I Ascend to the Divine Throne through Arcane Means

The next morning.

Lis, whose injuries had mostly recovered and no longer hindered his movements, silently returned to his home in Ice Peak City.

Although he couldn't use most of his abilities to prevent worsening his condition, using the [Stealth] skill to evade the soldiers patrolling the streets posed no problem.

After quickly getting ready and disguising himself again as Kenne Simon, Lis, leaning on a cane, stepped out of his house and took a carriage to the Ice Castle Palace.

Last night's turmoil seemed to have had a significant impact!

Whoever did it is truly detestable!

Without any guilt, Lis happily watched the soldiers of Dillon Kingdom dressed in black armor occasionally pass by the carriage window, feeling cheerful.

Now was the most tense and tightly controlled time in Ice Peak City.

To avoid suspicions about his identity as a Finance Officer, Lis had rushed back before his injuries had fully recovered.

At this time, that Legendary Berserker probably wouldn't continue to pay attention to this matter, Lis thought, considering the Berserker, though strong in direct combat, was weaker in other auxiliary ways, unlike a Mage with various comprehensive methods.

When Lis arrived at the Ice Castle Palace and stepped down from the carriage, he noticed that the entrance, usually guarded by just a handful of soldiers, was now filled with rows of fully armed soldiers, clearly the elite troops of the Kingdom, wielding excellent equipment and a stern aura.

The entire palace was enveloped in a somber atmosphere, everyone lowered their heads, hurrying along, no longer possessing the leisurely mood of previous days.

The checks to enter the palace had also become much stricter, and even Lis, a high-ranking official, had to pass the soldiers' inspection before being allowed inside.

When Lis returned to his room, before he could even warm his seat, he was summoned by the Finance Minister, Gilberto.

"Kenne, you're here."

Gilberto, seeing Kenne Simon enter with a serious expression, said with a smile.

"Lord Gilberto."

Lis greeted him flatly, feeling somewhat puzzled inside.

Why does Gilberto seem much more enthusiastic than before?

"Kenne, I've called you here for a matter."

Gilberto invited Lis to sit on the sofa and approached him to speak.

"Please instruct me."

Lis suppressed his curiosity, sitting upright on the sofa waiting for his superior's instructions.

"Philip's position is now vacant, and Hans is temporarily in charge."

"But Hans is just a newcomer, his foundation isn't stable, both Duke of Ghana and I think you need to take on more responsibilities."

"Especially since such a big incident occurred in Ice Peak City yesterday, we have a heavy task ahead!"

Listening to Gilberto's words, Lis merely nodded.

This is...

Clearly an attempt at persuasion, aiming to secure complete control of Philip's powers for oneself, preventing Duke Ward from meddling further?

Also bringing up Kenne's "backer" Duke of Ghana, isn't this just making it difficult for him to refuse?

However, if Kenne were truly ambitious, this would be a great opportunity.

A splendid chance to climb higher!

If things went smoothly, he might even replace Gilberto as the Finance Minister in the future.

Unfortunately for Lis, he was merely temporarily assuming this identity and wasn't particularly interested in such temptations.

Sensing Lis's reservations, Gilberto waved his hand and said:

"If you are worried about not being able to handle this role, it's okay."

"Everyone starts from the bottom and learns through practice. Have confidence in yourself! Duke of Ghana and I both think you're up to it!"

This... With the conversation reaching this point, any further refusal would just arouse suspicion.

"I understand, please rest assured, Lord Gilberto."

Lis could only nod and accept.

It was also an opportunity to observe how the Kingdom of Dillon was preparing for an upcoming war.

Although there might not be many chances to manipulate, it was still a good way to gather intelligence.

It's ironic, though. Kenne Simon, a high-ranking official of the Kingdom of Dillon, had always been sidelined, never getting the chance to access any classified intelligence.

Probably, it was due to Kenne Simon's dull nature that made Duke of Ghana and Gilberto trust and use him as a puppet in their control.

---------------

As night fell, Lis returned to his home from the Ice Castle Palace. Stay connected through empire

Today, he received part of the Kingdom Finance's duties and powers from Gilberto, pretended to study diligently, and called many minor officials into his room for discussions.

During the meetings, he acted clueless, asking questions that were both amusing and ridiculous. However, Lis didn't mind these seemingly embarrassing acts; they were necessary to gain Gilberto's trust.

Though Gilberto granted him considerable authority, the core financial matters of the Kingdom remained inaccessible to him.

Still, Lis detected some clues in the other duties.

For example, the Kingdom's military spending had recently increased significantly, funding for areas near the Luoxue Mountains had drastically risen, and today's investment in food purchases had heightened.

These were general data which might go unnoticed by most as they could fluctuate yearly.