The sky darkened. Luo Wei left the basement.

  Yves was still waiting outside. Seeing her emerge, he reported, "Master, Butler Bella brought Mr. Hawkins earlier. He wanted to see you. I said you were busy, so Bella convinced him to go back."

  Barton Hawkins?

  She'd only asked him to see if the silk could be woven into samples using his factory equipment. Bella could handle such a small matter. Why did he need to see her personally?

  Luo Wei asked, "Did he say what he wanted?"

  Yves: "Something about discussing the silk business."

  Discussing the silk business?

  Barton must have spotted the huge opportunity in silk and wanted a piece of the pie.

  "Got it." Luo Wei nodded. "Where's Bella?"

  "Butler Bella went to see Mr. Hawkins off. She'll be back soon."

  Just as Yves finished speaking, Bella came running from the distance. The Mulberry Garden gate was quite far from the villa, and in this heat, the dry ground kicked up dust all over her.

  Only then did Luo Wei realize that Bella, as head butler of Star Luo Residence, ran back and forth between the city every day without even proper transportation, relying entirely on her own two legs.

  This wouldn't do. Bella represented her reputation. She couldn't look so shabby out there. A carriage had to be arranged.

  Luo Wei looked at the luxurious carriage Yves drove—purchased in Santalie City up north. Star Luo Residence also had a small white horse and arched carriage Roman had bought.

  A few minutes later, Bella ran breathlessly to the villa entrance and bowed. "Master, are you finished?"

  "Yes." Luo Wei noticed the sweat on her forehead. "Why didn't you use the other carriage at home?"

  Bella wiped her forehead. "Tom has school during the day. There's no coachman at home."

  "Then hire another one." Luo Wei walked down the steps. "Star Luo Residence is half an hour's walk from the Mulberry Garden. Walking every day is exhausting. Hire a coachman tomorrow. You'll take the carriage from now on."

  "That's not necessary, Master." Bella quickly refused. "I don't walk every day. Tom picks me up after school in the afternoon. Besides, Tom just turned twelve. He'll graduate next month and can focus on driving full-time."

  Hiring another coachman would waste money. As the best butler, she had to guard the master's treasury!

  Worried the master would insist, Bella quickly changed the subject. "Master, following your instructions, I invited Mr. Hawkins over today. He says his loom can weave this silk thread, but needs two days to adjust the machine and custom-make some small parts."

  "Then send him a box of silk and have him weave a sample fabric first." Luo Wei said.

  "Yes, Master." Bella agreed, then continued, "Master, Mr. Hawkins is very interested in our silk. He was excited when he saw it and kept begging me to let him meet you. He wants to discuss cooperating on silk fabric."

  Luo Wei: "I'm busy lately. Tell him to wait a while. Have him weave the sample fabric first, then we'll discuss cooperation."

  Privately, she didn't want to cooperate with anyone this time.

  Silk was an extremely profitable product, and she completely controlled the production technology. There was no need to let profits flow to outsiders.

  However, she hadn't decided whether to reveal the silk business as her industry. The porcelain plate incident was a cautionary tale. Before the Mist Kingdom was established, she didn't want to invite too much trouble.

  Bella noted Luo Wei's words and continued reporting. "Master, one more thing. Manager Teresa sent word this morning. That porcelain merchant named Tim has arrived in Siria. He's asking when he can see you."

  Tim—the traveling merchant who'd taken porcelain plates to the Holy City, sold them for the outrageous price of one hundred gold coins each, and had the audacity to do it.

  Not only had he gotten her questioned by Alfried, she'd had to cover for his lies. This merchant certainly had guts.

  Luo Wei narrowed her eyes and suddenly changed her mind.

  "Tell Tim and Mr. Hawkins—three days from now at 3 PM, I'll meet them here. No exceptions."

  Bella was surprised for a moment, quickly recovering her calm expression. "Yes, Master. I'll send word to them shortly."

  "Good." Luo Wei nodded lightly, lifted her skirt, and boarded the carriage. "Let's go. It's getting late. We're returning to Star Luo Residence."

  She wondered what Troy was dawdling about in Gelu City. She'd thought he'd return before dark, but he still hadn't come to the Mulberry Garden to find her.

  That guy's heart was probably running wild out there. When he got back, she'd have to teach him a good lesson!

  Gelu City, the Lord's Castle.

