When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 816 - 767: Who’s on Top?

"Even if we have to accept it, we can't accept it all." Leia's face was as pale as paper, "Once the creditor buys it, we'll become the debtor, and then it will be troublesome."

"Why are you still being stubborn?" Moro handed a bowl of medicinal soup to Leia's mouth, "Given the current situation, what other choice do we have?"

Looking at the still iron-masked Leia in front of him, Moro felt an indescribable heartache.

The Duchess, on her way back from Salt Pan Collection, repeatedly risked her life to rescue the surrounded troops.

Later on, she frequently covered the rear and fought against the enemy's Red Feather Arrow Knights.

Upon returning to Shangruifo County, the Witch Doctor extracted seven arrowheads from her body, and the penetrating wound in her waist and abdomen was rotten and foul-smelling.

Despite Leia's mind-bogglingly quick healing abilities, she couldn't help but have an ugly scar left behind.

Leia had been recovering for half a month, and only recently did her complexion improve a bit. Yet, she still looked deathly pale, with lips as white as wax.

And it was at this time that a heap of troublesome matters emerged.

If it weren't necessary, Moro really wouldn't want to tell these things to Leia.

"Moro, you still don't understand." Propping herself on the bed frame, inside the clean tent, Leia's face was stern.

Since becoming the Autocratic Duke, Leia initially thought she could rely on the entire power of the Thousand River Valley to gradually subdue Horn.

After all, Horn only had the income and manpower of one county.

Leia's income was nearly five times that of Horn's, and manpower was almost ten times that.

But Horn's development speed exceeded her expectations.

In less than a year, he recovered Black Snake Bay.

Then came the initiation of alchemy, the start-up of sugar and spice trades, wool trade activation.

Three trade carriages and the open doors of the Falan Market made Horn's strength grow with each passing day.

And as for herself?

She was embroiled in daily intellectual battles with the nobility, inspecting, supervising, and reprimanding daily.

She had the power of mind reading, a spell under which most ministers and nobles found it hard to be corrupt.

Compared to other contemporary empires, the government of the Thousand River Valley Monarch Country was quite efficient.

However, compared to the Holy Alliance Government, this efficiency wasn't even close.

In fact, the high efficiency of the central government of the Thousand River Valley was entirely built on the efficiency of the grassroots government of the Holy Alliance. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

This was downright laughable.

Leia still couldn't comprehend that Horn really dared to delegate so much power to the localities!

Were the officials he appointed really that incorruptible?

Leia thought not necessarily; she had seen many corrupt Priest-in-Charges and Monastic Leaders.

Then why was their not-so-incorruptible government operating more efficiently than her clean one?

By the time she realized what was happening, the situation had completely changed:

The income of Langsande County, with its established market and three major trades, managed to catch up to half of the entire Thousand River Valley.

As for manpower, Horn was backed by the entire Black Snake Bay.

That was Leia's maternal family, and Horn had effortlessly brought it under his wing.

Even when she spoke in Long Embankment City, it was less effective than the local Constitutional Army.

"If this continues, Horn won't just be the Great Shepherd of the Thousand River Valley; he'll be the Pope of the Holy Alliance..." Leia stared at Moro, "I need a victory."

Moro fell silent; he knew what victory Leia was speaking of.

Horn managed to come south and seize Black Snake Bay, securing sugar and spice production sites.

Then she, Leia, could go north to Shattered Stone Plain to obtain the equally important wool production site.

However, she failed.

And it was a massive defeat.

Leia, as an Autocratic Duke, had achieved everything through force.

Her vassals obeyed because Leia always led them to victory.

Her enemies surrendered because Leia always defeated them.

But now the Broken Stone Primordial People shattered Leia's invincible mythology.

Meanwhile, rumors from Hotam County confirmed Leia's problematic bloodline.

Leia suddenly understood why Horn previously described her Thousand River Valley as a castle built on two thin pillars.

The seemingly solid foundation was more fragile than expected.

In contrast, Horn's seemingly ethereal contracts and mutual trust were more resilient than she imagined.

Imagine, if Horn's Saint's Grandson identity were to be disproved, would anyone still follow him?

Probably more than those following her.

The falsification of the Saint's Grandson identity had been discredited by many since the days of Autumn Dusk Island.

Yet they continued to pretend ignorance, steadfastly following behind Horn.

Leia looked at her right hand, palm open, and then at her left hand, clenched into a fist.

Could the caressing palm really be more useful than a clenched fist?

"Leia..."

After quietly finishing the medicinal soup in the bowl, Leia propped up a pillow behind her back: "My injuries have improved a lot; I should be able to get out of bed this week."

"Have you really not considered slightly bowing down to His Majesty Horn?"

"No, my chin is already resting on my chest; any lower and I'd have to kneel."

Moro understood Leia's strong-willed nature and had long anticipated this answer.

Leia had now reached a dead end, and the person who could untangle that dead end had died in Sentry Fort.

"I've seen you hesitating for a long time, so just say what's on your mind." After adjusting her breathing with the Knight's breathing method, Leia tucked the blanket corner under her thigh.

Moro hesitated for a long time, and Leia urged impatiently, "If you don't speak now, once the medicine takes effect, I'll be asleep again."

After pondering for several seconds, Moro decided to tell Leia the news: "In recent days, besides the news about the Saint's Grandson from Lower Reif County, there are three other pieces of news."

"Speak." Leia succinctly responded with closed eyes.

"The first, King Jiji broke the last stronghold of the Nedbach Family and has begun to carve up the land at will.

He released the fief knights from the Immortal Stone Field back home early to rest, while he himself remains on Dawn Island."

Leia knew that releasing the fief knights from Immortal Stone Field early was in preparation for next year's offensive.

Given this Shattered Stone Plain's action, she suspected it was the Leia people who suggested the dam excavation.

This King Jiji was underestimated, turns out he had some skills.

"The second piece is from Norn, they require you to drink Holy Water to prove you are not a Witch, and also to prove your bloodline.

Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?" Leia's temple faintly pulsed with veins.

Moro's voice grew increasingly low: "Otherwise, they'll deny your title, either let your cousin become the Grand Duke Hemashi, or you pay off all debts at once."

"Don't even think about it! Cough cough cough—" Leia pounded the bed frame furiously and coughed violently.

Moro quickly set down the medicine bowl and gently patted her back.

"It's okay." She pushed Moro's hand aside, the Duchess adjusted her pillow, "What's the last piece of news?"

"Your health?"

"Speak quickly."

Moro had no choice: "Herman sent word to inquire about your situation; in addition, the nobles of the Plain Faction are making a fuss over bonds."

Leia snatched the letter from Moro's hand and read it at a glance.

This time she didn't get angry; instead, she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled using the breathing technique.

"Use the money for the Norn people's debts to pay off war bonds; repay those who can truly impact the situation, those who hold a large amount..."

"And the rest?"

"Need you ask?" Sitting on the sickbed, Leia formed her right hand into a knife and struck down fiercely.