The Favored Can Act Without Fear

For the noble ladies who had no qualms about exposing large swaths of skin, the banquet hall had underfloor heating this time.

Beneath the unremarkable floor, two full layers of metal pipes carrying hot water had been installed, keeping the temperature throughout the hall pleasantly warm.

Yet Alice's fingers were icy cold, and her already snow-white face had turned even paler.

Aaron's words had made her feel as though she had fallen into an icy abyss.

She had to admit that Aaron had a point.

Perhaps her way of thinking had been too narrow. She had never considered this angle at all. She had only cared about Lord Bals repeatedly deceiving them.

As a result, it was not until Aaron exposed the matter that she belatedly came to her senses.

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

Bals gave Aaron a deep look, the smile vanishing from his face. "Aaron, I suppose I truly underestimated you. Or rather, I underestimated the Albert Family..."

By the end, he seemed to realize something and abruptly stopped. He merely gave Aaron a strained smile and fell silent.

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

In an instant, he began thinking rapidly, and all the strange feelings he had sensed before rose to the surface.

"Lord Bals, it seems you know something."

Ultimately, he had too little information to reach any conclusions. So, after a moment's thought, he simply asked outright.

"Yes, Mr. Aaron, I admit that I know something about the Albert Family. But you should be able to guess that I won't tell you." Bals clasped his hands together and relaxed all at once.

He had once again seized control of the conversation.

"I have the Star Tower's help. I have Sart and Siosand. You should understand that they'll help me find a solution."

"You're so certain they can help you?" Bals let out a mocking laugh.

"I wasn't certain before. I am now."

To Alice and Bals's surprise, Aaron revealed a sly smile.

"I can now confirm two things. First, the matter concerning my family is probably extremely serious. Even Sart and Siosand of the Star Tower can't resolve it. Second..." Aaron's gaze sharpened. "Lord Bals, you clearly know quite a lot about this matter..."

"And then?" Bals studied Aaron with interest. "And then? Even if you can figure that much out, what can you do? Can you force me to tell you?"

"Bals, what exactly is this matter?" Alice could not help interrupting. She had an ominous premonition that seemed to suggest this matter was somehow connected to her.

Unfortunately, her premonition appeared to be true.

"As far as I know, Miss Alice, this matter may also involve you—or the House of Iris." Bals leaned lazily against the railing and casually glanced at the heads moving about below before slowly continuing, "This is the city lord's residence, Lord Aaron, Miss Alice."

"Lord Bals, don't forget that you've made a deal with the heretics!" Alice's expression turned several shades uglier, so she bluntly pointed it out.

Bals shrugged. "So what? Miss Alice, you don't truly think this alone is enough to threaten me, do you?"

He looked around, then simply pointed at the crowd below and gestured casually. "This is Leyden City, the city in the Yagrant Kingdom closest to Badipila. Miss Alice, in fact, every merchant guild in this city—and nearly everyone present today—has dealt with the heretics to some extent."

There was something inscrutable in Bals's tone. "Members of the Heretical Cult are human too. When profit is involved, all that matters is who pays more."

He spoke so openly, smiling around the eyes, without the slightest hint of regret or fear.

He truly had no reason to care about this.

As he had mentioned earlier, politics was a matter of compromise.

Colin was a product of compromise, and, as it happened, so was he.

As long as he did not make a fundamental mistake, nothing would happen to him.

He had merely cooperated somewhat with the Heretical Cult. He had not caused any major damage to Leyden City.

A few people had died. Even if one of them had been a Bronze Tier transcendent, it was still nothing more than a minor matter.

Before the entire Yagrant Kingdom, something like this could not even be considered a minor matter.

Alice fell silent. She clenched her teeth and took a deep breath. Though she was furious, reason told her that Bals was right.

Even if she exposed Bals in front of everyone now, the final result would probably not be what she imagined.

Although the Yagrant Kingdom had always taken a clear and decisive stance against the Heretical Cult, it was impossible to threaten or topple Bals based on this one matter alone.

"Yes, when profit is involved, all that matters is who pays more." Aaron nodded seriously and echoed him. Then he continued, "But what if someone doesn't care about money?"

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

Bals's expression changed again. He seemed to realize something. He pressed his lips together, and the relaxed look he had just regained was forced into solemnity.

"One drop of Blazing Sun Potion." Aaron pointed at himself and raised one finger. "One drop of Blazing Sun Potion is worth nearly half of Leyden City, yet his apprentice used it on me just like that. If you were in my place, do you think you would care about this matter?"

Aaron's gaze gradually turned sharp, his eyes bristling with menace.

To be honest, because of the difference in strength, Bals had always focused most of his attention on placating Alice and Sart.

Clearly, his plan had succeeded. If Aaron had not intervened halfway through, Alice probably would never have learned about this matter.

However, Bals had ultimately overlooked Aaron—the fellow who had only just entered the Black Iron Tier.

He had overlooked how unconventional and unrestrained the thoughts of someone who had crossed over from another world could be. Much of the carefully prepared rhetoric meant for Alice and Sart was completely useless against Aaron.

"Sart and Siosand will definitely return to the Star Tower, and their mentor will certainly 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."

"Guess whether Julian's attention will turn here." Aaron pointed at the ceiling and smiled amiably. "Then guess whether he'll see something he never expected to see."

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

"I'll tell you a secret that isn't really a secret. Tower Master Julian dotes on Sart, and fortunately, I happen to be very close to Master Sart..."

What kind of wind was the most powerful?

Not a typhoon, nor a tornado. Of course, it was the wind from one's pillow.

Emmmm, something seemed a little off?

At this thought, the corners of Aaron's lips rose involuntarily. His tone was leisurely, and he even imitated Bals, lazily leaning back as a tactic. "Sorry for the trouble, Lord Bals. The favored really can act without fear~"