"Roar!" Golden Tiger leaped in at just the right moment, opened his blood-filled maw, and roared at the two of them.
Everyone in the room was stunned.
Andrew's sudden outburst and Golden Tiger's forceful entrance-the two strongest beings present unleashed their auras at once, and everyone felt as though a great weight had suddenly pressed down on them. Even the spacious hall seemed to have become cramped.
The ones who suffered most were Viscount Frey and his daughter, who bore the brunt of it.
That aura of the strong sent them flying. They landed on the floor, and then Golden Tiger planted his forepaws beside them, his great mouth facing them. They could count every one of his teeth...
The bloody stench from Golden Tiger's mouth nearly suffocated them, but neither dared move, afraid that Golden Tiger would bite their heads off.
"W-what are you d-doing..." Viscount Frey stammered. "I invited you to a feast out of kindness, and this is how you repay me?"
Howard tried to persuade him as well. "Andrew, let it go. Otherwise, we'll leave right now."
"You still think you can leave?" Seeing Howard back down, Kate immediately grew aggressive. "Clayde, summon the men at once and arrest them! This lowborn actually made me eat food off the floor. I'll kill him!"
Andrew turned to Howard. "We can't let it go this time. You can put up with it, but they can't."
Howard sighed and returned to Janice's side, shielding his wife and daughter. He could tell that Andrew was already nearing the breaking point, and no one could stop him. Thinking of Viscount Frey and his daughter's attitude, Howard was furious too. However, he lacked the strength to lash out and could only endure it.
Clayde stepped forward, his face pale. "Andrew, release the viscount. In the end, I'll let you leave!"
Andrew smiled coldly. Listening to the sounds outside the door, he asked, "You'll let me leave? Do you have the authority to decide that? I think you're waiting for reinforcements. Fine, I'll wait with you!"
Viscount Frey trembled beneath Golden Tiger's maw. He was actually a Sixth-level Warrior, but years of noble living had long since worn away his fighting spirit and courage.
"I'll give the order to let you leave. Hurry and make this magical beast release us!"
Andrew planted one foot on the table and said mildly, "Viscount, I truly admire you. Even when begging for mercy, you sound so self-righteous. Unfortunately, I'm going to disappoint you. Are you furious? Do you think I don't know what's good for me, that it's simply unforgivable for a lowborn like me to humiliate you this way? Do you want to kill me because that's the only way to vent your hatred?"
"Huh?" Viscount Frey's mouth fell open. Every word Andrew spoke struck exactly what was in his heart. Watching Andrew's expression, his fear slowly grew, and his sense of foreboding grew stronger.
"Clayde, save us!" Viscount Frey roared.
Clayde took two steps forward, approaching Andrew. He knew he was weaker than Andrew, but he had no choice. As the Frey Clan's guardian knight, Viscount Frey's words were his highest command.
Looking at him, Andrew said, "Clayde, think this through. Once you attack, I won't show mercy."
Clayde shook his head. "Protecting the Frey Clan's honor is my duty!"
"Come on, then!" Andrew said calmly.
Clayde suddenly leaped up. Despite his large frame, he was as agile as a wildcat. Facing a powerful enemy, his body was like a fully drawn bow as he unleashed all his strength. He knocked aside the tables and chairs before him, sending them flying toward Andrew.
Andrew snorted coldly and stamped his foot, unleashing Explosive Steps. With a bang, Clayde, who had only made it halfway, flew backward and slammed into the wall, leaving a human-shaped imprint. Yet Andrew had not moved at all and remained where he was.
"What happened?" Viscount Frey exclaimed in shock.
Howard narrowed his eyes. Viscount Frey had not seen what had just happened clearly, but Howard had caught a hint of it. Andrew seemed not to have moved, but in fact, he had already appeared before Clayde and kicked him away. What remained in place was merely his afterimage! He was so fast that after kicking Clayde away, he had returned to his original position. To an ordinary person, it looked as though he had never left!
Clayde is also a Warrior of the Seventh Rank, yet he has no strength to resist Andrew at all. Just how powerful has Andrew become... Even Howard felt a little alarmed at his son's unfathomable strength.
Having dealt with Clayde, Andrew turned his gaze back to Viscount Frey and Kate.
"Well, you two noble aristocrats, have you made up your minds? Will you eat all the food on the floor, or become tiger feed?"
Seeing Clayde, the strongest man in his household, knocked unconscious, Viscount Frey fell into despair and bitter regret. He had known perfectly well that the other party could subdue a high-ranking magical beast, yet he had still looked down on him and insulted him. Wasn't that courting death? Ultimately, it was because their birth was too low. Otherwise, how could he have made such a mistake?
