Chapter 357: Collecting on debts (1/2)
Chapter 357: Collecting on debts
Chaos, the situation had fallen into utter chaos!
The seven grand dukes had originally gathered here in Sakamimir Valley to deal with Brettel City. But for some reason, all these old grudges and new hatred had erupted, with all of the parties attacking each other and turning the entire thing into utter shambles.
At first, they’d only snuck around to assassinate members of the enemy duchy at night. But as the dead kept piling up, fury deprived the seven grand dukes of logic as they started to use their armies. It’d changed from a meeting to discuss an alliance to an outright battlefield.
“What actually happened here?” Red Archbishop Kosse was nursing a bad headache as he questioned Nehem Beige inside the duke’s tent.
Nehem Beige’s headache wasn’t much better. A wry smile was on his face as he spoke to Kosse, “The seven grand duchies have accumulated too many years of deep bone hatred, and a small fuse is enough to ignite the bonfire. Even I am at a loss to stem this.”
“Aii, it seems we really can’t rely on these people. Oh right, say, could it be that Burt Zili of Boulet Duchy has secretly executed some dirty tricks? He’s from the Calamity Church. I think he definitely won’t agree to something happening to that city lord Bryan.” Kosse asked Nehem Beige.
“I don’t know, it’s possible. But it’s a complete madhouse now, and it’s utterly out of my control. It seems that we have to change our plan.” Nehem Beige heaved a long sigh and responded.
“Forget it, I will think of another way.” Kosse replied helplessly.
On the flat plain of Sakamimir Valley, the seven grand duchies, who’d always been enemies, had suddenly gone from secret assassination to open fighting. Han Shuo had only thrown a small stone behind the scenes, he also hadn’t expected the deep bone hatred among the seven grand duchies to be so deep.
Seeing the area around Sakamimir Valley turn into a battlefield, he no longer paid any heed to the situation here. Instead, he chased after Helen Tina, who was returning to Helon Duchy.
Out of the seven grand dukes, Helen Tina had been the first to become disheartened. Right at the beginning of the battle, she’d instantly understood that this alliance matter had gone down the drain. At this moment, Helon Duchy had just been through an civil war, and its strength the weakest. Therefore, Helen Tina made a wise choice to immediately leave the valley and return to her duchy.
After two days on the road, Helen Tina passed down an order for the army to camp in a small mountain valley. After arranging the guards to keep watch on the surroundings, Helen Tina and Firewind went to take a bath at a small hot spring.
“It looks like only upon staring death in the face will they set aside their prejudices!” Helen Tina lay languidly in the hot spring, speaking angrily to Firewind.
The fire phoenix had transformed into her original body. She stood at the edge of the hot spring, cleaning her gorgeous feathers as she spoke in human tongue, “We don’t need to worry about them, just let them bear the consequences of their own actions. With the way the situation is developing, they definitely won’t be able to fight against that ruthless city lord.”
“Right, I still owe that Brettel city lord six hundred thousand gold coins. Aii, this demon. What should I do?” Helen Tina asked the fire phoenix, her expression worried.
“Keep delaying it. Our duchy has just been through a civil war, and all of the wealth is concentrated in the hands of the aristocrats. If we draw six hundred thousand gold coins from our national treasury to pay him, I’m afraid Helon Duchy will officially be in trouble.” The fire phoenix was also very helpless as she advised Helen Tina.
“But that demon is no generous, forgiving person. The longer we drag it out, the more I’m afraid that he’ll create trouble for us.” Helen Tina knew Han Shuo wasn’t the kind sort. She understood how terrifying his power was, so she was truly afraid that he would make a move on them.
As Helen Tina and Firewind were talking, a faint undulation spread from the outside to the opposite end of the hot spring. A shadow soundlessly appeared like a ghost in the darkness on the other side of the hot spring. Then, it suddenly stopped and stood quietly on a protruding rock.
