Chapter 65

The Count tapped his fingers on the table unconsciously: "So, what is your suggestion?"

"Cut off the supply of magic stone fragments," Edmund said bluntly, though his voice trembled slightly due to his inner struggle:

"Father, Luo En has been in the Black Fog Jungle for nearly a year. If he had any potential, he should have shown it by now. Continuing to waste the family's resources will only..."

"He is your own brother!" The Count suddenly raised his voice: "Have you forgotten how you protected him back then?"

A flash of complex emotion crossed Edmund's eyes.

Indeed, when Luo En was young, as the eldest brother, he had been almost infinitely indulgent toward his youngest brother.

Even when Luo En caused a scandal at a noble ball after getting drunk, it was he who stepped in to clean up the mess, carrying his brother home and shielding him from their father's fury.

"Father, of course I remember those things," Edmund said in a low voice:

"But now is not the time to make decisions based on personal feelings. The livelihoods of hundreds of people in our family hang by a thread. We have already paid enough for Luo En; those magic stone fragments..."

Edmund shook his head with a bitter smile: "You know very well that in our kingdom, one complete magic stone can buy a large castle. Even fragments are incredibly valuable. They only condense at specific intersections of spirit veins, and our mortal kingdom has almost no spirit veins at all."

He opened the ledger in his hand: "Last month, we used family assets equivalent to several thousand gold coins just to obtain ten magic stone fragments. And even then, I found out that only six or seven reached Luo En's hands each time."

The Count suddenly looked up: "What do you mean?"

"Hawkins, that cunning fellow," Edmund sneered:

"I suspect he is skimming a portion off the top, but we have no actual evidence, and there is nothing we can do about him. After all, he is a messenger appointed by the royal family, and he has plenty of backing."

The Count's expression turned gloomy, and silence spread through the study, broken only by the occasional crackling of the fire in the fireplace.

After a long while, the Count sighed deeply: "I understand. Perhaps you are right, Edmund. We truly need to consider the entire family."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the withered fields outside the manor:

"Starting next month—no, this month is already arranged—let's start the month after next... we will suspend our financial support for Luo En."

The moment these words were spoken, the Count seemed to age significantly, his shoulders slightly hunched as if bearing an invisible weight.

Just as Edmund was about to say something, a hurried knocking came from the door.

"My lord!" The butler's voice came through the door, carrying an unusual sense of urgency: "A royal envoy is visiting, saying there is an urgent matter!"

The Count and Edmund exchanged a glance, both seeing doubt and vigilance in each other's eyes.

The unexpected arrival of a royal envoy usually meant something of great importance.

Count Ralph and Edmund hurried to the hall, only to see a man dressed in a black velvet cloak standing there, wearing the royal sun crown emblem on his chest.

The envoy was in his early thirties, with a rigid demeanor and a posture as straight as a sword, clearly of military background.

"Noble Count Ralph." The envoy performed a standard court salute, his voice deep and powerful:

"I am Envoy Orlando Wilson, here by the order of His Majesty."

After returning the salute, the Count gestured for him to be seated: "May I ask the purpose of your visit, Lord Wilson?"

After sitting down, Orlando took the teacup handed to him by a maid but did not take a sip: "Count, I have two important matters to convey."

He set down the teacup and said solemnly: "First, it is news regarding your fifth son, Young Master Luo En Ralph."

The Count suddenly looked up, a flash of nervousness in his eyes: "Luo En? What happened to that child?"

"According to news from the Black Fog Jungle, Young Master Luo En has successfully passed the qualification assessment for a primary apprentice and has officially become a primary apprentice."

Orlando's voice carried a hint of respect:

"What is even more surprising is that although his initial spiritual talent was only sixth-grade star, he completed the breakthrough in less than ten months. The Black Fog Sect has rated him very highly, classifying him as 'medium potential'."

This news struck the hall like a bolt of lightning; both the Count and Edmund were stunned, struggling to digest this sudden and astonishing change.

"This—this is impossible!" Edmund blurted out subconsciously: "Luo En, his—his talent—"

Orlando smiled slightly: "In the world of wizards, anything is possible, Young Master Edmund. It is said that Young Master Luo En has shown rare talent in potion-making and is now an assistant to Lady Ailan, and has even received the attention of the high-level apprentice, Lord Huo Huo Erte."

Hearing these names, although the Count did not know them well, he knew they must be extraordinary figures, and a surge of indescribable pride and relief welled up in his heart.

Edmund looked at the smile blooming on his father's face and could not help but feel a surge of joy himself.

He had loved this youngest brother since childhood, and although Luo En always did absurd things when he was still with the family, the bond of blood had never faded.

"And the second matter?" asked the Count, once his emotions had calmed slightly.

Orlando's expression turned serious: "It concerns Hawkins, the messenger you entrusted to deliver the magic stone fragments."

He took out a letter stamped with the royal seal from his bosom:

"Upon investigation, it has been confirmed that Hawkins has been skimming the magic stone fragments you sent to Young Master Luo En for the past several months. According to royal decree, he has been beheaded, and his family members have been exiled as slaves."

As he spoke, he gave a look to his attendant, and a box was presented. When opened, it contained the head of a man with a look of extreme pain...

The Count and Edmund's expressions changed simultaneously upon seeing the familiar face in the box.

Both were battle-hardened knights who had seen many battlefields, so their surprise was certainly not due to the bloody, preserved head before them.

They simply had not expected the royal family to be so decisive, executing Hawkins so thoroughly and even cleaning up his entire family.

"More importantly," Orlando continued: "After Young Master Luo En learned of this, he generously stated that he was willing to return the magic stone fragments skimmed over these months to the Ralph family in the form of equivalent value from the school."

He took a heavy box from his attendant and placed it respectfully on the table in the hall:

"Inside are twenty thousand pure gold coins and the deeds to two shops in the East District of the Royal Capital. These are the assets Young Master Luo En designated to be sent back to the family after exchanging those skimmed magic stone fragments at the school."

(End of chapter)