Chapter 43: Chaos, Section 9

What else could it be? Of course, it’s Miss Veri’s marriage!
As expected, just when Hei Fa couldn’t think of anything else, Grand Duke Taro brought up this matter right in front of him.
“Beck, although you’ve been with me for not long, you’re already one of my closest confidants. I have high hopes for you. I’ve seen all the hard work you’ve put in lately and understand how much effort you’ve made for me. Well, the first matter I mentioned earlier is Miss Veri’s marriage—what are your thoughts on it?”
As he spoke, Grand Duke Taro smiled broadly, like a Buddha. But in Hei Fa’s eyes, it appeared despicable.
Is this how the Moors are straightforward? Talking openly about their daughter’s marriage without any restraint, even in a tone that implies some kind of deal—could it be prostitution?
At the thought of Miss Veri’s skeleton-like figure, Hei Fa shuddered. His gaze toward Grand Duke Taro also changed. Yet to Grand Duke Taro, this seemed like evidence that Hei Fa was interested in the marriage, making him smile even more triumphantly.
“Well, Beck? My little daughter Veri is only a little over 300 years old. It’s the prime of her life for a Moor. She’s young and beautiful, with nobles lining up to court her. Yet she remains unmoved. I can tell she’s waiting for the best man to pursue her. Although you’re not from our race, you’ve shown unique abilities. She has a good impression of you.”
Pursue? A good impression? Hei Fa trembled again, his wine glass shaking almost to the point of spilling.
“Well…”
“Oh. Are you worried about the difference in our statuses? Don’t worry. Though the Bor tribe has a poor reputation, you were personally received by the emperor, so you certainly can’t be compared to ordinary people. No one dares say anything. The emperor entrusted you with the royal guard, showing great trust in you. Even the empire’s grand dukes must give you respect. Add in my face, Grand Duke Taro… humph…” Grand Duke Taro waved his hand, his pride evident in every gesture.
To be honest, he was quite triumphant these days. Ever since Hei Fa appeared, he wasn’t ostracized like before. On the contrary, those nobles who once ignored him now flocked around him like flies, eager to establish some connection. He was busy with social engagements every day, and his huge castle was always crowded. Especially since he took over Death Dust’s position, the situation became even worse. Surrounded by constant flattery, Grand Duke Taro’s confidence grew even more.

Of course, he also knew where his current treatment came from. Thus, he paid extra attention to winning over the black-haired man. He even ignored the fact that the black-haired man was a Pole, determined to marry Veri to him at all costs.
No reward could compare to the bonds of family. Though marriage was an old tactic, the Grand Duke of Taro understood its effectiveness well. Combined with his observations of the black-haired man, he knew that as long as the latter agreed, they would be tied together like comrades in battle—a relationship so strong that even the emperor himself could hardly shake it.
Yet he didn’t realize that the one on the white horse might not necessarily be a prince, but could very well be Tang Seng.
“Um… Your Excellency, the Grand Duke. Please allow me to speak frankly on this matter,” said the black-haired man, seeing the Grand Duke’s growing favor and hurriedly interrupting.
“Oh? Speak!” The Grand Duke waved his hand grandly, looking very bold.
Wiping sweat quietly, the black-haired man organized his thoughts. After careful consideration, he finally spoke. “Actually, it’s my luck that Miss Veri has taken a liking to me. But…”
“Hmm?” The Grand Duke raised his eyebrows, showing surprise.
Could it be that Beck didn’t want to? Well… he had never thought of that before. After all, Veri was his younger daughter and belonged to the noble Moor tribe. A Pole who received her favor should be overjoyed. But nothing could be judged by common sense. Though Beck was from the Pole tribe, he was also an outstanding talent highly regarded by the emperor. It was only natural for him to have other thoughts.
At this thought, the Grand Duke broke into cold sweat. He had never considered the consequences of rejection. As a Moorish grand duke with a proud daughter, if word of rejection spread, his reputation would be ruined, and so would his daughter Veri’s. The more he thought about it, the more serious it seemed, and he began to regret his actions. If he had known this, he wouldn’t have acted so boldly earlier. Now, not only would he fail to win over this talented man, but he might also lose face.
It was truly not worth it…
Muttering to himself, the Grand Duke’s face twisted in frustration as he gestured for the black-haired man to continue.
Seeing his expression, the black-haired man’s heart sank, and finally he gritted his teeth. “But actually, I am already married. My wife passed away in an accident. This has been a source of pain for me, which is why I never told the Grand Duke. Please forgive my honesty, but I fear I am no longer suitable for the noble Miss Veri.”

