My wife is an immortal black snake.

Page 53

"She drank yesterday, so she probably won't get up until tonight. Hurry up! She needs time to change!"

...

In Teresa's deadpan eyes, her sisters, who had just tied her up, shamelessly revealed awkward smiles, untying themselves while saying that they were just joking, really just joking.

Haha.

Do you think you'll look funny doing this? You're a bunch of shameless bastards. Once I've settled things with that sugar daddy, I'll definitely have you guys shoveling latrines in the sewers for a whole year...

"Teresa—your clothes."

"Tsk tsk..."

"Hey~ we were just joking~ and you prepared so many doses of sleeping pills~ so we're even now~?"

Seeing the grinning Mas, Theresa, now free, didn't hesitate to grab her hips and shoulders, and then, amidst Mas's screams, ripped her clothes off. Theresa felt much better; she should be able to negotiate with her sugar daddy normally now.

"If I ever see you coming up with this kind of crazy idea again, I'll definitely shove your knight's sword into your [censored]!"

Of course, before leaving with her clothes, Theresa didn't forget to leave her best friend, who was both amused and exasperated by the tear in her clothes, with this harsh remark.

... .....

When Yang Hao arrived at the Lubyanka Grand Hotel as usual, ready to have a good talk with Miss Theresa about the future, he noticed that the Kuranta girl in front of him seemed to be in a strange state.

"Miss Theresa? What are you doing here—"

"It's nothing, I just had a friendly chat with my best friends, so I look a little tired after changing. Please don't mind." Theresa forced a strange smile, and Yang Hao could clearly see that the straps of her clothes weren't even properly adjusted...

Is this really the result of so-called "friendly communication"? He nodded thoughtfully and decided not to ask any further questions.

But Monica—she seemed quite displeased with Miss Theresa's rather indecent attire. However, out of consideration for Yang Hao, she didn't reprimand Miss Kuranta today. Of course, perhaps it was because, if things went smoothly later, according to rank, the head maid could reprimand them at any time? Hmm, maybe that's the reason.

Since that's the case, we must settle this matter today—with this in mind, Yang Hao smiled and placed the previously prepared checks on the table.

"What's this?" Theresa took the check, staring at the string of numbers and the unit representing "Crimson Gold." For a moment, her heart stopped. Although she had mentally prepared herself, seeing the actual amount was still far too much...

"Bribed with your crimson gold." Yang Hao rubbed his nose. "Now, are the spies in Kazimir truly loyal to me and my wife?"

"...Let's make this clear beforehand, I'm not going to do any of that kind of loyalty that has to be offered in bed."

"what?"

"No, it's nothing, never mind—can I make a request?"

"please say."

What exactly is this eccentric Miss Kuranta up to? Yang Hao sat in his chair, waiting for her to state her terms.

Chapter 119

“My condition is that I become the leader of this spy organization, otherwise I’d rather take the money and leave.” Theresa stated her condition through gritted teeth, though Yang Hao knew the hatred wasn’t directed at him. “As compensation, you can order me around at any time, okay?”

"Forehead..."

"At my beck and call?" Yang Hao was somewhat confused. He didn't quite understand the slang among noble knights. Considering that the knights of Kazimierz were also nobles—or at least nobles—he figured he should ask Monica what it meant.

Thinking of this, Yang Hao turned around, just about to ask Monica what this Miss Kuranta meant, when he noticed Monica's unpleasant expression.

“Monica?” He waved his hand, signaling a pause in the conversation. “What’s wrong?”

“No, I…it’s nothing.” Monica shook her head with difficulty. “I was just thinking, Miss Kuranta…aren’t you going a bit too far?”

"What? What did I do wrong? Isn't this a perfectly reasonable transaction?" Theresa stared with dead fish eyes, and for some reason, Yang Hao sensed a strange sense of indifference from her. "Besides, if I don't do this to leave myself some options, what will I do if I get sold later? Money alone isn't enough to keep me at ease. Your master is the kind of person who would even execute his own nobles. I want to feel at ease, is that alright?"

"...The nobles who were purged, I think you should know what they did."

"But the problem is that the capitalists in Kazimir wouldn't do that—so, is there anything wrong with this perfectly reasonable deal?"

So what kind of slang are you guys using? Yang Hao frowned, deciding to use the [Puppet Stage] ability to see what was going on.

[Event: Your Maid and the Future Spy]

Your maid and the future spy pony have a minor disagreement over some noble slang. On one side is the haughty head maid who looks down on the decadent nobles, and on the other side is the former knight who looks down on the nobles who have never been on the battlefield and only know how to enjoy themselves in the rear. They may have always disliked each other, but this meeting has just brought their differences to a head.

On one side is the spy you've gone to great lengths to recruit, someone who could prove invaluable in the future; on the other is the head maid you trust, who has indeed reciprocated your trust with seriousness and diligence. Whose side will you choose now?

'It must be my maid!'

'The foal is important too...?'

'...Can't I just stand on my own side?'

Simply put, it's a strange event where you have to choose one of three options?

Leaving aside the details of the slang, Yang Hao finally understood the root cause of their conflict—the inherent antagonism between the practical nobles and the rear-guard nobles!

