Alice felt her heart tremble suddenly, a surge of burning emotion filling her heart—gratitude, and endless apology.
"Big brother Lin Lei, thank you, thank you." Alice couldn't help but say, tears already welling up in her eyes. They were tears of excitement.
Lin Lei smiled slightly: "Go back, then. This afternoon I will go to the palace to meet with His Majesty."
Lin Lei could feel that his heart was now calm when facing Alice. Looking at Alice was like looking at a female friend he had some acquaintance with. Nothing more!
"Mm, thank you." Alice glanced at Lin Lei, then turned and left, her heart in turmoil.
Originally Alice had been afraid that because she had hurt Lin Lei in the past, Lin Lei would hold a grudge against Kalan and refuse to rescue him. But Lin Lei's reaction was completely unexpected.
Lin Lei showed no agitation whatsoever, remaining completely calm.
Watching Alice's departing figure, Lin Lei sat down, picked up a fruit, and began eating it casually. Bei Bei popped up from the side.
"Boss, you're still helping that Alice? If it were me, I'd have thrown her out long ago. Not smacking her to death would have been generous enough," Bei Bei said discontentedly.
Lin Lei glanced at Bei Bei: "Bei Bei, humans aren't magical beasts."
Derinkoort then flew out from the Coiling Dragon Ring, looking at Lin Lei with approval: "Lin Lei, you behaved very well. I was a little worried you might act childishly and drive her away, kicking her when she's down."
"Childishly?" Lin Lei was stunned.
In Derinkoort's view, that kind of behavior was indeed childish.
"Exactly. Women—when can't you find another?" Derinkoort chuckled.
Lin Lei was speechless. He strongly disagreed with Grandpa Derinkoort's viewpoint. Derinkoort's perspective was quite similar to that of his good brothers Yeru and Rein.
"All right, enough talk. I need to continue my training." Lin Lei immediately stood up and headed back toward the Spring Water Garden.
For Lin Lei, Alice coming to ask for his help was merely an episode in his life. It couldn't affect his mood at all. The most important thing in Lin Lei's heart now was... avenging his parents.
Inside the Royal Palace.
"Lord Lin Lei, His Majesty is in his study attending to state affairs. Please follow this servant to the study," the palace attendant said respectfully.
Lin Lei nodded.
With Bei Bei perched on his shoulder, Lin Lei followed the palace attendant toward the study. After walking for quite a while, Lin Lei finally arrived at the study.
"Your Majesty, Lord Lin Lei has arrived!" the palace attendant called out loudly from outside the door.
Klayde, who was reviewing documents, looked up. His tiger-like eyes brightened when they saw Lin Lei, and he laughed heartily: "Lin Lei, come in quickly! No need for formalities between us."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Lin Lei smiled faintly and entered the study.
Klayde, in Lin Lei's eyes, was indeed a very straightforward person, especially toward him—he had always been exceptionally courteous, never using his status as king to pressure Lin Lei.
"If not for my parents' matter, perhaps I could have become friends with you. But unfortunately, someday I must kill him. All I lack now is the opportunity." In Lin Lei's heart, the desire to kill Klayde had never wavered even slightly.
Given the chance, he could absolutely kill him with a single sword strike.
Klayde clinked glasses with Lin Lei, took a sip, and asked: "Lin Lei, you rarely come to the palace on your own initiative. What brings our First Court Magician here today?"
Lin Lei smiled.
The First Court Magician had many duties, but Lin Lei hadn't taken on a single one. Many matters were still handled by other court magicians. And Klayde had never insisted. In the Fenlei Kingdom, Lin Lei merely held the title. It was a way of showing that... Lin Lei was considered one of Klayde's people.
"I came today because there is indeed something." Lin Lei looked at Klayde with a smile. "The Debus Family is suspected of smuggling. Didn't Your Majesty send people to arrest Bernard and his son Kalan?"
"That is correct," Klayde raised an eyebrow, looking at Lin Lei. "What, are you also going to plead for their family?"
In recent days, many nobles had spoken up for the Debus Family. The reason so many nobles helped was because of the Debus Family's wealth at work.
"If you truly want to save their family, I can give you that face," Klayde said generously.
What Klayde truly wanted to do was destroy the power base his brother Paterson had built. As for the Debus Family, dealing with them was merely incidental. He could completely let the Debus Family off the hook and earn a favor from Lin Lei. After all, even if he spared the Debus Family, he could still squeeze them dry.
"No." Lin Lei shook his head. "I'm not here to plead for their family."
"What?" Klayde looked at Lin Lei in confusion.
Lin Lei said casually: "Your Majesty Klayde, whether the Debus Family is smuggling or not—naturally everything should be handled according to the law."
"Oh?" Klayde looked at Lin Lei doubtfully. "Then what are you here for today, Lin Lei?"
Lin Lei smiled and said: "I was thinking that if the Debus Family is suspected of smuggling, Your Majesty, you only need to arrest the patriarch Bernard. There's no need to arrest his son as well. After all, what's the use of arresting an heir? If you arrest the first heir, they still have a second heir. As long as the family doesn't die out, there will always be someone to take their place."
"Lin Lei, what do you mean?" Klayde looked at Lin Lei.
Lin Lei looked at Klayde: "Your Majesty, please release Kalan."
"Oh, release Kalan? I've heard that Kalan and you..." Klayde had investigated Lin Lei very thoroughly and naturally knew about the relationship between Lin Lei, Kalan, and Alice.
Lin Lei smiled helplessly: "Your Majesty, that was all a long time ago."