Worsening Relationship

On the first day of the first month of the year 1502 of the Sea Calendar...

As the new year began...

In every world and every kingdom, there were customs of celebrating the new year. The terminology might differ, but the essence was the same.

Similarly, the St. Martin Kingdom was immersed in the festive atmosphere of the new year. Arthur rarely put aside his responsibilities and spent time with his family, enjoying the New Year.

Most of the countries in the West Blue region also entered into the joyful atmosphere of the new year.

However, the Oga Kingdom was an exception.

Although it was the new year, the commoners in the kingdom felt no joy.

In the past year, their lives had transitioned from peaceful and calm to chaotic and unbearable.

The person responsible for this situation was someone they both loved and hated, the Grand General of the kingdom, Stankey!

They hated him because he provoked the St. Martin Kingdom, leading to the kingdom having to pay a huge compensation. This substantial payment eventually depleted the treasury, forcing the kingdom to impose taxes in order to pay off the debt and subsequent war reparations. The money was collected from the commoners, further burdening their already difficult lives.

They loved him because, with the strong support of the king, he took control of the kingdom's military forces. He also purchased a large amount of weaponry from a arms dealer named Wisp at an extremely low price. Within less than three months, he successfully quelled the rebellion within the kingdom.

Although this victory resulted in a decrease in the kingdom's population from four hundred thousand to over three hundred and thirty thousand, the kingdom was stabilized, and the commoners no longer had to live in fear of daily warfare.

However, while the kingdom became stable, the struggle for the throne did not cease.

After suppressing the rebellion, the king's health deteriorated. Kapev, the king, had been ill, and his condition worsened over time. For the past half month, he had been unable to attend the court meetings, with doctors constantly attending to him.

Everyone within the kingdom understood that the king's body was reaching its limit, and he only had a four-year-old daughter as his heir.

Under such circumstances, the ministers within the kingdom began taking sides, supporting either the king's third brother, Prince Sapir, or his fourth brother, Prince Kavler. The two sides engaged in a continuous power struggle.

Of course, there were also those who supported the king's daughter, but they were few in number. The majority of the support fell to Prince Sapir and Prince Kavler, as they were the most likely candidates to inherit the throne. After all, Perona was still too young, and the other potential contenders had been eradicated by Stankey during the rebellion.

However, Stankey, the Grand General, had not revealed his stance.

Despite the major promises made by both sides, he did not explicitly express his support for either side. He visited the king every day but remained impartial, observing the struggle without participating or favoring anyone.

Oga Kingdom, Royal Palace.

King's chamber.

"Cough, cough!" Kapev lay in bed, continuously coughing. His face was pale, his eyes lifeless, a portrait of someone at death's door.

"Clatter, clatter!"

At that moment, a servant entered and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, General Stankey has arrived!"

"Cough, let him in!" Kapev's voice was hoarse and weak as he spoke.

"Yes!" The servant nodded and left the room.

Shortly after, Stankey walked in quickly.

He approached Kapev's side, tightly holding his hand, and expressed his concern, "Your Majesty, how are you today? You must recover quickly so that you can lead us in developing and strengthening the kingdom!"

"Hehe!" Kapev looked at Stankey's appearance and suddenly burst into laughter without any warning.

"Your Majesty?" Stankey looked at Kapev, puzzled.

"On November 29th, the City's Gate Guard. On December 3rd, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. On December 7th, the Commander of the Palace Guard." Kapev stared at Stankey and slowly stated the dates and positions.

As Stankey listened to his words, he released Kapev's hand, and the care on his face gradually turned cold.

"So, Your Majesty has found out!" Stankey said with a slight smile.

"If I hadn't found out, then after my death, the kingdom would inexplicably change hands!" Kapev coldly stated.

"Hehe! Even if Your Majesty doesn't die, the kingdom will still change hands!" Stankey tore off the facade and spoke bluntly.

Upon hearing this, Kapev fell silent. He knew that Stankey's words were true!

As of now, Stankey controlled the entire military power of the country. Despite the intense rivalry between his third and fourth brothers in the court, they were essentially powerless without any military forces. They were merely pawns, and if Stankey wished, he could eliminate them at any time.

"What do you want?" Kapev hesitated for a moment and asked in a hoarse voice.

"As long as Your Majesty cooperates with us and allows us to take over the Oga Kingdom legitimately, we can fulfill your pre-death requests!" Stankey said in a low voice.

"Wait, 'us'?" Kapev furrowed his brow and looked at Stankey with confusion.

He had always believed that Stankey wanted to become king himself. After all, once he had control over the entire military forces of the kingdom, Stankey stood at the pinnacle of power. It was normal for him to desire further advancement, and there were many examples of successful ascensions to higher positions.

However, this statement sparked many speculations in Kapev's mind.

"Our takeover."

In other words, it wasn't Stankey who desired power, but the people behind him who wanted to control the Oga Kingdom!

But since his defeat, Stankey had remained inside the kingdom, staying at home and not going out or contacting anyone. How could he suddenly betray the kingdom?

