My wife is an immortal black snake.

Page 30

He sat up in bed, clutching the storage box. Feeling dizzy, he groggily got up and placed the box in the corner of the room, near the pillar where the Sarkaz statue he had personally inscribed with the [trait] was located.

“Oh right, I can also inscribe a few traits to assist my work.” He shook his head to clear his mind, then looked up at the clock: it was 3:40 p.m.

It was still a while before dinner, and similarly, a little while before he was supposed to carry out his plan. He decided to put on his shoes and go for a walk to clear his head. Of course, he hadn't forgotten Koschei's warning—if he really went to that Kazimierz knight-style place, he would be met with a "re-education" session by the maids.

Sigh, it's really strange when you think about it. Koschie was willing to let him find a maid when he couldn't hold back anymore [he was already feeling a bit weak], so why wouldn't she allow him to have a straightforward monetary transaction? And then again, even if he went there, it was for official business, right? That brothel is definitely suspicious!

[Event: An inappropriate brothel]

At a time when the conflict between Kazimir and Ursus is so intense, it's astonishing that someone would actually open a Kazimir-style brothel in the Dukedom of Kosichea in Ursus, and even in a residential area relatively close to the core area.

This is indeed a problem, but what should we do?

'Send a gentleman to investigate.' Effect: A trustworthy gentleman will go to the brothel to gather information on your behalf.

'I'm going there myself! I want to see what kind of knight would engage in such degrading sexual exploitation!' Effect: You've gone there yourself. Please prepare yourself mentally for the night.

Look, look! There's definitely something wrong with that! This is Yang Hao's intuitive victory, not a fantasy born of lust!

So if he ever does go and investigate, please remember that he did not succumb to the desires inherent in men; he was merely handling official business within his own territory, nothing more.

At most, it's just a side trip to see how exciting flattery can be. Really.

"grown ups..."

"—Um, Monica?"

"The expression on your face... is too strange. Please try to tone it down, okay?"

Monica, seemingly tidying up the room, took a step back involuntarily, startled by Yang Hao's expression. She frowned, as if wanting him to quickly move to a safer spot.

"Could you continue to rest in bed? I can finish cleaning the area soon—was that something you brought back from outside?"

She noticed the storage box placed next to the Sarkaz statue. Through the clear, sturdy glass, Monica could see that inside the box was a rusted cross-shaped sword.

Should this sword be cleaned? She didn't dwell too much on the question of "why this sword was here," because everyone has their own secrets, herself and this person alike. Right now, she was only concerned with whether it was something she needed to "clean."

“That’s what I brought back—just leave it there. I’ll explain it to Koschei properly tonight.” Yang Hao forced a smile, while muttering to himself, “What if she comes in like nothing happened every night after Koschei and I have sex?” He sat back on the bed, intending to wait patiently for Monica to finish cleaning before asking her if she could accompany him for a walk.

...

Monica began her cleaning. While cleaning, she chatted with Yang Hao about topics that might interest him.

"The assassin who previously tried to assassinate Lord Koschche—the Serpent Scales—searched all his records based on the information you provided."

"Huh? That lower-ranking nobleman named Antonit?" Yang Hao raised an eyebrow. He remembered the person who assassinated Kosiché before, and he also remembered Duke Nikolai who gave the assassination order—if he weren't currently too busy to deal with them, he would have already turned them into fertilizer to add nutrients to the fields.

“Yes.” Monica nodded. “He did indeed receive Duke Nikolai’s orders to assassinate Lord Kosiché—but in order to save his life, he made a deal with Serpentscale. He possesses a secret that Duke Nikolai is unwilling to reveal.”

"secret?"

Yang Hao frowned. A secret that even a duke wouldn't reveal? How so?

Did Nikolai acquire the dukedom through illegal means? Was he an illegitimate child? Or did he assassinate the former duke and forge a will? But even so, it's hardly a secret. He's a duke now, that's an indisputable fact. What good would such a secret do besides annoy him?

