You have no choice but to pledge allegiance to me!

After arresting the people, the group began a thorough search of the room.

They searched every drawer and box, even under the bed, but found nothing except some business accounts and a few cryptic letters.

"The money isn't here?" Ryan kicked the empty cabinet with some disappointment.

"It seems you're very cautious; you didn't bring anything important with you." Ye Wei'an casually tossed down a roll of accounts and looked at Gray Raven.

"Give up, you bastard!" Even tied up like a ball, Gray Raven still dared to threaten, "You'll get nothing from me!"

"I didn't expect you to be so loyal to that woman," Ye Wei'an sneered.

"You... you actually guessed it. That makes sense, you recognized who I am, how could you not guess the truth?"

"Since you know I'm Lady Serena's person, if you know what's good for you, you should let me go." Unrestrained, Gray Raven became arrogant. "You have no idea of ​​Lady Serena's methods. Even if you escape this time, it's useless. The Amareske family's influence extends throughout eastern Cormir. You might escape once, but do you think you can escape every time?"

Seeing that Ye Wei'an remained silent, he assumed that the other party was thinking and pressed on while the iron was hot: "So, if you let me go, there is still room for discussion. As long as I put in a good word for you, the lady might soften her heart and be willing to let you go back to Susar to be a wealthy man."

"That damn woman!"

Eileen's face flushed red with anger, and she suddenly increased the pressure on her hand, causing Gray Raven to scream in pain. "How could she be so cruel! You've endured so much in Susar for four years, and she won't even leave you a way out... This is a disgrace to the nobility!"

Kane, standing to the side, looked even more grim than Gray Raven.

Although the Orm family has served the Xia Xing family for generations, he had been serving in the Purple Dragon Knights for a long time and only retired and returned home this year.

He had no idea that the family feud had escalated to such a life-or-death level.

This is no longer just a dispute over family property; it's a scandalous internal conflict.

If he helps Ye Weian fight his way back to the territory and expose all this, it means he has to personally tear apart the Baron's family's reputation and directly challenge the powerful Baroness.

Gray Raven noticed Kane's wavering and immediately tried to persuade him to surrender: "Kane Orm, you're a smart man. You should know that Young Master Lucas Xia Xing is the Baron's legitimate son, the future master of the territory. Think of yourself, think of your family! It's not too late for you to redeem yourself through meritorious service. Don't ruin your future for a bastard child destined to disappear!"

"Kane..." Ye Wei'an keenly noticed the struggle in Kane's eyes. He turned his head and said magnanimously, "If you feel it's difficult, it's not too late to leave now. The road ahead may involve challenging the entire family's order."

Kane remained silent for a long time, his hand tightening and loosening repeatedly on the hilt of his sword.

Finally, the knight looked at Ye Weian, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a heavy but firm tone:

"No, sir. The Orm family has indeed been loyal to Baron Xiaxing for generations, but I am a knight, and my honor cannot tolerate the use of such treacherous means as assassination to deal with a family member. Lady Serena's actions have gone against justice, and I will not obey. I will follow you all the way back to Firefall Keep and expose all the filth behind this to the light of day."

He paused, then added solemnly, "Once this matter is over, I will personally apologize to the Baron and ask for punishment for my negligence in protecting you and for bringing shame upon my family. But until then, no one will be allowed to harm you with my sword."

Looking at Kane's fearless expression, Ye Wei'an was not moved at all; instead, he shook his head.

"Kane, your loyalty is admirable, but your naiveté saddens me." He walked to the window, turning his back to the crowd to the dark Firefall. "Do you think that going back to my father to apologize will bring peace to the Orm family?"

Kane was stunned. He opened his mouth as if to refute, but no words came out.

Ye Wei'an pulled up a chair and sat down, then answered the question himself.

"You might say that the Baron is a fair man, but what good is that? Father is already fifty years old. Even if he recovers from this illness, how long can he protect you?"

"And what about Lady Serena? Her elder brother, Earl Warfred, is the Eastern Warden of Cormier. The Emeryske family's influence is deeply entrenched throughout the eastern part of the kingdom, and the entire Xiaxing family depends on them. Even if everything you do today is in accordance with chivalry, the Baron cannot really punish her."

Ye Wei'an analyzed the situation layer by layer, shattering Kane's hopes bit by bit:

"You might say, the Baron can divorce her, but what about the heir? Don't look at me, you and I both know very well that only a legitimate noble descendant will be accepted by the other nobles to inherit Firefall Territory. Marrying someone else is impossible too; he's already fifty years old, and his health isn't good. He has neither the time nor the ability. So, you see, the ending is already decided. Isn't it?"

