Chapter 121: Conspiracy
"Do you think Baron Duane noticed anything?"
On the way back, Selena asked, her voice laced with worry.
Brison couldn’t help but frown. "It’s fine. Even if he saw something, he has no proof. Besides, he has no dealings with the Starfall Islands."
Selena nodded slightly, turning to look at the tall man beside her and letting out a soft sigh.
"It’s a shame we have to sail back tomorrow. Good times always pass so quickly!"
Brison raised his hand, wanting to embrace the woman he loved, but deemed the occasion inappropriate and lowered it again.
"It’s alright, Selena. Even after we go back, we’ll still be in the same city. We’ll have chances to see each other."
Selena hummed in response, her heart heavy with worries.
But Brison was helpless to do anything about it.
They had met at Star Sea Academy and fallen for each other, but before they could express their feelings, Baron Torre had forcefully intervened.
Although Selena was exceptional, she was just a commoner. Faced with the Baron’s threats against her future and her family, she had no choice but to yield.
The two returned to Lingang Village in silence.
"You’re finally back!"
Hall seemed to have been waiting for a long time. "The Captain wants to discuss something with you."
Selena seemed uninterested. "I’m a bit tired, so I’ll sit this one out. Just have Brison go."
"Er..."
Hall hesitated. "It might involve matters that require your decision."
"It’s fine."
Selena said, waving a hand dismissively as she walked away, "The Baron said that if it’s anything important, Brison can decide."
"Alright then!"
Hall turned to Brison. "Please come with me. The Captain has been waiting for a long time."
"What’s this about?" Brison asked. "We’re set to leave at dawn."
"You’ll see when you get there," Hall said.
Soon, the five of them were gathered in Garrot’s bedroom.
The moment Brison stepped inside, he sensed something was wrong. "What’s going on?"
Garrot gestured for Hall to stand guard outside, then lowered his voice. "There’s a chance to get rich. Are you in?"
’Get rich?’
Brison’s brow furrowed.
He was no fool and immediately made a connection, though he hardly dared to believe it.
"What are you planning to do?"
A slight smirk touched Garrot’s lips. "The Territory was hit by a Secret Realm disaster this time. Not only did the Lord Viscount suffer tremendous losses, but as the Viscount’s only Baron, Lord Torre also lost a great deal. As their Knights, you and I should both be thinking of ways to solve our masters’ problems."
"For this trip to Black Forest Island, the Viscount swallowed his pride and borrowed several large ships from Duke Star Sea. His goal was to purchase massive quantities of supplies and people from Black Forest Island at the lowest possible price to resolve his current predicament."
"But as you’ve seen, this Baron Duane has not only restricted sales but also raised the prices, forcing us to go back with our ships nearly half-empty."
A flash of anger crossed his face. "This not only fails to solve the Viscount’s predicament, but it will also cause him to lose face in front of Duke Star Sea."
A dangerous light seemed to dance in Brison’s eyes. "You want to rob them?"
He shook his head. "No, we can’t. He’s a Baron of the Pruck Kingdom. If word of this gets out, we won’t be able to bear the consequences! If this blows up, even Lord Torre and Lord Freddy will be in trouble!"
At this, the others began to chime in.
Blake said, "Black Forest Island is isolated out at sea. There isn’t even a single boat around. I don’t even know how Duane could possibly send a message out."
Cameron said, "Don’t worry. Once we succeed, he won’t even have a chance to send a message!"
Brison was shocked. "You want to kill Duane?"
Cameron stroked the scar on his face and gave a cold, sinister laugh.
Blake, meanwhile, was explaining the feasibility of the plan.
"Duane has been staying in that courtyard these past few days. It has no walls, no towers, no defensive fortifications of any kind. There’s nothing to stop us."
"Plus, there aren’t many guards there. If we launch a surprise attack, he’ll have no way to escape!"
Brison fell silent, apparently considering the plan’s feasibility.
In the end, he shook his head. "You’re thinking too simplistically. Even if we kill him, and even kill all his guards, there are so many people on Black Forest Island. We can’t transport them all, nor can we kill them all."
"When people from the Pruck Kingdom arrive, as long as there’s a single living person on the island, they’ll easily be able to trace it back to us."
Killing a Baron, robbery, massacring islanders—if these crimes were ever exposed, they would most likely be executed on the spot.
"That’s why we need to create the illusion that we’ve already left!"
Garrot picked up the thread. "Tomorrow, we’ll leave the port as scheduled. Once night falls, we’ll double back to the nearby waters. Then we’ll have Lady Selena use her Fog Condensation Technique, and under the cover of canoes and darkness, we can land without making a sound."
His words were filled with killing intent. "We’ve already scouted a landing point. As soon as we’re ashore, we’ll travel light and head straight for the Baron’s little courtyard."
"As for our identities, we just need to take down the ship’s flags, put on masks, and disguise ourselves as pirates."
At this point, Garrot looked at Brison. "You and I both come from commoner families. It wasn’t easy to reach our current positions! But you have to understand, if you want to climb higher, you have to take risks to prove your worth, and at the same time, acquire enough money!"
"If this is successful, not only will it greatly alleviate the predicament of both the Lord Viscount and our Baron, but we’ll also make a small fortune ourselves."
Brison rubbed his fingers together, his mind rapidly calculating the details of their plan.
’Their departure will ease Duane’s suspicions, and then they’ll circle back for the kill. He’ll be completely unguarded.’
’Honestly, the plan has a very high chance of success.’
’As long as they kill Duane, everything after that will be simple.’
But no matter how you looked at it, this was like crossing a single-plank bridge; one misstep, and they would plunge into the abyss.
But Garrot had a point.
Brison needed military achievements, he needed money, and he needed status and the power to have his voice heard.
If he didn’t take this risk, how could he ever earn the Baron’s trust and favor? How could he get more opportunities to be with Selena?
"So, what do you say? Are you in or out?"
Garrot couldn’t help but press him. To ensure a foolproof plan, it was best if both Selena and Brison were involved.
His voice was like a Succubus’s, shaking Brison’s resolve.
"This is too big, and it requires the Lady to act as well. I need to ask her opinion first."
Brison stood up and quickly left.
"Will he agree?" Blake asked, sounding unsure.
Garrot laughed. "He’s already agreed. Now it just depends on Selena’s decision. But even if Selena doesn’t make a move, with Brison on our side, our chances of success are still huge!"
A faint fragrance lingered in Selena’s room, the scent of her own custom-made incense.
Seeing Brison’s sudden arrival, her despondent heart was instantly filled. She rushed forward and pulled him into a long, passionate kiss.
"What are you doing here, my love?"
Brison gently pushed Selena back a little and looked into her eyes. "There’s something we have to do. I wanted to get your consent."
"What is it?"
Selena was surprised, then added, "As long as it’s something you want to do, I’ll agree to it!"
Brison explained Garrot’s plan.
That, however, startled Selena.
"Baron Duane... he’s actually a pretty good person."
She sat back down on the edge of the bed. "You’ve seen it yourself these past few days. Many people on Black Forest Island sing his praises. Sometimes I even think how wonderful it would be if you and I could live here."
Brison shook his head. "But we don’t belong here. Our families are in the Starfall Islands. We have to go back eventually."
Selena fell silent, her mood sinking.
She looked up at the man she loved. "Is this really necessary?"
"Yes."
Brison nodded slowly. "Duane also seems to have discovered our relationship. If we can get rid of him, we can ensure there are no loose ends."
A brief silence.
"Then... alright."
Selena said, "Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you!"
Brison couldn’t help but step forward and pull her into his arms. "Thank you!"