The words "On what grounds?" caused the atmosphere in the manor to fall into a sudden, heavy silence.
Behind Viscount Finn, the warriors of the Blue Fox Warband felt their lord’s honor had been insulted. Every Blue Fox warrior tightened their grip on their weapons, their eyes widening with fury as they glared at Leon.
They waited only for Viscount Finn’s command to strike, ready to give this boy who dared speak to the Viscount in such a manner a bloody lesson he would never forget.
Seeing the movements of the Blue Fox warriors, the twenty Falcon warriors simultaneously gripped their black spears. A chilling aura of slaughter, one that could only be forged through life-and-death struggles on the battlefield, suddenly permeated the air.
This cold, blood-soaked presence caused the faces of the Blue Fox warriors to stiffen instantly, their expressions turning as grim as iron.
Beside Leon, Miles released the aura of the Gold rank without reservation.
He drew a short sword from his palm. Though the blade appeared covered in rust, the moment it was revealed to the crowd, it seemed to seize every gaze like a black hole.
Sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from Miles and the terrifying pressure brought by that short sword, Viscount Finn’s expression changed drastically.
Gold rank!
Even though he knew this group’s strength was extraordinary and their bearing unusual, Viscount Finn had never expected there to be a Gold-rank powerhouse among them!
And it wasn't just a Gold-rank powerhouse.
The pressure exerted by that mottled, rusted short sword was not inferior to the pressure of the Gold-rank powerhouse himself!
These people were not to be trifled with!
Viscount Finn came to a swift conclusion in his heart.
However, as the lord of a city, Seth Finn represented the face of the Heron Empire.
At this moment, he absolutely could not back down!
Even with his injuries, Viscount Finn erupted with the power of his own Gold rank. He adopted a firm stance and said:
“Gentlemen, do you intend to make an enemy of me, the City Lord of Stormveil City of the Heron Empire?”
Leon did not speak, merely staring fixedly at Viscount Finn with a cold, piercing gaze.
Viscount Finn did not flinch, staring right back into Leon’s eyes.
The atmosphere in the manor dropped to freezing point.
In this tense standoff, only Alicia remained oblivious, standing there sucking on her lollipop as if she felt nothing at all.
Amidst this tension, Leon withdrew his gaze and suddenly smiled. “It was just a joke. Is there any need to be so nervous?”
He reached out and pressed down on the raised black spear of a nearby Falcon warrior, saying, “Everyone, put your weapons down.”
Upon hearing this, the Falcon warriors were all confused, but they obeyed instantly, lowering their weapons with disciplined precision.
Seeing this, Viscount Finn’s brow furrowed deeply, but after half a second of thought, he likewise ordered his own warriors to stand down.
Leon took a few steps forward, coming to a stop in front of Viscount Finn. He extended his right hand and said:
“I am Leon Douglas. I only arrived in Stormveil City today.”
Douglas?!
Hearing that surname, Viscount Finn immediately recognized who the black-haired, black-eyed youth before him was.
The second son of the Prime Minister’s family, the hero who saved Soleneum, the top scorer of both the apprentice and formal priest examinations—the super-genius of divine arts hailed as a once-in-a-century talent!
Not only Viscount Finn, but the Viscountess beside him also understood the weight of the name "Leon Douglas." Her face was instantly filled with shock.
Of everyone present, only Bruno, who was still pinned to the ground, looked bewildered. A man who lived only for pleasure, he had never heard the name, and the surname "Douglas" only sounded vaguely familiar.
However, no matter how stupid he was, he could tell from Viscount Finn’s expression that he had offended someone he absolutely could not afford to provoke.
“Master... Leon.” Viscount Finn hesitated for a moment before reaching out to shake Leon’s hand.
“His Majesty should have mentioned me to you.” Leon reached into his coat and pulled out a Royal Decree, handing it to Viscount Finn.
Viscount Finn took the decree and examined it carefully. Only after confirming it was genuine did he truly verify Leon’s identity.
The Sage King had indeed instructed him via a magical transmission a day ago, commanding him to cooperate with Leon’s orders in Stormveil City without delay.
