In Another World, All Milfs Will Be Mine-Chapter 144: [ - - ] - Caelum escaped!

The Great Hall of the Lord’s Castle was being cleaned up.

After the Lord of Auravale "ran" away leaving his people and beautiful wife behind, the Great Hall was going to host its first big gathering.

Leo sat at the Caelum’s position at the massive Oak wood table.

He sat with his elbows on the polished stone, fingers steeped, watching the people assembled before him with the cold, calculating gaze.

He looked like the hunter deciding which prey to eat first.

To his right sat Seraphine. She wore a high-collared dress of midnight blue that concealed the bruises on her neck Leo had given her with love.

She was in the meeting in her power as the acting Regent.

But everyone in the room knew who was actually running the show here.

To his left was Belladonna, dressed in a black tight fitting leather outfit, clinging desperately to her body. Her head casually rested on his hand as she was already bored in that room.

Beside Belladonna on her right sat Ryana, the newly appointed so called Master of Coin. Unlike Belladonna, she was looking at Leo with all her focus.

Ryana had a bunch of ledgers placed in front of her.

Darkness and Shadow were also in the room, standing behind Belladonna, but Shadow was closer to Leo, than Bella.

Next to Ryana with a bunch of chair between them, was seated High Priest Remus, almost at the very end of the table.

He tried to like a man trying very hard to appear pious while sitting next to a pile of sinners.

And just beside him, at the very end, in front of Leo, looking uncomfortable in his velvet robe and a small, barely visible crown on his big head, was Baron Volkov.

And then there were also a bunch of old ministers from the court of the Bastard Lord. But they were made to stand by the door, watching the big boys decide their fate.

"So," Leo broke the silence, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling, "Let’s begin. Baron Volkov, you don’t look so good. I hope the chair is soft enough for your soft tusshy."

Volkov cleared his throat, adjusting his collar, "Mr Leo..."

"I find this... arrangement... unorthodox."

"You are not the Lord of this town."

"Ye your people have started taking over the town."

"A bandit turned mercenary general?"

"A merchant handling the city’s taxes?"

"I think you are overreaching your boundaries here."

"A weak Lord and traditions is what got this city almost overrun by monsters," Leo said flatly, "No one came to their rescue, only I did."

"Won’t you agree, High Priest?" Leo turned his gaze towards Remus and smiled.

Under Leo’s gaze, Remus could only awkwardly smile and steal glances at Volkov, who was eyeing him as well.

Volkov smiled, a thin, patronizing expression.

"Your bravery is admirable, Mr Leo. But legitimacy is vital."

"The King in the Capital will ask questions."

"He will want to know why a... traveler... is sitting in the Lord’s chair?"

"I actually have a brother in law who might actually be more suited for temporarily taking over the administration of the town before the king makes his decision."

"Perhaps a transitional period where he assumes command would smooth things over? For your own safety, of course."

The room went dead silent. Even the scratching of Ryana’s quill stopped.

Volkov leaned back, feeling confident. He was playing the long game. He assumed Leo was just a brute with a sword who would fold under political pressure.

Leo didn’t explode. He didn’t shout. He just laughed. A low, dry chuckle that sounded like stones grinding together.

"Your brother in law Vane," Leo repeated, testing the name, "Is that the same brother in law of yours who owes the Iron Caravan guild fifty thousand gold coins in gambling debts?"

Volkov’s face drained of colour. "That is... slander! Lies!"

"Is it?" Leo turned his head slightly toward Belladonna. "General?"

Belladonna smirked. She pulled a scroll from her belt and slid it across the table. It spun perfectly, stopping right in front of Volkov.

"We got a courier about a month ago," Belladonna said, her voice teasing, "The letter is addresed to the Blackfang Bandits by your brother in law."

"It details exactly how many guards are going to escort the transport of supplies for the King’s army in the west and all the route details for us to ’intercept’ the supplies."

"And this was all for only 10,000 Gold coins."

Volkov stared at the scroll. His hands shook.

"That’s treason, Baron," Leo said softly, "I am not sure how the king is going to take it."

"Public execution? Feeding to the Ogre?"

"Execution of your Brother in law’s family, and extended family?" Leo smirked looking at the Baron.

Volkov looked up, sweat beading on his forehead. He realized then that he wasn’t dealing with a peasant. He was dealing with a monster who had eyes everywhere.

"I... I can explain..." Volkov stammered.

