Vol. 1 - Ch. 26 - I Don't Think I'm a Bad Person

"..."

The Viscount of White Pine opened his mouth, but the refinement of being a noble made him swallow his words back down.

"..."

Ai'na's attendants were even more dumbfounded.

How did a conversation result in half of a long dress disappearing?

And why was that Baron smiling foolishly, drenched in sweat?

"Your Highness, your clothes..."

One straightforward attendant had just started to speak before being glared back by Ai'na's murderous gaze.

"It's nothing, the exchange... was just a little intense."

Ai'na expressionlessly tugged at the tattered hem of her dress, covering her exposed dragon-scaled lower legs.

Afterward, she turned around and gave a meaningful glance at Lynn, who was still wiping his sweat:

"Remember our 'verbal agreement', Your Excellency Baron.

Regarding the specific details of the trade contract, as well as the subsequent application for a joint investigation into that 'underground organization',

I will send a dedicated person to liaise with you."

Speaking up to here, she paused for a moment, her voice raising a few notches, clearly intended for everyone present to hear:

"Given that this negotiation involves state secrets of both countries, I do not wish to see any record of today's events anywhere.

Lord Viscount, I believe you can understand, right?"

Viscount Milangell nodded repeatedly.

Just before departing, Princess Ai'na suddenly beckoned to Lynn.

After Lynn, who was immersed in a beautiful dream of getting rich, obediently leaned over, she revealed an amiable smile:

"Regarding today's matter... and the last matter.

If I hear even the slightest rumor outside...

I will tear you to shreds."

Until her figure disappeared into the reindeer cart's carriage and the convoy drove toward the end of the street, Lynn's legs still couldn't help but tremble.

Under normal circumstances, he should never have any contact with this kind of madwoman again, even if it killed him. But since she was a financial backer, that was another story.

His life was certainly important, because he couldn't make money if he was dead.

But if he was alive and didn't go make money for fear of dying, then what was the difference between that and being dead?

Thinking of this, his gaze became incomparably resolute.

On the other side, the Viscount of White Pine, who had finally seen off the living Buddha, looked at the firm-gazed Lynn and couldn't help but feel admiration:

"Your Excellency Lynn, you and your father are indeed very much alike.

Whether it's the look in your eyes or your luck with women, both are the same.

Please rest assured, your identity and that of the Frost Princess are both very special. I will absolutely keep today's matter a good secret."

(The phrase "seen off the living Buddha" is an English translation of a cultural idiom that implies bidding a reverent, final farewell to a highly respected spiritual leader or teacher)

‘His father?’

Lynn recalled for a moment, and then his expression immediately became strange.

Was he talking about that so-called legendary wandering swordsman-marquis, who in reality was a completely unscrupulous cheap old dad, accompanied every day by beautiful companions of different ages, different statuses, different races, and different genders?

Although that old geezer's behavior had been somewhat restrained while his birth mother was alive, and he had been very good to him, he didn't really want to become that kind of person.

Because he completely didn't understand business!

And because of his illegitimate child disputes, the family had nearly been continuously critically hit by various percentage-based damages.

It was precisely because he felt that his main account was ruined that his grandfather, the Grand Duke of Imperial Shore, had given Lynn a strict, elite education from a young age.

Speaking of which, the more hellish thing was that the illegitimate child problem had now been resolved.

However, for some unknown reason, he always felt that although Milan claimed everyone in the family had been eliminated, that old dad was highly likely not dead yet.

Was it because a scourge lives for a thousand years?

Looking at Lynn's changing expression, Viscount Milangell thought he had said something wrong and immediately felt a little guilty:

"Ah, I've been so thoughtless. Please accept my condolences, Your Excellency Lynn."

Lynn waved his hand magnanimously:

"It's fine, let's not get hung up on things that are or are not there."

"?"

Looking at the confused Viscount, Lynn rubbed his chin.

There was a problem now that required a decision—

Should he tell him about the snake venom?

