The Conspirators.

"So the British are coming for us? How soon."

" I wouldn't say they are coming for us this early. They are waiting for something."

"For the Kingdoms to destroy themselves and then take away the easy victory?"

Royas nodded in response. It was expected for any enemy to wait if the opponent was self-destructing.

"In the recent year however their methods are becoming much more aggressive."

Royas's intent gave the hint and Edward thoroughly grabbed it.

"So, are making conspiracies within our people. They'll create more and more problems among the kingdoms themselves and get the easy pie."

It was the ideal way to win a war, "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."

"You are right. The Catholics are one of them, not all of them but those blind religious numb heads do not think for themselves."

Royas's tone was quite aggressive towards the religious group. He openly revealed his intent towards religious institutions.

"Well, your words might be right the non-religious folks too, they are as easy to manipulate. When I think about they might be even easier them the religious ones."

"I refuse to believe that, to calm down the recent protest after Lord Baron was killed. It took 3 days of constant cash supply and newspaper altering to calm them down. "

Edward got a light smile on his face,

"In the end, the people of this kingdom are just slaves of money. Just give them enough money and they won't even care about how a lord was just killed in an open market."

"Everybody is a slave to money that way, Edward. If a kingdom has enough money, they'll buy out the rest of four kingdoms in a pinch of a second."

"And you'll believe the other four kingdoms will just let themselves be sold. I don't think the people are that spineless. Pride is what fuels a soul, respect is what a person's heart craves. The power to look down on someone is what fuels this nation."

"Ohh. I think you don't have a clear idea of what the world is becoming, I'll tell you some other day but let's talk about the situation at hand."

"So, are the British are involved in this matter, somehow?"

Royas gave an impressed look,

"You're quick to catch on, I'll need to look into this, "

Royas brought out another newspaper, the pages were quite yellow and it contained a photograph of two men and a woman standing side by side.

"So, these are the bane of your life."

Edward picked up the newspaper and took a good look, the men were dressed in black and white. Both of them looked old, one dressed in white, clearly giving away the idea that he was father, the second looked like a prosperous man,

"I already know, something very wrong with this."

The woman in the pic, unlike the men looked seriously young, maybe in her 20's barely. The mastermind was already clear in Edward's head.

Royas had waited till Edward had taken a good look at the picture and now he began to speak,

"It's not what you think?"

'?!!"

"The reason for the trouble is the old man in white, Head Priest of Father Zoticus. Ever since that man has gained the role of the head priest he has been a big thorn in our side."

"How so? This old man looks pretty tame. The lady looks more the trouble, she might be the demon in disguise."

"I think you need to stop relying upon your intuition everywhere. It might have saved your life someday but study the facts we have on hand. The main culprit is the Zoticus, that man is a conspirator."

"Fact?! Show me some to prove your point?"

"Well, I have history to show as my evidence, The tax on the church and other religious intuitions have always been backbreaking, ever since the 'Devil's Reign'. "

"Devil's Reign..."

Edward had a small memory of the old man teaching him about the Devil's reign once,

"A dark time for all the religions present in the nation, the Gold family in 1757, got tired of all the temples, churches, mosques and other religions in the nation because of thought they could disobey the power of the king, coming out each day. So, rulers punished them severely and they'll never disobey them now."

The words were very clear and carved into Edward's brain, but he needed to be brought back to the real world as Royas continued.

"The churches have always been in proper order and obey us. So, we decreased their taxes, currently, they might have the lowest taxes rate ever in history but those are getting too free."

"Too free?"

"The recent days, they're coming to people's houses with large groups to get people to join their religion. They are pushing for a must-read bible in schools, aren't paying their taxes and the biggest point is this protest. The old man also has chests of money moving around the town at costs.

"Hmm...."

"The lady right there is the daughter of the old head priest, Sir. Lawrence. She was earlier involved in the consumption of drugs, she was cured of her addiction and now she is a young nun."

"She looks quite nice-"

"That's all bullshit, I just spoke. She is just to attract teenagers and old lust-hungry men. She is being used to promote the religion. A tool to control that old lord, that man is just a women-hungry bastard. Rumours are she is still doing drugs."

"I see."

"Your assignment is to find the evidence against the Zoticus and get me information on that girl."

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