"Rnd, I''m friends with your grandfather. There is no need to be so distant. Just call me Uncle Archival." The old duke smiled.


    Hearing this, Rnd was momentarily stunned. "I see. I understand, Uncle Archival."


    "Good! Let''s talk inside. We''ll leave the young ones on their own." Archival muttered while shaking his head with a helpless smile.


    Rnd chuckled. "Alright. I also have things to discuss with you."


    "Oh, really? I can''t wait."


    Fredrinn sent Argus a look. "You should go with my father."


    "Yes, sir." Argus nodded and left.


    After they left, Aubrey grabbed his hand and said. "Follow me. I''ll bring you somewhere." She sounded eager so Fredrinn couldn''t bring himself to reject her.


    Aubrey brought him to the man-madeke just behind their main mansion.


    "Why did you bring me here?" Fredrinn stared at her curiously. He wondered why she brought him to theke. She didn''t bring him here to go fishing, right?


    Aubrey pointed to a spot in the middle of theke. "Do you see that pavilion? Let''s go there." She excitedly said.


    Fredrinn followed her gaze. In the middle of theke was a small pavilion. It looked like a good ce to rx. He thought.


    "Let''s go there using that. Riding a boat makes you feel rxed. Trust me." Aubrey pointed at the small boat tied to a mangrove on thekeside.


    "Fine." Fredrinn regretted making that promise with Elder Rex. He felt that his rtionship with Aubrey would develop into romance if they continued meeting like this. He wasn''t against the idea, but he was afraid that she would be implicated in hisplex future.


    When he realized that he was starting to have feelings for Aubrey, Fredrinn didn''t know how to deal with it. In the end, he sighed as he thought. ''I''ll just let nature take its course.''


    "Hey! Why do you look absentminded? What are you thinking about?" Aubrey asked when she saw him in a daze.


    "It''s nothing. Just some random thoughts." He responded.


    The two took turns rowing the boat.


    Fredrinn wasn''t interested in boating so he thought that it would be boring. However, he found out that he was enjoying it.


    "It''s fun, right?" Aubrey chuckled.


    "Yeah. We should do this often."


    "Then you''ll have toe by since you don''t have ake in your estate."


    "I''ll ask my father to build one."


    Time passed by in the blink of an eye. It was time to say goodbye.


    "You should attend the banquet. I will wait for you." Fredrinn smiled before he jumped on the back of the elephant-like magical beast.


    Aubrey nodded. "I will be there."


    Rnd also bid farewell to the old duke and the elders.


    A momentter, they finally left.


    Aubrey kept staring at the sky with longing.


    "What am I seeing here? Do you like him that much?" A teasing voice drifted into her ears.


    Aubrey didn''t deny it. "It''s the first time I am interested in someone. You''ve also seen him. Isn''t he the perfect grandson-inw for you? He isn''t even 30 yet, but he''s already in the Nascent Soul realm. Is there even another young man like him in the kingdom?"


    Archival was speechless. He couldn''t even offer a rebuttal. Fredrinn has exceeded his expectations. He was indeed an exceptional young man. Not to mention that the Firecrown Household would soon be the sixth supreme household. By then, the two families would have equal status.


    "If your father was here, he wouldn''t agree to it easily."


    "I doubt that. He won''t be able to do anything once his daughter makes a decision." Aubrey snorted in disdain.


    ***


    Before heading back to Red Sun City, Fredrinn''s group stopped by Arcane City to see Andre and the seven Master-rank martial practitioners they contracted as guest elders for the family.


    They only chatted briefly. They didn''t stay for long since they still had to prepare for the banquet. After bidding everyone farewell, the group left Arcane City and headed to Red Sun City.


    The return trip only took less than three days. If they hadn''t stopped at Arcane City, they would have arrived home much earlier.


    The threerge magical beastsnded in front of the main mansion, scaring everyone out of their wits. If they hadn''t seen the unique symbol of the royal family on the beasts'' armor, they might have attacked them before theynded.


    "Thank god you guys are safe." Margaret smiled in relief when she saw the father and son.


    "I missed you." Rnd hugged his wife.


    "I missed you too…"


    "Let''s go inside first. I''ll tell you everything that happened."


    "Father, wait!" Fredrinn called out.


    Rnd and Margaret turned their gazes to him. "What is it?"


    "I will go and visit the city lord. While I''m gone, you should discuss with mom about the banquet preparations. I''d feel more at ease if she handled the preparations." Fredrinn muttered.


    "Oh, right! I almost forgot about that. Alright. Just send my regards to the city lord and please, do your best, my son."" Rnd wanted to go with him, but he had to prepare for the banquet.


    Fredrinn nodded. "Yes. You can rest assured, Father. I''ll make sure that the city lord will recover."


    "Good. You may leave." Rnd waved his hand.


    Margaret didn''t know what this was about, but she didn''t say anything when she saw their serious faces. She only sent Rnd a knowing look.


    "I''ll tell you everythingter," Rnd whispered.


    Hearing this, she smiled. She then looked at Fredrinn and said. "Take care on the road."


    "Yes, mom. I''ll be back soon." Fredrinn left right away. There was no time to rest. The city lord''s condition was worsening.


    During his time as a yer, Ludwig wasn''t the city lord of Red Sun City. Which means that he would probably die from his illness.


    If he cured the city lord, the Springfield Household would owe them a huge favor. The city officials would also be grateful.


    ''I''ming, city lord. Please wait for me.''