Hmm... wait a minute, if that's really the case, could we try to find someone who has the legitimate claim to the Duke of Nikolai? That way we could find a way to get rid of the Duke of Nikolai, control his duchy through a puppet, and take back the city at the same time—a win-win-win situation!

Before Yang Hao could delve deeper into his thoughts, Monica revealed a shocking secret:

“Mr. Antonit said that Duke Nicolai is a member of the [Sherlock Nightclub].

"...This name gave me a bad feeling."

Carmelo Mart? Yang Hao recalled what Monica had once said and subconsciously shuddered.

Chapter 77

According to the information revealed by Mr. Antoni, the "Shameful Nightclub" was a private organization, similar to a book club, formed by "nobles" whom Monica had met before, due to a sense of kinship.

However, unlike book clubs that enjoy reading Victorian revolutionary books, Casimir's chivalric fantasy novels, or Columbian blonde novels, the members of the [Sherlock Nightclub] have a penchant for cannibalism for pure pleasure.

According to Mr. Antonit, Duke Nicolai was a senior member of this nightclub. He had eaten people ranging from emaciated 60-year-olds to newborn infants. After each meal, he would loudly praise the spiciness of the meat in front of Mr. Antonit—how the meat of the older ones, though scarce, was incredibly flavorful with each bite, while the younger the meat, the more juicy and delicious it was from the bones. Duke Nicolai seemed to have tasted people of all ages; cannibalism alone could no longer satisfy his craving for intense stimulation.

According to Antonit, Duke Nikolai's recent hobby is to heal his wounds with healing Originium Arts while scraping flesh off his own body and eating it raw. It's so perverse that he doesn't even spare his own body and wants to savor it.

Incidentally, when Antonit met Duke Nikolai last time, he overheard the Duke mutter something like this:

"I wonder what kind of deliciousness my brain is."

......

He was also a complete pervert, someone who needed to be purified. Yang Hao had another reason to kill Duke Nikolai—if the previous reason was only because he assassinated Kosiché and seized the core territory of the Kosiché Duchy, now Yang Hao had another legitimate reason: to purify this group of perverts, so they wouldn't overcharge for flour.

But then again...

"Why does Mr. Antonette know so much?" Yang Hao was utterly perplexed. Logically, what gave a duke the right to reveal so many secrets to a lower-ranking noble like Antonette? Wait a minute? Could it be that Mr. Antonette was also—

...

Monica remained silent for a long time, seemingly hesitant about whether to reveal the matter.

Seeing this, Yang Hao sat up seriously on the bed and said to Monica:

"Monica, just tell me. Why does Mr. Antoinette know so much?"

"...Sir, do you really want to understand this?"

"Yes, I really want to figure it out."

If Yang Hao originally wanted to find out what was going on just because of his suspicions, Monica's evasive behavior has now aroused his curiosity.

Just how close was Antonit to Duke Nikolai that he would know so many little secrets?

Despite Yang Hao's repeated emphasis, Head Maid Monica silently cleaned the table before letting out a heavy sigh.

“My lord…you should know, right? Some nobles, having exhausted their pleasures with women, might suddenly develop a different kind of interest in the same sex…” Monica seemed particularly at a loss when she said this. She was also searching for the right words… “I know that for some, this is indeed true and pure love…but Duke Nicolai only needs Mr. Antoine…to bring him novel pleasures.”

"what..."

"Mr. Antonit was used as a plaything for five years, which is why Duke Nikolai didn't mind publicizing his secret in front of his own flesh, whom he could discard at any time... Perhaps Mr. Antonit will actually be eaten by Duke Nikolai soon? In any case, his identity does indeed make it possible for him to obtain that kind of secret. But we need further confirmation."

“...I understand. Monica, it seems we have another reason to declare war on Duke Nikolai—we just need a more suitable excuse that can be used in public.”

“This is a decision you and Lord Koschchet need to make after careful planning. I am just a maid.” Monica shook her head, unmoved by Yang Hao’s words. “And more importantly—sir, what are your plans going forward?”

