Early the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened, the servants at the Duke’s estate had only just lit the kitchen fires when Li Yuan went downstairs and knocked on the study door. Duke Sebas spent a period in his study every morning, drinking tea and browsing the Kingdom Daily.
“Come in,” the Duke’s voice called from within.
Li Yuan pushed the door open. The Duke was sitting behind his desk with a cup of hot tea in hand, several documents spread out before him. Seeing that it was Li Yuan, he set down his teacup and asked curiously,
“Mr. Li, is there something you need this early?”
After all, Li Yuan had never risen this early since he had begun staying there.
Li Yuan walked to the desk and took two prepared talismans from his sleeve, placing them on the table.
“These are Soul-Soothing Talismans I obtained from the Bacas Principality. They have the effect of calming the mind and settling the spirit, and they offer some resistance against soul-level attacks. These two are for you and the Duchess.”
The Duke looked down at the two exquisitely crafted talismans, picking them up to examine them. The texture was different from any he had encountered before, and he couldn't identify the technique used to draw the patterns.
“Something from the Bacas Principality?” The Duke raised an eyebrow. “The magic items from over there do have their unique qualities.”
He tucked the talismans away and nodded. “I’ve heard Setis mention how impressive your peace talismans are, so I won’t stand on ceremony.”
Li Yuan bowed and exited the study. He then went to find Reinhardt. The young master’s room was at the very end of the hallway, and the door was half-open. He knocked gently to alert Reinhardt, who was in the middle of dressing.
“Mr. Li?” Reinhardt looked surprised to see him.
Li Yuan placed a Soul-Soothing Talisman on the bedside table and briefly explained its use. Reinhardt thanked him; because of Setis, everyone in the family knew the power of these talismans, so Li Yuan didn't need to waste words explaining.
One rarely refused something that could save their life.
Li Yuan smiled, offered no further explanation, and turned to leave.
At breakfast, the family sat down in the dining room as usual. Today, there was a fresh pot of black tea on the table, specially brewed by the head chef, who mentioned a new batch of tea leaves had arrived.
Setis sat opposite Li Yuan, not sparing him a single glance throughout the meal. However, every time her fork reached for a dish, it would unconsciously drift slightly toward his direction. Reinhardt kept his head down and ate, pretending he hadn't seen a thing.
Li Yuan didn't eat much. When the servants came to clear his place, he suddenly spoke up.
“I plan to return to the Bacas Principality for a while,” Li Yuan said in a casual tone. “There are some matters there I need to handle. I may be gone for some time.”
Setis’s fork slipped from her hand, clattering against the porcelain plate. She stared straight at Li Yuan.
“What are you going back for?” she asked, standing up abruptly. She spoke so rapidly and with such panic that she completely forgot her table manners. “Didn’t you say you didn’t have any family left? Why go back?”
“Setis,” the Duchess called out softly.
Setis bit her lip and sat back down reluctantly, but her golden-brown eyes remained fixed on Li Yuan, waiting for his answer.
Li Yuan gave the explanation he had prepared: “I still have some assets back in the Principality that I didn’t settle properly when I came to Kajinson. Since I plan to live in the Kingdom long-term now, I need to go and handle them, otherwise they’ll be seized by the state over time.”
“Those little assets of yours—” Setis started to speak, but another look from her mother forced her to swallow the rest of her sentence.
The Duke took a sip of tea, set the cup down, and looked at Li Yuan with a scrutinizing gaze.
“How long do you plan to be gone, Mr. Li?”
“About a month for the round trip.”
The Duke nodded and didn't press further. The holes in the story were obvious, so this reason was clearly intended only for Setis.
“If it is important business, then go,” the Duke said steadily. “You are welcome to return whenever you are finished. The doors of the Duke’s estate are always open to you.”
Li Yuan bowed in thanks.
Setis sat in her chair, opening her mouth several times, but each time she was stopped by a look from Reinhardt. Her usually gentle brother wore a rare expression that clearly said, “Just drop it.”
“I’ve made arrangements for the tea shop. If all goes well...” Li Yuan added, “it should be ready to open by the time I return.”
“We will certainly be there to support you then,” the Duchess added with a smile.
Reinhardt chimed in as well. “The black tea Mr. Li brews is indeed excellent. That tea bag Setis brought back before—” He was cut off by a kick under the table from Setis.
The Duke set down his napkin, stood up, and walked over to Li Yuan, patting him on the shoulder.
“Come back soon.”
“I will.”
After breakfast, Li Yuan returned to his room to send a message to Hogg, arranging to meet him at their previous office. Just as he finished, he saw Setis standing at the door.
Setis called his name softly.
“Li Yuan.”
“Yes?”
“Are you... really coming back?” Her voice wasn't loud, but she was very serious. “Don’t give me a perfunctory answer this time.”
Li Yuan looked at her and nodded earnestly.
“I am.”
After receiving an affirmative answer, Setis fell silent for a few seconds, looking hesitant.
“Then promise me.” She looked up, her golden-brown eyes staring straight at him. “Swear in the name of the gods that you will return at the first opportunity once your business is done.”
To swear in the name of the gods—this meant calling upon the deities as witnesses. Oaths made by mortals in the name of the gods were binding under their gaze, and breaking them would invite divine punishment.
The word “oath” made him instinctively hesitate for a moment.
In the Kyushu Continent, cultivators never swore oaths lightly. Oaths were witnessed by the Heavenly Dao; once made, they had to be kept. The price for breaking an oath was soul dispersion, losing even the chance for reincarnation.
But then he realized—this wasn't Kyushu.
This world had no Heavenly Dao, and as for the so-called gods... based on the Incarnation of the Blood Moon God he had encountered, their strength was only so-so, roughly equivalent to the Soul Transformation stage.
An oath witnessed by a weak god had essentially zero binding power over him.
With that thought, he nodded and agreed.
“Alright.”
It wasn't that he intended to break his word, but this journey was full of uncertainties... evil cultivators were truly good at hiding and incredibly insidious. He had suffered greatly because of them before, so he didn't dare to be too absolute...
Setis visibly relaxed, though a hint of uncertainty remained on her face, as if she hadn't expected him to agree so readily.
“Then repeat after me. I swear in the name of the gods—”
“I swear in the name of the gods,” Li Yuan repeated.
“That after my business is finished—”
“That after my business is finished—”
“I will return to me... to Kajinson at the first opportunity.”
“I will return to Kajinson at the first opportunity.”
Once Setis finished the last few words, the tension on her face finally vanished, and she nodded with satisfaction.
“Then... safe travels.”
“Thank you.”
...
When it was time to leave, the Duke and Duchess personally saw Li Yuan to the main gate, having the butler bring some snacks for the road and a bag of gold coins. Li Yuan declined a few times but eventually accepted. Reinhardt stood behind his mother, also offering a few words for a safe journey.
Setis stood at the very back, clutching that Soul-Soothing Talisman, watching him without saying a word.
Li Yuan bowed slightly to everyone, turned, and walked out of the Duke’s estate.
Setis remained where she was, staring in that direction. Reinhardt walked over to her side and reached out to pat his sister’s shoulder.
“He’ll be back, don’t worry.”
“Mm.”
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