I can do even more despicable things

The doors opened, and Judra, along with two knights, carried Anger out, hastily retreating under the gaze of the many nobles.

For the entire Worton Family, this was a complete and utter rout.

Anger had misjudged his enemy, marched out in fury, and when defeat was already sealed, could have salvaged things at a minor cost—yet his own stubbornness and arrogance had lost him everything.

The prestige and reputation he had built up over many years were destroyed in an instant.

And everything he lost was swept into Baron Raven's pocket.

The more irritable, impulsive, and unreasonable Anger had been, the more composed, reserved, and courteous Raven appeared.

"Ladies and gentlemen." As soon as Raven spoke, he drew everyone's attention: "As the host, I apologize for making you witness such an unseemly scene. As compensation, after the ceremony, I will gift each household a bottle of Angel's Tear."

Viscount John's voice rang out: "Oh? Then is today's banquet to end here? Baron Raven wouldn't be so stingy, would he? We've barely had a taste of such fine wine."

This remark immediately drew a wave of good-natured laughter; Anger's sudden outburst had indeed left everyone with little time to enjoy the wine.

Raven smiled and said, "Of course not. Refreshments will be served shortly—please, help yourselves."

Servants brought in long tables, and maids presented delicacies, marking the start of a fashionable buffet-style gathering.

Out of courtesy, the nobles came up one after another to chat with Raven, their topics nothing more than networking and reminiscing—"Your grandfather and my great-grandfather once fought side by side on such-and-such battlefield," "My great-grandfather once vied with your great-grandfather for some girl's hand."

Whether true or false didn't matter; what mattered was talking, putting in a face, in case it might prove useful someday.

Still, most nobles only exchanged a few words with Raven before moving on. Instead, it was Denise who found herself surrounded—mainly by the female relatives of the nobles present.

Nobles were ashamed to speak openly of profit, so they wouldn't personally haggle over prices, but exchanges among noblewomen were another matter entirely.

The banquet lasted until evening, with both host and guests thoroughly pleased. Those from nearby estates departed by carriage, while those from farther away chose to stay overnight, setting off the next day.

With the day's busyness over, Raven returned to his room, leaned by the window, and poured himself a drink.

No sooner had he filled his glass than he heard a knock. He said quietly, "Come in."

The door opened, and a wisp of cool breeze swept through the room. Raven turned to look and froze on the spot.

It was Denise.

She had shed her black attire from the day and changed into a white gauze dress. Under the breeze, the hem fluttered, revealing her soft arms and two enticing ankles.

She walked gracefully to sit beside Raven, a fragrant breeze wafting over. Her cheeks were flushed from alcohol, her eyes moist and full of feeling.

Raven took a deep breath but leaned back against the wall: "Aunt-in-law, I advise you to leave quickly. My self-restraint isn't that strong."

"Or what will you do?" Denise chuckled softly. "Strip me bare and throw me on the bed right now?"

"You think I wouldn't dare?" Raven suddenly turned and leaned close to Denise's face, his eyes carrying undisguised aggression.

His gaze swept over her brows, eyes, nose, and lips, then trailed down into the valley before rising again, quietly drawing near.

Just as he was about to close the distance, Denise suddenly stood up: "Tsk. Unfortunately, I'm not interested."

She walked to the window, took a fresh cup, and poured herself a drink. After just a sip, she frowned: "Why Flowing Amber, not Angel's Tear?"

"I like it. What's it to you?" Raven snatched the cup from Denise's hand and downed the remaining liquor in one gulp, saying impatiently, "Either strip yourself bare and throw yourself on the bed, or get the hell out."

Denise frowned slightly, displeased: "Raven, you really are a scumbag."

"I can do even more scumbag things right now." Raven sneered, pouring himself another drink. "Like pinning you against the window right now and letting all of Eagle Town see their lord's fine figure."

"...It seems I overestimated you." Denise shook her head in irritation. "I don't know how Laxus was persuaded by you."

She turned and walked to the door: "Today, thirteen noble houses expressed interest in purchasing Angel's Tear. Within half a month, you'll need to prepare another three hundred bottles. I'll have the raw materials ready—you handle the processing."

Bang. The door slammed shut.

Raven didn't turn around. He just stared at the moon in the sky, growing more and more distracted.

These damned nobles!

For Raven, today was a day of total victory—he had thwarted Anger's offensive, secured Judra's promise, and Angel's Tear had sold like wildfire.

But he still felt pissed off.

Especially when he recalled his conversations with those nobles today.

"Baron Raven, I hear you grew up in an orphanage. What was life like there?"

"Baron Raven, can you tell me what life is like for the Lowlifes in Monen City?"

"Baron Raven, I hear your nickname is 'Little Bee.' Can you tell us how that came about?"

