousand tons of grain. No one on the continent can provide that."*
"They plan to use ninety thousand tons of grain to bribe me?"
"If they had it, I’m sure they’d be willing. I think your current status is way... higher than I imagined. You can have anything you want, really. Money, beauties, everything, as long as you’re willing to accept them. It’s a pity you’re a Lich and can’t enjoy those. It’s such a shame. Maybe you should talk to Vivian. She surely has a way to make you live like a human. I’m telling you, when you have desires and the power to fulfill them, that feeling... Wow, it’s the best!"
"Ahem!" This was Vivian’s cough, "Black Cat, I hope you won’t tempt our Holy Knight to fall."
"So, that counts as tempting the Holy Knight?"
"Doesn’t it?"
"Alright, fine. I’m being accused by a Succubus of tempting a Holy Knight. As a ghost, should I feel honored?"
Vivian softly said, "I don’t only make people have desires, I also can make them feel no desire. Want to try?"
"Um... No, thanks. I’ll shut up now."
The Black Cat and Vivian continued their intermittent conversation. Gray, who was long accustomed to it, acted as if he didn’t hear it, just quietly looking in the direction of the Golden Snake Camp, murmuring to himself, "Am I the only one who finds following the rules the easiest and simplest thing? It’s strange, it seems like no one wants to follow the rules."
"Holy Knight, shall I let Miss Camilla from Bert’s side come? They’ve been signaling with the flags continuously," Carl asked.
"Let her come," Gray replied, "Although I know they just want to bribe me, maybe I can take this opportunity to show them I’m serious and won’t accept any bribes. This way, they can be at ease and focus on the competition."
"Understood."
...
"The flag signals say the Holy Knight invites Miss Camilla!" the soldier responsible for flag signaling in the White Fox Camp exclaimed.
Gene II, who had been restless, immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly waved his hand, shouting, "Quick! Embark!"
"Yes!"
The coachman raised the whip, and the wheels began to turn slowly. The brown-haired knight named Andre followed closely on horseback.
Red moonlight poured through the carriage window, falling upon the young girl’s form. She gripped her handkerchief tightly.
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