"Is that so, my lord?" Janie drained the Corona Ginger Juice in one gulp before continuing, "Yatat City has recently suffered repeated infiltrations and acts of sabotage by outsiders. After investigating, we found that they all came from the Qivita Family of Morata City. Mistress obviously couldn't allow them to provoke her again and again, so she decided to strike first. And on the way from Yatat City to Morata City, they happen to have to pass through your Yumaas Region, my lord. Besides, Mistress hasn't seen you in a long time and misses you terribly, so she sent me here to notify you first. Mistress will be arriving soon. Please make the necessary preparations."
"You're saying my second older sister is coming here?" Landen was stunned. To be honest, he had never expected Vivian's envoy to bring news like this.
"She's merely passing through and taking the opportunity to visit Mistress's younger brother—that is, you, my lord," Janie replied.
"Then does that mean I should run away right now?" Landen spoke as if to himself.
Janie's expression turned cold, but Landen continued, "Heh, I'm only joking. My relationship with my second older sister is actually quite good. I couldn't welcome her more warmly. I'm just wondering, when will my second older sister set out?"
"When Moon Tide falls."
"So about a month from now?" Landen calculated the timing and smiled. "My second older sister is as decisive as ever. There's still a month to go, yet she's already sent someone to notify me."
"By the way." Landen suddenly changed his tone and looked at Janie. "My second older sister sent you, Miss Janie, as one of her most trusted aides. Surely you didn't come merely to deliver this message? I wonder what other task my second older sister assigned you?"
"That is none of your concern, my lord. My task here is complete, so I won't linger." With her task here finished, Janie could no longer be bothered to keep up the pretense, and her tone grew colder.
"Oh, I see. After all, I'm just a useless bastard son, while you're the trusted subordinate of the noble Mistress Vivian. There's no need for you to pay any attention to me, right?" Landen's voice suddenly softened, carrying a hint of mockery.
"My lord!" Janie's heart jolted. Thinking he had seen through something from her expression, she sprang from her chair and was about to explain.
However, Landen's voice rang out first. "My, my. No wonder you're known as Yatat City's Second Genius, second only to my second older sister. You can still stand even at a time like this. It seems the rumors that you're only at High-tier Black Iron aren't quite accurate. You're at least at Black Iron Peak now—and perhaps you've even begun attempting to break through to Silver, haven't you?"
"What do you mean?" Janie's words were sharp, but her body could no longer match her expression. A powerful weakness surged through her legs, leaving them unable to support her weight. Her body, which had just risen, collapsed back into the chair. Staring at Landen in shock and fury, she asked, "What did you do to me?"
Landen did not answer Janie immediately. Instead, he said leisurely, "I don't know what my second older sister is really planning, but it definitely isn't good news. To be honest, the main reason she sent you here at this time was to see how I'm doing, wasn't it? It seems she's been keeping an eye on me all along and learned about what happened to me some time ago, right?"
Janie's expression changed. By this point, she could no longer control it.
Landen continued, "Since she knew what happened to me before, shouldn't she also know that it happened because I drank Corona Ginger Juice? I'm starting to wonder—are you really a genius? Knowing all that, you still dared to drink that cup of Corona Ginger Juice so casually?"
Janie's expression grew even uglier. What Landen said was true, but precisely because it was true, it cut deeper than any mockery could have.
Holding his cup of Corona Ginger Juice, Landen stood up and slowly sauntered over to Janie. "You should know my situation very well. You should also know that, although I'm rather pathetic, I still possess Low-tier Black Iron strength. How could drinking Corona Ginger Juice have reduced me to that state? Or did you add something to the Corona Ginger Juice, causing what happened? And did you confidently assume that only you knew about that additive, while I could only make the original Corona Ginger Juice?"
As he spoke, Landen raised his hand and drained the Corona Ginger Juice in his cup. Then he said, "Are you feeling a powerful chaotic force rampaging through your body right now, scattering your own strength and leaving you completely unable to exert yourself? I have to admit, this stuff really packs a punch. It can reduce even someone at Black Iron Peak to this state. No wonder, after learning that I hadn't died, my second older sister sent you to investigate in such disbelief and desperation. To be honest, if I hadn't had a bit of luck, my second older sister would have gotten exactly what she wanted."
"You don't need to look at me like that." Landen bent slightly and moved close to Janie's ear, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear. "You can be angry, but threats are unnecessary. You must have taken quite a few lives, right? You should also understand that, after telling you all this, there's no way I would let you leave alive."
"Oh, right. There's one more thing I forgot to tell you." Landen spoke unhurriedly. "I not only learned of my dear second older sister's schemes, but also figured out the identity of the person she planted beside me to monitor me and kill me whenever the opportunity arose. You go on ahead. He'll be joining you soon."
His voice, which had suddenly turned vicious and resolute at the final moment, fell. At that very instant, Janie, known as Yatat City's First Assassin Master, felt a shock in the crown of her head before plunging into eternal darkness.
When the Minotaur Butler returned to the dining hall after clearing away the used dishes, this was the scene he saw.
His lord gently patted Janie's head, as if caressing a child. Then he slowly raised his hand and pulled a Steel Thorn more than a centimeter long from the top of Janie's head. As the Steel Thorn came free, Janie's body toppled forward as if all its strength had been drained, her beautiful face crashing with a thud into the plate of "pig feed" on the table before her.
"I really didn't expect my dear second older sister to send someone like this. She actually dared to covet my wealth and attack me. Of course, this merciful me never wanted to kill her. It was all just an accident, after all. She was killed by her own weapon." As he spoke, Landen picked up the tablecloth and wiped the Steel Thorn in his hand before releasing it.
With a ding, the Steel Thorn struck a bowl. Yet it seemed to have struck the Minotaur Butler's heart as well, causing even his stone-hard body to shudder violently along with the sound...
Before you continue