Lin Ke looked at Viscount Mantis with a half-smile.
He was trying to block Viscount Mantis’s words.
Because in a fight, he certainly couldn’t beat Viscount Mantis, and could only use his youthful age to shut Viscount Mantis’s mouth.
"Hmph, your Azanen is just like us, isn’t it?"
Viscount Mantis retorted without hesitation.
Everyone knew that Garoce now had a ninety-nine percent chance of not coming back.
If it weren’t for Ove, the Azanen Territory would most likely shrink and split into several Baronies, then be either absorbed or destroyed by surrounding great nobles.
If one or two people from Azanen were unwilling to yield, they might become some "fallen nobles" longing to restore past glory, and possibly give birth to one or two protagonists like in a novel.
With Lin Ke’s future potential and Ove’s current strength, the surrounding nobles dared not act rashly and even had to pretend to be friendly and congratulate them.
Thus, Lin Ke chuckled lightly, revealing a hint of dominance not belonging to his age: "No, my teacher joined Azanen; he possesses Star-level strength, and you... sorry, Viscount Mantis, what’s your name again?"
Hearing this, Viscount Mantis squinted his eyes but said nothing, and the others beside him also remained silent.
Thus, the atmosphere on the lawn became harmonious again.
Lin Ke once again took out three sets of chess, called it "Azanen War Chess," as entertainment, letting various nobles with a taste for novelty play with enthusiasm.
And while the nobles played chess, Lin Ke took the opportunity to call over all the rulers, big and small, from Azanen’s Domain to the drawing room.
There was some time before lunch, and Lin Ke wanted to stabilize internally before facing external threats.
Antova was accompanying the various nobles below, and John was also downstairs at people’s disposal.
Lin Ke, on the other hand, was heading to the drawing room with Fulon and Butler Billy.
In Viscount Azanen’s Domain, there were five Barons, eighteen Lords, and three Pioneer Knights.
As soon as Lin Ke entered, he saw five gray-haired old men sitting in the center, looking calm, relaxed, and at ease.
Just below, during the verbal conflict with Viscount Mantis, Lin Ke couldn’t even see a single hair of theirs.
Below were either Counts or the sons of Marquises, or some big nobles’ housekeepers, some powerful professionals; these old and weak people couldn’t muster the courage to speak up below.
When Lin Ke came in, those five were resting with their eyes closed, and the others seated also remained silent, seemingly enjoying a privileged status.
This attitude was very clear.
Only Baron Puxin was somewhat familiar to Lin Ke, so Lin Ke smiled and looked over, standing at the door.
Baron Puxin’s face was suddenly dripping with cold sweat.
On one side, he deeply understood how smart Lin Ke was and how powerful the person behind him was.
On the other side was the Azanen Noble Council, which could practically decide his life and death.
Even though he had envisioned this countless times, Baron Puxin was still somewhat terrified.
Just as Lin Ke’s bright eyes narrowed into slits and his mouth curled higher, Baron Puxin couldn’t hold it any longer.
"Young Master Lin Ke, come quickly to pay respects to the family elders, they’ve come this time to discuss with you how to maintain our family’s Viscount position!"
Baron Puxin was originally a seated person, but due to the Parrot City incident, his reputation was ruined, and now he was only sitting at the very end near the door.
"Oh?" Lin Ke glanced around with a half-smile, then turned back and whispered softly to Butler Billy, "Uncle Billy, who are these people, and also, I remember today is my birthday, right? I mean, what kind of gifts have these people prepared?"
Butler Billy bowed respectfully, leaned close to Lin Ke’s ear, and "whispered" in a voice everyone could hear:
"From left to right are Baron Fran, Baron Carmel... and Baron Sangdir, their glory is all inherited from Azanen’s ancestors. I imagine these naturally ’frugal’ people can’t come up with anything to present to you as a birthday gift."
Good gracious, a bunch of stingy people, huh?
Originally, Lin Ke feared causing unintentional harm and didn’t want to speak.
These Barons and Lords, whether standing or sitting, were all mentioned in the book Billy gave him earlier, and were basically nobles passed down for several generations.
Each one being unambitious, indulging in pleasures daily, nearly causing the entire Azanen Territory to regress to a Barony, until Garoce emerged out of the blue leading to slight improvement.
No sooner did it improve for two years did Garoce fall into a sub-dimensional plane, and then one after another they all jumped out again.
Originally, Lin Ke thought these people coming at a time of crisis would Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
If that were the case, even if these elders wanted to give him, a junior, some trouble, he would accept it.
As expected, those who feed on the flesh of others are short-sighted.
No nation or civilization is like the great civilization of a past life, with national spirit.
In most cases, those who don’t die are treacherous.
Lin Ke immediately chuckled lightly and said aloud, "Uncle Billy, throw these mad dogs down from the seats! Since when are dogs allowed to sit in the master’s place?"
As those words came out, the faces of the nine on the seats changed immediately.
"Impudent!" The old man sitting in the center slammed his chair fiercely, opening his murky eyes.
"Even Garoce didn’t dare to speak to me like that!"
"Judgment! Judgment! Judge him!"
"Deprive him of his inheritance rights!"
The others shouted angrily, and the Lords and Pioneer Knights standing behind them had varied expressions, with all sorts of looks.
Only Baron Puxin reflexively tumbled to the ground, his face dripping with cold sweat, looking terrified.
He shouted in his heart: I knew it, I knew it! Absolutely don’t let Ove come! Andrew’s Leg! Had I known, I wouldn’t have come...
He was well aware of that Ove’s "abrasive" temperament, and even more aware of the family elders’ arrogance.
It was simply like an egg crashing against a stone!
Especially the kind of egg that had weathered for a hundred years against a stone made of diamond.
So he hurriedly said, "Young Master Lin Ke, I’m on your side, I’m on your side!"
He trembled as he took out an old, yellowed parchment from his pocket: "Young Master Lin Ke! These are my correspondence with Lady Blando! She always entrusted me to protect you behind the scenes! We’re on the same side!"
Faced with life and death, Baron Puxin directly threw the Noble Council aside.
Correspondence? Protection?
Hearing this, Lin Ke’s pupils contracted, but he didn’t think much, he said gently, "Roll to the back and stand there."
Baron Puxin, as if granted amnesty, rolled and crawled to stand behind Fulon, as if he was an old servant.
Then, Lin Ke’s occupational power surged, forming a thin film of air, and he stepped forward.
Skill Slot—Streamlined Pressure Shield!
And Butler Billy’s figure moved, advancing with Lin Ke’s steps, picking up and throwing all the seated people to the center of the drawing room along the way.
Level 6 Occupation [Butler]!
Fulon was also full of anger, pouting her small mouth and shutting the drawing room’s soundproof door with a "bang."
Close the door and beat the dog.