Masked Knight

Yukinari had a pleasant smile on his face. "Is that true?" He excitedly rubbed his hands as he asked, "Can Sith really make the Roland army retreat?"

Nedis turned to look at Rody, quietly asking if she should be the one continuing to speak. Rody nodded calmly.

"Young Master Yukinari," Nedis gave a mocking smile. "you also know that the Roland Army was brought here by your brother. They have made an agreement with Koichi, which is why they took this risk. Koichi must have definitely promised them a lot of benefits. Otherwise, why would the Roland people come here? Do they find fighting fun?"

"You mean…"

Nedis sighed and continued to lead Yukinari. "Now, Koichi is already dead. His agreement for the collaboration could no longer be honored. Do you think the people from the Roland Continent would be willing to go back after taking so much effort to send the army here? If they do not get some benefits, they would naturally be dissatisfied."

Yukinari sighed and said, "So it was like that. It is easy if it were benefits. What do they want? Money? I can compensate their losses by paying double."

Nedis coldly laughed, "Young Master Yukinari is so generous!" Her expression became cool as she narrowed her eyes and glanced at Yukinari. She then said, "If it was just money, we, the Roland people have plenty. How much were you intending to give? One million gold coins? Ten million gold coins?"

Yukinari's forehead started to sweat. He smiled wryly and said, "Miss Nedis, you must be joking." He paused for a while and then he looked at Nedis' face and tested the waters. "Then, you are saying…"

Nedis laughed in her heart and said, "Originally, we, the Dark Mercenaries, were the intermediary. We could naturally send the Roland Army back! Young Master Yukinari, we will not be taking your wealth. We have just met and yet you have treated us with respect. I and Rody can go back. Asking the Roland Army to retreat is also not difficult."

"Oh?" Yukinari's eyes lit up. He felt that Nedis' words were right on track and immediately smiled, "Miss Nedis, your words make me feel ashamed."

"Do not be ashamed!" Nedis coldly said, "We originally discussed the conditions with Koichi. Now that he is dead, at most, it is our bad luck. After all, Koichi is Koichi and you are you. Every injustice has a perpetrator. We, the Dark Mercenaries, will not be unreasonable. But…Hahaha…" Nedis then quietly sneered at Yukinari.

Yukinari felt goosebumps as he was stared at. However, Nedis did not feel it. Yukinari sat awkwardly and could not help but ask, "Miss Nedis, why are you laughing?"

"Oh…" Nedis laughed. "I was laughing at you. Young Master Yukinari, the people of the Roland Continent retreating is not an issue. The problem is that after we retreat, you would be finished!"

"What?" Yukinari's expression crumbled.

"You still do not understand?" Nedis coldly said, "Young Master Yukinari, do you think you have the ability to fight against Oda Nobunaga? Do you think you can defeat him?"

"No…I cannot." Yukinari turned pale.

"That's right!" Nedis continued to sneer. Her eyes were like an owl's when she fiercely looked at Yukinari. It made Yukinari unable to lift his head. This was the secret to Nedis' success. A lie would always have flaws. To bluff others, the first step was to not look afraid.

Sure enough, Nedis' imposing manner had already pressured Yukinari. Nedis coldly snorted and then leisurely said, "Young Master Yukinari, I am guessing that your only hope now lies in that thirty thousand soldiers at the frontlines? Do you want their support so that you are able to defeat Nobunaga?"

"Yes!" Yukinari's eyes lit up. "That is why the Roland Army retreating now is crucial. For each day they do not retreat…"

"You fool!" Nedis glared and said in a cold voice. Her slender finger was pointed at Yukinari. Her fingertips were trembling with anger as she put on an expression showing resentment that he failed her expectations. "Young Master Yukinari, how could you have such stupid thoughts? Who…who told you such a stupid idea?"

Seeing Nedis angry, Yukinari's reaction turned weak.

Nedis dared to do this because she knew Yukinari. If she did this to the late Shogun, she would have already been angrily scolded and then chased away. On the other hand, Koichi would have probably just left while Nobunaga would have killed her.

Right in front of her was Yukinari. Facing her, he did not have any leadership at all and, on the contrary, hung his head down.

Nedis felt lucky inside but on the outside, she did not dare let her weakness show. She coldly said, "Young Master Yukinari, you are putting too much hope in the army at the frontlines…Hmph. Let me tell you that if you have such thoughts, you would end up facing a disaster."

