Chapter 139: The Smiling Serpent

While Elias and Benjamin returned inside the manor, the Sword Spirit followed Berman and Himber from a short distance behind, floating through the air with an amused expression as she listened to their conversation.

"The City Lord would be furious," Himber mumbled, and merely imagining Berlic’s reaction caused his body to shiver.

Berman nodded briefly before replying, "Furious is an understatement. He may go mad..."

Himber’s expression darkened at those words. Berlic’s hostility toward Elias was no secret to him, especially since he had served the City Lord for many years. In fact, Himber had been there when people first began calling Berlic the Smiling Serpent.

The title was strangely uncommon in the western regions because Berlic despised it, and very few people would dare use a name he disliked when he belonged to the Draveon Clan, one of the three great clans of the Crimsonland.

The two knights continued through the streets in silence until they eventually reached the City Lord’s manor. As soon as the guards stationed at the entrance recognized them, they stepped aside without question, allowing Berman and Himber to enter.

The Sword Spirit looked around with an intrigued expression before muttering, "This place alone has more than ten guards."

Neither knight reacted to her words, of course, and they continued deeper into the manor before ascending the stairs.

Eventually, they entered the same hall where the inauguration ceremony had been held.

However, the room looked completely different now.

The spacious hall was no longer an empty place prepared for guests. Instead, shelves filled with books lined several walls, while a few wooden chairs had been arranged around the room. A maid stood near the entrance with her head lowered, and at the center of it all sat Berlic Draveon in his throne.

His eyes remained fixed on the documents in front of him as his butler stood nearby, handing him various letters and scrolls that required his attention.

"That pup dares!" Berlic suddenly roared before throwing a letter onto the floor.

The sound echoed through the hall, causing both the maid and butler to shiver, yet neither dared to say anything.

Berman and Himber immediately approached before kneeling roughly ten steps away from their lord.

"My Lord," Berman said respectfully.

Berlic propped his head against one hand and looked down at the two knights with narrowed violet eyes.

"Where is that bastard?" he asked.

Berman swallowed before answering, "He did not come with us, My Lord."

Silence immediately descended upon the hall.

For nearly two minutes, neither knight dared move. Sweat gradually formed across their foreheads as Berlic remained completely motionless.

Then his lips slowly curved upward.

"He did not come with you...?" Berlic repeated before suddenly laughing loudly. "And you came back just because that bastard said no?"

Berman lowered his head slightly but remained kneeling.

"That bastard is still a recognized heir, My Lord," he explained.

Berlic immediately shot to his feet, and his dark, curly hair sprang upward with the sudden movement.

"That is the damn problem!" he growled. "Aegon handed that lowblood his clan name and dirtied the reputation of every other noble clan that formed marital ties with him, and yet you are telling me that you cannot even bring him to me?"

Berman fell silent.

Berlic stared at him for several seconds before placing a hand over his face and releasing a deep sigh.

"I did not have you kill that commoner for nothing," he said bitterly. "I did not become a City Lord because I wished to rule a city. I did it to get my hands on that bastard, and that was what I was promised. Yet now those wretches are using the king’s decree to hold me down..."

His voice grew colder with every word, and the atmosphere inside the hall became increasingly oppressive.

Neither Berman nor Himber dared speak.

After a moment, Berlic waved his hand dismissively.

"Leave. I do not wish to see your face any longer."

Berman’s jaw hardened, but he remained kneeling for another moment before finally speaking.

"My Lord... he did not deny us from questioning him."

Berlic’s brows furrowed.

"What?"

"He asked us to bring him a written decree to prove that we were taking him for questioning on your orders," Berman explained.

For a moment, Berlic stared at him.

Then he placed a hand over his face and began laughing.

"Ha... haha!" he exclaimed, his laughter echoing throughout the hall. "So he is still my naive nephew."

Berman hesitated before adding, "He also asked me to show him proper respect."

Berlic slowly lowered his hand.

A wide grin spread across his face as he stared down at the Exalted knight.

"Then do so," he said. "Make him as comfortable as you can. I wish to see what kind of face he will make when I take away everything that he has."

Berman lowered his head.

"Yes, My Lord."

Berlic’s grin slowly disappeared as his violet eyes sharpened.

"Did you think you had found your people, my dear nephew?" he muttered. "Worry not. I will make them understand the fear and danger that comes with it."

The Sword Spirit had remained nearby throughout the entire conversation, silently watching Berlic with an increasingly intrigued expression.

When he finished speaking, she whistled softly.

"How scary," she said.

Then, without waiting for anything, she phased through the wall and began flying back toward Elias’s mansion.

When she finally returned, she found Elias sitting at the dining table.

He was feeding Stella while the woman was doing the same, and Natasha was simply eating on her own, ignoring both of them.

The Sword Spirit’s gaze remained on Stella for a while before an envious glint appeared in her crimson eyes, and the next moment, she left the place.

Elias hadn’t been able to notice her because she hadn’t appeared before him, and he was already focused on feeding his third wife.

Still, his gaze occasionally drifted over to Natasha, and he mumbled inwardly, ’What is wrong with her? Is it because of what happened in the morning?’