Vasily had no interest in reading the letter and was about to instruct the servant to toss it in the trash.
But then he caught sight of the insignia on the envelope.
Words that had been forming in his throat suddenly caught.
It bore the seal of Red Maple Academy!
“Who delivered this letter?” he demanded, snatching it from the servant.
The servant answered honestly, “The messenger was a young man, about seventeen or eighteen, with a refined appearance.”
Hearing this, Vasily shuddered as he immediately recognized who had sent it.
Throwing all composure aside, he tore open the envelope and read the letter word for word.
After reading only the first few lines, Vasily nearly collapsed.
[I know it was Lina who hired someone to kill me. You’ll have to pay the price…]
His lips trembled as despair filled his eyes, extinguishing any last flicker of hope.
Luca already knew that Lina was behind the assassination attempt. If he told Orf, their entire family would be doomed! This was no exaggeration; a Superclass warrior could wipe out the Franco family with ease.
Realizing this, Vasily was filled with bitter regret. If only he hadn’t taken the risk and instead forced Lina to beg Luca’s forgiveness, perhaps they’d have had a chance for mercy.
But now, with their secret out, even that slim hope was gone.
“What’s wrong?” Seeing Vasily’s ashen face, the other family members sensed something terribly wrong.
Wester stepped forward, grabbed the letter, and skimmed its contents, his expression quickly mirroring Vasily’s horror.
“It’s all because of you, you fool! Look at the mess you’ve made!” He hurled the envelope at Lina, eyes bloodshot with rage.
Lina picked up the letter in a daze. As she read, her face turned as pale as a sheet, her eyes wide with terror.
He knows! He knows I ordered his assassination!
Only now did Lina understand the gravity of what she’d done in trying to kill the student of a Superclass warrior.
If Luca sought revenge, her life was as good as over.
Fear, like a web, spread through her mind.
It overwhelming her hatred.
“Save me… Father… Please save me!” She flung herself at Vasily’s feet, begging desperately, her tears and snot streaming down her face. All thoughts of revenge, any grudges, disappeared in an instant.
She was still young. She didn’t want to die. A lost son could be replaced, a lost husband found anew, but her life—once gone, it would be gone forever.
“I warned you not to provoke Luca, but now that it’s come to this, what good is regret?!” Vasily’s chest heaved with anger. He wanted nothing more than to slap this foolish woman, wondering how he could have raised someone so senseless.
At that moment, a family member who had finished reading the letter suddenly exclaimed with excitement, “There’s still a chance!”
Everyone froze, snatching the letter to read the final lines, their expressions lighting up with relief, though a shadow of concern remained.
[Deliver one million gold coins within a day, and I’ll let this go.]
[And don’t let me see that woman again, or you’ll face the consequences.]
“One million gold coins?! Where are we supposed to find that much money?” Vasily growled. Although the Franco family had a decent foundation, they were still a standard Diamond-level family, with most of their assets tied up in property. A million in liquid cash was no small sum and nearly impossible to pull together in such a short time.
“A million… a million… wait! I know where we can find three hundred thousand!” Lina suddenly spoke up, her face brightening.
That adventurer who had a grudge against Luca had somehow scraped together three hundred thousand gold coins. Without that money, she wouldn’t have been able to hire Kenneth.
Now that Kenneth was dead, the few thousand in deposit she’d paid was a lost cause, but the remaining two hundred thousand was surely still with that adventurer.
If they could force him to hand over the money, and liquidate some assets, they might just be able to gather enough for the million!
Hearing Lina’s idea, everyone felt as if they’d grasped their last chance at salvation. Even better, the adventurer had no background and was new to Southwind City.
It was as if fate had handed them a final chance to make things right!
Vasily didn’t waste a second. Shouting orders, he said, “Everyone else, start liquidating assets. The rest of you, come with me! One way or another, we’re getting that money!”
…
Meanwhile, in a newly established guild in Southwind City’s Inner District.
“Has that woman’s assassin not made his move yet?” In an opulent hall, Celephais reclined on a plush chaise, frowning as he questioned Dien, who was handling the matter.
Dien responded respectfully, “I believe they’re waiting for him to leave Red Maple Academy. Don’t worry, young master. From what she told me, the assassin she hired is one of the strongest in Southwind City. There’s no way Luca will make it out alive!”
