Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

Since that person wanted to use Freya as a stepping stone to reach a higher place, to ascend to the heavens in one fell swoop, he should naturally be prepared to fall to his death at that height.

Count Iron had originally planned this banquet for him, but the man didn't even get to the table. He messed up when the waiter stopped him at the restaurant entrance, and to make matters worse, he got angry and embarrassed at the restaurant entrance. Tsk tsk.

The Iron Earl didn't need any of the things he had prepared before the boy was completely defeated. Afterwards, Freya broke up with him out of disappointment, while the boy was utterly crushed. As for whether the boy would see the sun rise again after Freya's heartbreak, that's another story.

The same tactic would be used against Aaron, except that instead of having to separate them, it would be having to grant them their wish.

In Falk's view, everything about Aaron was still under his control.

The only minor surprise was the incident in Birmingham, which slightly changed Earl Iron's opinion of Aaron. Aaron was a little different from ordinary young men in their early twenties. He possessed a strong will, at least more than other young men in their early twenties, and could stand on equal footing with Lucette's spy. He also had a certain determination, even willing to give up a life of wealth and honor that was within his grasp, in order to stick to his principles. In fact, in this respect alone, he surpassed many young men that Earl Iron had met.

But for Earl Iron, it was just a minor setback and nothing serious.

Since you have extraordinary abilities, I will use even more extraordinary power to deal with you.

Since you possess willpower, I will replace the best restaurant in Lodoren with the celebration of the most powerful nation in the world, and the best private room in the restaurant with the luxurious Shelton Palace. Since you have determination, I will replace the performers with the Queen and King of the Kingdom of Dok, and all the audience members with the countless nobles who control the fate of this country.

When you are facing a small group of people at the very top of this country's pyramid, when you are a commoner who is not even a nobleman, under the watchful eyes of countless people, if you take even the slightest wrong step anywhere, it will be an irreversible disaster.

I will expose you to the eyes of the most powerful people in the world, and put you under immense pressure that no young person in their early twenties can withstand. Break up with someone in this setting, and the more people watching this performance, the heavier their blessings, and the more grand the occasion, the greater the pressure you will face and the harder it will be for you to refuse.

Therefore, the only difficulty is getting you to participate in the celebration, but you simply cannot refuse this celebration from the very beginning.

Therefore, everything was predetermined from the very beginning.

Even if you have an iron will and absolute determination, it's useless. Having a will doesn't mean having a self-destructive tendency. On the contrary, the clearer a person's will is, the clearer their mind will be. They will be clear-headed about what the consequences of refusing in this situation will be, and they will know that the consequences of refusing will be no different from destroying their own life. Therefore, the more rational and clear-headed a person is, the less likely they are to act rashly in such a situation.

On the other hand, if the person there were a complete idiot, things might actually turn out differently, haha.

In fact, it's not Aaron's fault. This is almost the most powerful pressure in the world. No young person in the world can resist it. In this country, almost only the Earl of Iron can use such pressure to oppress others, using the king, queen, and nobles to perform for him. And he doesn't even need to say a word or take any action to complete this task flawlessly.

He only needs to set the tone in this setting, and then you will find it difficult to resist, because the greater the weight of his blessing for you, the less you can resist.

Ultimately, Aaron was just a twenty-year-old young man. He was neither a nobleman nor a superhuman, and he had no connections or resources whatsoever, let alone the ability to overturn the table.

His opponent was someone who had been manipulating the country for decades, and crushing Aaron was a piece of cake for him. Dealing with Aaron, a "minor trouble," was just a trivial matter for him. He didn't even need to make any preparations or say anything beforehand.

In fact, apart from Aaron himself, no one in the world knew that he had arranged these things. This was just another perfect masterpiece by the Earl of Iron that no one had discovered. Only Aaron, as the person involved, knew the cause and effect of this matter. And he would understand once again why he was the most powerful person in this country.

Chapter 140 Queen Lusette will visit the Kingdom of Dok

As for what happens next, Earl of Iron is not worried. In fact, the moment he took a liking to Aaron and arranged for Aaron to enter the government building, he had already decided Aaron's life.

He needs Aaron to be with Freya forever. As for making a name for himself or achieving any fame, that's not what he expects. As his pawn, that's not what Aaron should do. His duty is to always keep Freya's emotions stable, ensure her happiness, and prevent any accidents from happening to her. For his daughter and to achieve his own goals, the Iron Earl will stop at nothing. As far as the Iron Earl is concerned, Aaron only needs to do this and make no mistakes.

Although there was a minor mishap that caused Aaron to deviate slightly from his expectations, it was not a big deal. Aaron is still proceeding step by step along the path he had set out for.

He won't go to the military. The Birmingham incident will soon be over, the king will forget about him, and Aaron will continue on his social path as usual. Even the path to promotion has already been arranged by the Earl of Iron. He won't be competing with the scions of noble families on the political stage, but rather on a career path as a civil servant.

Aaron will strictly and flawlessly follow the path laid out for him by the Earl of Iron.