To put it simply, nobles who have served their country on the battlefield look down on nobles of the same rank who only know how to stay in the safe zone in the rear. In turn, the nobles who stay in the rear dislike the practical nobles because of the former's inexplicable contempt and the denial of their own qualities.

However, Yang Hao had no intention of resolving the conflict between these two noble factions this time... After all, he couldn't possibly understand just how complex the factions among the nobles were. The [Puppet Stage] was sufficient to unify what might be dozens of noble factions into a few simple groups with specific needs; he didn't need to bear so much pressure and trouble, so he decided to leave it alone.

But given the current situation, he had to step in—and with that thought, Yang Hao had an idea.

He coughed twice to stop the two sides from further sarcasm or potentially more intense arguments. Then, Yang Hao said seriously that he didn't understand what they were talking about at all. He just wanted to get the most important thing done today—that is, to sign the contract.

"In short, considering my recent work priorities, I've decided to accept your terms—but forget about that 'dispatch' thing, unless it's really that urgent, then let's leave it at that." He said, agreeing to Theresa's terms while also reassuring Monica, who was inexplicably sensitive to the word "dispatch." "And then—can I now understand that the spies in Kazimierz have all agreed to my offer?"

"I suppose so. You've given too much." Theresa was secretly pleased that she had achieved her goal and didn't have to pay anything extra, but her expression remained serious. "Besides, even if we accept your terms now, we'll need some time to prepare to resume operations—at least a month. If you want us to work elsewhere, the preparation time will be extended by several months."

"So, it's a problem with the equipment?"

"It's not just a problem with the equipment. The frequency of the communication equipment in your duchy isn't even linked to our machines. Unless you prefer the traditional pigeon delivery, we'll need some time to adjust the frequency of the communicator."

“That’s understandable… But what if I only need you to conduct counter-espionage within my duchy while gathering dirt on the lower-ranking nobles?”

“We can start in mid-April. But we need this.” Theresa rubbed her fingers together, implying that she needed money. “The money you give us—that’s payment. Don’t expect us to use that money for official business. We can’t work here if we don’t have enough funding.”

"I originally thought the knights of Kazimierz were all people who kept their promises..."

“I am a former knight of conquest, now a spy in Kazimierz. If you expect Kazimierz spies to keep their promises, why don't you expect your nobles to suddenly have a change of heart and willingly become benevolent?”

Theresa shrugged. After saying those words that made Monica frown, she calmed down, took out a pen and paper from her clothes, and after a moment's thought, wrote down a number.

That appears to be the monthly budget required by the spy organization. The budget doesn't seem excessive; it's just the necessary expenses for an ordinary spy organization.

“In short, this is the amount of funding we receive each month when we work for Kazimierz,” Theresa explained with a sour face. “Our salaries are included in that amount—so can’t my new benefactor just be merciful and separate funding from compensation?”

"That depends on your performance." Considering the budget was reasonable, Yang Hao reluctantly agreed to the condition. However, he still had to remind Theresa—after all, with so much money, if they were paid to do chores, he would have to find a way to get the money back. "And if you can't spend the money on useful things, then it's reasonable for me to take the money back—as for how to take it back? Deduct it from your salaries."

"...Good heavens, taking money back from someone else's wallet? You're practically driving people toward rebellion in Kazimierz!" Theresa exclaimed in astonishment.

"But the problem is this is Ursus, and I'm your new boss. If you don't show me some respect, I'm in a difficult position." Yang Hao shrugged, looking at Theresa, whose face had changed instantly. Unconsciously, he suddenly realized that although there were no centaurs in this world for him to flatter, it didn't mean that centaurs couldn't be created using biological gene editing.

...However, upon closer reflection, this seemed a bit too ahead of its time, so Yang Hao could only regretfully think to himself that if Miss Kuranta were to let him whip her like a horse in the future, then it wouldn't be entirely unacceptable...

Perhaps it was because his thoughts and ideas were putting too much mental pressure on this former knight-errant, for some reason she suddenly felt a chill. Hugging herself, Theresa forced a laugh and, after confirming several times that Yang Hao's conditions were acceptable, she said she had to go back first to report the latest situation to her sisters.

"Alright then, go back and inform them that the ban will be lifted at noon today—but don't do anything out of line. You all need to be law-abiding citizens in the Duchy of Kosiché. By the way, the earliest job you might get is in early April, so be prepared."

"Yes, yes, yes...sir."

"Call the boss."

"Yes, boss—"

Theresa left with the signed contract.

After stretching and resting for a bit, Yang Hao said they should go back. He then asked Monica, the head maid whose expression was inexplicably terrible, what exactly this so-called "dispatch" was all about.

Faced with Yang Hao's curiosity, Monica remained silent for a while before choosing not to explain.

“My lord, this is not something you should understand. To avoid corrupting your mind, I will not explain it to you under any circumstances.”

This term seems to have a very deep meaning among nobles, so much so that Monica would rather disobey orders and not explain it than let Yang Hao understand what it means. However, Monica's silence only made Yang Hao more curious. He decided to ask Koschche when he got back, believing that his wife would not hide these little noble matters from him.

