Imperial Throne

Chapter 100: Monica’s Intentions

Yam quickly stepped into the largest main hall in the estate.

The City Lord's Manor had several main halls for receiving guests, each corresponding to a different class of visitors.

Someone like Monica Kasein, who was already appointed as the next Marchioness of Red Eagle Territory, was naturally received in the largest and most luxurious hall, regardless of the identity she used to visit, she would undoubtedly be treated with the highest honors.

“Miss Monica, it’s been a while.” Yam entered the hall briskly, then smiled and greeted Monica, who was standing in front of an oil painting. “Your sudden visit is truly an honor.”

Monica turned her head and looked at Yam, her gaze appearing somewhat complex.

“Please have a seat, Miss Monica.” Yam invited her to sit, then smiled. “May I ask what brings you to White Mountain Territory?”

“I came to see if White Mountain Territory needed any assistance,” Monica said after taking her seat. “And to deliver a... gift of apology.”

“Gift of apology?”

“My grandfather said that, as the protector of the lords of Red Eagle Territory, he failed to fulfill his promise. Not only did White Mountain Territory suffer an invasion, but also Baron Ster died in battle. He feels deeply remorseful.” Monica sighed lightly, her tone tinged with sorrow. “So during this time, he has been reflecting on how to make up for his dereliction of duty.”

Upon hearing Monica’s words, Yam fell silent.

At the time of Baron Ster’s funeral, Marquis Visen had not attended.

In fact, given his status, it was naturally impossible for him to attend Baron Ster’s funeral.

This was something Yam’s family could understand. However, the Kasein Family hadn’t even sent a single representative, Forest Territory didn’t send anyone to the funeral, nor did they dispatch reinforcements.

Since Forest Territory and White Mountain Territory shared no bonds, Marquis Visen, as the protector of the lords under Red Eagle Territory, remained indifferent.

This was clearly an extremely dangerous signal, and the very reason Yam once deeply suspected that the Kasein Family was the true culprit behind the deaths of Baron Ster and Giggs.

But now, months later, Monica suddenly visited bearing a gift of apology, which left Yam unable to grasp Marquis Visen’s intentions.

“In truth...” Yam carefully weighed his words.

However, Monica didn’t give Yam the chance. She directly had the gift brought forth.

There were five square boxes in total.

The largest one was about the size of an adult’s head; the smallest was no bigger than a palm and very flat.

“Ice Soul Crystal.” Monica opened the largest box. “Baron Ster’s Third-Tier Bloodline was the Ice Ape. This is the core material of the Ice Ape Bloodline. Baron Ster had been searching for it for a long time. During this period, my grandfather had been collecting this material and only obtained it through a merchant guild from Cold Ridge Territory a month and a half ago.”

Lily’s aptitude was quite good. According to her own estimate, she had a chance of reaching the Third Tier.

Therefore, the bloodline potion formula for Ice Ape left behind by Baron Ster wouldn’t go to waste. While most of the materials in the formula were relatively easy to find, the hardest to obtain was this Ice Soul Crystal.

This was because the world had no natural Ice Ape magical beasts, or rather, all Ice Apes were mutated forms of failed Fourth-Tier advancements by bloodline users of this type.

As such, obtaining a bloodline potion for Ice Ape through conventional means meant searching for this kind of companion mineral ore that only had a chance of appearing in glacial ore veins. It was an extremely rare resource, unattainable without powerful connections or immense wealth.

So when Yam saw this gift, he knew he could not refuse.

“Fire Vein Mica.”

“Flame Vein Ore.”

Monica then opened two more boxes. Inside were two minerals, less precious than the Ice Soul Crystal, but still quite valuable, as both were used to reinforce Rare Iron Weapons, granting them special fire-elemental properties.

“Tiger Heart Flame Stream Stone.”

The fourth box was opened.

But Yam didn’t recognize the contents of this box. He looked up at Monica in confusion. “This is...?”

Monica didn’t answer directly. Instead, she opened the fifth box, the smallest one, no bigger than a palm.

Inside the box was a tiny piece of paper.

The paper looked somewhat aged, its color slightly blackened, yet the characters inscribed on it still shimmered faintly in gold.

The moment Yam saw the paper, he froze.

Because he recognized what it was.

Or rather, he had seen it before, on Lily.

A bloodline potion formula.

Reportedly, almost all bloodline potion formulas in the world originated from the Hall of Spirits, and the formulas that circulated from the Hall of Spirits were always recorded on a special kind of paper.

As long as one saw this kind of unique, unforgeable paper containing a formula, there was no need to verify its authenticity, it could be trusted without question.

The Bole Family possessed two bloodline potion formulas. One was recorded on the special paper exclusively used by the Hall of Spirits, while the other, although not documented on such unique material, had been verified by generations of the Bole Family to be authentic and effective.

“This is the bloodline potion formula for the Third-Tier Bloodline Flame Tiger,” Monica said solemnly.

“And this Tiger Heart Flame Stream Stone is the main material for the Flame Tiger Bloodline Potion. Knight Commander Dean spent an entire month in the Eaglehead Mountains under my grandfather’s order before finally locating a Flame Tiger and obtaining this material.”

A new Third-Tier Bloodline Potion formula!