"Don’t," Leo cut him off, "I don’t want your excuses. I don’t want to be a part of this."

"I am just going to deliver this letter to the King myself."

"I am sure he will appreciate a good vigilant citizen."

Leo stood up. He walked slowly down the length of the table, his boots echoing on the stone. He stopped behind Volkov’s chair and placed a hand on the Baron’s shoulder. He squeezed. Just enough to let Volkov feel the inhuman strength in his grip.

"You listen to me, you fat leech," Leo whispered into his ear. "I know everything. And I am not talking just about your brother in law!"

He released the shoulder and leaned against the table, looming over the Baron.

"And I know your wife wears the pants in your house. Trying to set up her brother as Lord so she can play Queen? Grow a pair, Volkov. Stop letting that harpy drive you off a cliff."

Volkov shrunk into his chair, looking like a deflated balloon. The mention of his wife seemed to terrify him more than the Ogre.

"What... what do you want?" Volkov whispered.

"Support," Leo said, straightening up and addressing the room, "Total, unwavering support."

"When the King asks, you will tell him that Lord Caelum died a coward’s death."

"I, Leo, saved the city. You will vouch for me. And you will pay the taxes for my lands for the next three years."

"And in return, I will let you keep your head attached to your neck."

"Do we have a deal?"

Leo asked, leaning forward, whispering in Volkov’s ears. Leo’s voice sounded like death to Volkov in that moment.

Volkov nodded rapidly, "Yes. Yes, Mr Leo. Absolutely."

"Good." Leo walked back to the head of the table, "Now that the trash is taken care of, let’s talk about the future."

He gestured to the large map of the valley hanging on the wall.

"Auravale has been a stepping stone for too long. We have been neglected by the Capital as well."

"The king does not even remember about us." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"But that ends today."

"I am turning this city into a fortress."

"We are going to strengthen the walls."

"We are going to hire all the able bodied men and increase our army strength."

"Trade around Auravale, we are gong to monopolise it."

He pointed at Remus.

"My dear, High Priest. I want you to change the sermon. Stop preaching about mercy and patience."

"Start preaching about Strength."

"Tell them that the Gods favour the strong."

"Tell them that Auravale is destined for greatness under my rule. Make them believe it."

"Yes! Yes! As you say, Lord Leo!" Remus nodded like a parrot, "It shall be done, Lord Leo. A ’Divine Mandate’, for the people."

"Very good," Leo said.

He looked around the room. His Cabinet was an odd bunch. A former bandit, a happy widow, a greedy merchant, a corrupt priest, and a coward noble. It was perfect.

He felt invincible. The System had rewarded him. The city was under his heel. He had power, wealth, and women. This was what he had dreamed of back on Earth, staring at his computer screen.

DING!

A loud, jarring noise echoed in his skull, distinct from the usual pleasant chime of a level up.

A red window materialized in the center of his vision, overriding the map, the table, and the faces of his council.

[SYSTEM ALERT!]

[CRITICAL QUEST UPDATE: ’Lady Seraphine’s Vengeance’]

Leo frowned. The quest is done, he thought. I got the notification this morning.

The text scrolled rapidly, bleeding red pixels.

[ERROR: Target Signal Lost.]

[Target: Lord Caelum.]

[Status: ALIVE & ESCAPED.]

The world seemed to stop. The smile on his lips stiffened.

"Escaped?" he whispered, the word barely a breath.

"My Lord?" Belladonna asked, noticing his sudden change on his face, "What is it?"

Leo didn’t hear her. He was staring at the blinking red text.

[Anomaly Detected. Quest Completion Revoked.]

[Systemin resetting.]

"He’s in the dungeon," Leo said, his voice rising, sounding strange to his own ears, "His corpse should be in the dungeon. they should have killed him by now."

He looked at Seraphine. She was frowning, sensing the shift in his mood.

"Leo?" she asked, standing up.

"The dungeon!" Leo roared, kicking his chair back so hard it toppled over with a crash that made Volkov jump, "I need to check the dungeon! NOW!"

He didn’t wait for them. He vaulted over the table, ignoring the startled cries of his council, and sprinted for the heavy oak doors.

’How?’ The thought screamed in his mind as he tore through the hallway. ’Those bandits. Useless’

He did not want to believe the system. But... But the System didn’t lie.

Leo burst out of the Great Hall, his heart pounding not with excitement, but with a cold, creeping dread he hadn’t felt since he was thrown in this world.

** ** ** ** **