A Capable Gentleman

Jesse immediately pulled a pre-prepared pouch of coins from his breast pocket and respectfully offered it to Bai Xuan with both hands.

Bai Xuan reached out and took it, giving it a light heft. The pouch was quite heavy. Twenty gold coins—this was an incredibly generous reward.

But on second thought, delivering this intelligence was essentially a complete break with the Cross family, so this amount of compensation wasn't unreasonable.

Moreover, he was already at daggers drawn with the Cross family. Helping the White family was also helping himself.

After tucking the pouch away securely, Bai Xuan pondered for a moment before speaking again. “Since you are so straightforward, Lord White, I will gift you another piece of intelligence.”

“I can't guarantee its absolute accuracy, but I'm seventy to eighty percent certain.”

A flash of surprise crossed Edmund's eyes. He raised an eyebrow, his tone inquisitive. “Oh?”

“The recent monster tides are no accident; someone is controlling them from the shadows,” Bai Xuan said, his voice dropping a register.

“It is highly likely Zane Cross. He is using those villages for experiments, employing some bizarre method to rapidly increase his own strength.”

Bai Xuan paused, emphasizing every word as he added, “And that method is related to the Demon Race.”

Edmund's hand resting on the edge of the table froze instantly, and the room plunged into dead silence.

Bai Xuan noticed that Jesse's expression had also changed.

It was no longer the solemnity from when he first heard of the Cross family's conspiracy, but a deeper, distinctly taboo-laden gravity.

“The Demon Race,” Edmund slowly repeated the words, his voice extremely low, carrying an undeniable weight.

Bai Xuan nodded slightly, calmly waiting for his reaction.

Edmund remained silent for a long time. He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his back to Bai Xuan.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window panes, casting a long, heavy shadow of his figure on the floor.

“These deductions of yours,” he began slowly, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible heaviness, “align with the fragmented pieces of information I've received.”

“If this matter truly involves the Demon Race...” Without turning around, his voice drifted as if from far away, laced with gravity.

“Then this is no longer just a private feud between our White family and the Cross family.”

He slowly turned around, his gaze landing on Bai Xuan.

“I will immediately send someone to deliver a message to the main branch. They understand matters regarding the Demon Race far better than we do.”

Bai Xuan did not interject, simply watching him quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Edmund sat back down in his seat, his fingers lightly tapping on the edge of the table as if organizing his thoughts.

Only after a moment did he speak. “To be frank with you, the town hasn't been peaceful lately either, and our hands are completely tied.”

“As for intercepting that gemstone, if we send too few people, I fear we won't succeed and will only alert the enemy. But if we send too many, I worry the town will be left vulnerable if something happens.” He paused, leaving his words unfinished, yet his implication was clear.

Bai Xuan understood instantly; Edmund wanted to enlist his help.

He grumbled inwardly about how these nobles truly loved ordering people around, but his expression remained unchanged.

“You can speak plainly,” Bai Xuan smiled, his tone frank.

“I will help where I can. Of course, a fitting reward would make it even better.”

The corner of Edmund's mouth twitched slightly in response to this half-jest, and his expression softened a bit.

“Our White family and the Cross family have been fighting overtly and covertly over the ownership of the dungeon for so long; we have long been at daggers drawn.”

“This time, they want to obtain that gemstone, so we must intercept them. If we can seize the gemstone for ourselves, that would naturally be even better.”

He looked steadily at Bai Xuan, his tone earnest. “I would like to ask you to make a trip with our family's people.”

“I heard from Jesse that you can not only heal and purify, but also provide supportive buffs, and your own combat capability is not to be underestimated. Having you there would give me peace of mind.”

Bai Xuan still did not reply. He merely raised an eyebrow slightly, gesturing for him to continue, clearly waiting for him to propose concrete terms.

Seeing this, Edmund immediately turned to Jesse and ordered, “Go and fetch that item.”

With that, he looked back at Bai Xuan, his tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning.

“Since you are a spellcaster, sir, that item should hopefully catch your eye.”

Jesse complied and quickly left the room, which fell silent once more.

Bai Xuan picked up the teacup on the table and took a light sip. It was indeed excellent tea.

It tasted crisp and left a sweet aftertaste, which happened to dispel some of the heavy atmosphere in the room.

Taking advantage of the interval while Jesse went to fetch the item, Edmund looked at Bai Xuan, his tone softening slightly.