"I wanted to relax in the Duke's residence area. After all, it wouldn't be appropriate to bother Koschche right now."

“I understand. Please wait here for a moment. After I’ve finished tidying up, I’ll take you to the courtyard to rest for a while.”

After saying that, Head Maid Monica packed her things and left the palace, leaving Yang Hao alone in the room to think about a very serious problem.

That is—is my starting point a bit too difficult and ridiculous?

1. His own territory is experiencing an economic crisis. Although he has devised methods to alleviate and even gradually resolve it, implementing this plan will take a long time. Moreover, before addressing the economic crisis... he must first clean up those appalling administrative problems.

2. Dangerous elements live right next to my territory. These elements not only control my core city, but they're also genuine psychopaths who even attempted to assassinate my wife. How can I peacefully farm and raise a child with my wife without dealing with that psychopath?

3. It seems that quite a few spies have infiltrated their own territory. The Kazimir people are a point of concern, followed by spies from other Ursus nobles—Yang Hao doesn't believe that Mr. Antonit could infiltrate the city on his own. Even if Koschei allowed him in because of her "explanation," Mr. Antonit must have had accomplices here, which is why he acted so decisively in the assassination.

4. As for that Lord K in Colombia, his hostility is obvious. If I were to appear in Colombia, Lord K would probably want to tear me apart. But how is the situation in that United City now? If it's good, could I invite them to come and trade? Then I could also take the opportunity to visit Jack and the others...

5. I wonder if the dog emperor of Ursus will intervene in the civil war between the nobles. Sigh, he stole my territory, I took it back—that's perfectly reasonable. He's a monster, I'm eliminating a scourge for the people—that's also perfectly reasonable. I hope that emperor doesn't go against the grain, otherwise Yang Hao—

...He doesn't seem to have any other options either?

"...Oh dear, I've realized it again... If you want to live a comfortable life, you have to be in the highest position..." he muttered to himself. "But I still haven't found the method to immortality that I like... Ugh... It's so annoying."

6. A crucial factor—his wife is an immortal, and his... Margarita, who ran away shortly after confirming their relationship in order to grow, is also an immortal, but he himself is still a short-lived being.

In addition to handling such complicated work, he also had to search for his own method of immortality. But was that easy? Not at all! If Yang Hao only wanted to keep his brain, he could do it now—but the problem was, he wanted to retain his physical body and achieve immortality.

Sigh! It's so tough. He felt a slight headache coming on... He hoped his hair would stay strong and not fall out all of it so soon.

"...Let's see how Margarita is doing. Ah? Has she been in that Minos village for so long? Is she going to stay permanently? If she's going to stay for a long time, I can send a messenger to her..."

To distract himself and also to check on Margarita's condition, Yang Hao chose to lie on the bed and use the [Puppet Stage] to see how Margarita was doing.

"Hmm, she's been doing well lately, and she's even gained a little weight. It seems she's been eating and drinking quite well." Yang Hao thought to himself as he looked at some of Margarita's data, and some of the pressure he had been feeling dissipated.

So, what has she been doing lately?

With these doubts in mind, Yang Hao began to investigate the incident that Margarita had caused, an incident that she herself had to handle:

[Event: Blood Demon and Blood Demon]

The young Blood Demon is searching for an older Blood Demon in Minos' village. She needs a mentor of her own kind to help her grow faster; otherwise, if she has to figure things out on her own, even two hundred years might not be a short time.

She will stay in this small village for a while, until she completes her first steps of growth.

'Does it really take two hundred years for a Blood Demon to grow up?'

...It seems I can send her a letter now.

With this in mind, Yang Hao decided that before starting work tomorrow, he would first write a letter to Margarita.

That way, this silly girl won't worry about forgetting about her.

"Sir, I'm ready."

"Ah—wait a moment."

Monica, the head maid, called from outside the door. Yang Hao jumped out of bed, put on his boots, and left the palace, intending to take a walk and rest in the courtyard.

...... ......

"Ah Qiu!"

I sneezed again. How many sneezes have I had since arriving in Minos?

