I'm really not a Sanctuary Warlock.

"I would like to ask you to help me send something to the capital."

"Deliver something?" Lynn's eyes instantly turned strange. "What could be so important that it would require you to go to such lengths?"

"Is it a priceless treasure? Or some confidential document that could overthrow the kingdom?"

Marquis Laurent shook his head, a wry smile on his face.

"neither."

He turned his head and called softly towards the shadows on one side of the study, "Alice, come out."

As he finished speaking, a figure timidly emerged from the shadows behind the bookshelf.

Lynn's gaze was instantly drawn to it.

She was a girl who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a pure white lace dress, with a head of brilliant golden hair that cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall.

Her features were so exquisite that they seemed to be the most perfect masterpiece of the gods. Her skin was fair and translucent, and her pair of emerald green eyes were as clear as a pool of spring water, without a trace of impurity.

She seemed a little scared, her hands nervously clasped in front of her, her head lowered, not daring to look at Lynn.

“Her name is Alice, and she is my granddaughter.” Marquis Laurent’s voice was full of affection and pride.

"Even during the most chaotic period when Holy Song City fell, I protected her very well and prevented the filth of the outside world from tainting her eyes."

The Marquis sighed, his expression becoming complicated.

“But now, although Holy Song City has been liberated, it has become even more dangerous. I am old and do not know how much longer I can protect her. Therefore, she needs to go to the royal city.”

"Once you reach the capital, all you need to do is safely deliver her to Duke Valerius's residence, and my mission will be complete."

Marquis Laurent looked at Lynn and asked sincerely, "Mr. Lynn, would you be willing to help with this?"

Looking at the girl, who was as delicate as a porcelain doll yet incredibly fragile, Lynn instinctively wanted to refuse her.

He already has enough trouble.

Anna's karmic fire still awaits his solution. In Holy Song City, Nora and Burning Fire have just gained a foothold and are currently engaged in open and covert struggles with the old noble forces led by Babbitt. The situation is on the verge of exploding.

He is now the most important military deterrent in the Burning Fire. Once he leaves Holy Song City, no one can predict what those nobles might do.

Could this be a trap set by those nobles?

A scheme to lure the tiger away from the mountain?

Use an insignificant girl and a hefty reward to get rid of him from Holy Song City, and then take the opportunity to make a move on Nora and Burning Fire.

That's highly likely.

He is not a pushover, nor is he a mercenary that anyone can use.

He couldn't bring himself to put his companion in danger for a complete stranger.

Lynn's eyes turned cold; he had already thought of his words and was ready to refuse.

However, just as he was about to speak, a loli voice filled with supreme majesty suddenly resounded deep within his soul.

You'd better say yes.

"This won't do you any harm."

Chapter 171 Wealth

The refusal that Lynn was about to blurt out got stuck in her throat.

Lynn forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, raised his head, and looked directly into Marquis Laurent's bright eyes.

“My lord, I need more specific information.”

"For example, what's so special about this girl? I don't think it's necessary to use someone like me to escort an ordinary noble lady to the capital."

Lynn's tone was neither humble nor arrogant, "A trustworthy mercenary group, plus your family's guards, should be more than enough. I believe that with your financial resources, this is not a difficult matter."

Marquis Laurent seemed unsurprised by Lynn's reaction; he nodded approvingly, a bitter smile on his face.

“Mr. Lynn, you are more cautious than I expected, which is a good thing.”

He shook his head and sighed, "But you're overthinking it. Alice herself is nothing special. She can't even do the most basic meditation because of her physical condition."

“What’s truly special is her mother.”

The Marquis's gaze shifted to the girl who was like a frightened bird, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"However, her mother... and my good-for-nothing son disappeared during our escape many years ago."

"Escape?" Lynn raised an eyebrow slightly. "Excuse me for speaking frankly, but given the Laurent family's influence in Holy Song City, do we really need to use the word 'escape'?"

That sounds like a joke.

“My family cannot protect them both.” The Marquis’s voice lowered, filled with helplessness.

"All I can do is try my best to protect my son who has Laurent blood. But he... he naturally doesn't want to."

A flicker of pain and regret flashed in the old man's eyes.

"So they left the newborn Alice behind and disappeared completely from my sight."

Linn was silent.

This is a seemingly clichéd, yet incredibly heavy, aristocratic tragedy.

"Alice's mother is an extremely rare long-lived species."

The Marquis Laurent finally revealed the most crucial secret.

"Legend has it that the blood of immortal beings can greatly extend the lifespan of mortals and even allow spellcasters to more easily comprehend the origin of the elements."

"For this reason, throughout history, they were relentlessly slaughtered and kept in captivity by greedy kings, nobles, and sorcerers until they were on the verge of extinction."

The Marquis's voice trembled, "Every immortal being exposed will become prey coveted by everyone."

A huge wave of emotion surged within Lynn. He subconsciously glanced at the girl who was still looking down, her body trembling slightly.

If she is a descendant of an immortal being...

"Iris is not."

Marquis Laurent seemed to read Lynn's mind and immediately spoke.

“She didn’t inherit her mother’s bloodline; she was just an ordinary girl. That’s why, all these years, those eyes lurking in the shadows have been watching my manor, but they haven’t chosen to force me to hand over Alice.”

