Gner arrived

Still, there was no need to worry. Kronos checked his potion's digestion progress. Three more boxing matches might be enough, or they might not. If not, he would go after the Black Skull Gang.

Before that, though, he needed to go home and pick up a couple of Beyonder items. Ideally, he would also find one or two people to protect him. Only then would the plan be foolproof.

Although fighting for his life would produce the best results, Kronos was heir to a marquis. There was no need for him to risk his life against a bunch of thugs. As long as his opponents genuinely used every means at their disposal to survive, he believed it would help him digest his potion considerably.

But not yet. He had to finish the remaining three boxing matches first.

Kronos paid Professor Portland's students a cursory visit. He had already assembled one production line with them. If they still needed his guidance for the rest, they would be rather useless students.

After inspecting the factory's processes, Kronos did not neglect to visit the church for worship. In fact, every time he had come to Saint George District lately, he had made a point of worshipping at Saint Hilarion Church.

It was not because Kronos had chosen to believe in the God of Steam and Machinery, but because it was useful.

That was how Kronos truly felt. He never claimed to have any religious faith, but he still kept visiting churches belonging to the Church of Steam and Machinery.

The Argel Family already enjoyed good relations with the Church of Steam and Machinery. It was an orthodox church authorized to preach in the Loen Kingdom, and Sequence 6 of the Savant Pathway was Artisan.

Whether it was the existence of an orthodox god or the appeal of its many Artisans, all of it was useful to Kronos-extremely useful.

Marquis Argyle had said that the Church of Steam and Machinery did not really care whether their family believed in the God of Steam and Machinery. Their relationship was more one of mutual benefit, so Kronos had continued expressing his goodwill toward the church.

He believed the church had noticed, too. At first, any random person would receive him. Now, he could already detect spirituality in those who welcomed him.

Still, they did not discuss anything in depth. He simply attended an ordinary service and then left.

With the factory business finished, Kronos had nothing else to do, so he headed home.

That was one drawback of this era: travel took far too much time. The subway would clearly have been faster, but as heir to a marquis, he could not take it. By the time his carriage reached home, dusk had fallen, and the sun had almost completely sunk behind the mountains to the west.

When Kronos arrived at the villa in Empress Borough, he saw someone pacing back and forth outside the entrance. The figure looked very familiar.

As he drew closer, he recognized him. Wasn't that Gner?

Kronos hurried over. "Gner, you're free?"

Hearing his voice, Gner turned and saw Kronos. Delighted, he spread his arms and gave him a hug.

"Yes, I've retired for good. I didn't want to keep wasting my days, but there was nothing else I could do, so all I did was drink. You've given me a new lease on life."

Kronos chuckled. "That sounds like you're planning to quit drinking."

"Not a chance. There's no way I'm quitting drinking," Gner said at once.

"All right, why are we talking out here? Come inside." With that, Kronos led Gner into the house.

After instructing the butler to arrange a room for Gner, the two sat down on the sofa.

"How's your potion coming along?" Kronos had not told Gner about the Acting Method, but Gner had already been acting naturally.

Gner said in amazement, "Less than three days after you left, I suddenly felt completely clear inside one day. I don't know why, but it felt great."

"That's a sign you've fully mastered your potion. Some people take potions that don't suit them, so they can only wear away at them slowly over time. Yours suits you very well, which is why you felt that way."

Kronos continued, "I don't have the next potion formula, but my family does. Come home with me tomorrow. Once you've taken it, we'll test your combat strength. I have a use for it."

Gner's timing could not have been better. This was a man who had defeated Sequence 8 Pugilists and Barbarians while still an ordinary person. Kronos could take him along when he went after the Black Skull Gang.

Once Gner reached Sequence 8, fighting a Sequence 7 Spirit Medium of the Corpse Collector Pathway, who was not particularly good at combat, should not be too much of a problem.

That was why they needed to test his combat strength. In all his years, Kronos had never seen any Sequence 7 or Sequence 6 Beyonders at home who were not family members, but he believed the family must have some. It was just that Sequence 7 and above counted as mid-sequence. They could hardly be treated as bodyguards.

"Are we going to fight? I'm quite the professional." Gner was still excited. It was not that he had never fought Beyonders before, but since becoming one himself, he had yet to fight anyone.