“Hehe, it seems you understand me well, I’m truly honored. That’s right, this demon has come here today to collect the money, so pay up!” The gloomy shadow in the darkness suddenly opened its mouth to speak.
Helen Tina, who’d been bathing in the hot spring, let out a deafening scream. This familiar voice had been the object of her resentment for so long. Helen Tina didn’t need to see the person to know that Han Shuo had arrived.
Still letting out a scream, Helen Tina hastily ducked her smooth shoulders into the water, afraid that Han Shuo would see her white bare skin. The fire phoenix, who’d been cleaning her blazing red feathers, also let out a shrill scream. She flapped her wings and shot towards Han Shuo.
The fire phoenix flapped her wings once, sending a violent flame rolling straight towards Han Shuo. However, Han Shuo didn’t wait for the fire phoenix’s flame to approach. The spring water right before Han Shuo suddenly gathered into a water screen under the influence of magical yuan, churning back at the fire phoenix in a huge wave. It enveloped the flame that she’d shot out.
The hot spring water transformed into a water curtain, instantly extinguishing the surging flame. Not only that, even the fire phoenix was dragged onto the hot spring and became a drenched sorry-looking chicken.
Without waiting for the furious fire phoenix to rise in fury, Han Shuo instantly cackled, “If you guys value the lives of your underlings, don’t be in such a hurry to make a move.”
As these words fell, Helen Tina screamed at the fire phoenix, who was fluttering her wings and about to keep on attacking Han Shuo, “Big sister Firewind, don’t!”
Upon hearing this scream, Firewind immediately stopped. She flapped her wings to fly out of the hot spring and landed next to Helen Tina, before furiously shouting at Han Shuo, “What did you do to them?!”
Helen Tina was a woman, so when she came to bathe in the hot spring, all of the guards around her had to be female. The strength of these female guards weren’t bad, but Helen Tina knew that Han Shuo’s power was even more terrifying. She was worried for their lives, and she was well aware that Firewind wasn’t Han Shuo’s opponent, so she stopped Firewind upon hearing his words.
“Nothing, let’s just get to our business!” Seeing Helen Tina’s body shrink under the hot spring, Han Shuo first asked with a smile, “Grand Duke Helen Tina, your skin truly isn’t bad. Hehe, but you still owe me gold coins, shouldn’t you be paying them back already?”
“You, you demon, shut your shifty eyes!” Helen Tina yelled out, before saying, “I don’t have that many gold coins at the moment. Wait for a while, I’ll pay you back. Don’t worry, I won’t renege on my debt.”
Both Firewind and Helen Tina were experts with fire. This was why Han Shuo had chosen this hot spring to show himself. With this hot spring, ordinary fire magic was basically useless. Upon hearing Helen Tina’s words, Han Shuo said smugly, “Your Grace, lying is a bad habit. I’ve been here for a while already and personally heard your conversation. I think, you should just take out six hundred thousand gold coins and pay me back.”
“You, you’ve come for a while already?” Helen Tina was dumbstruck, before yelling loudly, “Then, you have seen me bathe. You despicable demon, sooner or later karma will visit you!!”
“Eh… Let’s not talk about this. Less nonsense, hurry up and pay it, or I’ll come into the water!” Han Shuo was a bit embarrassed at first. Honestly, he’d seen Helen Tina’s body from head to toe through the yin demon and even had a physiological reaction while doing so. Now that he listened to Helen Tina shout about this, Han Shuo was embarrassed to the point of anger, so he could only shout over her.
Helen Tina was so furious that her entire body was trembling. Upon hearing Han Shuo speak so unreasonably, Firewind would have already laid down her life to attack him had it not been for the still rational Helen Tina holding her back.
“Come down if you want to then. You’re a demon who already spread that vicious news. No one would want me now anyway, so just kill me already. I’m not paying you any gold coins.” Helen Tina was going insane because of Han Shuo’s torture. Her mind now blinded by fury, she disregarded all decorum and shouted at him.