Slap.

The silver cup was crushed flat against the windowsill. A trace of resentment flashed across Raven's face: "Your mother!"

These nobles all put on a courteous front, but their attitudes were condescending. The way they looked at him was like watching a monkey—they all hoped to reinforce their own superior status through his stories.

Their every word and gesture constantly conveyed one message: "Standing with us is an honor for a nobody like you."

Raven hated this feeling, but for now, he was powerless to change it.

He stared at his own palm and let out a long breath: "Still too weak."

Rank, troops, honor, status, wealth...

He had none of them.

In terms of rank, he was merely a mortal, and through the Eye of Truth he could clearly see that among the nobles attending today's meeting, anyone with a nobility title was at least a First-tier Transcendent.

In terms of military strength, he had only thirty-six private soldiers and a single First-tier Transcendent like Eric.

In terms of honor and status, he was just a baron, with only eight hundred subjects under his command—less than some Knight's Manors.

In terms of wealth—what wealth did he have? The ninety gold coins in the warehouse?

That was a fortune to him, but to most nobles, it was merely the price of a set of everyday formal attire.

And the root of the problem lay precisely in wealth.

Without gold coins, there was no way to become a Transcendent, no way to support or arm a military force, and no way to roll out the industries he envisioned.

Fortunately, he now had a foothold.

His gaze drifted toward the window, where the night was deep and Eagle Town lay shrouded in darkness, but three settlements across the river glimmered with lights, especially Shining Gold Town, blazing brightly.

Taking down Anger today had certainly been satisfying, and Judra's promises sounded earnest enough, but Raven didn't believe the Worton Family would actually cough up Eagle Beak Mountain Quarry and Thousand Needle Jungle.

Qualified nobles were thick-skinned and black-hearted, let alone an old fox like Anger.

After today's affair, unless Anger kicked the bucket immediately and Judra succeeded him as baron, those so-called promises were nothing but empty words.

What Raven truly wanted was Shining Gold Town.

Four to seven hundred gold coins in annual taxes, the largest market town within a hundred miles.

If he could reclaim it, Eagle Territory would gain a stable source of tax revenue, more subjects to mobilize as soldiers, and expand his current strength.

More importantly, the new products Raven planned to promote next could be produced and launched entirely in Shining Gold Town, reducing his dependence on Denise.

A knock sounded again at the door.

"Come in." Raven turned back with a smile. "If you're really going to strip yourself bare, I hope you're wearing the lace I like..."

His voice caught in his throat, because the one pushing the door open was Eric.

The burly man, standing a full one meter ninety, had panic and bewilderment written all over his face, his peanut-sized eyes wide like hawthorn berries.

"Cough, you didn't hear anything." Raven rubbed his nose, shifting the topic with slight embarrassment. "Something urgent?"

"Uh, no, I mean, yes, there is, Lord Raven!" Eric took a good while to calm his mind, stepped forward, and handed over a letter. "A letter for you."

Raven took the envelope, and the moment he saw the wax seal stamped with [H&S], his brow twitched. Tearing it open, he found only a single short sentence inside: Come alone to the 'Eagle's Wing' inn in Shining Gold Town to see me immediately. If you're late, face the consequences.

"Who delivered this?" Raven asked.

"A mysterious figure in a cloak, at least Second-tier." Eric replied respectfully. "He insisted this letter be given to you personally."

Raven pressed further. "Did the cloak have green patterns on it, like snake scales?"

"Yes, my lord." Eric said. "Do you have any idea who it is?"

Raven didn't answer; his gaze grew deeper. "Eric, follow me."

The two left the castle and made their way to the entrance of 'Eagle's Wing' in Shining Gold Town. Raven said, "Wait for me here."

Eric didn't understand, but his innate loyalty made him choose to obey the order.

Raven touched his arm, confirmed the hand crossbow was loaded, and pushed open the inn's door.

The smell of burning pinewood hit his nose, mingled with faint scents of wine and meat. The bald innkeeper looked up, then immediately lowered his head again.

"You brought a tail." A low voice suddenly sounded behind Raven.

Raven showed no panic. "I'm a baron; of course I have an escort when I travel. And I did come in alone. Is there a problem?"

"Follow me. No tricks." A man in a brown cloak stepped in front of Raven, the edges of the cloak trimmed with a ring of green scale-like patterns.

The Eye of Truth quietly activated at that moment. Beneath the man's cloak, a dense cyan light flared, and at his waist and on his fingers, two points of green flickered.

A Second-tier Storm Swordsman, equipped with an Enchanted Longsword and an enchanted ring.

Just as expected.

The inn was silent. Raven followed the man's steps up to the second floor, to the innermost room.