Margarita rubbed her nose, muttered to herself that her body shouldn't be that weak, and then continued searching for the old blood demon in Minos' village.

She needs that senior's help. Otherwise, it would be far too slow for her to learn on her own in the wilderness!

She needs to grow up as soon as possible...as soon as possible, as soon as possible.

However, she couldn't rush things. She needed to be grounded, taking small, quick steps, rather than sprinting at full speed only to trip over a vine.

so...

"Did I use the wrong method? Hmm... Where is that Blood Demon senior?"

Margarita stood in the village street, both amused and exasperated, watching the wisps of smoke rising from the surrounding houses. She wondered if she had used the wrong method.

... .....

Meanwhile, inside the palace of Saint-Germain, the 30-year-old Emperor of Ursus was, as always, troubled by state affairs.

The court jesters and clowns of the Imperial Diet are disrupting her plans as always. The nobles who hold power are turning a blind eye to the country's economic crisis, and the generals can only propose a plan to alleviate the economic crisis through war. Now they are just waiting for her to sign the plan.

"Don't I have a single capable minister among my subordinates?" The emperor, in her own palace, private office, and audience hall, couldn't help but mock herself. "My ministers are either sycophants or mediocre. My generals, aside from fighting, only have a superficial understanding of economics—the new nobles I've cultivated are now useless except for spending money and promising me returns decades from now."

The Ursus Emperor wondered, "Do I not have any trustworthy and capable people? Is it really impossible for me to find such a capable person in such a vast land as Ursus and promote him to help me?" She thought about it carefully for a long time, and in the end, she could only conclude that she really could not find such a person.

Currently, people in almost every city within the Kingdom of Ursus are starving. The economic downturn is not limited to a few noble cities; the nationwide commercialization that previously brought the Ursus Empire immense wealth is now creating intractable chain reactions. The emperor's ministers cannot devise a solution to the economic crisis; they only want war. They believe that if they win wars and acquire more cities, the economic downturn can be gradually stabilized through internal competition, and the replenishment of soldiers lost in war can, in a sense, alleviate the pressure on employment—although in the end, it's all a losing proposition.

"Those good-for-nothing idiots deserve to be thrown into the lizard pen and eaten alive..."

And it wasn't just an economic crisis... The Emperor of Ursus was aware that a dangerous conscription was taking place among the empire's nobility.

Her bodyguards told her that some idle nobles were spending vast sums of money to hold a strange gathering called "Carnival." She had tried to send her bodyguards to investigate, but even they couldn't find the location of the gathering, let alone figure out what it was.

Her intuition told her that it was definitely not a good thing. Because the participants in the Maslenitsa festival included at least four dukes, twelve generals, and four army groups... What were they secretly doing, holding a clandestine gathering unknown to anyone?

The Ursus Emperor was confused. Furthermore, without evidence, she couldn't eliminate the nobles who attended the meeting...

What should we do?

She was extremely agitated and would suddenly recall the inexplicable impulses that had arisen in the past few days.

That puppeteer?

No, let's forget about it for now.

She shook her head, thinking that it wasn't time to take the risk of testing her impulsive intuition.

Chapter 78

While the Emperor of Ursus was preoccupied with important matters, Kosichrie felt incredibly at ease.

Since Yang Hao came here and married her, everything seems to have changed for the better.

She can stop worrying about tedious yet crucial political affairs alone; she can confidently delegate some of the work that she used to have to handle herself to her husband; and she can even find pleasure every night through physical and spiritual union with her lover, dispelling her physical and mental fatigue.

Of course, the immortal black snake was aware of her situation. She needed to be more restrained lately; her husband was still a mortal, and she couldn't let him ruin his health before achieving immortality.

"That concludes today's work." With that thought, Kosichrie finished his last task for the day. "Confirmation of the mobile city routes, and commercial trade... Phew, with the entire Ursus Empire's economy in a slump, commercial trade is barely enough to maintain food prices..."

This was the limit for her. She didn't have the same abilities as her husband, and she admitted that.