[ An Hour and a Half Later ]


    William reclined in his seat, holding arge tablet as he searched the inte. His browsing primarily consisted of videos of women twerking, but asionally, he encountered content that was not only peculiar but also unsettling.


    He hade across several online news reports where reporters and stations were denouncing him. However, instead of feeling disheartened, he sensed something suspicious. Most of the individuals criticizing him weren''t major figures or widely recognized personalities—only a few were genuinely influential, while the majority were minor yers, striving to ascend the socialdder.


    William suspected this was yet another assault orchestrated by that enigmatic figure—the Freiggart Great House, a once-powerful family now on the brink of copse. Due to the disgraceful stunt their previous house master had pulled, numerous issues surrounding them had resurfaced on the inte.


    Rumors abounded: some imed that the Freiggarts possessed a demonic bloodline, others asserted they were originally nobodies, mere farmers and the like, and some even suggested that their wealth was nearly depleted. William wasn''t certain if all these rumors held any truth, but he was sure of one thing—the rumor about their financial troubles was urate.


    When the Freiggart Great House began its decline, they resorted to desperate measures to reim their former status, but these efforts drained their coffers. So, while they remained more powerful than an ordinary family, they were no longer as formidable as before, and people were eagerly looking for ways to exploit that weakness.


    William knew it wouldn''t be long before this Great House would be engulfed in humiliation and suffering.


    But that wasn''t the only disturbing thing he discovered online. There were even more troubling matters, like the new cult—or rather, the religion. It had garnered so much support that authorities had no choice but to acknowledge it as a legitimate religion.


    It was the religion of the God of Peace, Vagner. What made this group particrly problematic was their fanatical nature—they were assassinating members of wealthy families and stealing their fortunes.


    Their reason?


    Because, ording to them, the wealthy didn''t deserve their riches. That was the sole absurd rationale these religious zealots provided. What made this even more terrifying was that this religious group was particrly active in the Wiseburn Kingdom, where William was currently residing.


    William sighed as he read the news about another affluent family that had been massacred the previous night. Not even their small children were spared. The authorities couldn''t identify the killers but had to attribute the act to followers of the religion of Vagner because the style of killing was consistent, and the family''s vault was also emptied.


    "What do these people think they''re doing?" William muttered to himself. "Do they even have a actual objective in killing all these people, or is it just an excuse to steal their money? At leaste up with a more substantial reason—like saying the rich are corrupt and they''re corrupting the world or something along those lines."


    William paused when he heard heavy footsteps approaching and turned around. It was Delmar, slowly making his way over, clutching his head as if he were suffering from a severe headache.


    Delmar copsed into the seat opposite William with a small groan. He sighed, feeling slightly better after sitting down, but then clutched his head again in pain, speaking in a voice tinged with regret.


    "Never… again."


    "Never again what?" William asked, his curiosity piqued.


    "Never again… drinking… alcohol… by mixing… various… brands," Delmar replied in short intervals, the pain in his head still quite severe.


    "That stuff does many things… that aren''t so fun afterward." Delmar forced a wry smile, trying to mask the pain.


    "Have you taken any medicine for the headache?" William asked.


    Delmar shook his head. "No… Medicine is for losers… I don''t need stuff like that." But another sharp wave of pain hit him.


    "Well, I think you need to be a loser for today and just take some." William signaled the bar manager to prepare something for him.


    "Ahh… You might be right, boss," Delmar conceded as the bar manager approached with a drink. "What the hell is this?" Delmar asked, eyeing the various swirling shades of green in the ss.


    "It''s the medication, sir," the bar manager replied.


    "Will this actually work?"


    "Ie from a family of drunkards, sir, and believe me when I say this drink WILL remove any and all side effects and pain quickly." With that, the bar manager walked away, apparently feeling no further exnation was necessary.


    Delmar scrutinized the heavy drink, then nced at William, who shrugged and said, "Hey, who better to know how to cure a drunken mess than someone who grew up in a whole family of them?" The bar manager, overhearing, responded with a firm, "Hell yeah."


    Delmar took another look at the drink before downing it in one go, immediately grimacing as though he might vomit.


    "Fahhhhhk, what the hell was that?"


    "It''s good for you."


    "But why does it taste so bad?"


    "Because it''s good for you." Hearing the same answer again, Delmar looked at William, who was engrossed in his tablet. Curious, he asked, "What''s the matter, boss? Why do you look so irritated?"


    "It''s the religious group of Vagner. These people are causing too much troubletely."


    Delmar raised an eyebrow. "The cult that kills rich bastards?"


    William looked at him. "You know about them?"


    Nodding, Delmar replied, "Yeah, they target wealthy people with illegal connections, kill them, then take their money to fund various good causes."


    "Good causes?"


    "Stuff like helping the needy, buying food for the poor, and simr things."


    "That''s all well and good, but still…" William turned his attention back to his tablet. "Why did they have to kill the guy who owned the Clucky Chicken restaurants? Now I won''t be able to eat there anymore; it might get sold off because of this."


    "Look at it another way," Delmar suggested. "You could buy the Clucky Chicken restaurants at a low price now."


    William looked at him and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that is indeed a good idea. I could get my chicken without any limits on how much I can order."


    Delmar suddenly turned serious. "Boss, I think you need to hear this."


    William nodded, noting Delmar''s overly serious demeanor. Delmar leaned in closer and said quietly, "While I understand what you mean about those religious fu*ks, don''t say too much about them in public or even in private."


    William looked puzzled, so Delmar continued, "Even though they im the religion is in decline, the truth is it''s spreading like wildfire, and we don''t really know how many people are part of it. What''s worse, a few of our workers and closely rted associates might be in that group too."


    William''s eyes widened as he cast a brief nce at the guards and the bar manager, who seemed to be watching him intently, which made him feel uneasy. He nodded at Delmar, and they both separated as Delmar added, "Not that they''re going to kill you or anything—you do a lot of good for themon folk."


    William nodded after some thought as Delmar asked, "So, how did the meeting with Saintsgate go?"


    "It went well… it was actually about an expedition project he wanted me and a few others to fund."


    Delmar nodded. "So, an expedition project by a Great House that works in the auction house. I can only imagine how much funding that project will require from you guys."


    "Well… not really."