50: Chapter 50 A "Technology Investment" Agreement Given to the Dwarves

Levi nodded, signaling him to continue.

Ella also suppressed the turmoil in her heart and looked at the object in Julius's hand.

Julius took a deep breath and carefully uncovered the blood-stained white cloth.

On the cloth lay several items retrieved from the assassin Moriarty's corpse: an ordinary iron ring, a few blood-stained Imperial copper coins, and... a crushed molar, its original shape no longer discernible.

Julius pointed at the shattered tooth, his voice heavy: "Your Highness, Lord, this assassin's poison sac was not hidden within the molar, but was fused with it. This is a signature technique of the 'Hand of Shadows'; they implant specially made poison fangs into the assassin's mouth. If the mission fails, they only need to bite down hard to instantly die, beyond saving."

Hand of Shadows.

As soon as this name was uttered, Ella's pupils sharply constricted. Even Evelyn, who had been standing beside Levi with an icy expression, had a flicker of light in her heterochromatic eyes.

Levi's eyebrows subtly arched.

He had some impression of this name; it seemed to have been mentioned in the mountain of intelligence dossiers left by the previous lords of Blackstone Territory—an assassin organization active in the dark corners of the continent, known for its efficiency and ruthlessness, taking money for jobs and never failing.

It was said that their clients included royalty and nobles, and they even had unclear ties to certain cults and abyssal forces.

"Hand of Shadows..." Ella's voice was dry. "Why would they target you? Who hired them?"

"That's what I don't understand, Your Highness." Levi's expression seemed somewhat innocent. "I am just a poor lord of a remote territory, usually kind to others. I truly can't think of any revered figure I might have offended that would warrant using such a legendary assassin organization against me."

He spoke with such sincerity, as if he truly were that harmless little noble on the border.

Ella's lips thinned into a straight line.

Of course, she didn't believe that rhetoric.

This man had used a vast web of debt to tie almost all the nobles of the Northern Territory to his war chariot, cutting off the financial paths of countless people. Those who wanted to kill him could probably line up from Blackstone Territory all the way to the Imperial Capital.

Julius ignored the silent confrontation between the two. He picked up the iron ring and continued, "The more crucial discovery is this. On the inner wall of the ring, a tiny emblem is carved."

He handed the ring to them.

Levi leaned closer, and by the candlelight, saw that there was indeed a pattern engraved on the inner circle of the ring with a special tool—a mountain entwined with chains.

"Entwined mountain..." Ella's face instantly became even uglier than before. She instinctively took half a step back, her voice trembling with disbelief. "This is... the emblem of Ironforge!"

Ironforge, the capital of the Dwarf Kingdom, and the strongest military fortress in the entire Northern Territory.

As soon as this emblem appeared, all the clues instantly connected.

Outside the castle, it was the Lava Guard, led by Thorin Steelbeard, son of Prince Thorin Bronzebeard of the Dwarf Kingdom.

Inside the castle, it was an assassin from the Hand of Shadows bearing the Ironforge emblem.

This assassination was no longer a simple personal vendetta.

This was a long-planned, undeclared military operation from the Dwarf Kingdom!

If Levi were assassinated, Blackstone Territory would be leaderless and fall into chaos.

At that time, the Lava Guard from the mountain could, under the guise of "maintaining order," march straight in and take over everything here without shedding a drop of blood—the factories, the technology, and Elder Odin, whose core secrets they had "stolen."

And Ella's delegation happened to be the perfect cover and eyewitness for this conspiracy.

An "accident" happening right under the nose of an Imperial Princess, and no one could say anything.

What a vicious scheme!

The air in the reception hall was colder than when the body was discovered earlier.

Ella felt a chill run through her limbs.

She finally understood that from the moment she stepped into the Northern Territory, she had become a pawn on the chessboard of various forces, and she herself had been completely unaware.

Levi's face showed little emotion, but his gaze deepened slightly.

He tapped the armrest of his chair with his knuckles, making soft thudding sounds, as if calculating something.

Hand of Shadows, Ironforge... he had noted this debt.

But now was not the time for reckoning.

The immediate crisis was the most important.

Ella's delegation, after a night of anxious "protective isolation," began preparing to depart in a very oppressive atmosphere the next morning.

The assassination attempt was swiftly suppressed by Levi, with the official statement being that "a thief who infiltrated the castle was killed on the spot."

Although the delegation members, who had been interrogated all night, were full of doubts, under the strict discipline of Knight Julius and the silent acquiescence of Her Royal Highness, no one dared to ask another question.

However, everyone's gaze towards Levi now held an indescribable awe.

On the castle's high tower, Levi and Ella stood side by side, the morning breeze rustling her light golden hair and Empire-style dress.

Ella's face was still somewhat pale, but after a night of adjustment, she had regained the composure and dignity befitting an Imperial Princess.

Her gaze swept over the castle's battlements, looking down at the mountain.

The dwarf army, which had only been confronting them from a distance, was now slowly moving forward.

It wasn't a charge, but a highly oppressive, unified advance.