“That’s for the best,” Celephais’s tense expression eased slightly. He’d spent a fortune on this, so waiting a bit longer didn’t bother him, as long as Luca ended up dead.
Didn’t that guy think he was untouchable in the game world?
Well, this time, he’d show him that even NPCs bow to the power of money!
Just then, the doors of The World Guild suddenly burst open with a loud kick.
Vasily strode in with a group of Franco family members.
“Where’s Celephais?” Vasily asked, his face unreadable.
The players in the hall jumped, quickly drawing their weapons.
“I’m right here. And who are you…” Celephais stood up, irritation etched on his face.
But then his gaze landed on Lina among the group.
His anger slowly faded, replaced with a cold sneer. “Did you bring that guy’s head with you?”
“His head?” Vasily chuckled coldly. “No, but we’re planning to deliver one to you.”
Celephais blinked, momentarily confused by the remark.
In that instant, a cold gleam flashed across his neck.
Slash!
Blood sprayed like a fountain, and Celephais’s head was thrown high into the air.
His face frozen in disbelief and confusion.
Even in death, he never understood why Lina had suddenly turned on him.
…
Red Maple Academy, Residential Area.
Not long after sending his letter, Luca received a reply.
Along with it came a bank note from the Four Seasons Merchant Guild, marked with the sum of one million!
A full million gold coins!
Looking at the thin piece of paper in his hand, Luca couldn’t hide a satisfied smile.
It seemed the Franco family had made the smartest choice.
This outcome hadn’t surprised him in the least.
After all, when weighed against the fate of their entire family, they clearly understood the stakes.
As for Lina, no matter what became of her, she wouldn’t dare show her face around him again.
With this million in hand, he wouldn’t be lacking funds anytime soon. It was more than enough to craft another Superclass magic rune, provided he leveled up first.
But before he could focus on that, he needed to see this matter resolved.
Storing the bank note in his storage ring.
Luca gave the letter one last glance before burning it and stepping out of the loft.
Although he’d assured everyone that he was fine, Orf had insisted he rest for a couple of days. It was a way to protect him, ensuring no further assassination attempts.
But he couldn’t afford to waste time here.
He needed to visit the City Lord’s Mansion as soon as possible to investigate the status of the meat factory inquiry.
This matter couldn’t be delayed.
Just as he stepped outside, he ran into Fratis approaching him.
No doubt he was coming by to check on him.
“What are you doing out here?” Fratis’s face showed surprise at seeing Luca, then shifted to concern. “Principal Orf mentioned you were seriously injured. How are you feeling now?”
Luca shrugged casually, saying, “No need to worry, Your Highness. I’m all right now and was just planning to go for a walk.”
“Already recovered…?” Fratis murmured, a bit disappointed. She’d been hoping to visit Luca under the guise of concern more often, which would mean hearing more stories from him every day…
But knowing he was truly okay, she sighed in relief, then asked eagerly, “Where are you headed? Can I join you?”
“Of course.” Luca didn’t object this time; since Fratis had come to check on him, he couldn’t exactly turn her away. Plus, it was just a quick trip to the City Lord’s Mansion—there was little chance of danger.
Fratis’s face lit up with excitement. “I’ll have Butler Lawson prepare the carriage right away.”
Naturally, Fratis had a designated escort when she went out alone, and Butler Lawson had been specifically assigned from the royal city to attend to her needs.
Though she disliked being followed, she usually left Lawson waiting outside the academy.
Before long, the two of them left Red Maple Academy together.
Two luxurious carriages awaited them outside, with a dignified, silver-haired old man in glasses standing nearby. This was Butler Lawson Miller.
Seeing them approach, Lawson bowed respectfully. “Good afternoon, Your Highness, Viscount Luca.”
As he spoke, he took a discreet look at Luca. He had investigated the young man whom the Sixth Princess often spoke about, and the more he discovered, the more he was astonished.
In less than a month, Luca had risen from a mere adventurer to one of Southwind City’s elite. Such a rapid ascent was beyond ordinary ability.
A pity, though…
Luca noticed Lawson’s appraisal but paid it no mind, stepping into the other carriage. Fratis was of noble rank and already had a fiancé, so sharing a carriage with another man would be improper. Fortunately, Lawson had prepared two carriages, avoiding any awkwardness.
Yet, Luca had barely settled when the carriage curtain lifted.
Fratis climbed in.
Noticing Luca’s puzzled look, she blinked and said with a smile, “I want to ride with you.”