​"Mmm, ’truth-telling drug’? What the hell is that?" Vincent said, raising an eyebrow, looking totally confused.

​"Oh, sorry, my bad. That was just a name I came up with," Ian said, scratching the back of his head. "What I’m trying to ask is... what was the drug or serum you used on Trevor that caused him to lose consciousness?" Ian asked, his expression turning serious as he stared straight at Vincent.

​The casual smile instantly vanished from Vincent’s face.

​Suddenly, he released a wave of pressure and killing intent just like the one he had used back in the study. But this time, it felt overwhelmingly strong and completely uncontrollable.

​Outside, the horses instantly started neighing in panic before freezing completely on the spot. The carriage jolted violently and then abruptly stopped. Up front on the driver’s seat, the coachman began to shake uncontrollably. He was just a normal mortal, and even though he wasn’t inside the carriage, the sheer terror radiating from within the cabin was enough to completely paralyze him.

​"Cough... cough, cough!" Tracy started violently coughing inside the cabin. She grabbed her throat, desperately trying to breathe in, but the air felt far too heavy. She was shaking from head to toe, looking as if death itself had just arrived.

​’I can’t breathe...’ Ian choked, "Cough, cough!" ’It’s like the air itself has turned into pure killing intent! Is this the real power of a Fifth-Stage Aura User?!’ Ian clutched his chest tightly, gasping for air as saliva pooled in the corner of his mouth. He forcefully looked up to see Vincent staring down at him with a terrifyingly blank expression. A faint, blood-red aura was physically surrounding the man’s massive body. Ian then glanced to his side and saw that Tracy had already completely passed out from the pressure.

​"Uncle... the worst you could have said... was just a ’no’..." Ian forced the words out through gritted teeth, actually managing to look at the man with a strained, sarcastic smile.

​"Mmmmm. You still have the energy to make sarcastic jokes, huh? Tsk," Vincent clicked his tongue, finally retracting the heavy, bloody aura back into his body.

​The moment the pressure vanished, Ian gasped loudly, greedily sucking in mouthfuls of fresh air. Outside, the coachman stopped shaking, though his lingering fear was still incredibly obvious.

​"Listen closely, Nephew. You may be the best candidate to become the next Family Head, but you are not the Head right now. Know your limits," Vincent warned, his voice dead serious. "Don’t think that just because we call each other uncle and nephew now, I will just casually tell you any information you want."

​’Fuck... that’s exactly what I thought. I figured he would just give me the information if I asked him nicely since we bonded. I need to pick my words much more carefully next time,’ Ian thought, rubbing his aching chest with a complicated expression.

​"Now, go outside and ask the coachman how long the horses will take to recover. If it will take too long, we will just continue on foot. We are already getting close to the Main House anyway," Vincent ordered.

​"Okay," Ian just nodded and stepped out of the carriage.

​’He didn’t even faint from that pressure... he even had the power to look around, analyze the situation, and talk back to me,’ Vincent thought, a faint, impressed smile forming on his lips as he watched Ian leave.

​’That Trevor I interrogated really is a loudmouth, huh? I should instill some real discipline into him the next time I see him. But... it’s still really strange. During the interrogation last night, Trevor also said that the Young Master was acting incredibly strange these days and becoming powerful out of absolutely nowhere. He even admitted he also briefly thought that the kid had made a deal with a demon, or had become possessed by one.’ Vincent narrowed his eyes, looking through the window at Ian, who was currently talking to the shaking coachman.

​’At first, the Main House just thought it was pure luck when Ian managed to kill that assassin Jenna, since she was an unranked mortal. But later, defeating a First-Stage Aura User while being completely unranked himself? That is practically unheard of. This little act I just pulled... pushing him to the brink of death with my killing intent... should have forced a demon to reveal itself to survive. But there was nothing. Just pure, raw human willpower. I guess the kid is in the clear for now.’ Vincent concluded, just as Ian walked back to the door.

​"Uncle, he doesn’t think the horses will be moving again anytime soon. They are completely afraid," Ian reported.

