"Wait! Laurent!"
At that moment, the senior priest from their party walked over.
"What is it?" Laurent furrowed his brow, reading a grim portent on the other's face.
"The latest [High-grade Message] report! His Majesty the King of Danbules has issued a statement, attributing the entire pirate tide in the outer seas to the Barbarian Pirate
The priest's expression was grim, but he relayed the latest news all the same.
"As a result, we can no longer investigate them under suspicion. This mission must be halted!"
"Then all our effort, all our labor — and especially the thousands of innocent lives lost in the outer seas — all of that was for nothing?"
White flames of fury blazed around Laurent. He drew his sword and slashed the boulder beside him to fragments.
"There's nothing we can do. We can't directly oppose the crown..."
The priest's face held a look of helplessness.
If the Church of the God of Justice were to fully mobilize, toppling the Kingdom of Danbules wouldn't be impossible. But the issue was that the Church's power spanned the entire continent — it couldn't concentrate everything on Danbules alone.
Moreover, such an overt act of divine authority crushing royal power was deeply taboo among the other human kingdoms. Even if it succeeded, the drawbacks would outweigh the gains.
Worse still, other churches were watching from the sidelines, and they would never allow the Church of the God of Justice to dominate here unchallenged.
"Are we just going to let that noble escape punishment?"
Bloodshot veins stood out in Laurent's eyes.
"Of course not! The kingdom's statement represents the king's face — we certainly can't overturn it. The charge of piracy won't work anymore, but we can find other crimes to pursue..."
The priest had considerable experience in this area. After all, nobles who pulled such maneuvers were hardly uncommon.
"That said, we can't move against him for now. Let's take on other missions first!"
"No! I'm staying here. Until he's brought to justice, I'm not going anywhere!"
The paladin spoke with stubborn resolve — they were just that kind of bullheaded people. Once they made up their minds, there was no turning back.
The priest could only sigh helplessly.
...
An elegant carriage pulled to a slow stop along the roadside.
"Come, watch your step — the ground is slippery!" Viscount Daniel, dressed in fine attire, stepped down from the carriage, followed by Yalani and her sister — Hera!
Both sisters had changed into stunning gowns, looking utterly captivating. Yalani gazed at Daniel's face with cheeks flushed rosy, a glow of happiness radiating from her.
This girl, only fourteen, had already shed her youthful naivety and now exuded a charm unique to mature women.
Hera looked at the engaged couple ahead and could only sigh inwardly with resignation. With her sharp eye, how could she fail to see what had happened to her sister?
"Daniel is too impatient, and Yalani... Sigh... She gave him what he wanted so easily, without even the simplest of wedding ceremonies..."
Hera sighed quietly to herself, while recalling the way Daniel looked at her.
It was a gaze filled with aggression and wildness, even tinged with violence — an unsettling feeling, like facing a wolf.
Hera had seen that kind of look many times, but none had ever exerted such pressure on her. This was the tragedy of being entirely dependent on others!
If it weren't for the fact that he had some inclination to toy with his prey, she might have already fallen victim to him.
A sudden wave of sorrow washed over Hera's heart.
"I wonder how Lafinia is doing, and... Lei..."
Hera had always been fond of Lafinia, that sweet little girl, and that mercenary named Lei had left a deep impression on her as well.
He possessed powerful and mysterious abilities, and his eyes were uniquely pure — calming, able to put one at ease.
But in the next instant, irritation crept back into her chest.
"Lafinia is one thing, but even Lei turned down my goodwill!"
"My lady!" The elderly butler bowed respectfully, helping Hera down from the carriage and presenting an exquisitely embroidered handkerchief.
"Thank you." Hera accepted it with poise, feeling somewhat better.
"Just keep being my mercenary for life, Lei! I wonder — when you're old and gray, will you one day regret turning me down while chatting with your grandchildren..."
Hera's fingers tightened around the handkerchief. Only now did she realize just how deeply he had imprinted himself on her heart.
"Yalani, we're going to visit a viscount — oh! No, by now he should be called the Marquess of Golden Thorn. This marquess has just inherited his title, along with a vast stretch of territory in the outer seas..."
Daniel's voice drifted back to Hera continuously from up ahead.
She could even detect barely concealed envy in his tone!
