“Evan?”
“Evan?”
A cold female voice, tinged with a hint of anxiety, rang out several times.
It finally pulled Lin Hong’s mind back from the depths of selecting his Secret Manuals.
Coming to his senses, he looked up with a somewhat vacant expression, only to lock eyes with Emperor Alfred.
The Emperor’s gaze was not sharp; instead, it carried a trace of a smile.
Yet, it seemed capable of piercing through many things, causing Lin Hong’s heart to tighten slightly.
“Please forgive him, Your Majesty!”
Lovilla immediately apologized, explaining on behalf of her brother.
“Evan… he suffered a great shock last night, and his injuries have not yet fully healed. His mind often wanders, but he certainly did not intend to neglect Your Majesty.”
“It is quite alright. It is only natural for a young man who has faced such danger to be shaken,” Emperor Alfred said, waving his hand.
His tone was gentle and magnanimous, showing no signs of irritation.
However, his gaze remained fixed on Lin Hong, filled with genuine curiosity.
“Nevertheless, I just heard young Lovilla mention that during the crisis last night, a mysterious expert intervened. Not only did he resolve your predicament, but he also saved Sessie’s life. Young Evan, I heard that man is your teacher?”
‘It was bound to come!’ Lin Hong sighed inwardly.
He felt that the hardest part of being in this world wasn’t killing the members of the Evil Race, but his acting skills.
He glanced at Lovilla, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod, signaling him to answer honestly.
Thus, Lin Hong admitted truthfully that such a person existed.
“To think such an expert was hidden within the Imperial Capital without my knowledge,” the Emperor whispered.
“According to Lovilla, this expert not only guided you but saved Sessie’s life last night. He has done me a great favor. Both for the state and for myself personally, I should express my most sincere gratitude to him.”
“Young Evan, could you introduce us or invite him on my behalf? I wish to thank your teacher in person.”
‘You’re already looking at him,’ Lin Hong thought sarcastically.
However, it was only human nature.
This was, after all, the Emperor of a nation.
If an uncontrollable and unheard-of figure suddenly appeared under his nose, anyone would be unable to sit still, wanting to know the details.
Facing this man, Lin Hong couldn’t be as dismissive as he was with Lovilla; he had to respond cautiously.
“To answer Your Majesty, my teacher… his ways are different from ordinary people. Every time he appears, he is shrouded in a black robe. I have never seen his true face.”
“Regarding my teacher’s identity and origins, he forbade me from prying. He only said the time has not yet come. Furthermore, Teacher is always the one to find me; I have no way of contacting him.”
Lin Hong controlled his speaking speed and facial expressions, distancing himself entirely from the situation.
He didn’t expect the Emperor to believe him completely, but he wasn’t afraid.
It wasn’t as if the Emperor could just execute him, could he?
“Therefore, I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
Emperor Alfred listened quietly.
It was impossible to tell if he believed it or not.
He simply tapped his finger on the armrest of his chair, staring silently at Lin Hong.
Lin Hong didn’t blush or feel his heart race; he met the gaze calmly.
In the past, among the stars, even the gods couldn’t make him submit.
Could this Emperor possibly surpass a god?
After a long silence, the tapping stopped.
Emperor Alfred nodded.
“Experts often have eccentric habits. Since your teacher is unwilling to reveal himself, I will not force the issue.”
He paused, his tone becoming earnest.
“However, young Evan, meeting a great teacher is your fortune and a blessing for the Empire.”
“Cherish this guidance. Strive to improve yourself so that in the future, you may live up to your teacher’s expectations and the honor of the Wien family.”
Lin Hong smiled.
He would just take those words with a grain of salt.
“As for the gratitude,” the Emperor pondered for a moment, “since I cannot thank him in person, please convey my words on my behalf in the future.”
Lin Hong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.
He had passed this hurdle.
‘I wonder how many days it’s been since I’ve missed the young master Evan.’
Taking advantage of the moment when the Emperor turned his gaze back to Lovilla, Lin Hong immediately began to mentally harass the mysterious panel in his mind.
Previously, this thing had been extremely arrogant, relying on the fact that he couldn’t erase it.
It was constantly citing “insufficient authority” or “unable to disclose,” which made Lin Hong’s face darken with frustration.
