Our Family Has Fallen

Amanda casually threw out a comment, and upon hearing it, Sela instantly changed her demeanor, like a dog hearing it’s time for dinner.

What grudge? It doesn’t exist, we’re good sisters.

”Quickly tell me what the intelligence is?”

”I heard you made quite a bit of money using Hamlet’s intelligence, got rich!” Amanda dodged the topic, suddenly switching to talk about Sela’s profits instead of intelligence.

Everyone’s smart here, as soon as Amanda said this, Sela understood what it meant, wasn’t it just asking for money.

”How much?”

Amanda opened five fingers toward Sela.

”Five hundred? Sure.”

”What are you thinking? It’s fifty percent.” Amanda emphasized, ”I want fifty percent of the profit from this information.”

”Fifty percent!” Sela’s face showed shock, not a pretended reaction, but genuinely startled.

After coming to her senses, she quickly shook her head, ”Impossible, absolutely impossible! You should know how much it costs us to verify a piece of information, if he really took fifty percent we’d be losing money, go and explain it to him.”

”What’s it got to do with him, the money is what I want.”

Unexpectedly, Amanda threw out such a line, directly stopping Sela, who was about to speak, hesitating slightly before reacting and pursued.

”What? The money is what you want?”

Sela’s expression turned somewhat peculiar as she scrutinized Amanda, suddenly feeling a bit unable to see through her.

But Amanda didn’t intend to explain, instead, she brought up the matter again.

”You don’t need to pay it yourself, just pin it on him; as long as neither you nor I speak, the organization won’t know.

By then, you can get the latest intelligence from me to prove your credentials in the Empire’s intelligence work, and I get the money, it’s beneficial for both of us.”

Amanda appeared nonchalant, playing with her nails, ”Of course, you could also ask him, he knows more than I do, or you could plant informants, but who knows how he’ll react if he finds out~”

Sela fell into contemplation, realizing Amanda just wanted to use that Lord’s name to make money, no wonder she’d walked away from those titles, it was because of this.

This person is greedier than imagined, probably both the organization and that man are kept in the dark, becoming tools for her.

”Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell him about this?” Sela stared at her opponent’s expression, trying to catch a flaw.

”Do you think he trusts me, or trust you?” But Amanda smiled as she raised her head, lightly holding her slightly tilted face with one hand and placed the other on the table, responding with a question.

Sela suddenly realized something, Amanda, being young and beautiful, with a charming demeanor bound to make any man tempted, presumably even the Lord was bewitched by her.

On the other hand, having offended that person last time, even if confronting him, it probably wouldn’t help.

Ugh! That bitch! Slut!

Inwardly, Sela kept cursing, but honestly, Amanda’s words did tempt her a bit.

The benefits from the last piece of information had not been forgotten until now, regardless of the money, just obtaining recognition was very valuable, after all, the organization’s title for Empire head hadn’t been decided yet.

Anyway, selling information, the money wasn’t hers, whether handed to Amanda or the organization didn’t matter.

Besides, that information was indeed obtained by them, asking for more seems reasonable.

Seeking that person? As Amanda stated, she couldn’t even see him directly.

As for planting espionage? Knowing full meal versus sporadic as meals were clear enough to Sela, after all, her dealings with Hamlet were long-term, necessary to avoid creating uncertainty with the information.

Primarily with Amanda as the Seeker of Omens, Romani spies were utterly non-existent, any ”locals” infiltrated instead become chips for her to take credit.

So, calculating this way, trading with her was indeed the best option.

”Thirty percent, that’s all I can offer, without any profit they wouldn’t waste time on this.”

”Even if I demanded eighty percent, they’d have to agree because I’m the only one providing this crucial intelligence, it greatly showcases competence for the organization, paying money in exchange for reputation is worth it.”

Sela’s little trick couldn’t fool Amanda, after their bargaining, they settled at a sixty-forty split, though Sela also had to pay for previous consultation fees.

A whole box of gold coins was presented, upon opening, the shimmering gold immediately brightened the somewhat dim room, even Amanda was moved.

How great being an intelligence broker, selling one piece gives thousands of gold coins, and it isn’t just once.

”The money is here, where’s the intelligence?” Sela kept urging, this money barely warmed in hand was given away, although originally to be handed to the organization, still felt painful.

”Why the rush?” Amanda gestured and the box of gold disappeared, starting to speak again, ”You’ll get what you want…”

First, Count Bastia ceded large tracts of territory, actively retracting defenses allowing the Barbarian Tribes into Empire territory, letting them plunder freely as an excuse to recruit heavily.

Second, the Barbarian Tribes have formed an allied army, causing multiple raids on the Empire border, even spreading to Hamlet, though strangely there’s no attack on Bastia’s core area.

Third, a noble convoy with over a hundred guards in Hamlet faced attack from Barbarian Plunderers, no survivors remained at the scene.

Listening to this, Sela questioned with skepticism.

”Are these messages genuine?”

”Large-scale looting around border towns, many forced into refugees fleeing, even evading conscription, moving towards Hamlet, bringing quite a lot about Bastia.”

Information sources appeared serious, not too absurd.

”Could Bastia really be entering the war?” Sela hesitated, the information itself was neither huge nor small, likely of interest to the Empire, though larger regional nobles might be observing too.

If reaching such an impasse, limited warfare might further expand, even becoming Empire-wide conflict, then what about Totnes…

”Whether Bastia enters the war is unknown, but the value in that attacked noble convoy seems higher.” Amanda’s comment pulled Sela’s focus.

”Why do you say that?”

”Let me just say, the noble convoy hit felt like an intense fire, smoke visibly seen even from Hamlet, dispatching people to investigate, I was there, the area was full of remains and everything plundered.

Yet you should’ve recognized my abilities, sensing something amiss, unfortunately, cleanup was thorough, after fires it gives no clue of origins.” Amanda said, prompting with a question.

”Do you know of any major nobles recently visiting here?”

Hearing this, Sela pondered, keeping some intelligence, but…

”Selling my information to Imperial Capital bought many, likely alarming the Emperor genuinely fearing Count Bastia conspiring Barbarian rebellion, led to talks of a marriage alliance between the Emperor’s sister and Bastia’s Heir.

However, the news somehow leaked, the rebels ambushed the princess’s escort convoy, even losing an Imperial Champion Knight, princess disappeared, could it be?”

Considering deeply, Sela nonetheless shared, despite hostility toward Amanda, acknowledging ongoing collaboration.

”Did you sell this intelligence?”

Amanda seemed amused observing Sela, yet her gaze intimidated others, causing quick denial.

”I’m not insane, couldn’t sell convoy information, learned of it afterwards.”

Sela’s tone was uneasy, uncertain of her role in the incident.