They all call me Great Master

The wound on Jimte's back was exceptionally long, stretching almost from his right shoulder to his left waist, with the flesh rolled to the sides and the white bone faintly visible.

This was the result of a sword strike from Joel Colman.

Jimte had tried his best to dodge this sword.

But he couldn't completely avoid it.

However, faced with such a strike that severely injured him, Jimte could only feel fortunate—because if he had moved any slower, he would have been sliced into two.

But thinking about how the inner armor handcrafted by his fiancée Annie was ruined, the young nobleman was filled with regret and reluctance.

"Alas!"

Sighed the young nobleman.

Seeing Joel Colman catching up behind him, Jimte sighed once again.

"Can't we just talk?

You've been chasing me for a whole day, haven't you?

The entire Inner Bay knows about this, don't you have any concerns?"

Jimte looked perplexed and wronged.

Seeing the grievance on Jimte's face, Joel Colman's hand shook with rage as he gripped his sword, and the indescribable pain surged from his acid-corroded left arm, the calf pierced by poison needles, the back bitten by a venomous spider, and the neck grazed by a crossbow arrow.

Faced with such pain, Joel Colman grew even angrier.

He swung his sword again.

This strike exploded with cold light.

This strike, the sword qi was sharp.

This strike cleaved a house in two.

This strike sent Jimte into another hasty escape.

However, in the eyes of the fleeing Jimte, there was a glint of coldness.

Something's wrong!

Jimte had realized something was off when Joel Colman began pursuing him in Inner Bay—acting so recklessly within Inner Bay.

No matter who it is or what the reason, such actions would get them killed by the Golden Lion Family's people.

Yet today, not a single member of the Golden Lion Family appeared.

Not even the guards.

Those omnipresent secret detectives of the past were nowhere to be seen.

This abnormality filled Jimte's heart with unease.

Similarly, to confirm more, he started to lead Joel Colman around Inner Bay.

He went to where the wealthy merchants gathered.

Causing some trouble, nothing happened.

He went to the noble residential area.

Causing some trouble, still nothing happened.

Even some noble guards appeared but were called back.

Jimte could see the resentment on those noble guards' faces.

This made his heart sink even deeper.

At this moment, he vaguely guessed what Lord Baro Hamlet intended to do!

Usurp the throne!

Apart from this, Jimte couldn't explain the 'bizarre quietness' in front of him.

Yet Jimte was puzzled and confused!

This former Wanderer Knight had experienced similar situations—back in Norvia Territory, Jimte had witnessed with his own eyes how his aunt overthrew his father.

How she managed to make everything seem orderly afterward.

No one even considered it a usurpation.

After all, everyone believed what his aunt did was righteous.

His father was indeed detestable.

Even as his son, he had to admit it.

Who would collect taxes eighty years in advance?

Who would try to reinstate the Right of the First Night during the Pioneer Era?

Someone like that deserved to be overthrown!

But the Old Lion was different!

The Old Lion held absolute prestige in Inner Bay, and while not everyone thought of him as a wise lord, at least half considered him a competent leader.

Moreover, this lord was incredibly powerful!

Given such premises, Jimte couldn't understand why Inner Bay's nobility would cooperate with Baro Hamlet.

Weren't they afraid of the Old Lion's retaliation afterward?

It's known that the Old Lion isn't exactly a benevolent person.

Or even if the nobles were merely fence-sitters.

They might be willing to take risks for benefits, and they've found a perfect excuse to absolve themselves afterward.

So, they prepared to cooperate with Baro Hamlet.

But what about the Golden Lion Family?

Would the Golden Lion Family, loyal to the Old Lion, betray him?

Impossible!

If the outside world had only half the people who considered the Old Lion a competent lord, within the Golden Lion Family, everyone acknowledged the Old Lion as a qualified family leader.

Therefore, if Baro Hamlet were to usurp, these people would surely stop him!

Unless they were all dead!

'Hiss!

No way! No way!

Our Lord Baro wouldn't be so ruthless, would he?'

Jimte was startled by his own sudden thought.

Subsequently, Jimte couldn't help but feel excitement rising.

If Baro Hamlet really did something so insane, Jimte would undoubtedly cheer because it would be a great opportunity for him and the lord behind him.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

But reason told him such events were impossible.

Though the 'Little Lion' Gleisa Hamlet wasn't in Inner Bay, both of his younger brothers, Dieudonne Hamlet and Pistri Hamlet, were.

Moreover, the Old Lion himself was still there…

'Wait!

Wouldn't the Old Lion himself be out of Inner Bay?'

Jimte squinted, considering another possibility.

Compared to the previous speculations, this one undoubtedly fit the current situation better.

The Old Lion left due to some affair.

Baro Hamlet, lying dormant for years, seized the opportunity to usurp.

As long as he could stabilize the situation before the Old Lion returned and bind everyone in alliance using the contract, then even if the Old Lion returned, he would have no recourse.

Unless the Old Lion killed everyone.

Or…

Everyone united to kill the Old Lion.

But no one would do that.

The Old Lion wouldn't, and neither would anyone else.

Everyone would weigh the pros and cons and sign a new contract, reaching conditions as satisfactory to both parties as possible.

And then?

It would naturally mean maintaining the status quo.

Inner Bay would still be the Inner Bay of the Golden Lion Family.

The nobles would continue to earn riches.

And the wealthy merchants?

They were, after all, the instigators of this events. They would bear all the blame, be reviled by the Inner Bay people, and their wealth would replenish the coffers of the Golden Lion Family and the nobles.

Causing the wealth of the Golden Lion Family and the nobles to multiply exponentially.

Meanwhile, injecting vitality into Inner Bay.

A large number of wealthy merchants would collapse.

New wealthy merchants would emerge.

They might come from the commoners or the middle class, but they would be more vibrant than the previous merchants and more sensible.

They would provide more job opportunities for the people.

With the Golden Lion Family's cooperation, using one percent or one thousandth of their gains for philanthropy, Inner Bay would stabilize in no time.

And then?

Another rapid development.

Except for those merchants viewed as cattle and sheep and the incidental victims, everything would become lovely.

However,

it would definitely not include him!

Jimte was well aware of this fact.

He would surely be made the scapegoat and sent to the gallows.

'Tsk, it's truly frightening.

Lord Baro, your reaction is too quick.

But did you forget…

I'm not alone.'

Thinking this, Jimte quickened his pace.

The next moment—

He darted into the alley ahead.

And Joel Colman, who had been in hot pursuit, suddenly stopped.

The swordsman, known as the strongest among the younger generation in Inner Bay, frowned deeply.

Something's wrong!