"Oh! No, no, no! I think you've misunderstood!" Leilin quickly shook his head.
"While I do know Janni, I have absolutely no intention of getting involved in the Augustus Family's internal affairs!"
Leilin stated firmly.
Though a single word from him could immediately resolve the tremendous crisis facing Janni and her father, and even Lucas wouldn't dare object in the slightest, what did any of that have to do with Leilin?
Not only that, after having influenced Siegfried's decision, he would inevitably owe the man a favor! And favors were the hardest debts to repay!
Furthermore, directly interfering in another family's affairs was seen among wizards as an extremely disrespectful act.
Though Siegfried might not show it openly, it would certainly breed some measure of displeasure in his heart.
Leilin didn't particularly care about any of that, but when choosing between Janni and her father—who possessed, in his eyes, no real strength and only a bit of worldly power—and Lucas, who had Siegfried's backing from the shadows, the choice required no deliberation whatsoever.
After all, years of experience had long since accustomed him to making choices based on his own self-interest, and this was also the fundamental attitude of any wizard.
Sure enough, upon hearing Leilin's statement, the smile on Siegfried's face grew even warmer. "Leilin, you're probably not yet familiar with the wizard landscape of the capital, are you? No matter—you're welcome to come visit me often, and I can also take you to some exchange gatherings organized by formal wizard factions to help you meet new friends!"
"That would be wonderful!" His objective accomplished, Leilin's face broke into a pleased smile.
Afterward, Leilin and Siegfried exchanged experiences on practicing advanced meditation methods. Though Siegfried had lived nearly two hundred and fifty years and was extraordinarily experienced, he was still stunned by several theoretical models Leilin had derived through the Chip's simulations. He nearly dove straight into his laboratory to verify them on the spot, which further cemented his belief that Leilin was a scholar of vast and profound knowledge. As for Leilin, he was genuinely impressed by the man's rich practical expertise.
By the time their exchange concluded, both sides felt a lingering sense of reluctance. After setting another meeting time, Siegfried finally, somewhat reluctantly, saw Leilin off from the wizard tower.
……
With even Leilin having given up on Janni and her father, everything else fell into place as a matter of course.
At the family council convened by the Augustus Family, Lucas won by an overwhelming margin, elected as the new patriarch of the Augustus Family and inheriting the title of Marquis Augustus!
That very night, the original Marquis Augustus succumbed to a relapse of toxins and died in agony!
As for Janni, she was accused of poisoning the dragon blood buds she had brought back, murdering her own father!!!
Though anyone with eyes could see this was the most contemptible of frame-ups—the methods even laughably crude—Lucas used this very tactic to gauge the factions and allegiances within his family, while simultaneously establishing his authority!
In truth, this technique of calling a deer a horse was deliberately employed by Lucas to kill the chicken and scare the monkey.
After ruthlessly purging several die-hard dissidents, Lucas had already seized firm control of the Augustus Family's power. The entire family fell silent collectively, acquiescing to Lucas's actions and confirming the accusation that Janni had poisoned her father! A warrant was even issued for her arrest!
Such is the nature of power struggles—utterly naked and raw. The victor becomes king; the defeated become outlaws. It was the brutal law of nature's survival of the fittest, played out to its fullest.
"Haah! Haah!"
In a pitch-black forest, Janni was running for her life.
The young noblewoman had entirely lost her former air of dignity and aloof composure. Her dress was slashed in countless places by thorny brush, her face was streaked with blood, and her whole appearance was wretched—worse, even, than a beggar's.
"Father!" Janni sobbed as she ran, tears streaming involuntarily from her eyes.
Everything had happened so fast that she could almost believe she was dreaming.
Her pillar of support—her father, always so calm and kind—had been killed by scheming and treachery, and she herself had been framed as the murderer!
Heavens! Janni could barely fathom what kind of deranged monster would pin such a crime on her!
But everything that followed left her speechless. Under the crushing weight of power, this absurd charge had actually been made to stick, and a warrant had been issued!
If not for a few loyal servants and sympathizers who had secretly warned her and helped her escape—and the fact that she herself was a First-rank Apprentice—she might not even have managed to flee.
Of course, afterward, those servants and factions were immediately slaughtered without mercy.
"Thud!" Running at full speed, Janni tripped over a tree root and crashed to the ground, mud splattering across her clothes. The young woman finally lay face down and broke into heaving sobs.
Even if she had escaped this time, what use was it? Whether among noble acquaintances or common folk, everyone would see her as a murderer. Her ultimate fate would be either capture and execution, or living incognito at the very bottom of society like refuse in the mud, never able to reveal her identity. At that thought alone, Janni felt utter despair about her own life.