Now, he decided to do the opposite.
Since he couldn’t erase it, he didn’t need to show any mercy.
He immediately visualized eighteen types of weapons in his mind and began to rain blows upon it.
He treated it as a way to train his mental power!
By the end, Lin Hong even visualized gongs, drums, suonas, and even wooden fish, with Buddha’s light shining and Sanskrit chanting.
[…… At most six months, Host. In six months, the original soul will return.]
‘Six months?’
Lin Hong paused.
The various visualized objects in his mind quickly dissipated as his heart stirred.
This was because, in six months, his mental essence would have accumulated enough to reconstruct his own physical body.
‘Is there some connection here?’
Lin Hong made a mental note of this.
He didn’t continue the harassment; obtaining a relatively clear timeframe was an unexpected surprise.
He no longer had to endure the moral pressure of occupying another’s body.
‘If he can’t come back by then, things will get ugly for you. I’ll carve marks into you.’
Finally, Lin Hong didn’t forget to throw in a threat.
He felt the light on the mysterious panel dim for a moment, as if it were exhausted.
His mind returned to reality.
At this moment, Emperor Alfred was talking to Lovilla, asking her a question.
“Lovilla, my girl, I heard that your father and mother recently sent a letter from the Northern Frontier. They miss you and your brother very much and want you to visit during the holidays for a family reunion?”
Lovilla sat upright and nodded in response.
“To answer Your Majesty, that is true. Our parents have been stationed at the border for two or three years without returning home. They are worried. Evan and I originally planned to head north as soon as some trivial matters here in the Imperial Capital are settled.”
The so-called trivial matters mainly referred to the losses of the Duke’s residence last night—losses that were, frankly, catastrophic.
Especially regarding personnel.
Aside from the old butler Robert and the personal maid Isha, the guards of the estate and even some of the maids had been lost, their innocent lives cut short.
Thinking of this, a coldness flickered in the depths of Lin Hong’s eyes.
Although those who died had nothing to do with him—in the memories of the young Evan, their faces were even blurred backgrounds in the vast ducal residence—how could he ignore it?
Those were lives, ordinary yet vibrant.
They had performed their duties for the Duke’s residence for many years, only to meet such a violent end.
It reminded him of his home universe.
Long ago, countless life-bearing planets were prosperous, and many such innocent people should have lived ordinary, peaceful lives.
Instead, they were subjected to the groundless invasions of the Evil Race, resulting in utter devastation.
How could he tolerate this?
This blood could not be shed in vain.
It could only be repaid and commemorated with even more blood from the Evil Race!
“You and your brother do not need to worry about those things. I will order people to take over the aftermath of the Duke’s residence. All losses will be properly accounted for.”
Lovilla was stunned upon hearing this.
She instinctively wanted to decline, but the Emperor stopped her.
“Let me finish, child. What you and your brother must do is set out at the fastest possible speed once your injuries are healed and your strength has recovered, so you can reunite with your parents.”
“I will dispatch elites from the Royal Knights and the Mage Corps to escort you all the way until you are safely in your parents’ hands.”
Lovilla was completely dumbfounded, and Lin Hong silently sat up straighter.
This was something that required careful listening.
“After today, the Imperial Capital will no longer be peaceful. Some maggots have been entrenched for too long; some things that cannot see the light have hidden too deep in the shadows. It is time for them to be uprooted.”
Inside the study, a murderous aura emanated from the middle-aged man, causing the temperature in the room to drop as if it were freezing.
Since it was an uprooting, the process would not be gentle or dignified.
A lot of blood would flow.
Therefore, the Emperor did not want his old friend’s children to stay in the Imperial Capital; it would tie his hands.
“Because, if another accident were to occur, I would not be able to face your parents.”
One could foresee that a fate of destruction was about to descend upon certain people’s heads.
Heads would roll in the Imperial Capital!
“Of course, I have my own private considerations and plans. Therefore, a few others will travel with you. You will know who they are when the time comes.”
Lovilla was speechless.
Everything had been arranged so clearly; what else could she say?
She immediately responded respectfully, “We shall follow Your Majesty’s arrangements.”
The Emperor waved his hand, signaling that they could withdraw.
The two bowed and exited the study, making their way back under the guidance of the female official.
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