At twenty-two, I entered the Birmingham government system and spent a year honing my skills in clerical work. At twenty-three, I became a seventh-rank office manager. This step was a bit early, but it didn't matter much. At twenty-six, I left the Birmingham government building and became an adjutant or secretary to some important figure. If I performed well, I could potentially enter the Navy or the Treasury Department by the age of thirty.

If you continue to perform well after the age of 35, you can become the department's executive secretary; if you are capable enough and have made contributions, you can even become the department's executive secretary before the age of 40.

If Leopold or Simon needed him at that time, and Aaron had enough political potential, then Aaron's career peak would have been to enter the cabinet and become a top official who could truly help people like Leopold and Simon.

But in any case, Aaron's fate was sealed the moment the Iron Earl set his sights on him.

The celebration ended, but the ball continued, with music playing until late into the night. Sixteen pieces filled every gap of the night, and the palace provided drinks and food throughout. The nobles could dance and play to their hearts' content, while away the long night.

Helena and Simon were among them, but as they were resting after a dance, they saw a blond man drinking alone by the dance floor.

It was Fabian. His performance was highly praised at Shelton Palace. Nobles kept talking to him at parties. This was an unparalleled honor for a theatrical actor and a great opportunity to break into the noble circles of the Kingdom of Dok. Countless people were looking forward to this opportunity to soar to the top.

Fabian seemed to be the kind of person who preferred solitude. Instead of taking the opportunity to promote himself in front of the knights and noble ladies, he sat alone by the dance floor drinking, like a melancholy poet with something on his mind.

Simon knew that Helena liked the opera singer very much, so he took the initiative to go up to him and start a conversation: "Mr. Fabian."

Simon vividly recalls that Fabian played a divine youth with wild blond hair on stage, wearing a long, pleated robe with a belt, which was both sexy and even eerie on stage.

But Fabian, standing before them, had his hair neatly combed back, wore a white suit, and had a gentle expression, resembling a typical young master from a prominent family. However, Simon had a strange feeling that the alluring and sexy Fabian on stage was the real him, and that this was his performance.

“Miss Helena, Mr. Simon,” Fabian said sincerely, “I was truly surprised to hear that you two were engaged.”

"Did you prepare a gift?" Helena asked with a smile.

“No, not only that, I also have a request to Miss Helena,” Fabian said with a smile. “If possible, please allow me to attend your wedding. I will prepare the grandest performance for your wedding.”

"The grandest performance?"

“It is my honor to attend your wedding, and performing at your wedding is my lifelong dream,” Fabian said. He is a natural actor, so his expression looked so sincere that it was impossible to refuse.

Simon glanced at Helena and said, "We'll seriously consider it."

Adding theatrical performances to weddings is nothing new, but usually only extremely famous actors are invited to perform. Fabian is not qualified enough, but this is not insurmountable. As long as Helena is happy, there is no problem with Fabian performing.

“After our tour in Lodoran, we will travel to Birmingham for another tour. It would be a great honor for both of you to come and watch. We will reserve the best seats for Her Highness,” Fabian said.

"Can we see a circus performance? I heard your troupe has many magical creatures?" Miss Helena asked.

“Of course,” Fabian said with a smile. “Besides magical creatures, we also have dwarfs… even wizards, and people who are both men and women…”

Fabian spoke mysteriously at the end, while placing his finger to his lips, like a magical magician piquing the princess's interest.

But Fabian did not continue. He was a man of great discretion. He placed his hand on his chest, gave Simon and Helena a mysterious smile, and then withdrew.

*

Two days later, Birmingham.

Aaron rarely felt that the air in Birmingham was fresh, but today was an exception. Perhaps it was because of the contrast with the air in Lodoran, or perhaps it was because Birmingham was experiencing a rare sunny day. From the car window, Birmingham looked bright and comfortable.

They returned two days after the celebration, traveling by express train from Rhodoram back to Birmingham.

Despite having waiters to serve you 24 hours a day and enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way, the journey was still tiring.

After getting off the carriage, everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the villa, which was exactly the same as when they left. From Earl Iron down to Aaron and Freya, they all felt relieved.

They returned from Lodoren, and even though they barely got out of the car, they were still covered in dust from the journey. But the moment they saw home, they couldn't help but relax.

Freya wanted to go upstairs and take a nap right away, while Aaron, who didn't really like the food he'd had along the way, really missed the cod pie from Birmingham and wanted to have a big meal.

Count Iron frowned the whole time, not because he was dissatisfied with anything, but because he was a very precise person, always eating breakfast and reading the newspaper at specific times without fail. However, the time he got off the train conflicted with his breakfast time, so he wanted to get back to breakfast as soon as possible and get the rhythm back on track.

After returning to the villa, the group went their separate ways to their destinations. The servants packed their luggage for them, and the chef had already prepared breakfast for them, knowing in advance when they would return.

The chef was a former royal chef who was known for his ability to quickly understand everyone's tastes and create special dishes, making him a favorite of the royal family.