“To be honest, there is one more matter I would like to trouble you with, sir.”

Bai Xuan held the teacup, not putting it down. “What is it?”

Edmund remained silent for a moment, clearly hesitating. It was quite some time before he slowly spoke.

“It is about my daughter.”

Bai Xuan raised his eyelids slightly.

“Half a month ago, when she went to visit a village, she happened to run into a monster tide,” Edmund said in a low voice, unable to hide his worry.

“The guards fought with all their might to rescue her, but her mental state has been extremely poor ever since. She hides in her room all day, refusing to come out, and no amount of persuasion does any good.”

Bai Xuan's heart stirred slightly.

“I've had people from the church come to look at her,” Edmund continued. “They came twice, both times declaring it was not a curse, yet they were utterly helpless. After that, they refused to visit again.”

“Not a curse?” Bai Xuan asked.

“They said it wasn't.” Edmund's fingers lightly tapped the edge of the table, his tone filled with doubt.

“But I still feel like something is wrong. The child was never like this before.”

Bai Xuan did not reply, his fingertips gently tracing the rim of his teacup as a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

Capturing the subtle change in his expression, Edmund continued, “I heard from Jesse that you were the one who resolved the matter in the mine.”

“You were able to resolve a curse that even the church couldn't break, so I thought that perhaps you could save my daughter.”

He paused, a hint of exhaustion creeping into his voice.

“I investigated the monster tide from that day. Combined with what you just said, there is likely the shadow of the Cross family behind that incident as well.”

“Speaking of which, our White family and the Cross family are in a state of mortal enmity.”

He looked at Bai Xuan: “I presume you aren't on very good terms with the Cross family either, sir?”

Bai Xuan nodded, not denying it.

“Indeed,” he replied calmly.

“Whether it is their way of doing things or my personal grievances with them, we are destined to be incompatible.”

Edmund nodded, as if he had long expected this.

Bai Xuan set down his teacup and asked, “What is your daughter's name?”

He already had a suspicion in his heart, but he asked anyway without letting it show.

“Julia,” Edmund said. “Julia White.”

Hearing the name, Bai Xuan's heart stirred slightly. It was indeed her.

Julia White.

She was precisely the noble young lady his predecessor had met in Klara Village.

When she had come to the church back then, she held “his” hand, asking about the village in an affectionate tone while her eyes carefully sized him up.

Her gaze had flickered with a light that “he” could not understand at the time.

Later, “he” had passed by the old priest's room and heard her talking to a guard inside.

“...Two gold coins. That should be enough to buy this ‘toy,’ right? Priest, don't push your luck.”

The old priest's aged voice trembled. “My lady, he is still a child. You cannot do this...”

A palm slammed onto the table, followed by a guard's low warning. “Priest, watch your words.”

Two gold coins.

At that time, “he” was standing silently outside the door, hearing the entire conversation clearly.

Later, when the monster tide struck, “he” was disemboweled by a Shadow Imp and collapsed in front of Julia, causing her to scream in terror.

The guards by her side soon fell to the monster's claws as well.

Afterward, it was him who occupied this body, crawling out of the pool of blood, beating the Shadow Imp to death, and saving the terrified girl.

He was not a vindictive person who would resort to violence over the past humiliation of the “two gold coins.”

But to say he completely didn't care was obviously unrealistic as well.

“Based on your description,” Bai Xuan spoke after some consideration, “your daughter seems more like she suffered from extreme fright rather than a curse.”

“If that is the case, I may not necessarily have a better solution than the church. However, I will need to see the specific situation with my own eyes to be sure.”

Just as Edmund was about to say something, the door was pushed open.

Two guards walked in carrying a small chest, their movements exceptionally cautious, as if they were holding some rare treasure.

The chest was made of dark wood, with its four corners wrapped in copper plates and a sealing strip pasted over the latch.

Edmund temporarily set aside the previous topic, a slight smile appearing on his face. “The item has arrived. Take a look.”

He gestured for Jesse to open it.

Jesse stepped forward, peeled off the sealing strip, and lifted the lid.

There was no brilliant glow inside the chest as one might have expected; only a piece of wood lay quietly within.

Its color was not much different from ordinary timber, with faint, dark patterns dappling its grayish-brown base.

