Everyone Is A Lord: My Talent Is A Little Too Strong Chapter 2596: 1430: Administrator and Another Administrator (Part 2)

“Your Excellency, please continue. I am listening,” Leo Ray said with a slight nod, signaling the other party to proceed.

“I am referring to the three neighboring Shadow Markets that border my own territory,” the Administrator explained, his voice trembling slightly with a sense of urgency. “As Your Majesty is aware, the lands north of the Gleaming Rift Valley fall under the jurisdiction of the second Shadow Market. Meanwhile, the third and fourth Shadow Markets respectively oversee the two alliance forces.”

Fanny, Hannel Tree, and Bruno all knit their brows upon hearing this. It was the false invitation issued by the Administrator of the second Shadow Market that had sparked the initial dispute over the mine.

Although they had eventually turned that misfortune into a blessing by joining Leo Ray’s subordinates and strengthening their Foundation, they had still endured the loss of soldiers and a significant blow to their overall military power.

“Your Majesty, I believe that the only way to ensure my market opens without a hitch is to bring all the Administrators of these Secret Realm Markets under your thumb. Otherwise, given their deep ties to the power players in their regions, we cannot discount the possibility of them committing sabotage out of pure spite,” the Administrator urged, his voice echoing through the hall as he made his stammering request. “Furthermore, Your Majesty will require a dedicated market representative to coordinate efforts between the different hubs…”

“I follow your reasoning, Administrator. I have taken note of your hard work, and I am certainly prepared to place you at the head of all these markets,” Leo Ray replied with a smile, having quickly decoded the man’s hidden agenda. “What is it that your group needs me to do?”

“I am deeply honored by Your Majesty’s confidence! In that case, I must humbly ask Your Majesty to pay me a visit!” The Administrator bowed repeatedly in gratitude, his face radiating sheer delight.

...

By the time the sun reached its zenith, a massive, imposing fortress of deep brown appeared out of thin air in a clearing near the Gleaming Rift Valley. It was the Shadow Market, exactly as Leo Ray remembered it. Following the arrival of this grand city, three more massive structures of similar hue and scale were teleported into the area, surrounding the first.

The sight of four Secret Realm Markets manifesting simultaneously was nothing short of breathtaking. In the square before the Manager’s Castle of the first Shadow Market, hundreds of Market Guards stood in perfect formation, radiating a powerful and intimidating presence.

These warriors were encased in heavy brown plate armor, their frames so robust that even their fingers were shielded. Their faces were hidden behind fully enclosed helms, adding an air of cold mystery to their ranks. Standing proudly at the center of this assembly was a formidable figure in brown armor etched with deep black engravings—the very same Administrator who had just been speaking with Leo Ray.

“Sir, following your orders, the Administrators of the other three Shadow Markets have submitted their requests for teleportation,” a Market Guard Captain reported while saluting. His own brown armor featured black patterns as well, though they were far less intricate than those of his superior.

“Excellent. Permit M to enter first. Tell L and K to remain on standby,” the Administrator commanded. Backed by Leo Ray’s authority, he carried himself with newfound poise and confidence, despite his market traditionally being ranked the lowest.

“Understood, sir!” the Captain replied before quickly moving to execute the order.

A moment later, a flash of gray teleportation light erupted, and another Administrator appeared. He wore the same brown armor with black engravings as the first.

“N, why have you summoned us here?” the newcomer asked immediately upon arrival. He addressed the host as ‘N’ because of the market rankings; N represented the very bottom of the hierarchy.

“It has been a while, M,” the host replied, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. “I heard you tried to stir up trouble for petty profit by sending out those lucrative invitations, only to offend the Flower Fairies, Trolls, and Minotaurs in your sector. Now you’re reaping what you sowed, aren’t you?”

He continued in a relaxed manner: “The four powers under your jurisdiction have already sworn fealty to the Human Sovereign, and even the Light Half-Elves are now His Majesty’s allies. The fires of war have been extinguished, and your schemes have crumbled. If the Human Sovereign says the word, you will lose your trade network with the Light Half-Elves and your ability to profit from conflict. Soon, you will be the one taking over the rank of N.”

“Brother N, I admit I was wrong to mock you when you were down in the past!” Administrator M cried out dejectedly, nearly in tears. “To be honest, since we both manage the lowest-ranked markets, we should be looking out for one another. Surely you wouldn’t let your younger brother fall into such a pit?”

“Don’t try to act like we are close, M. If it weren’t for you and the others, I might not have been ranked last to begin with. But now, with the backing of the Human Sovereign, rising through the ranks will be easy,” the host said condescendingly. “As for you, prepare to take the bottom spot. One word from His Majesty will make your invitations worthless. You can wait for the Bazaar Brotherhood to punish you for your lack of results.”

“Brother N, if I lose my status as Administrator, my enemies will never let me live! Please, brother, show me a way out! Say a few good words to the Human Sovereign on my behalf!” Administrator M pleaded, nearly grabbing the other man’s leg armor in desperation. “I will do anything if His Majesty just gives me a chance to survive!”

“Oh? Well, a certain opportunity has just presented itself,” the host noted with a nod. He quickly outlined Leo Ray’s intent to organize a high-level market. “If you help me convince L and K to serve the Human Sovereign and ensure this high-level market is a success, His Majesty might just give you the chance to fix your ranking.”

“Is that true? That’s fantastic!” M’s eyes lit up, and he nodded frantically. “I am more than willing to serve the Human Sovereign! I will do whatever it takes for you, brother!”

However, M’s voice soon faltered with doubt. “But L and K... though they are ranked just above us, they used to hold much higher positions. Their influence and strength far exceed ours. Making them submit will be no simple task.”

“Have you forgotten what we are hosting? This is a high-level market featuring Tier 6 equipment as the main attraction. Observe,” the host said with a smirk. With a wave of his hand, two sets of shimmering Tier 6 equipment appeared on a display rack.

“A full set of Tier 6 gear? I haven’t seen craftsmanship this exquisite in a millennium! Only the most legendary Tier 6 blacksmiths could produce something like this!” M exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement as he touched the armor. “I knew the Human Sovereign was powerful, but I never imagined he possessed such treasures!”

“His Majesty’s true depth is beyond your wildest dreams. Do you have confidence now?” the host asked, chin held high as he flaunted his master’s power.

“Absolutely! Those two, L and K—they might have been glorious once, but they are nothing but fading stars now!” M replied, already considering himself part of the team. “With the Human Sovereign behind us, why should I fear them?”

“Good. That’s the attitude we need. The Human Sovereign wants this settled quickly,” the host said before turning to his Captain. “Very well, open the teleportation channels and bring those two in.”

Shortly after, two more bursts of gray light signaled the arrival of the others, making the square before the castle gates even more crowded.