"Probably?" He shook his head, reflecting on how much he still needed to learn, before following his maid out of the Lubyanka Grand Hotel, preparing to go home.

...

Meanwhile, holding the contract, Theresa muttered to herself, "This guy is actually a decent gentleman," while also feeling delighted that she had gained power—not for any other reason than that if she had power here, she could unscrupulously arrange things for those sisters who almost sold her out!

However, she knew she couldn't go too far. Her value lay in the fact that her sisters were willing to obey her orders under the right conditions. So, after weighing the pros and cons, she kicked open the door with a sinister grin and showed the contract to her sisters who were all staring at her.

"Go to hell, you bunch of bastards!" she sneered, slamming the contract onto the table. "I'm your boss now, understand?! Next time anyone tries to sell me out, I'll order them to tie themselves up and go to the Duke's mansion to fend for themselves!"

Then, Theresa was disappointed.

“Isn’t this better?” Mars glanced at the contract on the table, scanning each clause. “Ah, to become the mistress of a married duke? You’ll never have to worry again. If you’re going to do this, remember to send me in beforehand, thank you.”

"...You're shameless, you're despicable! How can a person be so despicable?!" This mentality of practically selling oneself off was something others were even used to... Was it the knights of Kazimierz who had the problem, or was it me, the relatively reserved former conqueror knight, who had the problem? At this moment, Theresa gained a deeper understanding of her sisters' shamelessness. "To actually be willing to be a married woman's mistress—"

"Huh? This is an absolute steal! Oh, I forgot you're a former conquering knight. Knights who fight on the front lines don't understand the importance of money in a city controlled by capital in Kazimierz~"

"I know how important money is! But the problem is, isn't this a bit too much—"

"And most importantly, if you become the mistress of a duke, not only will you be set for life, but your children might also be set for life for the next two generations. Why not do it?"

"...hiss."

Damn it, I can't refute it!

Theresa was speechless at her shameless sister's words, but then again, she was getting on in years and it was indeed time to consider these things...

Um...?

...Um....

It seems like getting involved with a duke wouldn't be so bad, right?

Theresa was conflicted. But then she thought, she's no longer a Casimirian, nor a war knight, nor a "figurehead" that capitalists are willing to fund with large sums of money... Her current identity, and for a long time to come, is likely that of the head of this spy organization, and to earn enough money in this position to live the life she desires...

...It seems like it will take a very long time? Several years? Several years? I'm almost 30! How can I talk about settling down and starting a family then...?

Um...

"Besides, we'll all be 30 in a few years—although the Kuranta race lives much longer than the Felins, the problem is, no matter how long we live, we're still the same age, youth is very important~"

"hiss..."

"And then again, Theresa, haven't you become the only daughter of the family? If you don't leave behind an heir, will your family really decline completely?"

"..."

Theresa was the only one left in her family, so in a sense, she had a duty to continue her lineage.

...

so...

As expected...

... .....

She had an idea, but she needed to think about it for a long time.

Chapter 120

...

Today—no, I should say—the work for this month is almost finished.

Yang Hao thought to himself that besides occasionally checking on the work progress and sometimes accompanying his wife while she worked in the audience hall, there wasn't much else he could do. Now, all he had to do was go home, rest for a bit, and then go to the House of Elegies to see what was there to see.

Besides, it's been a month since I gave Koschche the gift—the trait system inscription—right? Now's the perfect time to inscribe my trait a second time... I'll discuss it with my wife then. Hmm, and that Joan of Arc sword—even if it's handed over to the Templars, its ownership still belongs to Yang Hao, and all the benefits go to him, so he's not worried about anything.

"So Monica, what exactly is that slang—"

"Sir, you probably won't be involved in that kind of slang again, so I won't explain it."

“Oh, it doesn’t hurt to say something, does it? Ah, Paul—go and interrogate those spies you’ve captured. If that doesn’t work, go to the Lubyanka Grand Hotel and find the Kazimir people. That little pony named Theresa has Originium Arts that are similar to hypnosis; it should work.”

Back home, Yang Hao first had Paul interrogate the captured spy before getting out of the car with Monica's help. He'd recently become increasingly accustomed to the pleasant process of someone opening the car door for him from the outside; indeed, it's easy to fall into luxury, but difficult to fall into simplicity.

As he sighed, he watched Paul's figure gradually disappear as he received his orders and headed towards the underground interrogation room before following Monica toward the bedroom.

"Sir, won't you take a bath first?"

"No, I'll go lie down where I need to go first, and then take a shower. By the way, I don't think I have any work this afternoon, so my plan is to take a nap and then go to the audience hall to help Koschche with his work."

"Lord Kosiché will surely be very pleased. But what about Mr. Grovazel?"

"Hehe, he's already joined us." Yang Hao chuckled. After making a resolution on the [Puppet Stage] that allowed Mr. Grovazel to [voluntarily] join the Dukedom of Koschche, his research slots were finally activated.

He wasn't in a hurry to start any research projects; he wanted to take it one step at a time. He'd first catch up with Miss Wange, and then they could talk about it when he got back.