​"Sigh... thought as much, these are ordinary horses if they were war horses it would have been a different story. Then we should get going on foot before its dark. Grab your maid, I don’t think she will be waking up for a while," Vincent said. He stepped out of the carriage and effortlessly hoisted all of Ian’s heavy luggage onto his massive shoulders as if it weighed nothing.

​Ian climbed back into the cabin, carefully picked up the unconscious Tracy onto his back, and stepped outside. He saw Vincent talking with the pale coachman.

​"You should also leave the carriage and the horses behind. The Thorne Family will compensate you double the price for your losses. If you decide to stay here with these paralyzed horses, who knows how long it will take for them to recover? It’s better you start walking back to a village before it gets dark," Vincent told the man.

​The coachman didn’t even have to think about it. He immediately nodded and started speed-walking away down the road in the opposite direction.

​’I guess he was happy enough being compensated double the cost. These must be the perks of being rich, and being a noble huh? He didn’t even hesitate to abandon his horses,’ Ian thought, adjusting Tracy on his back as he followed his uncle down the dirt road.

​During the hike, they didn’t speak a single word. Nobody was really in a talking mood after what had just happened.

​Tracy eventually woke up after about three hours of walking. At first, she just groaned, her vision blurry. But when she blinked and realized she was being carried on someone’s back—and recognized the back of Ian’s head—she completely froze.

​In this era, a lowly servant making her noble master carry her like a pack mule was a massive, unforgivable taboo!

​Tracy instantly panicked. She scrambled off Ian’s back, landing clumsily in the dirt, and immediately dropped to her knees, bowing her head so low it almost touched the ground.

​"Y-Young Master! I am so sorry! Please punish me!" Tracy cried out, her voice trembling with sheer terror. "I-I don’t know what happened back there! Suddenly the air got so heavy and I couldn’t breathe, and... and I made you carry me! Please forgive this useless servant!"

​Vincent stopped walking and glanced back, raising an eyebrow at the crying maid.

​Instead, Ian just sighed softly. He walked over, gently grabbed Tracy by the shoulders, and pulled her back up to her feet. He patted her head with a warm, reassuring smile.

​"It’s okay, Tracy. It wasn’t your fault," Ian said kindly, dusting the dirt off her uniform. "The air just got a little too thin back there for a moment. You didn’t do anything wrong, so there will be no such things as punishments. Just take a deep breath."

​Tracy sniffled, looking up at Ian with wide, teary eyes. To her, Ian acting this genuinely kind and forgiving to her reminded her of Lady Caroline helping her from the streets and living in a big house serving a noble.

’He really is the Madam’s son alright, he is so nice to me’ Tracy thought blushing.

"Aaah, youth so refreshing" Vincent said chuckling. ’Lets not argue with him, it’s his fault in the first place. He is also a 5th stage aura user’ Ian thought calming himself and ignoring Vincent.

​Conveniently, Tracy’s awakening coincided perfectly with the end of their journey. They had finally reached the bustling village situated right outside the Main House’s massive walls.

​"This village isn’t much different than the one at home, huh, Young Master?" Tracy mumbled a few minutes later, still walking nervously behind Ian, though she clearly felt much safer around him now.

​"Yeah, you are right about the village. But this estate... it is huge. It is easily two times larger than the one at home," Ian said.

​They stopped in front of massive, towering black iron gates bearing the grand insignia of the Thorne Family. Ian stared up, genuinely amazed by the sheer scale of the architecture.

​’In the previous Ian’s memories, the estate definitely wasn’t this large. Did they make massive renovations over the past few years or something?’ Ian thought, standing in a daze at the gates while Vincent walked up and spoke briefly with the heavily armored guards on duty.

​"Well, if it isn’t my nephew. You have certainly grown since I last saw you," a smooth, deep voice suddenly echoed from behind Ian.

​When Ian turned around, his eyes widened. Standing there was an imposing, middle-aged man. He possessed the exact same striking features as Ian—pitch-black hair and piercing golden eyes.

​"Family Head," Vincent greeted, immediately offering a respectful bow.