The Herb King

"What's going on here?!" Einar came to look at the situation. He glared at Joseph, making the latter shudder in fear.

Who in the Leone Empire didn't know about this old man's exploits? According to the soldiers, he was like a god of death on the battlefield! Joseph didn't dare to be disrespectful to him.

"Sir Einar!" Joseph bowed lightly at the old man.

"What brings you here, Sir Joseph?" Einar asked in a frigid tone. He was one of the experts sent to save Chris so he knew what kind of person Joseph was. Einar despised this type of person the most!

"S-Sir Einar, I just want to visit Sir Aethelwolf." Joseph nervously answered. He felt a chill in his heart when his eyes met with the old man's chilling gaze.

"Sir Einar, this guy doesn't have an invitation card. Sir Aethelwolf told us not to allow anyone without an invitation card to enter." The Level 3 guard snorted in disdain. He was angered by Joseph's arrogance and if not for the latter's impressive background, he would have beaten him up right there and then.

Einar raised his hand and the guard could only shut his mouth. "I'll call Sir Aethelwolf first." He grabbed his Communication Rune and called Aethelwolf.

"What is it?" Aethelwolf's voice could be heard over the rune.

"Sir Aethelwolf, Sir Joseph Maynard is here. He wants to see you." Einar muttered in a strange tone.

The other side was silent for a moment.

"Let him enter and bring him to our seats." Aethelwolf muttered after a short pause.

"Alright." Einar dropped the call and turned his head to Joseph. "Follow me inside."

Joseph smugly looked at the Level 3 guard before striding behind Einar. "You're just a mere guard. I can make your life miserable if you go against me. I'll deal with you later!" He dropped these words before he left with Einar.

The Level 3 guard was so incensed that he almost unsheathed his sword. Luckily, his comrades stopped him in time or something bad would have happened.

Einar heard Joseph's words, but he just ignored them. He knew that this bastard would have a bad end for causing trouble.

Einar brought Joseph to the banquet hall. The latter had become nervous when he saw who the guests were. 'These guys are the family heads of the most prominent families in our Leone Empire!' No matter how arrogant he was, he didn't dare act pompously in their presence.

Not long later, Joseph finally saw Aethelwolf. He was chatting with the people around him and because of the angle, Joseph didn't see the emperor who was beside him.

"Sir Aethelwolf, I brought him here." Einar bowed lightly as reported.

"Greetings, Sir Aethelwolf!" Joseph hated this man, but he still had to greet him respectfully because there were a lot of bigwigs around them. Just then, he noticed the person sitting beside Aethelwolf and he only belatedly discovered his identity. "Ah! Your Majesty!"

"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Lucas didn't teach his son well." One of the guests murmured.

Joseph almost cursed when he heard this, but he held himself back.

"Joseph, I have to inform you that this gentleman is now the King of Barden Territory so you have to be careful in how you address him in the future." Jericho Rayden warned in a stern voice.

Joseph's eyes widened when he heard this. 'King of Barden City?! What the hell is going on!?'

Looking at his stunned face, Jericho snorted.

"You came here for me. Tell me. What do you want from me?" Aethelwolf stared calmly at Joseph, but he was actually using his skills [Intimidate] and [Suppression] on him.

Joseph felt incredibly weak under his indifferent gaze and his legs could even be seen trembling excessively. "I- I came here to apologize to you, Si- King Aethelwolf. I- I know that you are treating our family coldly because of what I've done. I hope you'll forgive me." He muttered stutteringly.

Aethelwolf adjusted his sitting posture as he stared at Joseph in amusement. "Did you really think that it's because of something as simple as that?"

Joseph could barely stand the invisible pressure. "W-What do you mean, King Aethelwolf?"

Aethelwolf moved his gaze to Einar and nodded to him as he said. "Bring him here and let Joseph take a look at him."

Einar's eyes flashed for a moment before he nodded his head.

Joseph was confused by this, but he could only anxiously wait.

Soon, Einar came back with a thin man walking behind him.

Joseph's eyes flashed with horror when he saw the person behind Einar. It was actually Chris Maynard! The person who escaped from their underground prison! That means the people responsible for burning their estate and killing their guards were actually the Lassiter Household! 'Does Aethelwolf know something?!'

"You! You! You actually saved this criminal! This man is a criminal held by our Maynard Household!" Joseph pointed at Chris. His hand was shaking in anxiety. He couldn't care less about his reputation now. If Chris started talking, he would be done for!

Einar stepped forward and slapped him across the face!

PA!

Joseph was flung away by the intense slap.

Everyone was already looking at the scene with interest. From the looks of it, the conflict between the Maynard Household and the Lassiter Household wasn't something so simple. They could sense the tension in the air.

Aethelwolf stared at Chris and asked him. "What do you want me to do with him?"

Chris glared hatefully at Joseph as he muttered in low voice. "I want him to suffer the same treatment I experienced!"

No one in the banquet hall knew who Chris was, but a young man gasped in surprise. "Eh? I think that person is the manager of the weapon shop in Vale City! How did he become so thin?"

Aethelwolf smiled coldly as he said. "Lock him up. No one is allowed to visit him without my consent."

Einar nodded his head after hearing his command. He then grabbed the unconscious Joseph out of the banquet hall.