"Wh-why... why did it have to be like this?" Janni kept sobbing.
"Tsk, tsk! What a pathetic sight!"
At that moment, a somewhat familiar voice came from behind her, making her entire body go rigid.
She turned around and saw a tall knight clad in armor, his face bearing a vicious scar.
"'Short Blade' Torwood—even you, who served as my father's personal guard captain, have betrayed us?"
The knight was none other than a terrifying Great Knight, and had once been Janni's father's most trusted personal guard captain.
Facing the young woman's tearful accusation, Torwood simply smiled faintly. But combined with the grotesque features of his face, that smile only made him appear more terrifying.
"In truth, I have always been Lord Lucas's man! There was no betrayal to speak of!"
Janni's pupils contracted. A terrible premonition surged through her.
"And as my reward for all those years undercover, Lord Lucas has promised me that I can have my fill of you before killing you!" Torwood licked his lips, a depraved grin spreading across his face.
"Five years! A full five years! I endured you calling me 'Uncle Torwood'! But in truth, every moment I was on duty, all I could think about was having you, enjoying you, tearing you apart!!!"
"You—you p-pervert!" Hearing him admit he'd harbored such desires since she was ten, Janni was covered in goosebumps.
"That's right—I'm a pervert. But what can you do about it, noble Lady Augustus?"
Torwood advanced as he peeled off the leather gloves from his hands. "Relax—I'll make you feel very good..."
Janni scrambled backward on the ground, as though Torwood were some monstrous beast.
In truth, Torwood at this moment was far more terrifying than any man-eating monster!
"Help me! Someone, please help me!!!"
The young woman cried out helplessly, tears falling in sheets.
"Stop!"
At that moment, a very young voice rang out, accompanied by a fierce gust of sword wind!
"Hmm?" Torwood leaped backward, regarding the young man who had suddenly appeared.
"Weilin!" Janni threw herself against Weilin's chest, bursting into uncontrollable tears.
"You beast! I'm going to kill you!" Weilin's eyes were fixed on the enormous knight before him, his face flushed red with fury. If he had arrived even a moment later, Janni dared not imagine what might have happened.
For the first time in his life, Weilin wanted to kill someone with every fiber of his being.
"Kill me? Do you think you can?" Torwood drew the massive steel sword from his waist. "Looks like you're the little girl's lover, huh? I've decided! I'll hack off your limbs and have my way with you right in front of her! Your expression at that moment will surely be quite amusing! Perhaps you can even join in..."
Torwood licked his lips, revealing a depraved smile.
"Aaaaargh..." Weilin couldn't stand another second. He exploded into action, his Cross Sword cleaving through the air, trailing a streak of white energy.
"A Great Knight!" Torwood's expression turned serious at once.
He charged forward with his greatsword. The greatsword and the Cross Sword clashed together, sparks flying in brilliant bursts.
Clang, clang, clang!!! Torwood was forced back several steps. "What tremendous power!" The explosive force behind Weilin's strikes left his sword-arm tingling and numb.
"Kill him! Weilin, kill him!" Behind Weilin, Janni screamed through her tears.
Bolstered by his beloved's cry, Weilin pressed forward with relentless attacks, driving Torwood steadily backward.
"Clang!" At the next clash of blades, Torwood suddenly released his greatsword. His entire body seemed to dissolve into a gentle breeze as he closed in around Weilin.
Crack! A black short blade materialized in his hand, stabbing toward Weilin's heart like a venomous serpent!
Weilin twisted his body desperately. A layer of Life Energy defense materialized across his chest—snap! The short blade sliced through as if cutting leather, carving a deep gash across Weilin's chest as blood flowed freely.
Whoosh! Torwood suddenly appeared some distance away, licking the blood from his short blade.
"Know why they call me 'Short Blade'? Because I like to use this short blade to carve the muscles off my prey, piece by piece, watching them writhe and scream as they die!"
Torwood's face was flushed crimson, his eyes blazing with excitement. "Your blood is the most exquisite I've ever tasted!"
"Secret Technique—Gale Force!" He let out a sudden roar, and a layer of black Life Energy enveloped his calves.
Whoosh! Whoosh! He launched another assault—his speed was even faster than before!!!
"Damn it! Secret Technique—Cross Star!!!"
After sustaining several more wounds, Weilin finally erupted with a furious shout.
Hummm! His body swelled grotesquely, and a translucent suit of armor materialized over him as a defense...