He looked at the pale-faced Kane and ruthlessly revealed the truth: "The most likely outcome of this matter is that it will end without any resolution. Once the Baron is dead, do you think Lady Serena will let go of a 'righteous knight' who once ruined her plans? At that time, the entire Orm family will become her target."

Upon hearing this, Kane's hand holding the sword suddenly dropped.

He had realized the enormity of the trouble he had gotten himself into.

"Boss, I think the young master is right." Ryan, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but speak up. "Actually, we were already sacrifices from the moment we received the mission to escort the young master. The only outcome was that we would die at the hands of bandits, or be hanged for failing to protect him and causing his death."

"As the young master's guards, we've been put on the spot from the very beginning," Harold said with a wry smile, shaking his head. "When nobles fight for power, it's always the subordinates who take the blame."

He suddenly realized the problem with his words and scratched his head sheepishly, "Sorry, young master, I wasn't talking about you."

“It’s alright, Harold,” Ye Wei’an waved his hand dismissively. “I’m just a bastard; not many people will treat me like a nobleman.”

Kane looked at his two brothers who had followed him for many years, and then at Ye Weian, who had a calm expression. Suddenly, he felt that the beliefs he had formed since childhood were crumbling.

He realized that he had no other way out.

Just as he was sinking into despair, Ye Wei'an spoke up: "Kane, you still have a choice."

Kane looked at the young man in front of him.

"You can still choose me, and I will pave a path for you!" Ye Wei'an said solemnly. "I know that the Orm family has been loyal to the Xia Xing family for generations with the 'blue background and three gold stars' banner. I promise you that this time when I return home, I will personally take back what is rightfully mine without splitting the Xia Xing family. As for the Orm family, I will give it a future even more illustrious than it has in the Xia Xing family."

Kane looked at the confident young man in front of him.

He recalled how he had used powerful magic to reverse a seemingly hopeless battle;

They worked together seamlessly to capture the bandit leader;

He used healing magic to save six lives;

He generously divided the spoils of war and promised compensation;

He seemed to be blessed by a god in the forest, leading them to Firefall Town within a day;

And tonight, with a little trickery, he captured Gray Raven and his bodyguards without even having to fight.

Although they had only spent less than half a month together, each and every event reminded him:

"Say yes," "He's a remarkable young man," "He's someone worth pledging loyalty to," "Maybe he can actually do it?"

So he knelt down on one knee again.

This time, he was not apologizing for the sake of his family's reputation, but truly and wholeheartedly kneeling before Ye Wei'an.

He drew a longsword, presented it with both hands, and said in a firm voice:

"...Lord Yeweian. From this moment on, Kane Orm is no longer a knight of the Xia Xing family. I will become your sword and shield. My life, and the honor and disgrace of my family, are entirely entrusted to you."

"Boss, you should have done this a long time ago!" Ryan and Harold exchanged a glance and knelt down without hesitation.

Upon seeing this, Ye Wei'an's expression became solemn.

It was clearly a simple wooden chair, but with his charismatic aura, he made it feel like a throne.

In the eyes of Gray Raven and the two captured bodyguards, the young man before them seemed to have suddenly been bathed in a dazzling light.

The suffocating sense of oppression even surpassed that of their old master, the lady's biological father—the powerful Duke of Malcaster.

"I, Ye Wei'an Xia Xing, accept your allegiance in the name of the Magic Network."

He took Kane's sword according to Cormier's ancient noble etiquette, and then tapped it on the knight's shoulder.

"Kane, Raine, Harold, I do not yet have the authority to formally knight you, but I promise you will have a place in my future territories. As long as I stand, the banner of the Orm family will never fall. Your loyalty will be rewarded a thousandfold."

The gray crow lay sprawled on the ground, forgetting even to struggle, staring blankly at Ye Wei'an as if he were seeing this illegitimate son for the first time.

It's one thing that this illegitimate child is good at magic, but...

Now, through their words, they have subdued a Purple Dragon Knight and a knight family on the spot.

With such strength and skill at such a young age, can the lady really defeat such a monster?

"That's wonderful, young master!" Ellen clapped her hands lightly to congratulate her master.

She turned to Kane, who was standing up, and said firmly, "Uncle Kane, pledging allegiance to your master is absolutely the best decision you've ever made. Young Master isn't just a magical genius; he possesses more than that..."

She wanted to blurt out all the amazing things about the young master—such as his rapidly improving magical abilities and the magic that granted him power—but as the words were about to come out, she suddenly remembered that these were secrets that could never be revealed.

The maid stuck out her tongue, forcing a change of topic: "...That kind of foresight, able to see through all the fog, is something ordinary nobles can't match! In short, with the young master, we'll definitely win!"

Kane nodded emphatically.