The next day, Lilith could clearly feel that many people’s gazes toward her had changed.
Rather than saying these people’s expressions had changed, it would be more accurate to say that the attitude of the duke from the Southwest Borders had shifted.
Judith and Scott were well aware of the role firearms play on the battlefield, so they hurriedly had Lilith place an order and took some firearms to conduct research.
These things weren’t difficult to manufacture, and after grasping the principles, the two could even create better ones, just like Doug.
Furthermore, Lind directly provided Lilith with the basic methods for making gunpowder in his letter.
But currently, only Graywhite Territory had a complete production line; it would take time to develop a full assembly line from alchemists manually crafting them. By the time the Southwest Borders or the Royal Capital produced firearms, it would be too late.
Additionally, given Lilith’s current level of control, to be honest, she was unable to establish a firearms market; she could only conduct research and share the results with Southwest Borders.
All firearms orders requested by Lind had to be transacted through Lilith, significantly elevating her status. At least the nobles from the Southwest Borders did not want their beloved queen to step down so soon.
However, Lilith couldn’t feel happy about this situation. After handling her official duties, she wearily leaned back in her chair while her personal maids skillfully began to massage her.
No one dared to underestimate Graywhite Territory anymore just because of its smaller land area. In fact, since then, some nobles had begun to unofficially acknowledge that Graywhite Territory was indeed Lars’s legitimate claim.
This was because Doug’s side was now out of options, and the mainstream atmosphere in the Royal Capital favored cutting ties with the Demon Clan. Therefore, Doug’s close relationship with the Demon Clan made him even less favorable.
Graywhite Territory now held such influence that Lilith found it hard to imagine what that traverser might do after unifying the Northern Border.
Moreover, based on the firearms sold by the other party, it was very likely they had already amassed the power to crush feudal armies, and Lilith could even speculate that they must have some grand undertaking that required money, which was why they were selling off obsolete military equipment.
The military equipment sold off would become funding for developing new weapons, creating a positive cycle.
When the other party truly went to war with the Royal Capital in the future, the Royal Capital would only be left to fight the final battle with inferior equipment bought from them and the other party’s latest weapons.
Just thinking about it made Lilith a bit nervous, but even if this was a poisoned chalice, she had no choice but to drink it.
It was unwise to drink poison to quench her thirst, yet without drinking it, Lilith worried she might not see the sun tomorrow.
Regarding her future, Lilith was very pessimistic and could only hope that the other party would spare her life for the sake of their shared hometown and blood ties.
But for now, Lilith chuckled coldly. With the support of this governor, she could unite the nobles of the Southwest Borders to investigate the Royal Capital thoroughly and uncover the real mastermind behind the assassination incident.
Under Lilith’s deliberate guidance, the Royal Capital’s greatest consensus was to oppose An Zhu Kingdom on the Southwest Border, which was one of the few agreements between the New Party and the Old Party. Even if the Old Party secretly marked the national betrayal stakes, at the very least, they had to support the opposition to An Zhu openly.
Now, those nobles of the Royal Capital could no longer be evasive about the assassination incident, as it was now directly related to opposing An Zhu. Governor Lind had remarked that only by determining the true mastermind behind the assassination would he provide better firearms and cannons.
Did they want to cover up the assassination incident? Were they hoping to prevent the Southwest Border from obtaining the latest firearms and cannons, making it impossible for the kingdom to resist An Zhu’s latest power?
In that case, Lilith wouldn’t need to lift a finger; Judith and Scott would lead the army into action directly.
Earlier, Lilith had let the soldiers from the Southwest Borders enter the Royal Capital, which had felt somewhat like relying on the tiger’s might. But now, it was different.
Once firearms were equipped among the soldiers, if anyone sought to trouble Lilith, those soldiers would likely be even more excited than the two young masters she had conquered.
Moreover, the palace guards had reported that the number of gazes peering into the palace had significantly diminished.
Thinking of this, Lilith couldn’t help but smile mischievously.
Looking at it that way, even if she were to be defeated by that traverser in the future, she would still consider it worth it.
After all, the other party was now fully supporting her, granting Lilith unexpected clout. The duke from the Southwest Borders also changed his previously ambiguous attitude, declaring that he would assist Lilith in thoroughly investigating the Royal Capital, all for the best firearms and cannons.
Lilith felt like a mentally fractured patient pulling herself together. Just a moment ago she was worried and frowning, but now she felt completely at ease and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
After sorting out the current situation, Lilith even wanted to take advantage of it to modify policies, making them even more radical.
But after careful thought, Lilith decided against it. The top priority now was to uncover the mastermind behind the assassination incident and not give the Old Party a chance to capitalize.
In fact, everyone, including Lilith, knew that Governor Lind wasn’t looking to find out the mastermind behind Klan’s assassination; he had already determined that the assassination of the king and the assassination attempt on himself were orchestrated by the same group, yet everyone chose to silently acknowledge this without expressing it.
After all, scheming the assassination was such delicate work; let’s see how this turns out.
Deciding to watch for changes, Lilith pulled out a piece of stationery for Judith and Scott to help investigate the assailants. She decided to express her gratitude to this governor for his assistance and to establish a connection, at least to build some goodwill so that one day, when the other party truly came to impose their will, they wouldn’t burn her.
Looking at the familiar name written down, Lilith felt somewhat dazed. Perhaps, in some unexplainable way, there truly was fate at play, and her deceased brother was quietly watching over her.
On the other side, all the servants had been driven out, and Claire was currently throwing a tantrum in her room, constantly smashing the furniture around her.
“Why? The previous assassination failure could be brushed aside, but why won’t you even investigate the background? Now that the other party is fully supporting Lilith, my hard-earned balance of power in the Royal Capital is about to collapse!”
Claire shouted at the black fog resembling a nun in the empty room.
But the nun-like black fog remained silent.
Suddenly, Claire realized something and cursed, “I understand! You must have figured out the other party’s background, which is why you refuse to tell me, right?”
“You’re clever.”
The nun-like black fog nodded.
“Is it that you won’t or that you dare not?”
After saying this, Claire laughed self-deprecatingly, “How foolish am I? In this world, how could there be anything you wouldn’t dare to do?”
“Dare not.”
Claire was stunned in place after hearing that.
“Are you trying to deceive me? You must be lying to me, right? Aren’t we partners? Once I ascend the throne, I will support you as the legitimate church! I have sworn an oath to you! You even dare to usurp the goddess’s authority; how could there be anything in this world that you dare not do?”
“You are not from the same world.”
The nun-like black fog shook her head.
“Of course, our cooperation can continue as long as it doesn’t involve situational matters; after all, we haven’t figured out their motives either.”
After realizing that she and the governor were not from the same world, Claire finally gave up on Graythorn Territory, but she still declared, “I will not give up that position.”
