Chapter 148: Loyalty! Loyalty!

Allen’s united front work was, in a word, perfect.

The five words “Brave New World” still echoed in the banquet hall of the Laval Mansion, causing the brains of every Robe Nobility member to tingle and their souls to tremble.

They stood rooted to the spot, the flush of excitement on their faces not yet faded.

Deep within their eyes, the flames of ambition had already grown into a prairie fire, crackling with intensity.

Any reform, in the end, relied on people to execute it; otherwise, it was merely talk on paper, a castle in the air.

Allen was well aware of this.

Everything he did today was to transform these “parasites” of the old era into the most fanatical supporters and executors of the new era.

Admittedly, whether it was tax reform or future land reform, it would inevitably touch the vested interests of these Robe Nobles.

But in the face of the grand blueprint of a Constitutional Monarchy that Allen had painted, what did such a small loss matter?

They saw a more distant future, one where they no longer had to live in fear of the capricious royal power hanging over their heads.

When they realized that this current reform led by the royal family was nothing more than a bridge paving the way for the true revolution they would eventually dominate, the last shred of resistance and hesitation in their hearts vanished into thin air.

In the past, they chased power and profit; now, they still chased power and profit.

But this time, they were chasing a brand-new world created by their own hands.

“To show my sincerity,” Allen’s voice rang out again, pulling everyone back from their fantasies to reality, “I shall give you all a small gift.”

Just as he finished speaking, the side door of the banquet hall slid open silently.

The figure of the old butler, Jean Leclerc, appeared before everyone.

Instantly, the room full of discussion and amazement came to a halt.

The old butler had changed into a well-tailored black tuxedo, paired with a stiff, snow-white shirt, a matching bow tie, and spotless white gloves.

He simply stood there quietly, but the composure accumulated over years, the rigor and elegance etched into his very bones, was like an invisible monument.

It instantly redefined what “noble heritage” should look look like in the eyes of everyone present.

These nobles, who called themselves members of high society, were stunned by his impeccable posture and demeanor.

“This… this is how a noble should look!”

An Earl whispered subconsciously. He looked down at the bloated and cumbersome Pourpoint he was wearing and, for the first time, felt like a bumpkin from the countryside.

“The Laval House will establish a brand-new clothing company, serving only true members of high society.”

Allen pointed to the modern suit he was wearing, which had sharp lines and a minimalist yet authoritative feel. Then he pointed to the Lolita dress Marianne wore, which blended classical and playful elements to perfectly showcase a young girl’s beauty.

“Its name is Hermès.”

He paused, then dropped the real bombshell. “And I promise that everyone seated here will receive a custom-made suit from Hermès for free, along with…”

An enigmatic smile appeared on his face.

“1% of the company’s initial shares.”

If the “Constitutional Monarchy” he had promised earlier was a bit illusory, then right now, he was literally stuffing gold bars into their mouths.

These people were all sharp, old foxes with keen senses. They could see the terrifying money-making potential and symbolic significance behind this new clothing brand with a strange name at a single glance.

This wasn’t just giving away clothes; this was clearly giving away a gold mine with a promising future!

A gift as precious as a mountain, and Master Allen gave it away just like that, without even blinking.

This was a leader with vision and charisma, someone truly worth risking one’s life to follow!

“Master Allen, you… you are our God!”

Count Omar’s voice cracked with excitement. He looked as if he wanted to drop to his knees right then and there to kiss the tips of Allen’s shoes.

The “Stock Exchange,” which didn’t even exist yet, had become their only true god at this moment.

The sleeping Creator was too ethereal and vague, but money was a realistic power that could change their lives and strengthen their families at any time.

They could already see countless gold coins merging into a surging ocean, about to submerge the entire Old Order of the Kingdom.

In history, the bourgeoisie had used the momentum of religious reform to complete their own growth.

And today, Allen — a being who was already like a God’s Messenger in the eyes of those in the know — used a more thorough and practical “baptism of money” to easily sweep away the final psychological barrier for capital to run rampant in this world.

Poor Princess Charlotte was probably still in the Royal Palace right now, racking her brains over how to appease these “parasites” who were about to lose their interests.

How could she possibly know that the “moderate” core members she relied on already had nothing but “God of Wealth” Allen in their hearts — a man who could bring them surprises and riches at any moment?

Just as the atmosphere of the banquet reached its peak, a noble’s attendant hurried in and whispered a few words into his master’s ear.

The noble’s face first went blank, then he was overwhelmed by a massive surge of joy.