The value of this gift far surpassed that of the two main materials. Yam’s gaze immediately froze in place.

“My grandfather hopes you will accept these five gifts,” Monica said earnestly. “Baron Ster is gone. White Mountain Territory cannot do without a Third-Tier Bloodline User, especially since the new lord of Eastern Mountain Territory and Western Wind Territory definitely won’t let White Mountain Territory off easily.”

The Abres Family of Eastern Mountain Territory had already been destroyed.

One of Count of Fertile Plains’ Household Knights had become the new lord of Eastern Mountain Territory.

The man made no effort to hide his hostility toward White Mountain Territory, holding repeated military drills along the border. Were it not for the recently signed mediation treaty between Count Shuvaric and Marquis Visen, the man would have likely launched a direct attack to the south.

As for Western Wind Territory, because Molly Karco had died in White Mountain Territory, even though it was Knight Commander Dean who struck the fatal blow, the blood feud was still placed on White Mountain Territory’s shoulders.

Especially since Western Wind Territory still had a Fourth-Tier Bloodline User stationed there, which spelled nothing but trouble for White Mountain Territory.

This was why White Mountain Territory was in desperate need of a new Third-Tier Bloodline User.

The gifts Monica had delivered left Yam with no grounds for refusal.

“Thank you very much.” Yam finally closed the box gently, then stood up to express his gratitude.

After a brief exchange of small talk, Yam began arranging accommodations for Monica. As night had already fallen, it was clearly not suitable for Monica to return to Red River Territory that evening.

Once all the arrangements were settled and Monica returned to her room, Yam’s expression gradually darkened.

He didn’t return to his room but went straight to the study.

Akar and Ion were already there waiting.

“Why did Monica come?” Akar asked immediately upon seeing Yam.

“To deliver gifts,” Yam said gravely. “Gifts I had absolutely no way of refusing.”

Then, Yam recounted everything Monica had said and the gifts she brought, emphasizing the Third-Tier Bloodline Flame Tiger.

“Bourbon Family.” Ion was silent for a moment before speaking. “Previously, the Kasein Family gave us preferential treatment because they believed we were survivors of the Bourbon Family. That’s why they sent people to protect us... but this preferential treatment should have been meant only for you.”

Ion pointed at Yam, then continued, “If they were also monitoring and protecting Akar, then his situation with Anna wouldn’t have remained hidden. So clearly, you exposed something that made them suspicious of you, and in the trials that followed, you further deepened the misunderstanding. In the end, the Kasein Family became convinced that you are a descendant of the Bourbon Family.”

“Flame Stream Strike!” Upon hearing Ion’s words, Yam thought for a moment and instantly arrived at the conclusion.

Both he and Akar had awakened the Flame Demon Hound Bloodline. Essentially, there was no difference between them.

If any, Yam was more skilled in swordsmanship, while Akar specialized in archery. If that were all, the Kasein Family would surely have tested both of them further.

Yet they did not. Instead, they confirmed that Yam alone fit the identity of a “descendant of the Bourbon Family.”

There was only one key difference.

He had mastered Flame Stream Strike, while Akar had not.

“How much longer until you reach the Third Tier?”

“If everything goes well, I’ll reach Third Tier by the end of next year at the latest,” Yam said after some thought.

Ion turned to Akar.

“I’m about the same,” Akar replied. “But unlike Yam, I didn’t take several months off, so I’ll likely advance three to six months earlier.”

“Then you must restrain yourself,” Ion said after a moment of silence. “Right now, only Yam is under their watch. If you advance before him, they’ll start watching you. Marquis Visen is not someone to be trifled with. If you don’t want him to discover what’s going on between you and Anna, you better lay low for a while.”

Akar lowered his head with some frustration.

“Then... should I use that Third-Tier Bloodline Monica brought to advance, as they wish?”

“Do we even have a choice?” Ion sighed. “If we had realized this earlier, maybe we could have left Red Eagle Territory. But now that we’re already rooted in White Mountain Territory, there’s no escape from Red Eagle Territory, let alone White Mountain. Monica Kasein chose today specifically, do I really need to spell out what that means?”

At noon today, Lily had just given birth to a daughter for Yam. And by nightfall, Monica arrived bearing gifts.

Clearly, the Kasein Family had waited until Yam was truly tied down by bonds before revealing their stance so overtly. Otherwise, they would have used more subtle probing methods like before.

“No matter what the Kasein Family intends, you are safe until you reach the Third Tier. Even after advancing, they’ll likely give you some time to grow,” Ion said seriously. “So what we need to do now is make the most of this time.”

“Make the most of this time?”

“The Kasein Family clearly has plans for you. As long as we don’t cross their bottom line, even if some of our actions are slightly excessive, they won’t hold it against us,” Ion said bluntly. “But... our cooperation with Anna must become even more secretive, or she might be dragged into this.”

After thinking for a while, Yam finally spoke. “Atork came to me earlier to discuss some matters. Perhaps we could negotiate some cooperation with Bayor Territory? That way, we can divert the Kasein Family’s attention and keep them from discovering our secret alliance with Anna. But if we do that, I won’t be able to go to Gem Territory with Akar.”

“I’ll go,” Ion said gravely.

But upon hearing that, Akar felt a chill run down his spine.