The black steel phalanx moved like a walking wall, reflecting a chilling light in the morning sun.

Heavy boots pounded the ground, emitting a rumbling thud, like the pulse of the earth.

The dwarves made no battle cries; silence itself was the most terrifying threat.

They had evidently received news of the Princess's imminent departure; this was the final showdown.

Once Ella's Royal Griffin Banner left the confines of Blackstone Territory, they would have no more reservations.

War was on the horizon.

Julius hurried up the tower, his hand clasped tightly on his sword hilt, his face filled with grim determination.

"Your Highness!" he said gravely. "Please allow me to order the dwarf army to retreat immediately! They dare to deploy troops under the banner of the Imperial Royal Family; this is an open provocation to the Radiant Empire! They must be shown the Empire's might!"

Ella's lips moved, about to speak, but Levi spoke first.

"No need, Knight Julius." His voice was calm, his gaze still fixed on the army below the mountain. "Orders will only be counterproductive at a time like this. An opponent determined to break ties will not lay down their weapons because of an edict; that will only exacerbate their rebellious mentality and make them think we are strong on the outside but weak within."

"Then what should we do?" Julius asked urgently. "Are we just going to watch them besiege the city?"

Levi didn't answer him, but turned to Ella, a gentle smile on his face: "Your Highness, to thank you for your 'care' of Blackstone Territory during this time, I have prepared a farewell gift for you before your departure."

Ella's eyes held a complex expression.

She truly couldn't reconcile the gentle and refined man before her with the political demon who had meticulously cornered her into a desperate situation last night.

"A gift?"

"Yes." Levi's smile was meaningful. "A gift for you, and also a gift for our friends down the mountain."

He did not mobilize a single soldier in the castle.

The archers and crossbowmen on the city walls remained at their posts, and the newly formed musketeer squad was merely conducting routine drill training, seemingly oblivious to the imminent threat from the mountain.

Levi simply walked down the tower and quietly gave a few instructions to Evelyn, who was already waiting nearby.

A moment later, Blackstone Castle's heavy drawbridge slowly lowered.

A peculiar delegation emerged from the castle, one after another.

Leading them was Evelyn.

Today, she had changed out of her capable steward's attire and into a well-tailored black silk gown, its hem embroidered with the Byron Family's thorn emblem in silver thread.

She wore a subtle, natural succubus charm on her face, but her eyes were clear and focused, and in her hands, she held an exquisite document box made of rosewood.

Behind her followed a small squad of sturdy servants, in pairs, carrying ten oak barrels.

The bungs of the wooden barrels had just been opened, and a rich, almost thick aroma of malt and honey instantly permeated the air, carried by the mountain wind into the distance.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

This is the latest top-grade rum brewed in Blackstone Territory; every drop is worth a fortune, a treasure Levi uses to host his most distinguished guests.

At the very front of this team, a knight from Ella's Honor Guard held high a Royal Banner embroidered with a Golden Griffin.

This team, which looked neither like it was going to negotiate nor declare war, walked straight toward the command center of the dwarf legion under the cold gazes of thousands of dwarf warriors below the mountain and the bewildered eyes of Ella and Julius on the castle.

The commander's tent of the Lava Guard was filled with a rugged atmosphere of mixed iron, spirits, and leather.

Thorin Steelbeard, a dwarf with wire-like red whiskers and a body as stout as a bear, was irritably wiping his massive Runic Battleaxe.

A faint firelight flickered on the axe blade, reflecting on his resolute face in shifting shadows.

Scouts had already reported that the imperial princess's honor guard was assembling and seemed ready to leave immediately.

His patience was also nearly exhausted.

Just then, the tent curtain was suddenly thrown open, and a guard rushed in with a strange expression: "Commander! Blackstone Territory has sent an envoy requesting to see you!"

"An envoy?" Thorin Steelbeard's movements stopped, and a cruel smile spread across his lips. "Are they here to surrender, or to deliver an ultimatum?"

"Neither..." The guard's expression became even stranger. "The other party... the other party is that succubus. She's also carrying over a dozen barrels of fine wine, under the banner of the imperial princess..."

Thorin Steelbeard was stunned.

A succubus? Fine wine? The princess's banner?

What was this supposed to mean?

Frowning, he leaned his battleaxe heavily against the weapon rack and said in a deep voice, "Let her in!"

A few minutes later, Evelyn walked gracefully into the tent.

She ignored the scrutinizing and lustful gazes of the surrounding dwarf warriors and walked straight up to Thorin Steelbeard, bowing slightly.

"Commander of the Lava Guard, Lord Thorin Steelbeard." Her voice was crisp and pleasant, without a hint of flattery or fear. "By the order of my master, Lord Levi Byron of Blackstone Territory, I offer a small token of respect to you and your brave warriors."

Saying this, she stepped aside and gestured; servants immediately carried in a barrel of rum and pulled out the wooden cork.

The rich aroma of wine instantly filled the entire tent, making the surrounding dwarf warriors, whose Adam's apples were bobbing, stare wide-eyed.