Wait!

Defeat?!

The St. Martin Kingdom!!!

"You've sided with the St. Martin Kingdom!" Kapev's face showed a look of horror as he tremblingly pointed at Stankey, exclaiming in shock.

Stankey nodded with a smile.

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Kapev's mind.

The compensation from the St. Martin Kingdom, the inexplicable death of their king, Stankey's purchase of a large amount of cheap weaponry... everything began to connect.

"So, my grandfather and father didn't die due to bad luck but were assassinated by you?" Kapev's anger flared up, his eyes turning bloodshot as he glared at Stankey with a ferocious expression.

"That's not true!" Stankey shook his head and spoke honestly, "That was really just bad luck!"

Stankey's statement was accurate. The Misfortune Gem only brought bad luck and didn't have the ability to directly kill someone. The St. Martin Kingdom's actions were merely delivering the gem to the king; they didn't assassinate them!

"You bastard! Bad luck can happen once, maybe even twice, but for three generations, including myself, three consecutive kings... you're telling me it's all bad luck? Cough, cough, cough."

Kapev was consumed by anger, mustering up his strength, he yelled at Stankey while coughing uncontrollably. A trickle of fresh blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Your Majesty, calm down. Whether it's good luck or bad luck, let's put that aside for now. But you're well aware of your own health!" Stankey looked at the scene without the slightest trace of sympathy, sneering.

"Heh, but I still have my third and fourth brothers. As long as I give the order for one of them to inherit the throne before I die, you won't be able to take over the Oga Kingdom without paying a price!" Kapev, driven by rage, spoke with the mindset of taking a bite out of Stankey even if it meant his own death.

"Yes, you're right!" Stankey agreed and nodded. Then his tone changed, and he smiled, saying, "But have you considered your daughter?"

At the mention of this, Kapev, consumed by fury, seemed to have a bucket of cold water thrown over him. He instantly slumped down, his entire being filled with desolation.

Indeed!

He knew the personalities of his third and fourth brothers. If one of them ascended the throne, in order to avoid future trouble, they would undoubtedly eradicate the other's family without mercy. As for Perona, who also had the right to inherit the throne, the best-case scenario would be imprisonment. In the worst case, her life would not be spared!

After a moment of silence, Kapev, with a hoarse voice, slowly spoke up, "What exactly do you want?"

"As I mentioned before, cooperation. As long as you cooperate with us and allow us to take over the kingdom legitimately, we can fulfill your pre-death request!" Stankey's lips curled up slightly, knowing that Kapev had agreed!

Sure enough, Kapev fell silent again for a while. Finally, his voice trembling, he agreed, "Fine! But you must promise me one condition!"

He knew that by accepting this, the kingdom that had been passed down for hundreds of years would be completely lost in his hands.

However, he also understood that even if he didn't agree, the kingdom would still be lost. The difference was just a slight struggle versus not struggling at all.

In that case, it was better to give both sides some dignity and ensure a good future for his daughter. Otherwise, he couldn't imagine how a four-year-old girl would survive alone in this world.

"What condition?" Stankey furrowed his brow and asked.

"Marriage!" Kapev stared at Stankey solemnly.

Kapev made what he believed to be the best choice—marrying his daughter to the St. Martin Kingdom!

By doing so, not only would he provide his daughter with a powerful support, ensuring a life of abundance and prosperity, but also, if she were to give birth to a son in the future, there would even be a faint chance to contend for the throne of the St. Martin Kingdom. If successful, the kingdom wouldn't be simply handed over to them without any benefits.

Stankey hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, our kingdom's Crown Prince was just born recently, and he is only four years younger than your daughter. If we propose the marriage, I believe the King won't refuse!"

If it were a marriage with the princess of the St. Martin Kingdom, Stankey wouldn't dare to be so certain.

But with a prince, it didn't matter. As the future king, it was normal for him to enter into a political marriage. Even if he didn't like it, he could marry someone he liked after the wedding!

He believed that Arthur wouldn't refuse such a proposal!

"No, the prince won't do. I want the current king!" Kapev decisively rejected.

"Why?" Stankey furrowed his brow.

"I've walked the path from being a prince myself, and I know the dangers involved. If you fail, even as a family member, you can hardly escape death. Besides, I'm well aware of the current king of the St. Martin Kingdom. He's even a few years younger than me!

"In this situation, as long as he doesn't fall seriously ill, unlike me, he can live for several more decades, during which his position as king won't be shaken. If my daughter becomes his queen, she can enjoy decades of prosperity!" Kapev explained logically and convincingly.

"Alright then, I'll go and ask!" Upon hearing this, Stankey also thought that Kapev's reasoning made sense. However, he couldn't make a rash decision on Arthur's behalf. He decided to call and ask before making a decision.

"Good! Tell your king that the Oga Kingdom will be the dowry as long as he agrees!" Kapev nodded.

He wasn't afraid of Arthur's refusal. Obtaining a kingdom through a marriage alliance was something Arthur wouldn't reject as long as he wasn't mentally deranged!