Chapter 73 A New Base
"Does that mean if she gets angry enough, she might not need our help to come out?" Daniel asked.
Greed nodded. "Yes, but I anticipate her cell would have non-stop stand-up comedy or white noise to help calm her down, available for her to listen to at all times except during sleep, to keep her anger in check. Wrath wasn't the kind of person who could stay grumpy 24/7 like someone in this room," she said, glancing pointedly at Klause.
"....." Klause didn't respond and instead looked at Greed with displeasure.
"So, you want me to do what? Storm into the Willow family estate and release her? Even though that's foolish, it can be arranged," Daniel asked.
"No, who in their right mind would want you to do that? That would be suicidal. We'll do it like this," Greed replied and proceeded to explain her plan to everyone in the room.
After hearing Greed's plan, everyone nodded in agreement as it seemed like the most viable option to ensure Wrath's safety until the trial.
"Miss Greed, may I request something from your plan?" Daniel asked.
"What do you want? You should know that I'm the Witch of Greed. Whatever you request, I'll try to take advantage of it," Greed replied with a teasing grin.
Daniel smiled and nodded. "I know, and I guarantee that this will also benefit you. So, while you're at it, try bringing up the matter of the artifact bomb and implicate Lucien for exposing the Curtained World."
"That's a serious accusation. I don't think it will work. Lucien has many connections, some of them deep in the Hightower High Council. There's even a rumor that one of the Hightower Grand councilors is his biggest supporter," Greed explained, pointing out the unlikely odds of Daniel's plan succeeding.
Daniel smirked. "I never intended for the Hightower court to punish them in the first place."
"Then why bother?" Greed asked, confused about Daniel's aim. Accusing someone in the Hightower court required a lot of money.
Even though the court worked quickly and didn't have more than a few cases in a year because mages typically resolved disputes themselves, cases that violated the iron law of the Hightower required the court's intervention, such as killing a mage with a seat in the Hightower Council or violating a taboo.
Once a case was judged, the Hightower court's decision was final and could not be reversed. They maintained their system and judgment at all costs, regardless of what might happen afterward.
"I just want their judgment to be set in stone," Daniel smirked mischievously.
Upon seeing Daniel's smile, Greed was momentarily stunned before her brain worked at full speed to understand the implications of his words and his sly expression.
"Don't tell me… you want to…" Greed began, but Daniel simply nodded in confirmation before gesturing for her to keep quiet.
"Alright—! Leave it to me!" Greed responded with a sinister smile.
Ragnar felt as though he was witnessing two devils discussing their plans to bring about the end of the world. It was one of the reasons why he disliked cunning businessmen.
"Let me explain the plan. Lord Stenmark, Klause, Miss Yuki, and I will need to travel to Europe and petition the Hightower HQ to move Wrath to their jail there. I can use my connections to pressure them for a quick trial on your behalf. If all goes well, I'll return on the morning of the third day. After that, it's up to you, Mr. Daniel," Greed said.
"Daniel or Danny, either is fine. And you can call me Danny, Miss Greed. There's no need for formality between us," Daniel replied.
"Then I'll call you Danny. And we can drop the formalities," Greed said with a smile, shaking Daniel's hand before preparing to leave with Ragnar once their business was concluded.
"Lord Stenmark," Daniel called out as Ragnar was straightening his clothes and got ready to leave.
"Hmm?" Ragnar turned to face him.
"Where can I purchase a large quantity of orichalcum and other magic metals?" Daniel asked.
"A large quantity? How much are you looking to buy?" Ragnar was intrigued by Daniel's request.
"What can I get for 30 million Origold?" Daniel asked.
"30 million?! Are you trying to build a cruiser or something?!" Ragnar exclaimed, astonished at the amount of money Daniel was willing to spend on magic metals.
"Something like that," Daniel replied without providing any further details.
"I recall that you got a port from the royal family. Do you want the metals delivered there?" Ragnar asked.
"That would be perfect," Daniel replied.
"Ok, I'll arrange for my men to deliver it there. Just pay them when they are delivered," said Ragnar.
"Thank you very much, Lord Stenmark," Daniel expressed his gratitude. Then Ragnar left the common room along with Greed.
"Wait for me, okay? After everything is settled, I'll call you," Greed said, making her hand gesture like a phone call before leaving with Ragnar.
After they left, Daniel also prepared himself to leave for the port. By this time, the golem construction squid that he had left to work on the power plant should have finished their job. He couldn't wait to visit the place.
Daniel then arranged everything with Don Veneziale, allowing him to take some of Don Veneziale's men with him to help at the port. He left James here to assist Don Veneziale in protecting the estate in case someone strong decided to attack. Before leaving, Daniel promised to send someone to reinforce the estate, which earned him Don Veneziale's gratitude.
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– 30 Minutes later - Port Area –
As Daniel, Michaela, Maria, and the people from the Veneziale estate arrived at the port he had recently taken over from the royal family, he couldn't help but notice how deserted it looked from the outside.
However, he knew better. The port was teeming with activity inside, with construction golems and metal scarab swarms working tirelessly around the clock. The port had been designed to look abandoned on the outside, thanks to an illusion array that was in place to deceive normal people.
As their car passed through the boundary into the port area, the illusion dissipated, revealing a bustling scene of activity. Countless metal scarab swarms were working tirelessly to build the port according to the design Daniel had programmed them to follow.
The driver from the Veneziale family was startled by the sight of the swarms but quickly regained composure and parked the car in front of a large shipyard. Daniel and his team got out of the car and made their way toward the shipyard, admiring the progress that had been made so far.
Michaela looked around with awe, impressed by the efficiency and speed at which the construction was progressing. She turned to Daniel with a smile, "This is incredible My lord! You really did all of this by yourself?"
"No, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until you see the underground area," Daniel told Michaela before turning to the people from the Veneziale gang and addressing them.
"You guys can use the ground level of the port for moving contraband and anything you want to smuggle. Just remember my bottom line, and we can work together." He then pointed to a large blue building connected to the sea.
"That building is off-limits. It's where I do my research and build things. If you want to go in, call me first. Otherwise, I don't guarantee your safety. Clear?"
One of the Veneziale men bowed and replied, "Yes, Mr. Magitek. We will remember that and keep an eye on the ground level for you."
Daniel led Michaela and Maria towards the blue building, and as they entered, they found themselves in a vast space that had been dug out to create a waterway for the sea to come in, just like a normal dry dock. However, the place was devoid of any furniture or machinery, as Daniel had decided to build it up himself.
This was going to be his main base and a large workshop for creating artifacts and even artifact warships that could shock the world.
Daniel called all of the metal scarab swarms within the port area to come inside the blue building and keep them in his "Universal pocket," as he needed them to quickly build the underground area.
He then walked towards the elevator, which was located deep inside the building. There were two elevators in the building: one for personnel use and the other for transporting large objects, such as large vehicles.
The personnel elevator took them 300 meters deep into the ground before stopping. When the elevator doors opened, they were greeted by a vast underground area, larger than a 4 football stadium. This was the space where Daniel planned to build his base and workshop with the help of the metal scarab swarms.
After two hours of planning, Daniel divided the underground area into three zones. The first zone was a residential area for the staff and workers, complete with all the necessary living amenities such as apartments, restaurants, convenience stores, and a hospital.