Thorin Steelbeard's eyes flickered, but he didn't look at the barrel of wine. Instead, he stared fixedly at Evelyn. "The human lord sent a succubus just to treat us to wine? Is this your surrender ceremony?"

"No, my lord." The smile on Evelyn's face remained unchanged as she presented a red sandalwood box with both hands. "This is a gesture of sincerity that my master asked me to deliver to you."

Thorin Steelbeard suspiciously took the wooden box, feeling its extraordinary texture.

He opened the lid, and inside lay an exquisite document written on magical parchment, the scroll tied with an elegant blue ribbon.

He had expected to see a strongly-worded ultimatum or a humble letter of plea for peace.

However, when he untied the ribbon and unfurled the parchment, the title he saw made his entire body freeze.

"Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Collaborative Development and Capacity Sharing for the 'Thunder' Series."

Thorin Steelbeard's pupils instantly shrank to the size of needlepoints.

He read word by word, his breathing becoming heavier and heavier.

The core content of the memorandum was clear and concise, without any of the ambiguity of diplomatic language:

First, Lord Levi Byron of Blackstone Territory formally invites the Dwarf Kingdom to join the new 'Thunder' series weapon project currently under development in Blackstone Territory as a 'technology stake,' using its unique rare mineral refining technology and rune casting craftsmanship.

Second, as a gesture of sincerity for the cooperation, Blackstone Territory will formally grant the Dwarf Kingdom full production authorization for the first-generation 'Thunder Type I' musket, including all technical drawings and process flows.

Third, Elder Odin Blackiron will serve as the 'Chief Consultant' and project supervisor for technical exchanges between the two parties. All research and development results during his stay in Blackstone Territory will have intellectual property rights jointly held by both parties, with shared results.

Thorin Steelbeard's hand holding the document began to tremble slightly.

This wasn't a challenge to war, nor was it a letter of surrender.

This was a... business contract.

A business contract that cleverly defined 'theft' as 'cooperation' and packaged Elder Odin, whom they saw as a 'traitor,' as a 'Chief Consultant'!

His mind was in a state of chaos.

What on earth was this human, Levi Byron, thinking?

Didn't he know that the army was already at his gates, and he could flatten his castle and seize everything at any moment?

Why would he hand over his most core secrets so willingly?

Thorin Steelbeard suddenly looked up, staring at Evelyn as if she were a madwoman. "Your lord... what does this mean?"

Evelyn's smile remained composed. "Commander, my master believes that war is the most inefficient and foolish way to allocate resources. Instead of letting brave dwarf warriors and human soldiers bleed and die only to fight over a pile of broken ruins, why not sit down, drink fine wine, and jointly develop a future that makes both sides wealthier and stronger?"

She paused, her voice carrying a hint of seduction. "Ironforge possesses the most exquisite craftsmanship and the highest quality minerals, while Blackstone Territory has disruptive concepts and efficient production models. Our union will create weapons capable of changing the form of warfare across the entire continent. When that time comes, what the Dwarf Kingdom receives will not just be a few drawings, but a treasure trove that continuously generates wealth and power."

Thorin Steelbeard fell into a long silence.

His heavy breathing echoed in the tent, his sharp eyes staring fixedly at the memorandum in his hand as if trying to see through it.

He was a soldier—pragmatic and stubborn. He understood war, he understood honor, and he also understood interests.

Attack Blackstone Territory?

If it were before seeing this memorandum, he would not have hesitated.

But now...

Attacking a territory that had just been personally inspected by the imperial princess, who had only just left, was already politically very foolish.

To then attack a business partner who was willing to proactively share core technology and invite you to take a 'technology stake'...

Economically, that would be an incredibly stupid, money-losing deal!

He could even imagine that if he rejected this agreement and forcibly attacked Blackstone Territory...

Once the news reached Ironforge, those elders whose heads were full of gold coins would skin him alive.

After a long time, Thorin Steelbeard let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

He carefully rolled up the memorandum, placed it back in the wooden box, then raised his hand, took a full cup of rum from a servant, and drained it in one gulp.

"Good wine!" He wiped the foam from his beard with the back of his hand and let out a thunderous praise.

Then, he turned to Evelyn, his gaze having completely changed. "Go back and tell your lord that I accept this 'sincerity.' I will send my adjutant back with you to discuss the... details of the cooperation."

On the castle tower, Ella and Julius watched everything happening below the mountain in stunned silence.

They saw barrels of rum being carried into the military camp; the originally tense atmosphere instantly dissipated, replaced by a scene of jubilation.

Finally, they saw the dwarven army begin to retreat slowly, while a dwarven officer in heavy armor followed behind the succubus, walking toward Blackstone Castle.

An imminent war had vanished into thin air in this short period of time.

No clashing of blades, no bloodshed or sacrifice, not even a single harsh shout.

Only fine wine and a... document.

Ella's lips were slightly parted, her green eyes filled with unprecedented shock.

She slowly turned her head to look at the man beside her, who had remained calm from beginning to end.

At this moment, for the first time, she realized so clearly.

Commerce and interests might truly be weapons far more powerful than swords and edicts.