Pirate Kingship-Chapter 852 - 511: Edward the Tyrant, Saint Byron the Loyalist (Part 3)

Chapter 852: Chapter 511: Edward the Tyrant, Saint Byron the Loyalist (Part 3)

Oh, thank you, boss, for swiping the "Planetary Engine" and the great fleet.

In a few days, I’ll use them to beat you!

Edward IV handed the signed bill to the Minister of Finance and casually asked:

"Why is there no news from Cardinal Archbishop Barbutila?

I asked you to take the opportunity to send a generous New Year’s gift to inquire about his progress, so why is there no follow-up?"

To capture the Lancaster family’s dependents, he bribed Cardinal Archbishop Barbutila heavily to poison Margaret’s group, intending to use this to blackmail the Mad Hunt.

But despite spending a lot of money, he hadn’t heard a single response.

Upon hearing this, the Minister of Finance uneasily took out another letter from the Church and handed it to his liege.

Edward IV glanced at it briefly, and his vision immediately darkened:

"What? Archbishop Barbutila is already dead?

Even the Malta Monastery has sunk completely into the sea due to a landslide, with no survivors, and I’ve lost all my hostages!

The worst part is, even after causing such a disaster, the Barbutila family shamelessly accepted my New Year’s gift?"

Seething with anger, he stood up abruptly, but due to the sudden movement, he jolted his waist, quickly clutching it.

"Ugh... hiss... hiss..."

The pain in his waist eased slightly, but his chest continued to heave violently:

"I... you... huff... huff..."

His face looked unsightly, as if he had swallowed a fly.

He couldn’t tell whether the Church’s incompetence or their shamelessness was more disgusting.

"Well, well, well. People are dead, yet they still accept gifts, and you’ve lost all my hostages.

Who do you think I am?

I am the only King of Hightins, the great Edward IV of the Tri-Phantom Sun!

Sooner or later, I’ll give you shameless churchmen a taste of your own medicine!"

But when he saw the second piece of paper in the envelope, written on sugar cane paper, he had to rein in all his anger.

Because it was signed by: Saint John!

This Saint was also extremely furious about the incident at the Malta Monastery.

But due to the entry "You are not the killer," they spent over ten days searching underwater in the winter, yet found no evidence of the Uncrowned King’s involvement.

The original plan to have Iron Anchor Bay and the Black Sail Pirates serve as cannon fodder fell through, forcing the Kingdom of Hightins to take the front lines.

The final order was particularly severe:

"Edward! This is my final ultimatum.

Your Kingdom of Hightins must immediately cease the civil war, join the Sacred Silver Empire Battlefield when spring arrives in February this year, and wipe out the Protestant Princes."

"This...!!!"

Having just been double-crossed by the Barbutila family, Edward IV was already harried with frustration.

Saint John suddenly ordering him around like a servant, demanding he put aside his grudges to partake in a foreign war that didn’t concern them, was understandably infuriating.

He ardently wished he could boldly declare:

"Arrogant and insolent fools, how dare you look down on me, the Tri-Phantom Sun’s king.

Bring that damned Saint John here, and make him kneel under the Hightins’ Union Jack to properly repent!"

But once you’ve been kept, there’s no mentioning personal freedom.

Nobody knew better than he did whether he and the Hightins under his leadership had any political autonomy.

In this world, some people are people, some are living fathers, and some are merely dogs.

So, in extreme anger... he was extremely angry once more.

Yet he ultimately did not dare to tear the letter in hand to pieces.

As he sat with a dark and troubled expression, pondering what to do next, another piece of bad news cornered him entirely.

The command center delivered a military report.

His father-in-law, also one of the sixteen "King’s Right Hand" as a "Prime Minister," was ambushed while overseeing the front lines and had to flee into the Gaelt Highlands to the north....

The content of this firsthand intelligence Edward IV received was much the same as what Teris had gotten, proving that succubus was indeed quite adept at gathering intelligence.

"Damn it, how could this happen?!"

Already looking grim, Edward IV’s face turned shades of white and blue.

The Woodville family was never a deeply rooted noble family, but Old Woodville himself was incredibly capable.

Though merely a Fourth Order Fortress Sequence "Highland Knight," whether in internal affairs or on the battlefield, he was an experienced veteran, far superior to his sons.

Old Woodville’s power came from Edward IV, with no deep foundation, and his loyalty was unquestionable.

Standing shoulder to shoulder as his left-hand support with his brother, Richard the Duke of Demons.

If he were to be taken down by the Earl’s Party, the entire Royalist Party’s ruling system would be instantly destabilized.

Moreover, connecting it with Saint John’s recent orders, if anything happened to Old Woodville, the situation in the Kingdom of Hightins would unravel rapidly.

"He absolutely can’t be captured, if Warwick kills him, and I can’t avenge him, the York family’s backyard will be ablaze, and Elizabeth will never forgive me.

The nobles of the Royalist Party will also think that I don’t even care about the Queen’s father, only following the Church’s orders to cease fire, and they’ll be even less invested in me, greatly diminishing the Royalist Party’s cohesion.

If Warwick doesn’t kill him but instead uses him for political leverage during Church mediation, it will drive me into a passive position, potentially creating a de facto dual monarchy."