Chapter 454 - 252: Stepping Forward (Part 2)

Windsor knew Claire’s appearance here meant she was most likely here to kick her while she was down.

Claire sneered, thrilled to have seized this opportunity to ridicule Windsor. "Then again, maybe that’s not it. After all, Miss Windsor is an Old Race of the Constantine Family. Surely she can come up with such a small amount of money?"

"Or could it be that the Constantine Clan has become so poor they can’t even produce a mere fifty thousand pounds?"

Claire and the young ladies beside her burst into shrill, spiteful laughter, their words dripping with sarcasm and mockery.

Windsor touched the Storage Stone in her palm, finally making up her mind. Just as she was about to step forward, another hand suddenly grasped the one holding the stone. At that same moment, the chattering gossip of the young ladies around her ceased, as if a mute button had been pressed.

An ice-cold voice spoke from behind her. "Miss Windsor, I just remembered that I still haven’t repaid the one hundred thousand pounds I owe your brother. Would you be so kind as to give this to him for me?"

A cold stone was pressed into her palm. A Storage Stone, she guessed.

She turned her head and saw long, deep purple hair and a pair of eyes as sharp as swords.

"Miss Eldest?" Windsor was surprised. She had no memory of her brother ever lending money to Miss Eldest.

The person behind Windsor was Isabella Beowulf, eldest daughter of the Beowulf Family, the Inner Side’s famous Dragon Slayer Lady, and a Bronze Tier on the cusp of becoming a Silver.

After her recent ordeal at Dragon Spear Plaza, it was likely she would soon break Silver Lion Wilder’s record to become the youngest Silver in the history of Britain.

This was precisely why Claire and her friends fell silent the moment they saw Miss Eldest take Windsor’s hand. Only a figure of such peerless standing could quiet their restless, chirping mouths.

After all, in terms of status, Isabella was the eldest daughter of the Beowulf Family—the leaders of the Dragon Slayers—and a top-tier Demon Hunter in the Demon Hunter Association.

In terms of power, the top-tier Bronze, Miss Eldest, could likely take on their entire group single-handedly without breaking a sweat. They might not even get the chance to draw their Magic Cards.

Windsor was shocked that her brother had any history with Miss Eldest. After all, during the previous Dragon Spear Trial in the Dracul Mountain Range, Miss Eldest, led by Baron, had robbed the siblings of their Dragon Scales. Her brother Pound had grumbled about it for a long time...

Suddenly, Windsor understood. Her eyes lit up, and she gave Miss Eldest a graceful curtsy.

Miss Eldest nodded. "Don’t thank me. If you’re going to thank anyone, thank him."

"I’ll be adding this to his tab." The second half of her sentence was a telepathic message sent via Spiritual Power.

.........

Meanwhile, in the center of the crowd, Pound saw that his sister Windsor still hadn’t arrived. The panic in his heart tightened into a knot of dread.

At the same time, he began to berate himself. ’Why did I have to stick my neck out? Why can’t I ever control my emotions? Did I really step forward so recklessly just because this host looks so much like *her*?’

At that thought, Pound glanced at the host. Just then, she lifted her head, and their eyes met.

He was taken aback, feeling his heart skip a beat. Only a single thought remained in his mind: ’No matter what, I stood up, so I have to see this through to the end.’

Baron, meanwhile, silently scanned the crowd of onlookers. ’Isabella should have given the Storage Stone to Windsor by now,’ he thought. ’Even though it stings to part with one hundred thousand pounds, this whole mess is still connected to me, after all.’

While Baron wasn’t the most empathetic person, as someone with a strong moral compass from his past life, he knew when to act and when not to.

Pound felt the gazes of the crowd growing more suspicious. A cold, sticky sweat coated his back, making him feel as if he’d just run a lap along the fog-shrouded Thames River.

’Where is Windsor?’ he wondered. ’I don’t have that much cash on me. Borrow it? If I do that, I’ll completely disgrace the Constantine Family!’

He glanced again at the "trembling" host, yet a part of him felt that this was still worth it.

Seeing Pound make no move, Hilde narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Pound, what are you waiting for? You’ve already hogged the limelight... or do you simply enjoy the feeling of playing the hero saving the damsel, without any intention of making a real commitment?"

"It seems this is the caliber of the Constantine Family’s younger generation. Aside from the Wizard and Dragon Knight taken in by the London Tower, the rest are all just for show."

The young gentlemen at Hilde’s side added their own jeers.

From the sidelines, someone in the crowd chimed in with a taunt:

"He dares to step up without any money? I bet he’s interested in more than just the host’s pretty face."

"The Constantine Family can’t even scrape together fifty thousand pounds. It looks like they’ve really fallen. Come to think of it, the money they used in the auction earlier was probably borrowed."

"That’s not surprising, is it? The Constantine Family can barely hold on to their own territory of Plains. If not for a family member joining the London Tower, their lands would have been carved up by the other Old Blood Clans long ago... If you ask me, their biggest mistake was expelling the Bloodless, Constantine, from their clan!"

Hearing the name he refused to even think about, Pound roared, "What nonsense are you all spouting? My sister went to get a credit card! It takes time, don’t you know?"

"Then Mr. Pound is about to be disappointed."

Someone in the crowd spoke up. Pound looked over, and his heart sank. It was Dewey from the Frank Family. The two of them had been at odds ever since the last Dragon Hunting Ceremony.

However, ever since Baron Constantin’s display of immense power in the Dracul Mountain Range, there hadn’t been any friction between them when they’d met at the auction.

He hadn’t expected Dewey to take this opportunity to kick him while he was down. Pound was certain of it without a second thought.

As expected, Dewey Frank said coolly, "To prevent any troublemakers, the area around the auction is under lockdown. The gates won’t open until the party is over. I suppose Mr. Pound was unaware of that."

The color drained from Pound’s face. If what Dewey said was true, then the money...

Hilde, seeing the situation was ripe, decided not to push his luck. It was enough to make the Constantine Family lose a little face.

He smiled at the crowd. "Alright, everyone, it was just a bit of fun. Mr. Pound is still in his fourth year at Edinburgh Wizard School, isn’t he?

Perhaps he still thinks he’s at school, where a teacher might step in to stop student squabbles and wagers. Am I right?"

The surrounding guests began whispering to each other again, no doubt badmouthing the Constantine Family. Pound was about to explode with rage. His hand reached for the Magic Staff at his waist, but someone caught it.

Hilde stepped in front of him, pressing down on the Magic Staff Pound was trying to draw. With a smirk, he whispered in his ear, "Is Mr. Pound looking to have a Wizard’s duel with me?"

Pound nearly agreed. The crowd’s jeers were piercing, like needles stabbing into his ears. Hilde’s condescending gaze reminded him of that renegade Dragon Knight.

But a figure carrying the faint scent of gardenias suddenly stepped between them.

"This is my brother’s Storage Stone. He left it with me. It has the fifty thousand pounds you want. Please take the money and leave my brother and this lady alone."

Baron watched in surprise as Windsor stood between Hilde and Pound. It was the first time he’d seen that his soft-spoken cousin had such a fierce, protective side. It was like a gentle little rabbit suddenly leaping up to kick you.

Hilde took the Storage Stone. After probing it with his Spiritual Power, he discovered it truly did contain fifty thousand pounds. The smile on his face grew wider.