After spending some time together, the chef can proudly announce that he has figured out the tastes of the new family member, Aaron. During their trip to Lodoren, he has also developed a cod pie that is even more to Aaron's liking. Spring is the season when cod is at its fattest and most delicious, and the chef is very confident about this dish.

Today's cod pie may look the same as before, but it's quite different inside. He's prepared to give Aaron a surprise and hopes to see the look of surprise on Aaron's face.

Besides the plump cod, spring is also the perfect season for drinking black tea. Along with the Iron Earl comes fresh black tea delivered by train from Castleland. Spring black tea is known as the first tea of ​​the year, and it is of utmost importance, setting the tone for the flavor of black tea throughout the year. Therefore, the kitchen is on high alert for it.

Count Iron just returned from Lodoren and must have just tasted Lodoren's premium black tea. Based on the principle of not being outdone, the kitchen decided to create a special blend of black tea with a different flavor from Lodoren's.

The group finally returned.

At the Iron Earl's dining table, today's newspaper was already neatly stacked, and next to the seat were fresh cod pie and rich black tea, along with the chef who was personally in charge of everything; he had made all the necessary preparations.

In the villa's bathroom, the water in the bathtub was ready, as were the hot towels and ironed clothes. A steaming hot, crispy cod pie specially made for Aaron was also served, just waiting for Aaron to take a bite and give him a surprise.

Earl Iron was already seated at the dining table, newspaper in hand, ready to enjoy his tea and breakfast. Aaron was also sitting on the living room sofa, preparing to enjoy the cod pie he had been craving.

At this moment, Count Iron's personal servant silently approached him and whispered, "We received news this morning that Queen Lusette will be visiting the Kingdom of Dok in three days."

The servant's voice wasn't loud, but it made both people in the room stop what they were doing at the same time.

"The news from Shelton Palace missed the train. We have just received a message that His Majesty the King wishes you to return to Lodoran immediately after arriving in Birmingley to discuss diplomatic matters concerning Queen Lusette."

After the servant finished speaking, he silently withdrew. Count Iron remained silent for a while, then silently put down the steaming teacup in his hand and stood up without a word.

There was no time for him to dawdle; the matter was extremely urgent. He stretched out his arm, and the servant immediately draped a coat over his shoulders. Without looking back, he walked toward the gate. The express train was already prepared for him—the very same train they had taken on their way here—and would depart immediately upon the arrival of the Earl of Iron.

The chef glanced silently at the untouched black tea, then quietly looked away from the cup and towards Aaron, who had just picked up a cod pie from the plate.

Simon happened to walk over with a teacup in his hand and plopped down on the sofa next to him: "Aren't you going to the government building today?"

"What are we going to the government building for? I want to rest today." Aaron asked, holding a cod pie, looking puzzled.

Simon shrugged: "Don't you know? There's a good chance there will be new developments in the Lucette spy case today, and we'll need your cooperation."

"Do you need me to come over and help?" Aaron was stunned.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t care?” Simon picked up the newspaper on the table and said casually, “Because your case has been unsolved for so long, MI7 has decided to use a new technology that was just introduced from abroad. It’s said to be able to reproduce conversations that took place in the room over a period of time.”

With a "thud," Aaron dropped the cod pie in the chef's silent gaze. It had been a while since the cod pie had been on his lips.

When Simon turned around, he found that Aaron's expression had completely frozen.

*

At the same time, at the Birmingham City Hall.

A hoarse male voice echoed for a long time in the interrogation room:

"Do you know why I was able to escape? Because I'm a Lucerne officer, and I know all your secrets!"

Upon hearing this, the two MI7 officers who were squatting on the ground simultaneously looked up, exchanged bewildered glances, and both wore expressions of surprise.

"This is... Aaron's voice?" After a long while, one of the female officers said.

“It’s him without a doubt; his voice is exactly the same as when he gave the statement,” another male officer with narrowed eyes said with a strange expression.

“If that’s the case, things are getting interesting.” Another female officer, holding her hat, slowly stood up. “Should we report this to our superiors?”

Another officer shook his head. "Let's try again and see if we can find any more clues."

“The conversation took place a long time ago, and there was strong spiritual interference at the scene. If we were to try to recreate it, we probably wouldn’t be able to reproduce more than a few words. Moreover, the longer the time has passed, the fewer words we can reproduce,” the female officer said.

"According to convention, once we discover clues of this level, we should already be able to start making arrests, but..."

“Mr. Aaron is connected to important figures. We must be extremely careful when dealing with such people and never wrong him,” the squinty-eyed officer said very seriously.

"Yes." The female officer stretched, her slender figure fully revealed in the room. Her expression was not discouraged, but rather became more excited.

The squinting officer looked at her and said, "So, if we want to catch him, we must find enough clues."

*

Zain noticed that Aaron had become increasingly strange ever since he returned from Lodoron.

Could it be because he's so happy about getting engaged to Freya?

Zain was puzzled, but he kept taking notes and observing Aaron's condition.