Yes, envy — a massive estate, plus a hereditary marquessate! Things that no amount of lifetime effort on Daniel's part could ever earn him.
Through her brief time observing him, Hera had come to sense that, owing to the enormous expenses of life in the capital, Viscount Daniel was not nearly as prosperous as he appeared on the surface.
"Yalani, you must remember not to be rude. He is a royal noble, after all, with very high standards of etiquette..."
Up ahead, Daniel continued to coach her patiently.
"And... Hera!" Daniel suddenly turned around. His abrupt stop nearly made Hera bump into him.
"I'm... I'm terribly sorry!" Hera blushed faintly, lifting her skirt to offer an apology.
"It's nothing..." Gazing at Hera's mature, beautiful face, Daniel's eyes held a brief glimmer of intoxication before quickly recovering.
"The key point is that Marquess Dim is still very young — he doesn't even have a formal betrothal yet. Do you know what that means?"
Daniel looked into Hera's eyes.
"Could it be..." Hera's heart went cold, yet surprisingly she felt little resistance. If she could become a marquess's wife, it was something she had never even dared to imagine.
Even in the worst case — even if competition for the position of primary wife was fierce — simply establishing a connection with him would be an enormous boon for her small family.
"Daniel must be thinking the same thing — using me to win Marquess Dim's favor, perhaps even to gain further support..."
A tinge of sorrow crept through Hera's heart. Then she noticed her sister clinging to Daniel's arm — also dressed in finery, her face wearing an expression of pride and wariness, as though clutching a treasured doll from childhood.
"Fearing I'll steal her husband's affections? What a childish girl. I'm not her enemy..."
And the sisters' similar faces, combined with their shared noble status, were precisely the sort of thing that could spark a man's interest.
"I hope Daniel won't take that step... Otherwise..."
The grief in Hera's heart deepened further, though her face could only produce a strained smile: "Rest assured, brother-in-law Daniel. I know what to do."
"Good!" Daniel continued walking forward with a relieved air.
The Marquess of Golden Thorn's estate was indeed even more impressive. Rumor had it this was only a temporary residence, but the entrance was already packed with carriages — nearly all belonging to nobility. The reason for such a bustling scene was that the disputes over the title and territory had long since been settled without question, and those fence-sitting nobles naturally came to pay their respects, hoping to secure a share of profits from the outer sea trade. In truth, Daniel himself was one of them.
This reception of overflowing guests was clearly more than Viscount Daniel had anticipated, and Hera and Yalani could only accompany the viscount into a small drawing room to continue their wait.
After several hours — by which point Yalani had complained countless times and even Hera was growing impatient — a young nobleman finally walked in through the entrance.
"Ha! Daniel! My friend!"
He embraced Daniel warmly, then eagerly turned his gaze upon the Hera sisters. The undisguised look in his eyes made Hera's heart sink further: "So these are the noble sisters you spoke of? They look quite lovely!"
Dim rubbed his fingers together. In truth, since the incident, he had been harboring a dark fire inside that he was itching to unleash.
Daniel was hardly a figure of real power, but considering his beautiful fiancée and her sister, perhaps his earlier request was worth entertaining...
Having tasted the intoxication of great authority, Dim's eyes seemed to burn with flame, while Yalani tightly gripped her fiancé's arm.
"Haha... As long as the Marquess is pleased!"
But at that moment, Daniel's face wore a fawning smile — so unfamiliar that Yalani barely recognized him.
"Things are getting interesting."
Leilin walked with his hands clasped behind his back, strolling through the grounds of Marquess Dim's estate.
No — this estate now belonged entirely to him.
In truth, in order to create the impression of a close relationship with Dim for the outside world, and because the Faolan Family genuinely lacked a residence in the capital, Leilin had naturally moved right into the marquess's mansion.
After all, this was a property the previous Marquess of Golden Thorn had specifically purchased as a foothold in the capital. The surroundings were far superior to any inn.
Once Leilin had shown a hint of fondness for the place, the thoroughly terrified Dim had immediately transferred the deed and all related paperwork, presenting the entire estate with both hands.
Thus, this was now his territory.
Leilin reflected that he would need to remain in the capital for some time to study at the
"Having Dim stationed in the outer seas is better than having some unknown stranger. There's plenty of room for cooperation in the family's business as well..."