Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1498: Chapter 76: The Moon Clan’s Infighting

The reason Hill learned the news wasn’t because of Little Finch from the Alchemist Association, but because the dozens of Moon Clan members in Basia had caused a ruckus on their own.

How should I put it... a hidden heart can’t be concealed, but first, you need to find a knife.

The Basia people were almost dumbfounded, watching the Moon Clan members who were just chatting and laughing together, suddenly pinning their neighbor’s shoulder and playing with a knife that turned blood red.

Moreover, the most terrifying part was that the moment these people realized their partners turned against them, instead of shouting and avoiding, they started throwing fireballs everywhere.

Unfortunately, they were browsing the stalls at the time, and some stall owners, who already thought these Moon Clan folks weren’t much of a threat, sat complacently at the back. In an instant, they found themselves in trouble.

Luckily, the guards in the hall, under the Count’s strict orders, did not relax their vigilance and kept a close watch. They rushed over in time to push these inexplicable individuals out of the Hall of Abundance.

Then what could be done?

Everyone was reminded that when setting up stalls here, interacting with the Moon Clan was dangerous. The Stelter Family couldn’t possibly go against mid-level professionals for them.

However, the Moon Clan was truly wealthy.

Many of the stall owners who knew they were unsafe but still came to set up stalls were either extremely impoverished... Despite being picky, they never cared about the quality as long as it looked good. The Moon Clan, always generous, making one successful deal with them could feed the family for a month.

Some people are always willing to take risks for their families.

And another part was... the greedy ones who ignored the Count’s warning.

The guards of the Stelter Family checked the two who died in the incident and felt even less inclined to fight on their behalf... Including the injured, they all had their stores but weren’t willing to risk their own for it, choosing instead to set up stalls in the Hall of Abundance.

Even the crafts they were selling had been stagnant recently... all allegedly human-made, but having witnessed or experienced the Mutated Silk Spider disaster, any Basia person would shiver at seeing these wooden products.

Recently, Basia seemed to have reverted to an era dominated by copper, iron products, and stone products... even clothing had turned into burlap.

It couldn’t be helped; all the cotton cloth had been bought by the nobles. People without some wealth or status wouldn’t dare to clothe themselves in cotton!

Fortunately, Count Stelter of Basia City had only returned to the family five years ago, so silk made by Silk Spiders wasn’t abundant enough to make uniforms for all officials and city guards.

So the officials of Basia City were among the rare ones in the Danboro Kingdom to still wear cotton uniforms to work.

But recently, everyone forgot the years of curses toward the Count’s family for their poverty, feeling immensely grateful that their employers had no time for uniform matters.

The guards, after some discussion, could only request a few pieces of burlap from some stalls at the Earl’s Mansion... Unfortunately, those two guys were unlucky enough to get hit by several fireballs, burning everything at their stalls to ashes.

Otherwise, the burlap sacks they brought would have sufficed.

Because Miss Ellie claimed anyone could come here to sell things... She was actually considering those farmers living on the outskirts who wandered around selling fruits and vegetables.

But no one expected someone would bring a bunch of intricately carved wooden crafts to sell here!

Who doesn’t understand these small bosses’ intentions?

The Moon Clan had some items that could detect Silk Spiders, which was no secret at this point.

However, their methods were particularly brutal. If they found anything, like those two unlucky ones hiding luxurious elven crafts in their stores, they were... after everything, only the stones on the houses remained.

Those merchants with little schemes didn’t dare to hide anymore, as Count Stelter had indeed declared he would not intervene with those targeted by the Moon Clan for hiding Silk Spiders.

Still, some people kept a fluke mentality.

Like these few, holding many imitations of elven crafts.

In the past, they claimed these were meticulously crafted by humans with a hint of elven blood from the Elf Forest, just slightly inferior to pure elven products.

Now, such promotion seemed like digging their own grave.

Some items acquired long ago, whose origins they didn’t know, they couldn’t bring themselves to discard.

So, they simply brought them to the Hall of Abundance.

After all, with the guards of the Stelter Family present, even if the Moon Clan discovered Silk Spiders causing havoc, they surely wouldn’t allow them to demolish everything, would they?

This was, after all, Miss Ellie’s asset!