Seeing Gner's excitement, Kronos told him the whole story about the Black Skull Gang, including his estimate of their strength.

"If I can advance another step, I might be able to handle it. Still, we'd better test me first and thoroughly investigate their strength. You can't go into battle unprepared," Gner cautioned.

"Don't worry. I don't have enough people under me for this, but the family certainly does. If every calculation says we can't win, I'll have the family step in. We won't take risks. It's not worth it."

Since there was no boxing match that evening, neither of them went out. Instead, they stayed home, drinking and chatting. They kept at it until the early hours before returning to their respective rooms to sleep.

Early the next morning, Kronos took Gner to the manor. First, he needed to discuss the Black Skull Gang with Marquis Argyle. Second, he wanted to help Gner advance to Sequence 8.

Normally so easygoing and forthright, Gner suddenly grew nervous when they reached the entrance to Argyle Manor. Perhaps his previous experiences had left him with a lingering fear of the high nobility.

"It's all right, Gner. You won't necessarily meet my father. Our family has always believed in not interfering too much in the affairs of the next generation, so if you don't want to see him, he generally won't come looking for you," Kronos reassured him.

But Gner was so nervous that he seemed not to hear a word. Kronos shook his head at the sight.

After entering the manor, Kronos immediately had the butler arrange a room for Gner. Looking at how nervous he was, there was no way he would dare meet Marquis Argyle.

Kronos, however, went to see Marquis Argyle himself. There were many matters he needed to discuss with his father.

Without needing to ask where he was, Kronos headed straight to Marquis Argyle's study. His father spent more than three hundred days a year there, reading or directing his subordinates' work from afar. That was one advantage of staying out of politics: he did not have to handle everything in person.

Kronos knocked lightly on the study door a few times. Then the marquis's voice came from within. "Come in."

Kronos pushed the door open and entered. He had barely stepped into the study when Marquis Argyle asked without even looking up, "How did you find the time to come home?"

Kronos was not surprised. He could not call the manor's defenses impregnable, but there were hardly any blind spots. News of his return should have reached Marquis Argyle long ago. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Marquis Argyle put down his pen and raised his head to look directly at Kronos. He said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"I had someone arrange a few boxing matches against Beyonders for me. They've been very effective at helping me digest my potion, but there are only three left. I don't know whether they'll be enough to finish the digestion. If I'm still a little short, I plan to..."

Before Kronos could finish, Marquis Argyle cut in. "You plan to go after the Black Skull Gang, both to resolve the trouble at the harbor and to help digest your potion."

Seeing Kronos's startled expression, Marquis Argyle continued, "I didn't order your people to report to me. But faced with the gang and your attitude toward it, they were frightened, so they came to report to me of their own accord."

"There's a lesson I want you to learn from this. You and the people around you share common interests. You don't have to reveal every part of your plans, but you mustn't leave them feeling uncertain. Fear is a terrible force. It can give rise to many things more terrible still, such as betrayal."

That was indeed something Kronos had failed to consider. When dealing with the Black Skull Gang, he had chosen to give in outright to lull them into complacency. But his subordinates did not have a marquis for a father to back them up. Naturally, they were afraid.

Kronos had not thought of that. Fortunately, they had only complained to his father, and Marquis Argyle had guessed what Kronos intended. If it had led to more serious consequences, Kronos might not even have had a chance to put things right.

"Father, I understand. I'll make sure to take that into account in the future." Since Kronos had made a mistake, he naturally admitted it with complete sincerity.

"It's all right. This was only a minor matter, but you must remember it in the future. Otherwise, things can easily go wrong."

Kronos nodded, then continued, "Gner finished digesting his potion several days ago. I'd like him to take the Sequence 8 potion, then test his strength."

Marquis Argyle agreed without hesitation. "Go ahead. Just go to the storeroom. His potion formula is in there too. You'll need to find it and brew it yourself."

"As for testing his strength, you want me to find a Sequence 7 Spirit Medium for him to fight?" Marquis Argyle was remarkably perceptive. He had guessed correctly at once.

"Yes. If he can hold his own against a Spirit Medium, I can take him with me when I go after the Black Skull Gang. My assessment of their strength shouldn't be too far off, should it?" Kronos said confidently.