"What?" Yukinari raised his head in surprise and looked as though he was in disbelief.

"Hmph." Nedis sneered and asked, "Have you ever given the frontlines any orders? Have they ever heard a verbal command from you before?"

"Yes…I have given a total of three orders using the name of Shogun." Yukinari replied.

Nedis sneered. "Is that so? Then what are their replies?"

"Lord Kumu Yu from the frontlines…no…the Thousand Guard Kumu Yu! He replied that the frontline is hardpressed and that it is impossible to transfer…he also said…"

Nedis coldly interrupted him and replied, "He said that the incident at Kyoto was too sudden, the soldier's morale is unsteady and that he did not dare to act rashly? I think he also probably said that currently, a lot is at stake and that both you and Nobunaga should sit down and talk instead of fighting each other. Am I right?"

"You…how did you know?" Yukinari stared at Nedis with wide eyes.

Rody did not speak but he sighed in his heart. These kinds of reply were just polite talk. Since Kumu Yu of the frontlines wanted to assume importance by controlling the troops, he would inevitably use high-sounding words for a reply. This can be easily deduced.

"Hahaha…" Nedis burst out laughing. She trembled as she laughed. However, she deliberately gave a compassionate look to Yukinari.

Rody sighed at the side. 'This vampire has a talent for acting!'

After Nedis was done laughing, she said, "Young Master Yukinari, carefully think for yourself! What is Kumu Yu's common attitude towards you in normal times?"

"Ah…it seems…it seems like he does not respect me much." Yukinari showed a helpless expression.

After all, Yukinari was the youngest son of the Shogun and had no real power. Everyone believed that Koichi was the future Shogun and did not place any importance on Yukinari.

Nedis nodded and then said, "Then let me ask you this. Based on his past attitude towards you, do you think he is keen to be at your beck and call, to be your subordinate?"

"This…" Yukinari immediately lost his self-confidence.

Without allowing Yukinari to calm himself, Nedis quickly asked, "What about Kumu Yu and Nobunaga's relationship?"

"It seems like…it is not too bad." Yukinari's voice became soft and softer. As if not convinced, he then retorted, "But Kumu Yu had been very loyal to Father."

"Hmph! Loyalty!" Nedis sneered in disdain. "Are you speaking of loyalty? Wasn't Nobunaga loyal to your father? In the end, he still worked together with your brother Koichi to commit treason! Fine! Even if Kumu Yu was loyal to the late Shogun, the late Shogun is no longer around. Are you certain that Kumu Yu would be loyal to you?"

"I…I…" Yukinari's mouth hung open and powerlessly replied, "I am not."

Nedis' question was like a heavy hammer striking Yukinari's heart. It was as though each strike of the hammer accurately struck a vital point.

According to common sense, other than the high ranking generals, the others don't take too kindly to a playboy that wasted his time. On top of that, Yukinari had a formidable brother. Nedis' series of questions had immediately demolished Yukinari's already miserable self-confidence.

After Nedis felt like she had attacked enough, she became gentle again and slowly said, "I have said too much. Have you understood it already? Kumu Yu is simply paying lip service to you. He had no intentions of listening to your orders. On top of that, I believe you are not the only one giving him orders. Isn't Nobunaga also claiming himself to be Shogun? He probably had sent Kumu Yu orders as well."

Yukinari became restless. He had a complicated expression but still nodded. "That is most likely."

"That's right. After making clear these connections, the answer is obvious!" Nedis then continued, "Kumu Yu must have already colluded with Nobunaga. He is not moving so that he could wait for Nobunaga to destroy you first. After that, the dwarven kingdom would belong to them both!"

In all fairness, Nedis' pretext was full of holes. If it was anybody else, her words would have already long been exposed. However, Yukinari had been suppressed by his brother for so many years that he had no self-confidence. He had a timid character which made him easily fooled.

Sure enough, Yukinari remained silent for a moment. His expression was gradually filled with anger and he gritted his teeth. "Kumu Yu! He was placed in an important position during Father's time! Now that Father is gone, he actually colluded with that traitorous Nobunaga! I must kill him!"

"That's right!" Nedis struck while the iron was hot. "Nobunaga and Koichi have conspired to assassinate the late Shogun. This crime cannot be forgiven. However, instead of taking revenge for the late Shogun, Kumu Yu did not move and waited for Nobunaga to deal with you! Such sinister intentions…Hmph!"

