CHAPTER 183: ESTABLISHMENT OF POWER

"Donate half of our fortune?"

"T-This is coercion, right?"

"I knew this banquet wouldn’t be this simple."

The crowd began whispering among themselves when Leonard revealed his intention.

The corpses thrown out to the open were actually a symbol of threat.

Since Leonard’s guards could eliminate these powerful berserk slaves, it would be a walk in the park to eliminate them as well.

’Interesting... this is indeed a method synonym to The Butcherer.’ Wesley’s eyes squinted slightly. He recognized that this kind of tyrannical act resembled Spencer’s style.

Showing a gore scene, followed by a manipulative speech that morally shackled them, and ending with a prompt solution that forced the rest to a corner, was truly a disgusting method.

However, such a method would only lose the people’s hearts.

’Is the Crown Prince confident in eradicating the collective bunch?’ Wesley pondered silently.

He shifted his sight to Darius, having believed the latter must be more anxious than he.

After all, the nobles resided in the most protective buildings as opposed to the merchants, who could only receive the second most protective buildings.

’He’s keeping quiet?!!’ Wesley was dumbfounded by Darius’s lack of emotion. It appeared as if he had no qualms or objections to Leonard’s method.

Little did Wesley know. Darius was currently seething in rage and panic.

The corner of his eyes spotted two familiar figures: Elise and Nadia.

’These two traitors...’ Darius clenched his fist secretly. He wanted to activate the magic contract to punish them severely, only to realize the bond had long been destroyed.

A magic contract that he paid a heavy price as insurance was actually ineffective.

Just what sort of methods did the Crown Prince use?

’My bases are all attacked, and the city is on lockdown. I can’t even escape.’

Darius understood that the corpses being thrown out at him were actually a direct warning to him to behave.

After all, among the corpses, there were people of his rank.

And with Elise by Leonard’s side, it would be ridiculous if the former didn’t expose their identity to him.

The fact that none of that information had been exposed to the public yet was a leeway for him to stay quiet and obey like a good dog.

’Whoever made those rumors of the Crown Prince being incompetent and useless should really die!’ Darius never expected that multiple sources of information regarding this would be so ridiculous and erroneous.

What sort of incompetence was this?

Was this the cowardly action to bring out the culprit’s corpses at a banquet?

"Marquis Darius, as the representative of the Noble Faction. Are you willing to be the pioneer and a show of example to demonstrate for the rest to see?"

Amidst Darius’s internal turmoil, Leonard’s voice echoed throughout the room.

His questioning and slight coercion to have him donate half of his fortune was obvious to everyone’s mind.

The merchants under Wesley were curious about his response, whereas the nobles under Darius seemed hesitant, unsure of what he would say.

’Marquis Darius shouldn’t be cowering, right?’

’If the Marquis submitted, then wouldn’t I be forced to cough up half of my fortune?’

’Why is the Marquis acting so weird as of late?’

Many nobles were anxious and dumbfounded by Darius’s lack of emotion and response. It was as if he had been deflated like a balloon with no helium.

’You’re going too far, Crown Prince!’ Darius screamed internally, wanting nothing more than to strangle Leonard on the spot.

"Marquis Darius, why do you appear constipated?" Leonard raised an eyebrow.

"It can’t be that you became too emotional and wanted to donate more than half of your fortune, right?" He gasped in shock.

In the blink of an eye, Leonard walked away from the stage. He quickly approached Darius’s table.

Along the way, there was a corpse that hindered his path. Without hesitation, Leonard kicked the corpse to the side. A look of disdain and disgust could be seen on his face.

However, the expression lasted for only a brief second before he returned to a warm and gentle smile.

"Marquis Darius’s intention was actually undermined by my narrow mindset. I didn’t think you were willing to give up 80% of your wealth. Blame me for making you feel terrible." Leonard consoled and apologized.

Darius’s pupils constricted into disbelief.

Fuck you and your entire family!

What do you mean by willing to give up 80% of my wealth?

"Crown Prince, I—"

Before Darius could continue his words, Leonard suddenly turned around and glared at Elise.

"What are you still dilly-dallying there for? The corpses around here have irritated the Marquis." He scolded harshly.

"Apologies, Crown Prince. We’ll remove the corpses from the table immediately." Elise bowed her head and swiftly rushed to the table to discard the corpses into the other tables. Nadia also followed suit and made sure to toss them toward Alger’s table.

When Alger and his son saw the corpse lying next to them, their expression twisted into an ugly complexion.

’Are you doing this on purpose?’ Alger’s nose was instantly hit with the foul stench.

Similarly, Edwin was on the verge of vomiting, but couldn’t afford to do so.

Not only would that make him become an embarrassment, but it could also incur Leonard’s wrath and focus.

One could simply take a glance at the current Darius.

After Leonard commented that his face appeared to be constipated, they could now actually visualize and imagine the expression themselves.

Meanwhile, Tyler appeared giddy when the corpse’s foul stench coincidentally got deflected once it reached his side.

Maybe it was the air ventilation or luck was on his side, but Tyler was starting to feel his frustration vented to a great degree.

’Isn’t it just half of my fortune. I’m poor anyway, so I might as well donate and get to the Crown Prince’s good book.’ Tyler thought to himself.

Needless to say, the collective crowd had understood that Leonard’s establishment of power was unstoppable.

He had the reason, power, influence, and capability to completely dominate Velastra.

What could Lord Wesley possibly do when he was just a representative of the Merchant Guild without a noble rank?