The Lord Of The Mysteries

Chapter 177's

Audrey stopped writing after she finished sharing some interesting news and scandals about nobles. He then took a serious pose as he recalled something.

With her remarkable memory as an Audience, she organized the information she received from her father's teachings, as well as the news she heard during banquets and salons into paragraphs.

After making the concept in her head, Audrey wrote, "Regarding the political situation in Backlund that you asked, it is not my area of interest. I can explain it to you just based on my own impressions and the details I've been through.

“Some time ago, Dad told me that after the abolition of the Wheat Act, the price of plants decreased quickly. The rent of farmland and pasture also went down, but I don't know exactly the magnitude.I can only explain it to you with this example.

"As you know, Duke Negan was a noble who owned most of the land outside of the royal family. It is said that he had over 12,000,000 pounds of farmland, pastures, and forests. Last year, his land generated a historic 1,300,000 pounds in rent. But this year, it is estimated that the rent will only be 850,000 pounds, an overall 450,000 pounds less. That's more than the whole asset that's rightfully mine.

“Without further explanation from me, I'm sure my brother will understand the behavior of most ancient nobles. They take pride in being landowners, and their income comes mostly from rent. They put a lot of emphasis on their appearance and will maintain their current lifestyle even if they have to go into debt. They spend tens of thousands of pounds on the maintenance of their palaces every year, thousands more on clothing and jewelry, as well as persistent hunting activities, social banquets, and occasional lavish weddings and funerals, etc., etc.

"With the decrease in rent, to my knowledge, most of the nobles had financial difficulties. Because of this, Count Wolfe had sold 84,000 acres of land in the countryside and gained 29,000 pounds in return. Viscount Conrad has also sold his 55,000-pound art collection to a national art gallery.

“In addition to some visionary nobles who have long shifted their focus to the steel, coal, railways, banks, and rubber industries, the other nobles have been greatly affected by the Wheat Act. Let's praise our dear Count Hall!

"Dad told me that financial hardship would loosen the control the nobles had over politics. As you can imagine, the number of ministers with blue blood will decrease from next year onwards.

“In an effort to secure funding, the Conservative party and the New party have pledged to grant the title of nobility to anyone as long as they donate a sum of money and have no criminal record. Of course, the caveat was that the person who donated the money should have a certain amount of land that suited the nobility.

“One such example is the rich Mr. Syndras. He bought the lowest area of land expected from a baron, 60,000 acres, then donated 100,000 pounds to the Carleton Club and 400,000 pounds to the Conservative party, and a donation to charity of 300,000 pounds. Finally, he managed to receive the bestowal from His Majesty and became a highly respected baron.I've heard that there is a price list for this, 300,000 pounds to become a baron and 700,000 to 1,000,000 pounds to a hereditary baron. There's no clear price for a viscount or a count title, but I'm sure it's quite ludicrous."

…

"This year, many nobles facing financial difficulties began to seriously consider the possibility of marriage with wealthy merchants. There have been three marriages like this over the past two months. The betrothal gift the noble lady received was something envious. .

“In addition, the workers who protested the Wheat Act did experience a decrease in the cost of living, but their quality of life did not improve. On the contrary, it seems to be worsening as bankrupt peasants have entered the city and stolen their jobs by demanding lower wages, resulting in the wages of workers falling rapidly.

"i remember the day Dad asked me who I thought was the winner of the Grain Act.

"Alfred my dear, you should know the answer. You can definitely earn the hereditary baron title through your own efforts."

…

Xio Derecha and Fors Wall returned to the Backlund Bridge region after they received a reply from Audrey.

Xio, with his disheveled blonde hair, was looking out the window of the carriage, his eyes shining like two burning fireballs.

He muttered the term "450 pounds" to himself repeatedly, as if reciting a mantra. His strength and courage grew every time he repeated the term.

"Darkholme has not reported on the status of the investigation today. Let's go to her house!" Xio suddenly turned to look at Fors.

Darkholme was the leader of the triads in the Backlund East Borough and had control over many beggars and thieves.

Although he looks very friendly with his stye face constantly adorned with a warm and friendly smile—Xio knows that he is a merciless bastard. He once broke the arm of a thirteen-year-old thief because the boy was hiding his advantage.

Unless it was necessary, Xio was unwilling to meet Darkholme, but Darkholme was one of the few people most familiar with the vagabonds in the city.

