Chapter 702: Chapter 493: Coal Ball’s Advanced Ability and the Illusory Light Butterfly Empress’s Eggs

"My Lord, the three most difficult problems we currently face are all here."

His voice echoed in the quiet study.

"First, the South."

His finger tapped the bottom-right corner of the map.

There lay the domains of the Count of the Eagle and the Count of Fury.

"The conflict between the two Counts has completely escalated. According to the latest intelligence, both sides have gathered armies of several thousand men. They have clashed in several large-scale battles at Sunset Canyon on their border, resulting in heavy casualties."

"The mediator sent from Thunder Dragon City was expelled by the Count of the Eagle, who accused him of ’interfering in the internal affairs of his domain’."

There was a trace of anger in Gaius’s voice.

"They are... openly defying your orders as Regent!"

Raylo said nothing. His gaze was fixed calmly on the two red flags on the map.

"Second, the northwest."

Gaius’s finger moved to the top-left corner of the map.

There, on the border of the Amber Territory, which adjoins the Black Stone Mountain Range.

"The vanguard of a Crimson Bloodline Werewolf Legion has appeared on the northwestern border of the Amber Territory."

"Their numbers are unknown, but their movements are extremely bizarre. They are currently roaming the wilderness along the border."

"Three days ago, everyone in a village on the Amber Territory’s border, Valley Village, vanished overnight."

"When the Knights sent by Miss Lillian arrived, all they found were bloodstains on the ground and bones picked clean."

"The entire village—over three hundred people, along with their livestock—were all... devoured."

The temperature in the study seemed to drop a few degrees in that instant.

Raylo’s face paled slightly.

"Third, the southwest."

Gaius’s finger finally landed on the winding coastline in the bottom-left of the map.

"Several coastal territories in the southwest of the Duchy, including the prosperous Baisha Port, have been attacked by overseas fleets."

"According to descriptions from merchant ships that managed to escape, the invading fleets flew the flag of the Radiant Sun Islands."

Gaius paused before continuing.

"The Radiant Sun Islands are located on the edge of the Endless Sea and are composed of a dozen or so small island duchies. Without exception, they are all fervent believers of the Light Holy See."

"It’s obvious they’re responding to the War Mobilization Order from the Light Holy See for its war with the Dragon Realm."

"They have begun... naval raids against our Thunder Dragon Duchy."

Three problems.

Three fronts.

Lords in turmoil within, powerful enemies circling without.

The entire Duchy’s situation had reached an extremely dangerous point.

A long silence fell over the study.

The only sound was the soft CRACKLE of the burning candles.

After a long while.

Raylo finally spoke.

"Gaius."

"Here."

"In my name as Regent, issue my commands," Raylo said.

"First!"

His finger tapped on the two warring Earl’s Domains in the South.

"Order the Count of the Eagle and the Count of Fury to cease all military actions immediately!"

"At the same time, conscript them. They are to immediately lead their respective armies to the northwestern border of the Duchy, to the Amber Territory!"

"To fight the Crimson Bloodline’s Werewolf Legion!"

Gaius’s pupils contracted sharply.

’Making two mortal enemies who are trying to kill each other fight side-by-side?’

’This...’

"They will go."

Raylo seemed to see through his doubts.

"Because, compared to their little personal grudge, the merit of ’defending the homeland and resisting an Alien Race’ is far more valuable to them."

"Besides, I will give them a reason they can’t refuse."

Raylo said.

"Tell them, whoever arrives at the Amber Territory first, and whoever achieves greater merit in the fight against the Werewolves, will be granted ownership of Sunset Canyon, the very land they were fighting over."

Gaius nodded in agreement.

It was a brilliant move.

It was an overt plot.

It turned two feuding lords into rivals competing against each other, using military merit to resolve their territorial dispute.

Regardless of who won or lost, it was a win for Raylo and the Duchy.

"Second!"

Raylo’s finger moved to the location of the Black Stone Territory.

"The Thunder Dragon Knight Order is to immediately dispatch two Knight Brigades, two thousand men in total, to the Amber Territory!"