The Marquis's voice turned cold.

"But as soon as Alice steps out of this manor, they might make a move. There is no shortage of vicious forbidden techniques on the continent. It is not impossible to locate close relatives through bloodlines."

"They might try to find her mother through Alice."

"I just want to choose the safest method." Marquis Laurent's tone became extremely sincere. "Those mercenaries are only interested in profit, and the loyalty of their guards cannot withstand the test. Faced with temptations that could drive the kingdom mad, I don't trust them."

“But Mr. Lynn, you are different.”

“In Holy Song City, you are one of the few people who have enough power to overturn everything, and... still retain a sense of goodwill.”

The old man looked intently at him. "You are the safest choice for this trip."

To increase his leverage, he immediately added, "I can even hire the kingdom's top mercenary group for you, and have them completely at your command on the road, whether as guards or as bait, it's all up to you."

Lynn tapped her fingertips lightly on the armrest of the chair.

He needed time to process all of this, and even more time to discuss it with Anna.

“My lord, this matter is of great importance, and I need to go back and consider it carefully.” Lynn stood up. “I will give you a clear answer tomorrow during the day.”

“Yes, that’s fine.” Marquis Laurent nodded, not insisting.

He stood up, rubbing his temples wearily. "But please hurry. I don't know how many more days this old body of mine can hold on. Those jackals are all waiting for the day I close my eyes."

Just as Lynn was about to turn and leave the study, the Marquis threw out his last and most important card.

“Mr. Lynn, if you can safely deliver Alice to the Duke of Valerius’s mansion in the royal city, all the assets my Laurent family has accumulated in Holy Song City over the past hundreds of years, including this manor, as well as all the shops and properties in the city…”

"It will all belong to you."

"This is the payment I made."

Lynn abruptly stopped in his tracks.

What an astronomical sum of money the entire estate of an ancient noble family that has been rooted in the city of Holy Song for hundreds of years would be.

Lynn took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart, and nodded slightly without turning around.

"I understand."

After saying that, he walked out of the study without looking back and left the elegant manor under the guidance of the butler.

……

Once inside the returning carriage, Lynn closed his eyes and leaned back in the soft seat.

Outside the window, the wind and snow howled, while inside the car it was warm and cozy, but his heart was filled with a mixture of ice and fire.

Wealth, immortal beings, the Duke of the Royal City, lurking enemies...

All of this intertwined to form a huge net, and he was being pulled towards the center of this net.

The carriage stopped in a small alley near the burning stronghold. Lynn got out of the carriage alone, put on his cloak, and his figure quickly disappeared into the wind and snow.

Returning to my apartment building, the moment I opened the door, a wave of warmth washed over me.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, making a soft crackling sound.

Anna sat on the carpet in front of the fireplace, draped in a soft blanket, her long golden hair shimmering like flowing light in the firelight.

She was holding a book in her hands. When she heard the door open, she looked up and her golden eyes looked over.

"You're back?" Her voice was soft, with a languid quality.

"Ah."

Lynn took off his snow-soaked cloak, walked to the fireplace, sat down, and stretched his cold hands toward the flames.

"What happened?" Anna put down her book and keenly sensed the lingering heavy aura emanating from Lynn.

Lynn did not hide anything and told Anna everything about the Marquis Laurent's late-night summons, the matter of the immortals, and the astonishing reward.

Anna listened quietly, her beautiful face flickering in the firelight, her expression remaining largely unchanged.

She didn't speak until Lynn finished.

“The immortal species… So these creatures that only exist in ancient books really do exist in the world.” She pondered for a moment. “This is indeed a huge problem, but it is also a huge opportunity.”

"Opportunity?" Lynn asked, puzzled.

“Marquis Laurent said he would send the girl to the Duke Valerius’s mansion in the royal city,” Anna analyzed. “The Valerius family is one of the four oldest dukes in the kingdom, with immense power. It is said that several members of the family have served as guardians of the kingdom.”

"If you can take this opportunity to get in touch with them, the resistance from the capital will probably be much less."

"The foundation of these ancient families is far deeper than we imagine. Many secrets that the church has kept secret may be found in these families."

“But what about Holy Song City…” Lynn expressed his concern, “Once I leave, Nora and Burning Fire will probably have a hard time suppressing those nobles.”

“No, you’re wrong.” Anna shook her head.

"The current balance in Holy Song City is not based on the military deterrence of either side, but on the political maneuvering of Queen Mother Enoria."

“The nobles need the fire as a nail to remind them who the master is, and Nora also needs the nobles as a whetstone to help the fire grow.”

"They will fight while you are gone, but they will never break the deadlock."

Anna's lips curled up slightly. "Besides, you forgot, there's still a guardian of the kingdom remaining in the city."

“Although Ms. Eve has stated that she will not interfere in politics, she will never stand idly by and watch Holy Song City descend into chaos again,” Anna said confidently. “With her backing her up, nothing serious will happen here.”

Anna reached out and grasped Lynn's somewhat cold hand.

"So, you can give it a try."

Chapter 172 The Eve of Departure

The wind and snow that lasted all night did not subside until dawn.

The fire in the fireplace had burned out, leaving only a few still-warm ashes.

When Lynn opened her eyes, the room still carried a chill of the night.