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The fat official looked curiously at Viscount Yelu, who had fallen ominously silent. The Viscount’s eyes were closed, his mouth open in an expression of agony, yet no sound escaped.

“What is going on?” The official tilted his head in confusion. “If he’s in pain, shouldn’t he be screaming?”

Ignoring Viscount Yelu’s inexplicable behavior, Kastina said, “Let’s continue.” She was certain that the lowly slave—Yaeger—had something to do with the Viscount’s sudden muteness.

The fat official hesitated. “It seems Viscount Yelu isn’t well. Should we pause?”

“I said continue,” Kastina interjected, her icy gaze enough to pierce through him.

Shivering, the official suddenly remembered he was dealing with one of the Empire’s most feared figures. “Forty million and ten thousand going once…,” he stammered, his instincts telling him that he’d be in mortal danger if he defied her. “Forty million and ten thousand going twice…” He cast a furtive glance at Kastina, his suspicion growing.

‘Could it be that Viscount Yelu’s condition is because of the princess?’ the fat official mused. Otherwise, why would the Viscount suddenly behave so oddly? As these thoughts swirled in his head, his gaze shifted to Kastina and then, for the first time, landed on the shadowy figure clad in a black cloak.

Despite standing there all along, the figure had been nearly invisible. An inexplicable dread filled him, sending chills down his spine. Both he and Viscount Yelu had been so fixated on Kastina that they’d completely overlooked this mysterious individual. Or perhaps, they had simply deemed the figure unworthy of their attention.

“What are you doing? Seal the deal quickly,” Kastina interrupted, snapping him back to reality.

Jolted, the fat official hastily resumed, “Forty million and ten thousand going thrice. Going thrice… Is there any—” Before he could complete the sentence, Viscount Yelu charged at him. Arms outstretched toward his throat, it seemed as though he was intent on silencing the official forever.

However, just as Viscount Yelu was about to reach him, another figure swiftly intervened, delivering a powerful kick that sent the Viscount crashing into a wall. As he slid down, his assailant’s hood fell back, revealing a striking face.

Recognizing the face just before losing consciousness, Viscount Yelu’s jaw dropped, as if to say, “It’s you!” Then, he fainted.

The fat official also recognized the face and trembled with shock. He could never have imagined that this inconspicuous figure in the black cloak was none other than the Black-hearted Princess, the Empire’s other feared scourge. The realization that both scourges were in his presence was terrifying.

“Why are you standing there? Finish the procedure,” Yaeger spoke, retracting her leg and staring indifferently at the official. She had revealed her identity intentionally to draw the ire away from Kastina, who was in a vulnerable position in the Emperor’s absence.

With a face tinged with regret, the fat official responded, “Yes… Right away!” He scurried back to his office to finalize the paperwork that had already been prepared.

A system notification echoed in Yaeger’s ear. Glancing over, she saw Kastina blushing as she stared back at her.

“Lowly slave! How dare you reveal your identity! You’ve really complicated things for me! You’re absolutely disobedient. Don’t expect to accompany me next time,” Kastina chided, although her tone was mixed with underlying joy. She knew full well why Yaeger had exposed herself, and it warmed her heart.

‘Huhuhu, the lowly slave still cares about me!’ Kastina thought warmly, her heart tinged with affection. Quickly finalizing the paperwork and transferring the funds, Kastina soon became the owner of the Imperial Auction House.

On the street, Kastina and Yaeger walked side by side.

“Lowly slave, what if Grand Duke Keene targets you?” Kastina asked, concern lacing her words.

“I’ll squish him along the way,” Yaeger responded casually.

“That’s easier said than done. Grand Duke Keene is no ordinary foe; he’s one of the Empire’s three Grand Dukes, incredibly influential and powerful. You’ve seen how even a mere viscount in his employ could look down on me,” Kastina explained.

“That’s because you lack influence, isn’t it?” Yaeger said.

Flushing slightly, Kastina agreed, “Well, yes, but be careful. Grand Duke Keene is not to be underestimated.”

“Are you worried about me?” Yaeger smiled.

“I don’t care about you at all! A lowly slave like you will never earn my affection, so dream on!” Kastina retorted, her face flushed.

Yaeger chuckled softly. “She just can’t be honest.”

“What are you smiling about? I really don’t care about you!” Kastina insisted, visibly flustered.

“Fine, fine, you don’t care about me. Satisfied?” Yaeger sighed.

Kastina simply tilted her head and snorted in response.

“Let’s talk about restoring and renovating the auction house,” Yaeger shifted the topic.

“Leave it to me. I’ll find the best craftsmen,” Kastina said, patting her chest confidently.

“And how long will that take?” Yaeger inquired.

“Two or three days,” Kastina answered after some thought.

“So quickly?” Yaeger was mildly surprised, finding it hard to believe such a rundown place could be restored so fast.

“The craftsmen in Jade City are top-tier; my estimate is conservative,” Kastina replied nonchalantly.

“Magic is involved, I assume?” Yaeger mused.

“Of course, didn’t you know? The best craftsmen in Jade City are Earth-attribute Magicians. You’re quite the bumpkin,” Kastina smirked.

“Details, details. I don’t really care about such things,” Yaeger rolled her eyes dismissively.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco at the headquarters of the Small Sword Group, a young man in his twenties burst into the main hall. Dressed in a black suit, his appearance was ordinary, his hair short.

“Boss, our bounty has been removed!” the agent announced hurriedly.

Seated in the center of the room was a middle-aged man with a square face, known as Lucky Hong, the leader of the Small Sword Group. His expression remained impassive as he asked, “And the reason this time?”

“They claim our information was false, leading to heavy losses,” the agent replied.

“False information? What went awry?” Lucky Hong asked, his composure unbroken.

“It’s because of Grandmaster Ronald Tian,” the agent disclosed.

Before he could even finish, a palpable wave of killing intent filled the room like a surging typhoon.

“Ronald Tian, you old fart!” Lucky Hong roared, finally letting his anger erupt.