They all call me Great Master

```

Invite that noble?

Invite whom?

Who can be involved in such a matter?

Marinda's normally unfazed eyes showed a hint of confusion, and when Arthur mentioned that name, the lady was even more stunned—

"Julie?

Is it the Julie I know?"

The lady asked for confirmation.

"Unless you have another lady who is 2.5 meters tall and with a robust physique by your side, then Lady Julie is indeed the one you're imagining,"

Arthur said with a smile and a shrug.

Marinda stared intently at Arthur, and after confirming that Arthur was not joking, the lady couldn't help but sigh.

"You're such a scoundrel!"

Marinda had roughly guessed what Arthur was planning.

It was different from the layout she had been plotting.

Arthur's was bolder and...

Honest!

Yes, honest!

Because this guy had never intended to deceive the countess.

In fact, he had planned to drag the countess into the game from the beginning.

If that was the case, then executing the plan would be much simpler!

Moreover, the countess who would be in on the game also had to honor the 'noble rules'—not only reducing the risk of her flipping the table but also turning her into an ally...

"Sly Arthur!

How could someone like you ever be the 'Black Cat'!

You are more like a snake!"

Marinda muttered. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

"Ah yes, yes, yes!

You'd better take a good look at my 'shadow'—perhaps beneath a cat's feet, there really is a snake!"

Arthur rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

Marinda responded with a raised middle finger, then exhaled a ring of smoke.

This ring of smoke did not dissipate like the previous ones but quickly expanded big enough to fit a person through.

The next moment, Marinda stepped into the ring of smoke and vanished.

Clearly, Marinda had gone to extend the invitation to Lady Julie.

And both had tacitly avoided mentioning how Arthur came to know this lady.

In South Los, some things don't need to be asked repeatedly.

Yet some things must be emphasized over and over.

For example: Food!

"Tonight, Marinda and I are hosting a guest.

I need three portions of beef pie in puff pastry and the same amount of creamy pumpkin soup, plus servings for eight of the mixed fried and roasted platter and equal shares of white bread, and three servings of food at their creative discretion.

Oh, and don't forget a barrel of decent wine,"

Arthur instructed Merlin, who was tidying and arranging the courtyard.

He then took out two gold notes.

Based on past estimations for 'Grandma Andor's Kitchen' food, one gold note was more than sufficient to cover the cost and setup.

The other gold note was for the wine.

Arthur had not forgotten that when Lady Julie left, she had mentioned 'enjoying wine and pleasant conversation.'

Clearly, this was a lady who loved her wine.

Even if there were some ulterior motives, the basic preferences still needed to be accommodated.

"Of course, sir,"

Merlin set down his gardener's trowel and took the gold notes, then headed toward Dar Alley—running errands for the household in his spare time was part of the secondary and tertiary manservants' duties.

```

As for why there was leisure time?

Of course, it was because the Death Serpent Banyan had occupied almost the entire courtyard of No. 2 Cork Street.

Merlin, except for tending to that small patch of cat grass and catnip fields, didn't have to deal with weeds anymore, which greatly reduced his workload.

Moreover, such errands allowed Merlin to feel at ease.

Earning five Zeroes a day for almost doing nothing, however, could invite idle talk.

Arthur clearly perceived his 'manservant's sense of ease.

He found it interesting—

'A child with "Talent" who has not entered the "Mystic Side," and an uncle who has?'

Interesting!'

Previously, when Arthur noticed something off about Merlin's reaction to the Death Serpent Banyan, he had sent Fujin to investigate.

Then came an unexpected discovery.

Arthur never imagined that Merlin's seemingly ordinary Uncle Gaius would turn out to be a "Mystic Side Person."

Furthermore, he was researching potion-making—

When Merlin hurried back, the man emerging from the secret room still had a test tube in his hand.

The subtle bubbles emanating from the test tube were all too familiar to Arthur; it was a phenomenon that occurred when a potion was perfected by harmonizing the base material with "Spirituality."

Such a discovery astonished Arthur.

Almost instantly, Arthur began to suspect that Merlin's presence by his side was premeditated.

Did Gaius and Merlin, this uncle-nephew pair, harbor some secret intentions?

But Arthur did not rush to seek confirmation.

He knew that such confrontation would not yield the best results, especially with Merlin and Gaius operating under his watchful eye.

Waiting for the other party to slip up would be the best choice.

Thinking this, Arthur pushed open the door and entered No. 2 Cork Street.

Almost immediately, he saw his cat.

Pendragon sat perched on a stand to the side of the corridor, eyes fixed on Arthur as he returned home, meowing continuously with elongated, grumbling tones.

Clearly, Pendragon was still questioning why Arthur hadn't taken him along.

'Of course, it was because I don't want you to be in danger!'

That's what Arthur thought to himself, but that's not what he said aloud.

The young Spirit Medium, after hanging up his coat, scooped up the large ginger cat and said—

"We all left, and someone had to stay to watch the house, right?

Home is very important. Without it, we would have no place to sleep or eat. You wouldn't want to sleep on the streets or miss out on dried fish, would you?"

"Meow~"

The elongated meow began to shorten.

Though still somewhat puzzled, the cat was clearly starting to accept what Arthur was saying.

Unquestionably, even the smartest of kittens can still be swayed by dried fish.

To make Pendragon accept this reasoning more quickly, or to completely divert his attention, at Arthur's command, Kuliqi's dog's head emerged from Arthur's shadow, displaying a provocative and sly expression as if to say, 'Come at me!'

"Meow!"

Pendragon instantly fluffed up and pounced from Arthur's arms.

Cat scratch!

Cat flying kick!

Kuliqi ducked and ran with his tail between his legs.

Watching this scene, Arthur smiled at his dog, who looked to him for rescue, and gave a thumbs up.

He then entered the kitchen.

Although the two apprentices would help with the setup, there were some basics that Arthur had to handle himself—aside from the Hand of Void carrying Atos's Box, the remaining five Hands of Void began adding charcoal to the boiler, boiling water, arranging tea utensils, searching for tea and snacks, etc.

Sitting in the chair, Arthur quietly waited for his guest.

But then, in the next moment, the young Spirit Medium's brows knitted slightly—

'Hmm?'