“Everyone! Great news!” he couldn’t help but announce loudly, his voice trembling with excitement. “The Crown Prince is about to lead almost all the Sword-Bearing Nobles on a Royal Grand Hunt lasting several months! That is to say, for the next few months, the entire Capital will be ours!”

Boom!

The entire banquet hall erupted.

What they feared most was that when the reforms reached a critical point, those Sword-Bearing Nobles — who were used to using swords to reason and whose muscles were more developed than their brains — would directly draw their blades, causing all their efforts to go down the drain.

Now, things couldn’t be better. The Crown Prince had actually taken those biggest obstacles away from the center of power on his own initiative. It was simply a godsend!

“The Crown Prince must have realized it too; reform is inevitable!”

“This is a divine revelation! God is clearing the path for us!”

Everyone was so excited they were going mad.

The right time, the right place, and the right people — every favorable condition seemed to have gathered overnight. it was as perfect as a dream they hadn’t dared to hope for.

Allen raised his wine glass and slowly walked to the front of the stage, his gaze scanning every face below that was distorted by fanaticism with great interest.

“Gentlemen!” His voice rose above all the clamor. “The next few months are the golden window for reform! Only success is allowed, not failure! Once we fail, what awaits us will be a bloody reckoning from the Sword-Bearing Nobles!”

“We must fully implement all reform plans in the shortest time possible! Make everything an established fact!”

“Loyalty!” someone took the lead and roared with all their might.

“Loyalty!”

“Loyalty!”

The mountain-shaking shouts almost lifted the roof off the Laval Mansion.

As soon as the banquet ended, these Robe Nobles — who used to be the best at slacking off and passing the buck — were all pumped up as if they had been injected with adrenaline.

They didn’t even bother with pleasantries, hurrying to their carriages to rush to their respective posts.

Some even impatiently snatched the whip from their coachman’s hand, ready to let their employees experience the taste of a “blessing” in advance.

Looking at this posture, it seemed they planned to live in their offices until the reform tasks were completed.

Watching this unprecedented “grand sight,” even Bernard felt his blood boiling.

He walked to Allen’s side and patted his son’s shoulder firmly, his eyes full of pride and relief.

“Son, my Ministry of Finance must also start working immediately. I have already selected the candidates for that National Development Committee you mentioned. I’ll leave the house to you from now on; I’m afraid I won’t have much time to come back.”

“It’s fine, Father,” Allen nodded with a smile, his tone steady. “I’m here for the family. You can rest assured.”

“Yes, Master.” Jean Leclerc, standing nearby, bowed slightly. Under the tuxedo, he looked even more dashing. “Please go and complete the Young Master’s plan with peace of mind. If there is anything you cannot handle, just send word home. The Young Master can settle anything.”

“Then I guess I really am impressive,” Allen joked with a smile.

Marianne, wearing an exquisite Lolita dress, looked like a meticulously dressed little princess. She also stepped forward and gave Bernard a sweet smile. “Father, do your best!”

That “Father” made Bernard’s heart warm, and he felt full of energy.

“Then, I am leaving.”

“Yes!”

Under the watchful eyes of his family, Bernard boarded the carriage and joined the continuous stream of vehicles outside, racing toward power and change to fulfill his true mission as the Minister of Finance.

The Laval Mansion finally returned to tranquility once again.

However, when the last carriage had completely disappeared around the street corner and when the head of the house had also left, the warm, spring-breeze-like smile on Allen’s face vanished instantly, like smoke scattered by the wind. Only a bottomless indifference and mockery remained.

Marianne watched him quietly. She knew that Allen’s true plans and calculations were only now beginning to surface.

“Young Master, I have noted down those who were restless, whose eyes were shifting, and who deliberately avoided your gaze during the banquet. You don’t need to worry,” Marianne said softly.

“No, I never care about who will betray me.” Allen sneered, slowly and methodically straightening the collar of his suit.

“The bourgeoisie has weakness and compromise etched into their very bones. Do you really think that because they barked a few slogans, they are loyal to me and this change?”

He paused, the sarcasm in his tone almost overflowing.

“Loyalty is only owed to the source of power. What I gave them was nothing more than an ethereal vision, while the Kingdom’s true, all-crushing violent apparatus is still firmly held in the hands of those Sword-Bearing Nobles.”

“They are so fanatical now only because the timing is coincidental and the chances of winning look great. They heard the King is supporting the reform. These people usually curse His Majesty as a mad king in private, but now, they can’t wait to hold him up as a sage king for the ages.”

