Raylo was now the Black Stone Manor Earl, no longer the young boy who could once come and go from the Royal Palace as he pleased.

His gaze swept over the city, finally settling on the most prosperous area in South City.

Raylo leaped down from Baofeng’s back, his black cloak snapping in the wind.

"Ed, arrange our accommodations and have the Knights watch over our companions."

Raylo ordered.

"Yes, my lord!"

Golden Oak Inn.

The inn’s portly owner was dozing at the counter. He was startled awake by a commotion outside. Just as he poked his head out, he saw a young nobleman with an extraordinary air walk in.

"Sir, what can I get for you?"

The owner immediately put on a professional smile.

"I need a quiet, private courtyard, plus ten of your best rooms."

"My companions need a spacious place to rest."

"Ten... private courtyards..."

The owner’s smile froze on his face. He instinctively glanced out the window, and when he saw the golden behemoth in the square, beads of sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

"H-Honored guest, I’m afraid... I’m afraid our inn’s courtyard can’t accommodate that... companion of yours."

"It will figure something out on its own."

Raylo placed a small bag of Golden Dragons on the counter, making a crisp clinking sound.

"The rest is a tip for you, and to cover any potential damages."

Gazing at the heavy bag of Golden Dragons, the owner’s breathing grew ragged.

He swallowed hard, casting all his worries to the back of his mind.

"No problem! Of course, no problem! The inn’s largest courtyard and all our best rooms are reserved for you! I’ll have my staff prepare them at once!"

Under Moonlight’s Transformation Magic, Sun’s body shrank to about eight meters.

Even so, the scene was still comical when it moved into the inn’s largest luxury suite.

It had to curl up its body, its enormous head nearly touching the ceiling, and its long tail could only be pitifully tucked under the bed.

「At sunset」

Everything was finally settled.

Raylo stood at his room’s window, looking down on Thunder Dragon City.

The city was filled with vitality and order, but it also concealed unseen undercurrents.

Moonlight perched on a nearby velvet chair, meticulously grooming its soft fur with its paws, completely indifferent to the world outside.

As night deepened, Raylo did not rest.

He ran through every possible scenario in his mind, contemplating each person’s position and objective.

’His Majesty the King, the Cabinet Ministers, Angmar Duke...’

「The next morning」

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the room.

A rhythmic knock sounded at the door.

"KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK."

Ed went to open the door. Outside stood an Internal Affairs Officer in royal livery, flanked by two Royal Palace Guards holding long halberds.

The Internal Affairs Officer wore a stern expression. Upon seeing Raylo, he bowed slightly and unrolled a parchment scroll.

"Count Raylo."

The Internal Affairs Officer announced in a monotone voice.

"By order of His Majesty the King and the Cabinet, you are commanded to proceed to the Royal Palace immediately for an urgent meeting before the throne regarding the Special Envoy from the Empire."

Raylo’s eyes were calm, showing no ripples of emotion.

’He knew that what was to come had finally arrived.’

The Internal Affairs Officer rolled up the decree, looked up, and added,

"Lord Earl, please be quick. Angmar Duke of the Violet Empire has already arrived."

...

The paths of the Royal Palace were paved with white marble. On either side, stone-carved guards holding long halberds stood with solemn expressions, as if they had been standing there for a thousand years.

Raylo walked behind the Internal Affairs Officer with Ed close by his side, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

He had expected to face a grim trial or a sharp political clash—a war of words.

However, when he was led into the main hall of the Royal Palace, the sight before him made him pause.

There was none of the tense, hostile atmosphere he had anticipated.

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows were wide open, allowing sunlight to pour in and illuminate the motes of dust floating in the air.

An epic mural of Giant Dragons was painted on the domed ceiling, but beneath it, the atmosphere was unexpectedly... relaxed.

Aiden Duke, dressed in relatively casual attire, was talking with a burly, middle-aged man.

That man was undoubtedly Angmar Duke.

He had thick, short black hair, deep-set eyes, and a gaze as sharp as a falcon’s. Even sitting casually, he exuded a faint, oppressive aura.

But in his conversation with Aiden Duke, this aura was perfectly restrained.

"Aiden, I often think that if you hadn’t left back then and had chosen to stay in the Empire, with your talent and temperament, your achievements today would be no less than mine. You might... even be a step ahead of me."

Angmar Duke’s voice was deep and resonant, carrying a hint of banter.

"That’s all in the past."

Aiden Duke raised his wine glass, swirling it gently, a faint, detached smile on his lips.

"These old bones of mine are content just to guard this land of the Thunder Dragon Duchy."

The two looked at each other and smiled, a smile steeped in the passage of time and shared memories, as if they were not the leaders of two powerful factions, but simply old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

Raylo’s arrival interrupted their conversation.

"Your Majesty."

Raylo bowed in salute.

"Angmar Duke."

He then gave a slight nod to the other man.

Angmar Duke’s gaze fell upon Raylo, his eyes looking him up and down.

Raylo remained composed, meeting his gaze calmly.

"So, you’re Raylo?"

Angmar Duke spoke.

"Not bad. A good kid."

This seemingly random compliment left the Cabinet Ministers present a little baffled, but the two Dukes clearly paid them no mind.

Aiden Duke set down his wine glass, looked at Raylo, and cut straight to the point in a level tone.

"A Knight of the Empire cannot be left stranded abroad."

"Graves. The Empire wishes to ransom him," Angmar Duke said, his tone making it sound like a trivial business transaction.

"Agreed."

Aiden Duke nodded, settling the matter with a single word.

An incident with a captive that could have sparked a diplomatic crisis was settled between the two of them in just a few words.

Angmar Duke’s gaze softened slightly. He sighed and looked out the window.

"Speaking of which, my poor sister... If she were still alive to see us now, I don’t know if she would be pleased or angry. Marrying you should have been a fine match for her, but in the end, her fate was a tragic one."

Hearing this, a trace of sadness also appeared in Aiden Duke’s eyes, and he fell silent for a moment.

This brief moment of warmth made the atmosphere in the hall somewhat delicate.

And it was this connection, born of blood ties, that made the next topic seem like a natural progression.

"Bring Eliot in."

Aiden Duke commanded.