  Ever since Troy had poured the healing potion down the unconscious Count Wesley's throat that afternoon, things had spiraled completely out of control like a runaway horse.

  First, the castle servants—having inhaled too much of the stench—experienced ringing ears, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea one after another, directly causing the castle's daily maintenance system to grind to a halt.

  Second, the castle guards who'd rushed to the main building to investigate the source of the smell fainted in three successive waves under the assault of the toxic odor, leaving the castle's defenses hollow and security plummeting.

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  Finally, Count Wesley—woken by the stench only to be knocked out by it again, then woken again—had recovered enough from his internal injuries to resist. After his escape failed, he actually flexed his biceps and tried to fight Troy.

  But how could an ordinary person beat a Magic Swordsman? Troy easily subdued him, pinned his arms behind his back on the carpet, and had Roman and Rosie force-feed him medicine.

  Troy faithfully followed Luo Wei's instructions—not a drop of this potion could be wasted. He figured if there was any left after Count Wesley's injuries healed, he'd split it between Roman and Rosie. They were pretty badly hurt too.

  Roman and Rosie were nearly knocked out by the smell, but they gritted their teeth and held on. One pried open Count Wesley's jaw while the other used a large wooden spoon to pour medicine down his throat. Their movements were lightning fast.

  Half a jar of potion remained. Count Wesley had to drink it all, or they'd be the ones suffering later!

  Count Wesley, subjected to this torture, couldn't hold out. After a few minutes, he passed out from the smell again. This time, no matter how much Roman and Rosie shook him, he wouldn't wake, and they couldn't get the potion down.

  Troy had no choice but to put him back on the bed. Figuring he'd drunk enough medicine anyway, he scooped up both kids with one big hand and pressed down on Rosie's back first. "You have internal injuries too. Drink a few more mouthfuls."

  "No! I won't—mmph... glug... glug... urk—"

  Rosie clutched her throat but couldn't vomit. Her eyes rolled back and she passed out.

  Seeing trouble, Roman turned to run. Troy's figure flashed and appeared in front of him, grabbed him by the collar, and shoved the medicine jar to his mouth.

  "That deep bruising on your neck probably injured the bone. Drink up."

  "No no no I won't—mmph... glug glug... I'm gonna—glug..."

  The last light in Roman's eyes went out. He couldn't even vomit in time. His eyelids dropped heavily.

  "Hm?"

  Troy held Roman up and shook him, watching his arms and legs swing around like soft noodles, his head hanging limply. He gave up on continuing to feed him medicine.

  A bit of medicine paste remained in the jar. He thought about it, went downstairs, found some rope to tie around the clay jar, went to the kitchen well, lowered the jar into the water, and tied the rope's end to the well's railing.

  Many people in the castle were injured. Putting the remaining potion in the water would let everyone drink some.

  Though diluted potion had greatly reduced effectiveness, it was still healing medicine. It could speed up everyone's wound recovery a bit.

  Returning upstairs, seeing Count Wesley still unconscious and Roman and Rosie collapsed on the carpet, he simply picked up both kids and brought them to Count Wesley's bedside, arranging their arms and heads so their upper bodies rested on the bed.

  Count Wesley had considered adopting them, so he must like them quite a bit. Surely he wouldn't mind them sleeping by his bed for a while.

  After finishing all this, Troy went downstairs and carried the fainted guards outside to the lawn one in each hand, pinching their philtrum pressure points one by one.

  This was an emergency treatment method he'd learned from Luo Wei. The castle couldn't function without guards. Before he returned to Siria to report, he had to wake them up.

  The guards, their philtrums pinched black and blue, woke up and immediately vomited acid water on the lawn. Watching them, Troy nodded with satisfaction.

  He'd brought these people outside specifically so they wouldn't vomit in the hallways. He'd been so thoughtful—Count Wesley would surely be grateful when he woke and remember Her Highness's kindness!

  In the lord's bedroom, Count Wesley stirred awake, opened his eyes, and saw two little demons lying by his bed. Terrified, he immediately closed his eyes again.

  Post-traumatic stress made scenes of them force-feeding him medicine repeatedly flash through his mind. His shoulders trembled. He opened his eyes, tears of regret streaming from the corners.

  He deserved this!

  Why had he entertained improper thoughts and wanted to adopt two outsiders as heirs?