The man stopped at the door, pushed it open, and stepped aside. "Get in."

Pausing briefly to confirm there were no traps at the entrance, Raven walked inside.

In the living room, a young man with a golden middle-parted short haircut sat sprawled on a long bench, radiating a soft golden light that revealed his strength as a First-tier Light Knight.

On his feet, waist, and fingers, green magical light shimmered, while the necklace around his neck glowed with a blue radiance.

A fine-grade enchanted accessory.

Behind him stood a man identical to the one outside the door—if not for the beard, they could easily be mistaken for the same person.

Despite being under immense intimidation, Raven boldly pulled over a chair and sat directly across from the young man, which sparked a flash of irritation in the latter's eyes. "Raven, I didn't permit you to sit yet."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize that as a baron, I'd need someone else's permission to sit in my own territory." Raven said.

"How dare you!" The man behind the young man rested his hand on his sword hilt. "Do you know who you're speaking to?"

Raven picked up a grape from the table and tossed it into his mouth. "Of course I do. Hyde Slate, son of Count Talon—neither the most favored nor the most valued."

That shut the man up completely.

Hyde finally sat up straight. "How do you know who I am?"

"Simple." Raven pointed at the man behind him. "That cloak is the standard gear of your family's elite private soldiers, [Typhon's Fang]. A young man who can command them, with the initials 'HS'—other than you, I can't think of a second person."

"Not bad, you've got some brains. That must be the survival wisdom of a gutter rat." Hyde let out a sneer. "Since you're so clever, why don't you guess why I called you here?"

"If you can't answer..."

His eyes, blue tinged with gray, looked especially sinister under the dim light of the room. He extended a finger and dragged it across his own throat.

Raven put on a terrified expression. "Oh, my esteemed Lord Hyde, please forgive my arrogance, pardon my sins. Whatever you ask, I'll do anything for you!"

A hint of smugness flickered across Hyde's face. He was about to speak when Raven straightened his expression and said, "You thought I was going to say that, didn't you, Mr. Hyde?"

Hyde's face went pale for an instant. "You're asking for death! The dignity of the Slate Family cannot be defiled!"

"Mm, good, very imposing." Raven slowly clapped his hands. "If Count Talon himself had said that to me."

"You!" Hyde's face flushed red. He ground his teeth and said, "Aren't you afraid I'll..."

"Afraid of what?" Raven asked. "Afraid you'll kill me here? Do you really dare, young master?"

Hyde's breath caught in his throat.

He was indeed the count's son, but Count Talon had two wives, seven sons and two daughters. Though he was the youngest son, all the family's favor fell on his sister.

If he actually killed an Imperial Baron here, not only would Count Talon likely refuse to protect him, but even if he did, his brothers would be watching him closely!

"I won't kill you," Hyde said. "But I have plenty of ways to make your life worse than death!"

Raven widened his eyes, feigning innocence. "Like what?"

"Like—" Hyde's voice caught in his throat, and then he froze.

Right. Like what?

Use the resources at his disposal to cripple the Griffith Family's economic lifeline?

Did the Griffith Family... even have one?

Or send people to sabotage the industries of Eagle Town?

But Eagle Town only had those few hundred acres of farmland. He couldn't exactly have his men go set fires in the fields, could he?

Or threaten to kidnap Raven's family... like Denise or Weston.

But if those two were kidnapped, Raven would probably be laughing his head off, wouldn't he?

After thinking it over, Hyde was shocked to discover that he couldn't find a single handle on Raven.

"So, is there anything else?" Raven asked. "If not, I'll be going."

In just over ten minutes, Raven had completely seized control of the conversation.

Hyde said sullenly, "I do have something to discuss with you."

"I want you to give up the title of Imperial Baron of Eagle Territory and hand it over to me. Of course, I won't let you suffer a loss."

He clapped his hands. The man behind him turned and left, returning shortly with a heavy wooden box in both arms, setting it down gently between Raven and Hyde.

Hyde opened the lid, and the room was flooded with golden light. "Here are five thousand gold coins. That should be enough, right?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, five thousand gold coins. That's quite a lot." Raven let out an admiring whistle, but reached out and closed the lid.

Hyde's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

Raven said, "It means the price you're offering is too low."

"Raven, don't go too far!" Hyde slammed the table. "You're just a lowlife who crawled out of the gutter, a thug from the slums who got lucky with a title. Do you really think you're a noble?"

Raven gave him a long, hard look, then stood up and turned to leave.

"The Bloody Highlands are about to enter the rainy season. A large number of bandits will be streaming down," Hyde shouted after him.

"A fiefdom noble has a duty to defend his land!"

"I'll be right here waiting for you. Remember this: within a month, you'll be kneeling here begging me to take your territory!"