Even at this point, Viscount Frey still believed that the fault did not mainly lie with him.
As for Kate, she had already fainted.
Looking at the silent Viscount Frey, Andrew's eyes flashed coldly.
"Viscount, it seems you've chosen the latter. Very good. I admire your courage. Golden Tiger, these two are your lunch!"
"Wait!" Seeing the excitement in Golden Tiger's eyes, Viscount Frey hurriedly cried out, "I don't want to be tiger feed! I choose the first option!"
"Very good. Now you can crawl out from under Golden Tiger. Yes, crawl over there and lick the food off the floor with your mouth. Don't use your hands. If I catch you, those two fat hands will be leaving you." Andrew watched him mockingly, sparing him no dignity.
After Viscount Frey crawled over, Andrew looked at Kate. Her eyes were tightly shut, and she seemed to still be unconscious.
"That fat pig has crawled away, but there's still a wretched woman here. Still, she doesn't seem to have much meat on her. Golden Tiger, will she fill you up?"
Golden Tiger gave two low growls, seemingly saying that she would not.
Andrew sighed. "Forget it. Have a little to tide you over first. Perhaps more food will deliver itself to our door in a while."
"Don't eat me!" Hearing this, Kate could no longer keep pretending. She looked fearfully at Golden Tiger, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't eat me! I don't taste good at all. Please, let me go!" For a time, Kate's pleas echoed through the room. Even Janice could no longer bear listening and stepped forward to dissuade Andrew, but Howard held her back and shook his head at her.
Andrew ignored her pleas. "Noble young lady, how could you beg a lowborn like me for mercy?"
"Aaah!" Kate wailed at the top of her lungs.
"Shut up!" Andrew barked, frightening her into immediate silence.
"If you want to live, crawl over there and lick the food off the floor!"
Looking at the enormous tiger beside her, Kate dared not say anything more. She obediently crawled over and began licking the floor alongside Viscount Frey.
Looking down at them, Andrew mocked, "Now you know who's nobler, don't you? Do you think nobles are so exalted? To me, nobles are a pile of dog shit! In this world, strength is what stands highest! Listen, your reinforcements are here, and quite a few of them, too. But don't get excited. Keep eating! Golden Tiger, I'll leave the scum outside to you. Do as you please."
Seated in a nearby chair, Andrew listened to the commotion outside without a trace of concern.
Having received Andrew's order, Golden Tiger leaped out, his enormous body like a moving wall. Immediately afterward, the clash of weapons rang out outside, followed by screams. The screams grew louder and more numerous, frightening Janice into hurriedly covering Ling'er's ears. After a while, the screams died away completely, and Golden Tiger returned from outside with his mouth covered in blood.
"Well, Viscount? And you, noble young lady?" Andrew asked in amusement.
At this sight, Viscount Frey and Kate fell into utter despair. They cursed Andrew incessantly in their hearts, but dared not stop moving their mouths, licking the floor spotlessly clean. Even Andrew admired how seriously they applied themselves.
"Well done. It seems you have quite a talent for this. Ah, if I weren't in a hurry to leave, I'd really like to train you a few more times," Andrew sighed regretfully.
His words frightened Viscount Frey and Kate so badly that their faces drained of blood. Train them a few more times? He was treating them like dogs.
If it weren't for that enormous tiger, I'd bite you to death! the two cursed inwardly.
Shaking his head, Andrew lost interest as well. Had they not pressed him so relentlessly, he would not have deigned to trouble them at all. The outcome was regrettable, but what could be done when there were always so many people courting death in this world?
"Dad, Mom, let's go."
Howard and Janice stood, walked around the two people sprawled on the floor, and went out with Andrew. Once outside, Janice cried out and immediately covered Ling'er's eyes. Before the courtyard gate, blood stained the ground, and torn bodies lay everywhere, like a slaughterhouse. Even Howard felt a little sick at the sight.
"You rascal, what kind of job was that? Couldn't you have been tidier?" Speechless, Andrew gave Golden Tiger a pat. These corpses were Golden Tiger's handiwork from just now.
After they left the Frey Clan's estate, Ling'er refused to get back onto Golden Tiger's back no matter what. The blood on him had frightened her. Golden Tiger gave two low growls and shook himself lightly, and the blood clinging to his fur quickly vanished. He was using wind elements to clean himself. Only after seeing this did Ling'er climb back on. The family bought plenty of dry provisions in the city, along with toys for Ling'er, before leaving White River City.