Chapter 158: Mine

Night falls, and the banquet hall of the Wei Er Ke family is brightly lit; crystal chandeliers make the whole hall as bright as day. On the gilded, carved long tables are piled exquisite delicacies, the scent of fine wine mingling with roasted meat fills the air. Nobles in splendid formal wear, holding goblets, gather around Robin, eager to curry favor with the newly appointed baron.

Viscount Wei Er Ke stands at the head seat, flushed with pride, raises his goblet and, in a booming voice, says: "Today, the Wei Er Ke family enjoys double happiness! First, the northern crisis has been resolved, and the kingdom can be at peace; second, my beloved son Ai Lun, by virtue of outstanding achievements, has been ennobled as a baron! Come, let us all raise our glasses, to Ai Lun! To the kingdom!"

"To Ai Lun! To the kingdom!" The banquet hall erupts with cheers, the clinking of goblets crisp and pleasant.

Robin lifts his goblet and greets the crowd, a modest smile on his face.

Amid the lively atmosphere, he nevertheless maintains a thread of composure within.

An earl dressed in purple finery approaches Robin, his eyes bearing a flattering smile: "Baron Robin, you are young and accomplished; I hope you will look after me in the future. Should you need anything, just speak, and I will do my utmost to help."

Robin replies politely: "Lord Earl, you are too kind; I shall continue to learn much from you."

The nobles' enthusiasm now is not merely for his deeds, but largely because they covet the status and power behind him.

Now that Viscount Wei Er Ke has joined the Western Frontier Knight Guild, his wife has successfully entered the Round Table Council; the northern lands lie in ruin, and development by the Knight Guild and the Round Table Council has become a settled plan.

With Robin's current standing, both sides can speak, and with such a young Legendary Knight, there is still a chance to challenge the Third Tier Order Knights in the future.

At that moment, the great doors of the banquet hall are suddenly pushed open, and a tall, strikingly beautiful woman steps inside.

She wears a white silk gown embroidered with delicate patterns, a dazzling jeweled hair ornament, and exudes elegance in every gesture.

"This is my niece, Miss Li Ya," a noble hurriedly introduces to Robin, "Having heard of Baron Robin's heroic deeds, Miss Li Ya has long admired you and has come to pay her respects."

Li Ya bows slightly, her voice gentle: "I have long admired Baron Robin's great name; to see you today, the reputation is indeed well deserved."

Robin returns a gentleman's smile: "Miss, you flatter me." He keenly notices several nobles flashing knowing smiles, evidently hoping to use this chance to match him with Li Ya.

The feast reaches its climax, musicians launch a lively dance tune, and nobles stream onto the dance floor.

Viscount Wei Er Ke grabs Robin's hand, laughing: "Son, let's dance, lest we waste this fine moment."

Robin feels a pang of helplessness; he is not adept at such social engagements, yet seeing his father's expectant eyes, he steps onto the floor.

Li Ya steps forward, placing her hand on his shoulder, and the two sway slowly with the music.

"Baron Ai Lun, your experiences in the north must have been thrilling, right?" Li Ya asks softly.

Robin nods: "Indeed it was fraught with danger, but to protect the kingdom and its people, everything was worth it."

"You are truly admirable," Li Ya's gaze full of reverence, "unlike some nobles who only chase pleasure and shrink back in crises."

Robin hears the discontent in her words, his heart stirs, and as he is about to ask further, Li Ya deftly changes the subject: "By the way, I heard the baron's fief borders Viscount Wei Er Ke's domain; what are your thoughts on planning the fief?"

The two continue dancing while conversing.

Robin appears composed on the surface, yet his mind ponders Li Ya's words and the nobles' hidden motives.

This banquet, seemingly to celebrate his achievements, is in fact a social arena rife with intrigue and calculation.

As a newly risen noble, he must tread carefully in this complex environment to secure his footing.

When the dance reaches its third round, Li Ya's fingertips suddenly clamp firmly onto Robin's palm.

The jasmine scent from her hair mingles with the wine as she leans close, her warm breath brushing his ear: "Baron, do you know that the Cangyan Valley thirty li southeast of your fief hides a secret more dangerous than the Mechanical Church?"

Robin's steps falter slightly, yet his lower back is subtly pushed forward a half inch by Li Ya, preserving the illusion of graceful rotation.

The crystal chandelier's halo casts fine shadows on her lashes; her once soft face now bears a hint of coldness: "That mine has been illegally extracting mythril for three years, its shipment routes run straight to the Eastern Frontier black market."

The hall's music suddenly rises, masking Robin's rapid inhalation.

Mythril is the core material for forging Legendary‑level weapons; kingdom law explicitly states that all mining rights belong directly to the royal family.

Cangyan Valley sits at the junction of the northern and western realms, a choke point linking the remnants of the Mechanical Church with the eastern smuggling network.

"Your father tacitly approved this," Li Ya whispers like a venomous snake, "the Wei Er Ke family's treasury has long been filled with this blood‑stained mythril." She spins away, the arc of her skirt lifting, and a sheepskin scroll hidden in her sleeve slips lightly into Robin's palm.

Unfolding the yellowed blueprint, beside the dense map of tunnels is a wax seal bearing the Wei Er Ke family crest.

Robin's fingernails almost dig into his palm as he recalls the Emperor's meaningful glance during the daytime award ceremony; the fief's arrangement was indeed a chess move laid out by the royal house long ago.

"Why tell me?" Robin crumples the blueprint into a ball, hides it in his sleeve, his smile still gentle.

Li Ya's red lips curve in a mocking arc; she plucks a jade pendant from her neck: "Because my father was the Western Frontier Inspector who was assassinated three years ago for reporting this." She presses the pendant into Robin's palm; the cold jade bears a half‑blossomed iris, "Meet me at Cangyan Valley tomorrow night at midnight."

The dance abruptly stops; Li Ya bows and then departs gracefully.

Robin watches her silhouette fade behind the gilded arch, only later realizing his back is already soaked with cold sweat.

Amid the banquet's clamor, he hears Viscount Wei Er Ke's booming laugh cut through the crowd: "Ai Lun! Come meet the old friends of the Western Frontier Commerce Guild!"

Robin's hand clutching the pendant trembles slightly; the jade's iris pricks his palm with pain.

He draws a deep breath, pushes all emotion back down, puts on an appropriate smile again, raises his cup and engages in polite small talk with the surrounding nobles.

The crystal chandelier's glare makes his eyes ache, while Viscount Wei Er Ke's hearty laugh sounds like a dull blade slicing flesh.

That old man who always has "my son" on his lips, though not his biological father, has handed over the fief's ledgers and treasury keys to him without reservation.

A sudden crash of porcelain echoes from a corner; Robin looks up and sees Li Ya surrounded by several noblewomen.

Her pearl hair ornament lies scattered on the floor, yet she stubbornly stares at him, her gaze like a poisoned arrow.

(End of Chapter)