After arriving at the South Regions Duke’s manor, everyone takes their seats, except the lord of Namwon City, who is noticeably absent.

  Once the servants serve the fruit and drinks, they quietly leave the council chamber and close the door behind them.

  Duke Kolen first addresses Henwell: “Lord of Blood Hill, you’ve traveled far. We haven’t fulfilled our duties as hosts properly, and for that, I apologize. I propose a toast to welcome the lord of Blood Hill. Though our stances differ, you’re undeniably a heroic youth of this generation—making the rest of us feel old!”

  On the surface, it sounds polite, but notably, he deliberately omits mentioning Orak.

  It’s clear he’s pcing Henwell above Orak in status.

  A btant yet cunning attempt to sow discord.

  After all, Henwell’s achievements and reputation far outshine Orak’s.

  But Orak isn’t just some pushover. Raising his gss, he says, “Thanks to Duke Kolen and all present for your kindness. As you know, due to some recent events, my younger brother was injured and hasn’t fully recovered yet. So, as his elder brother, I thank you all on his behalf.”

  With that, he downs his drink in one gulp.

  Not stopping there, Orak pours himself another gss and raises it again. “My brother is young and impulsive. He may have offended some of you in your kingdom before. As his older brother, I apologize for any past unpleasantness. I hope those old grievances will fade away as our two nations peacefully develop together.”

  In just a few words, Orak sends a clear message: he stands firmly behind Henwell.

  He’s throwing his support behind Henwell, not acting as his puppet.

  Wist, the noble South Regions council chairman, chuckles, “Lord Orak, you’re quite fortunate! Two younger brothers without blood ties—one a prince who might become king, and the other even more remarkable, possibly founding his own kingdom someday!”

  The implication is clear: you’re just a puppet. Compared to your two younger brothers, you come up short. No real talent.

  Orak smiles and replies, “Chairman Wist, you’re mistaken. I have three younger brothers! My second brother, Kaku, may not appear often in public, but with him taking care of our parents and managing the household affairs, the three of us brothers can focus on achieving glory outside!”

  Orak’s meaning is straightforward: the brothers work together as a team.

  Each has their own role—no one’s above the other.

  Royal Inspector Bondis sighs, “Ah, honestly, we never wanted to give the lord of Blood Hill a hard time. After all, we’ve heard some stories about Henwell.”

  ”Starting from his early teens, he’s been fighting tooth and nail for your family. Protecting Prince Arius before—surviving against all odds. And now, escorting you on your training journey. It truly seems like he’s ready to spill the st drop of blood for the Phoenix family!”

  You Phoenix folks really know how to use your adopted son!

  Sending him into life-or-death situations, making him do all the dirty work.

  You’ve been treating Henwell like a beast of burden, squeezing every bit of value out of him before you’ll let up!

  Orak shrugs. “My brother’s kind-hearted and loyal! He insisted on seeing me off personally; no matter how much I tried to stop him, he wouldn’t listen. Henwell is family, just like one of us brothers. And he’s always been fighting alongside us.”

  ”Thankfully, his hard work has paid off. He’s now the most successful among us siblings. He’s the pride of our family and a role model for our generation!”

  The message is simple: Henwell escorts us because of our strong bond.

  His sacrifices aren’t one-sided; the Phoenix family isn’t a bunch of vampires.

  Henwell and the Phoenix family have achieved success together.

  As the eldest son of the Phoenix family, Orak himself has considerable talent.

  Whether it’s personal combat skills, commanding troops in battle, or political savvy, he stands out among the younger generation.

  It’s just that compared to Henwell, Orak seems a bit modest.

  In truth, Orak’s abilities match or surpass other heirs in the Vorry Kingdom.

  Even without Henwell, the Phoenix family would rise under Orak’s leadership.

  But with Henwell pushing forward, the Phoenix family’s rise is faster, fiercer, and reaching greater heights.

  But this rapid rise doesn’t come without a price. The Phoenix family is already showing some cracks.

  Many members simply don’t have the vision expected of a ducal house, and a shortage of outstanding talent within the family is a serious concern.

  There’s also a hidden weakness: Orak himself.

  Originally, Orak was supposed to return to the Phoenix family to serve as Duke Jansen’s assistant.

  He would learn how to manage the estate and run family affairs—patching up the st gap in his skillset.

  But now, thanks to King Amir’s recommendation, Orak is sent off on distant studies.

  By the time he finishes and returns, it’ll be hard for him to seamlessly take over family affairs right away.

  This is what worries both Henwell and Jansen, but they can only take things one step at a time.

  Maybe before that moment ever comes, Peace Haven will have grown even stronger.

  Meanwhile, Orak handles the verbal traps id by the Ika Kingdom officials with remarkable composure.

  Even Duke Kolen can’t help but think to himself that the Phoenix family’s rise can’t be pinned solely on Henwell.

  Jansen’s own abilities are solid, and with a rising star like Orak, the family’s ascent is inevitable.

  From Duke Kolen’s perspective, Orak’s performance even surpasses that of his own heir in many ways.

  Once Orak finishes his studies and achieves the rank of Grand Knight, with Henwell’s support, he’ll become the new head of the Phoenix family.

  At that point, the Phoenix family will truly cement its pce among the continent’s top nobility.

  After over an hour of verbal sparring, everyone realizes it’s tough to catch Orak off guard.

  The attempts at sowing discord gradually die down.

  So now, it’s time to get down to business.

  The royal inspector strikes first: “Henwell, I expect you to expin the massacre that happened in the Oyley territory. Including Viscount Oyley, twelve nobles of the kingdom and 637 royal soldiers were brutally sughtered. All evidence points to your team’s involvement in this btant defiance of the kingdom’s ws!”

  Duke Kolen looks at Henwell, who’s been silent for over an hour, watching the drama unfold.

  “Henwell, do you have any expnation for this?”

  Suddenly, Henwell jumps up and howls at the top of his lungs, “Injustice—ahhh!”

  Everyone is startled by the outburst; even Orak drops the fruit in his hand.

  Duke Kolen rubs his ear, “Keep it down! What are you yelling about? What injustice? Who’s wronged?”

  “It’s not me who’s wronged! It’s Viscount Oyley who’s been wronged—”