Chapter 1303: Problematic

A few days later, Lisa began putting her plan into motion.

She had no intention of taking control of Atrium City through violence. Doing so would only create unnecessary chaos and attract the attention of the Order of the Sky Sword, and possibly even the surrounding kingdoms. There was no reason to create chaos when she could simply make the people who governed it obey her.

Her first target was the city’s administrative office.

Lisa had already spent several days observing the city and learning how its government functioned. Atrium City did not have a single ruler who controlled everything. Instead, several officials were responsible for different aspects of the city, including taxation, trade, security, public records, and relations with the Adventurers Guild.

That arrangement made things considerably easier for her.

Late one evening, Lisa entered the administrative building without attracting any attention. The guards at the entrance barely glanced at her before allowing her to pass. By the time she reached the office of the highest-ranking administrator, the building was almost empty.

She knocked once before opening the door.

The middle-aged man sitting behind the desk looked up from the documents in front of him.

“Who are you?”

Lisa calmly closed the door behind her.

“Someone who would like to have a conversation with you.”

The administrator frowned and glanced toward the bell on his desk.

“I don’t remember arranging any meetings tonight.”

“You didn’t.”

Lisa walked closer.

The administrator’s hand moved toward the bell.

Before he could touch it, Lisa’s eyes suddenly turned crimson.

The man’s body froze at the same time!

His facial expression changed from confusion to fear as he stared directly into her eyes. He tried to move, but his body refused to obey him.

Lisa stopped in front of his desk.

“You will listen carefully.”

The man’s trembling gradually stopped and soon, he replied calmly…

“Yes.”

“You will continue performing your duties exactly as you have always done. Nothing about your behavior will change.”

“Yes.”

“You will also provide me with access to the city’s records and reports. I want to know about its resources, military forces, merchants, adventurers, and officials.”

“Yes.”

Lisa smiled.

“And you will never reveal that I was here.”

The administrator nodded.

“I understand.”

Lisa placed her hand against his shoulder.

A faint crimson light spread from her fingertips and entered his body.

The man’s pupils briefly turned red before returning to normal.

A few seconds later, Lisa removed her hand.

“Good.”

She turned toward the door before stopping.

“One more thing.”

The administrator immediately stood.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Find me the officials responsible for the city’s military forces.”

“I will.”

Lisa left the office.

The process was surprisingly simple.

Over the following days, she quietly repeated it with the people she considered important. She never tried to control everyone because there was no need to. The high officials responsible for taxation, trade, public records, and city security were enough to give her influence over most of Atrium City’s internal affairs.

There was no need to take control of the clerks and other civilians.

Nonetheless, she still selected several guards and placed Vampires among them.

They continued performing their duties normally, maintaining the same schedules and following the same orders as before. Nobody questioned them because there was nothing suspicious about their behavior.

Lisa was careful about whom she turned.

The more Vampires she created, the greater the possibility that someone would eventually notice something unusual. She therefore preferred quality over quantity, choosing people who already held important positions and could influence hundreds of others without realizing that they were doing so.

Within two weeks, Lisa had established a hidden network throughout the city.

As of now, she knew which merchants were moving valuable goods, which adventurers frequently traveled between Atrium City and the surrounding regions, and which officials were responsible for the city’s defenses. She even learned which merchants and administrators were secretly taking bribes.

Those people became some of her easiest targets.

What surprised Lisa most was how little she actually needed to change.

Atrium City already had functioning systems for everything. The officials had a proper method to collect taxes, the guards knew how to patrol the streets, merchants knew how to conduct their businesses, and the Adventurers Guild handled most matters concerning adventurers.

Lisa simply inserted herself into those existing systems.

From the perspective of ordinary citizens, nothing had changed.

The markets remained busy every morning. Adventurers continued entering the city through the gates, merchants continued transporting goods, and guards continued patrolling the streets.

If anything, the city seemed to be becoming more organized.

“This is a lot easier than I thought…” Lisa muttered as she recalled how she was barely able to handle a single manor, as the place lacked professionals.

This time, however, she made sure that she wouldn’t lack people who knew how to handle things…

Most importantly, she liked how the officials responsible for security had begun sharing information more efficiently. Reports concerning some beasts’ activity reached the appropriate departments faster, while resources were quietly redirected toward improving the city’s defenses.

Nobody realized that many of the decisions being made throughout Atrium City were ultimately influenced by the Vampire Queen.

***

One evening, Lisa stood on the balcony of one of the buildings overlooking the city.

The sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon, and countless lamps illuminated the streets below.

Merchants were closing their shops while adventurers returned from their quests. Guards continued their patrols, completely unaware that their city had already fallen under the influence of an ancient Vampire.

Lisa rested her hands against the balcony railing and watched the scene with a faint smile.

“I guess I can start managing a few territories now.”

She had originally thought she would need to spend considerable time establishing her influence, but Atrium City’s political structure had made the process surprisingly convenient.

There was no need for a throne or an army.

There was even no need to announce her arrival.

As long as the right people obeyed her, the entire city would continue functioning normally.

Lisa’s gaze eventually shifted toward the distant horizon.

She could still sense the faint energy spreading throughout the region.

The Divine Crystals Kyle had been sending to the Dawnblades were slowly changing the environment around Atrium City.

The effect was still weak, but Lisa could clearly feel the difference compared to when she had first arrived.

If the supply continued for several years, the region could eventually become considerably richer in Spirit Energy.

That would benefit the Dawnblades.

After all, the stronger the Dawnblades became, the more useful they would be to her.

Lisa’s thoughts then returned to another matter…

“Those dwarves… They’re quite problematic. To think that all my thralls were annihilated. They couldn’t even reach their underground kingdom.”