"To be honest, I truly don't know how to thank you, Mr. Nimrod. Today's encounter feels like a dream to me. If not for you, I might not have lasted a few more days before dying in some forgotten corner of the street.
You gave me hope for life, you helped me rebury Winona properly, and you solved my nightmare problem."
In the evening, within a private booth on the second floor of a high-end restaurant in Tingen City, George—now dressed once again in respectable gentleman's attire—gratefully raised his wine glass to clink with Nimrod's.
"Actually, I don't particularly enjoy drinking, but this tastes quite good," Nimrod remarked, swirling the red wine in his glass as he savored the sweetness and grape flavor filling his mouth.
"Have you thought about what you want to do with this money?" Nimrod asked, setting down his wine glass and cutting a piece of steak to chew while speaking directly.
"I'm not really sure..." George replied, setting down his knife and fork to gaze at the crimson moon outside the window with a bitter smile.
Glancing at George, Nimrod set down the napkin he'd been using to wipe his mouth and asked in a calm tone:
"You should know that while this fortune of 3,000 pounds can allow you to live relatively comfortably for the rest of your life, it's far from enough to maintain a high standard of living.
Servants, carriages, estates, fine wine, gourmet food, quality furniture, exquisite clothing—all of these require gold pounds to obtain. After being trapped in the lower class for so long, don't you want to possess these things? Don't you want to live like those nobles? Don't you want to own your own estates, farmlands, and factories like they do?
Don't you want to appear frequently in the kingdom's newspapers like them? To converse and laugh with parliament members? To enjoy everyone's envious gazes?"
Hearing Nimrod's words, George fell into silence. After more than ten seconds, he finally asked in a hoarse voice:
"Sir, I wonder what price I would have to pay to obtain these things, or rather, what could I do for you?"
"You are a clever man, and clever men always seize opportunities. I believe our meeting today was no coincidence. I look forward to our time together in the future."
The crimson moonlight streamed through the window, falling into Nimrod's raised wine glass. The already red wine gently swayed under the moonlight's illumination, seeming to truly transform into blood.
Looking at the blood-like, dreamlike wine and the handsome gentleman's smile, George instinctively raised his own glass and gently clinked it...
Southern Continent, Pas Valley
In the city of "Londo" by the Raging Sea, Witch King Karaman stood atop the highest bell tower in the northern part of the city, overlooking the entire city bathed in crimson moonlight.
Suddenly his spirituality stirred, and he saw a figure emerge from the darkness behind him—a handsome young man wearing a monocle and dressed in a classical robe.
The moment he saw this young man, Karaman dropped to his knees in a prayer gesture and said respectfully:
"Your Highness, you have returned. Is there anything you need me to do?"
Looking at the Witch King Karaman kneeling on the ground, Nimrod smiled and said:
"I've returned this time for two reasons. First, to deal with those two troublesome fellows you mentioned. Of course, I can't kill them directly—that would make the other side view us as a complete threat.
In that case, the next time they might send angels and Grade 0 sealed artifacts. I will capture them and use this to pressure Intis, forcing them to concede some interests. After all, two demigods are worth quite a bit.
Second, I plan to establish a trading company to sell our territory's resources to the Northern Continent in exchange for funds. As for who will manage them, I've already found someone. Once the Intis matter is concluded, we can begin operations."
"Your Highness, please forgive my presumption, but I don't understand why we should establish a trading company to sell our products to our enemies. If we lack funds, we could raid the colonial cities controlled by Ruen and Intis, and we could also receive aid from Feysac."
Regarding the establishment of a trading company, Karaman was somewhat puzzled. Their main methods of obtaining money were nothing more than pillaging and aid from the Feysac Empire.
Hearing Karaman's question, Nimrod shook his head and smiled:
"You can never imagine just how profitable smuggling can be. The costs involved can practically be ignored.
Moreover, on the Northern Continent, we also need an above-board place to establish ourselves. We can't always be mixed up with those Rose School people.
Once the trading company establishes a foothold on the Northern Continent, we can transfer the focus of our power there and become independent from the Rose School.
That way, it will be more conducive to completing the task my mother entrusted to me."
Hearing the Son of God's answer, Karaman nodded and continued asking:
"Your Highness, should we begin distancing ourselves from the Rose School now?"
"No, not now. On the contrary, you must use their reputation to cause great destruction in the colonies of Ruen and Intis, mainly targeting the city lord's mansion, those nobles' estates, and municipal facilities.
After these attacks, their interests will suffer losses, and they will definitely further weaken the Rose School's influence in the Southern Continent.
Especially in the Ruen colonies guarded by the Storm Church—those Punishers usually don't like to think and will definitely target the Rose School.
When that time comes, I'll fan the flames, and I'm not afraid the Rose School won't suffer greatly."
"I obey Your Highness's commands."
Karaman's eyes lit up—when it came to causing destruction, he was an expert in that field!
Nimrod was preparing to make this a big operation, preferably killing several Rose School demigods and greatly weakening their sphere of influence in the Southern Continent.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he looked at Karaman and asked:
"The force we support belongs to some tribes remaining from the Highland Kingdom?"
"Yes, they were originally subordinate forces of the Rose School as well, but they were led by the Temperance faction. After the angel of the Temperance faction died and they were abandoned by the Rose School, they gained our support."
"Dead? Heh, that princess isn't so easily killed. Her condition is very special—she's been hiding in the spirit world, evading Suah's pursuit."
"She's actually still alive?"
Witch King Karaman was somewhat surprised. He knew that back then, the Rose School had deployed Curse King Palenque and the evil spirit Suah—two angels—to hunt down Reinette Tinekerr, yet even that hadn't been enough to kill her...
"The favored of the Bound God isn't so easily killed. Perhaps in the future, we can cooperate with her."
Hearing the Son of God's plan, Witch King Karaman paused and said:
"Your Highness, the Rose School's Temperance faction has always been very hostile toward us who believe in the Lord. When they still held the dominant position, they had multiple conflicts with us. Trying to cooperate with her might not succeed..."
Adjusting his monocle, Nimrod said in a light tone:
"That's not a problem. Fundamentally speaking, we don't have irreconcilable hatred or contradictions. Given her current situation, if we can show sufficient sincerity, she won't refuse a request for cooperation."