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Renting a Room
Although I said that I would make Dina the emperor, actually doing it is harder than it sounds.
Currently, Dina doesn’t have anyone supporting her. Hell, most nobles would take the idea of a woman emperor as a joke.
Maybe not even my mother’s family would support her if they learn about our ambitions.
So, if I want to make my sister the emperor, I must begin by getting her a force of her own.
Nobles are not a good place to start. As I said before, none of them would support a woman as emperor, at least, not before she shows that she has what it takes to be one. But currently, my sister doesn’t have any backing, so no noble will agree to support her.
Of course, I can show them my strength and make them comply using force, but as I said before, I don’t want to do it. Moreover, Dina’s reign will not be stable that way. If for some reason I must leave, then Dina will lose all her authority.
Another option is the military, but there is the same problem. No general will agree to follow a princess simply because I told them. Before sister Dina shows enough capability, they will not agree to follow her.
So, my last option is the commoners.
Unlike the last two options, very few people pay attention to commoners when it comes to the fight for the throne.
Besides rich merchants and a few powerful practitioners, commoners seem insignificant in this kind of political fight. They have neither money nor connections that can support a prince. At most, they make for pretty good cannon fodder.
However, I think different.
As someone whose lives amount to the hundreds, I have seen the true power of the masses. When people unite together for a goal, they made an almost unstoppable force.
And the best part is that you don’t need to do much to pull them to your side. You just need to show them a few benefices and manipulate the information so they see you as the ‘good guy’.
Wearing a robe and a hood, I entered the capital. I then searched around to find a place to stay. I’ll keep coming to the city after tonight, so I need a place to stay regularly.
Soon, I found a beautiful two-storey house. The house seemed a bit old, but it was pretty well kept. Besides, it was pretty close to the noble district, so it was useful for my plans.
Outside the house, there was a small sign announcing that they were renting a room.
I thought for a moment before approaching the house and knocking on the door.
“Coming!” A voice came from the inside. Soon, a beautiful black-haired, twenty-years-old woman opened the door. “Yes?”
I put on a polite smile. “Good night, miss. I could not help but notice the sign outside. Is the room still available?”
The woman made a startled look. “The room? Ah, you are asking about that. Wait a moment.” She then invited me inside and closed the door.
Once inside, she went in search of someone. She returned soon accompanied by another two people.
The first was a middle-aged woman, around thirty-five-to-forty years old. She had a tidy blonde hair tied to a side and a gentle smile.
Beside her was a middle-aged man. He was around forty years old, maybe a bit older. If I’m not wrong, they were husband and wife.
“Are you the one interested in the room?” The woman stared at me and asked. She was a bit surprised when she saw my handsome features and unusual hair color, but she quickly hid her surprise and replaced it for a gentle expression.
The middle-aged man, on the other hand, was observing me with a frown. He narrowed his eyes when he saw my face, and when he saw my clothes, his eyes narrowed even more.
I nodded politely. “Name’s Clark. Are you still renting it?”
“Of course. Actually, we just put the announcement today.” Replied the woman. “I did not expect to have a client so quickly.”
“Well, I arrived today at the capital and need a place to stay. I’ll stay in the capital for a while, and I can’t always live in an inn. I think that renting a room is better.”
“Oh? Can I ask where are you from?”
“The south.” I replied without hesitation. “I’m a martial artist, and someone invited me to the capital. Unfortunately, he did not offer me lodgings.”
“A martial artist, huh?” The woman wrinkled her brows. “Can I ask about your strength.”
“Above the sixth layer.” I said with a smile. Instantly, the three people showed surprised expressions.
“S-Seventh layer!?” The woman stuttered. I kept my smile and nodded.
The three people froze. For a while, none of them knew how to react.
However, the middle-aged woman quickly recovered her bearings. “What a surprise. So young and already so strong. Just for curiosity, is young master a noble?”
Wow, such a quick change in attitude.
I feigned a wry smile. “I was. My brother is the official heir, so I had to leave my house.”
The woman looked at me with pity in her eyes and put on an understanding smile.
“I see. It explains young master’s manners and looks.”
The woman then asked me realized some other questions, from how long I would stay, to how much I was paying. I answered all her questions calmly to reassure her doubts.
“Then, can I stay?” I asked.
The woman fell deep into thoughts.
At that moment, the middle-aged man looked at the woman with a frown. “Lluvia, I don’t think it’s right to bring a strange to our home. What if something happens?”
“We already talked about this, Peter. That room is not being used now and we need the money urgently. Moreover, you and my son are imperial guards. I’m sure we’ll be safe. Nobody is crazy enough to harm the family of an imperial guard.”
But the middle-aged man was stubborn. “Anyway, I don’t agree. What if he does something to our daughter or our daughter-in-law? You never know what someone like him will do.”
I frowned. Did this old geezer forget that I’m still here?
The middle-aged woman seemed to realize my displeasure because she looked at her husband with an enraged expression. “Shut up! Show respect to our guests! Besides, we would not be in this situation if you don’t lose so much money gambling! If you don’t want someone else living with us, then get the money we need!”
The man clicked his tongue and looked away. He was still displeased with the idea.
The woman, on the other hand, looked at me with an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry about this, young master. Why don’t you wait outside for a moment? I need to talk about something with my husband. Clarice, accompany him.”
I nodded and followed Clarice, the twenty-years-old beautiful woman, outside.
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