Yukinari turned pale and slammed the table. He then shouted, "I will personally kill him! I…" Yukinari had stood up.

After that, his face turned white and he lost his momentum. He had realized that he was powerless. He could not even defeat Nobunaga, much less Kumu Yu.

'If…if Nobunaga and Kumuyu were to attack me from both sides, I am finished.'

Yukinari turned pale thinking of the danger.

Nedis looked at Yukinari's expression and guessed his thoughts. She deliberately coughed and Yukinari looked back at her. His heart stirred and then he threw himself on the ground. He clung to Nedis' legs and cried out with tears in his eyes. "Miss Nedis, Mister Rody, You must save me! When we met, you said you will help me to become Shogun…Now…" His snot and tears messed up Nedis' pants.

Nedis immediately felt nauseated and struggled to move away. Resisting the impulsive urge to kick him away, she forced out a laugh and said, "Young Master Yukinari, you do not need to panic. Although the situation is troublesome, it is not impossible to handle. If you listen to our advice, killing these traitors would not be difficult."

"But…right now, the soldiers under my command would not be able to match up with Nobunaga. On top of that, there is also Kumu Yu!"

Nedis laughed as though she had a well thought out plan and said, "Young Master Yukinari, have you forgotten? You still have elite soldiers in the South!"

"The South? Only Kumu Yu and his men are at the South. There is nobody else there."

"Go further South." Nedis laughed.

"Further South?" Yukinari's eyes then shone. "You are talking about the Roland Army!"

Nedis lightly said, "The Sauron Kingdom has dispatched fifty thousand Royal Knights and two hundred naval warships. With so much power, it shouldn't be too difficult to destroy Nobunaga and Kumu Yu!"

Yukinari hesitated a little. After all, he was not a complete idiot. He was afraid that if he opened up the doors and invite the wolves in, he would also get a bad ending.

Nedis was seemingly dissatisfied as she asked, "What is it? Kikukawa Yukinari!" She deliberately stopped calling him 'Young Master Yukinari' and instead called him by his full name. She then coldly said, "Do you think I would betray you? Hmph!"

Nedis' expression became even more unsightly. She narrowed her eyes and coldly said, "Don't forget. That day, inside the Shogunate at Kyoto, Rody had saved your father. Otherwise, your father would have been dead, Koichi and Nobunaga would have risen to power, and you would have also probably be killed! If we wanted to harm you, we could have just continued watching that day and not act! Why would we wait until now?"

Her last words were very powerful and wiped away Yukinari's doubts. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! If they are so heartless, I will be unfair! Miss Nedis, tell me what is to be done!"

After pausing for a while, Yukinari suddenly had a thought and asked, "I suppose the Sauron Kingdom's knights would not help me for nothing. Do they have any conditions?"

Nedis laughed and replied, "That is nothing! As long as you give us what you initially promised me. That is, the promise of giving me the exclusive right to trade ironwood once you become Shogun and rule the dwarven kingdom. That is our only condition."

Yukinari immediately felt relieved. He did not care about the exclusive trade of ironwood. 'Isn't it just money in the end? The dwarves already have a lot of money. If they want the rights to ironwood, they can have it!'

"This is simple! I can sign an agreement with you! In the future, the trade of ironwood would be given to Nedis in the future!" Yukinari had immediately made the promise.

Nedis' eyes gleamed.

She looked as though she was not looking at Yukinari but many piles of gold coins.

Secretly swallowing her saliva, she maintained her composure and said, "Of course. We will let some Sauron Kingdom's soldiers to be stationed here and guard the dwarves. The army would be used to protect you! Young Master Yukinari! Think for yourself. The dwarven kingdom had suffered a huge disaster. Although you have risen to the position of Shogun, there is no guarantee that there would be others with ulterior motives like Nobunaga. The knights of the Sauron Kingdom would remain here to protect you. You can then safely be Shogun."

Yukinari smiled without any doubt and said, "Of course, that would be best!" He was also afraid that his position would be unstable. He could not help but feel fear when he thought of Nobunaga's valiant cavalry killing his warriors. If the Sauron Kingdom's Royal Knights were to protect him, he would not need to be worried.

Looking at Yukinari's reaction, Nedis and Rody looked at each other and had the same thoughts.

'Cheating this idiot is really like fighting a one-sided battle.'