Allen’s tone was filled with unconcealed contempt.

“These parasites truly make me feel disgusted. Remember, they are allies we are forced to use now, but in the future, they will inevitably be the next opponents we need to deal with. And they are 10,000 times more cunning and troublesome than those feudal lords whose heads are full of muscles.”

“But what does their cunning count for before you?” Marianne smiled, her red pupils filled with adoration.

“Father just became the King’s confidant, and you had him turn around and stab the King. You just united with the Robe Nobles to oppose royal power, and now you’re already thinking about how to sell them for a good price. This two-faced approach of yours doesn’t make you look like a good person.”

“I was a villain from the start.” Allen was calm, as if stating a simple fact. “Besides, I don’t think His Majesty the King will mind my little actions. The words I said today were meant for him to hear in the first place.”

At this moment, he completely shed all disguise, a nearly manic smile appearing on his face.

“Guess how long it will take for those ‘treasonous’ words I said at the banquet to be placed on His Majesty’s desk exactly as they were spoken?”

“Probably… the time it takes for our carriage to reach the Royal Palace?” Marianne tilted her head, guessing.

“Even faster than that.”

Allen paced to the grand entrance of the mansion. Looking at the royal guards still diligently standing guard under the scorching sun — or rather, the “eyes” and “ears” planted here by His Majesty — the smile on his face deepened.

Their presence made the Laval House seem as solid as gold, but it also represented the “trust” of the supreme royal power.

Unfortunately, what he, as a villain, was best at was tearing such trust to shreds.

In the thousands of cycles of reincarnation in the past, he had been stabbed in the back by countless guys who thought of themselves as friends.

That deep-seated suspicion had long ago become a part of him.

“Thank you for your hard work, everyone.” Allen put on his harmless smile again and instructed the butler, “Butler, go and bring some cold drinks and snacks for these brothers. It’s so hot; it must be miserable to stand here like this.”

The guards looked at each other, somewhat at a loss. When had they ever been treated so politely by a noble lord?

Allen didn’t care about their restraint. He even had the servants bring over a few small stools and sat down himself, squatting by the roadside with them. He ate, drank, and chatted casually about everything under the sun.

His expensive and exquisite suit formed a strange contrast with his current lack of pretense, which instead allowed the guards to quickly relax and let down their guard.

This legendary noble master, who had a bad reputation but had supposedly repented, seemed… really different from the rumors.

In a short while, Allen had blended in with these common soldiers, calling them brothers.

When Allen seemingly accidentally mentioned that after their shifts in the future, they could come to the Laval house every day for a warm, filling, proper meal, the eyes of all the guards lit up.

They were already sick of the food in the barracks, which was comparable to pig slop.

The officers born of Sword-Bearing Nobles were top-tier experts when it came to embezzling military funds and preying on their soldiers; they never acted like human beings.

Once the conversation started, the complaints and grumbles wouldn’t stop.

Allen was like a kind commander who had come down to inspect the people’s conditions. He listened patiently, nodding in understanding from time to time. Finally, he said in a heartfelt tone:

“Everyone, endure it a little longer. Once my father turns the Kingdom’s finances around, military funds will definitely be allocated in full. At that time, even if your commanders are… well, even if they are good at ‘managing’ their money, after all the layers of embezzlement, the pay that finally reaches your hands will surely be much more than it is now.”

This honest statement instantly won the heartfelt goodwill of all the guards.

It was just that even Marianne knew in her heart that even if everything Allen described came true, those greedy Sword-Bearing Noble officers would never give these soldiers a single copper coin more.

The more they anticipated the big promise now, the stronger the resentment in their hearts would be in the future when they discovered that the money that should have belonged to them was pocketed by their superiors again.

With just a casual effort, Allen had quietly planted a seed of division and doubt for the future of the Kingdom’s army.

And yet, at this moment, he was still putting his arms around the shoulders of these soldiers who knew nothing about it, smiling with incredible sincerity and brightness.

The unhappiness that had risen in Marianne due to her morbid possessiveness also vanished.

She looked at Allen’s face, which could switch seamlessly between sincerity, indifference, mockery, and fanaticism. She could no longer tell which one of those endless masks was the real him.

But the simple and hopeful smiles on those guards’ faces were real.

‘Oh, Young Master…’

‘You really are a natural succubus.’

Marianne thought wistfully. Perhaps, besides finding a way to lock him in a basement only she knew about, there was no other way to stop this charismatic master, who charmed both men and women, from “serving the people” and attracting bees and butterflies everywhere.