"Third!"

Raylo’s finger finally landed on the long southwestern coastline.

"The Radiant Sun Islands are attacking in force, but our navy is not strong enough to confront their wolf pack head-on. It would be like throwing an egg against a rock."

"Order all southwestern coastal territories to immediately adopt a stance of strategic withdrawal."

"Furthermore, form a southern Allied Army and fleet, with the Marquis of Baisha in command."

"And await... my next command."

Three commands.

Clear and decisive.

Gaius looked at Raylo.

He suddenly saw the shadow of the former Duke in him.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Gaius struck his chest heavily, then turned and strode away.

Raylo rubbed his temples and sat back down in his chair.

After dealing with these matters, a deep sense of exhaustion washed over him like a tide.

Compared to these complicated political affairs, he would much rather be fighting and adventuring.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

"My Lord!"

Along with the shout, the study door was suddenly thrown open from the outside.

Raylo’s brow furrowed sharply.

The person who entered was Ed.

But Ed looked disheveled and in a sorry state.

His complexion was poor, as if he had just returned from a vicious battle.

"Ed?"

Raylo stood up.

"What happened to you?!"

"My Lord... I..."

Ed opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but his heavy panting made it impossible for him to form a complete sentence.

He simply pulled a wooden box wrapped in thick Beast Hide from his coat with a trembling hand and held it out to Raylo.

"The Illusory Light Butterfly Empress..."

"Found her... but..."

Raylo strode forward and steadied him.

"Don’t rush. Speak slowly."

Raylo handed him a cup of tea and said in a low voice.

Ed took a few breaths and drained the black tea in one gulp.

Only then did he haltingly recount what had happened.

It turned out that Ed, following the intelligence Raylo provided, had gone to a valley in the west of the Black Stone Mountain Range where the Illusory Light Butterfly Empress had reportedly fallen.

They found the valley without any trouble.

But when they arrived, they discovered that the Illusory Light Butterfly Empress mentioned in the intelligence report was gone.

All that remained in the center of the valley was a dried pool of blood that gave off a peculiar fragrance.

Ed didn’t give up.

He and the Griffin Knights conducted a grid search of the entire valley and the surrounding forest for several kilometers.

Finally, beneath a hidden thicket of bushes, they made an astonishing discovery.

Hundreds of thumb-sized, crystal-clear eggs.

The eggs exuded a faint fragrance, the same scent as the pool of blood.

Without a doubt, these were the eggs of the Illusory Light Butterfly Empress!

However, just as they were carefully collecting the eggs...

...the unexpected happened.

A terrifying, jet-black giant snake, a hundred meters long, shot out from the shadows beneath their feet without any warning!

The snake was as fast as Lightning!

It opened its cavernous maw and, in a single gulp, swallowed a Griffin Knight who couldn’t react in time, along with the Griffin he was riding!

That cold, tyrannical aura definitely belonged to a Domain Level existence!

A surprise battle erupted.

The giant snake clearly considered this valley its territory.

And Ed and his men, the "intruders," were its targets.

The giant snake was incredibly fast, its scales as hard as iron. It could also spit a highly corrosive Venom.

Worse still, in its surprise attack, two more Knights, along with their Griffins, were whipped into a bloody pulp by its massive tail!

"Thankfully, you left me two Treasures. Otherwise, I might not have made it back."

Ed’s voice was a little weak.

He took out two items from his coat.

The Soul Horn!

And the Giant’s Grip!

"Relying on these two Treasures, I was barely able to hold my own against the giant snake."

"A Starfall Knight held it back, buying the other Knights time to retreat."

Ed’s voice grew softer and softer.

"You’ve done well, Ed."

Raylo reached out and patted his shoulder heavily.

He stood up and took the wooden box that Ed had risked his life to bring back.

The wooden box was heavy.

Raylo opened the lid.

A faint, refreshing, and exotic fragrance wafted out.

Inside the box, a layer of soft moss had been laid out.

Hundreds of translucent, Crystal-like eggs lay quietly upon the moss, emitting a soft, dreamlike halo.

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