Mic shrugged. "Just so you know, this I honestly have no idea about. All I saw was Mr. Nighthale say a few words, and Thor immediately agreed, all smiles. It did not look like anything special." Alan went completely speechless. He fell into silence again. This time, he did not bother responding. He simply turned around and walked away. "Mr. Dankworth, where are you going?" Mic shouted after him. "Off to the circus. Might as well look for a job there." Alan waved without turning back, his voice low and drained. Under the sunlight, his shadow looked especially round. … At the same time, at the duke's estate. "Your Highness, you should already know this. Granting the title of viscount or anything above a duke requires royal approval. Right now, we have not even seen Nighthale in person, yet we are being asked to make a decision. That truly puts us in an impossible position." "Please understand, Your Highness. We are only carrying out orders.""And frankly, this Nighthale is far too arrogant. We are royal envoys, come here to Leafport by Prince Keldric himself. If we cannot even meet Nighthale, there is simply no way for us to confer a title." Aiden and Merrick had just stepped inside when the sound of heated voices reached their ears. At that moment, several men in opulent robes stood in front of Sienna. They carried themselves like people used to power. The one at the front wore gold-rimmed glasses, his refined smile barely masking something sleazy beneath. "So what, you're trying to intimidate me by hiding behind Keldric's name?" Sienna asked coldly. A flicker of anger glinted in her sharp eyes. The young man with the glasses slowly adjusted them on the bridge of his nose. His voice stayed calm, almost polite. "Not at all, Your Highness. But you should understand that we speak on behalf of Prince Keldric. Without our approval, granting that viscount title simply isn't possible. Of course…" He smiled faintly and let the pause linger. "Prince Keldric's devotion to you is no secret, Your Highness. All it would take is a single word from you, a visit to our residence, and a private conversation with Prince Keldric. I'm sure this matter would sort itself out quickly. The real question is what kind of sincerity Your Highness is willing to offer." "Go back and tell him to give it up," Sienna said icily. "Even if every other man in the world were dead, I would still never have anything to do with him." "Oh, Your Highness. What a shame." The bespectacled man sighed. "Prince Keldric personally instructed us to offer you every possible assistance. But with this attitude of yours, you're really putting me in a difficult position." "A difficult position?" A clear, steady voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. "Then don't deal with it at all." Everyone froze before turning toward the sound. Two figures stood at the entrance. One was tall, his features hidden in shadow. The other looked withered and frail, like a little older man. "Nighthale!" Sienna's beautiful eyes lit up. "You're back?" "I just arrived in the city," Aiden said with a relaxed smile. "Didn't expect to walk straight into something like this."I've heard everything that's been said. It's nothing more than a few people sent by the royal court to grant titles, waving their authority around as if it actually meant something. On top of that, there's that so-called Prince Keldric, openly drooling over Sienna and trying to turn the situation to his advantage. Yeah… It's painfully cliche. I never thought I'd see something this trashy happening to a member of the royal family. Guess the power struggles inside the palace are every bit as messy as people say. "Sorry to put on a show. Why don't you head to the courtyard and rest for a bit? I'll take care of this." Sienna's lips curved faintly, and the irritation from being insulted by several people eased almost at once. "Heh. So this is the legendary Mr. Nighthale?" Aiden had not even spoken yet when the bespectacled young man stepped forward, smiling without warmth. "Shows up only after all this time. Quite the grand entrance, huh." His gaze swept over Aiden from head to toe. "Tsk. I was wondering what kind of person could earn His Highness's special attention. Turns out you're nothing impressive. Just a coward who hides in the shadows. You're not even close to Prince Keldric." "Barrell Watts, mind your place." Sienna's beautiful eyes narrowed, her voice turning icy. "Nighthale is the hero who saved Leafport. You don't get to slander him." "Oh, right, he's a big hero. He just rode the coattails of the Hall of Supremes' top-ranked powerhouse and got a huge freebie. That's how he managed to take down a Lord-level boss. Totally my bad. Man, I don't even know how I let my mouth run away with my thoughts." Barrell grinned and held out his hand. "Haha, just kidding. I don't think this big hero's gonna be mad, right?" Aiden did not bother responding. He only let out a quiet sigh. "Merrick, don't you think this guy is trying way too hard?" "Absolutely." Merrick nodded in complete agreement. He's just begging to get punched. "You want to do it, or should I?" "Either way works." "So what I am hearing is that the two of you are planning to make a move on me?" Watching them play off each other with bored, careless expressions, Barrell let his hand drop, his eyes turning icy. "That is some nerve you have. Do you have any idea that this conversation alone is enough to get you erased without a body left behind?" "Oh?" Merrick's gaze flickered with amusement. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"