Chapter 39: The Storm Brought by Extraordinary Professions

Inside the private box of the Southern Duke’s second son, Andre fell into deep, rapid contemplation.

[Dragon Seal: Weapon Master]?

Could it be that someone had actually succeeded in attaining this secret profession?

This meant that this person had at least possessed the blood of a true dragon and was capable of inscribing the "Dragon Power Conversion Rune," a technique lost for over a thousand years.

Who exactly was this person? Why had he appeared in Efeyn? What was his stance? Was he a Royalist? A rebel? An opportunist?

Would the appearance of such a mysterious and unfathomable figure in Florence at this sensitive time cause uncontrollable interference with his master's plans?

After a long silence, Andre turned to look at Sandro Gaunt, the Southern Duke’s second son, whose face had gone pale. "Where is that temporary communication stone the 'Salesman' gave you?"

Sandro snapped back to reality and, after a few seconds of hesitation, produced it.

Andre spoke with the tone of a superior issuing a command: "The rule of 'Black Tomb' is that before a mission is completed, an assassin is not allowed to contact the client without authorization. However, the client may initiate contact with the assassin to add new requirements or increase the bounty. Contact that 'Silver Medal 207' right now."

Sandro looked at Andre's stern expression, feeling a faint trace of fear. Unable to voice any opposition, he asked uneasily, "What should I tell him?"

Andre’s tone was flat: "Tell him the mission is temporarily suspended. Tell him to wait for my reply regarding when to resume."

Sandro quickly followed Andre's orders, leaving a message for the other party via the communication stone detailing the situation.

Andre had decided to pause any action against this individual and instead report the situation to his master. This suddenly emerged "Lord of Shadows" seemed to have a powerful background; if they were to rashly attempt an assassination and end up dead in Florence, it could cause unpredictable consequences for his master’s grand scheme.

***

In the largest private box on the first floor, the configuration at the entrance alone signaled that the occupants were of extraordinary importance. Two rows of fully armed Imperial Guards stood on both sides, with a squad of court mages and several high-ranking priests in white robes standing by nearby.

The lighting inside the box was soft and bright, illuminating the grave expression of Prime Minister Angus Angrain.

Surrounded by several middle-aged men with equally serious expressions, the Prime Minister and his seven cabinet ministers were all gathered in this small box—the very center of power in Efeyn.

Soon, a note was delivered by the Prime Minister’s personal guard. After reading it, a flash of shock crossed the Prime Minister's face before he passed the note to those around him.

The seven ministers read the note in turn. Although the content was shocking and even somewhat scandalous, they were all high-ranking bureaucrats who had navigated the treacherous waters of politics for decades, and they quickly masked their emotions.

The Prime Minister looked toward the former Grand Chamberlain, Snape Middleton, who sat a little further away and had remained silent, and suddenly asked, "Lord Middleton, it seems you withdrew a vial of dragon blood from the national treasury a few days ago, is that correct?"

Middleton’s face remained impassive as he replied calmly, "Is the Prime Minister implying that this 'Lord of Shadows' has something to do with me?"

As the Prime Minister spoke, the other ministers turned their gazes toward him. Since the dragon blood from the treasury had just been used, and a [Dragon Seal: Weapon Master]—a profession requiring dragon blood—had appeared, the ministers, not just the Prime Minister, could not help but harbor their own suspicions.

Could this "Lord of Shadows" be a trump card secretly cultivated by Middleton?

The Prime Minister smiled faintly and said, "Lord Middleton, there is no need for such hostility. If it really is related to you, that would actually be a great thing for us! If you have indeed recruited such an excellent talent for the nation, I will immediately petition His Majesty to award you the 'Order of Holy Martial Glory'."

The Corlion royal family was a hereditary [Paladin] lineage, and the "Order of Holy Martial Glory" was the highest honor in Efeyn. In the three thousand years since the founding of the kingdom, everyone who had received this honor was a pillar of the state who had expanded the territory or performed immortal deeds.

Middleton’s voice remained as calm as water: "Regrettably, it seems this medal is not meant for me."

One minister spoke up, "The Earl is a [Totem Warrior]. The dragon blood must have been used by himself. I fear the Prime Minister is overthinking it."

A Totem Warrior draws power by absorbing the essence or souls of powerful magical beasts to inscribe totems. This minister's attempt to ease the tension dispelled many people's doubts.

The minister added, "Besides, according to intelligence, this person has close ties to Mr. Mordo, the regional inspector of the 'Pale Wings' in the Northwest. I don't think Earl Middleton could possibly have any connection with Mr. Mordo."

Once these words were spoken, the remaining doubts vanished. It was not that they looked down on Middleton, but while their status in Efeyn was lofty, compared to the "Pale Wings," an organization whose influence spanned the entire Magic Tide Continent, the difference was like heaven and earth. A regional inspector of the "Pale Wings," let alone a cabinet minister, was someone even the Prime Minister might not be able to stand on equal footing with.

The speaker was Viscount Albreu, the Lord Privy Seal, who had a good personal relationship with Earl Middleton and was one of the few friends the Earl had in the cabinet.

The Prime Minister was not annoyed; he just smiled lightly. "It seems I was overthinking. In that case, let us discuss what attitude we should take toward this 'Lord of Shadows'."

Viscount Albreu continued, "I heard that Prince Haug has already had contact with him, and the talks went quite well. Why don't we seize the opportunity to grant him the title of honorary baron, and then decide on further rewards based on his strength or future contributions?"

The others nodded in agreement with the Lord Privy Seal’s suggestion.

The Prime Minister paused, then said slowly, "The Queen’s wish is for him to become His Majesty’s court tutor."

The atmosphere in the box instantly froze.

Indeed, they still had a King and a Queen above them, and they had to consider their opinions. Becoming the King’s court tutor... that would make him a Royal Mentor! This was a completely different matter from an honorary baron. The status of a Royal Mentor was no less than that of a cabinet minister; this was an attempt to carve into their power and influence!

Furthermore, given His Majesty's current condition, he could easily be manipulated by this mysterious Royal Mentor. A single thought echoed in everyone’s mind: *He must be stopped!*

The first to speak was the new Chief Justice, Baron Gore: "The King’s court tutor has always been the Queen herself. Changing the person now seems inappropriate to me. I do not believe anyone is more qualified to be the Royal Mentor than Her Majesty the Queen! Even if he has attained some ancient secret profession, that is merely talent. Her Majesty is the 'Strongest Silver' on the continent, someone who could suppress legends at the age of twenty-five!"

Seeing Gore speak, another minister followed. The Minister of Frontier Affairs, Seaton, said, "I agree with the Chief Justice’s opinion. Moreover, this person’s true identity has not been confirmed. Isn't it too risky to appoint him as Royal Mentor?"

A flurry of discussion ensued. The Prime Minister signaled his secretary to record the ministers' statements clearly.

Finally, the Prime Minister delivered the final word: "Then let us revisit this matter later. For now, let us continue watching the tournament."