Originally, Viscount Finn had thought His Majesty was sending someone to replace him as City Lord.
Only later did he learn that it wasn't just him; every city and town surrounding the Dusk Sea region of the Empire had been ordered by His Majesty to cooperate with every decree Leon issued.
One could say that with this set of orders, the entire Dusk Sea region of the Empire now belonged to Leon’s jurisdiction.
If lands were still granted as fiefs today, Leon’s current power would be enough to earn him the title of "Governor of the Southern Province of the Heron Empire."
“Master Leon, since we are on the same side, could you please release my son first...” Seeing the two shake hands and the tension ease, the Viscountess spoke up hurriedly.
Seeing her eldest son pinned to the ground, his face swollen and his body covered in filth, her heart ached for him.
“Indeed, since we are on the same side... his offense against me can't just be forgotten, can it?” Leon looked up and met the Viscountess’s gaze.
The Viscountess’s expression, which had brightened at the first half of his sentence, instantly froze at the second half.
“Uh... yes, of course!” The Viscountess forced a smile. “It’s all my fault! I was too lax in disciplining my child. I apologize to you, Master Leon!”
“I am willing to pay double for any losses this foolish boy has caused you. Please, show some magnanimity and forgive him this once!”
“Compensation isn't necessary,” Leon said indifferently. “Let him receive a small punishment to help him remember the lesson.”
The Viscountess quickly agreed, “Yes, yes! Whatever you command, I will make sure this wretch does it immediately!”
“The punishment is simple,” Leon said slowly.
“Break his legs, put him on a dog leash, and parade him through the city.”
As Leon’s words fell, the flattering smile on the Viscountess’s face froze completely.
Her mouth twitched as she tried to force another smile. “Master Leon, isn't... isn't such a punishment a bit... too severe?”
“Severe?” Leon tilted his head toward Bruno and jerked his chin slightly.
“Before I dragged him out and pinned him to the ground, he said with his own mouth that this was exactly how he intended to deal with me.”
The Viscountess stood frozen, her eyes turning toward her eldest son in disbelief.
Hearing Leon’s words, the cruel threats Bruno had made in the manor’s main hall echoed clearly in his own ears.
Thinking of the punishment he was about to endure, his body swayed, and he began to shake like a leaf.
This reaction told the Viscountess, who knew her son’s character well, that he had indeed said such things!
She began to tremble with rage.
But no matter what, Bruno was still her son!
With tears in her eyes, the Viscountess pleaded with Leon:
“Master Leon, my eldest son is still young and ignorant! He offended you by mistake. Please, show mercy and forgive him just this once!”
Leon’s face remained calm.
“You ask me to forgive him, but have you ever considered this—”
“If I didn't have these titles and statuses, and were just an ordinary merchant...”
“What would have happened to me when I encountered him trying to seize my manor?”
The Viscountess’s face turned pale instantly. Her lips moved several times, but she couldn't find a single word to say.
It wasn't until she saw the blood-stained bandages on her husband that she seemed to grasp a final straw.
“Master Leon! You can’t do this to him!”
“My husband is the City Lord of Stormveil City! He has contributed to the Empire! The injuries on his body were sustained while fighting for the Empire in his youth!”
“For the sake of my husband’s contributions to the Empire, please let Bruno go this once!”
However, in the face of her plea, Leon said:
“Madam, let me ask you: which subject of the Empire has not paid taxes or contributed their efforts to the nation?”
“If you believe that the amount of one's contribution should be the basis for privilege...”
“That those whose ancestors contributed more should have descendants who do not need to work, who stand above others, and who are exempt from punishment even when they commit crimes...”
“Then wouldn't the righteous act of the Heron Empire’s founding, which overthrew the previous tyrant, also be a mistake?”
“Was that tyrant not the bloodline of the previous founding monarch who had overthrown an even earlier evil rule?”
“If you believe that possessing merit allows one to do as they please...”
“Then my father and my forefathers have all served as the Imperial Prime Minister, dedicating their lives to the Empire.”
“Now that he has offended the son of the Prime Minister, should I kill him right now, or perhaps even grind his bones to dust to satisfy my anger?”
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