But upon closer inspection, one would find tiny specks of light embedded within the wood grain, as if the stars of the entire night sky had been compressed inside. Each speck of light blinked slowly, exuding a strange magical energy.

Bai Xuan swept his mental power over it, and a line of text floated up on his panel.

【Starlight Wood: Rarity ★★★, grows only in specific magic environments, an ideal material for advanced staves.】

His eyes brightened slightly. This item was indeed quite interesting.

Although his current staff had already begun to take shape, it was still just an unpolished Rough Embryo.

Subsequent steps would still require a series of processes like enhancement, upgrading, and enchanting, which would inevitably demand many high-quality materials.

While it was still uncertain whether this Starlight Wood could be used on his staff, having an extra material like this would save him a lot of trouble if it proved useful.

Seeing his interest, Edmund could not help but feel a touch of pride in his voice. “This is Starlight Wood, a premium material for crafting advanced staves.”

“Though I do not know what specific magical properties it can imbue, it is absolutely top-tier.”

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of sentimentality. “I acquired this through a trade in my younger years, intending to keep it for my daughter in case she wanted to learn magic in the future.”

“Unfortunately, she has no talent for magic, so this Starlight Wood has remained unused. Since you are a spellcaster, sir, it is only right to put it to good use.”

Bai Xuan still did not reply, only nodding slightly, clearly waiting for him to state his true purpose.

Sure enough, Edmund had more to say.

“I would like to ask you to first examine my daughter's condition,” Edmund finally voiced his request. “We can easily negotiate the compensation. If you can cure my daughter, I am willing to offer any amount of gold coins.”

“In addition, as compensation for assisting us in stopping the Cross family, this piece of Starlight Wood will also be gifted to you.”

Bai Xuan's mind turned the offer over.

He understood instantly. The so-called "gifted to you" was merely using this Starlight Wood as bait to keep him hooked.

With two commissions, he would only receive this reward if he successfully cured Julia. If he failed, he would get nothing.

He glanced at the chest, then at Edmund.

This fellow certainly knew how to calculate his gains.

But he did not expose him.

“I can give it a try,” Bai Xuan said slowly.

“But I cannot guarantee success. Even the people from the church were helpless; I may not necessarily be more capable than them.”

The smile on Edmund's face faded slightly, but he nodded.

“It is already wonderful that you are willing to try, sir.”

Bai Xuan said no more. He picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea had long since gone cold, leaving only bitterness on his tongue, mirroring his complex state of mind.

He thought of Julia again, remembering her desolate, soul-shattered appearance when the guards pulled her away back then.

If she saw him during this meeting, there would likely only be two outcomes.

Either it would completely heal her trauma, or it would make her mental state even worse.

He did not know which one it would be.

The moment Bai Xuan set down his teacup, Edmund stood up.

“Take the gentleman to my daughter's room.”

He quickly called to the maid outside, unable to hide the suppressed urgency in his voice.

The maid bowed and led the way. Edmund followed with large strides, while Bai Xuan and Jesse walked behind them.

The group crossed the courtyard, turning several corners before arriving in front of a detached, small building.

The building was not large, but it was exquisite in every detail. Complex patterns were carved into the veranda pillars, the window frames were painted a delicate pale blue, and even the flowerbeds on both sides of the steps were tended more neatly than anywhere else in the manor.

Bai Xuan swept a glance over it. This place was far more refined than the rest of the manor.

It seemed Edmund truly doted on this daughter to the extreme—perhaps he was a complete doting father.

Before even reaching the door, Edmund quickened his pace. Deliberately softening his steps, he raised his hand and tapped twice gently, fearing he might startle the person inside.

“Julia,” his voice was so soft it sounded nothing like the majestic lord of the manor he usually was.

“Father is here. I have brought a capable gentleman to see you...”

A faint rustle came from inside the room, as if someone had shrunk back into the corner of the bed in fright, followed by silence.

Edmund whispered a few more soothing words, his voice growing lower and more cautious, but the door remained tightly shut, with no sign of opening.

He stopped and let out a sigh.

He gestured helplessly, and a maid immediately stepped forward, pulling out a key to unlock the door.

With a soft click, the door was gently pushed open.

Bai Xuan noticed that the lock was secured from the outside.

Seeing his gaze fall upon the lock, Jesse quickly explained.

“For the first few days after the young lady returned, she was always running around aimlessly. We had to search for her several times before bringing her back.”