Elvia only smiled and gave no answer.
She couldn't exactly say that she had heard it with her own ears while perched on Duke Joseph's head.
Caesar stared at her for a long time, the ferocity on his face gradually receding as he spoke in a low voice.
"Helping us accomplish this will also be of great benefit to you."
"Helping you? Using my name to assassinate the Holy Saintess?"
Elvia looked as if she had heard the world's biggest joke.
"How is that any different from personally pushing me onto the gallows?"
Caesar fell silent for a moment before he spoke.
"The fellow who is sponsoring us did indeed request that we execute it in your name."
"However... I don't entirely intend to do so."
"Heh," Elvia sneered.
"If I weren't standing here today, would you still be saying that?"
Caesar gave a noncommittal hum and continued.
"The other princes and princesses want to use us to 'successfully' carry out the assassination and incense the Holy Church of Light, triggering a crusade to completely reshuffle the upper powers of Carter."
"Meanwhile, the biggest sponsor, Duke Joseph, wants us to 'fail the assassination' and then pin that heinous crime on your head while simultaneously getting rid of us 'tools,' killing two birds with one stone."
Elvia was momentarily stunned.
She had originally thought Caesar was merely a pawn being used.
She hadn't expected him to have such a clear understanding of the conspiracy's intricacies.
"Since you know this is a death trap targeting both you and me, why are you still jumping into it?" Elvia's tone became serious.
"Cancel this mad plan quickly while there's still time!"
Caesar shook his head, a look of near-obsessive determination flashing in his eyes as he completely crushed the cigarette butt in his hand.
"It's impossible to cancel; I am willing to wager everything for this opportunity."
Elvia was confused, as the Caesar she knew was by no means a reckless individual.
"Just with those few High-tier Transcendents you pried away from me? You're going to assassinate a Holy Saintess who is under heavy protection?"
Could it be that you all know Shroud of the Gloomy Night as well?
Faced with Elvia's doubt, Caesar did not explain further, merely looking at her with a tone that carried some sort of guarantee.
"I can promise you that the Saintess Assassination Plan, regardless of success or failure, will not drag you down, nor will it be executed in your name."
Elvia didn't believe it at all.
"In the entire Carter royal family, besides me, the 'fool' who once cooperated with you, which other prince or princess would be entangled with the rebels?"
"If you don't drag me in as a scapegoat, who else could you pull in?"
Caesar took a deep breath and spoke a piece of news that left Elvia dumbfounded.
"The Eldest Princess's husband is actually... my son."
Elvia: "?????"
She was stunned for several seconds before confirming in disbelief.
"That fellow hailed as the most handsome man in Carter... is your son?!!"
Caesar nodded expressionlessly.
"Correct."
Elvia's gaze swept back and forth across Caesar's face, which bore absolutely no resemblance to a "handsome man."
After hesitating for a long time, she finally asked with difficulty, "Your... biological son?"
Caesar's mouth twitched, and he said testily.
"Biological! I was also a handsome man in my youth, alright?"
"Otherwise, how would I have such a beautiful daughter like Thusa!"
Elvia was momentarily dizzy from the impact of this massive amount of information.
She sat back down, supporting her forehead, and took a long time to digest it before asking.
"So... you intend to launch the assassination in my eldest sister's name?"
"That's right," Caesar nodded, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
"Not just my son; the moles we've planted within the Eldest Princess's faction are far more numerous than anyone imagines."
"Furthermore, it's not just with the Eldest Princess... hehehe."
A grim smile appeared on his face.
"When the time is ripe, this fire will burn, and it will burn all those filthy dregs of the upper class to nothing!"
He then looked at Elvia, his smile softening slightly.
"Of course, that doesn't include you, Elvia."
"The 'Lioness' Princess who seeks benefits for bottom-tier adventurers and commoners."
"Speaking of which, when they exiled you to Caran, they actually saved you."
"When the crusade of the Holy Church of Light tramples the Royal Capital."
"You, and those princes and princesses who were sidelined to peripheral city-states, will become the final winners."
Elvia did not become happy because of this "flattery" but instead asked calmly.
"Hmph, you certainly talk a good game. How do I know you won't turn around and sell me out when the time comes?"
"After all, regardless of whether the plan succeeds or fails, you direct executors are destined to die."
Caesar smiled and didn't answer directly, instead waving his hand.
Soon, a beautiful girl walked out from the back room; it was his daughter, Thusa.
Elvia looked at Thusa, shook her head, and sneered.
"Not enough. A daughter isn't sufficient for me to believe your promise."
Caesar gave Elvia a deep look, as if he had made up his mind.
He stood up and walked to a hidden safe in the corner of the room.
After performing a sequence of operations, he took out a thick, aged notebook wrapped in oilcloth.
He pushed the notebook in front of Elvia.
"This is..." Elvia took it with suspicion.
"Recorded in here are the names of all the 'friends' hidden throughout the Royal Capital who have cooperated with us, as well as the 'help' they provided."
Caesar's voice was kept extremely low, yet it carried the weight of a thousand jin.
"Among them are several big figures you would absolutely never expect, along with secrets of theirs sufficient for them to lose their heads. Now, it is yours."
Elvia's pupils constricted as she suddenly looked up at Caesar, her eyes filled with shock and doubt.
This thing was practically one of the core lifelines for Caesar and the entire rebel network!
He was actually just handing it to her like that?
This meant that if Caesar betrayed his promise.
Elvia was entirely capable of using this notebook to deal a devastating blow to the rebels before anything even happened.
"...I understand."
Elvia carefully put the notebook away, her doubts mostly dispelled.
She stood up, preparing to leave.
When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and turned her head to ask one more question.
"I'm curious, Caesar. Exactly what has given you such great confidence that you believe you can succeed in the assassination?"
Caesar did not answer, merely smoking his newly lit cigarette in silence.
Elvia asked no more and pushed open the door to leave.
...
After confirming that Elvia had left, Caesar walked to another, more secluded corner of the room.
An old-fashioned Message Transmitter was installed there.
He dialed an encrypted number.
After a short dial tone, the connection was established.
"Hello, sir. We have received your 'goods,' and we have felt your sincerity."
Caesar spoke into the receiver.
"Now, can you tell me the true purpose of your helping us and even providing such... powerful weapons?"
From the other side of the receiver came a steady male voice that had been processed to remove any discernible age characteristics.
"Is that important?"
Caesar fell silent.
Indeed, regardless of the other party's purpose, it was not important to him.
The other party had given him an opportunity he had awaited for half a lifetime, one that would almost certainly never come again.
The gap between the rebels and the regular army of the Royal Capital in both quantity and quality was despairing.
The Saintess's visit was a once-in-a-lifetime chance; he would never give it up.
"Fine." Caesar stopped pressing.
"In that case, according to the plan, at the banquet held to welcome the Holy Saintess, I will send that thing... into her heart."
The other party responded flatly, "I will provide all information regarding the Saintess's guards to you on time. I hope you do not disappoint me."
Caesar said solemnly, "I won't."
Finally, the other party seemed to ask casually, "Regarding what I asked you to investigate, are there results?"
Caesar immediately replied, "It has been investigated. The person who posted that sky-high commission at the Adventurer's Guild to find the 'Queen's Tomb' originally came from New Covenant City, passing through... Withered Rift."
In an instant, the other end of the communication fell into a dead silence.
Just as Caesar thought the signal had been cut and was about to check.
A voice as cold as ice, seemingly containing endless frost, abruptly rang out.
"Un-der-stood."
"Clack."
The communication was abruptly hung up, leaving only a busy signal echoing in Caesar's ear.
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