“Oh? There’s such a thing?” Grand Duke Taro was astonished, his mouth wide open, portraying an old man’s emotions with great realism. Yet inwardly, he let out a long sigh.
As expected, Beck didn’t like Veri. This refusal was already the mildest he could manage—clearly out of concern for his own reputation. Fortunately, he hadn’t pushed too hard; otherwise, it would have been a huge embarrassment.
“That’s how it is, Your Grace,” the dark-haired man nodded in agreement, his face showing sorrow.
“Well, since that’s the case, I can’t insist,” Grand Duke Taro changed his tone, appearing reasonable. “The pain of losing a wife is indeed unforgettable. Beck, you must also take care of your mental state and not be too sad. The empire still has many tasks for you to handle—take good care of yourself.”
“I understand, Your Grace. By the way, you mentioned two matters—what about the second one?” Seeing that Grand Duke Taro had finally relented, the dark-haired man steadied himself and subtly changed the subject.
“Oh, haha, as for the second matter, it’s also good news. I wonder why all these good things keep happening to you in the empire. No wonder people call you ‘Lucky Beck’—there’s some truth to it.” Grand Duke Taro laughed heartily, looking very pleased.
“What good news?”
“The command of the fleet!” Grand Duke Taro raised a finger.
“I don’t know what type of ships you currently have under your command. But since it’s given to you by His Majesty, it must be something special. That’s why your regular ships from the Royal Guard haven’t been assigned yet. It seems this decision was correct.”
“Oh?” The dark-haired man was puzzled. “Why?”
“Because His Majesty has new instructions,” Grand Duke Taro smiled mysteriously. “He’s aware of everything you’ve done recently. He appreciates your bold plans and is satisfied with your results. But…”
“But what?”
“But he believes that as an excellent commander, you haven’t yet given it your all. With your skills, you could make the rebels pay a much higher price. Such minor achievements don’t fit your style.”
Before the dark-haired man could explain, Grand Duke Taro waved his hand. “Don’t worry. It’s not that he thinks you’ve failed in battle. It’s just a fact. His Majesty also believes that achieving what you’ve done under those circumstances was already quite difficult. Your biggest problem is strength.”

“The Emperor says the power given to you was too small. It was his mistake, and so he wants to make amends. He will grant you another five hundred warships of the same specifications. The details on how to receive them are here.” With that, Duke Taro pushed a small stone slab in front of the black-haired man.
“This is something the Emperor asked me to deliver to you. Its contents are top-secret; not even we have seen them.”
“…” The black-haired man said nothing. He silently placed the stone slab in his arms and then raised his wine cup. “Thank you for the Emperor’s concern.”
“Yes, the Emperor truly cares about you. Beck, don’t disappoint him.” Seeing the black-haired man take the stone slab, Duke Taro felt relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He also felt envious of the black-haired man’s trust in the emperor and said with a smile, “I certainly won’t disappoint the Emperor. I believe he will soon get what he wants.” The black-haired man smiled in return. “It’s an honor to ease the Emperor’s worries.”
“It’s an honor for me too,” Duke Taro replied with a smile before standing up.
“Well, you’ve worked hard for a month and must be exhausted. Rest well these days. I’ll assign someone to handle the supply of warships. You needn’t worry.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Then I’ll take my leave.” Seeing that Duke Taro intended to see him off, the black-haired man quickly stood up and spoke respectfully.
After leaving the castle, the black-haired man didn’t return to his fleet right away. Instead, he found Monkey and recounted everything that had happened. Then the two went to a bar outside the city. Seeing the stone slab rolling in the black-haired man’s hand, Monkey’s eyes lit up.
“Head, another five hundred? That brings the total to a thousand. What exactly is the emperor trying to do? With all these warships, we could sweep through the Moor Empire.”
“I don’t know,” the black-haired man said, taking a sip of red wine and frowning. “Maybe he trusts me, or maybe it’s a new test. Perhaps he wants to maximize my value. Anyway, it’s not good news for me.”
“Because that means more rebels will die at my hands in the future, and their ships will be bigger and bigger. The mess the empire is in will soon have consequences.”
“That can’t happen,” Monkey understood what the black-haired man meant. “It’s not good for either of us.”
“I know,” the black-haired man nodded, turning the stone slab in his hand. Suddenly, he lowered his voice. “So I have a new plan.”
“Hm?” Monkey was surprised. “What?”

“Leave tonight. Take those ‘angels’ with you and go see Siget. Once you meet him, you must do this and that…” The black-haired man’s voice grew softer, while the monkey listening to him gradually showed a sly smile.