Elvia only smiled, offering no answer.
She could hardly tell him she had heard it with her own ears while crouching right above Duke Joseph's head.
Caesar stared at her for a long time, the fierce look on his face gradually softening. He spoke in a deep voice, “Helping us accomplish this will bring you immense benefits as well.”
“Help you? Assassinate the Saintess in my name?”
Elvia acted as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke.
“How is that any different from sending me to the gallows with your own hands?”
Caesar fell silent for a moment before speaking, “The person funding us indeed demanded that we carry it out in your name.”
“But... that is not entirely my plan.”
“Heh,” Elvia sneered.
“Would you still be saying that if I weren't standing here today?”
Caesar gave a noncommittal grunt and continued.
“The other princes and princesses want to use us to 'successfully' assassinate her, provoking the Holy Church of Light and triggering a crusade so they can completely reshuffle the upper echelons of Carter.”
“Meanwhile, our biggest financial backer, Duke Joseph, wants us to 'fail' the assassination. That way, he can pin this monstrous crime on you while cleaning up us 'tools' in the process, killing two birds with one stone.”
Elvia was taken aback.
She had assumed Caesar was merely a pawn being manipulated.
She hadn't expected him to see through the threads of this conspiracy so clearly.
“Since you know this is a death trap designed for both of us, why are you still jumping in?” Elvia's tone turned serious.
“Cancel this crazy plan while there's still time!”
Caesar shook his head, a look of near-obsessive determination flashing in his eyes as he completely crushed the cigarette butt in his hand.
“It's impossible to cancel. I am willing to bet everything for this chance.”
Elvia was puzzled. The Caesar she knew was by no means a reckless man.
“Relying on just these few High-tier Transcendent adventurers you pried away from me? To assassinate a heavily guarded Saintess?”
Do you guys know how to use the 【Shroud of the Gloomy Night】 too?
Facing Elvia's doubt, Caesar didn't offer much explanation. He simply looked at her, his tone carrying a promise of sorts.
“I can promise you that the plan to assassinate the Saintess, whether successful or not, will not drag you down, nor will it be executed in your name.”
Elvia didn't believe him at all.
“Out of the entire Carter royal family, other than a 'fool' like me who has cooperated with you before, which prince or princess would get tangled up with the rebels?”
“If you don't use me as a scapegoat, who else can you use?”
Caesar took a deep breath and delivered a piece of news that left Elvia utterly dumbfounded: “The Eldest Princess's husband is actually... my son.”
Elvia: “?????”
She froze for several seconds before confirming in disbelief.
“That guy who is hailed as Carter's number one handsome man... is your son?!”
Caesar nodded expressionlessly. “Yes.”
Elvia's gaze swept back and forth across Caesar's face, which had absolutely nothing to do with the word "handsome."
After hesitating for a long time, she asked with great difficulty, “Is he... your biological son?”
Caesar's lips twitched, and he said testily, “Biological! I was a handsome man in my youth too, alright?”
“Otherwise, how could I have a daughter as beautiful as Thusa!”
For a moment, Elvia felt dizzy from the massive influx of information.
Holding her forehead, she sat back down and processed it for a good while before asking, “So... you plan to carry out the assassination in my eldest sister's name?”
“Exactly.” Caesar nodded, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
“And it's not just my son. We've planted far more spies in the Eldest Princess's faction than anyone could ever imagine.”
“Furthermore, it's not just the Eldest Princess... Heheh.”
A savage grin spread across his face.
“When the time is ripe, this fire will burn, purging all the filthy scum at the top!”
Then, he looked at Elvia, his smile softening slightly.
“Of course, that doesn't include you, Elvia.”
“The 'Lioness' princess who fights for the interests of low-tier adventurers and commoners.”
“Actually, when they exiled you to Caran back then, they were actually saving you.”
“Once the Holy Church of Light's crusaders trample the Royal Capital to the ground, you, along with the other princes and princesses who were pushed out to the remote city-states, will become the ultimate winners.”
Elvia was not swayed by this flattery, instead asking calmly, “Hmph, sweet words indeed. How do I know you won't turn around and sell me out when the time comes?”
“After all, whether the plan succeeds or fails, those of you directly executing it are destined to die.”
Caesar smiled and didn't answer directly, instead waving his hand.
Soon, a beautiful girl walked out from the inner room. It was his daughter, Thusa.
Elvia looked at Thusa, shook her head, and sneered, “Not enough. A daughter is not enough to make me trust your promise.”
Caesar took a deep look at Elvia, seemingly making up his mind.
He stood up and walked to a hidden safe in the corner of the room.
After operating it for a bit, he pulled out a thick, oilcloth-wrapped notebook that looked quite old.
He slid the notebook in front of Elvia.
“This is...” Elvia accepted it, filled with doubt.
“Inside are recorded the names of all the 'friends' hidden throughout the Royal Capital who have cooperated with us, along with the 'assistance' they provided,” Caesar's voice was extremely low, yet it carried immense weight. “Among them are several prominent figures you would absolutely never expect, along with secrets that could easily cost them their heads. Now, it is yours.”
Elvia's pupils contracted sharply. She suddenly looked up at Caesar, her eyes filled with shock and suspicion.
This item was practically one of the core lifelines of Caesar and the entire rebel network!
He was actually handing it over to her just like that?
This meant that if Caesar went back on his word, Elvia would be fully capable of using this notebook to deliver a devastating blow to the rebels before anything could happen.
“...I understand.”
Elvia carefully put the notebook away, most of the doubts in her heart dissolving.
She stood up, preparing to leave.
As she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, turning back to ask a question.
“I'm curious, Caesar. What exactly gave you all such confidence that you can succeed in this assassination?”
Caesar didn't answer, silently smoking his newly lit cigarette.
Elvia asked no more, pushing the door open and leaving.
After confirming that Elvia had left, Caesar walked to another, more secluded corner of the room.
An old-fashioned Message Transmitter was installed there.
He dialed an encrypted number.
After a brief ringing tone, the connection went through.
“Hello, sir. We have received your 'cargo,' and we have felt your sincerity.”
Caesar spoke into the receiver, “Now, can you tell me the true purpose of you helping us, and even providing such a... powerful weapon?”
From the receiver came a steady male voice that had been processed, making it impossible to determine his age: “Does that matter?”
Caesar fell silent.
Indeed, whatever the other party's purpose was, it didn't matter to him.
They had given him an opportunity he had waited half his life for, one that was almost impossible to come by again.
The disparity in both quantity and quality between the rebels and the Royal Capital's regular army was despairingly vast.
The Saintess's visit was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he would never give it up.
“Very well,” Caesar stopped pressing. “Then, as planned, I will drive that thing... into her heart during the banquet welcoming the Holy Saintess of Light.”
The other party replied indifferently, “I will provide you with all information regarding the Saintess's guards on time. I hope you do not disappoint me.”
Caesar said solemnly, “I won't.”
Finally, the other party asked as if in passing, “The matter I asked you to look into, are there any results?”
Caesar replied immediately, “It's been investigated. The person who posted that sky-high commission at the Adventurer's Guild to find the 'Queen's Tomb' originally came from New Covenant City, passing through... the Withered Rift.”
Instantly, the other end of the line fell into a dead silence.
Just as Caesar thought the signal had been cut and was about to check, a bone-chilling voice that seemed to carry endless frost suddenly rang out: “Un... der... stood.”
Click.
The call was abruptly hung up, leaving only the dial tone echoing in Caesar's ear.
Rate on N.U.
