The Favored Are Fearless

The banquet hall was equipped with underfloor heating for the noble ladies who weren't afraid to show off large amounts of skin.

Metal pipes carrying hot water were laid across the inconspicuous floor in two full layers, maintaining a pleasant temperature throughout the hall.

But at this moment, Alice's fingers were ice-cold, and her already snow-white face had a touch of paleness.

Aaron's words plunged her into an ice cave.

She had to admit, Aaron had a point.

Perhaps it was due to her limited perspective, but she hadn't considered it from that angle at all. She was only concerned about Lord Bals repeatedly deceiving them.

This led her to only realize the truth belatedly when Aaron exposed it.

"I want to know, Lord Bals, how do you explain this?"

Bals gave Aaron a deep look, his smile completely disappearing. "Aaron, I think I truly underestimated you, or rather, I underestimated the Albert Family..."

As he spoke the last words, he seemed to realize something and stopped abruptly, managing only a weak smile at Aaron before falling silent.

"What did you say?" Aaron frowned. "Albert... our family? What happened to our family?"

In an instant, he began to think rapidly, all the unease he had felt previously surfacing in his mind.

"Lord Bals, it seems you know something."

Ultimately, due to the limited information he had, Aaron couldn't reach any conclusions after a moment's thought, so he decided to be direct.

"Yes, Mr. Aaron, I admit I know something about the Albert Family, but you can guess that I won't tell you." Bals clasped his hands together, suddenly relaxing.

He had regained the initiative in the conversation.

"I have the help of the Star Tower, I have Sart and Siosand, you should know that they will help me find a solution."

"Are you so sure they can help you?" Bals scoffed.

"I wasn't sure before, but now I am."

To the surprise of both Alice and Bals, Aaron revealed a sly smile.

"I can be sure of two things now. First, this matter concerning my family is probably a big deal, so big that even Sart and Siosand from the Star Tower can't solve it. Second... Lord Bals, you clearly know quite a bit about this matter..."

"And then what?" Bals scrutinized Aaron with interest. "And then what? Even if you know these things, so what? Can you really force me to say it?"

"Bals, what exactly is this matter?" Alice couldn't help but interject, vaguely having a premonition that this matter might be related to her as well.

Unfortunately, her premonition seemed to be true.

"As far as I know, Miss Alice, this matter might also be related to you, or to the House of Iris." Bals leaned lazily against the railing, casually glancing at the people milling about below before slowly saying, "This is the Lord's Mansion, Mr. Aaron, Miss Alice."

"Lord Bals, don't forget you have dealings with the cultists!" Alice's expression turned several shades uglier, and she decided to point it out directly.

Bals shrugged. "So what? Miss Alice, you don't really think that's enough to threaten me, do you?"

He looked around and then casually gestured with his arm towards the crowd below. "This is Leyden City, the closest city to Badipila in the Yagrant Kingdom. Miss Alice, in fact, everyone in all the merchant guilds in this city, everyone present today, has had some dealings with cultists, one way or another."

Bals' tone was unreadable. "Cultists are also human. In the face of profit, it's simply a matter of who offers more money."

He said this openly with a smile, showing no hint of regret or fear.

He indeed didn't need to care about this.

As he had mentioned before, politics was a compromise.

Colin was a product of compromise, and he, unfortunately, was too.

As long as he didn't make any fundamental mistakes, nothing would happen.

It was just a slight cooperation with the cultists, and it hadn't caused great destruction to Leyden City.

A few people died, and even if one of them was a Bronze Tier transcendent, it was just a small matter.

In the eyes of the entire Yagrant Kingdom, such a thing wasn't even a small matter.

Alice fell silent, gnashing her teeth. She took a deep breath. Despite her anger, her reason told her that Bals was right.

Even if she exposed Bals in front of everyone now, the ultimate outcome would likely not be what she imagined.

Even though the Yagrant Kingdom's stance on cultists had always been clear and decisive, it was impossible to threaten or even bring down Bals based on this single matter alone.

"Yes, in the face of profit, it's simply a matter of who offers more money." Aaron nodded seriously, agreeing. But then he added, "What if someone doesn't care about money?"

"There are many people in this world who care about money, but there are still people who don't, right? For example..." Aaron deliberately drew out the last word. "Tower Master Julian."

Bals' expression changed again. He seemed to realize something, pursed his lips, and his previously relaxed demeanor turned serious.

"One drop of Blazing Sun Potion," Aaron pointed to himself, extending his index finger. "One drop is worth almost half of Leyden City's Blazing Sun Potion, and it was used on me by his apprentice. If it were you, do you think you would care about this?"

Aaron's eyes gradually sharpened, his gaze piercing.

Honestly, due to his strength, Bals had focused most of his energy on placating Alice and Sart.

It was clear his plan had succeeded. If Aaron hadn't intervened midway, Alice probably wouldn't have known about this matter at all.

However, Bals had ultimately overlooked Aaron, overlooked this guy who had just entered the Black Iron Tier.

He overlooked how unrestrained and unconventional the thinking of someone who transmigrated from another world could be. Many of the carefully prepared speeches for Alice and Sart were completely useless to Aaron.

"Sart and Siosand will definitely return to the Star Tower, and their mentor will definitely ask about the whereabouts of that drop of Blazing Sun Potion. They definitely won't lie, but... I can teach them how to lie with the truth."

"Any guesses if Julian's gaze will drift this way?" Aaron pointed at the ceiling above, smiling amiably. "Then guess, will he see something he wouldn't expect?"

Bals forced a laugh. "Do you think Tower Master Julian has that much free time?"

"Let me tell you a not-so-secret secret: Tower Master Julian dotes on Sart, and luckily, Master Sart and I are quite close..."

What wind is the strongest?

It's not a typhoon, not a tornado, and certainly not the wind from a pillow.

Emmm, something feels a bit off here?

Thinking this, Aaron's lips curved upwards involuntarily, his tone leisurely. He even mimicked Bals' posture, leaning back lazily. "Apologies, Lord Bals. Those who are favored are truly fearless ~"