As a condition for the trade cooperation, Lynn would use his public identity and his so-called Relic ability to assist Princess Ai'na in stopping the Blood Snake Society's conspiracy.

Of course, Ai'na would also propose the previously mentioned joint investigation to the Milanese officials.

She didn't believe Milan would investigate itself; she just needed the empire's official permission to investigate.

After all, ‘the Milanese Codex’ nominally prohibited slavery.

With permission for a joint investigation, although it would arouse the other party's vigilance, it could prevent misunderstandings and escalations between the two countries.

Without this layer of protection, the Blood Snake Society would very likely stir up trouble secretly, and at that time, Frost, investigating without authorization, would inevitably find it difficult to prove its innocence.

And the Milangell family was clearly embroiled in this conspiracy, so informing him would be helpful to the investigation.

The only difficult problem was whether it would alert the snake in the grass, and whether the other party would directly believe his words.

To be on the safe side, Lynn decided to first reveal a part of the truth.

He gestured to Viscount Milangell, then leaned close to the somewhat perplexed Viscount's ear:

"To be perfectly honest, Lord Viscount, do you remember the diagnosis I performed yesterday?

Because many conditions could lead to the patient's symptoms, it was difficult for me to be certain at the time.

However, after a deep exchange with Her Highness the Princess just now, I obtained some key intelligence, and can therefore confirm one point.

And that is, someone poisoned the Young Master. And it is not an ordinary poison, but the Frost Ice Poison unique to the demi-human Snake Tribe."

Hearing this, the Viscount of White Pine's expression changed abruptly.

Lynn continued:

"Furthermore, it was not a one-time poisoning with a large dose, because that would be easily discovered by a Saintess.

There is a person who, every half a month, continuously releases a low dose of snake venom into the Young Master's body through contact."

The truth, of course, was not so. The snake venom was administered once, and what was continuously applied was the dark magic curse.

But that truth was too complex and required more detailed evidence to be convincing.

All Lynn needed was for the Viscount to find the suspect, and then he would look for an opportunity to confirm it through the system.

Now that Dawson had been silenced, and Ai'na was unwilling to give him more information, he could only obtain more intelligence through the Viscount's side.

"Drinking strong alcohol can only alleviate the snake venom. I will continue to search for a radical cure. I hope the Viscount will first investigate the possible suspects.

During this period, you can maintain more contact with Blackstone Fief...

And by the way, you can come over and buy some of our specialties each time, to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from noticing anything."

Elysia's fire magic could provide a radical cure, but Lynn needed to maintain information contact with the Viscount, and he was also temporarily unwilling to expose this witch.

A small, insignificant thought Lynn had besides this was—

to use the pretext of contact to gain a stable customer, as well as a potential free road repair investment.

Of course, these were absolutely just secondary considerations, because after all, Lynn believed he wasn't some bad person.

After receiving the Viscount's affirmative reply, Lynn happily dragged away Iyanna, who had been gorging herself to the point of frightening the other servants, and then headed to the carriage shop to pick up the reserved carriage.

"Alright, let's go back and see how the work results of Employee Number One and the Chief Scientific Officer are."

Just as he smugly flicked the reins, the piebald old horse pulling the cart immediately turned its head and bit Lynn's hand fiercely.

Lynn's smile froze on his face.

He looked at his hand, and only after a long moment did a thought flash through his mind—

So it really does bite people.

"Ahhhhh! Security Captain! Help me bite it back!"

"Awoo! Take this... mmmph! Boss, save me, it bit my ear!"

The chaotic trio of two people and one horse thus embarked on the road back.

"Mishter Lynn... Boss, there's a strange stinky smell."

"It's probably the dog stink on you."

"Mmm! I'm not a dog!"

They did not discover that underneath the jolting carriage, there was a black-robed figure lurking on the undercarriage.

On its forearm, pressed tightly against the cracks in the wooden planks, a winding, twisted blood snake pattern shockingly appeared.

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