  If it were Vina, she would never be so cruel to him. Only biological children would care about their old father.

  Count Wesley secretly vowed that from today on, he would properly cultivate Vina and train her to be a qualified family successor.

  Even if she had a pig's brain, he'd make flowers bloom in that pig brain. Even if she was rotten wood, he'd turn that rotten wood into ivory!

  As for these two kids by the bed—they were too formidable. Better to send them back to that Misty Plains princess!

  What a shame about the Blade of Judgment his family had guarded for over a thousand years. It would ultimately fall into outsiders' hands.

  Count Wesley sighed and got out of bed. When he went to relieve himself, he discovered the castle was so quiet he couldn't hear a single footstep.

  What was going on? An ominous feeling rose in his heart.

  Count Wesley, temporarily deprived of his sense of smell, didn't know that his castle had long been shrouded in stench, and the most important water source had been contaminated by the potion. For the next three days, they would all be living in a cloud of foul odor.

  Hol's potions left a scent that was just that persistent.

  Due to the castle's internal security system collapsing, Troy was forced to stay in Gelu City overnight, only returning to Siria with the two kids the next day.

  When the three returned to Star Luo Residence, Luo Wei hadn't finished class yet. Roman and Rosie seized the time to bathe, avoiding letting Luo Wei see them dirty and smelly.

  Troy had nothing to do, so he checked around Star Luo Residence's perimeter walls, then jumped into the apple tree in the front courtyard.

  This tree was his chosen watchtower. When not on missions, he'd hide in the tree watching the surroundings, preventing anyone from plotting against Star Luo Residence.

  At noon, Luo Wei walked through Star Luo Residence's gate and habitually glanced up at the apple tree, spotting the black robe half-hidden among the leaves.

  Luo Wei: ...

  "Troy, get down here!"

  With a whoosh, a black shadow jumped from the canopy, bringing several green leaves fluttering down with it.

  "Why didn't you come back last night?" Luo Wei looked at Troy standing straight before her.

  Troy answered: "Last night, the servants and guards at Count Wesley's castle were all vomiting and having diarrhea, so I stayed there overnight."

  Vomiting and diarrhea?

  Luo Wei's first reaction: "Someone poisoned them?"

  Troy shook his head. "No. The potion you gave me seems to have a bowel-cleansing effect. They only felt better after emptying their stomachs."

  Luo Wei asked doubtfully, "Just from smelling it, it's that powerful?"

  Troy: "Not from smelling. They also drank the potion."

  "They?" Luo Wei asked. "Besides Count Wesley, how many others did you give it to?"

  Troy straightened his chest. "Everyone. Everyone in the castle drank it."

  "You said not to waste it, so I put the remaining potion in the kitchen's water well."

  Luo Wei listened, then fell silent for a long while.

  After that long while, she looked at Troy with a complex expression and slowly raised her hand to pat his arm.

  "Troy, you're a real grim reaper."

  She'd only wanted to wake Count Wesley up. He'd tried to torture the entire Wesley family to death!

  Troy looked confused. Was Her Highness praising or scolding him?

  Luo Wei added: "They'll definitely worship you from now on. Troy, you did great."

  This sentence Troy understood. Her Highness was praising him.

  But he felt he hadn't done anything special. The people should really thank Luo Wei. Even if they worshiped someone, they should worship her first.

  So he said modestly: "Thank you for the praise, Your Highness. I only followed your instructions. This is all your achievement!"

  Luo Wei's throat caught. She suddenly understood how the professors felt when they took the blame for her and her teammates.

  Dumping a biochemical weapon into someone's water source—she could never do such a thing. This was clearly all Troy's creative improvisation.

  Though this was Troy's personal action, because he was her knight, everyone he'd poisoned would think she'd ordered it. She was taking the fall for a huge mess!

  Luo Wei exhaled heavily and walked past Troy toward the main hall. "Come inside first. After lunch, come with me to the Mulberry Garden."

  "Yes, Your Highness." Troy turned to follow.

  "Did you bring Roman and Rosie back?"

  "Brought them back. They went to bathe."

  "Good that they're back."

  Luo Wei stepped into the main hall. The two kids had just run out from the side building. Seeing her, they immediately adjusted their movements, walked over with steady steps, and knelt on one knee to salute her.

  "Miss, we're back safe and sound!"

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