Fors pushed his slightly curly hair behind his ears.

"As long as it doesn't put off my lunch."

"No problem! Maybe I can buy you the Intis party after this week!" Xio promised with satisfaction.

"Should I thank God?" Fors asked with a laugh.

Unlike Xio, Fors was a moderate follower of the God of Steam and Machines.

As they spoke, the two women switched to another public carriage and arrived at the Backlund East Borough, and arrived at the Darkholme mansion.

It was a terrace house located in a narrow alley. There were green plants hanging on the wall, the outside of which seemed relatively unkempt.

Xio walked to the door, raised his right hand and knocked with a unique rhythm.

An unlocked door opens with a creak following its beat.

Xio's confused expression immediately turned resolute, like a vigilant lion.

He took out the bayonet he was carrying and carefully pushed the door open. He then slowly stepped in.

Fors also stopped looking indifferent, after producing a dagger of unknown origin.

They do not smell strange, but their rich experience tells them that something is not right.

One step, two steps, three steps. Xio and Fors enter the Darkholme mansion.

Then they saw pale limbs in the gas lamps, internal organs on the coffee table, as well as pieces of meat strewn on the floor and hung on clothes racks!

And among the bones was a head, his empty eyes opened. It was none other than Darkholme.

His stye face still maintained his friendly smile, as if everything was normal. In addition, there is no smell of blood in the house.

As a former clinical doctor before becoming a bestselling author and Sequence 9 Beyonder, Fors has seen many more disgusting death scenes than this. He patted the tensed Xio, who was about to vomit, as he scanned the surroundings.

"Qilangos? Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos?"

"He realized that Darkholme was investigating the missing tramps and tracking them back to his home?"

"Or can it be said that the Darkholme had tracked him down, but was eventually caught?"

Xio resisted the urge to vomit and said with a solemn expression, "He really lives up to his name as a ruthless and cunning pirate admiral. The weirdness here also fits the description of his treasure."

"Crafty ..." Fors was suddenly startled as he said, "Could he be waiting nearby in an ambush against the mastermind behind the investigation?"

Xio froze for a moment before replying puzzledly, "That's very likely!"

He was a Wind-blessed Sequence 6, a powerful pirate with mystical artifacts, while they were only two Sequence 9!

This is a very simple and easy contrast!

…

At the house opposite the Darkholme house, a man with a unique wide chin and dark green eyes in his thirties stood by the window, a, observing coldly Xio and Fors opened the door and entered slowly.

He was none other than Rear Admiral Storm Qilangos!

The black glove on his left hand twitched as if it was alive. A layer of dull golden scales appeared on its surface.

Qilangos revealed a cruel and joyful expression as his dark green eyes turned pale gold and indifferent.

…

As Fors realized this, he dragged Xio to the other side and avoided the area directly across from the main door.

He then gritted his pearly-white teeth and took out a bracelet hidden by his sleeves.

This silver bracelet has three dark green coarse stones that show burn marks and are rough and uneven.

Fors took out one of the stones and let out a low growl in ancient Hermes, "The door!"

He grabbed Xio Derecha tightly as the stone let out a faint blue light.

The figures of the two women became indistinct, almost invisible.

They see many shapes that they are difficult to describe. There are even transparent objects that do not seem to exist. They saw a different color, a sparkling splendor that seemed to have vast knowledge. They had entered the mysterious spirit world.

In this strange world that stood different from reality, Fors walked in a certain direction while pulling Xio.

A few seconds later, they came out of their unclear state and returned to reality—ke Backlund.

But they were no longer in the Darkholme house, but instead arrived at an empty grave.

…

Qilangos, who was wearing scaly gloves, quietly appeared on the door of the Darkholme mansion. He swept through the interior with his cold gaze.

He froze for a moment, then furrowed his brows as he muttered to himself, "Tourist?"

…

The graves.

"What are we going to do next?" Fors gasped for breath, felt their hardships and felt a lingering fear.

The bracelet was a mystical item he received along with the formula for the Apprentice and its related materials during the chance encounter with him. Other than causing him to hear strange and faint murmurs during the full moon each month, it posed no threat.

Originally there were five stones in the bracelet, each stone allowed him to traverse the spirit world, technically allowing him to teleport. But now, there were only two stones left.

Xio calmed himself down and nodded solemnly.

"First tell Miss Audrey, then-then we call the police!"