Chapter 152.The Art Of Manipulation

''Annuff… Wauff! Wuu…''

The bitch's voice had a high pitch. Burying her head in a pillow, she bit its cover and kept making submissive noises as Jake plowed her.

Energy was leaving her body and her posture broke. She fell on her belly, shaking in pleasure as cum dripped from her pussy. She didn't even have the strength to moan.

Jake stopped holding her collar's chain and slowly pulled out from the girl's warm canal.

''Well, that was fast,'' he sighed, sitting on the bed's edge. Jake pointed at a wolf girl and she obediently crawled to him.

''Suck it,'' he ordered, grabbing her chain.

…

An hour and half later, he exited the tent with a satisfied look. The slaves weren't bad but not anything special either. They all had the same broken personalities because of how they had been treated.

Fearful, timid and less-spoken. As if their souls had been sucked out by a reaper. No use other than breeding. Jake had cum inside all of them, though Ragan seemed to have medicine to deal with that.

Walking through the streets of the slums, Jake arrived at the eastern district. He could hear the people shouting, some in pain, some ecstatic, some in desperation, some in panic.

The state of Nule was in turmoil and that was benefitting the demon who walked as though this wasn't his concern.

Without getting a drop of blood in his clothes, Jake reached the mayor's mansion. A lot of uninformed humans had tried looting or killing him in the way.

Jake didn't kill them, but left those people severely injured in a dark and usually unreachable place. Either they would bleed to death or suffer until someone found them.

''Welcome back, master!''

''Welcome!''

The centaurs energetically greeted him as he entered the compounds. Jake nodded at them and entered the mansion.

Inside the hall, Lombard quickly ran forward and knelt beside him, greeting him in absolute reverence.

''We'll be leaving the town in a while,'' Jake said with his hands inside his pockets. ''Deploy your knights in the evening to stop the little games happening here.''

By 'little games,' he meant the assaults and robbery happening in the town. A lot of common people were already trying to stop this but the presence of criminals made it difficult.

''Also fetch for a priest who worships the upside-down cross. Tell him that the Lord has ordered him to stay here and preach His faith,'' Jake added another order.

At this moment, Perry came from the backyard and greeted him.

''Good afternoon, master.''

''Hmm. Go tell those three upstairs to start preparing,'' Jake told her, walking toward a nearby porch.

Inside the private room of the mayor's first wife, Erin and Ruxa were busy teaching 006 on how to behave in front of their master.

''If you speak like that again, I'll cut your tongue.''

''Geez, if you really want it, take hers,'' the slave girl pointed at Ruxa. ''She has two of 'em, fucking slick and long...''

''You…!''

At this moment, the door opened, making them all stop their talks. Perry stood outside in her black priestly clothes.

''Master said to prepare.''

…

''Yes, I'll be leaving for Karsuda tomorrow.''

''I see. Now that your status is higher, be wary of other nobles. Befriend those in military and those with greater influence.''

''That has always been my plan, master. I will not disappoint.''

''Hmm.'' Jake cut his call with Baron Leo… now Count Leo.

Leaning on the porch's railings, he looked toward the west with various thoughts running in his mind.

Things were peaceful in Ulford after the false news about Minerva's Subjugation spread.

Though the king seemed to be in stress ever since those elves visited. And that state of mind was working for Prince Splennar's favor.

The little liar was filling his father's ears with bits and pieces of theories about a hidden conspiracy within the kingdom. A huge agenda to tear apart the Grimbow!

That was indeed true, but he was blaming someone else instead of a certain dark-eyed demon. It was the king's own brother, Bors De Philips.

Splennar never explicitly mentioned the involvement of his uncle in this 'conspiracy' and even went to say that ''This has to be false!'' and ''Who is spreading such rumors?''

As if he wasn't implying that the Royal Commander 'might be' a traitor. As if he never told his subordinates to make this a topic of gossip among all royals.

If it was someone else, Averon wouldn't think too much about it. But this was his own son. His second son who, for the first time, spoke like a responsible and intellectual man.

There had to be something behind this. Even if it may seem suspicious, who was he to trust if not his only son?

On the other hand, Court Mage Ivan had gone to the northern fort with a mission to 'help' the Royal Commander.

Help to sow the seeds of mistrust.

Ivan's approach was different. He didn't have the courage to persuade a 5th Circle Radiant Knight. Neither did he have the deep connection Splennar had with Averon.

He was but a subordinate known for his magic and wits. What he could do was 'inform' and 'suggest' at best. Everyday, he would have talks with Bors about life, politics, duties, philosophies, etc.

Oftentimes, he slipped in lines like these which seem harmless on the surface.

''His Majesty seems a bit stressed these days. I wonder why he keeps sending you to remote fortresses, Sir Commander.''

''Lord Bors, is it wise to ignore people who are afraid? What if they try to eliminate us for that very reason?''

These lines and questions were thought-provoking but also vile. Ivan was subtly implying that the king might be wary of his own brother and thus trying to eliminate him.

The mage left the thinking to Bors himself and never tried adding his own judgment. Just like how his master ordered him.

To manipulate a man isn't to force lies upon him, but to weave a web of half-truths, and let him lie to himself.