When they first displayed these items, the guards of the Stelter Family reprimanded them promptly.

Yet, the Moon Clan members with detectors also showed up simultaneously... Of course, these small bosses came at the right time.

After finding no issues, the Moon Clan members joyfully bought quite a lot of them.

These few people became arrogant: Human artifacts, do they still not qualify to be sold?

Although some who bought half-elf goods from nearby people cursed them, they didn’t care at all and continuously introduced new products in the days that followed... Many of them were clearly good items bought at low prices from fellow merchants.

After all, besides them, no one else would dare to sell it.

Others felt that life was more important: how could there be no danger from someone who made the Stelter Family so nervous?

These guys didn’t know whether they were just lucky or truly had some ability... for instance, knowing which merchants were like them, mostly importing goods just verbally.

So, no problems had arisen these past few days.

And because their goods were indeed exquisite, these Moon Clan members would visit their stalls every time, with hands generous enough to spend.

These little bosses even got along well with the Moon Clan, who remembered their names and greeted them cheerfully each day.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so relaxed, sitting behind the stone platform watching many Moon Clan people playing around, instead of, like others, standing cautiously three meters behind the stone platform and not approaching unless the Moon Clan paid.

The guards quickly disposed of the two bodies and carried the few wailing people outside... The Basia people would remember well the terrifying reputation of the Moon Clan from today on.

When Count Stelter heard the news, he just waved his hand.

He had long known about these greedy idiots and had no intention of dealing with them.

After all, with them there, the Moon Clan spent most of the time in that corner, and other Basia citizens who had to shop in the hall practically wouldn’t go near that side.

Even those who dared to set up stalls there would rather choose a less favorable position than be neighbors with them.

Now, what gave Count Stelter the biggest headache wasn’t just the Moon Clan, who had begun to run wild across the city, fearing their enemies wouldn’t be dead, but also the endless stream of letters hoping he would choose a side.

How could the traditional nobles dare send him such letters?

Ah! The Second Prince and his relatives have either been imprisoned or killed, does that erase the decades of suffering their family endured?

These letters filling the table were all from those who participated in the siege against the Stelter Family!

As for the King... Count Stelter looked at Prince Alexis, who was bloodshot in the eyes, pacing angrily before his desk and berating his father. While he was loyal to the king and loved his country, he was a noble too!

Who would kneel before a tyrant who acts without rules and does whatever he pleases?

The Stelter Family’s fortune was that, being military nobles who must swear allegiance to the king, he swore to the previous king.

And when Ditte came of age, he had already decided on a new development route for the territory... According to traditional noble customs, pledging never to betray the country is enough.

Count Stelter truly thanked heaven and his foresight... Consider the embarrassing situation of those peers who had children a few years earlier than him and couldn’t get off the pirate ship they boarded!

”Basia City will remain neutral.” Count Stelter hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

”You’re still loyal to him even with his shameless behavior?” Alexis turned angrily, shouting at the count.

”You better calm down, Your Highness Alexis.” Count Stelter replied calmly, ”I understand your agitation due to diminished power, but I don’t need to bear your anger.”

”Sorry.” Alexis took a few deep breaths, then sat down heavily on the couch in the corner.

”Although His Majesty the King’s decision is regrettable, I can understand the traditional nobles wanting a new king... even the World Will supports their choice.” Count Stelter’s voice was icy and firm, ”But, that has nothing to do with the Stelter Family.

Our blades have never pointed at our own country.

The reason those people dared to act recklessly against the Stelter Family all these years is because we have always upheld our chivalric virtues.”

Then he stood up gently, with a slight smile: ”Most importantly, Prince Alexis, unless His Majesty the King publicly declares hostility towards the Stelter Family, we would never stand with our old political enemies.

No matter how grandiose their words.

Ha~

Who believes them?”

Prince Alexis still tried to persuade the count, but under Count Stelter’s firm determination, he could only give up reluctantly.

Count Stelter stood by the window, silently gazing at Alexis’s figure, filled with disappointment.

”This Prince Alexis is truly remarkable.” Helena quietly emerged from the next room, ”Just lost the support of his mother’s family, and already trying to drag our family down with him.”

Count Stelter suddenly burst into laughter: ”Helena has always had a keen eye.”